Fans of The Weeknd already had their eyes trained on HBO in anticipation of his The Idol series, but the multifaceted artist is double-dipping with HBO in 2023. One week ago, he announced that The Weeknd: Live At SoFi Stadium will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on February 25.
This morning, February 9, The Weeknd shared the extravagant trailer for the concert special:
The one-minute clip begins with the spookier aspects of The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tourat the forefront. As it unfolds, we see The Weeknd in his performative element and launching into his Dawn FMtrack “Sacrifice.”
According to Variety, The Weeknd: Live At SoFi Stadium was directed by Micah Bickham, and the Weeknd served as one of several executive producers. The special boasts a 95-minute run time and “was recorded in Los Angeles at the concluding dates of the Weeknd’s 2022 After Hours Til Dawn Tour North American stadium tour.”
The Weeknd resumed the After Hours Til Dawn Tour later that month and made up his SoFi dates on November 26-27. He didn’t waste any time announcing an international second leg:
The After Hours Til Dawn Tour will resume later this year. See the dates here, and watch The Weeknd’s North American recap below.
John Travolta has been doing a lot of stuff lately, though unfortunately, none of that stuff involves him signing on to star in a much-needed Face/Off sequel. But still, he keeps busy!
Travolta’s latest endeavor is a Super Bowl ad for T-Mobile’s home internet, which might seem a little off-brand, but just wait until you see how they pulled this one together! Travolta reprises his iconic Grease character Danny by singing that all too familiar song about beachy summer hookups, “Tell Me More.” Though this time, he is joined by two very unlikely greasers: Zach Braff and Donald Faison, who are singing about the internet instead of his summer romance with Sandy. Sorry, Sandy.
The trio sings a version of the song that incorporates phrases like “5G” and “internet speed” into that classic ’70s pop number, because it is an ad, after all. Do we think that Travolta is secretly a huge fan ofScrubs, or did he just think the two were some really interactive background dancers? Either way, they all seemed to have a good time playing pretend neighbors who need Wifi!
Travolta last acknowledged his Grease character Danny Zuko when paying tribute to his co-star Olivia Newton-John, who passed away last summer. While he doesn’t do any singing as of late, he clearly can still hit those high notes pretty well! Check out the mini-musical ad above.
Following news that Disney+ lost a significant amount of subscribers, which precipitated layoffs at Disney, newly-restored CEO Bob Iger has seemingly dropped another bombshell: Hulu could be up for sale. The House of Mouse owns two-thirds of the streaming service, and there has been speculation that it could ultimately buy Comcast out of the remaining shares. However, Iger told CNBC on Thursday morning that is “not necessarily the case.”
“Everything is on the table right now, so I am not going to speculate whether we are a buyer or a seller of it. But I obviously have suggested that I’m concerned about undifferentiated general entertainment, particularly in the competitive landscape that we are operating in, and we are going to look at it very objectively and expansively.”
When asked by host David Farber if Disney is open to Comcast buying its stakes in Hulu, Iger responded, “We will be open minded.”
Iger’s remarks arrive at a time when streaming platforms are aggressively re-evaluating their content strategy. Netflix went through a similar patch of belt-tightening in 2022 after a rough quarter, and HBO Max has been axing content left and right as Warner Bros. Discovery tries to navigate a massive amount of debt.
Interestingly, Iger noted back in September 2022 that things in the streaming world were about to get tight even with satellite and linear TV rapidly approaching a cliff. “I don’t think all streamers are created equal,” Iger said at the time. “I don’t think they’ll all make it.” During the same interview he predicted Disney+, Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV would most likely be safe. Hulu, however, was notably not on that list.
Vladimir Putin’s a busy guy, apparently. Of late, he’s been a warmonger extraordinaire, and although his former political allies appear to be jumping ship, the (alleged) women in his life continue to support him. That includes a recent breaking-of-the-silence by his alleged long-term girlfriend, former Olympic rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabayeva, who was sanctioned last year by the U.S., which also reportedly froze some of her assets. Alina recently spoke out in favor of Russian State media to continue supporting Putin’s war on Ukraine. Although she reportedly left Russia for Switzerland (due to this war, perhaps?), she and Vlad reportedly have at least three children together.
