Month: August 2023

First, there was a trend of fans throwing things at performers at concerts. But now, it appears that we’ve got a brewing streak of artists returning the favor. A couple of months ago, Cardi B had a viral moment when she threw her mic at a fan after being doused with a drink. Now, 50 Cent has made it a pair, tossing his own mic in frustration during the Los Angeles stop of his The Final Lap Tour and hitting woman in the face.

According to TMZ — which also has the video — the Queens rapper was apparently handed several microphones that didn’t work, losing his cool and throwing the mic like a video game controller after a last-second loss to a final boss. Although he wasn’t aiming at the woman he wound up hitting, she wound up with a big cut on her forehead

While TMZ’s sources say she wasn’t supposed to be in the restricted area in the first place, the woman — Power 106 radio midday host Bryhana Monegain — wound up in an infirmary, per photos that surfaced on Instagram. TMZ has those as well.

While the Cardi B situation had a more or less happy ending, with the sound equipment’s owner selling the thrown mic for a hefty sum he said he donated to charity, things may not be so pleasant this time. Let’s hope this unofficial trend ends with 50; if fans can’t throw stuff onstage, then artists should definitely also keep their mics to themselves.

On August 26 at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida, Ryan Christopher Palmeter, a young male in his 20s, shot and killed four people before turning the gun on himself. Sheriff T.K. Waters of Jacksonville noted, “This shooting was racially motivated, and he hated Black people.”

The Associated Press reported that Palmeter “texted his father [during the attack] and told him to break into his room and check his computer. There, the father found a suicide note, a will, and racist writings from his son.” Now it has been revealed that Palmeter wanted Eminem and Machine Gun Kelly to be killed.

In writings reviewed by Rolling Stone (presumably the ones from the AP report, but that’s not specified), Palmeter wrote, “Eminem (aka Marshall Mathers, aka Slim Shady aka Ken Keniff, aka the white guy from D12): Stared the abyss (being n*****dly) and the abyss stared back (becoming a n*****). Walks the edge of n***** lover and honorary n*****. Fell off not because his new stuff sucked but because the lyrics were gay annoying liberal sh*t. ROE for Total N***** Death is to include Eminem (aka Marshall Mathers, aka Slim Shady aka Ken Keniff, aka the white guy from D12) as a valid target and he is to be killed on sight.”

He also indicated he believed he nearly had an opportunity to shoot MGK, writing, “Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly): Honorable n*****. To be killed on sight like Eminem because I didn’t get a shot at him up in Ohio.”

Taylor Swift didn’t include “Mastermind” on Midnights for nothing. In fact, she’s adding more evidence every day. This morning, August 31, Swift revealed that she’s bringing her Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film to theaters on October 13.

And, as with everything Swiftian, the fun is in the details.

Tickets, which are available now here, begin at $19.89 for adults and $13.13 for children and seniors (pre-tax and for standard screen showings). Per Variety, “Up-charges will kick in, as always, for IMAX and Dolby Cinema showings.”

It’s on par with Swift purposefully choosing August 9 (8/9) as the date to to unveil 1989 (Taylor’s Version) as her next re-recorded album release due out on October 27.

Good Morning America had the exclusive announcement of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, and Swift also posted about the concert film across her socials.

“The Eras Tour has been the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far and I’m overjoyed to tell you that it’ll be coming to the big screen soon,” Swift captioned her posts. “Starting Oct 13th you’ll be able to experience the concert film in theaters in North America! Tickets are on sale now. Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged. 1, 2, 3 LGB!!!! (iykyk).”

Variety relayed that AMC Theatres will screen Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour “at every one of its US locations at least four times a day on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through its initial engagement, with many of the chain’s IMAX and Dolby Cinema locations locked in to ensure the singer remains larger than life on its premium screens. The film will also play on Cinemark and Regal screens in the US, with other theaters and chains expected to be added.”

AMC also provided a statement to the publication, addressing the presumed rush on tickets, which reads:

“In anticipation of this announcement, AMC has upgraded its website and ticketing engines to handle more than five times the largest influx of ticket-buying traffic the company has ever experienced before. But AMC is also aware that no ticketing system in history seems to have been able to accommodate the soaring demand from Taylor Swift fans when tickets are first placed on sale. Guests wanting to be the first to buy their tickets online may experience delays, longer-than-usual ticket-purchase waiting-room times and possible outages. AMC is committed to ensuring any delays or outages are addressed as quickly as possible.”

The Eras Tour will resume in Buenos Aires, Argentina on November 9, 10, and 11. Swift (and Sabrina Carpenter) will then visit Rio De Janeiro, Brazil (November 17, 18, and 19) and São Paulo, Brazil (November 24, 25, and 26) before resuming international dates in February 2024. On August 3, Swift confirmed a second US leg scheduled for October and November 2024.

Watch the movie’s trailer above.

The new talking point among Republicans is that Joe Biden wants to ban hard-working, hard-drinking Americans from having more than two beers a week. Only two beers?! I drink two beers during the first quarter of watching my Carolina Panthers get their asses handed to them. But like most things shared on Truth Social, it’s not exactly true.

