Month: June 2023

Are Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg really going to cage fight? Possibly! Last week the Twitter/Tesla/Space X honcho seemed to joke about duking it out with the Facebook/Meta guy. Alas, the Facebook/Meta guy seemed into the idea. UFC chief Dana Whit3 later confirmed that the two social media giants were “absolutely dead serious” about beating each other up. That may be true, but one of them is admitting that, if it happens, it might not go so well for him.

As per Insider, Musk appeared on a Twitter Space session hosted by Bloomberg reporter Ashley Vance. The first question wasn’t about something monumental like him condemning the word “cisgender” as a slur on Twitter. It was about his proposed duel with Zuck. Musk admitted he’d have to put in some work beforehand.

“Well I haven’t started training yet. If it does happen I will train,” Musk said.

Vance pointed out that, though Musk is taller and bulkier than Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg is the more experienced fighter. On top of winning jiu-jitsu fights, he’s also trained in kickboxing, Muay Thai, wrestling, and boxing. Vance concluded that Zuckerberg “takes this stuff pretty seriously,” adding, “This could go badly.”

Musk admitted that “yeah that’s possible,” but said that the fight still “might actually happen.”

If the tussle actually happens, it might be the logical endpoint of the feud between the two. Not only has Zuckerberg been working on a Twitter rival, but the two have reportedly been slighting each other’s successes.

(Via Insider)

Every single week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.

TIE: 10. Fast X (Universal film streaming on VOD and Amazon Prime Video)

If you weren’t one of the millions of people to watch Jason Momoa shake up the family’s sprawling world — and yell “hey dorks!” while declaring that everyone is going to Hell — then now is your chance to shake the walls of your home theater setup. This film might feel overstuffed, but seriously, it took dedication to pack everyone into this film, so maybe sit back and enjoy the ride? We don’t need to overthink anything when Jason Statham and Charlize Theron are back, Brie Larson appears on the scene as well, and then The Rock makes a cameo. This franchise remains all about the spectacle.

TIE: 10. The Idol (HBO series streaming on Max)

No one ever expected Euphoria creator Sam Levinson to make a nice and polite show, but he and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye sure did dive into controversy here. The first few weeks attracted plenty of curious viewers, but as the episodes wear forth, do heed the trigger warnings. Still, the season is young, so there may very well be a shift, and HBO recently shut down rumors that the show had already been outruled for a subsequent season. At minimum, at least the world is very excited to see more of Blackpink’s Jennie, and hopefully, Rachel Sennot’s assistant character can pull Jocelyn out of Tedros’ clutches.

9. Flamin’ Hot (Searchlight Pictures film streaming on Hulu and Disney+)

Eva Longoria has made her directorial debut, and the film performed so well that she’s apparently received shipments of scripts from which to choose her next adventure. In this film, she captures the “true” story of Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia), the Mexican-American Frito Lay janitor who pounced upon an opportunity and transformed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into a full-on sensation, rather than a mere snack.

8. The Crowded Room (Apple TV+ series)

Tom Holland certainly stepped away from his Marvel ways in this inspired-by-true-crime story series that takes a lot of creative liberties. Holland portrays “Danny Sullivan,” who deals out lifetimes of turmoil upon himself and others. Amanda Seyfried plays an investigator who is charged with piecing together a complicated chain of events that might be a little too convoluted for some. Again, the show takes a fictionalized spin on reality, many years after Leonardo DiCaprio nearly starred as a more straightforward version of the the real-life defendant who successfully invokes a novel legal strategy.

7. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Sony movie available for rental on Amazon)

What are you waiting for? This original film never gets old, and then you can go rewatch the sequel, which manages to be even more glorious (both from storytelling and visual perspectives) than its predecessor. Yes, there’s much more for Gwen lovers in the second film, but the first installment was a game-changer and proof that both Disney and Sony can continue to provide more Peter Parker incarnations, and there is room for all. Besides, there’s a reason why the first film landed at the top of our Favorite Comic Book Movies list from last decade, so a refresher is more than worth it.

