On August 17, Selena Gomez took to social media to announce that her forthcoming single, “Single Soon,” would hit streaming platforms later in the month. However, that isn’t the only new record Gomez has lent her voice to.
During Fred Again.. ‘s recent live set, the singer previewed an unreleased track featuring Gomez. A series of videos captured by fans and uploaded online Saturday, August 19 reveal that the track featurs a blend of Gomez’s vocals and what appears to be a sample of Laura Rivers’ 1967 song “That’s All Right.”
A fan filmed what seems to be a new Selena Gomez song (with Fred Again)
So Fred’s latest single, “Adore U,” featuring Obongjayar, wasn’t the only pop-EDM banger the producer had in his music vault.
At the beginning of the month, after the two were spotted out at dinner in West Hollywood by Daily Mail, fans thought the two were officially dating turns out it was just business after all. Neither Fred nor Gomez has shared any updates on when the track will be available online. But as Fred continues his world tour with appearances at Connect Festiva, III Points, and more, it is only a matter of time before more information is revealed.
Fred Again.. is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Last week Amazon cancelled what was supposed to be a short second season of A League of Their Own, the streamer’s queer-themed reboot of the beloved 1992 baseball saga. The main reason they cited was the two-pronged WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes that have ground Hollywood to a halt. Now one of its creators/stars is calling that reason some big ol’ BS.
As per Deadline, Abbi Jacobson, who created the show with Mozart in the Jungle’s Will Graham, took to Instagram soon after the news broke to express her sadness — and her thrill at getting to create a new version of an older fave.
“To blame this cancellation on the strike, (which is an essential fight for fair wages, protections and working conditions, etc…) is bullsh*t and cowardly,” Jacobson wrote. “But this post isn’t about all that. About all the ways this show has been put through the ringer. Not today.”
Jacobson went on to gush about the “special show” she was “lucky to make with so many incredibly talented artists and actors and writers and crew.” She called it “a show I’m so proud of. Filled to the brim with stories worth telling. Full of so much heart and soul and value.”
In addition to co-creating the new A League of Their Own, Jacobson played Carson, catcher for the Rockford Peaches, a woman’s team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which began in 1943 as many of the nation’s men were abroad fighting in World War II. The league lasted through 1954.
Jacobson and Graham’s A League of Their Own, which had its share of weird haters, was supposed to get a second, four-episode round that would wrap the story up. The scripts had even been finished before the WGA strike began in May. After Amazon nixed that closer — saying that because of the strikes the show wouldn’t even air until 2025, when they allegedly already have plenty of original content — the showrunners said they would shop it around, attempting to find a new home.
According to Touring Data, of the nine shows reported, the tour has brought in $41,195,428 in revenue — or, on average, $4,577,270 per show. The tour has 55 concert dates across North America. Ticket prices range, but the outlet shared that the medium cost is just above $284.
IT’S ALL A BLUR, @Drake $41,195,428 Revenue ($4,577,270 avg.) 145,035 Tickets Sold (16,115 avg.) $284.04 Average Price 9/55 Reported Shows#Update
After the tour’s Brooklyn, New York, stops between July 17 and 21, Touring Data revealed Drake broke a grossing record. “Drake earns the highest grossing boxscore report by a rapper in history, with $18.02 million from 64,747 tickets sold at Barclays Center in New York as part of the ‘It’s All a Blur Tour’ (4 shows),” wrote the company on social media.
.@Drake earns the highest grossing boxscore report by a rapper in history, with $18.02 million from 64,747 tickets sold at Barclays Center in New York as part of the “It’s All a Blur Tour” (4 shows).
Although Drake has a long way to catch up with Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour or Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, Drake is undoubtedly leading the way for rap acts—the perfect way to commemorate the genre’s 50th anniversary.