Putin is also married (and has been since 1983) to Lyudmila Aleksandrovna Ocheretnaya, although that hasn’t stopped this news from surfacing. And as one can see from the photo here, Alina actually made Vlad smile in public at one point. However, a new report from The Guardian reveals that another alleged lover of Putin may be hiding some of his assets, and she (Svetlana Krivonogikh) has now been sanctioned by the U.K. Svetlana is reportedly also the mother of one of Putin’s children, but here’s what The Guardianreported of the sanctions:
The foreign secretary, James Cleverly, announced a new round of sanctions against Kremlin-connected individuals and military entities involved in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They included a drone manufacturer, a helicopter parts firm, and an aviation software company.
But what appears to be the most pointed and personal measure concerned Krivonogikh, a Russian national who worked as a cleaner in the 1990s before meeting Putin in St Petersburg. The Russian investigative website Proekt claims Putin is the father of Krivonogikh’s daughter Luiza.
Svetlana’s newfound wealth surfaced in the 2021 Pandora Papers leak, which indicated that she possesses vast offshore resources and purchased a luxury Monaco apartment as of 2003, which is also the year that her child was born. She, like Alina, is active in urging Russian State media to “promote” Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. As the Daily Mail previously revealed, Svetlana is 47 years old and underwent a rags-to-riches story when she crossed paths with Putin, who’s now 69 and still giving Leo a run for his money.
Thus far, there has been no comment from the Kremlin on his alleged relationship with Svetlana or the U.K. sanctions against her.
Performers included Weezer, St. Vincent, Beck, Fall Out Boy, Lady A, Norah Jones, John Legend, Pentatonix, Little Big Town, Michael McDonald, Charlie Puth, and more. Aside from having to live up to the classic Beach Boys songs, they also had to do it all in front of the surviving Beach Boys themselves who were watching in the audience.
Beck played “Sloop John B,” and joined Jim James from My Morning Jacket to cover “Good Vibrations.” Meanwhile, Weezer engaged in a cover of “California Girls,” a song that likely influenced their 2016 LP the White Album, which contained songs like “L.A. Girlz” and “California Kids.” There’s also footage of John Legend and Brandi Carlile teaming up to tackle the Pet Sounds gem “God Only Knows.” Legend also performed “Sail On, Sailor” on his own. There were plenty more performances that weren’t captured but will arrive eventually in the special.
Watch Beck play “Sloop John B” above, and watch videos of the other performances below.
David Crosby and Neil Young’s feud played out in the press over the years. Crosby called Young’s eventual wife, Daryl Hannah, “a purely poisonous predator” to the Idaho Statesman in 2014, leading to Young to proclaim that Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young “will never tour again.” As recently as September 2021, Crosby told The Guardianthat Young was “the most self-centered, self-obsessed, selfish person I know.”
“The fact is that we were getting a little closer at the end,” Nash told AARPin an interview published yesterday, February 8. “He had sent me a voicemail saying that he wanted to talk to apologize, and could we set up a time to talk. I emailed him back and said, ‘Okay, call me at eleven o’clock tomorrow your time, which is two o’clock on the East Coast.’ He never called, and then he was gone.”
When interviewer Rob Tannenbaum wondered if perhaps Crosby knew he was nearing the end, Nash responded, “I’ve thought about that myself. He was a very intelligent man. I wouldn’t put it past him to know that he was actually at the very end. The truth is, Rob, we’ve been expecting David to pass for 20 years.”
Nash cited his liver transplant and seven stents as reasons Crosby’s “body was really failing,” but, he added, “I can only try to remember the good times because we had many of them.”
Stephen Stills remembers how David Crosby‘s “harmonic sensibilities were nothing short of genius.” “[He was] the glue that held us together as our vocals soared, like Icarus, towards the sun.” https://t.co/FD5dmYA6CX
“David is gone, but his music lives on. The soul of CSNY, David’s voice and energy were at the heart of our band. His great songs stood for what we believed in and it was always fun and exciting when we got to play together. ‘Almost Cut My Hair’ and ‘Deja Vu,’ and so many other great songs he wrote were wonderful to jam on and [Stephen] Stills and I had a blast as he kept going on and on. His singing with Graham [Nash] was memorable, their duo spot a highlight of so many of our shows.
