Month: June 2023

On Tuesday, about a month-and-a-half after being canned by Fox News, Tucker Carlson debuted his follow-up show on Twitter. It wasn’t the slick, long or even energetic program his viewers were used to. Instead it ran a mere 10 minutes, looked like it was filmed in a rec room, and featured him being decidedly low-energy. At one point one could hear the sound of someone off-screen closing a door. Hope it was worth it because, one day later, the inevitable happened.

As per a letter obtained by Axios (and verified by Mediaite), Fox News notified Carlson’s lawyers that their client had breached his contract. Thanks to a noncompete clause, the news network can keep him off the airwaves (and maybe Twitter) all the way through January 2025, i.e., another year-and-a-half. Carlson has vowed to give them hell over the contract he’d signed, but so far his only move is to create an online show for a social media service, despite any legal headaches it may cause him.

Carlson’s lawyers told Axios that any legal action is purely hypocritical. “Fox defends its very existence on freedom of speech grounds. Now they want to take Tucker Carlson’s right to speak freely away from him because he took to social media to share his thoughts on current events,” lawyer Bryan Freedman said in a statement.

Fox News abruptly fired Carlson in late April the week after they agreed to a whopping $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over false claims they made about the 2020 election. The reason(s) for Carlson’s firing have never been made public.

In his maiden Tucker on Twitter episode, Carlson offered a dense thicket of conspiracy theories involving everything from Ukraine to BLM protests to 9/11 to aliens to the assassination of John F. Kennedy Jr. As of this writing, the video has racked up over 90 million views.

(Via Axios and Mediaite)

Taco Bell has, hands down, the best vegan and vegetarian menu in the fast food universe. Sure there are vegan-focused chains like Loving Hut and Monty’s Good Burger, but those chains are region specific and don’t have the nationwide reach of something like Taco Bell. While most fast food chains are dropping plant-based burgers and chicken (and then quietly discontinuing them while hoping no one will notice) at Taco Bell you can turn just about every menu item into a vegan or vegetarian meal, and so long as Taco Bell doesn’t have some sort of special meat-based fried menu item (like wings, or fried chicken), the frying oil is free of animal by-products as well.

That’s great for vegan Taco Bell heads. But unfortunately, it has also allowed Taco Bell to f*ck around all of these years and not have a true vegan meat taco, something that is almost guaranteed to sell well. I’ve been to many Taco Bell tastings at the Taco Bell Test Kitchens, and they’ve tried all sorts of different formulations of plant-based non-meat “meats,” but in all of that time they haven’t cracked a true vegan taco that lives up to their OG. Well today, I’m happy to report that they are officially one step closer.

Beginning today, select Taco Bell locations in Los Angeles, New York City, and Orlando, Florida will be selling the Vegan Crunchwrap for one week (or while supplies last), a dish that has now become — spoiler warning for the review — our favorite vegan meal in all of fast food. The Crunchwrap features proprietary seasoned vegan beef, proprietary nut-free vegan blanco and nacho sauce, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a crunchy tostada shell wrapped up in a giant grilled tortilla.

So how good is it? Let’s break it down.

Vegan Crunchwrap Review

Tasting Notes:

Before we start talking about how this thing tastes I think it’s important to mention that I am not vegan or vegetarian. I like eating meat and, as such, I’m not the biggest fan of “meat substitutes.” Give me a dish that tastes good and I won’t care if it has meat or not, but the minute you ask me to pretend a plant-based burger tastes as good as the real thing, I’m out. I’ve had very good plant-based fast food, Umami burger in particular, but most plant-based fast food (KFC’s vegan nuggets come to mind) just can’t nail texture and flavor the way real meat does.

Having said all that, I think I like Taco Bell’s Vegan Crunchwrap more than the real thing. Let’s be honest, Taco Bell’s ground beef isn’t great and while I love a Taco Bell crunchy taco (see our Taco Bell ranking here), the primary flavor profile of the ground beef is grease and salt. The meat substitute used in the Vegan Crunchwrap delivers so much more flavor, I’m tasting chili powder, garlic, onions, black pepper, and a hint of cumin — resulting in something that is incredibly savory and mildly spicy, no sauce packet required.

When it comes to texture I can’t really say how it compares to the real thing because a Crunchwrap, true to its name, is full of crunch courtesy of the tostada shell and lettuce, which means I’m not thinking about the texture of the pea-protein based “meat.” All I’m getting is the flavor, which is objectively more complex and interesting than the real thing.

