Month: May 2023

Nick Cave recently took to his blog, Red Right Hand Files, to go into detail why he’ll be attending the coronation of England’s King Charles this Saturday (May 6). Given many artists, including Harry Styles, Elton John, Adele, and more, had reportedly declined invitations to go to or perform at the event, Cave’s fans wrote in with clear disappointment in the choice.

“Why the f*ck are you going to the King’s coronation?” one person asked.

Because of this, Cave tried to set the record straight about his politics.

“I am not a monarchist, nor am I a royalist, nor am I an ardent republican for that matter; what I am also not is so spectacularly incurious about the world and the way it works, so ideologically captured, so damn grouchy, as to refuse an invitation to what will more than likely be the most important historical event in the UK of our age,” Cave wrote.

He also went into detail about a time he met Queen Elizabeth. Because of this her death affected him to the point of “weeping” at the TV when her funeral aired.

“I guess what I am trying to say is that, beyond the interminable but necessary debates about the abolition of the monarchy, I hold an inexplicable emotional attachment to the Royals – the strangeness of them, the deeply eccentric nature of the whole affair that so perfectly reflects the unique weirdness of Britain itself,” he added. “I’m just drawn to that kind of thing – the bizarre, the uncanny, the stupefyingly spectacular, the awe-inspiring.”

At least he can figure out what to wear.

Lauren Boebert is rootin’ and tootin’ all over her Colorado district lately, and if you wondered if she would enjoy some downtime from almost impressive self owns, you were wrong. She’s also back in the same realm where constituents defiantly held a drag story time despite her threats that no one had better do that on her watch.

One of Boebert’s “on tour” photos is standing out more than the rest, and this revolves around her bizarre decision to post this photo in the first place. Let’s briefly discuss after the image, which speaks volumes on its own.

“Thanks to my amazing team, Pueblo won’t see that I accidentally sat on lipstick on the drive down,” Boebert tweeted while wearing all white and with a staff member wiping a stain from her tush. “Always an adventure!”

A few questions here: (1) Lipstick? This makes zero sense and feels very transparent, as though Boebert believes that people will not innately know what a red stain on the back of a white skirt means, and seriously, this should not be a big deal. She could have easily covered it up in several ways, including with her favorite accessory: a gun.

(2) Why did she choose to post this photo at all? If it’s an attempt to appear relatable, the lie negates that vibe.

And then there are even more merciless jokes, including one about literal (rootin’ and) tootin.’

Heads must still be shaking. Some photos definitely shouldn’t be posted.

Saving money and living comfortably don’t always go hand in hand, but people do find ways to accomplish it. Sometimes all it takes is thinking a little outside the box—getting a job that allows you to travel the world or swapping out a traditional mortgage for more creative, less costly home ideas.

Take this couple in North Carolina, for example, who gave up living on land to move into a floating cabin and apparently saved $27,500 annually by doing so.

According to Good News Network, Sarah Spiro, 27, and her boyfriend, Brandon Jones, 40, break down the math: Their one-bedroom floating home, which they bought in March 2021, originally cost less than $30,000. The pair then spent two months and $23,000 renovating, for a total initial investment of less than $50,000. And now, they pay $2,500 a year to live on the lake. Yes, you read that right. $2,500 a year. They used to pay that much per month on their combined individual rents.

Obviously, it was a “no brainer,” said Spiro.

If you think this home is not equipped for modern life, guess again. It’s entirely solar powered, has a septic tank that gets pumped out weekly, a wood stove for heat and propane for cooking, a filter to make the lake water drinkable…and yes, it has internet.

See on Instagram

Of course, there are some challenges. Winters are quite cold, the nearest grocery store is still 40 minutes away and they can’t get food delivered (imagine a poor DoorDash driver having to rent a paddleboat just to drop off some McDonalds). But still, Spiro and Jones’ floating cabin has worked wonders for their mental health.

“It is so peaceful here. You still have your day-to-day trends like doing the dishes and laundry but you get to do it all in this phenomenal view at all times. Whatever the time, whatever you are doing you are surrounded by peace and serenity—it is paradise,” Spiro said according to Good News Network.

So…this is basically like living on a cruise ship for introverts. Genius.

Take a tour inside with the video below:

See on Instagram

Spiro and Jone share an Instagram and Youtube account, aptly named @KeepingAfloatWithTheJoneses, where they share helpful tips to anyone else who might want to live that sweet “water rat” lifestyle. You can even follow along to get updates on renting a floating cabin for yourself.

Jack Donaghy once said, “Never go with a hippie to a second location.” But you do go with Janelle Monáe to a second location, if you’re lucky enough to be invited.

Following the Met Gala, the musician and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery star hosted an after-party at the Standard Hotel’s the Boom Boom Room; the guest list included Billie Eilish, Jenna Ortega, and Lil Nas X. But no one, with the exception of Monáe herself, had more fun than Florence Pugh.

