As Fox News continues to have its inner-workings exposed thanks to the lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, the fallout is doing more than just (further) tarnishing the reputation of its most prominent stars. In fact, the lawsuit appears to be doing more damage to lower-level staffers who are finding it increasingly difficult to escape the network.
On the latest episode of The Daily Beast‘s The New Abnormal podcast, contributing editor Dinae Falzone reports hearing from sources whose resumes are being turned away if Fox News is listed as an employer:
“One of my sources who recently left, and recently completely dismayed with the organization, was there for over a decade and started when things were not what they are now, and left just thinking, ‘Wow, my career is in the toilet,’” recounts Falzone. “And any time this source went for a job in media, because [the hiring managers] saw the number of years there, assumed that this person was along those very, very right ideologies, [and] was not able to get hired and had to figure out something else to do.”
According to Falzone, the situation has gotten so bad that some Fox News staffers are completely bailing on pursuing a career in media.
“Many sources I speak to that have recently left are finding themselves out of work and having to go outside of media to be able to make ends meet for their families,” Falzone said.
Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and other notable Fox personalities who had their text messages embarrassingly revealed continue to remain gainfully employed at the network.
Vladimir Putin cannot be enjoying the run of bad press that he’s getting, but then again, we’ve heard that he at least pretends not to indulge in anything but Russian State TV while being “pathologically afraid for his life.” Still, he must have heard that Volodymyr Zelensky wants to make him pee in a bucket for the duration of his life, so in addition to his imperialistic dreams, Putin really has a reason to win his disastrous war. This is despite enormous battlefield losses and Putin feeling the need to fire a high commander in an effort to turn this joint around.
Newsweek now reports word that the Putin regime’s recruitment strategy is taking a turn, several months after his sizable drafts began. In addition to calling up reserve troops and recruiting civilians, the Russian army has also heavily been drawing from prisons, where felons are essentially tossing a coin while hoping to survive the battlefield. As Newsweek points out, Olga Romanova (a prison rights advocate) is passing on word that prisoner contracts are now three times longer than their previous duration:
“New about the recruitment of prisoners. Since February, this has been done mainly by the Ministry of Defense. They report from two regions, Sverdlovsk and Yaroslavl: they began to sign contracts with prisoners not for 6 months, as it was before, but for 18. That is, they expect to fight next year as well,” [Romanova] wrote on Telegram.
This says a lot about the shortage of available troops along with Putin seeing the light on how long this war might last. It also doesn’t help that an ex-commander has been out there forecasting Russian “defeat” amid news of Putin’s pickle-stocked compound, where he apparently has been ignoring reality, but clearly, he can’t do that forever.
For this list of killer bottles of Scotch whisky, I’ve chosen expressions that slap. These are whiskeys that I actually like to drink. When it comes to what’s on the list, these are all pretty recent releases. I’ve stayed away from vintage bottles from the 80s or whenever. Overall, these are whiskeys that dropped in the last few years or are yearly releases of extremely rare expressions. That’s all to say that you can actually find most of these bottles relatively easily (just click those price links).
I’ve still ranked these bottles. Why would do that when I straight-up declared that they all slap? Well, some of these bottles are for a more, let’s just say, advanced palate. Numbers 10 through six are very varied and kind of speak to different wants and desires of any whisky drinker. Numbers five through one are all transcendent whiskies but in very unique ways — still, they speak to all whisky lovers and not a niche. Sound good? Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
This masterpiece from Glenlivet is their iconic whisky that’s left to mature for 25 years. That whisky is finished in first-fill Pedro Ximenez sherry and Troncais oak cognac casks for that final chef’s kiss before going in the bottle at an incredibly accessible 80 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Imagine the best, most bespoke dark chocolate-covered raisins from an expensive chocolate shop and you’ll be on the right track next to soft ginger candy, sweet oak, and malted cookies dipped in fresh honey.
Palate: Those sweet notes are the foundation for burnt orange peels, Almond Roca candies, and sweet caramel malts over a mix of smoked cinnamon bark wrapped around black-tea-soaked dates and a hint of moist marzipan.
