Month: July 2023

At long last, we finally have an answer to the question that’s been on the Swifties’ minds for months. Did Taylor Swift change the lyrics to “Better Than Revenge” for the re-recording of her 2010 album, Speak Now?

If you launched a digital streaming platform and immediately played “Better Than Revenge (Taylor’s Version)” from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), then you’d notice that Swift did, in fact, change the lyrics to the iconic deep cut.

On the chorus of the 2010 version of “Better Than Revenge,” Swift sings:

“She’s not a saint / and she’s not what you think / she’s an actress / But she’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress.”

The song has long been rumored to be about actress Camilla Belle, who was linked to Swift’s ex, Joe Jonas, shortly after they dated. However, since Swift took on a more feminist stance, most notably beginning in the era of her 2014 album, 1989, this particular line has been the subject of controversy.

Many fans argued that she should change the polarizing lyric, however, some noted that it should remain the same, as it reflects her growth journey.

Swift evidently decided to change the lyrics, where she now sings,

“She’s not a saint / and she’s not what you think / she’s an actress / He was a moth to the flame, she was holding the matches.”

You can listen to “Better Than Revenge (Taylor’s Version)” above.

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is out now via Taylor Swift and Republic. Find more information here.

It was just a few weeks ago that CW arrived with long-awaited good news for fans of All American: Homecoming. Months after the show’s conclusion of season two, there had not been any word on its status for season three. Thankfully, CW made the decision to green-light All American: Homecoming for a third season, but it did come with some changes. The episode count for the next season was cut from 20 to 13. Cast reductions were also in order and we now know who will be affected by that decision.

Deadline announced that Peyton Alex Smith and Kelly Jenrette will no longer be series regulars for season three of All American: Homecoming. Smith played the role of Damon Sims, a main character in the show and one of the love interests of Simone Hicks (played by Geffri Hightower) whom the show follows. Jenrette plays Amara Patterson who is the aunt of Hicks as well as the president of Bringston University, the institution that the show’s young characters attend.

It is likely that Smith and Jenrette will have recurring roles for the next season. Deadline adds that Jenrette made the decision with her team to recur rather than seek a return as a series regular on reduced episodic guarantees. Additionally, the status of Camille Hyde, who plays Thea Mays, is undecided at the moment as her role could also change ahead of season three.

When the Phoenix Suns traded for Bradley Beal, they sent the Wizards every second round pick they legally could in a trade — all six of them — to make that happen. The problem is, that severely limits what the Suns can do moving forward, as second round picks are often valuable tools to make smaller deals, as well as opportunities to try and find some depth via the Draft.

On Thursday, Phoenix addressed its sudden deficit of picks by making a rare mid-July picks trade, sending Isaiah Todd (who was included in the Beal trade from Washington) to Memphis along with a pair of pick swaps to get three future seconds in return.

The funniest part of the trade is that it’s now the second time the Suns have agreed to swap these same first round picks, meaning Memphis will get the second opportunity to swap with Phoenix in those years after Washington makes its decision.

For the Wizards, the 2030 pick is the potentially valuable one, as the likelihood of them having a better record (and thus worse pick) than the Suns in 2024 is probably less than 1 percent. That said, the Grizzlies have been near the top of the West standings each of the last two seasons and even with Phoenix’s budding superteam, it’s possible Memphis will have an opportunity to move up a pick or two with that swap. That also means the 2030 swap is less likely to yield a great pick, as they’d need Washington and Phoenix to both be in the lottery for that to happen. Still, it’s an interesting use of their draft assets to give them a chance to move up in two first rounds in the future, while the Suns add at least a few assets to what they can use moving forward.

Charles Barkley really hates Skip Bayless. I will link to posts we have written here, here, and here on this subject, along with this post here. Chuck’s commitment to being brutally honest is one of his best traits as a personality, and when it comes to Bayless, he takes things up a level, like the time that he said he’d kill Bayless on live television if he knew he was dying. (We have a post about that, too!)

Anyway, we say all of that as background for this video posted to the official Twitter account of Bayless’ podcast, where Skip took some time to discuss Chuck made about Shannon Sharpe on Undisputed — Chuck called him a “damn idiot” and cracked a joke about getting a buyout. But because this is Skip Bayless, he decided to turn this around on Chuck by, well, you’ll see.

“Charles Barkley would be my dream debate partner on Undisputed,” Bayless said. “I would dive out of bed, every morning out here in Los Angeles, as 2 o’clock in the morning to get to work with Charles. Please, Charles. Please come and, please, work with me — me, this damn idiot. Please. What a joy it would be to do battle every day with Charles Barkley, live, on television.”

There is a lot more in the video that you could watch if you want, but I am pretty sure this is not going to happen.

There remains some mystery around what life was like in the 1800s, especially for teens. Most people alive today were not around in the Victorian era when the technologies now deemed old-fashioned were a novelty. In this rediscovered 1970s clip from the BBC, two elderly women reminisce about what it was like being teenagers during a time when the horse and buggy was still the fastest way to get around.

