Month: July 2023

Tom Cruise loves risking his life for our entertainment and movie theaters, in that order. His two passions were combined this week when the actor appeared at screenings of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One — featuring the franchise’s “most dangerous stunt” yet — across the country.

Cruise and Mission: Impossible director and co-writer Christopher McQuarrie hit up Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, AMC Georgetown in Washington DC, Regal Atlantic Station in Atlanta, and AMC Sunset Place 24 in Miami within a 24-hour span. They shook hands with audience members, introduced the film, and talked about the theatrical experience. “I just want to thank you all very much for coming,” Cruise said. “We really do dream about these moments of sharing the film with you, so this is very special.”

You can watch footage from their adventure above.

Cruise has vowed to keep movies in theaters, and not have them be instantly forgotten on streaming. “My goal since I was little was to make movies and travel. And not just be a tourist, but work in that world and understand their culture. Through my movies, I’ve been able to have that because everyone here has allowed me to entertain them,” he said last month. “It’s a privilege that I have never taken for granted. It’s my passion to entertain you, and I will always fight for big theaters and that kind of experience for everyone.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (which rules) is out now.

Paramore has long been vocal about their musical influences. Throughout their recent tour, they’ve performed covers of some of their biggest inspirations. During a show in Houston this past Tuesday (June 11), the group paid homage to a Houston hometown hero — the Queen Bey herself, Beyoncé.

Between performances of a capella versions of their songs “Liar” and “Crystal Clear,” the band’s lead vocalist Hayley Williams performed Beyoncé’s “I Miss You,” a fan favorite deep cut from her 2011 album, 4.

Williams continued the a capella pattern as she performed the song, allowing her impeccable vocals to shine through. Covering a Beyoncé song is no easy task, but Williams delivered on pure, raw emotion.

Over the years, Williams has sung praises to Bey’s artistry, work ethic, and mystique. Back in 2014, as she accepted the award for Trailblazer Of The Year at Billboard‘s Women In Music Awards, Williams admitted she was nervous about being in such close proximity to Beyoncé.

“Thank you for having me,” she said. “I wrote [my speech] down because I was afraid I would make eye contact with Beyoncé and forget everything.”

You can see a clip of the performance of “I Miss You” above.

Paramore is a Warner Music Group. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk’s billionaire brawl hasn’t happened yet (if it happens at all), but the Facebook founder is already winning.

Twitter employees are reportedly signing up in droves for Meta’s Twitter-like app, Threads. “I’m going to get fired for this, but I work at Twitter right now and have never really used it. Threads is just better,” a current staffer wrote on Threads last week, according to the Daily Beast, which found that of a random sample of 133 current Twitter employees, 31 of them are on Threads.

Musk said in April that Twitter employed roughly 1,500 people, suggesting that hundreds of its workers may be using its rival… One user re-threaded a post making fun of Musk for the dick-measurement challenge and another that read “somebody check up on elon. he’s not taking this well.”

As for the fight, Zuckerberg has been training with two UFC champions, Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski, and he’s looking ripped. “No fugazi with Mark,” Adesanya wrote on Instagram. “This is Serious Business.” In the comments, Zuckerberg replied, “It’s an honor to train with you guys!” Somehow, a shirtless, sweaty photo is the most normal he’s looked in years.

Still want to call him a “cuck,” Elon?

(Via the Daily Beast)

In February 2022, it was reported that Britney Spears had signed a book deal. That May, she said she intended to release the book by the end of the year and noted, “I want to talk about secrets!!! The secrets I’ve had to hold the past 15 years I will say are honestly paralyzing.” That didn’t come to pass, but now the memoir does have a confirmed release date: It was revealed yesterday (July 11) that the book, titled The Woman In Me, is set to hit shelves on October 24.

After that news dropped, Spears shared a video discussing the writing process, saying, “OK guys, so I just got finished with my book. It’s coming out very soon. I worked my ass off for this book. I had a lot of therapy to get this book done, so you guys better like it, and if you don’t, that’s cool, too. ‘Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya to Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama.’ I’m outta here, so bye guys, hope you like the book.”

She also shared another video in which she says almost the exact same thing.