Finish: The finish is so long that you might still be thinking about it on your deathbed, thanks to an orange/spice/nutty matrix of silky whisky smoothness.
Bottom Line:
The new Glenlivet 25 is a wonderful whisky. It’s truly one of the smoothest sips I’ve had. The only reason it ranks so low on this list is those low ABVs. This is nuanced but lacks the (insane) depth of some of the other whiskies on this list. Semantics aside, if you’re looking for the smoothest classic unpeated malt ride in the whisky game, this might well be it.
9. Blair Athol Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years Flora & Fauna
This whisky is a Highland malt that spends 12 years chilling out in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before vatting, proofing, and bottling. What makes this special is that you really only see Blair Athol malt in Bell’s Blended Scotch Whisky and very limited releases from the distillery or boutique bottling brands.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The sherry really shines on the nose with a deep dried fruit feel next to Christmas cake spices that were soaked in dark rum — all leading towards hot coals straight from a fireplace.
Palate: On the palate, light yet very thick syrup arrives with a malty edge, notes of lemon jam, dried apricots, and a vanilla tobacco chewiness.
Finish: The finish takes its sweet time and turns that light syrup into bitter lemon syrup over dried-out malt crackers with a throughline of burnt rosemary sprigs.
Bottom Line:
This is an enriching sip of whisky that just keeps going. There’s so much going on and it, somehow, makes sense and really drives home how unique some of these rare Diageo single malts are. If you’re looking for a really deep-cut single malt, then get this and enjoy the hell out of it slowly.
8. The Macallan Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Harmony Collection: Rich Cacao
The Macallan Whisky Maker Polly Logan went to Spain to create this expression. The whisky is built from ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks to highlight cacao notes that formed in the whisky through maturation. Those barrels are then vatted and proofed down before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a nice line of almost sour dark cacao on the nose that leads to freshly peeled and blanched almonds with cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, and creamy dark chocolate-covered plums.
Palate: The palate leans into the chocolate as well with a Lava cake vibe next to chocolate-covered raisins, fresh raspberry in chocolate sauce, and a hint of chocolate bars with peanuts.
Finish: The finish lets some spice sneak in with a hint of zesty orange and dried chili pepper next to a honeyed sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This is made for pairing with chocolate, and it’s great for that. Use it accordingly and your next fancy-schmancy chocolate and whisky pairing party. We all have one of those on our social calendars, right? Right?!?!?
7. Ardbeg Hypernova Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This whisky starts with heavily peated malts with phenol levels above 170ppm. Translation: this is a mega peat monster. From there, mad scientist Dr. Bill Lumsden selected the peatiest of the peaty barrels for a batch and dumped them into Ardbeg’s special tun (mixing vat) for a final rest before adding a little Islay spring water and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is massively peated from the jump with freshly lain asphalt mingling with fireplace ash, old Weber grills left out in the rain, and hurricane lamp oil with a burnt wick and maybe some burnt apple chips next to smoldering hickory.
Palate: The palate opens with burnt cacao nibs and over-roasted espresso beans with a clear peatiness tied to burnt oyster shells and fresh Ace Bandages with a mix of star anise, salted black licorice, clove, and fennel next to Mounds bars.
Finish: The end has a heavily smoked vibe that’s kind of like smudging some wild sage while boiling heavily roasted coffee on the stove with a sense of an electric-coil burner raging in bright orange underneath the pot.
Bottom Line:
This is a true peat monster that’ll be adored by whisky folks seeking out the big phenols. If you’re not ready for that, maybe move on to the next entry. If you’re looking for the most nuanced and delicate peated malt that’ll blow your palate away with peatiness, then this is the bottle for you.
6. Benrinnes Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 21 Years
Benrinnes is that other distillery in Aberlour up in Speyside. The distillery is also one of the only malts that are triple distilled (like Irish whiskey). The juice in this bottle goes back to that era of distillation with a focus on sherry cask maturation over two decades before bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is full of peanut brittle touched with finishing salts, match flints, brewer’s yeast, Milk Duds, and sticky toffee pudding.
