Month: January 2023

It’s astonishing considering the song’s seeming ubiquity, but Ice Spice’s breakout song “Munch” was never actually on the Hot 100 chart, instead peaking at No. 5 on Billboard‘s Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart in September. It didn’t take her too long to top that accomplishment, though; her latest single, “Gangsta Boo” featuring Lil Tjay, has garnered the Bronx rapper her first-ever Hot 100 appearance on this week’s chart.

“Gangsta Boo,” which appears on Ice’s debut EP Like..? alongside her previously released singles “Munch (Feelin’ U),” “Bikini Bottom,” and “In Ha Mood,” enters the Hot 100 this week at No. 82. Considering the omnipresence of Ice Spice catchphrases like, “you thought I was feeling you?” and “how can I lose when I’m already chose?”, it’s likely only a matter of time until we see her making regular appearances at the opposite end of the chart.

The signature redhead probably won’t stop at the charts, though; earlier this month, she hinted that a screen career might soon be on the way. “I didn’t ever really like see myself being a rapper,” she told Hot97’s Ebro Darden. “I always wanted to be an actress. That was my first passion.” With her witty personality and a gift for self-promotion, don’t be surprised if she takes over movies and TV, too.

In 2019, Ed Sheeran’s The Divide Tour passed U2’s U2 360° Tour to become the highest-grossing tour of all time. Sheeran got to hold onto that title for a few good years, but now there’s a new champion: Billboard reports that Elton John’s ongoing Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour has grossed $817.9 million from 278 shows so far, easily surpassing Sheeran’s Divide total of $776.4 million.

When it comes to tickets sold, though, Sheeran is still the record-holder and well ahead of John: Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour has so far sold 5.3 million tickets while The Divide Tour concluded with 8.9 million. John is also behind U2’s tour as well as The Rolling Stones’ Voodoo Lounge Tour (1994 and 1995), Coldplay’s A Head Full Of Dreams Tour (2016 and 2017) and Guns N’ Roses’ Not In This Lifetime… Tour (2016 to 2019).

Sheeran shouldn’t be too bummed about losing his throne to John, as the two are good friends. A few months ago, Sam Smith revealed Sheeran gave them a six-foot marble statue of a penis and noted that he actually gave one to John first.

Check out our review of John’s Los Angeles stop of the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour here.

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

Despite continuing to collaborate with M. Night Shyamalan on the Apple TV series Servant and the writer/director’s upcoming film, Knock at the Cabin, Rupert Grint will always be best known as Harry Potter‘s red-headed best friend Ron Weasley. While promoting the post-apocalyptic film starring Dave Bautista, Grint opened up about the experience of living in J.K. Rowling’s Wizard World for over a decade and how it was all too easy for him to merge into his character because they were so alike.

“I was feeling the difficulty of being seen, being overshadowed,” Grint told Bustle about the similarities between himself and Ron Weasley. “In the movies, we merged into one. By the end of it, I was playing myself. The lines were blurred.”

As the films took him from age 11 to 22, Grint is glad the series ended when it did as the experience became extremely taxing:

“Potter was so full on — [filming] all year, then we’d promote the rest of the time. It was quite suffocating,” he says, uncrossing his legs. “I wanted a break, to reflect on everything… It was an out-of-body experience for a while, but I think we finished at the right time. If we continued, it could’ve gone downhill.”

However, Grint is fully appreciative of the fact that Harry Potter made his career, and he genuinely doesn’t even mind if people address him as his character in public.

“I answer to it, if someone calls me Ron,” Grint told Bustle with a laugh. “It’s my second name.”

(Via Bustle)

Every member of the main That ’70s Show cast returned for That ’90s Show, with one exception. Danny Masterson, who played Hyde on the sitcom, has a long list of sexual assault allegations against him, including three counts of rape. The actor pleaded not guilty, but last month, a jury was unable to reach a verdict and a mistrial was declared.

