Month: September 2023

It has not been a good start to the season for Deshaun Watson, as the Cleveland Browns starter has regressed tremendously from his All-Pro days in Houston. Watson was largely the reason the team lost on Monday night a week ago to Pittsburgh, as turnovers and two personal foul penalties on Watson helped the Steelers win a game in which their offense was dreadful as well.

This week, the Browns faced off with yet another inept offense, as they dueled with Ryan Tannehill and the Titans in Cleveland, and it was yet another disasterclass from both offenses. Tannehill and the Titans couldn’t do anything in the first half against Myles Garrett and the Browns defense, only mustering their 3 points on a field goal set up by a Cleveland turnover. The Browns fared a bit better, but Watson continued to make some of the worst decisions you will ever see from a quarterback (particularly one who was once among the league’s best).

The funniest example of Watson’s baffling decision-making came in the second quarter when he got wrapped up for a near sack and then chose to chuck the ball backwards towards Elijah Moore, which meant the bouncing ball was a live fumble which led to a big loss of yardage for Cleveland as Moore scooped it up and quickly got brought down well behind the line of scrimmage.

The announcers reacting to Watson just hucking the ball backwards is hysterical, and you could hear the Browns crowd groan in anguish as the ball bounced around on the turf. The good news for Cleveland is, the Titans are quite bad and so this drive still somehow ended up being a touchdown for the Browns despite the best efforts of Watson on this play.

Is there anything the Swifties can’t do? Taylor Swift’s beloved superfans’ disdain for Ticketmaster might have been the push behind a new tax law. After the ticketing platform flubbed Swift’s The Eras Tour pre-sale, the singer’s supporters deemed the company public enemy number one. Second on their list are resellers looking to cash in on the public’s love for Swift.

According to the Wall Street Journal, President Joe Biden, the United States Senate, and Congress have taken aim at Ticketmaster, siccing the on resellers with a new tax law. According to the Wall Street Journal, the agency has unveiled a new law set to go into effect for the 2022 tax year, in which e-distributors, such as Ticketmaster and StubHub, will be required to provide the agency with information on people who sold more than $600 worth of tickets. The sellers will be held responsible for the taxes of that transaction. This law applies to the ticket’s sale price, not the seller’s profit.

In the past, the threshold was more than $20,000 in revenue and over 200 transactions. WSJ revealed that IRS commissioner Danny Werfel said they have not announced any future plans to give an additional reprieve. The 1099-K form for the 2023 tax year will be available soon.

Cassidy Hutchinson is back. The former Donald Trump aide became a household name last summer during her bombshell testimony for the House’s Jan. 6 committee. Turns out she had even more stories to tell. Her new book, Enough, in which she reveals things like the shallow reason why her old boss wouldn’t wear a mask at the height of the pandemic. She also accused Rudy Giuliani of groping her with “frozen fingers.” Hutchinson has so much dirt that she saved some for her press tour.

In a new interview with The New York Times (in a bit teased out by The Daily Beast), Hutchinson describes the last days of the Trump administration as being “awash in paranoia.” Things sound like they got very Watergate-era Nixon:

It was, by her telling, an administration awash in paranoia, with Mr. Meadows and others refusing to dispose of daily litter in “burn bags” for fear that someone from the “deep state” might intercept the contents. Instead, she writes, Mr. Meadows burned so many documents in his fireplace in the final days of the Trump presidency that his wife complained to Ms. Hutchinson about how expensive it had become to dry-clean the “bonfire” aroma from his suits.

Granted, Nixon staffers used to shred, not burn, documents, which at least doesn’t leave a foul odor.

Hutchinson also claimed that Meadows once asked her if she would “take a bullet” for the guy who doesn’t even risk breaking a fingernail. She nervously joked that maybe she’d take one in the thigh.

In the meantime, the guy at the center of all this nonsense is back on top with GOP polling, meaning he’ll either wind up back in the presidency or, thanks to the 91 criminal charges against him, in jail. Or both!

(Via NYT and The Daily Beast)

The Renaissance World Tour has been a revolving door of guest appearances. During Beyoncé’s birthday concert in Inglewood, California, she dialed things up a notch by inviting music legend Diana Ross and rapper Kendrick Lamar to share the stage with her. That wasn’t the end of her surprise performances. On Saturday, September 23, as the tour planted its roots in her hometown of Houston, Texas, Beyoncé brought another native for a highly anticipated set.

At the NRG Stadium, Beyoncé & Megan Thee Stallion treated the sold-out crowd to a spicy performance of their top-charting and Grammy Award-winning song, “Savage (Remix).” As Megan made her way to the front of the stage, she took the time to remind the audience of her H-town roots. Then she embraced the cocky energy of the track, bragging, “I’m that b*tch. Still that b*tch.”