Palate: The palate leans into the date cake and adds bold eggnog spices next to a bowl full of dried fruits soaking in brandy next to a savory fruit that’s halfway between a cucumber and winter squash.
Finish: The finish lingers for a while and leaves you with an almost burnt chocolate maltiness, salt flakes, and more of those dates.
Bottom Line:
This feels both unique and nostalgic, thanks to all that boxed chocolate candy flavor. I like this, but it is a little outside the box and might be off-putting to some (matchsticks and cucumber are a lot even for advanced palates). If you’re looking for something truly one-of-a-kind though, this is the bottle to buy. It’s also another truly deep-cut single malt that’ll earn you some serious whisky street cred.
5. The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky Tun 1509 Batch No. 7
These special limited editions from The Balvenie are all about highlighting very special barrels in small batches. In this case, the batch was drawn from 21 carefully chosen barrels to highlight the best of the best from the distillery. The whiskies were aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Those whiskies were then vatted in Tun 1509 (a special collection vat) where they rested and mingled for three more months before bottling completely as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This draws you in with a flourish of floral summer honey notes next to bright orange oils, wet brown sugar, and a touch of freshly squeezed ginger juice.
Palate: Those orange oils turn candied orange as a dose of super high-quality maple syrup (that feels like it was just boiled after being pulled from the tree) ties everything together.
Finish: A dusting of dark holiday spices cuts through the sweetness as a salted caramel maltiness ushers in the long-winded finish.
Bottom Line:
These drops are pretty much the best example of what small batching special barrels of scotch can achieve, making the high price all the more palatable. In the end, this is just delicious.
4. Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 25 Years
This seaside whiskey spends over two decades mellowing in old bourbon barrels. For the last couple of years, the whisky rests in Spanish sherry oak before vatting, a touch of proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft vanilla cream and fresh creamed honey dance on the nose with a hint of dried mango and papaya seeds over a whisper of mulled wine spices, dark leathery stonefruit, and clam shells.
Palate: The taste opens with a lush mix of creamy dark chocolate over vanilla buttercream with a spike toward sharp ginger, clove, and star anise with a hint of a toasted croissant with apricot jam and marmalade.
Finish: The end has a deep malty spiced scone vibe over winter spiced dark chocolate, a hint of that creamy honey sweetness, and a clear sense of old sweet oak staves dipped in salted fig juice.
Bottom Line:
I just tried this and it’s awesome! The balance of dark fruit, rich spice, deep creaminess, and that fleeting whisper of salinity really helps this pour pop. If you’re looking for something that checks the best boxes on the whisky-tasting wheel, then this is the play.
This new bottling from Compass Box is part of the Extinct Blends Quartet. The blend is about 50% malt whiskies from Caol Ila and Glendullan distilleries and grain whiskies from Cameronbridge and Girvan distilleries and 50% malt and grain whiskies from seven other lots from all over Scotland. The end result is bottled as-is without coloring, filtration, or proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a light sense of briny fruitiness on the nose with a sweet toffee candied malt, light pine varnish, and a hint of smoked pear and apple woods.
Palate: The palate has a nuttiness that leans toward smoked pecans and marzipan with a light feel of minced meat pies cut with dark spices and just a whisper of vanilla that leads back to mild earthy peatiness with a whisper of smoked brisket fat.
Finish: The end is all about stewed plums with a rum-raisin and winter spice feel.
Bottom Line:
This was the most “wow, that’s tasty” whisky I’ve had in a long time. It’s just super easy to drink while offering the biggest and most satisfying flavor profile. Yes, it’s a blended scotch, but who cares when it’s this good?
2. Springbank Aged 18 Years Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Springbank 18 is a 50/50 single malt blend of whiskies that mellowed in both bourbon and sherry casks. The 18-year-old barrels are masterfully vatted, proofed, and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose feels like it’s viscous with hints of thick golden syrup next to a slight earthiness, floral honey, meaty dates, and ginger cake with caramel icing.
