Month: March 2023

Spirits were not high at Fox News Thursday night. Why would they be? Donald Trump, the guy whose antics led to a potentially apocalyptic lawsuit against them, was finally indicted by the Manhattan district attorney. While the non-MAGA wing of social media exploded in delight, that evening’s stars were beside themselves. But for arguably the nuttiest reaction, they had to bring back one of their old school kooks, whose bloviations during the Obama era sometimes make Tucker Carlson look like, uh, I dunno, Neil Cavuto maybe? And whose current theories once got brutally fact-checked by Tucker himself?

That person is, of course, Glenn Beck, who went from an ‘80s “morning zoo” radio DJ to an aughts Howard Beale for the far right. Throughout the Obama years, he brought impenetrable conspiracy theories, told with the aid of blackboards and lots of arrows, into Boomers’ living rooms every weeknight until even Roger Ailes got sick of him.

But back he came to unleash some 15-year-old-style nonsense, and on Tucker’s show no less. “The fundamental transformation that started in 2008 is finished,” Beck ominously averred while Carlson made one of his confused faces. “We are no longer viewed as a superpower. We are now an elderly…we are Joe Biden, just walking into the twilight.”

Beck’s appearance was filled with paranoia and projection, with him claiming Democrats want rightwing violence, “so then they can close the cage.”

Beck then dropped some predictions even Trump himself would find gloomy: “By 2025, we are going to be at war. We are going to have a new dollar, a currency that probably is coming from the Central Bank, have a currency collapse. And we will live in a virtual police state.

“I know that might sound crazy to a lot of people,” he added.

Beck then weighed in on the big guy himself, who, just a reminder, professes to be unimaginably wealthy and is also a former U.S. president.

“Donald Trump is not even a person anymore,” Beck thundered. “He is a symbol. He is a symbol of the average, everyday guy that keeps getting screwed every single time. Watch as other people screw up big banks, screw up their companies, and get away with it. They see people all the time doing stuff they know if they did, they’d be in prison for 20 years.

“Donald Trump has taken arrow after arrow,” he went on. “And that’s why this is the way the average American feels tonight. I hope that there’s a few Democrats out there. But this guy has been taking the bullets for the average person now for years, and people on the right feel like he’s the only guy that really gets what the people are feeling.”

It was classic Glenn Beck, in that it was paranoid and conspiratorial and vague all at the same time. It was also a very different version of him than the one that emerged in 2016, when Trump was on the verge of improbably clinching the presidency. That’s when a new, weirdly apologetic Beck emerged, putting away the tinfoil hat splutterings and trying to be a voice of reason.

“It is not acceptable to ask a moral, dignified man to cast his vote to help elect an immoral man who is absent decency or dignity,” Beck wrote in a Facebook post in October, mere weeks before election day. “If the consequence of standing against Trump and for principles is indeed the election of Hillary Clinton, so be it. At least it is a moral, ethical choice.”

Anyway, wonder what caused him to flip-flop away from being rational.

(Via Mediaite)

Thursday evening’s matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics started with a great deal of buzz. After all, the Bucks and Celtics sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, and the two teams were set to battle in front of a national audience in a standalone spot with the stars available on both sides. However, the basketball-viewing public was not treated to a classic on Thursday, with the Celtics bludgeoning the Bucks in what became a 140-99 blowout at Fiserv Forum.

In the waning moments of the game, with reserves on the floor for both teams, there were some fireworks that resulted in an ejection. Milwaukee’s Thanasis Antetokounmpo ended up launching a headbutt at Blake Griffin following a dust-up under the basket.

Things seemed to begin escalating when Antetokounmpo and Griffin got tangled up going for an initial rebound. From there, Griffin wrapped Antetokounmpo up with some authority and the response was the part that garnered the ejection. Afterward, he went to the bench and jokingly tried on Jaylen Brown’s mask to have some fun with his teammates after the fracas.

Griffin earned a Flagrant-1 foul for his trouble, and there was no real impact on this particular contest given the lopsided score. However, these two teams are potentially in line for a playoff matchup later this spring and any additional juice could add intrigue to an already appetizing battle on the horizon.

Hockey is the only non-combat sport that allows players to fight each other (followed by a five-minute trip to the penalty box), and they typically have a rhythm to them. The combatants grab onto each other’s sweater and take turns throwing haymakers until someone goes down, but typically each player gets a few licks in before the end even in fairly one-sided affairs — like this duel between Alex DeBrincat and Joel Farabee in Thursday’s Senators-Flyers game.

We saw the exception to the rule on Wednesday night as well, when Blue Jackets forward Lane Pederson dropped the gloves with Bruins center Trent Frederic and proceeded to get rocked with one punch, never even getting a swing in himself.

It’s one thing to lose a fight, but this is just an awful effort from Pederson, as he somehow whiffs trying to grab Frederic, who blocks with his left hand and then throws an overhand right that sends Frederic to the ice. It’s not a knockout in that Pederson does pop up, but it’s enough to end the fight as the referees hop in once Pederson goes down. It’s quite the highlight for Frederic, who will surely enjoy this performance, while Pederson’s going to need to put some work in if he’s going to drop the gloves again in the future.