Here’s how Vogue described the scene that led to Pugh looking delighted while Monáe performed a possibly unreleased song on a bartop:

Throughout the evening, in a sort of Studio 54-inspired variety show, a constant flow of entertainment in varied forms kept the party moving, with cones of french fries and hamburgers making the rounds, a corner banquette gossip session between Eilish and Lizzo, and Coco Rocha performing an impromptu dance number in a shimmering gold column dress and sky-high tousled hair, all before reaching a fever pitch once Janelle Monae, wearing a pair of equally sky-high Thom Browne wedge heels and a look that continued to shed until she was in a black-bikini-esque getup took to the bartop to delight guests with a few of her hits and a heaping dose of inspiration

“This is once in a lifetime,” Monáe said at the party. “You could be in bed, but y’all are out, because tonight, this year, we are in the age of pleasure. We are doing the stuff that makes us feel good unapologetically.” The only way to top this level of enjoyment is for Pugh and Monáe to reunite in Paddington 3.

(Via Vogue)

Today (May 3), the 2023 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame class has been revealed and it’s a prestigious crop, featuring Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, Rage Against The Machine, Sheryl Crow, George Michael, and The Spinners, as Variety reports.

Those artists were voted in via general balloting, but also inducted via selection by a select Hall Of Fame committee are Chaka Khan, Al Kooper, and Bernie Taupin (all in the “musical excellence” category), Link Way, DJ Kool Herc (both in the “musical influence” category), and Don Cornelius (who’s getting the Ahmet Ertegun Award).

That’s 13 total honorees, and all of them will be inducted during a ceremony and concert scheduled to take place at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on November 3.

The nominees who were not selected for induction this year are A Tribe Called Quest, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, The White Stripes, and Warren Zevon.

Of Nelson’s induction, John Sykes, chairman of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, told Variety, “It’s long overdue, and I think Dolly Parton getting inducted last year opened up the eyes of a lot of our voters to understand that country is a part of rock ‘n’ roll right next to gospel and rhythm and blues. I think that also shined a light on the incredible contributions that Willie’s made in, what, 98 records that he’s made over the years. So it was great to see him get so many votes from the body of 1,200 voters. Now, remember, Hank Williams, Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, they’re all in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but there was I think a long dearth of country artists that contributed to rock ‘n’ roll that had gone unnoticed before we’ve seen two iconic country artists get recognized in the last two years.”

He also noted of Elliott being chosen in her first year of eligibility, “Missy Elliott got in first ballot, just like Eminem got in first ballot last year and Jay-Z the year before. So if there’s a throughline we’re seeing, it shows the power of hip-hop music culture now, as if we didn’t know it already, as far as how quickly these artists are being recognized on the first ballot.”

Last month, Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi got engaged. Some observers thought the pair might be too young for such a major step, as “she’s 19” was a trending topic on Twitter after the news broke (Bongiovi, meanwhile, is 20 years old). Now, Bongiovi’s dad, beloved New Jersey rocker Jon Bon Jovi, has weighed in during an appearance on Andy Cohen’s Sirius XM show Radio Andy yesterday (May 2).

After noting that Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea were initially high school sweethearts, Cohen asked the musician if he worries about Bongiovi and Brown getting engaged so young. He replied, “I don’t know if age matters, you know, if you find the right partner and you grow together. I think that would be my advice, really, is growing together is wise, growing together. And so I think that all my kids have found the people that they think they can grow together, and we like them all.”

He also said of Stranger Things, “I’ve seen it, of course. Millie’s wonderful. Her whole family are great. Really, really great. Jake is very, very happy.”

Bongiovi, meanwhile, is the latest sibling to head towards matrimony, as Bon Jovi said that three of his four children are now engaged.

Game 1 between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors saw a furious late change by the defending champions come up just a bit short. L.A. walked into San Francisco and picked up a 117-112 win behind a monster night from Anthony Davis and a double-double from LeBron James.

It wasn’t an easy win, though, as the Warriors went on a 14-0 run down the stretch to put themselves in a position to tie things on their final possession. With the shot clock turned off and the Dubs needing a three to tie, the Lakers sold out to keep Steph Curry from shooting, which led to Jordan Poole pulling up from Oakland with a little more than 10 seconds remaining and missing.

The whole thing led to a debate about whether or not this was a good shot for Poole to take. This played out in real time on the #NBATwitterLive stream of the game, which included Taylor Rooks, Channing Frye, and Tyrese Haliburton. Frye wasn’t a fan of the shot, while Haliburton was, going as far as to say that he would have pulled up from there, too. This got an immediate response from Frye, who thought it would be cook to drag the young All-Star for his take.