Palate: The palate meanders through salted black licorice and walnut shells as smoked maple syrup leads to a mid-palate full of ripe and sweet red berries with a hint of the bramble underneath.
Finish: The finish becomes creamy like a malted chocolate milkshake with pencil shavings and wet BBQ charcoal on the back end.
Bottom Line:
This is funky perfection. It’s familiar yet new. It’s deep yet understandable. It’s really just that good. It’s also a pretty insane show-off bottle to have on your bar cart given the rarity of these bottles.
1. Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 25 Years
This whisky is a marriage of American bourbon barrels, Spanish sherry casks, and Talisker’s seaside location. The whiskies in this single malt spend a minimum of 25 years resting in old bourbon and sherry barrels a few short steps from the sea on the Isle of Skye. Talisker’s tiny warehouse feels a bit like an old pirate ship that’s seen too many sea battles and that aura is imbued into every barrel as it matures.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with fresh beeswax candles next to unfiltered apple cider, dried roses, and a wisp of campfire smoke from a mile or so down a rocky and rainy beach.
Palate: Sea salt combines with old cellars full of cobwebs as wet moss, wisteria in full bloom, and orange tobacco mingles on the palate.
Finish: The mid-palate dries out with some cedar bark as singed rose pedals lead towards singed orange peels with this tiny echo of dark red cherry on the very back end of the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is one of my all-time favorite whiskies from any category. It’s the perfect balance of seaside vibes, mild peatiness, woody spice, and sweet Scottish fruit and herbs that works wonders in a glass. If you pair this with some good caviar, rich smoked salmon chowder, or raw oysters, you’ll be in for one of the best whisky pairings that exist.
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B and Afrobeats column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
Summer Walker announced the release to her upcoming EP, Clear 2: Soft Life, while Kiana Ledé launched her new era with her new single “Jealous” featuring Ella Mai. Burna Boy announced a show at NY’s Citi Field, making him the first Nigerian artist to headline a stadium show, and Davido’s fourth album Timeless broke an Apple Music streaming record. Elsewhere, Normani teamed up with Fabletics for a new performance line, Rema performed “Calm Down” and “Holiday” on The Tonight Show, Blxst and Roddy Ricch dropped their video for “Passionate,” and Sol Blume 2023 was rescheduled to August.
Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:
Daniel Caesar — Never Enough
Daniel Caesar’sNever Enough is a return to form from the man the world was introduced with “Get You” and Freudian. The Toronto singer excels on his first project in three years and it arrives with 18 songs and features from Serpentwithfeet, Omar Apollo, Ty Dolla Sign, BadBadNotGood, Summer Walker, and Rick Ross.
THEY. — Nü Moon
THEY.’s third album Nü Moon marks a new era for the duo. The project is their first release as independent acts and it appears to be their best yet. Through 14 songs and contributions from Yung Bleu, Kacey Musgraves, Bino Rideaux, Fana Hues, Phil Ade, and Blackbear, Drew Love and Dantes Jones’ THEY. offer a project that presents life and excitement that serve as the light under the moon.
Leon Thomas — “Crash & Burn”
Leon Thomas is on a run that could very well put him in a new tier in the R&B game. Following his excellent “Breaking Point” record and co-writing the fan-favorite SZA track “Snooze,” Thomas returns as a man tired and bruised from his failures in love. It’s made in the same vein as “Breaking Point” but with frustrations that err more towards anger than sorrow.
Yung Bleu — “Kissing On Your Tattoos”
Yung Bleu’s next project Love Scars II, the sequel to his 2020 project, arrives on April 14. Before its release, Bleu checks back in with “Kissing On Your Tattoos,” a sultry record that he uses to show his full admiration for a woman as well as his desire to take things to a new level.
Mahalia — “Terms And Conditions”
The wait for Mahalia’s third album will come to an end at some point this year. While there’s no official release date for the project, her new single “Terms And Conditions” is the latest step towards it. Following last fall’s “Bag Of You,” Mahalia’s latest single lists the requirements that need to be fulfilled for someone who wants to love her. In her words, it’s a “love letter to myself whilst being a warning to others.”
