Month: June 2023

In February, Bruce Springsteen accidentally hit his guitar tech on the head while performing. He’s currently stopping by stages in Europe, and had a similarly silly, small incident on Saturday (May 27) his gig in Amsterdam.

While ascending the steps and singing his song “Ghosts,” the musician fell face-first. The 73-year-old rolled onto his back and members of the opener E Street Band helped him back up. Jokingly, he announced, “Goodnight, everybody!” and proceeded to continue with his set without any problems.

Last year, the Born To Run rock star also confronted fans upset over his concert prices. “For the past 49 years or however long we’ve been playing, we’ve pretty much been out there under market value. I’ve enjoyed that. It’s been great for the fans,” he said, “but ticket buying has gotten very confusing, not just for the fans, but for the artists also.”

“The bottom line is that most of our tickets are totally affordable. They’re in that affordable range. We have those tickets that are going to go for that [higher] price somewhere anyway,” he continued. “Hey, why shouldn’t that money go to the guys that are going to be up there sweating three hours a night for it?”

In February, Bruce Springsteen accidentally hit his guitar tech on the head while performing. He’s currently stopping by stages in Europe, and had a similarly silly, small incident on Saturday (May 27) his gig in Amsterdam.

While ascending the steps and singing his song “Ghosts,” the musician fell face-first. The 73-year-old rolled onto his back and members of the opener E Street Band helped him back up. Jokingly, he announced, “Goodnight, everybody!” and proceeded to continue with his set without any problems.

Last year, the Born To Run rock star also confronted fans upset over his concert prices. “For the past 49 years or however long we’ve been playing, we’ve pretty much been out there under market value. I’ve enjoyed that. It’s been great for the fans,” he said, “but ticket buying has gotten very confusing, not just for the fans, but for the artists also.”

“The bottom line is that most of our tickets are totally affordable. They’re in that affordable range. We have those tickets that are going to go for that [higher] price somewhere anyway,” he continued. “Hey, why shouldn’t that money go to the guys that are going to be up there sweating three hours a night for it?”

Thursday night marks the star of the 2023 NBA Finals, in which the 1-seed Denver Nuggets will play host to the 8-seed Miami Heat. Denver rolled through the Western Conference, while Miami had to scratch and claw its way to the top of the Eastern Conference, taking a path that went through the Play-In Tournament and nearly saw them blow a 3-0 series lead to the Boston Celtics.

But still, there are plenty of similarities between the two teams. For example: There are only two players in the NBA are from Serbia, have the first name “Nikola,” and have a last name that starts with “Jo” and ends with “ic.” Funny enough, both of them happen to be playing in this series. Ahead of Game 1 on Thursday night in Denver, we decided to rank those guys in an effort to see who is the best player of the bunch.

2. Nikola Jovic, PF, Miami Heat

The No. 27 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Jovic has taken quite the path to the NBA. Originally born in England, Jovic became one of the top prospects in all of Europe during his time with the Serbian side Mega Basket and as a member of the national team. In fact, back in 2022, Jovic was named the top prospect in the Adriatic League, an honor that previously was given to someone else who will appear on this list, but we won’t spoil who it is.

Like many rookies who end up with the Heat, Jovic spent some time this season as a member of the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League. During the regular season, all of his playing time in Miami came before the start of the new year, and he ended up flashing some promise when he got onto the floor — in 15 games (eight starts) with the team, Jovic averaged 5.5 points and 2.1 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game. His best game came against the Washington Wizards on Nov. 18, when he had 18 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes of work.

1. Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets

While Jovic is level with him on number of times making the NBA Finals, Jokic has a leg up in, well, everything else. The two-time NBA MVP has taken his play to another level during the 2023 postseason, as Jokic is making as emphatic of a case for being the best player in the world as he has at any point in his career.

It’s a high bar, but the case can be made that Jokic is one of the best runs of postseason dominance on the offensive end of the floor that we have ever seen. His numbers are out of a video game: 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.9 blocks in 38.9 minutes per game while connecting on 53.8 percent of his shots from the field and 47.4 percent of his attempts from behind the three-point line. There is no really good way to stop him — and, by extension, Denver’s offense — which is why the Nuggets have lost three times in three rounds, picked up a sweep in the Western Conference Finals, and are undefeated at home in the playoffs.

Thursday night marks the star of the 2023 NBA Finals, in which the 1-seed Denver Nuggets will play host to the 8-seed Miami Heat. Denver rolled through the Western Conference, while Miami had to scratch and claw its way to the top of the Eastern Conference, taking a path that went through the Play-In Tournament and nearly saw them blow a 3-0 series lead to the Boston Celtics.