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While cars were just around the corner from being the common mode of transportation toward the end of the 19th century, it’s pretty wild to imagine what these women experienced. Frances “Effy” Jones explained how, at age 17, she was encouraged by her brother to check out this new machine in a storefront window. Turns out that machine was a typewriter and, after being trained on how to use it, Jones would sit in the store window typing while people outside gathered to watch. Before long, classes began popping up for women to learn how to use a typewriter, starting a new movement for women of that era.

The second woman, Berta Ruck, told the BBC that she would get into a bit of trouble at boarding school for drawing instead of completing school work. This talent took Ruck to art school in London where she rode buses around town, attempting to avoid mud getting on her long skirt. But the woman explained that it never worked and she would spend hours brushing the mud from her skirt before wearing it out again. I’m sure you’re thinking, buses? They weren’t the buses we would see nowadays. These were double-decker horse-pulled carriages.

I know, that’s hard to imagine. That’s why you should check out the video below:

This article originally appeared on 08.29.22

The things human beings have figured out how to do boggles the mind sometimes, especially in the realm of medicine.

It wasn’t terribly long ago that people with a severe injury had to liquor up, bite a stick, have a body part sewn up or sawed off and hope for the best. (Sorry for the visual, but it’s true.) The discoveries of antibiotics and anesthesia alone have completely revolutionized human existence, but we’ve gone well beyond that with what our best surgeons can accomplish.

Surgeries can range from fairly simple to incredibly complex, but few surgeries are more complicated than separating conjoined twins with combined major organs. That’s why the recent surgical separation of conjoined twin boys with fused brains in Brazil is so incredible.

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The twins, Bernardo and Arthur Lima, are almost 4 years old and have never seen one another’s face. They’ve spent their lives conjoined at the top of their heads, facing opposite directions. Born as craniopagus twins (joined at the cranium), their brains were also fused together, making their separation extremely complex. According to the BBC, they’ve been cared for at the Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer (Paulo Niemeyer State Brain Institute) in Rio de Janeiro for the past two and a half years.

Surgeon Noor ul Owase Jeelani is the founder of medical charity Gemini Untwined, which funded the surgery. He helped lead the team of nearly 100 medical workers who worked for months to prepare for the boys’ separation, which was one of the most complicated of its kind.

Jeelani told the BBC that it was the first time surgeons in separate countries practiced by operating in the same “virtual reality room” together, wearing VR headsets.

“It’s just wonderful,” he said. “It’s really great to see the anatomy and do the surgery before you actually put the children at any risk. You can’t imagine how reassuring this is for the surgeons. To do it in virtual reality was just really man-on-Mars stuff.”

Watch Jeelani explain how they prepared for the procedure:

Prior attempts to separate the twins had been unsuccessful, making the surgery even more challenging due to scar tissue. However, after multiple surgeries that took more than 33 hours collectively, the boys were successfully separated in June.

“It was without a doubt the most complex surgery of my career,” said neurosurgeon Gabriel Mufarrej of the Paulo Niemeyer State Brain Institute, according to EuroNews. “At the beginning, nobody thought they would survive. It is already historic that both of them could be saved.”

Jeelani told the BBC that the boys’ heart rates and blood pressure were “through the roof” for four days after the surgery—until they were reunited and touched hands.

According to Reuters, Bernardo and Arthur are the oldest twins with fused brains to be successfully separated. They will spend the next six months in rehabilitation.

Congratulations to the Lima family and to the global team that combined dedication, perseverance and the miracle of modern technology to create a brighter future for these young boys.

This article originally appeared on 08.04.22

Amazon delivery drivers don’t have the easiest job in the world. Sitting through traffic, working in extreme temperatures, hauling boxes … not exactly a fun time. So when a driver goes out of their way to be extra considerate—people notice.

One delivery driver has gone viral for the way she delivered a little bit of safety education, along with some lighthearted advice. The TikTok video of the encounter, which now has more than 4 million views, was shared by Jessica Huseman, who had only recently moved into her new house.

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The clip shows the doorbell cam recording of the driver approaching the house. As the delivery driver makes it to the front door, she sings, ”Hello … I hope your Monday’s going well. You have no markers on your house that says what number you are.”

From there, the driver’s song quickly changes tune, going from funny jest to helpful PSA.

“And that is hard to find your house my dude, and it’s unsafe, honestly,” the driver continues, adding, “what if you needed medical assistance and the paramedics didn’t know your town well? Come on.”

@_jesshopehuse We just moved in and this happened today…she’s not wrong though. Guess I need to get some house numbers. #amazondelivery ♬ original sound – Jessica Huseman

“Have a great day!” she says happily before walking off.

Huseman added the caption: “We just moved in and this happened today… she’s not wrong though. Guess I need to get some house numbers.”

The driver’s observation was clearly on point. Several medical pros commented to back her up.

“As someone who works in EMS I can verify house numbers are necessary! BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THEY ARE EASILY VISIBLE FROM THE STREET AT NIGHT,” wrote one person.

Another replied, ”yes! Medic here, we’ve had to call dispatch and ask for them to get [the] caller back on the phone and get [the] description of [the] house because there [are] no numbers.”