“Yes, Megan,” yelled Beyoncé.

The celebrities amongst the crowd included Lizzo, Normani, Teyana Taylor, Coco Jones, and Victoria Monét.

There’s not much Beyoncé can do to outdo night one in Houston. But knowing Mrs. Knowles-Carter, she’ll find a way to make the final performance slated for Sunday, September 24, even grander.

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

Last month Vivek Ramaswamy went from semi-obscure new Republican presidential candidate to a possible new face of the GOP. The pharma bro even pissed off Chris Christie, who said he “sounds like ChatGPT.” Now another public figure has an arguably even funnier description of the youngish candidate.

As per Mediaite, Sean Penn — fresh off a wild Variety interview in which he said he would have killed “everyone” involved in the September 11 attacks had he been president then, as well as said he’d like to violate AI versions of studio execs’ daughters (!!) — sat down with CNN’s Jim Acosta, who asked him about Ramaswamy vowing to cut off U.S. aid to Ukraine amidst the Russian invasion. Penn’s response was enjoyably nutty.

“I don’t find him very interesting,” Penn said, “because he’s just like a high school student who’s impressive because he got an ‘A’ in something he’ll never apply in life.”

Penn, of course, has been a champion of Ukraine from the start, even spending the early days of the invasion on the ground, to the point where he was told to “get the f*ck out” of there for his own well-being. At one point he swore he would “smelt” one or both of his acting Oscars in protest of the war. It appears he did not follow through on that threat, but he did gift one of them to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

(Via Mediaite)

How are you doing these days? However you are, there’s a good chance you’re faring better than Rudy Giuliani. Over the last three years, the former NYC mayor has suffered one indignity after another, all because he threw his lot in with former president Donald Trump. Now, on top of everything else — on top of pricey lawsuits, money issues, accusations, and endless embarrassments — he’s suffering another humiliation: a mean if accurate nickname.

As per HuffPost, Joe Scarborough and co-host Willie Geist devoted part of Friday’s Morning Joe to discussing how far Giuliani has fallen.

“I don’t know if he faces prison, if he faces bankruptcy, if he faces additional charges,” Scarborough said. “It’s just from from all directions. And this is the cost, of course, when you turn your life over to Donald Trump.”

Geist pointed out that it seems Giuliani can’t pay his ever-mounting legal bills, prompting Scarborough to say, “It was all fun and games until the indictments started coming down.” He added, “And now, like for so many of the people around Donald Trump, the bill is coming due.”

Scarborough then bestowed upon him a new nickname: “From America’s Mayor to America’s Deadbeat.”

He stressed how unfortunate it is for anyone to team up with the former president, saying, “Following Donald Trump can get you thrown in jail or ruin you financially.”

Of course, Trump could always roar back into office after next year’s election. Perhaps that’s why some continue to take his side, throwing the dice on whether or not the big guy gets a belated second term. Of course, if the bet fails then there’s a stiff penalty for all. Besides, judging from how little help Trump has given Giuliani, it’s not clear if he’ll help out anyone if he’s back in power.

(Via HuffPost)

With the Super Bowl coming to Las Vegas for the first time ever this February, there figured to be plenty of interest from musical artists in performing this year’s halftime show. The annual rumors of a possible Taylor Swift performance came and went, and the NFL’s dream of getting the pop icon will continue on for another year.

Still, there are a ton of artists with ties to Vegas through residencies, and the league (and partner Roc Nation) had to decide what direction they wanted to go in for the show. Ultimately they landed Usher, who has a residency in Vegas coming to a close later this year, as the legendary R&B artist will perform a compilation of his biggest hits at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024.

The NFL announced the news by getting Kim Kardashian and Marshawn Lynch involved to film a video where they hop on the other line of a phone call from an Usher music video.

As always there are debates about who should’ve been the selection and fan theories that ended up being incorrect, but Usher is hard to argue against as he has a deep history of hits to dig into, is an incredible live performer, and can absolutely carry a solo halftime performance. He also just so happens to have his next album, “Coming Home” releasing on…February 11, 2024.

Donald Trump may be doing pretty well for himself these days — long as you ignore those 91 criminal charges against him — but the party he leads is in disarray. There’s a ton of in-fighting right now, especially among the House GOP, who are scrambling to either avert a government shutdown or put the blame for same on someone who’s not them. Speaking of, Matt Gaetz recently made the mistake of saying nice things about Trump rival Ron DeSantis. That got him called out by one of the party’s more sinister agents.

Per Newsweek, Gaetz put a silver lining on the Florida governor’s rapidly fading presidential aspirations. “DeSantis will return to Florida as a popular, successful governor with two years of runway to cement a legacy of accomplishment in America’s third largest (and best) state,” he wrote.