But still, there are plenty of similarities between the two teams. For example: There are only two players in the NBA are from Serbia, have the first name “Nikola,” and have a last name that starts with “Jo” and ends with “ic.” Funny enough, both of them happen to be playing in this series. Ahead of Game 1 on Thursday night in Denver, we decided to rank those guys in an effort to see who is the best player of the bunch.

2. Nikola Jovic, PF, Miami Heat

The No. 27 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Jovic has taken quite the path to the NBA. Originally born in England, Jovic became one of the top prospects in all of Europe during his time with the Serbian side Mega Basket and as a member of the national team. In fact, back in 2022, Jovic was named the top prospect in the Adriatic League, an honor that previously was given to someone else who will appear on this list, but we won’t spoil who it is.

Like many rookies who end up with the Heat, Jovic spent some time this season as a member of the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League. During the regular season, all of his playing time in Miami came before the start of the new year, and he ended up flashing some promise when he got onto the floor — in 15 games (eight starts) with the team, Jovic averaged 5.5 points and 2.1 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game. His best game came against the Washington Wizards on Nov. 18, when he had 18 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes of work.

1. Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets

While Jovic is level with him on number of times making the NBA Finals, Jokic has a leg up in, well, everything else. The two-time NBA MVP has taken his play to another level during the 2023 postseason, as Jokic is making as emphatic of a case for being the best player in the world as he has at any point in his career.

It’s a high bar, but the case can be made that Jokic is one of the best runs of postseason dominance on the offensive end of the floor that we have ever seen. His numbers are out of a video game: 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.9 blocks in 38.9 minutes per game while connecting on 53.8 percent of his shots from the field and 47.4 percent of his attempts from behind the three-point line. There is no really good way to stop him — and, by extension, Denver’s offense — which is why the Nuggets have lost three times in three rounds, picked up a sweep in the Western Conference Finals, and are undefeated at home in the playoffs.

As Lil Uzi Vert fans await news of the Philadelphia rapper’s new album The Pink Tape and Uzi makes surprise appearances at Paramore concerts, the genre agnostic, gender non-conforming artist recently appeared on the cover of 032c magazine with a feature that delved into what Uzi’s been up to since we last heard from them. In addition to working on The Pink Tape, they also got sober — an evolution that they credited to Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez, who sent them to seven months in rehab.

“I’m lucky to have people in my life who truly care about me and my well-being,” Uzi admitted. “Specifically, Desiree Perez, who helped me get into this program. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to — and I can say now that it was a great thing to do. I spent seven months in rehab. The first month and a half were hard, but after that, it was easy, because the people there became my family. They showed me so many different outlets and ways to cope with life. We did a lot of group talks, a lot of writing on whiteboards. I was so sure that it wasn’t going to work, but surprisingly it’s pretty effective.”

Perhaps stepping into sobriety is what’s helped make Uzi so productive lately. According to producer Lyle Leduff, they have recorded over 1,500 songs for the project and now have to narrow it down to a reasonable number for an actual release.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

As Lil Uzi Vert fans await news of the Philadelphia rapper’s new album The Pink Tape and Uzi makes surprise appearances at Paramore concerts, the genre agnostic, gender non-conforming artist recently appeared on the cover of 032c magazine with a feature that delved into what Uzi’s been up to since we last heard from them. In addition to working on The Pink Tape, they also got sober — an evolution that they credited to Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez, who sent them to seven months in rehab.

“I’m lucky to have people in my life who truly care about me and my well-being,” Uzi admitted. “Specifically, Desiree Perez, who helped me get into this program. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to — and I can say now that it was a great thing to do. I spent seven months in rehab. The first month and a half were hard, but after that, it was easy, because the people there became my family. They showed me so many different outlets and ways to cope with life. We did a lot of group talks, a lot of writing on whiteboards. I was so sure that it wasn’t going to work, but surprisingly it’s pretty effective.”

Perhaps stepping into sobriety is what’s helped make Uzi so productive lately. According to producer Lyle Leduff, they have recorded over 1,500 songs for the project and now have to narrow it down to a reasonable number for an actual release.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

In a new episode of Hulu’s The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian is opening up more about the impact that Kanye West’s disturbing behavior has had on both her and their children.

“I’m stuck with this for the rest of my life, and I’m just so overwhelmed,” Kim said, noting that it “affects my kids.”

The conversation continues as Kim talks to her mother, Kris Jenner, in the emotional scene. “That’s the tragic part of the whole story,” Jenner responded.

“I still feel the need to not talk about it and protect it from my kids and I always will feel that way, but God, if people knew,” Kim continued. “I just would never do that to my kids. It just is really crazy.”

The reality star divorced West in 2021. Throughout last year, the rapper went on antisemitic social media rants and posted other troubling content. Despite the downward spiral, Kim told her mom how she’s trying to shield the four children from the headlines, particularly the oldest, North.