“I’m shootin’ it,” Haliburton said. “I’m shootin’ it if I’m Jordan. So, I feel you, Jordan. I would’ve shot that, too.”

“That’s why you’re here with us,” Frye immediately shot back, much to the delight of his two co-hosts. Let this be a lesson to everyone that Channing Frye will roast you if you give him the opportunity.

Chicago-based drill rapper Mello Buckzz crashed into the hip-hip scene with serious force. The release of “Boom (Mouskatool),” which featured Amari Blaze, Kashh Mir, and Moni Da G, got the 21-year-old an influx of attention, even from prestigious publications like Pitchfork. It was followed by the even bigger “Boom Pt. 2,” which had the one and only Latto. That track boasts over a million streams on Spotify, and its music video has over three million views.

A spot on G Herbo‘s new mixtape Strictly 4 My Fans 2 is a big deal, too. Mello Buckzz is on the track “Outside” alongside fellow viral sensation GloRilla. It was released Friday, April 28, and it’s the only feature on the album aside for one with Drench on the opener “No Limit.” According to Book Club Chicago, Mello Buckzz took up rapping in 2020 and Herbo supported her from the start.

Latto even brought her out on stage on Coachella this year, where the two of them brought made the crowd go wild for “Boom Pt. 2.”

The latest material from Mello Buckzz is the song “Pretty Opp,” unleashed on Thursday, April 27, a two-minute ripper full of her signature confidence and wit: “Blackout like Halloween, they’ll think I’m Michael with a wig / I’ll make his body looking beehive with these shells these b*tches big.” She’s keeping the momentum going, that’s for sure.

It’s been over a week since Tucker Carlson was suddenly and unexpectedly fired from Fox News, and it’s still not been revealed why. Did it have to do with his allegedly sexist work environment? Was it petty revenge by honcho Rupert Murdoch? Did they actually grow a conscience about him spreading Jan. 6 misinformation and white supremacist conspiracy theories? Well, now a new theory has entered the ring.

A new report by The New York Times makes public a particularly troubling text Carlson sent one of his producers in the hours after the Jan. 6 riot. He describes a video he had recently watched that found a group of Trump supporters violently assaulting an “Antifa kid.” The video actually troubled him, in ways both good and not so good.

“Jumping a guy like that is dishonorable obviously,” he wrote, then added, “It’s not how white men fight.”

He went on, saying he found himself “rooting for the mob against the man, hoping they’d hit him harder, kill him. I really wanted them to hurt the kid. I could taste it.”

But he caught himself. “Then somewhere deep in my brain, an alarm went off: this isn’t good for me. I’m becoming something I don’t want to be,” he wrote. “I should remember that somewhere somebody probably loves this kid, and would be crushed if he was killed. If I don’t care about those things, if I reduce people to their politics, how am I better than he is?”

The text reportedly set off fire alarms at Fox News when it was discovered on the eve of their pricey defamation trial with Dominion Voting Systems. (It’s not clear how it evaded company brass until the 11th hour.) They were worried it would be produced in the courtroom and create a firestorm that would make Fox News look even worse. The text was also reportedly a part of the reason they decided to settle for “only” $787.5 million.

The white supremacist-y nature of the text probably won’t bug Tucker’s fanbase, nor ruin his chances to find a next step. Then again, nor is it surprising.

(Via NYT)

The Writers Guild of America strike is only on its first day, but its impact upon the entertainment industry can already be felt. Anyone tuning into their favorite late night chat show will find a rerun (unless their favorite chat show is Fox News’ Gutfeld!, whose writing staff isn’t in the guild). It will take a bit longer for viewers to notice the impact the strike will have on sitcoms and dramas and the like, but one in-production show swears it will be fine.

As per Variety, the slightly shorter second season of House of the Dragon is currently in production in the U.K., but they aren’t going on hiatus until the strike ends. That doesn’t mean WGA members working in the U.K. will still report to work, which would be in violation of guild rules. Instead, a source close to the show says they think they’re good because their scripts are already finished. They even raced to complete them, knowing that the strike was likely:

Some U.K. writers who are also WGA members told Variety that they worked furiously across the weekend to submit scripts to their U.S. employers before the midnight PST deadline. Now that strike action has been called, these scribes are on strike alongside their American counterparts.

But, as caught by The AV Club, one writer questioned if shooting without a working writer on set is even possible.

“Whose the writer producer on set? Whose showrunning? Hmmm?” tweeted Caroline Renard. “Scripts are done. Okay. But rewrites literally happen. Line changes. Alt line changes. Whose gonna watch dailies and cuts? Approval on costumes. Tone meeting. Once again proving you guys have no idea what we do!”

In other words, the shows and movies that still go into production during the WGA strike may wind up seeming a bit…off.

(Via Variety and The AV Club)