Dinner Party — “For Granted” Feat. Arin Ray
Dinner Party — the group comprised of Terrace Martin, 9th Wonder, Kamasi Washington, and Robert Glasper — will release their new EP Enigmatic Society on April 14. After sharing the project’s first single, “Insane” with Ant Clemons, the group calls on Arin Ray for their latest single, “For Granted.”
Asake — “2:30”
Afrobeats’ most relentless workhouse is back with a new single, and it’s another sweet addition to his catalog. Asake’s “2:30” strikes a joyous celebration of authenticity and individuality that the Nigerian star uses to embrace the true value of his self and his roots.
Joeboy — “Duffel Bag”
On May 19, afrobeats singer Joeboy will release his sophomore album Body & Soul. Before that project gets here, Joeboy offers a fifth single from the album with “Duffel Bag.” The song is carried by Joeboy’s trademark sweet and heartfelt vocal delivery as well as some sweetly crafted instrumentation like fluid and soulful guitars strings.
Darkoo & Ayra Starr — “Disturbing U”
Ayra Starr’s impressive feature run continues beside Darkoo for their new single “Disturbing U.” The infectious record is one Darkoo and Ayra Starr use to question their haters and critics about their frequent comments and inability to mind their business. “Why is my happiness disturbing you?” they sing on the record, a line that will surely stick in your head after a couple spins of this record.
Titose — “I’ll Never”
Since the release of her debut project Was It Something I Said?, Botswana singer Titose has taken baby steps towards what we hope is her next project. It started with the release of “Cracks Of You” at the end of 2022 and now she’s back with “I’ll Never,” a record that touches on the highs and lows experienced in love.
ODIE — “Go Boy”
Five years ago, Montreal singer ODIE dropped his debut project Analouge and it was a well-crafted body of work to say the least. Since then, ODIE has been rather quiet but our hope is that a new project on the horizon starting with his new single “Go Boy.” The soaring single is the perfect start for what’s next with the Montreal native.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Miguel released his song “Sure Thing” in 2010, which served as the lead single to his debut album, All I Want Is You. In 2011, the song had peaked at no. 36 on the Hot 100.
Over the course of the past few months, a sped-up version of the song has been trending on TikTok. This special version of the song has prompted mass streams of the song, and even purchases of All I Want Is You. As a result, “Sure Thing” sits at No. 15 on the Hot 100 this week.
The song has had a long journey to arrive to this point. In an interview with NME, Miguel revealed that he first wrote the song in 2007 in a session for Usher’s Here I Stand album. He ended up keeping it for himself and sharing it on Myspace, where it helped launch a career of his own.
“[I]t’s just a trip to see how art and expression, especially combined with technology, can really be powerful and have new lives,” Miguel said. “It’s beautiful.”
Living in a whimsical cabin surrounded by trees and woodland creatures might be a fairytale fantasy for many, but for one crafty couple, it’s a dream made into a reality.
Back in 2019, influencer couple Jacob Witzling and Sara Underwood revealed plans to build their own cluster of 10 artistically crafted cabins across 15 acres of land they own in the Pacific Northwest, which they would fittingly call Cabinland.
Since hatching their plan, Witzling and Underwood have documented their cabin-building journey on Youtube and TikTok, captivating viewers with next-level architectural creations that seem straight out of a Tolkien novel.
The process was undeniably involved, requiring hours of cutting, drilling, sanding, digging trenches for plumbing, and building a wooden path on top of that so they could walk to the tub without shoes.
It might have been a major effort, but at the end of it all, these two can be seen soaking in the dreamiest hot tub ever.
Another fun tidbit—Witzling explained in a subsequent video that once they’re done using the tub, they attach a garden hose to the end of a drain pipe and use the remaining water for plants across the property.
If that’s just an amenity of Cabinland, imagine what the actual living situation looks like.
Better yet, just check out some of Witzling and Underwood’s TikToks, which includes a truck cabin (their first project ever), a gorgeous diamond shaped cabin (my personal favorite), a cabin just for wardrobe (excuse me?!) and their piéce de rèsistance: Castle Cabin, which is every bit as majestic as it sounds.