RENAISSANCE, @Beyonce $295,676,504 Revenue ($8,959,894 avg.) 1,600,155 Tickets Sold (48,490 avg.) $184.78 Average Price 33/56 Reported Shows#Update
THE ERAS TOUR by @taylorswift13 starts today at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. Her last concert earned $345.7 million from 2.888 million tickets sold in 53 shows (2018).
Around 1 a.m. on April 24, semi-truck drivers in the Oak Park area of Michigan received a distress call from area police: An unidentified man was standing on the edge of a local bridge, apparently ready to jump onto the freeway below.
Those drivers then did something amazing. They raced to the scene to help — and lined up their trucks under the bridge, providing a relatively safe landing space should the man jump.
Fortunately, he didn’t.
The impressive line-up wasn’t a coincidence — the drivers were prepared for exactly this sort of situation.
Sgt. Jason Brockdorff of the Huntington Woods Police Department told The Detroit News that the response was something local police and truck drivers had actually trained for. But what was unusual was the sheer number of drivers who responded to the call.
“That’s a practice we use if we have a jumper,” Brockdorff said. “We try to do it every time, to lessen the distance someone would travel if they were to jump. Fortunately, that didn’t happen.”
The incident lasted nearly four hours, into the early morning. However, once the trucks were in place, the police were able to more comfortably negotiate with the unidentified man.
Eventually, the man walked off the bridge on his own and is currently receiving medical help.
In a pair of tweets, the local police department called attention to the incident to remind people in similar situations of the importance of seeking mental health services (emphasis mine):
This photo does show the work troopers and local officers do to serve the public. But also in that photo is a man struggling with the decision to take his own life. Please remember help is available through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
You can also call a loved one, member of the clergy or 911. There are so many people that can help you make the choice to get help and live! It is our hope to never see another photo like this again.
Working together, the police and everyday strangers saved a life.
Ordinary people heeded the call of service to help a fellow person who was struggling. It’s a powerful image that’s impossible to ignore, and a reminder of humanity at its best.
When you are a child who has been abused by people who are supposed to protect you, how do you feel safe?
That question is the heart of Bikers Against Child Abuse International (B.A.C.A.), an organization dedicated to creating “a safer environment for abused children.” With specific training and extensive security checks, the frequently big and burly members of B.A.C.A. serve as protectors of chid abuse survivors, giving vulnerable children people to call on when they feel scared, and even showing up in court when a child asks them to.
In short, they become an abused child’s “biker family,” and they let the child—and everyone else—know that no one messes with their family.
As the B.A.C.A. mission statement says:
“We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. We work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children. We desire to send a clear message to all involved with the abused child that this child is part of our organization, and that we are prepared to lend our physical and emotional support to them by affiliation, and our physical presence. We stand at the ready to shield these children from further abuse. We do not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner, however, if circumstances arise such that we are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, we stand ready to be that obstacle.”
B.A.C.A. members do whatever they can to make abused kids feel safe, which is huge for children who have been hurt, especially by the adults who are supposed to love and protect them.
First, they set up an initial ride to welcome a child into the biker family. Kids are offered a vest and a patch, which they have the option of accepting or not—there’s never pressure put on a child. They take a photograph with the child, which the child keeps to remind them that they have family to call on whenever they feel afraid. They serve as escorts when kids feel frightened to go somewhere. They show up at court hearings to help kids feel less intimidated. They come to kids’ houses when called to help support the family or serve as a deterrent for further abuse.
Though B.A.C.A. absolutely does not physically confront perpetrators, simply their presence provides the message that a child has a band of protectors behind them. Watch these bikers in action:
2019 Bikers Against Child Abuse International informational video. Visit www.bacaworld.org or find us on Facebook – Bikers Against Child Abuse International
And check out the B.A.C.A creed to see how dedicated these folks are to this work:
“I am a Member of Bikers Against Child Abuse. The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.
My past has prepared me, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by the faith in my works, and lean on the strength of my brothers and sisters. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with power.