Ashton Kutcher, who starred in That ’70s Show and Netflix’s The Ranch with Masterson, commented on the allegations for the first time in an interview with Esquire. “Ultimately, I can’t know. I’m not the judge. I’m not the jury. I’m not the DA. I’m not the victim. And I’m not the accused. And so, in that case, I don’t have a space to comment… I just don’t know,” he said, adding, “I wholesale feel for anybody who feels like they were violated in any way.” Kutcher wants Masterson (who he keeps in touch with) “to be found innocent of the charges brought against him.”

Kutcher also discussed the lessons that Masterson taught him on That ’70s Show:

Back in the day on That ’70s Show, Kutcher says Masterson was the leader of the young talent. He’d been in the industry for a while. Knew reviews and ratings like the ones they were getting didn’t happen often. As Kutcher recalls, “He’s like, ‘One f*cking rule: Don’t do anything f*cking stupid and f*ck this up. Because if you fuck it up, you f*ck it up for everybody.’” He kept the cast in line.

A new trial date for Masterson has been scheduled for late March.

(Via Esquire)

The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle might have surprised fans with his recent appearance on a new show. Peacock’s Poker Face stars Natasha Lyonne as a detective solving a new crime in each episode, similar to the style of Columbo. In the fourth of the first batch of episodes, Lyonne stumbles upon a washed-up rock band who are struggling for another hit. (The fictional members of the group are played by Chloë Sevigny and Darnielle.)

While we won’t give away the rest since it’s definitely worth a watch, Darnielle did chat with Pitchfork about how his part in the show came to be. Specifically, he’s had a longtime friendship with the director Rian Johnson.

“He ordered a T-shirt from a zine that I used to do with Mountain Goats,” he said. “We did one of those small, 50-T-shirt runs in 2001 when he would’ve been probably 18 or 19. Then we moved to Durham in 2003 and over in Chapel Hill, they were showing a movie called Brick. I heard about it so I went to see this movie, and when I saw the credits roll, the music was credited to the Hospital Bomber Experience. Now that’s a reference to a song of mine called ‘The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton.’”

“I pointed to the screen and said, ‘Hey, that’s a Mountain Goats reference!’ So I wrote to him and told him I saw the reference, and we’ve stayed in touch,” Darnielle added.

As for the music in the series, he revealed that he worked with his wife to complete the fictional metal band’s songs, including their hit “Staple Head.” The crew also hired a Judas Priest cover band and someone to sing (as Sevigny lip-syncs in the episode).

“I wrote the lyrics and the vocal melodies and determined the structure, and Jamey [Jasta] wrote the music and laid down everything else,” he revealed. “This is the case with all the songs that you hear on there, except for the one that I play unaccompanied.”

Vladimir Putin has been suffering humiliation after humiliation lately. After Ukrainian President Zelensky accused him of being a Green Screen Wonder, he had to prove that he’s still alive with a public appearance. The Kremlin has also had to clean up after former British PM Boris Johnson’s missile-threat accusations, and rascally Russian saboteurs are blowing up bridges to hamper Putin’s ongoing Ukraine invasion.

Then there’s The Internet. It seems that Putin is very upset about search results from Russians, and mysteriously, the nation’s most predominant search engine (Yonder) has shut down any results that refer to the president as a “bald f*cker.” This news arrives via Daily Beast from the independent Meduza news site. Here are some other key terms that suddenly got scrubbed in reference to Putin:

The site also had mechanisms in place to stop images of Putin appearing in the results for specific, unflattering phrases too. They reportedly include “bunker grandfather,” “master thief,” and “dick in a spacesuit.” The results for queries including “what do pedophiles look like,” “when he dies” and “strange creature waving” were also said to have been filtered to ensure pictures of Putin wouldn’t show up.