Of course, Cabinland can be more than just a one-second virtual getaway. Witzling and Underwood’s goal is to be able to rent out their creations.
Plus, they’ve already expanded the operation. Check out their desert cabin in Arizona, which has an entire cactus garden on top, aka their “living roof.”
Traded in the PNW for some much needed Arizona sun. We’re down here getting to work on Cabinland 2.0. Time to pick up the tools again and get started building 🔨 the next cabin now that we have a comfortable place to lay our heads
Witzling and Underwood’s magical Cabinland and the overwhelmingly positive response to it reflect a more widespread desire to strike a balance between the natural world and human advancement. The organic architecture movement, which prioritizes building structures around the natural setting versus the other way around, is still a fairly new concept, having only gained popularity in the 60s and making a bigger resurgence during the pandemic. But there’s no denying the absolute beauty and visceral harmony that emerges from it.
In other words: Great things happen when we treat Mother Nature as a valuable collaborator.
See even more epic builds by following Witzling and Underwood on TikTok here and here.
One of the sweetest parts of any wedding ceremony is the moment the couple sees one another for the first time. That first glimpse is often emotional for everyone, but in a society that doesn’t see men cry openly very often, it’s especially touching to see a groom tear up when he sees his beloved coming down the aisle.
But as one viral video shows, an emotional groom’s reaction can be made even sweeter by the reaction of his groomsmen. Ashley Brushe Photography shared the moment a groom named Pete saw his bride, Maddie, and how his best man and other groomsmen empathized with and supported him in a beautiful display of friendship.
We see Pete taking some deep breaths and looking nervous as he prepares to see Maddie, while his groomsmen keep checking on him and smiling. It’s clear that the best man is excited for his bestie and eager to see his reaction, but what makes the moment particularly moving is seeing the best man tear up himself.
“One of the most adorable groom reactions I’ve EVER captured,” reads the text overlay on the video. “His groomsmen really supported him through it.”
When Pete saw Maddie 🥹 #fyp #groomreaction #emotionalmoments #weddingtiktok #firstlookwithgroom #weddingphotographer
Along with inquiries about the identity and relationship status of the best man came a wave of comments praising the mens’ friendship and vulnerability.
“Men need to realize how masculine it actually is to show emotion,” wrote one commenter, adding, “best part of every wedding is the guys’ reactions.”
“I love this! I love how happy they are for their friend and not trying to hide how emotional they are. Friends for life!” wrote another.
“The blonde guy, we need more people like this, what a lovely friend, he felt every bit of the groom’s emotions 🥰,” wrote another.
The best man himself even chimed in in the comments, explaining that he and the groom have been best friends since preschool. Oh, and both of their names just happened to be Peter.
Love comes in many forms, and as these old, dear friends demonstrate, platonic love can be one of the most meaningful and reliable loves we ever experience.
And for those who want to see the bride as well, here you go:
Didnt expect Part 1 to blow up 🥺❤️ When Pete saw Maddie… including maddie 📸 #fyp #groomreaction #emotionalmoments #weddingtiktok #photographer #sunshinecoastweddingphotographer
Here’s to a long and happy marriage and to genuine, lifelong friendships as well.
There was a massive jump in credit card fraud in America in 2021 due to the pandemic. According to CNET, fraud involving credit cards jumped 69% from 2020 to 2021, affecting 13 million Americans and costing $9 billion.
In a world where online transactions are part of everyday life, it’s hard to completely protect your information. But, by staying vigilant and monitoring your accounts you can report fraud before it gets out of hand.
A TikTok user by the name of Lauren (@absolutelylauren) from San Diego, California, got a notification that there was a $135 charge on her card at Olaplex’s online store that she hadn’t made. Olaplex sells products that repair excessively damaged hair. Before reporting the charge to her credit card company she asked her family members if they used her card by mistake.
“I don’t wanna shut my card down if it’s just my mom ordering some shampoo,” Lauren said in the video. “Definitely not my two younger brothers, they’ve got good hair but they don’t color it.”