My fate is set, my gait is fast, my goal is the ultimate safety of children. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are tried and true, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and showed up for all wounded children. I must go until I drop, ride until I give out, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me, for He will see my B.A.C.A. backpatch and know that I am one of His. I am a Member of Bikers Against Child Abuse, and this is my creed.”
Six years ago, a high school student named Christopher Justice eloquently explained the multiple problems with flying the Confederate flag. A video clip of Justice’s truth bomb has made the viral rounds a few times since then, and here it is once again getting the attention it deserves.
Justice doesn’t just explain why the flag is seen as a symbol of racism. He also explains the history of when the flag originated and why flying a Confederate flag makes no sense for people who claim to be loyal Americans.
This high school student, Christopher Justice, does a great job at explaining the Confederate flag and its problems.pic.twitter.com/CcOXHCB8GQ
But that clip, as great as it is, is a small part of the whole story. Knowing how the discussion came about and seeing the full debate in context is even more impressive.
In 2015, a student at Shawnee Mission East High School outside of Kansas City came up with the idea to have student journalists document students engaging in open discussions about various topics. In support of this idea, history teacher David Muhammad helped arrange a debate about the use of the Confederate flag in American society in his classroom.
According to the Shawnee Mission Post, Muhammad had prepared a basic outline and some basic guiding questions for the discussion, but mainly let the students debate freely. And the result was one of the most interesting debates about the Confederate flag you’ll ever see—one that both reflects the perspectives in American society at large and serves as an example of how to hold a respectful conversation on a controversial topic.
The full discussion is definitely worth a watch. Justice had quite a few Confederacy defenders to contend with, and he skillfully responded to each point with facts and logic. Other students also chimed in, and the discussion is wildly familiar to anyone who has engaged in debate on this topic. For his part, Mr. Muhammad did an excellent job of guiding the students through the debate.
“I had Chris in class, so I knew he was super intelligent and that he read a lot,” Muhammad told the Shawnee Mission Post in 2018. “But that really came out of left-field. He was never out there very much socially, so I didn’t expect for him to want to speak in front of a crowd like that.”
(In case you’re wondering, according to LinkedIn, Christopher Justice is now studying political science at Wichita State University after switching his major from sports management. David Muhammad is now Dean of Students at Pembroke Middle School and also serves as a Diversity Consultant.)
Thanks, SM East, for documenting and sharing such a great discussion.
Street artists are a special breed. While “the art world” can sometimes be a snooty, elite place for those with means, street art is made for everyone. Sometimes that means large public murals, but street art can be small, too. In fact, some of the best street art is so small you might miss it if you’re not paying attention. But those who are can discover some delightful surprises.
Just imagine walking down a sidewalk and seeing this little fella at your feet:
That would make your day, wouldn’t it? Or at least bring a smile to your face for a while?
Public art is an act of love to strangers, a way of connecting to people without saying a word. It says, “Hey there, fellow human. Here’s a little something to make you smile, just because.”
That’s the beauty of David Zinn’s street art. It’s meant for the public—just average passers-by—to enjoy, individually and collectively.
Zinn has created an entire world of characters who pop up in unexpected places. For instance, meet Gerald the otter, who is waiting for a blind date in this tree stump.
Zinn uses chalk and charcoal to make his cast of characters come to life in cracks and crevasses, sidewalks and tree trunks. His creations aren’t meant to last forever; in fact, as Zinn points out, the temporary nature of them adds value to them.
“Famous works of art hanging in museums get seen by thousands of people every day. But this? You could be among the dozens of people who get to see this while it exists,” he told CBS Mornings. “That’s pretty special.”
Watch how he takes something he finds in the sidewalk and transforms it into a sweet little duo.
Sometimes he uses natural things he finds as inspiration for a piece.
Watch Zinn turn a simple pot into a character with personality in a matter of minutes:
His entire Instagram page, Facebook page and TikTok channel are filled with endless delight. It was nearly impossible to decide what to include in this article because I wanted to include everything.
