Month: March 2023

Let’s say you’re on a TV show hosted by or starring your childhood crush. Would you, or to personalize it, would I try to shoot my shot with Natalie Portman? Absolutely not. For one thing, she’s married. Also, she’s Natalie Portman and I’m blogging from my couch while wearing a Jackass hoodie.

But Dan Oxman is a braver man than me — the Jeopardy! contestant professed his admiration to host Mayim Bialik while appearing on the game show.

While introducing Oxman during the High School Reunion Tournament, Bialik said, “I don’t really want to talk about what we’re going to talk about, but apparently I was your celebrity crush growing up?” The college senior from South Orange, New Jersey, replied, “This is a long time ago, Mayim, but you know, when I was a little kid, I saw you on TV and I really admired how you played, like, a super awesome scientist [on The Big Bang Theory]. And then I found out you were a scientist with a doctorate in real life. And then I was just like [mind blown noise].” Oxman added, “And you haven’t aged a day.”

What a smooth talker. On a related note, Natalie Portman, if you’re reading this, you haven’t aged a day.

You can watch the Jeopardy! clip below.

Ed Sheeran is revered as one of the best songwriters in the game. In fact, it is only recently that the “Shape Of You” singer was knocked out of the top spot of the most-streamed Spotify songs list.

Sheeran has found collaborative partners across genres, even some unlikely pairings, as well as a few beloved match-ups. But when it came time to begin working on his forthcoming album, – (aka Subtract), the musician revealed that despite being known for his openness to collaborating with fellow recording artists, there was one person who initially didn’t feel comfortable working with.

In a touching post uploaded to Instagram, Sheeran admitted he was hesitant to work with Aaron Dessner, founding member of the rock band The National. The reason? Dessner’s recent work with their mutual friend Taylor Swift on her 2020 albums Folklore and Evermore.

The post reads, “So in 2021, I got a message from Taylor Swift to link me up with Aaron Dessner. She thought he and I would make something great together. I have to be honest, I was a bit reticent to work with him that soon after folklore and evermore because I felt that was Taylor’s thing, and they had both been done so perfectly.”

Continuing, “But we met for dinner, chatted about life and music, and he promised to send me some instrumentals for me to write over whenever inspiration hit. As soon as I got them, I loved the whole overall vibe of it and knew that one day I would write to them, but at the time I was finishing up what I thought was Subtract, so would put them on the back burner for a bit.”

Sheeran took it a step further, adding, “Then, as I said in my announcement post, a lot of things started happening in my personal life that I just felt the need to vent about on song and write diaristically about them. I had Aaron’s instrumentals, so just started writing, and writing, and writing. He flew over to the UK, and we recorded it in a week by the seaside, and its just been the most incredible process, and an album I’m so bloody proud of.”

He closed the post by thanking his collaborator, writing, “Thanks to Aaron and Jon for the insane amount of hard work and dedication you put into this project, and bringing out a side of me I had put on mute for so long. And of course, thanks to Swizzle [Taylor Swift], as always, you rock.”

This post comes after Dessner shared with his followers on the platform that he and Sheeran recorded over 30 songs in just a week for the forthcoming project.

– is out 5/5 via Atlantic. Find more information here.

Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Have Ghostface spottings been happening in your town lately? Well, don’t worry. It’s probably the marketing team for Scream 6. After several social media posts went viral where the Scream movie killer can be seen just moseying around the neighborhood, an insider on the film has confirmed to Variety that, yes, it’s a promotional stunt. If that seems like the type of thing that could easily backfire, you’re right. Concerned citizens have already called the cops as one does when they see the killer from a horror franchise walking around in real life way past Halloween.

In the weeks leading up to its release on March 10, the franchise’s notorious slasher Ghostface has been spotted in various U.S. cities, including Sonoma (the stand-in for the franchise’s fictional town of Woodsboro), New Orleans and St. Louis. Given the state of the world, and those demonic clown sightings in 2016, it’s hardly surprising that the seemingly random presence of a costumed killer has reportedly prompted 911 calls from disturbed bystanders.

According to Variety, Paramount Pictures has declined to comment. Granted, as the old saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad publicity, plopping random Ghostfaces all over the country is sure to freak people out as seen below where one of them made the news:

As for how to tell whether the Ghostface in your neighborhood is real or a marketing stunt, you can’t! Best of luck.

Scream 6 stabs its way into theaters on March 10.

(Via Variety)

Ed Sheeran just announced his highly anticipated new album –, or Subtract, following his previous records +, x, ÷, and =. The press release for the record mentioned that the “Shape Of You” singer teamed up with Aaron Dessner for some songs, and now The National member took to social media to discuss the experience.

