Month: May 2023

It feels safe to say that we are all hoping to be more mindful about how we spend our money these days, whether it’s to be kinder to the environment, align better with our values, improve our finances or simply exercise free will against the siren call of consumerism.

That’s why this video essay created by Cara Nicole (who gives all kinds of financials and sustainability education on her Youtube channel) feels so timely.

In just under twenty minutes, Nicole astutely breaks down how luxury brands like Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Rolex create the fake illusion of wealth through “manufactured exclusivity” and getting free marketing from celebrities and influencers—who often don’t even pay for the products themselves. Meanwhile, most real rich people wouldn’t be caught dead in the flashy brands, and in reality consider them “overrated.” But still, the illusion persists. Because advertising.

And thus, people are trapped in a cycle of buying “cheat codes” in hopes of improving their status. This not only creates a culture of wastefulness—which does our already taxed planet no favors—it also causes folks to lose out on the opportunity to create actual wealth for themselves.

In other words, designer brands will keep you poor.

Nicole did acknowledge that for some, having luxury items brings joy, which holds its own intrinsic value. However, she noted that what is spent on a luxury item could just as easily go into an investment fund, which would pay back more over time, and as a result, allow someone to spend less time working.

Considering the recent uptick of interest in work/life balance, it feels safe to assume that many folks would choose quality time over something material, considering one of these things is virtually a non-renewable resource.

Really, it all comes down to awareness. As Nicole concluded in her video, “Money is time…I think it’s always a good idea to reflect on how we are spending both of them.”

Watch below—every minute is filled with gems. You can follow along on even more finance videos on Nicole’s Youtube channel here

You might be a masochist yourself if you’re still expecting Sky Ferreira‘s second album, Masochism, to drop anytime soon. However, you won’t have to wait super long to see her perform live. In honor of LA promoter Minty Boi’s fifth anniversary, Sky will perform three shows in California this summer.

Sky’s upcoming shows kick off this July and will take place in three California cities over the course of three days. She will perform in San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Fans of all ages are welcome to attend the shows.

It’s been almost a decade since Sky released her debut album, Night Time, My Time. She’s been teasing the follow-up record, Masochism, for almost nine years. In an interview with Dazed from last year, Sky revealed that the several delays are a result of issues with her label.

“I’ve been stuck in this cage,” she said. “I keep thinking that I’m getting closer to it, to getting back to where I was, to having control over my life. But the thing that’s frustrating about [making music with a label] is that you have to rely on people to do it for it to work properly. And when people are repeatedly projecting things on you, then you’re made to feel like you have to prove yourself. It’s like being in a bad relationship with someone.”

Tickets for Sky’s upcoming shows will go on sale here this Thursday, May 4 at 10 am PT.

You can see the list of dates below.

JULY 6 – San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom (All Ages)
JULY 7 – San Diego, CA – The Observatory North Park (All Ages)
JULY 8 – Los Angeles, CA – The Vermont (All Ages)

First Take is, of course, a TV show where people talk about sports. But beyond that, First Take will occasionally borrow from the world of professional wrestling in being ultra-brash, ultra-loud, and ultra-entertaining, normally because someone is yelling and being over-the-top in a way that everyone understands is just part of what you sign up for when you step into this specific universe.

Stephen A. Smith is the master of this, while a more recent foil, Chris “Mad Dog Russo,” is one of the greatest of all time at being extremely loud on television. As it turns out, spending a lot of time around these two has helped J.J. Redick get better and better at this, so while the longtime NBA sharpshooter is usually at his best bringing some much-needed balance to the show (and the general NBA discourse), on Wednesday morning, Redick threw on a pair of aviators and went all-in, much to the delight of his co-hosts.

Just look at how happy Stephen A. is! Look at how much joy Mad Dog gets out of J.J. saying that he “can’t wait to hear what he’s mad about” before bringing up the longtime dispute the two have had about Bob Cousy. This is extremely good stuff from Redick, who I hope will follow this up by being on SmackDown sooner rather than later.

For literal decades, Melissa Arnette Elliott, better known as Missy Elliott, has been one of rap music’s foremost pioneers, determinedly breaking new ground for the genre and the women within it with more grace and style than the next seven rappers combined.