This is all well and good, you might say to yourself, but how does Zinn make a living if he’s not selling this art?
He sells books and prints of photos of his artwork on his online store. He also gets invited to schools and events. He has created a career for himself by rejecting blank canvases, putting his imagination out on the street for everyone to see for a while, then selling versions that will actually last. Pretty brilliant, really.
Zinn gave a fascinating TEDx Talk explaining how he found his own artistic niche. You’ll never look at a parking meter or sidewalk the same way again.
If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (273-8255) or text “HOME” to the Crisis Text Line: 741741.
There’s an old Hebrew saying that if you “save one life, you save the world entire.” Who knows if Brooke Lacey, 22, had that lofty goal when she began a campaign in 2020 to help uplift people’s spirits during the first COVID-19 wave.
But her kind efforts may have done just that.
Lacey has struggled with mental health issues throughout her life and she knew that people like her were going to have a really hard time during COVID-19 lockdowns. A study from May 2021 found that the New Zealand population had “higher depression and anxiety compared with population norms.” The study also found that “younger people” and “those most at risk of COVID-19 reported poorer mental health.”
To help those who may be struggling, Lacey printed 600 stickers with an uplifting message and posted them around places where people may take their lives, including trains, bridges and large bodies of water in Wellington, New Zealand. She also made a bumper sticker with the same message for her car.
The stickers spoke directly to those who may be contemplating taking their own life. “Please don’t take your life today,” the stickers read. “The world is so much better with you in it. More than you realize, stay.”
Earlier this month, Lacey parked her car in her university’s lot and when she returned to her vehicle to leave, she noticed a note was affixed to the windshield. Thinking it was someone complaining about how she parked or a ticket, she prepared for the worst but wound up being blindsided by the positive message.
A driveru2019s bumper sticker has saved a strangeru2019s life.nnAfter her own battle with depression 22-year-old university student Brooke Lacey was inspired to create a batch of 600 signs to inspire those battling mental illness.nn#StarFMNews919 @Star919FMpic.twitter.com/0SSHhUvyvK
A 22 year New Zealand student called Brooke Lacey, who’d suffered with depression created some bumper stickers to help others who might be going through a similar experience. Recently she found a heartfelt note under her windscreen wiper to thank herpic.twitter.com/kFfu9wtXnN
“I left my house with a plan and asked for a sign, any sign, I was doing the right thing when I saw your car in the parking lot. Thank you,” the note read. At first, Lacey wasn’t sure what the person was referring to, then she remembered her homemade bumper sticker.
“I had these made so long ago, put one on my car and forgot about them, until now,” she tweeted on her since deactivated account. “I am so glad whoever you are chose to stay today. You never know who needs this reminder.”
Now, it’s unclear exactly what the person’s “plan” was, but there’s no doubt that Lacey’s bumper sticker inspired them to choose life. Let’s hope that the sticker also inspired them to seek professional help for whatever difficulties they are going through.
Whether it was intentional or not, Lacey’s sticker was effective because it followed one of the most important strategies that people use at suicide hotlines. According to Science.org, it’s of utmost importance that people contemplating suicide are handled with “respect and empathy.”
Lacey’s story is a beautiful reminder of the power that one simple, thoughtful gesture can have on another person’s life. Every day, there are people all around us who are looking for a sign to give them a reason keep going. Whether it’s a hug, a smile or the right message in the right place at the right time, we should all be like Lacey and make sure everyone knows that the world is better with them in it. In fact, much more than they ever realize.
If you’re looking for a reminder of the good in people, we’ve got some sweet evidence for you.
Madison Mealy and her husband Blake recently moved to a rural area in the Blue Ridge Mountains and are new to country living. Mealy shared a video on TikTok showing her husband mowing the lawn with their baby in a backpack.
Cute, right? The only problem is they have a humongous lawn and her husband was mowing it with the teeniest push mower.