The two were connected through Taylor Swift. After meeting for dinner in New York, Dessner “spent some time sketching these ideas and shared a folder with Ed.”

Back in early 2022, Sheeran said he and Dessner wrote 25 songs over the course of just one week. Per Dessner’s account, that week was actually even more productive, as he says they finished (not just wrote) “over 30” songs.

Find his full post below.

“I was introduced to @teddysphotos through @taylorswift when I helped produce their song ‘Run’ for Taylor’s Version of Red last year. It was special for me to hear two old friends singing together and bringing the past to life — and an interesting way to meet someone, working on music remotely first before actually meeting in person. Some time later we met up in New York City for dinner and talked at length about music and life. It felt so relaxed and as if we already knew each other. Thinking about Ed’s music, I realized I was hearing things in my head I thought we could explore, musical ideas that would allow for more space and bring out what I admire about his guitar playing and incredible voice. I spent some time sketching these ideas and shared a folder with Ed. A few months later in the winter of 2021, he started writing to them and sending sometimes multiple song ideas a day, inspired by a very difficult period he was going through in his life. I could really empathize with what he was feeling and was eager to help realize these songs.

We then met up to work in England at the beginning of 2022 and finished over 30 songs together in a week. I’m so excited to share that 14 of the songs we made in that time comprise Ed’s 6th album, ‘subtract’, which will Be released on May 5th. I couldn’t be more proud of this record and the vulnerability and honesty Ed showed in making these songs with me. There’s something deeply vulnerable and ultimately cathartic and therapeutic about shifting sadness and pain and anxiety into music, transforming darkness into light in this way and sharing these sentiments with others. This is what ‘subtract’ does so beautifully and I can’t wait for you all to hear it. Thanks so much to Ed for trusting me to help him on his journey as an artist. I continue feel so grateful to have the opportunity to make music with so many friends, new and old, and to experience the way community grows and grows.”

– is out 5/5 via Atlantic. Find more information here.

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones seem like a fun couple. They’ve been married since 2000, but they still find ways to keep things fresh.

In an interview with the Guardian, the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania actor was asked if “Catherine still make you take your trousers off as a forfeit if she beats you at golf,” which is apparently something he mentioned on The Graham Norton Show. “The rules are I have to whip it out if I don’t hit it past the ladies’ tees, which I manage most of the time,” Douglas answered. “But there have been times when we’re playing alone, and have to give her a little show because we are competitive. But only when I play with my wife.”

Spoken like a true GILF. And here’s more:

The two-time Oscar winner’s confession comes seven years after Zeta-Jones, 53, first addressed their NSFW wagers on The Graham Norton Show. The actress called herself a “better” player than her partner in January 2016 before revealing, “We have a bet that if he ducks a shot, he has to drop his pants.” Zeta-Jones, who admittedly makes the same bets with “any man” she competes against, joked, “There has been an issue with paparazzi, so I make him go into the bushes. A deal is a deal.”

And if Douglas nails a hole in one, Zeta-Jones has to reenact the lasers scene from Entrapment. I assume.

(Via the Guardian)

Kimberly Guilfoyle is the financée who does the most. The former Fox News co-host and ex-First Lady of San Francisco (she was previously married to current California Governor Gavin Newsom) may or may not fit in with Ivanka Trump. She has, however, been dating Don Jr. since at least 2018, and the pair has been engaged for at least a few years. She rose to RNC notoriety by inadvertently launching the Guilfoyle Challenge in 2020, when she shouted, “The. Best. Is. Yet. To. Come!!!!”

The best, it seems, is Guilfoyle’s transformation apparently becoming complete. Although she and Don Jr. are not yet married (that we know of), she’s now joining the fine tradition of pushing shady companies like at least one of her future relatives. That person once established the shady Trump Institute and more. And one week after Donald Trump promoted his own water brand while visiting the site of the toxic Ohio train accident, Kimberly is now promoting “KimsMetals,” where she wants people to buy gold and silver to “protect your retirement savings.”

We do not in any way suggest that you attempt to visit the URL that she mentions (god only knows what could lurk there), but it may not even be operational and/or safe, from the looks of things.

There have been plenty of shady Trump-linked “businesses” that have emerged over the years, but Don Jr. seems to have amped up his own shilling lately, too. He’s reportedly been reduced to hawking chunks of meat from a company that lost its BBB accreditation. And all one really has to do is visit Google to see the shady claims (and warnings) regarding “businesses” like the one Guilfoyle is pushing. And at CPAC, no less.