“We had so many great times, especially in the early years. Crosby was a very supportive friend in my early life, as we bit off big pieces of our experience together. David was the catalyst of many things.
“My heart goes out to Jan and Django, his wife and son. Lots of love to you. Thanks David for your spirit and songs, Love you man. I remember the best times!”
Crosby was a founding member of the Byrds in the early 1960s before forming Crosby, Stills & Nash (also known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) later in the decade. Crosby is a two-time Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, as The Byrds were members of the 1991 class and Crosby, Stills & Nash received the honor in 1997.
The Jacksonville Jaguars erased a 27-0 deficit to win 31-30 over the Los Angeles Chargers during the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend on January 14. As the third-largest comeback in NFL playoff history was unfolding, NBC used Jacksonville band Yellowcard’s “Ocean Avenue” as its bumper music to cut to commercial. Great moments aren’t great moments without the right soundtrack.
The Jags fell to the Kansas City Chiefs the following weekend, and the Chiefs are on to Super Bowl LVII — otherwise known as the Rihanna concert — to fight the Philadelphia Eagles for the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, February 12. But remnants of the Jags’ Super Wild Card Weekend triumph have made it into the Super Bowl LVII discourse at Uproxx.
While most everybody is focusing on the football and breaking down the matchup between the Chiefs and Eagles, I’m busy imagining the perfect bumper song for each of the 32 NFL teams if any of them were playing in the big game. The deliberation process was simple. Identify one song that hits on each team’s definitive narrative from this season, with bonus points given if the artist is associated with the team’s region.
It has been all downhill for the Falcons since infamously squandering their 28-3 lead and losing to the Tom Brady-led New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The hope in Atlanta is that rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder can take a major leap and budding tight end Kyle Pitts can break through in 2023.
The Falcons are also slotted to select at No. 8 overall in April’s draft. The face of the franchise’s future has yet to be identified, but whoever it ends up being will be tasked with resurrecting the Falcons. Plus, it was only right to choose a JID track after the Rotimi “Rise Up” debacle started Atlanta’s season on a sour note.
Baltimore Ravens
Brent Faiyaz — “Price Of Fame”
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Ravens and star quarterback Lamar Jackson “could possibly be $100 million apart” in guaranteed money during contract negotiations this offseason. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Jackson declined the Ravens’ offer last offseason and played out the final year of his rookie deal.
The 2019 NFL MVP suffered a PCL injury in Week 13 and missed the remainder of Baltimore’s season, including a narrow loss to AFC North rival Cincinnati on Super Wild Card Weekend. The Ravens already knew Jackson’s price before this season began, but as it unfolded, they learned the cost of potentially losing him as their franchise quarterback. If Jackson is traded or walks, Baltimore’s window slams shut.
Buffalo Bills
Elton John — “Rocket Man”
Bills centaur-like quarterback Josh Allen has a rocket arm, and his arm was Buffalo’s entire offensive identity in 2022 — for better or worse. The Bills’ inability to consistently sustain long drives and over-reliance on Allen’s eye-popping talent was ultimately their demise in the Divisional Round against Cincinnati, losing (in the snow, to be fair) 27-10.
Carolina Panthers
J. Cole — “Love Yourz”
The Panthers had every excuse to pack it in when head coach Matt Rhule was fired in October after a 1-4 start. The Baker Mayfield experiment ended before it began, and franchise star Christian McCaffrey was shipped off to San Francisco. But they fought their butts off for Carolina, for each other and interim head coach Steve Wilks.
Chicago Bears
Juice WRLD — “Man Of The Year”
Stugotz of The Dan Le Batard Show contends that the Bears had the best losing season ever, and it’s a compelling argument. Second-year QB Justin Fields was the most dynamic athlete on the field most weeks — breaking several records and rushing for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns, including three 100-yard rushing games — but Chicago was still bad enough to go 3-14 and secure the No. 1 overall pick.