To be fair, if you’ve never had a big lawn, you may not realize how long it takes to mow and that not all lawn mowers are created equal. (They make riding lawn mowers for a reason, and it’s not because of laziness.)
Mealy shared her amusement at having sent her husband out to buy a mower and seeing him come back with the tiny mower. It was going to take him hours to mow their grass.
But after she took a shower and went back to check on his progress, what she found was so heartwarming.
Not one, not two, but several strangers—presumably neighbors—had seen Blake trying to tackle their acreage with a subpar mower, and they showed up to help.
“Reminder: there’s a lot of good left in this world,” wrote Mealy.
It’s true. Helping without being asked. Showing up when you see a need. Taking a burden off of someone’s back without expecting anything in return. There are instances of pure human kindness like this all around us, every day, even if they’re not right in front of our faces.
We have plenty of viral examples of people at their worst, so it’s important that we share humanity at its best. And if you’re tempted to think that the former is the norm while goodness is the exception, don’t. Studies show that most people are honest, generous and helpful.
As Mealy said, “People are so good.” We just need beautiful reminders like this on occasion.
Thanks for providing one of those reminders, Mealy family. (Now go get yourselves a proper mower.)
What do you get when you combine comedian Trevor Noah, tennis legend Roger Federer and the world famous clock-making, chocolate-brewing, Alpine-skiing symbol of neutrality, Switzerland?
Apparently, a delightfully charming train ride through the Swiss countryside and perhaps the greatest tourism ad ever made.
Both Noah and Federer shared a tourism ad they collaborated on for the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland, and people are loving it. It’s one of those ads that people don’t care is an ad because it doesn’t really feel like an ad and it’s so enjoyable to watch. (It’s also incredibly effective—like, give us alllll the train rides through Switzerland, please.)
The ad plays like a mini-documentary of Noah and Federer filming a Swiss tourism ad gone wrong. The two men—both of whom are half-Swiss in real life—appear to hop on the wrong train while arguing about whether or not the ad they are filming is funny (or whether it even should be).
What follows is a tale involving Swiss punctuality, hospitality and stunning natural beauty, all wrapped up in wholesome hilarity.
Check it out:
Thousands of commenters have chimed in with how enjoyable and effective they found the ad:
“This clip is brilliant and I am definitely going to travel on that train in Switzerland in the near future. Excellent work,” wrote one commenter.
“Usually, I hate tourism ads because they’re always so clichéd and unoriginal, but this one hooked me from the beginning,” shared another. “Switzerland is such a beautiful country, and this ad singlehandedly convinced me so. Looking forward to this train ride sometime in the future! :)”
“This is criminally short!” wrote another. “I wish for a full hour! I can’t seem to get enough of them.”
Noah and Federer shared their experience making the video with Financial Times, and their “behind the scenes” stories are as delightful as the ad itself.
Federer, who is an official Switzerland Tourism Ambassador, shared how much he has enjoyed making Swiss tourism ads with Robert DeNiro, Anne Hathaway, and of course, Trevor Noah. He said the shoot with Noah brought him back to his own childhood.
“I was always on trains, leaving home, looking out of the window, seeing the trees and the fields go by and thinking, ‘Will I be a good tennis player? Will I not? Will I win, will I not?'” he said.
Several parts of the ad point to how strict the Swiss are about being on time, and Noah shared that there were a few instances while filming when a train really did almost take off with them inside.
“They weren’t even going to hold it for us,” he said. “We were like, ‘Oh, we’re making an ad,’ and then they were like, ‘Yeah, and the train has a schedule.'”
“We were laughing,” Noah said, imagining what would have happened if a train really had left with them on it. “Like, would that become the meta joke? Does that become the joke in the joke?”
If you enjoyed the train tour ad, take a few minutes to see Noah and Federer share how it came to be and how much fun they had making it.
This article originally appeared on 4.5.23
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