6. Black Mirror (Netflix series)

If anyone was worried that Charlie Brooker’s brainchild might come a little too close these days to our real-life dystopia, well, those fears can be dashed. This season includes a hefty dose of Netflix being dragged by a Netflix show, and there seem to always be more technologically-fueled nightmares to provide endless, Bandersnatch-esque permutations. This season includes episodes starring Salma Hayek, Zazie Beetz, Annie Murphy, Josh Hartnett, Aaron Paul, Michael Cera, Paapa Essiedu, Rob Delaney, and the one and only Rory Culkin.

5. Secret Invasion (Disney+ series)

It’s time for another Marvel spy series, finally. Much like with the The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Nick Fury is not having the time of his life, and he’s definitely off his game after Thanos’ genocidal shenanigans. He fully embodies the “one last job” trope while the Skrulls head back into villain mode after somehow being helpful during Captain Marvel. Ben Mendelsohn returns as Talos, and Emilia Clarke and Olivia Colman formally join the MCU here.

4. Extraction 2 (Netflix film)

The people came out again for Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler Rake, so Netflix has already greenlit a third film. A 21-minute, one-take action extravaganza certainly helped to grease those wheels. Overall, it’s nice to see that the first film was no pandemic fluke, and no one can be mad at Hemsworth finding great success without donning the Thor wig.

3. Silo (Apple TV+ series)

Likewise, a second-season renewal landed in the cards, so that we can see more of Justified creator Graham Yost’s take on Hugh Howey’s best-selling Wool omnibus. The first season covered about half of that first book, and it remains to be seen whether Shift and Dust will meet the Apple TV+ small screen, but this series is not disappointing fans of the book series while bringing an 180+ story silo to life with the story of Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson), who rises to the top to everyone’s surprise, including her own. Also, there’s a whole lot of Common’s leather jacket to be dodged in this procedural take on one of the first book’s mysteries and. Sure, there are a few out-of-place accents, but overall, this series is a stunner in a positive way.

2. The Walking Dead: Dead City (AMC series streaming on AMC+)

In this Manhattan-bound misadventure, Maggie and Negan unwisely did what Rick Grimes did during his first major f*ck-up: head into the big city. However, the not-so-dream team have no choice if they want to rescue Hershel Rhees, son of Glenn and Maggie. Overall, this season is a thrilling throwback and managed the highest cable drama series debut of 2023 so far. Negan is back to (some of) his old tricks, and Maggie is the one bashing brains. The change of venue works, although it can’t be as fancy as Daryl in Paris.

1. The Bear (FX series streaming on Hulu)

Hell yes, Chef! The sophomore season of this series retains that flavorful heat, both in and out of out of the kitchen. The show leaps into various characters’ offshoot explorations in order to come together again as a group and run a much classier, and hopefully (someday) smoother-running version of their old sandwich joint. Jeremy Allen White remains full of intensity, Ayo Edebiri is still showing off the brains of the operation, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach gets to take Ritchie into several new gears. You could dig Richie after this season comes to a close, and there are guest stars out the tush this year. I’m not sure how they pulled off a near-perfect season again, but goddamn, they did.

One member of the Philadelphia 76ers whose name has popped up in trade rumors for quite some time is Tobias Harris. While it’s unclear if he’s completely on the trade block this summer, Harris would be the logical odd man out if the team is looking to shake things up following their heartbreaking loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, as the Sixers want to bring back James Harden in free agency and put him alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

The issue is finding a trade for Harris, a good player but one who is about to enter the final year of his contract and is owed just under $40 million this season. It turns out part of the problem, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Enquirer, is that the team’s front office is asking for a whole lot in return for Harris, with Pompey using the Cleveland Cavaliers as an example.

Last week, sources told The Inquirer the Sixers are overvaluing Harris and asking for “outrageous packages in return.” That goes in line with what a source said the Sixers told the Cavs what it would take days before the draft: A package of Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, and a draft pick.
…
The reported deals go in line with their having no intention of trading Harris at this time. A move that drastically improves the team is the only thing that would budge them from their stance.

It goes without saying, but there is no chance that the Cavs would give up Allen, Mobley, and a pick for Harris. We’ll see if something a little more reasonable ends up popping up as the summer rolls along.