After realizing the charge was fraudulent, most people would have called their credit card company and had their card canceled. But Lauren was curious and wanted to know who stole her information and used it to buy hair care products. So she concocted a plan to get their information. She called Olaplex’s customer service line asking for the name and address of the purchaser to see if it was made by a family member.
“Hey, can you help me with something?” Lauren asked Tanya, the Olaplex customer service agent. “If I can give you the time and date, purchase amount and card number and whatever could you let me know who placed an order?”
Tanya had no problem helping Lauren with her request.
olaplex customer service is top tier 😤 #creditcardscam
“At this point, I’m willingly giving Tanya enough info to steal my card as well — she could have very well taken advantage of me in that moment but she didn’t,” Lauren said. “She comes back — tell me why she gave me the little scammer their full government name and address.”
Tanya revealed that a guy named Jason in a modest suburb in Texas used her card to buy a gift for his wife. “They also did it on Black Friday so at least they got a deal I guess, it was the gift set,” Lauren continued.
Lauren then called her credit card company and shared the information she had on the fraudster. The card company is currently investigating the situation.
One commenter thought that Olaplex wasn’t supposed to share that information with Lauren. “For some reason, I don’t think olaplex was supposed to give that info,” Arae270 said.
“I definitely gave them the option, but I explained that it was an unauthorized purchase, and if the name did not match anyone that I knew that I would just tell them to cancel the order and refund me, I told the girl that they would probably save everyone, a headache!” Lauren replied.
People should use utmost caution before deciding to track down a credit card thief. But kudos to Lauren for being clever enough to track down the person who stole her card information to help the authorities with their investigation. She didn’t put herself in harm’s way and if someone follows up on the tip, maybe they can prevent the same thing from happening to someone else.
Questlove is making his debut into the world of children’s books later this month, with The Rhythm Of Time dropping next Tuesday (April 18) via Penguin Random House. Co-written with S.A. Cosby, Questlove’s story centers around Philly residents Kasia and Rahim, “two slightly-nerdy Black teens, as they travel back through time, inadvertently rewriting the future.”
“Rich with pop-culture references but rooted in its portrait of its two unlikely heroes, The Rhythm Of Time is a fast-paced story of how the best of intentions can unravel into the most dire of circumstances–and how those problems can only be solved through the power of family and friendship,” the description adds.
He’s also been quite busy this year, launching a publishing imprint called AUWA Books last month, which will be dropping Sly Stone’s memoir in October. Questlove also announced just a few weeks ago that he’s directing a live adaptation of The Aristocats.
“I have been writing books for over a decade, so it seemed like a natural step to publish them, too,” Questlove shared in a statement via Okayplayer. “I’m very excited about AUWA Books, from the books we have lined up to the books we haven’t discovered yet. Let’s take it to the page.”
The Rhythm Of Time is out 4/18 via Penguin Random House. Find more information here.
Daniel Caesar’s new album Never Enough arrived just a few days ago. One of the first singles included “Valentina,” and to further amp up this LP release he shared a video for that track, plus a deluxe version of the record.
Never Enough (Bonus Version) features three new tracks: “Always” featuring Summer Walker, and “Valentina” featuring Rick Ross. It also has the previously released “Please Do Not Lean.”
The “Let Me Go” singer already kicked off his Almost Enough: The Intimate Sessions Tour. Tonight (April 11), he’ll be playing New York, and stops in Toronto and Paris are coming soon, along with other cities.
Caesar made headlines recently for apologizing for his controversial 2019 comments about the Black community “being sensitive” regarding a white influencer’s use of a slur. “I was wrong, and I’m sorry about that,” he said in an interview. “For a long time, I was like, ‘You can’t do anything, you can’t say anything without whatever. You can do and say whatever you want, but it’s like for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction. And that’s physics. That’s science. That’s one of those things that the knowledge of that can literally put my mind at ease where I’m like, oh, I did deserve. What happened, happened because I deserved it, because I knocked the domino over and set a course in motion.”
Watch the video for “Valentina” above. Listen to the new songs below.
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