The book website reads, “In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice — her truth — was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman In Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey — and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history. Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love — and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.”

Britney Spears has now on multiple occasions spoken out about the incident with NBA star Victor Wembanyama’s security, which ended with Spears getting hit in the face. Now, she’s addressed it again, this time in a video.

In a clip uploaded last night, Spears says:

“Hi, so I want to share with you guys an incident that happened in Vegas that a lot of people are talking about, and I heard on the news this radio station talking smack and talking sh*t — that’s why I’m addressing it — saying that I deserved to be smacked, ‘Security was doing their job and protecting their client.’ I’ve been with the most famous people in the world… NSYNC at one time, girls would like literally throw themselves at them… on my way into the place, actually, I was knocked down by, like, three 12-year-olds trying to get my picture. My security not one time touched them or even came near them.

Point being is, I didn’t appreciate the people saying that I deserved to be hit, because no woman ever deserves to be hit. I simply tapped him on the back and I was backhanded, hit in my face, came back on the floor, my best friend picked me up and held me. And I did get an apology… at my table… 30 minutes later. But I’ve yet to receive a public apology. That’s it.”

Watch Spears’ video below.

Stagecoach in Indio, California was a success, featuring artists like Diplo, Chris Stapleton, Nelly, Dillon Francis, ZZ Top, Bryan Adams, and more. It will be happening again from April 26 to 28 next year, and tickets go on sale this Friday, July 14 at 11 am PT. The options are plentiful, and there’s a lot to break down.

A basic 3-day general admission ticket is $399. With a shuttle as well, it’s $489. A 3-day general admission six pack costs $389. The 3-day Rhinestone Saloon pass is $799, and it includes access to the Rhinestone Saloon, which has more vendors, restrooms, limited air-conditioned restrooms, shaded seating areas, and full (cashless) cash bars.

The Corral Reserved Seating passes get access to the Corral Saloon in addition to the Rhinestone Saloon, with C1 priced at $1,999, C2 at $1,299, and C3 at $949. The 3-day Corral Standing Pit is $1,599, and includes access to pit area in front of Mane Stage.

The Desert Diamond VIP Package is $2,999 and has 3-day Corral C1 Reserved Seated Pass and other elevated perks. The Gold Rush VIP Package is $1,999 has 3-day Corral C2 Reserved Seated Pass and other elevated perks. The Hi Ho Silver VIP Package is $1,499 and has 3-day Corral C3 Reserved Seated Pass and other elevated perks.

Travis Scott has been teasing Utopia for a while, and the album is finally coming into fruition. The musician is transforming Egypt’s Pyramids Of Giza for a “once in a lifetime” concert.

Utopia is Scott’s first full-length since Astroworld. The online shop shows five different “Topia Pack” bundles ranging from $50 to $150, which includes vinyl records. It also displays vinyl for sale with five different covers — so it’s sure to be a hot product.

In an interview with Pinup Magazine, Scott talked about the album. “Utopia is something that people feel is so far-fetched and out of reach, some perfect state of mind. But you create it yourself. There are people who achieve utopia every day. They may not be the richest people with the dopest cribs, but it’s a utopia wherever they are, and that’s the most you can have,” Scott said. “With every album, I live in these worlds in my mind — I’m trying to show people experiences where utopian things can exist, and you can enjoy yourself and have a good time. They can create energy that spews out magical things — new cures, new buildings, new avenues for people to move forward. People need to see that utopia is real.”

Donald Trump has always portrayed himself as something he’s not. He says he’s rich, but he grifts his own supporters. He says he’s a good businessman, but he has multiple bankruptcies (to say nothing of all its legal woes). He also says he’s strong, but he refuses to participate in GOP primary debates — and definitely not because he’ll get clobbered by one of his former buds. Speaking of, one of his current sorta-pals is egging him into rethinking that one.

As per Mediaite, Piers Morgan had a little chat with Kellyanne Conway on Fox News Tonight Tuesday. The former counsel to the former president bragged about how the big guy loves a fight, so obviously loves how crowded the GOP field has become.

“The more people who run, the more competition, the better for Donald Trump,” Conway said. She then marveled that he plans on sitting out what to him must be the most fun part of campaigning. “Trump loves competition. I think he should show up to the debate.”