So it makes sense that she’d be the first female rapper to ever be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Missy joins the 2023 class of inductees in the Performer category, a class that also includes George Michael, Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Sheryl Crow, the Spinners, and Willie Nelson. The induction ceremony is scheduled for November 3 at Barclays Center in New York, with the television broadcast date still to be announced.

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame CEO and President Joel Peresman said, “We’re very happy with this year’s class. People always try to pigeonhole what rock and roll is, but our story has always been that it’s a wide tent. It includes all different kinds of genres. We think this class really shows the breadth of rock and roll. When you have Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, and the Spinners along with Rage Against The Machine and Willie Nelson, you’re covering a lot of things.”

Missy’s induction comes during a triumphant run for the rap rulebreaker, who was also recently honored by the Recording Academy, received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, and became a hotly-demanded collaborator for much of the music industry. This year alone, she appeared on songs with Chloe Bailey, FLO, and even Skrillex. Her induction into the Hall Of Fame opens the door for more of her peers, but just as importantly, it acknowledges her influence in hip-hop and pop culture — even as she continues to shape the course of the future.

The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) has announced a new Samra Origins coffee brand through a partnership with Blue Bottle Coffee. Named after his mother, Samra, he intends to honor his Ethiopian heritage and the role coffee plays in the country.

“Ethiopian culture is an important part of my identity and I’m proud to work alongside the Blue Bottle Coffee team to shine a light on Ethiopian traditions, values, and of course, coffee,” Tesfaye shared in a press statement. “Growing up, I watched my mother perform Buna Tetu, a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. This sensory experience helped shape my understanding of community and taught me to always honor my roots.”

“Samra Origins is a true passion project of mine that Blue Bottle matched and understood as we developed the products together. I hope the result ignites curiosity about Ethiopia’s people and motivates others to give back to communities in need,” he added in a separate statement to Billboard.

Tesfaye and his mom worked with Blue Bottle’s head of innovation and quality, Benjamin Brewer, to taste and develop a specific, high-quality coffee flavor profile — including “fresh fruit and bright florals,” per the publication.

Blue Bottle Coffee will also be donating to his XO Huminatiarian Fund, which provides hunger assistance to those across the globe.

Fans will be able to buy limited-edition bags of Samra Origins for $65 starting next Tuesday (May 9). More information can be found here.

Before introducing “conscious uncoupling” into the lexicon, Gwyneth Paltrow dated both Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck. Not at the same time in a throuple situation, unfortunately, although Affleck did once admit that Pitt is his “cinematic crush,” so it could have worked out. We’ll never know. But we do know who brings more “major chemistry” to the sack, thanks to Paltrow.

The Goop queen appeared on the Call Her Daddy podcast, where host Alex Cooper asked her who’s better in bed: Pitt or Affleck? “That is really hard,” Paltrow replied (please do not make a “that’s what she said” joke). “Because Brad was like the sort of major chemistry, love of your life… And then Ben was, like, technically excellent.” Pitt bringing the heat while Affleck is more mechanical? This checks out. I don’t know why, but it does.

According to Page Six, Paltrow also played FMK with Pitt, Affleck, and ex-husband / Coldplay singer Chris Martin.

The actress said she would have sex with Pitt again. “I think Brad,” Paltrow said of her Seven co-star, noting that she would choose to “remarry” the Coldplay frontman. “Ben, yeah, God bless him.” She went on to say that while Affleck made her laugh more, Pitt was a more romantic partner — and the better actor.

Damn. Rough stuff for Affleck. Someone should check on the poor guy while he’s sleeping next to Jennifer Lopez in a mansion paid for by Dunkin ads.

You can listen to the podcast below.

(Via Page Six)

Vladimir Putin’s regime insists that the Russian president is too manly and vigorous to go hide in a bunker, but fortunately for the former “Superman,” he was actually somewhere else when two drones reportedly descended upon the Kremlin. Unsubstantiated footage of the incident has been circulating on social media and was tweeted (with a warning that this footage has not been confirmed as authentic) by the Kyiv Independent account.