“Dick in a spacesuit” is one that I wouldn’t have guessed, and I’m kind-of wondering why “shirtless dick on horseback” isn’t on the list. After all, the most recent G7 summit produced mockery from world leaders (including Boris Johnson and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau) regarding Putin’s “toxic masculinity” and “bare-chested horseback riding display.” Yep, Putin’s getting little respect on the Internet, either, but that’s probably to be expected after invading Ukraine (and keeping the bloodshed going for almost a year) for the heck of it.

(Via The Daily Beast)

Drake’s love for sports is well-documented. The Canadian musician has even formed close-knit friendships with some players. The rap superstar is often photographed courtside at some of his favorite basketball teams’ games. He’s given commentary during showdowns or even been the center of the commentary due to his fashion choices. He’s even found himself in a couple of social media spats while defending his hometown team, the Toronto Raptors.

When the entertainer isn’t on the road or working, he runs his own league, Sanctuary Basketball League (SBL). In contrast to rapper J. Cole, the OVO Sound boss’ likelihood of playing at the professional level is highly unlikely due in part to recurring ankle injuries. However, professional basketball player Fred VanVleet believes Drake could never make it in the league because of his lack of skill.

During the shooting guard’s appearance in a video segment from Canadian sports network Sportsnet, when asked about his opinion on rappers with a passion for the game, VanVleet replied, “[J. Cole] can play a little bit. You know what I mean? Not professionally, obviously. Drake is just old-man YMCA game. He just doesn’t move like a basketball player.”

Ironically, as much public support Drake shows the Toronto Raptors, it much hurt to hear their star guard doesn’t have faith in your game.

Usually, the self-proclaimed 6 God is quick to clap back. However, the rapper is still running off a high after celebrating his son Adonis’ 5th birthday.

Meanwhile, other players chimed in, too, like Scottie Barnes, who said of Cole, “He’s actually one of the artists that really knows how to play basketball.”

Wheel of Fortune contestants aren’t in the habit of disagreeing with Pat Sajak. But not Ben from California. Ben from California made it all the way to the bonus round of the game show, where the category was “Fun and Games.” After getting the requisite letters “RSTLNE” and adding three consonants (MHC) and a vowel (A), Ben was left with:

T A _ _ N _ A _ _ _ C _ _ _ _

Ben was stumped. “Taunt A Chuck Guy,” he guessed, whatever that means. “Taunt A Wacky Guy” made a little more sense, but it still wasn’t right. “Oh, that was so… unclose,” Sajak taunted before revealing the correct answer: Taking A Quick Jog. “You just didn’t have the letters.” That’s not the reason Ben didn’t get it, however. “I just don’t consider jogging fun and games,” he joked before giving a thumbs up to the camera. “Oh, well, there you go,” Sajak replied before going off script to admit, “That wasn’t bad.”

Wheel of Fortune viewers were on Ben’s side. “Finally! A contestant finally speaks out about the answers not matching the category! The kid was great!” one fan wrote on Instagram, while another added, “Nobody considers that fun and games that’s fitness, come on.” It’s certainly not as fun as… taunting a chuck guy?

Even Wheel’s social media team admitted that Ben had a point.

Country-pop icon Shania Twain is 57 years old now, and on a recent episode of the Making Space With Hoda Kotb podcast (as New York Post notes), Twain said she’s decided to skip plastic surgery and instead “forget the sag” and try to change her perception about her body.

She explained:

“I’ve come to a point where, no, I’m not gonna do it. Maybe that was probably part of what pushed me to go, ‘OK, it’s time to start loving yourself in your own skin,’ because sure, I’ve got lots of friends that have had very successful surgeries, but I’ve also seen others that aren’t so successful. And then I think, ‘Well, what if I’m one of those that doesn’t heal very well?’ Then I’m gonna hate that about myself. Then I’m gonna regret doing it. And then, maybe I’m going to fall and cut myself, and I’m gonna need stitches for real.”

She added, “I want to be more relaxed and comfortable in my own skin. It is what it is, and I can’t change it unless I go under the knife or something. I mean, you don’t really know what you’re gonna get anyway, right? One thing pulled here, and another one pulled there… I don’t know, I may never be happy. So, it’s my perception of things that has to change… instead of changing who I am and what I look like.”