Conway noted that he’s “way ahead with “very little to gain.” Still, she wondered, “why stay at home and watch them all talk about you?”

“Donald Trump is many things,” said Morgan. “But in all the time I’ve known him, I’ve never known him to duck a challenge or be a coward. So, if you’re watching, Donald, come on.”

“He’s not being a coward at all,” Conway argued. “He’s being a frontrunner.

“No,” Morgan averred. “It’s cowardly. Get on that stage and show us what you’re made of. If you want to be president again, you gotta come out and face the debate music. Haven’t you? Come on, Donald. You know you want to secretly.”

Morgan added, “He remains the biggest star out there, but he has to turn up. Otherwise, your star can quickly wane.”

Of course, Trump star has not managed to wane so far. Remember his terrible end to last year, when he dined with anti-Semites and released NFTs mocked even by his base? It wasn’t long before he was back on top. What he does have is an epic persecution complex, and he’s claimed Fox News has been “very prejudiced” towards him. Thing is, Fox is reportedly souring on his closest rival, Meatball Ron, and they might have to pinch their nose and go back to kissing his ring — even if he gets them sued to kingdom come again.

(Via Mediaite)

Ron DeSantis was supposed to rid the GOP, once and for all, of Donald Trump. How? By pitching himself as his younger, more disciplined copycat. Trump kicked off his campaign slagging off Mexicans; DeSantis launched a full-on assault on the LGBTQIA+ community. Trump did a half-assed bit about trans people, clearly only because someone told him to; DeSantis dropped a full-on homophobic/homoerotic ad, chastising him for not being bigoted enough. Did it work? Nope. He’s a distant second to the big guy. And the most powerful Republicans are starting to get cold feet.

As per Rolling Stone, Rupert Murdoch, the network’s all-powerful figurehead, has reportedly become the most vocally skeptic person at Fox News about DeSantis’ chances of a “comeback.” Meatball Ron is doing so poorly that they’re even considering pinching their noses and going back to Trump.

“[Rupert’s] understandable worry is that we may end up being stuck with Trump anyway,” one source told RS. After all, DeSantis is “underperforming. Anybody can see that.” They added that the Murdochs are “seeing it, too.”

Another source was far more blunt, saying, “They are transactional and can smell a loser a mile away.”

Rolling Stone speaks of a “marked shift for the Murdoch clan” in the last few weeks about how to cover DeSantis. Perhaps that’s why Maria Bartiromo over the weekend straight up asked the Florida governor, who used to rely on the network for softball questions, why he was doing so poorly. (That he pretended as though nothing was wrong is probably not a good sign — for him, at least.)

It’s also probably why the Murdoch-owned The New York Post, which was once all in on DeSantis, has been, in Rolling Stone’s words, “begun to look askance” at him.

If DeSantis’ decline continues, he’ll have painted himself as an old school bigot and fucked up his state’s economy for nothing. The way he acts, he’ll probably claim it was worth it.

(Via Rolling Stone)

It may be hard to believe, but it’s already that time of the year when festivals for next spring and summer are announced. Stagecoach was a success this past April, with an array of performers like Diplo, Chris Stapleton, Nelly, Dillon Francis, ZZ Top, Bryan Adams, and more. But it’s time to start thinking about what 2024’s will be like.

The annual event in Indio, California will be taking place from April 26 to 28 next year, and tickets will go on sale this Friday, July 14 at 11 am PT. Their website reads: “Choose from a carefully curated selection of hotels, retreat to the exclusive Safari Campground, or simply leave the driving to us. As the Official Enhanced Experience Provider of Stagecoach, we’ve got all your bases covered and then some.”

The Any Line Shuttle Pass goes for $100 on its own. With a 3-day general admission ticket, it starts at $489 plus fees. “Save a horse, ride the shuttle! Your safe, comfortable, and environmentally-conscious alternative for show day transportation has arrived,” the page for shuttle passes reads. “Conveniently hop on at any participating location throughout the Coachella Valley and ride in style to the festival and back again all weekend long. Add roundtrip shuttle service to any festival pass purchase or bundle your ride with GA festival passes and save a few bucks.”