For the last six months Marjorie Taylor Greene has tried to rebrand as the most sensible of Congress’ chaotic MAGA gang. She helped Kevin McCarthy (barely) clinch the Speaker of the House job. She’s turned on her old bestie Lauren Boebert. But old habits die hard. She’s also trying to get Joe Biden flimsily impeached. And after the attempted coup in Russia was called off, she had a wacko conspiracy theory at the ready.

“After our government has been funding a proxy war with Russia in Ukraine for over a year, I sure hope our government isn’t behind a coup attempt currently happening in Russia,” Greene tweeted on Saturday. “Regime change in a nuclear armed country may lead to terrible consequences the American people don’t want.”

Greene’s sentiment echoes claims made by Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, who floated a similar idea, citing (weirdly!) the false intel embraced and disseminated by the Bush II administration to justify the invasion of Iraq 20 years ago.

On Friday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the brutal Russian mercenary group Wagner (and also a chef), called for an armed rebellion over the year-and-a-half-long invasion of Ukraine. He and his men (which he claims amounts to 25,000 soldiers) claimed to take over the city of Rostov-on-Don, with the plans to head for Moscow. When they were mere hours from the capital, Prigozhin called off the coup, claiming he didn’t want there to be any further Russian bloodshed.

News of a near coup from righteously aggrieved Russian forces led many to drag Vladimir Putin’s American supporters, including Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson, and, yes, Marjorie Taylor Greene.

(Via Raw Story)

Ice Spice is having quite the year. Last summer, she laid the groundwork for superstardom with her viral hits, “Munch (Feelin’ U)” and “Bikini Bottom.” This year, she’s earned a top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her PinkPantheress collaboration, “Boy’s A Liar, Pt. 2,” and has collaborated with the likes of Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj.

Given her rapid rise to fame, fans have been curious about the team behind her, helping her make the magic happen.

Who is Ice Spice signed to?

Back in April, there was slight speculation that Ice may have signed to Minaj’s label, Heavy On It, as Minaj shouted out her imprint at the beginning of their remix to “Princess Diana.” However, this was later confirmed to not be the case.

Ice is currently signed to Capitol Records and 10K Projects. And evidently, she got a deal that most artists dream of. In an interview with Billboard, it was revealed that Ice owns her publishing rights and her master recordings, and has full creative control over her sound.

“No one on the label side touches the music,” 10K co-president Zach Friedman said. “There is no traditional A&R with her. No one’s picking beats, no one’s saying, ‘Do this, do that.’ It’s all her. We’re on her schedule.”

This fall, Ice will join Doja Cat and Doechii on Doja’s Scarlet tour.

In case you didn’t know, Meghan McCain is the daughter of the late John McCain. It’s likely you do know that. After all, she has brought up her father frequently in public. One could also argue that she wouldn’t be as prominent a public figure had she not been the scion of a noted senator and presidential candidate. So when she wrote a scathing takedown of Hunter Biden, calling him a “product of nepotism,” people kind of couldn’t believe it.

In a new op-ed published by The Daily Mail, the former View co-host (who’s definitely gotten over her tenure there) wrote that the sitting president’s son “could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and still get invited back into the Presidential fold” — a pointed reference to something Donald Trump once (accurately) said about his relationship with his base.

Last week, Hunter agreed to a plea bargain over to two misdemeanor charges. The move enraged the Republican party, McCain included. After rattling off his alleged crimes as well as his pouncing on his drug addiction issues, she called him an “elitist scumbag, the ultimate product of nepotism.”

After the column was published, people took to social media to accuse the author of being a pot who called the kettle black.

McCain isn’t always wrong about things. Earlier this year she called out the “dumbest” political obsession, namely the GOP making wild claims about gas stoves. But even there she still managed to get dragged.

(Via The Daily Mail)

Brandon Miller is headed to Charlotte. While the Hornets missed out on the chance to select Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the team got to take literally anyone else in the pool, and decided to use their selection on the 6’9 wing from Alabama who projects as the kind of two-way wing that fits perfectly next to LaMelo Ball.

Miller is joining a team that hasn’t been especially great in recent years, as the Hornets haven’t made the playoffs since 2016 and finished with an above-.500 record once in that time. But despite that, the young man is remarkably confident about what he and his young teammates are going to do from the jump, as he explained in an interview after he was drafted.