Last night (March 30), Wilco stopped by Late Night With Seth Meyers for a musical performance, nearly a year after the release of their double album Cruel Country.

Before the performance, the band’s lead vocalist Jeff Tweedy sat down with Meyers for a conversation, where nothing was off-limits. During the interview, Meyers asked Tweedy about a rumored card that allowed Tweedy to eat at Chipotle for free anytime.

“I don’t know how I got it,” Tweedy said. “It showed up in the mail one day in a carved wooden box, like something you would see in an immunity challenge — like an amulet or something. And you opened it up and it said ‘Jeff Tweedy’s free burrito card from Chipotle.’”

Tweedy admitted that he was nervous the first time he used it, however, and that it was rather difficult to use.

“Every single person that you would hand it to at the register would go ‘What the f*ck is this?,’ and you’d go, ‘Just scan it, trust me, just scan it.’ And they would scan it, and they’d go ‘What the f*ck?,’” said Tweedy.

Tweedy said that upon scanning the card, the register would read “100% celebrity discount.” He revealed that sometimes he would buy food for other people in line, and also for his children’s school. However, the perks of the card didn’t last forever.

He said that one day, the card just randomly stopped working.

You can check out the full interview above.

Donald Trump has a lot of criminal cases against him, and the one that got to him first wasn’t even the most consequential. On Thursday, some nine days after he predicted it would happen, the former president was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury over his alleged hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. The news made him the first president in American history to be hit with criminal charges. Congrats? Sure enough, congratulations is exactly what some on social media facetiously said to him.

Trump has maintained his innocence throughout the case’s long life, as he does every time he’s accused of any wrongdoing he may have actually committed. His initial public response to the news was predictably fiery, playing the greatest hits about it being a “Witch-Hunt,” complete with the usual baseless claim that it was all the doing of progressive boogeyman George Soros.

For the non-MAGA among us, it was a time for jokes, as it always when the big guy really falls on his face.

Fox News handled the news well, as it broke during the latest segment of The Five.

Some people even predicted this would happen.

Thursday was a big day. Shortly after word of the indictment broke, Gwyneth Paltrow won her ski collision case. It was also the first day of the 2023 baseball season, and the idea that Trump could overshadow it did not sit well with some.

In the meantime, comedy writer Megan Amram — who spent much of the Trump presidency tweeting “Today was the day Donald trump finally became president” any time he did something unpresidential (i.e., often) — found arguably her best iteration of said tweet.

Then there was Yuset Salaam, one of the vindicated/released Central Park Five, whom Trump has demonized from the start, even refusing to walk back his take after science proved them innocent. He had a one-word response to the indictment: “Karma.”

Ellie Rose had been walking by the window display of a nearby charity shop (a non-profit thrift store ala Goodwill or Salvation Army) in England when she was struck by an idea: Maybe they could use a “bit of help styling” in order to attract customers.

As a sustainable fashion influencer, the 22-year-old felt like she could infuse her knowledge of today’s trends into the mannequin outfits, hopefully showing people that “buying secondhand can be just as stylish as buying new.”

Rose reached out to several different stores offering to help for free, and many accepted. A viral clip posted to her TikTok shows how she worked her fashion magic to give the mannequins a complete makeover. Spoiler alert—it’s a complete 180.

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The process started with careful planning. In the video, Rose shared how she and her friend Scarlett made a Pinterest board full of inspiration and research based on 2023 trends, mostly in an effort to “pull a younger crowd into charity shops.”

Next, we see Rose and Scarlett gleaning items from the racks to redesign two mannequins, both of which were wearing dresses, one green floral and the other brown tie-dye.

After playing around with different combinations, they settled on a sharp-looking trench coat with a black top and purple purse for one mannequin, and a fur jacket for the second mannequin.

That fur jacket in particular was a good choice. Rose shared that several people wanted to buy it as they were styling, and she later mentioned in the comments that it sold the next day.

@elll.rose 📍British Heart Foundation – London Road, Brighton @Scarlett Elizabeth #charityshop #styling #sustainablefashion ♬ Twin Me – Get Mi

Rose’s initial video quickly racked up over 5 million views, with one person exclaiming, “I would watch 100 episodes of this!”

In response to that comment, Rose posted another store makeover. This one seemed to be an even bigger success, as the outfits on the mannequin were swapped out the following day, indicating that they were possibly sold.

@elll.rose Replying to @2 Legit 2 Knit 📍Debra – York Place, Brighton @Scarlett Elizabeth #charityshop #styling #sustainablefashion ♬ Twin Me – Get Mi

When not doing store mannequin makeovers, Rose shares budget-friendly sustainable fashion tips, upcycled outfit ideas, and transformed thrift store finds with her 146,000 followers.

Her enthusiasm reflects a collective mindset shift that younger generations have experienced toward fashion.