“She actually doesn’t know and that’s what’s so crazy,” Kim said. “When stuff is said, it’s a chain to my whole household. No TV, only Apple TV. I can’t risk an Access Hollywood […] or anything on the news coming up with their dad mentioned and they want to watch. I have to figure out a way to protect and so they still haven’t seen anything, but then I go into crisis mode.”

“Sometimes I feel like if he were to hit rock bottom, that’s his journey that he needs to figure out on his own,” she added. “I used to run around and call everyone behind his back, and be like, ‘It’s gonna be OK, it’s gonna be OK, don’t worry. Just give him another chance.’ I used to spend hours and hours and hours of my day to be the clean-up crew. I just don’t have that energy.”

Since their separation, Kim briefly dated Pete Davidson, and West got remarried.

In a new episode of Hulu’s The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian is opening up more about the impact that Kanye West’s disturbing behavior has had on both her and their children.

“I’m stuck with this for the rest of my life, and I’m just so overwhelmed,” Kim said, noting that it “affects my kids.”

The conversation continues as Kim talks to her mother, Kris Jenner, in the emotional scene. “That’s the tragic part of the whole story,” Jenner responded.

“I still feel the need to not talk about it and protect it from my kids and I always will feel that way, but God, if people knew,” Kim continued. “I just would never do that to my kids. It just is really crazy.”

The reality star divorced West in 2021. Throughout last year, the rapper went on antisemitic social media rants and posted other troubling content. Despite the downward spiral, Kim told her mom how she’s trying to shield the four children from the headlines, particularly the oldest, North.

“She actually doesn’t know and that’s what’s so crazy,” Kim said. “When stuff is said, it’s a chain to my whole household. No TV, only Apple TV. I can’t risk an Access Hollywood […] or anything on the news coming up with their dad mentioned and they want to watch. I have to figure out a way to protect and so they still haven’t seen anything, but then I go into crisis mode.”

“Sometimes I feel like if he were to hit rock bottom, that’s his journey that he needs to figure out on his own,” she added. “I used to run around and call everyone behind his back, and be like, ‘It’s gonna be OK, it’s gonna be OK, don’t worry. Just give him another chance.’ I used to spend hours and hours and hours of my day to be the clean-up crew. I just don’t have that energy.”

Since their separation, Kim briefly dated Pete Davidson, and West got remarried.

This week, That ’70s Show and The Ranch actor (and lifelong Scientologist) Danny Masterson was convicted on two counts of rape two decades after the crimes in question. The verdict also arrived seven days after a jury began deliberations and nearly a decade after his accusers battles had begun. It’s been quite a winding saga, too. Masterson’s victims maintained that they’d been silenced by Scientology through various manners of harassment and stalking, and the actor was not formally charged with three rape counts until 2020. He had been dropped from Netflix’s The Ranch two years prior, and the allegations had been ricocheting around the LA county court system, stalling time and time again for several years.

This trial was actually a retrial, too, given that a former jury deadlocked on the three charges in 2022. This time around, the jury deadlocked on one count but found Masterson guilty “of raping two women in 2003,” as initially reported by Variety. He now faces a maximum sentence of 30 years to life behind bars.

What’s next for Masterson? Obviously, it’s not good for him. Entertainment Tonight reported that Masterson’s wife, fellow Scientologist Bijou Phillips, “let out a wail” upon the verdict with the judge reprimanding her (and instructing her to leave the courtroom if she could not do so). Masterson was then handcuffed in the courtroom and “immediately remanded into custody,” where he will remain without bail until sentencing, due to “posing a flight risk.”

As People further reveals, Masterson’s next court hearing will occur on August 4. Although he pleaded not guilty throughout his case (while asserting that he only had consensual sex with the accusers), no public mention has been made regarding an appeal. During this retrial as well, Masterson’s attorneys called no witnesses in his defense.

Deadline previously reported that sketchy business appears to have gone down with the L. Ron Hubbard-founded Scientology during the proceedings:

Somehow a lawyer representing the David Miscavige-led church, which is not a defendant in this criminal case, has come into possession of a large swath of the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office’s discovery material in this matter. Going off like a legal landmine, the revelation might see the prosecution referring the leak of sorts to the LAPD and perhaps even the state bar.

And here’s Scientology’s official statement on the verdict via TV Line:

The prosecution’s introduction of religion into this trial was an unprecedented violation of the First Amendment and affects the due process rights of every American. The Church was not a party to this case and religion did not belong in this proceeding as Supreme Court precedent has maintained for centuries. The District Attorney unconscionably centered his prosecution on the defendant’s religion and fabrications about the Church to introduce prejudice and inflame bigotry. The DA elicited testimony and descriptions of Scientology beliefs and practices which were uniformly FALSE. The Court’s statement of Church doctrine was her own invention, DEAD WRONG, and blatantly unconstitutional. The Church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone—Scientologists or not—to law enforcement. Quite the opposite, Church policy explicitly demands Scientologists abide by all laws of the land. All allegations to the contrary are totally FALSE. There is not a scintilla of evidence supporting the scandalous allegations that the Church harassed the accusers. Every single instance of supposed harassment by the Church is FALSE, and has been debunked.