Dr. George Koob, the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, told the Daily Mail that the United States Department of Agriculture could revise its alcohol recommendations to match Canada’s guidelines. “If there’s health benefits, I think people will start to re-evaluate where we’re at [in the US],” he said of Canada’s “big experiment” with its alcohol guidelines. “So, if [alcohol consumption guidelines] go in any direction, it would be toward Canada.” It’s not a ban on having more than two (2) beers) a week, it’s a potential suggestion, but that’s too much for Ted Cruz to comprehend.

The Texas senator appeared on Newsmax’s The Balance on Wednesday, according to Mediaite, and made a big show out of the possible beer guidelines. “Biden came in, one of the first things they wanted to do was ban gas stoves. New York state has now done that for new construction. They’re trying to go after and regulate ceiling fans. I got to tell you, it’s hot in Texas. We don’t want to get rid of our ceiling fans, and now these idiots have come out and said drink two beers a week, that’s their guideline,” he said, conveniently forgetting that it was Texas governor Greg Abbott who recently approved a law that eliminated mandatory water breaks for construction workers.

Cruz added, “Well I’ve gotta tell you, if they want us to drink two beers a week, frankly they can kiss my ass.” He and his cowboy hat-wearing buddies in the background then proceeded to take the world’s smallest sip of beer.

It’s cute how they think they’re on King of the Hill.

(Via Mediaite)

Taylor Swift‘s massive The Eras Tour has been ubiquitous, with clips from the singer’s 3-hour performances constantly going viral, especially when she makes announcements like Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). So, it makes sense that the pop star is making it into a movie.

She recently announced Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, coming to theaters on October 13. It was announced on Good Morning America, and there was also a tweet from Swift saying this tour has been “the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far.”

The AMC Theaters website notes that the movie will run for 2 hours and 45 minutes. AMC ticketholders will get a free mini poster, while the theater is also selling collectible cups and popcorn buckets. Adult tickets cost $19.89, while children and seniors cost $13.13.

Tickets can be found here.

Sabrina Carpenter just joined The Eras Tour as an opener. “It’s so funny, I’ve been growing up with her advice in her songs because it’s very much a how-to book on how to survive as a young woman, which is really special,” she said about the experience. “Watching her in and of itself is how you learn. I admire her work ethic and her talent and she’s just so amazing.”

Taylor Swift cannot be outdone, unless she’s outdoing herself. The first US leg of Swift’s The Eras Tour concluded on August 9 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, where she revealed 1989: Taylor’s Version as her next re-recorded album release.

1989 (Taylor’s Version) is due out on October 27, so she already had October covered — a month that is otherwise something of a hiatus for her before The Eras Tour returns on November 9 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. But “Swift” and “hiatus” aren’t compatible, so on Thursday morning, August 31, Swift confirmed an October double-dip of epic proportions.

“The Eras Tour has been the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far and I’m overjoyed to tell you that it’ll be coming to the big screen soon,” Swift posted across her socials. “Starting Oct 13th you’ll be able to experience the concert film in theaters in North America! Tickets are on sale now at http://taylor.lnk.to/TSTheErasTourFilm. Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged 1, 2, 3 LGB!!!! (iykyk).”

The Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film announcement was first made on Good Morning America.

Swifties know that Swift chose Friday, October 13, because 13 is her favorite number, but of course, her clever numerology doesn’t end there: Standard screen tickets for adults start at $19.89, and tickets for children and seniors start at $13.13.

All ticketing information can be found here. (Yes, as of this writing, there is a wait time on AMC’s website; Swifties everywhere are shuddering with flashbacks to Ticketmaster and the Eras pre-sale.)

Per Variety, “It’s far from the kind of one- or two-night special engagement that music fans have become used to with filmed concert experiences in cinemas. AMC Theatres is promising that the film will play at every one of its US locations at least four times a day on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through its initial engagement, with many of the chain’s Imax and Dolby Cinema locations locked in to ensure the singer remains larger than life on its premium screens.”

Watch the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour trailer above.

Amazon Music Live had a strong run of performances last year, like ones from Megan Thee Stallion, ASAP Rocky, and 21 Savage. Now the series, which airs live via Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, is coming back for 2023 with a terrific lineup.

The new season will kick off with Ed Sheeran on September 21, a week before the release of his album Autumn Variations. After Sheeran will be Latin star Feid on September 28, whose new album Mor No Le Temas a la Oscuridad is set to drop the next day. Lil Durk will follow on October 5 and more artists are set to be announced. All performances will go down at 9 p.m. PT, after Thursday Night Football. 2 Chainz will return to host the new season, as he did the first one.

Ryan Redington, GM of Amazon Music, said in a statement, “We created Amazon Music Live to bring sports and music fans together on Thursday nights for a brand-new, can’t-miss event celebrating new music after the biggest game of the week. Available to fans around the world on Prime Video and Twitch, AML became a massive new stage for artists to share their culture-defining new music after Thursday Night Football, and this year we’re going even bigger.”