While yes, fast fashion and its siren call of trendy clothes at discounted prices perseveres, secondhand shopping has also become increasingly popular, particularly among millennials and Gen Zers. Business has boomed for in-person stores like Buffalo Exchange and Goodwill, as well as online retailers like ThredUp and Depop, due to customers wanting to both save money and incorporate more environment-friendly shopping practices.

It just goes to show that saving the planet never goes out of style. That’s a fashion statement we can all get behind.

If you want even more of Rose’s content, you can follow her on TikTok here.

Björk dropped her new music video for “Fossora,” the title track from her latest album. Noted as “an extension of the world she molded,” according to Consequence, the video opens with Björk in a wig and experimental makeup as her backing band plays. As the group moves around the video, they are still backdropped by a green screen of some moving plants.

About halfway through, the instrumental starts to change, and the wind players are eventually swapped for an incredibly-hyped DJ. This is also when the chaos starts to ensue, as Björk and the DJ start to get covered up by the plants — while she still dances around. It’s quirky. It’s attention-grabbing. It’s all the things you’d expect in a Björk song and/or video.

According to an interview in The Atlantic, Björk was inspired by the “mushroom kingdom” when making the Fossora album. “When you have a good moment in a song is when you overcome the contradiction between the universal and the personal—it becomes the same thing,” Björk said. “That is the soft spot we are all craving.”

“I just felt really grateful that people really care,” she added. “When it comes to people making an effort and understanding me, I think I’ve been pretty lucky.”

Check out Björk’s “Fossora” video above.

Megan Thee Stallion is having quite the homecoming. Tonight (March 30) the “Pressurelicious” rapper threw the first pitch at the Houston Astros game at Minute Maid Park in her hometown. Today is opening day for the Major League Baseball season, and the Astros are opening up with an intense game against the Chicago White Sox.

In a clip shared by ESPN, Meg is seen rocking an Astros jersey and a Hot Girl chain. She throws the first pitch to infielder David Hensley, who smoothly catches the ball.

While at the stadium, Meg was seen snapping pictures with fellow Houston rapper Scarface.

Tomorrow, Meg will perform at the AT&T Block Party in Houston’s Discovery Green park as part of the NBA’s Men’s Final Four weekend. This will mark her first performance of 2023.

“The AT&T Block Party Concert is gonna be such a vibe, and I can’t wait to get back on stage in the city where it all began,” said Meg in a statement ahead of the show. “I’m looking forward to seeing my Hotties and putting on an unforgettable show for them.”

You can see the clip of Meg throwing the ceremonial first pitch above.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Dreamville Music Festival is kicking off tomorrow (March 31) in Raleigh, North Carolina. They have also just announced a special free event that will honor 50 years of hip-hop, titled “50 And Forever,” and led by Amazon Music and the NC Department Of Natural And Cultural Resources.

With panels that feature artists like Ari Lennox, Timbaland, 9th Wonder, and other local performers, and beat-making classes, the all-day party will be hosted at the CAM Raleigh art museum. Additionally, there will be livestreams and other artists honored, including J. Cole (who runs Dreamville), Mary J. Blige, Queen Latifah, Jeezy, Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Jadakiss, DJ Drama, Jodeci, Free Marie, and Kenny Burns, according to Variety.

“We’ll have an array of panels as well as a beat-making class,” Nasira Abdur-Razzaq, the event coordinator for CAM Raleigh, said per ABC 11. “There’ll be different interviews with different artists. You’ll have a chance to interact as well as a car show that’s going to be happening across the street. We like the idea of culture and art and music all combining together, which is why this is so important for CAM to be collaborating with Dreamville. So, we just look forward to having everyone here.”

According to the news channel, the events kick off at noon local time and will run until 11 p.m. — with the last panel happening at 8 p.m. Those who wish to go do not also need a festival ticket to attend, giving everyone in the community a chance to experience the festivities.

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

A rap legend is gracing Cartoon Network’s Craig Of The Creek with her voice talents next week. In a special episode of the Maryland-set animated series, Missy Elliott will voice a Double Dutch champion named Carla Frazier.

In the upcoming episode called “The Jump Off,” Craig and his friends Cannonball, Sparkle Cadet, and Diane are getting ready for a Double Dutch tournament. When Craig and his friends ask his mom for advice on entering the competition, his mom recalls a rivalry that took place with Carla years ago at a regional tournament.

“I’m so excited to be part of this Craig Of The Creek episode,” Elliott said to Billboard. “Voicing the Carla character was perfect for me as I am a huge Double Dutch fan. I hope the fans enjoy the episode!”

Craig Of The Creek‘s Instagram account teased the upcoming episode with a special sneak peek.

“The QUEEN is back at the Creek!,” read the post’s caption.

Perhaps this is a full circle moment. In an October 2020, Craig’s mom dressed up as Elliott in a costume resembling that from her 1998 video for “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),” however, Craig and his friends didn’t get the reference.

You can see a clip from the upcoming episode above.

Missy Elliott’s upcoming episode of Craig Of The Creek will air 4/3 at 5 p.m. EST on Cartoon Network.

Missy Elliott is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.