The Bears can feel confident that they’ve got their man in Fields and demand a king’s ransom from anyone interested in trading for the No. 1 overall pick, using that fortune to rebuild the rest of the roster.
Cincinnati Bengals
Kid Cudi, Don Toliver, Steve Aoki and Dot Da Genius — “Burrow”
The song is literally named after Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who already owns a few franchise records after three seasons (and the first of which was cut short by a torn ACL). Burrow led Cincy to its first playoff win in 31 years en route to the Super Bowl last season and has solidified himself as the second coming of Joe Cool (or paving his own legend as Joe Brrr, Joe Shiesty, or Joey B).
Sure, it’s nice to have a three-headed receiving monster in Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd, but the Bengals’ heartbeat is unquestionably Burrow for the foreseeable future. The Ohio native quickly won over the heart of Kid Cudi, too, becoming friends with one of his childhood idols.
Kid Cudi texted Joe Burrow to let him know a song on his new album was named after him. Burrow smiled pretty big when telling us that.
Ok. So after the Bengals win against the Chiefs, I hit Joe and congratulated him and asked if I could have his jersey. He said yes and sent it right away rockin this bitch to the game and then framing it. I am so geeked right now. #ohiolove@JoeyB@Bengalspic.twitter.com/mHWHfVRkR6
You have to give the Browns credit for constantly reinventing what it means to be a sad franchise. Tracy Chapman’s Grammy-winning track “Fast Car” is enduringly sad. Perfect match.
It seemed that maybe the Browns were turning a new page when their 2018 No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield led them to the playoffs in the 2020 season for the first time since the 2002 season. Cleveland decided to give a fully guaranteed $230 million contract (as reported by ESPN) to Deshaun Watson last March, and Mayfield was sent to Carolina in July. Oh, by the way, Watson was in the middle of facing at least 24 civil suits for sexual misconduct and received an 11-game suspension from the NFL. Cleveland’s reward for getting into the Deshaun Watson business was a forgettable 7-10 season.
Dallas Cowboys
Post Malone — “Wow.”
Set aside the fact that Post name-checks Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott — “Always goin’ for it, never punt fourth down / Last call, Hail Mary / Prescott touchdown,” which is ironic because head coach Mike McCarthy hasn’t exactly made his name on fourth-down decision-making. Unsatisfied Cowboys fans were left slack-jawed as yet another season ended with a memeable thud, and the only word left to say is, “Wow.”
Head coach Dan Campbell promised that the long-dejected Lions would “bite a kneecap off” when opponents dared knock them down during his introductory press conference in January 2021. Detroit went 3-13-1 last season, but the Lions introduced themselves into the national conversation this season. At 9-8, it was their first winning season since 2017.
We’re in for another installment of off-season drama around whether Aaron Rodgers will retire, return to the Packers, or leave the Packers. Last year’s saga ended with Rodgers signing a very lucrative extension with the Packers, but Rodgers’ retirement seems even more plausible now that Green Bay missed the playoffs at 8-9. (They sorely missed Davante Adams, and Rodgers suffered thumb and rib injuries.)
The Packers rattled off three-straight wins to go from 5-8 to 8-8 with a chance to clinch a postseason berth if they’d beaten Detroit in the regular-season finale, but the Lions won 20-16, and Rodgers looked completely dejected afterward.
The Texans finished as the second-worst team in the NFL at 3-13-1. That came after posting dismal 4-13 and 4-12 records in 2021 and 2020, respectfully. But this season’s 3-13-1 record didn’t tell the whole story. The Texans had heart.
Houston gave the then-undefeated Eagles a scare in Week 9 and took the Chiefs to overtime in Week 15. The biggest indicator of their refusal to be totally broken came in their last game. The Texans would have locked up the No. 1 overall pick with a loss. They decided to fight to the end against Indianapolis, winning 32-31 on a 28-yard touchdown pass on 4th & 20 and a two-point conversion.
Indianapolis Colts
Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko — “Stay”
Rihanna is not from Indianapolis, or anywhere in the United States, but I granted myself one honorary Rihanna placement on this list because she is 1) Rihanna and 2) the Super Bowl LVII halftime performer.