Besides her information being vital, people were mostly in love with the driver’s friendly attitude. Here are just a few of the compliments:

“Honestly, give them a raise. That’s awesome vibes right there.”

“She’s a whole friken mood, I love her she gives me pink vibes.”

“I need to meet this Amazon driver!!!! I love her!!”

The delivery driver (named Kelsey) eventually saw her viral video and decided to do a follow-up, where she added other unsafe things she’s seen on the job—primarily unclear entrances and exits—along with an additional sweet message:

@queenofconsent #stitch with @_jesshopehuse ♬ original sound – The Queen K

“Crisis management and prevention education is essential and literally a part of my soul. So anytime I do go out and deliver packages … if I see something, I say something. Cause that’s how bystander intervention works. But keeping in mind that it’s more than that. It is about reminding each other that we are enough, and being there for one another.”

Whether it’s packages or something to smile about, Kelsey is a master of delivery.

This article first appeared on 6.15.22.

Black Sabbath fans will soon be able to add a special collection of vinyl records to their shelves. This August, the band will release Hand Of Doom, a compilation of all eight of Black Sabbath‘s albums on picture disc vinyl for the first time.

The collection will include their albums Black Sabbath (1970), Paranoid (1971), Master Of Reality (1971), Vol. 4 (1972), Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1974), Sabotage (1975), Technical Ecstasy (1976), Never Say Die! (1978).

Each of the vinyl records will contain the album’s original artwork on side A of their respective discs, according to a press release accompanying the announcement. The self-titled debut, Vol. 4Technical Ecstasy, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath will contain their respective back album artwork on side B. Paranoid, Master Of Reality, and Sabotage will each feature an album-era photo of Black Sabbath.

Additionally, fans will receive a large color poster of Black Sabbath taken in Los Angeles in summer of 1972, during the album sessions for Vol. 4.

The collection will cost $248.98 and will only be limited to 4,000 copies in North America.

You can see the album artwork and images of the vinyl records below.

Hand Of Doom 1970-1978 is out 8/18 via Rhino and Warner Music. Find more information here.

Black Sabbath is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

We are just weeks away from the movie event of the summer. Barbie arrives in theaters later this month, but the soundtrack is giving bop after bop. The latest comes in the form of “Barbie Dreams,” a collaboration between buzzy K-Pop group Fifty Fifty and viral Atlanta rap sensation, Kaliii.

The song features an interpretation of Janet Jackson’s “Together Again,” as the ladies of Fifty Fifty celebrate a life of luxury, with their girlfriends.

“When I close my eyes, it’s a fantasy / Perfect plastic life from a magazine / Then when I wake up, it’s reality / I can have it all / live my Barbie dreams,” they sing on the chorus.

Kaliii then chimes in with a verse, celebrating her newfound stardom and embracing the lavish perks of celebrity with her day ones at her side.

“Ken gon’ spend ’cause I’m a ten / Pink Corvette, let’s paint the rims / I give looks and set the trends / We all look good, it’s me and friends,” she raps, bouncing along to the beat with ease.

You can listen to “Barbie Dreams” above.

Barbie The Album is out 7/21 via Atlantic. Find more information here.

Kaliii is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Britney Spears has responded to being hit in the face by rookie NBA player Victor Wembanyama‘s security guard Wednesday (June 5) at Catch restaurant in Las Vegas. She also said that the two stars’ encounter has been mischaracterized in prior reports, denying that she “grabbed” Wembanyama and claiming that she only tapped him to get his attention.

Spears filed a police report over the incident, telling Las Vegas police that when she tried to get the NBA star’s attention, his security guard, the Director of Team Security for the San Antonio Spurs, “instantly backhanded” her in the face, knocking off her glasses, and knocking her to the floor. In a tweet she posted only minutes ago, she called the story “embarrassing” and compared the two stars’ security teams, remarking, “My security team didn’t hit any [fans],” despite the hectic situation described by both parties.

You can see the tweet and the full contents below.

Traumatic experiences are not new to me and I have had my fair share of them. I was not prepared for what happened to me last night. I recognized an athlete in my hotel lobby as I was heading to dinner. I later went to a restaurant at a different hotel and saw him again. I decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success. It was really loud, so I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. I am aware of the players statement where he mentions “I grabbed him from behind” but I simply tapped him on the shoulder. His security then back handed me in the face without looking back, in front of a crowd. Nearly knocking me down and causing my glasses off my face.

I get swarmed by people all the time. In fact, that night. I was swarmed by a group of at least 20 fans. My security team didn’t hit any of them.

This story is super embarrassing to share with the world but its out there already. However, I think it’s important to share this story and to urge people in the public eye to set an example and treat all people with respect.

Physical violence is happening too much in this world. Often behind closed doors. I stand with all the victims and my heart goes out to all of you!!! I have yet to get a public apology from the player, his security or their organization. I hope they will…

I cherish the tremendous amounts of love and support I am receiving at the moment. Thank you to the Las Vegas PD and the detectives for their support.