Earlier today (March 3), the headliners for this year’s Glastonbury festival was revealed, and leading the iconic UK event are Elton John, Arctic Monkeys, and Guns N’ Roses. After the reveal, Glastonbury co-organizer Emily Eavis spoke about this year’s all-male headliners (although female musician Melissa Reese joined Guns N’ Roses in 2016).

She described the situation as a “pipeline” issue, saying to The Guardian, “We’re trying our best so the pipeline needs to be developed. This starts way back with the record companies, radio. I can shout as loud as I like but we need to get everyone on board.” She added, “It’s top of our agenda, and it probably makes it a bit harder because we’ve decided to make that important to us. To be honest, sometimes it’s easier to keep your head down.”

On the female headliner front, things are expected to look better next year: Eavis says they’re anticipating having two female headliners, with one confirmed and one nearly confirmed.

The full lineup is not yet here, but as The Guardian notes, there is diversity among the 54 acts listed on today’s poster: 52 percent of them are male and 46 percent are non-white or feature non-white members. Eavis noted she’s “entirely focused on balancing our bill,” adding, “It’s not just about gender, it’s about every aspect of diversity. […] We’re probably one of the only big shows that’s really focused on this.”

Find more info about this year’s Glastonbury festival here.

Camila Alves McConaughey, the Women of Today founder and wife of Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, was a passenger on the Lufthansa flight that encountered “significant turbulence” on Wednesday night.

“On Flight last night, I was told plane dropped almost 4000 feet, 7 people went to the hospital, Everything was flying everywhere,” she wrote on Instagram. “To respect the privacy of those around me that’s all I am showing but the plane was a CHAOS And the turbulence keep on coming.”

The flight traveling from Texas to Germany was diverted to Dulles International Airport when the turbulence hit. “It was all of a sudden we lifted up, and then we started dropping down really fast. It felt like about five seconds of free fall,” a passenger told ABC News. “While it was happening, the plates were up, and the ceiling glass was up in the ceiling. My bag was flown back behind me, and it was kind of like you’re in slow motion.” The passenger described the incident as a “quote-unquote Final Destination situation.”

In her Instagram post, McConaughey wrote, “Thank God everyone was safe and ok. I must say everyone @marriottbonvoy by the airport of Washington where we had to divert to and spend the night was so kind! @officiallymcconaughey and I made it to the bar with 1 minute before closing… slept well, getting on new flight today, To the journey I continue.”

You can watch her video from the plane below.

(Via the Washington Post and ABC News)

Today (March 3) is a big day for hip-hop: De La Soul’s beloved catalog is finally available on streaming services. Right now is of course a bittersweet time for the group, though, because in the midst of this, De La Soul and the hip-hop community at large are still reeling over the recent death of group member Trugoy. Well, last night, the surviving De La Soul members hosted a tribute concert to commemorate their big streaming moment, and naturally, there was some emotion at play.

Towards the end of the evening, Maseo addressed the crowd to speak about his journey. He got emotional talking about Trugoy, saying, “I usually have a lot of words to say, but I’m at a loss for words, y’all. My emotions are very displaced. My man is gone. But I appreciate all of y’all for all these years of supporting us.”

At the end of his speech, he was fighting back tears as he again thanked De La Soul fans for their support.

In a lengthy post shared after Trugoy’s death, Maseo wrote in part, “Dave – thank you so much for being in my life. Although you and I would argue like hell, we would both admit when we were wrong and totally come full circle and say, ‘I Love You.’”

Continuing a fire run of solo bangers, BTS’ J-Hope has shared a new song. On his latest single, a collaboration with J. Cole called “On The Street,” J-Hope is confident in his fresh solo era, and wants to share that joy with the world.

“Every time I walk / Every time I run / Every time I move / It’s always for us,” rap-sings J-Hope on the song’s chorus

Later in the song, Cole hops in with a laid-back verse, introducing himself as “the mighty survivor of hell.”

In the song’s accompanying visual J-Hope walks and dances throughout the streets of New York City, before the scene cuts to Cole rapping his verse on a rootftop, with the Brooklyn Bridge in full view. At the end of the video, J-Hope links with Cole on the rooftop, where they exchange pleasantries.

This collab is the result of years of manifestations for J-Hope. In 2018, he released his solo debut mixtape Hope World, seemingly alluding to Cole’s debut album Cole World: A Sideline Story. Last year, he got to meet Cole at Lollapalooza, and shared a video of their meeting.

All of this considered, plus the song’s breezy, empowering beat, make it feel like years of dreams wrapped inside of a beautiful package.

You can see the video for “On The Street” above.