The announcement of the attacks takes place a few days ahead of Russia’s planned Victory Day celebration, much of which has been scuttled due to a shortage of tanks because of war, obviously, but also because Russian troops are abandoning them in Ukraine. So there’s a timing factor at work here, along with Russia point-blank accusing Ukraine of an attack made directly upon Putin’s quarters in the Kremlin. Reuters has a statement from Putin’s camp, along with a suggestion that they might now escalate the war:

“Two unmanned aerial vehicles were aimed at the Kremlin. As a result of timely actions taken by the military and special services with the use of radar warfare systems, the devices were put out of action… “The Russian side reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit.”

Reuters goes on to detail how the Telegram channel Baza has been passing around footage of the attack, which appears to be the same video shown above. At this time, Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the drones, and Reuters adds that “no casualties or material damage” have been reported.

(Via Reuters)

If you thought Charlie Puth was dominating the radio, the singer/songwriter/producer may soon be taking over your TV screen as well. Yesterday (May 2), Roku announced an upcoming Puth-centric comedy series with the working title Charlie Makes A Record, per a report from Variety.

Charlie Makes A Record will reportedly be a six-episode unscripted series, in which Puth will recall stories from his real life and “[elevate] them into borderline-surreal scenarios,” per a statement from Roku. Scout Productions will reportedly be at the helm of the series’ production, along with David Collins, Rob Eric, Renata Lombardo, and Michael Williams serving as executive producers. Puth and his sister Mikaela, along with Ty Stiklorius, will also serve as executive producers.

The announcement comes on the first day of the Writers Guild Of America strike. Seemingly, as a result of the strike, Roku appears to be tapping into more unscripted content for the 2023-2024 television season.

“Bringing together the power of the Roku platform and the strong storytelling of our top-tier global creative partners has made Roku originals unmissable TV for millions of streamers,” said David Eilenberg, Roku Media’s head of content. “We’re thrilled to delight our audience with new premium original series and proud to continue the Roku originals stories that audience already love, by bringing several series back for more.”

Charlie Puth is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Writer’s Guild Of America officially began a strike this week after they could not reach an agreement with several big-name studios, shutting down production on the likes of Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Night With Seth Meyers, and several US-based Netflix productions, in addition to your mom’s favorite soap operas.

While the WGA strike is the first since the infamous 2007-2008 writers’ strike which broke down Conan O’Brien, and now that streaming is involved, a lot more content is threatened until an agreement is reached.

As the picket line (and its many jokes) gains traction, both stars and writers are striking in solidarity, including The Bear star Ayo Edebiri, who was seen picketing yesterday afternoon.

Before landing her breakout role on The Bear, Edebiri was a staff writer on AppleTV+’s Dickinson and is currently writing and starring in Netflix’s Big Mouth. She was even nominated for a WGA award this year for her work on What We Do In The Shadows.

Edebiri is not the first writer/actress to be out in the field. Rob Lowe was standing alongside writers on Tuesday, while 2008 strike villain Jay Leno was out showing support in the best way he can: by giving them donuts.

The WGA strike will continue until an agreement is met for better pay and increased support from studios, thanks to the streaming takeover. Until then, we can all marvel at how good these writers are at making their signs. They are Hollywood’s best and brightest, after all! Get them back in the writer’s room!

(Via Variety)

For months, speculation has swirled around whether or not Kevin Costner has completely walked away from Yellowstone, but it appears that’s not the only relationship that’s ending for the actor. Christine Costner has filed for divorce after 18 years of marriage. She cites “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split, and the actor’s team has confirmed the marriage is ending.

Via TMZ:

Kevin’s rep tells TMZ, “It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action.” The rep went on … “We ask that his, Christine’s and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.”

The couple have three children, and the divorce seems to be moving quickly thanks to a prenup and both parties agreeing to joint custody.

The divorce arrives as Costner is reportedly filming Horizon, a Western epic of his own making that has been the source of scheduling conflicts with Yellowstone. The massive multi-film saga has reportedly tied up Costner’s schedule, reportedly causing Paramount and Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan some headaches while

Sheridan is reportedly planning to end the flagship Yellowstone series quickly due to the Costner fiasco and move on with a new spinoff centered around Matthew McConaughey.

(Via TMZ)