The Colts are the lucky winners of Rihanna’s honorable mention because they were on the unlucky end of Andrew Luck’s abrupt 2019 retirement at just 29 years old. All of the sudden, Indy went from being on track as perennial contenders with a generational quarterback to becoming an ostensible retirement home for Philip Rivers and Matt Ryan. Oh, and firing Frank Reich midseason and replacing him with Jeff Saturday, who had approximately zero coaching experience. TLDR: The Colts desperately wish for a time machine to go back and somehow convince Luck to stay.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus — “Salvation”
The Jags went 1-15 and chose quarterback Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 overall in the 2021 draft. Jacksonville hired Urban Meyer as its head coach for the 2021 season, but his historically bad tenure only lasted until that December, and the team finished last season 3-14 — bad enough to own the No. 1 overall pick for the second-straight year.
And then they hired former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson last February. He gradually unlocked Lawrence’s potential and turned a 3-7 season into a 9-8 finish and an AFC South title. While the Jags were ousted by the Chiefs in the Divisional Round, all of Duval has to feel hopeful that Lawrence and Pederson are their saviors.
Kansas City Chiefs
Tech N9ne featuring Logic and Joyner Lucas — “Sriracha”
Tech N9ne is inextricably linked to the Kansas City Chiefs. I don’t make the rules, but as a Kansas Citian, I will abide by them. There was widespread suspicion that the Chiefs would lose their bite after trading all-time talent Tyreek Hill to Miami last March.
Well, Patrick Mahomes is the Chiefs’ sriracha. Travis Kelce was still Travis Kelce. Andy Reid was still Andy Reid. And what do you know? Defensive tackle Chris Jones had the season of his life, too. The Chiefs’ hot streak is still running red. Since Mahomes became the starting quarterback five years ago, Kansas City has hosted five-straight AFC Championship Games and are headed to a third Super Bowl in four years. Should the Chiefs top the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, people will start flirting with the D-word (“dynasty”).
Las Vegas Raiders
The Killers — “Rut”
The Raiders hoped a change of scenery would do the trick, moving from Oakland to Las Vegas ahead of the 2020 season. Last season, head coach Jon Gruden resigned mid-season after old homophobic, racist emails surfaced. Wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was released following charges of DUI resulting in death (as reported by The New York Times at the time). Still, the Raiders made the playoffs, and many believed their 2021 momentum would carry over — especially after landing All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams to pair with quarterback Derek Carr and running back Josh Jacobs.
Instead, the Raiders stumbled to 6-11 this year. They squandered a 17-point lead on three occasions. Carr was benched for the final two games and is expected to leave the team this offseason. If 2023 doesn’t bring their first playoff win since the 2002 AFC Championship Game (as noted by StatMuse), then head coach Josh McDaniels might not last either.
Los Angeles Chargers
Billie Eilish — “When The Party’s Over”
Every NFL season seems to end with the Chargers holding a deflated balloon. You’ve heard the term: “Chargering.” It’s its own verb for a reason. More than any other NFL franchise, the Chargers have historically uncovered new tortorous, previously inconceivable ways to lose. The apex was the aforementioned blown 27-0 lead in Jacksonville on Super Wild Card Weekend. Chargers fans are left with no choice but to lie to themselves that they like it like this. Justin Herbert deserves better.
Los Angeles Rams
Kendrick Lamar — “HUMBLE.”
No team in the NFL was humbled more this season than the Los Angeles Rams. LA won Super Bowl LVI in February to cap off the 2021 season, and the rest of 2022 was defined by injury and disappointment. The Rams’ 5-12 record is the worst Super Bowl defense in league history (as noted by ESPN Stats & Info).
Miami Dolphins
Ariana Grande — “Get Well Soon”
Ariana Grande’s hometown Boca Raton, Florida obviously isn’t Miami, but Grande could have mailed a “Get Well Soon” card to Miami at any point throughout the Dolphins’ season, and it would have applied to somebody on the team. None more than quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered at least two concussions.