I’m also liking the vegan blanco and nacho cheese sauce a lot more, the sauces here are made totally nut-free (a lot of fake cheese is made with nuts) and still come across as complex adding an indulgent quality to this Crunchwrap that makes each bite incredibly addicting. Best of all, you get that without the overly salty notes of the regular nacho cheese sauce. It’s almost eerie how delicious this thing is, and that’s coming from someone who isn’t even the target audience of this dish.

The Bottom Line:

Taco Bell is absolutely knocked it out of the park with the Vegan Crunchwrap. It’s delicious, packed full of the sort of zesty flavor Taco Bell is beloved for and doesn’t cut any corners in the process. It manages to take a beloved dish on the Taco Bell menu and actually improve upon it. We can’t wait until you’re able to substitute the vegan meat into other classic Taco Bell dishes like the Crunchy Taco and Mexican Pizza.

Sadly, as of now, you can’t. Trust me, we asked!

Right now this dish is priced the same as the OG Crunchwrap which means if you’re in the test market, there is absolutely no reason for not trying this if you already love the Crunchwrap.

Here is a list of locations currently carrying the Vegan Crunchwrap:

Los Angeles—6741 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028
New York City—976 6th Ave., New York, NY 10018
Orlando—11893 East Colonial Dr., Orlando, FL 32826

Find your nearest Taco Bell here.

Rap fans were impressed — and confused — when by Barbra Streisand‘s hip-hop knowledge when the 81-year-old quoted New York rapper Memphis Bleek on Twitter.

Streisand, who has long had a reputation for political activism, tweeted a dire warning about a future Donald Trump presidential candidacy. “Trump is going to be indicted for stealing classified documents,” she wrote. “He is going crazy with his tweets urging his cult to ‘FIGHT.’ We remember what happened on January 6th. ‘The strong are quiet, the weak start riots.’ – Rapper Memphis Bleek.” (The lyrics in question are from a song on the Jay-Z-led compilation album The Dynasty, “1-900-HUSTLER,” which features Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, and Freeway.)

Although largely recognized within the culture as being Jay-Z’s protege throughout the late ’90s and early 2000s, Bleek did have an expansive solo career that saw him release minor hits like “Is That Yo Chick” and “Like That.” However, he was never much of a fixture on mainstream charts, leaving fans nonplussed that Streisand would quote him, of all people.

The idea that Streisand would be a huge Memphis Bleek fan turned out to be a source of amusement, though — much like a similar incident with actress Sharon Stone donning a movie prop that got her tagged a fan of underground rapper MF DOOM.

Check out some of the more amused reactions below.

Pete Davidson is famously a pretty chill dude. When he was on SNL, he regularly took his real-life problems and mined them for comedy gold. You probably have to really do something bad to piss him off. That, apparently, is what PETA did. A higher-up at the animal rights organization received a, shall we say, colorful voicemail from Davidson after they torched him for purchasing, not adopting, a new dog. As per Entertainment Weekly, he later explained to TMZ why he did what he felt he had to do.

In the message, Davidson revealed that the Cavapoo puppy he bought at an NYC store was for his mother, who’s dog Henry had just died.

“I haven’t seen my mom and sister cry like that in over 20 years. I was trying to cheer up my family,” Davidson explained. “I was already upset that the store had filmed me without my permission or acknowledgement. Then this organization made a public example of us, making our grieving situation worse. I am upset. It was a poor choice of words. I shouldn’t have said what I said, but I am not sorry for standing up for myself and my family.”

The mishegoss began when video surfaced of Davidson buying the puppy. PETA slammed Davidson for not going with a “borough-born mutt from a city animal shelter,” adding that the organization “urges Pete to show some big heart energy by adopting, not shopping, in the future.”

So Davidson rang up PETA’s Senior VP of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch and left her a message. “Thank you so much for making comments publicly that I didn’t adopt a dog,” he said in the voicemail, noting that he’s “severely allergic to dogs,” and that he had to “get a specific breed.”

Davidson also slammed Nachminovitch for not checking up on his possible motivations — including the death of his mother’s dog — urging her to “do your research before you [bleep] create news stories for people because you’re a boring, tired, [bleep].” He wrapped up his message by saying, “[Bleep] you and suck my [bleep].”

PETA responded to Davidson’s explanation to TMZ by telling the publication that “there’s no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog,” adding that “at least a quarter of dogs in shelters are purebreds, and that Petfinder has listings for homeless dogs of every breed under the sun, including the one he purchased.” They also said their “hearts go out to the Davidson family for the loss of their dog” before again urging him to “adopt next time.”

Davidson later acknowledged that he was unaware he could adopt a “specific hypoallergenic dog” and that he was told that “it wasn’t an option, and if it was, it was rare.”