Watch the trailer for the new season above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Without a doubt, the biggest concert tour of the year has been Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour; Uproxx’s Philip Cosores caught a concert earlier this year and in his review, he called it “the most impressive stadium show ever conceived.” The unfortunate fact is, though, that not every Swift fan will be able to experience the tour live. However, Swift is now offering the next best thing: an Eras Tour concert film.

The movie, simply titled Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, is getting a full-blown theatrical release and is set to hit screens on October 13. The official announcement was made on Good Morning America today (August 31).

Swift also wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “The Eras Tour has been the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far and I’m overjoyed to tell you that it’ll be coming to the big screen soon [smiling emoji] Starting Oct 13th you’ll be able to experience the concert film in theaters in North America! Tickets are on sale now at http://taylor.lnk.to/TSTheErasTourFilm. Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged [heart hands emoji] 1, 2, 3 LGB!!!! (iykyk)”

The film’s page on the AMC Theaters website notes the movie will run for 2 hours and 45 minutes. AMC Ticketholders will get a free mini poster, while the theater is also selling collectible cups and popcorn buckets.

Swift also had some fun with ticket prices: Adult tickets cost $19.89, while children and seniors get in for $13.13.

Check out the trailer above and get tickets here.

Imagine it’s WWII. You’re an American fighter pilot (thank you for your service) and a prisoner of war (eek).

Your interrogator walks in, and instantly your mind begins to prepare you for the torture that lies ahead. Will you be kicked, whipped and beaten? Forced to stand for hours on end until you give the enemy crucial intel? The anticipation alone is excruciating.

Suddenly, your interrogator says, “What would you like for lunch?”

This would be your treatment if questioned under Hanns-Joachim Gottlob Scharff, “Master Interrogator” of Germany’s Luftwaffe branch, who’s unconventional techniques surprisingly reveal the power of kindness.

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Scharff never sought out a military career, but a series of seemingly fated events led him to one nonetheless.

A businessman at the time, Scharff had been vacationing in Germany in 1939 when the war broke out and he was forcibly drafted into the army. His wife would help him avoid fighting on the front lines by vying for him to work as an interpreter.

It wouldn’t be long before Scharff would unintentionally move up the ranks. After two of his superiors died in a plane crash, he landed the position of lead interrogator.

Unlike his peers and predecessors, Scharff was opposed to obtaining information through physical or psychological abuse. Instead, he relied upon friendliness and empathy. He regularly took prisoners out to lunch and on luxurious nature walks, and he even offered them baked goods made by his wife. It was essentially more of a wooing than an interrogation.

In addition to the friendly approach, Scharff would also never press for information and perpetuated an illusion of knowing all the information already (which included acting unsurprised whenever a prisoner might reveal new intel). The last component of his strategy involved casually presenting a claim to see if the prisoner would confirm or deny it, otherwise known as the confirmation/disconfirmation tactic.

All these tricks proved incredibly effective. Not only was Scharrf highly successful at getting information (one prisoner famously remarked that he “could get a confession of infidelity from a nun”) he also managed to save the lives of multiple American pilots in the process. He even remained friends with one after the war.

His methods were so successful that following WWII, he was invited to give lectures in America, and he became a major influence on U.S. interrogation techniques.

One last fun fact: America is where Scharff would end up retiring, where he would take up creating mosaics—a passion he once had as a young boy. If you ever find yourself at Cinderella’s Castle in Walt Disney World, you might find one of his works.

Not in Florida anytime soon? You can also find some of his work at the California State Capitol building, Los Angeles City Hall, and several American universities like Dixie College in Utah and the University of Southern California campus.

You know what they say—you catch more bees with honey than you do with vinegar. Getting the desired result from another person is often more easily achieved by being kind and understanding, both in times of war and in everyday life.

The show will luckily go on for Ellie Goulding, who is scheduled to perform at Superbloom Festival on Saturday, September 2. The singer avoided disaster last Sunday, August 27, during her set at Victorious Festival in Portsmouth, England when she walked a little too closely to on-stage pyro exploding upward.

A TikTok user named Emilia Hollands posted a video of Goulding dancing freely on stage while singing “Miracle,” her March single with Calvin Harris. A firework shoots up and appears to hit her. It sounds like Goulding briefly paused singing to say, “Ah, f*ck!” but didn’t let it stop her beyond that. The TikTok reads, “Ellie Goulding gets hit by a fire work [sic] then continues to sing.”

“Miracle” took on new meaning when Goulding relayed she avoided injury. “To those asking I am ok!” she wrote on her now-expired Instagram Story (as captured by Billboard and Pop Crave). “Pyro didn’t hit me directly in the face. Face is intact. Love you thank you x”

Goulding is semi-fresh off releasing her fifth studio album, Higher Than Heaven, on April 7 — home to her single “Easy Lover” featuring Big Sean. Around the same time, “Miracle” enjoyed two weeks at No. 1 on the UK’s Official Singles Chart.