And then 13-4 Minnesota lost 31-24 to the New York Giants on Super Wild Card Weekend, exposing fatal flaws they’d been able to camouflage all season. Justin Jefferson is the truth at wide receiver, but the Vikings have harder truths to contend with if they want to get over the hump.
New England Patriots
JoJo — “Leave (Get Out)”
The Patriots are still reeling from breaking up with Tom Brady in March 2020. Bill Belichick is still there, and so long as that’s the case, New England will always be in the conversation. But according to The Boston Herald, quarterback Mac Jones would love to tell Joe Judge to get out.
New Orleans Saints
Lil Wayne — “I Miss My Dawgs”
The Saints really miss the steadying presences of Drew Brees and Sean Payton. (And Michael Thomas, even though he’s still on the team, considering he missed all of last season and only played three games this season.) They still have great players, such as Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and Cameron Jordan. But the team sputtered to a 7-10 record this season with a 35-year-old Andy Dalton under center for most of it after Jameis Winston fractured his back. Not exactly ideal.
New York Giants
Lady Gaga — “The Edge Of Glory”
The G-Men are vindicated in hiring Brian Daboll after his first season as the head coach. Daboll maximized quarterback Daniel Jones’ skill set and guided an injury-riddled team to their first postseason appearance since 2016.
The Giants beat Minnesota on Super Wild Card Weekend, claiming their first playoff win since New York’s 2011-12 Super Bowl run. And with Daboll at the helm, it feels like the Giants are closer to truly turning the page on the Eli Manning era and reintroducing the franchise to relevancy.
New York Jets
Mary J. Blige — “No More Drama”
If only! I traditionally have counted on the Jets to generate some messy drama, and they did not disappoint this season. Well, technically, they did disappoint: losing all of their last six games to go from 7-4 and in the playoff mix to prolong the NFL’s longest active playoff drought.
Meek Mill was front and center during the Philadelphia Phillies’ World Series run last fall, but the Eagles are all about Uzi. The Philly native led the Eagles onto the field for the NFC Championship Game, and then running back Miles Sanders (and center Jason Kelce) celebrated his touchdown run by hitting Uzi’s signature dance.
All you need to know is that head coach Mike Tomlin has never finished a season with a losing record since taking over in Pittsburgh in 2007. Outsiders have been anticipating the dropoff, especially this season — the first after Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement — but Tomlin always gets the best out of the Steelers. The late Mac Miller said it best, “Tell them they can take that bullsh*t elsewhere / Self care, I’m treatin’ me right, yeah / Hell yeah, we gonna be alright.”
San Francisco 49ers
Saweetie — “Fast (Motion)”
The Niners burned through four quarterbacks this season — Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo, Brock Purdy, and Josh Johnson — which was too much to overcome in a blowout 31-7 loss to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
But San Francisco was a juggernaut outside of the quarterback position, boasting the league’s best defense and A-list skill players on offense. Before their season ended in Philly, the 49ers had gone 12-1 (including 12-straight wins) since acquiring All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey in October. The Niners came at opponents fast, but the reality of quarterback uncertainty came at them faster.
Seattle Seahawks
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis — “Thrift Shop”
Disclaimer: This is not meant as an insult. Really, it’s the utmost compliment to Pete Carroll and the Seahawks. Nobody expected anything from Seattle’s season after trading Russell Wilson to Denver. As Geno Smith said, “They wrote me off. I ain’t write back, though.”
Smith went from career backup quarterback for the New York Jets, New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers, and Seahawks to starting all 17 games for Seattle and leading the league in completion percentage (69.8). Smith had 34 career touchdowns since 2013 entering this season and threw for 30 touchdowns and a career-best 4,282 yards this season alone — while taking Seattle to the playoffs. So, yeah, you could say the Seahawks got a bargain.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Beck — “Old Man”
This is sort of cheating, but it’s also plainly accurate. Beck’s cover of Neil Young’s “Old Man” was actually used by NBC to promote a Sunday Night Football matchup between Tampa Bay and Kansas City in September. As it were, this was the last season in 45-year-old Tom Brady’s G.O.A.T. career, as he announced his retirement (“for good“) last week.