It’s more than worth noting that ex-second-generation Scientologist Leah Remini celebrated the verdict with “relief” in a lengthy post, including the following sentiments:

To Chrissie Bixler, whose count ended in a hung jury, I know Danny raped you; I know that Scientology tried to destroy you. However, this case would not have moved forward and resulted in two guilty verdicts if it were not for you. I am sorry you didn’t receive a guilty verdict on your charges; you deserved one. But please never forget that justice would not have been served if it were not for you.

Although Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige, were not formal defendants, they played a significant role in obstructing justice in this case and other instances of sexual violence.

Remini has been instrumental in the public awareness of this ongoing case. She previously interviewed Masterson’s accusers on her Scientology and the Aftermath series, and she has vowed to never stop fighting against the church. And she sure won’t be stopping now.

(Via Variety, ET, People, Deadline & TV Line)

This week, That ’70s Show and The Ranch actor (and lifelong Scientologist) Danny Masterson was convicted on two counts of rape two decades after the crimes in question. The verdict also arrived seven days after a jury began deliberations and nearly a decade after his accusers battles had begun. It’s been quite a winding saga, too. Masterson’s victims maintained that they’d been silenced by Scientology through various manners of harassment and stalking, and the actor was not formally charged with three rape counts until 2020. He had been dropped from Netflix’s The Ranch two years prior, and the allegations had been ricocheting around the LA county court system, stalling time and time again for several years.

This trial was actually a retrial, too, given that a former jury deadlocked on the three charges in 2022. This time around, the jury deadlocked on one count but found Masterson guilty “of raping two women in 2003,” as initially reported by Variety. He now faces a maximum sentence of 30 years to life behind bars.

What’s next for Masterson? Obviously, it’s not good for him. Entertainment Tonight reported that Masterson’s wife, fellow Scientologist Bijou Phillips, “let out a wail” upon the verdict with the judge reprimanding her (and instructing her to leave the courtroom if she could not do so). Masterson was then handcuffed in the courtroom and “immediately remanded into custody,” where he will remain without bail until sentencing, due to “posing a flight risk.”

As People further reveals, Masterson’s next court hearing will occur on August 4. Although he pleaded not guilty throughout his case (while asserting that he only had consensual sex with the accusers), no public mention has been made regarding an appeal. During this retrial as well, Masterson’s attorneys called no witnesses in his defense.

Deadline previously reported that sketchy business appears to have gone down with the L. Ron Hubbard-founded Scientology during the proceedings:

Somehow a lawyer representing the David Miscavige-led church, which is not a defendant in this criminal case, has come into possession of a large swath of the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office’s discovery material in this matter. Going off like a legal landmine, the revelation might see the prosecution referring the leak of sorts to the LAPD and perhaps even the state bar.

And here’s Scientology’s official statement on the verdict via TV Line:

The prosecution’s introduction of religion into this trial was an unprecedented violation of the First Amendment and affects the due process rights of every American. The Church was not a party to this case and religion did not belong in this proceeding as Supreme Court precedent has maintained for centuries. The District Attorney unconscionably centered his prosecution on the defendant’s religion and fabrications about the Church to introduce prejudice and inflame bigotry. The DA elicited testimony and descriptions of Scientology beliefs and practices which were uniformly FALSE. The Court’s statement of Church doctrine was her own invention, DEAD WRONG, and blatantly unconstitutional. The Church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone—Scientologists or not—to law enforcement. Quite the opposite, Church policy explicitly demands Scientologists abide by all laws of the land. All allegations to the contrary are totally FALSE. There is not a scintilla of evidence supporting the scandalous allegations that the Church harassed the accusers. Every single instance of supposed harassment by the Church is FALSE, and has been debunked.

It’s more than worth noting that ex-second-generation Scientologist Leah Remini celebrated the verdict with “relief” in a lengthy post, including the following sentiments:

To Chrissie Bixler, whose count ended in a hung jury, I know Danny raped you; I know that Scientology tried to destroy you. However, this case would not have moved forward and resulted in two guilty verdicts if it were not for you. I am sorry you didn’t receive a guilty verdict on your charges; you deserved one. But please never forget that justice would not have been served if it were not for you.

Although Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige, were not formal defendants, they played a significant role in obstructing justice in this case and other instances of sexual violence.

Remini has been instrumental in the public awareness of this ongoing case. She previously interviewed Masterson’s accusers on her Scientology and the Aftermath series, and she has vowed to never stop fighting against the church. And she sure won’t be stopping now.

(Via Variety, ET, People, Deadline & TV Line)