In other new Pete Davidson news, he also admitted that he was “very stoned” when he and Colin Jost bought a Staten Island ferry last year and that they’re still “figuring it out” as to what they’re going to do with a big boat.

(Via EW & TMZ)

In news that should have Donald Trump shaking in his ill-fitting suits, former chief of staff Mark Meadows is reportedly cooperating with a special counsel investigation that could land the ex-president behind bars.

After Trump’s legal team spent weeks worrying where the hell Meadows was after the MAGA insider went dark, CNN is now claiming he’s testified before a grand jury convened by special counsel, Jack Smith. This latest federal probe is intended to uncover any illegal behavior from Trump during the Jan. 6th insurrection and after, when he ferried classified documents to his Mar-a-Lago residence. As his then-right-hand-man, Meadows had unparalleled access to the former president during that time which means, if he’s decided to squeal, Trump should be worried.

“We have a statement from his lawyer which will make the hairs on the neck of Donald Trump’s team stand, frankly, because it’s very ominous,” CNN correspondent Evan Perez said. “He doesn’t confirm that Mark Meadows has testified in front of the grand jury, but he says this: ‘Mark Meadows has maintained a commitment to tell the truth where he has a legal obligation to do so.’ Again, if you’re the Trump team… it doesn’t sound very good to them.”

Meadows was instrumental in Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and he was in the room with Trump as the Jan. 6th attacks took place, when the president refused to condemn the MAGA mob. So yeah, he’s seen some things. Enough things in fact to earn a tweet from Fox News old-timer Bill O’Reilly, warning Trump fans that their MAGA mascot might be enjoying his fish filet sandwiches from a prison cell in the future.

(Via RawStory)

Former supermodel Helena Christensen is totally in on the joke of Tenacious D‘s new video. About a week ago, the two-man band released a cover of Chris Isaak’s 1989 hit “Wicked Game” in which Jack Black and Kyle Gass frolic in the water on a beach in skimpy swimsuits, lightly parodying the original’s artsy, black-and-white video which starred the model canoodling with Isaak on the coast. You can check out the cover above and the original below, but the real highlight here is Christensen’s response on Instagram.

Posting a screenshot of herself and Isaak from the original video, Christensen added Black and Gass to the background, running along in the water. In the caption, she joked, “I was very confused that day.” Stunning and funny; what a combination.

Tenacious D’s cover arrived ahead of a new slate of fall shows, including a performance at the Hollywood Bowl for the Video Game Awards, where they’ll be performing their new song “Video Games.” You can see those dates below.

6/7/23 Berlin, Germany @ Zitadelle
6/8/23 Nickelsdorf, Austria @ Nova Rock Festival
6/10/23 Milan, Italy @ Carroponte
6/12/23 Zurich, Switzerland @ The Hall
6/13/23 Brussels, Belgium @ Forest National
6/14/23 Rotterdam, Netherlands @ Ahoy
6/16/23 London, England @ O2 Arena
6/18/23 Clisson, France @ Hellfest Open Air Festival
6/25/23 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl (Video Game Awards)
9/6/23 Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
9/7/23 Franklin, TN @ Firstbank Amphitheater
9/9/23 Indianapolis, IN @ All IN Music Festival
9/11/23 Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP
9/13/23 Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
9/14/23 Grand Prairie, TX @ Texas Trust CU Theatre
9/15/23 Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater

Chris Paul is going to hit the free agent market this summer. According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Phoenix Suns have made the first major move of the Frank Vogel era, as the team has made the decision to waive Paul and let him hit the open market.

Paul, who just turned 38 in May, could have remained under contract with the Suns for the next two seasons at $30.4 million a year, although his salary was partially guaranteed for 2023-24 and non-guaranteed for the following year. Paul’s deal would have been fully guaranteed if the team did not make a decision on his future by June 28, and his partial guarantee is worth $15.8 million.

After coming to Phoenix ahead of the 2020-21 season, Paul was a major reason why the team was able to make the NBA Finals in 2021 and had the best regular season record the following year. But in 2022-23, Paul started to show signs of Father Time catching up to him, as he averaged 13.9 points, 8.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in 32 minutes per game while only appearing in 59 contests during the regular season.

With both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant in town, the Suns are trying to win as soon as possible and must believe that they can build the best possible team without Paul. Now, the Point God will be free to sign with any team he wants, and it’s not hard to imagine a squad with a need for a veteran presence in the backcourt jumping at the opportunity to bring him on board.

Tom Holland only became famous a handful of years ago or so, when he was cast as the third live-action Spider-Man in less than two decades. He’s been very busy since then, doing dramas and other blockbusters and, of course, lip-syncing to Rihanna. The guy needs a break, and after the grueling experience of making the limited series The Crowded Room, that’s exactly what he’s doing.