Tennessee Titans
Taylor Swift — “False God”
Titans fans must be starting to feel like they’re worshipping a false god after three-straight fruitless playoff trips from 2019-21 and barely missing the postseason this year.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill suffered a season-ending ankle injury, thrusting rookie Malik Willis into the fire before he was ready, which led to Joshua Dobbs starting Tennessee’s must-win regular-season finale against Jacksonville. (They lost.) But here’s the thing with the Titans: Head coach Mike Vrabel can make a believer out of anyone, even if he’s working with nothing.
Dolly Parton is working on a rock album at the moment (after her Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction), and she recently revealed that Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, John Fogerty, Steve Perry, and Steven Tyler are among the artists helping her bring the LP to life. On today’s (February 9) episode of the Totally 80s podcast, REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin revealed that he has also worked with Parton on the upcoming project, and that Parton is covering REO’s first No. 1 hit, 1980’s “Keep On Loving You.”
He said, “I get a call from Dolly, literally the other day. […] She decides to make a rock and roll record and she’s contacting a number of different rock and roll artists to participate in this record with her. She decides she wants to cover ‘Keep On Loving You.’ […] The day after I did my vocal, Elton John was recording his.”
He added of what it’s been like collaborating with her, “Dolly is just… what you see is what you get. What was great is, when I was talking to her — there are artists who are kind of American Idol put together, like the producers and the managers and the agents all know what’s going on and the artist is just like, ‘I don’t know, I just do what I’m told’ — Dolly, I could tell just in talking to her, the way she talks about songs and lyrics and arrangements […] she talks like she’s the real thing. She’s been in studios all her life and she’s just another woman, talented, wants to make a good record.”
Listen to the full Totally 80s episode below or here, with Cronin starting to talk about Parton at around 9 minutes into the show.
We were previously told that Air, the new sports drama from BFFs Ben Affleck and Matt Damon would be getting a lot of Amazon’s money and resources, but we weren’t told that all of the money would be going to fund Jason Bateman and Affleck’s luscious 1984-era hair pieces. But today, fans were finally given a glimpse at the star-studded movie, which is based on the very real story of Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro.
Air stars Damon as Vaccaro, the sneaker salesman who sets out to sign Michael Jordan to his first sneaker deal in the NBA. The cast also includes Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight and Jason Bateman as Nike exec Rob Strasser, in addition to Chris Messina, Matthew Maher, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker, Viola Davis, Gustaf Skarsgård, and Julius Tennon. Most importantly, we are getting some prime Affleck facial performances, just in the first trailer alone. Imagine what the actual movie will bring!
Amazon Studios
The sports drama will head to over 3,000 theaters on April 5th, before launching on Prime Video shortly after. To promote the film, Amazon shelled out a modest $7 million on an ad expected to this weekend run during the Super Bowl, where everyone will already have sports on the brain.
Squarespace (it’s impossible to not read the company name in the voice of your favorite podcast host) has released its ad for Sunday’s game starring Adam Driver. And Adam Driver. And Adam Driver. And about two hundred more Adam Drivers. In “The Singularity,” the 65 star has his mind blown by the concept of a website that makes websites, “meaning it could create itself,” he says. The existential crisis of a commercial ends with dozens of Drivers getting sucked into a black hole, or something, and the original Driver looking into the camera to say, “You did it, Adam Driver.” You sure did.
“I couldn’t be happier to do this commercial with Squarespace and for the Super Bowl,” Driver told Rolling Stone. “The cast ALONE was reason to do this.”
Squarespace founder Anthony Casalena added, “We are thrilled to be back at the big game for our ninth year. Partnering with Adam Driver to satirize our origin is a fun way to honor where we’ve been as a company. While we started off as a website that builds websites, Squarespace has evolved into a powerful platform that provides all of the tools entrepreneurs need to turn an idea into reality and start a thriving business online.” Congratulations to the first cast member of Girls to get a Super Bowl ad.
You can watch an extended cut of “The Singularity” above.
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We hope he has a speedy recovery
pic.twitter.com/wYc6zXrxYN
rockin this bitch to the game and then framing it. I am so geeked right now. 