“Like you said, just making all the winning plays,” Miller told Ashley Stroehlein of WCNC when asked how he would fit in. “Doing whatever the team needs me to do. I see the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA Finals next year, so, hopefully we’ll get that big trophy at the end.”

While you cannot accomplish big things unless you believe they are possible, it would be quite the turnaround for the Hornets — which won 27 games last season and have never made it past the conference semis — to become NBA champions next year.

The most online player in all of American professional sports right now might be Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant. Not only is Durant one of the best players in the world who has had a near-permanent spot on All-NBA teams when he’s able to remain healthy, but he frequently pops up on Twitter doing basically whatever he feels like, which is legitimately refreshing in an era where many athletes basically use the internet as a way to, like, further brand partnerships or whatever.

On Friday night, Durant must have been hanging out and looking at his phone when he saw that there was a Twitter Space going on called “Kevin Durant is not top 5.” So Durant did what anyone would do in this situation and hopped in, and eventually, it got to the point where he decided to start talking and discussed the topic at hand.

It can be very easy to make fun of a professional athlete for caring about something like this to the point that they’d start talking with people on Twitter about it, but seeing an athlete and fans talk like this is so rare that it’s actually pretty incredible to see. Here’s hoping we see KD (or really any NBA player) pop up in Twitter Spaces between now and the start of next season to talk about anything.

Drake‘s new poetry book — which he wrote alongside songwriter Kenza Samir — has hit shelves today (June 24). In tandem with the new book Titles Ruin Everything: A Stream Of Consciousness By Kenza Samir & Aubrey Graham, it appears we may also be getting some new music.

The book is currently available for purchase via Drake‘s officially online merchandiser, DrakeRelated, as well as select retailers, however, members of the press who received their copies early noted that the front cover of the book contains an image of two puppies with a caption reading “For All The Dogs.”

An insider told Complex that “the image serves as a QR which takes you to a landing page announcing drake has an album on the way. While there is no release day we’re inclined to think this image in the book will be the communication point for ongoing updates.”

https://twitter.com/ComplexMusic/status/1672679294034640897?s=20

The QR code has also appeared in some of the newspaper ads Drake has taken out to promote the album, according to fans on social media. The code reportedly takes fans to a page, which shows a message from Drake.

“I made an album to go with the book,” reads the message. “They say they miss the old Drake girl don’t tempt me.” Subtext below reads “FOR ALL THE DOGS” in all caps.

At the time of writing, there is no confirmed release date for For All The Dogs.

It’s been two months since Fox News canned Tucker Carlson, but it didn’t take him too long to find a new home. Earlier this month, he debuted his new “show” on his new platform: Twitter, where he’s been dropping videos that roughly approximate what he used to do on primetime network television. The move quickly got him in trouble with his old employers, who have him under contract into early 2025. Was it worth it? Possibly not.

A new report by The Guardian digs into Tucker’s battle with Fox News, who are still demanding a “cease and desist” from their former biggest star. Other than that, though, neither side has done much to advance the war. It’s been clear, though, that firing Carlson hurt them in ratings.

But, in a bit teased out by Raw Story, Carlson’s not doing great either. His first Twitter video racked up a stunning 120 million views, suggesting either that it was an instant hit…or that tons of people were simply interested to see what his first Twitter video was like. Alas for Tucker, it might be the latter: As The Guardian notes, a video posted on June 20, about the Hunter Biden plea bargain, racked up “fewer than 15m views.”

For some perspective that’s an eighth of the views nabbed by Tucker’s first video. (For the record, his most recent video, from June 22, did slightly better, with 26.4 million views.)

Fox News stars don’t have a great track record after leaving or being fired by the network. Megyn Kelly flamed out at NBC News, and though she occasionally makes news she’s far from her former glory. And you rarely hear from Bill O’Reilly these days except when he goes off on a quickly short-circuiting tour with the GOP’s current frontrunner. Perhaps Tucker’s future will follow a similar path, especially given that his defenses of the Russian invasion aren’t aging so well.

(Via The Guardian and Raw Story)