The British actor made the announcement during an interview with Extra, which he called “a tough time, for sure.” In the Apple TV+ series, which also features Amanda Seyfried and Emmy Rossum (as his mom, no less), he plays a young man who’s arrested for his part in a shooting that occurred in 1979’s New York City.

“We were exploring certain emotions that I have definitely never experienced before,” Holland explained. “And then on top of that, being a producer, dealing with the day-to-day problems that come with any film set, just added that extra level of pressure.”

On one hand, Holland “loved the learning curve of becoming a producer,” On the other, doing busy producer stuff while also tapping into dark mental states understandably proved a bit much:

“I’m no stranger to hard work. I’ve always lived by the idea that hard work is good work. Then again, the show did break me. There did come a time where I needed a break and disappeared and went to Mexico for a week and had time on a beach and laid low. I’m now taking a year off, and that is a result of how difficult this show was. I am excited to see how it turns out. I feel like our hard work wasn’t in vein.”

Holland has spoken about his struggles making The Crowded Room before. “I was seeing myself in [the character], but in my personal life,” Holland told Entertainment Weekly last month. “I remember having a bit of a meltdown at home and thinking, like, ‘I’m going to shave my head. I need to shave my head because I need to get rid of this character.’ And, obviously, we were mid-shooting, so I decided not to. He added, “It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.”

So good on you, Tom Holland. Go out there and spend your Marvel movie and sit on beaches and take trips and use ziplines or whatever it is incredibly young and wildly successful people who are dating other young, successful people do these days.

(Via Extra)

Even though many people are a little tired of the Superhero-ness of modern cinema, there are a few exceptions. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse is being called one of the best superhero movies at the moment, and even The Flash has gotten some love. While some people have been openly staying away from Marvel and its associated brands, maybe we just need some fresh new ideas! Luckily, Natasha Lyonne knows what Marvel needs: Larry David. Yeah, that one!

In The Hollywood Reporter‘s actress roundtable, when asked about the prospect of being involved in a Marvel picture, Lyonne says only one thing would need to happen for her to enter the Marvelverse. “I would say the exception might be Larry David,” she said. “It might be that Larry David is actually not getting a lot of calls from Marvel and stuff. Or maybe he is, and he’s just like, ‘No thanks.’” He’s a busy guy, after all, but Lyonne has some ideas.

“It’s really just us running around trying to catch him,” Lyonne said, referring to the rest of the table, which included Ayo Edebiri, Jenna Ortega, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. Edebiri added, “I feel like his Marvel movie is, like, he’s just a guy whose life just keeps getting destroyed by all the superheroes flying around.” Ortega added, “He’s really annoyed.”

This is on-brand for the man, who always looks like the human embodiment of someone who is majorly inconvenienced. What’s more inconvenient than a gang of superheroes holding up traffic when you’re trying to get home in time for dinner? These are the real victims.

While the ladies were mostly joking, it could work! The idea is vaguely reminiscent of the short-lived comedy Powerless, which followed a bunch of normies in a superhero society. Maybe David can be the one to bring it back to life. He’s done it before!

(Via Vulture)

Jodie Comer once related how she nearly died while filming a “grotesque” Killing Eve scene that involved spaghetti and an inability to breathe. Fortunately, that story worked out well, and Jodie is still with us. She went on to escape that self-defeating (from the show’s POV) series finale star in several films, including Ryan Reynolds’ Free Guy, and now, Jodie is starring in her own one-woman Broadway production. Unfortunately, breathing difficulties have reared their head again for her because the New York City air is essentially toxic at the moment.

As CNN reports, around 100 wildfires around Quebec have sent their smoke across the U.S. East Coast and placed around 55 million people under air-quality caution. This includes a “code red” alert for Philadelphia and orange-toned skies in New York City, where events have been cancelled throughout the Big Apple. On Broadway, Comer needed to halt her performance in Prima Facie, where she’s regularly onstage for 100 minutes straight. One of the show’s spokespeople confirmed the news to Hollywood Reporter:

“Today’s matinee of Prima Facie was halted approximately 10 minutes into the performance after Jodie Comer had difficulty breathing due to the poor air quality in New York City because of smoke from the Canadian wildfires. The performance was set to start again from the top with understudy Dani Arlington going on for Ms. Comer in the role of Tessa.”

Hopefully, all will be well with Jodie because a one-woman show is already no joke. As well, the Writers Guild strikes took a breather (I am sorry) in New York “in light of the forecasted air quality alerts” while everyone is undoubtedly reaching for their leftover N95 masks.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter & CNN)