Of posing nude for her “Waking Up Dreaming” cover art, she noted:

“It was so empowering. I’m so glad I did it. I was petrified, but once I flipped that switch and dove into it, I’m like, ‘I’m all in!’ I committed 100 percent. I don’t really love my body. I don’t love looking at myself in the mirror with the lights on or looking in the mirror at all at my body. It’s so essential, more than ever, because as we age […] our skin starts to melt and all kinds of things happen to us. I realize that, wow, I was shy about wearing a bikini at the beach when I was younger, and I’m thinking, ‘That was ridiculous. I gotta stop this nonsense and start wearing a bikini to the beach now, even though I’m not my 20-year-old self.’ You know, I just gotta get over that stuff.”

Listen to the full Making Space With Hoda Kotb episode below.

One of the topics that we like to highlight on Upworthy is people who are redefining what it means to be in a relationship. Recently, we’ve shared the stories of platonic life partners, moms who work together as part of a “mommune” and a polyamorous family with four equally-committed parents.

A growing number of people are reevaluating traditional relationships and entering lifestyles that work for them instead of trying to fit into preexisting roles. It makes sense because the more lifestyle options that are available, the greater chance we have to be happy.

A recent trend in unconventional relationships is married couples “living apart together,” or LATs as they are known among mental health professionals.

Actress Helena Bonham Carter and director Tim Burton, actress Gwyneth Paltrow and producer Brad Falchuk, and photographer Annie Leibovitz and activist Susan Sontag are all high-profile couples who’ve embraced the LAT lifestyle.

“I think it certainly helps with preserving mystery and also preserving the idea that this person has their own life,” Paltrow said, according to the New York Post.

The lifestyle appears to have become more mainstream in America as the number of couples living apart rose by more than 25% between 2000 and 2019.

According to The New York Times, there were 3.89 million Americans who live apart from their spouses in 2022, just under 3% of all married couples. The statistics do not include couples intending to divorce but do include those who are forced to live separately due to military duties.

Couples Therapy, Inc. says that LAT couples enjoy the lifestyle because it allows for “independence without sacrificing emotional support,” more time for hobbies and interests, fewer conflicts, and prevents “exploitation along gender roles.”

The disadvantages that LAT couples experience include maintaining emotional connection, occasional loneliness and dealing with the expectations of adult and minor children.

u201cMore Canadian couples are choosing commitment, but not to share it under the same roof. Itu2019s called Living Apart Together.nnFor #GlobalNewReality, @MDimainGlobal speaks with couples and researchers about this growing trend.nnRead more: https://t.co/uOEQg4n1v8u201d

— Globalnews.ca (@Globalnews.ca)
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Although there isn’t a wealth of research on LATs, Bella DePaulo Ph.D. writes in Psychology Today that people who prefer to live apart from their spouse are looking for “independence and privacy.” They also tend to be in their 40s and older and are less likely to need a live-in spouse to help with child-rearing duties.

Sharon Hyman told Today that living apart from her husband, David, puts their relationship in the proper context.

“Living separately allows me to have my needs met by others in addition to David, including friends and family. I feel that expecting one person to be your everything is setting yourself up for disappointment,” Hyman wrote. “It’s also unrealistic and puts tremendous pressure on a relationship. There are so many other people who enrich our lives. I’m a big believer in community. People in the past lived in villages or extended family groups, and I feel that a primary relationship should ideally exist within that framework.”

Sana Akhand, 33, told The New York Times that living apart from her husband helped relieve her from the burdens of being a woman in a traditional marriage. “Being a wife is subconsciously really draining, because you’re just thinking about this other person, their well-being,” Akhand said.

Married couples who live apart from one another all appear to have taken the time to consciously consider their relationships and position them based on their needs, instead of the demands of the culture at large. It makes a lot of sense. Just because a lifestyle works for someone else doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you or your partner.