Roger Stone, the GOP’s notorious longtime fixer, wasn’t having that one. Calling him “wrong,” Stone said, “You created this monster who has proven to be a backstabbing weasel and ingrate .He’s done and if you keep kissing his ass, so are you.”

Definitely not ominous mafia stuff! It’s sad because Gaetz and Stone go way back. In 2019, as Stone was awaiting sentencing for obstruction in the Robert Mueller Russia investigation, Gaetz told him, over a hot mic, that Trump won’t let him “go down for this.”

For those keeping track at home, Gaetz is now feuding with not only Roger Stone but also Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, whom he’s so desperate to oust that he may have left a motion to unseat him in a bathroom.

(Via Newsweek)

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. Love At First Sight (Netflix film)

If you’re jonesing for more of Haley Lu Richardson after the The White Lotus, she dives into romcom territory here with a much less shady prospect than Portia’s judgment would reflect. Here, she stars alongside Ben Hardy as one of two strangers who cross paths on a cross-Atlantic flight and then expend their energy attempting to cross paths again for a longer haul. Jameela Jamil co-stars in this feature that is about as predictable as you’d expect, but the chemistry of the leading pair means that you won’t care much.

TIE: 10. Talk To Me (Maslow entertainment film streaming on VOD and Amazon Prime)

This film has been credited as churning out the “scariest A24 trailer ever, hands down.” As it turns out (and this is no surprise because it’s A24), the film itself lives up to that reputation and follows an especially macabre version of an ouija board. That is, an embalmed hand helps a group of judgment-lacking friends conjure spirits, and they reap more than than gambled for. Directors Danny and Michael Philippou came by their horror roots honestly, rose up through YouTube, and are ready to prevent you from sleeping at night.

9. One Piece (Netflix series)

Netflix did the thing after some anime-to-live action misses (Cowboy Bebop and Death Note), but fans of Monkey D. Luffy are thrilled with this adaptation of a a beloved anime/manga. Season 2 of the hopeful pirate king’s adventures has already been greenlit, and while they settle in for the wait, viewers can hop on the Japanese dub for a bonus from the voice cast of the anime series.

8. The Morning Show (Apple TV+ series)

Apple TV+ launched with this mainstay that keeps delivering numbers due to the combined power of Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, and this season, Jon Hamm is crushing it in a sauna with Billy Crudup, who remains the Kermit The Frog of the show. Jon Hamm as a tech bro after portraying one of the masters of pulling wool over the public’s eyes in the 1960s? Yes, please.

7. The Wheel Of Time (Amazon Prime series)

Thus far, this series is one of the most popular Amazon Originals to stream in the past handful of years, and the show might eventually be considered the Game of Thrones counterpart that Jeff Bezos always wanted while bringing Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power to the small screen. Rosamund Pike departs from her usual completely terrifying characters to dive into more morally grey territory as Moraine of the Aes Sedai organization. She’s one of the only women (and people) who is able to wield magic, and she’s watching over the fruition of a prophecy that could either save humanity or destroy it. Fantasy lit is having more than a moment on TV right now.

6. American Horror Story (FX series streaming on Hulu)

Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk are currently churning through Season 12 of their anthology series that still stars Emma Roberts. She portrays an up-and-coming actress going through discouraging IVF rounds when she realizes that she’s being targeted, and her pursuit of fertility has everything to do with this. This season takes inspiration from Danielle Valentine’s book, Delicate Condition, and Kim Kardashian’s introductory line in this franchise is a doozy.

5. No Hard Feelings (Sony Pictures movie on VOD and Amazon Prime)

Jennifer Lawrence finally took a break from drama and action to be funny as hell. Here, she stars as a fail-hard character, Maddie, who decides to make some easy money by answering a Craigslist ad from two helicopter parents who would really like their 19-year-old awkward son to get boinked. JLaw throws herself full force into the raunchy resurrection that we’ve been missing in the movies these days, and the supposedly easy assignment turns out to be a greater challenge than expected.

4. The Continental (Peacock series)

Sadly, this three-part series will not feature a Keanu Reeves cameo as suggested years ago. This story takes place in the 1970s, long before Wick’s most pivotal pup was even born. As such, this spinoff will focus on the earlier days of the franchise’s assassin-welcoming hotel, where Colin Woodell portrays Winston, who’s attempting to do his day job and also navigate the hellish underbelly of the era’s New York City. If you’re not into the Mel Gibson aspect of this prequel, then perhaps Katie McGrath can sway you to watch as The Adjudicator.

3. Barbie (Warner Bros. movie on VOD and Amazon Prime)

This film is still rotating through theaters after pulling in over a billion dollars in box-office sales. Also, it’s not streaming “free” yet as part of a platform package, but you can rent or purchase it at home. So, enjoy the Barbies and Kens and only one Allan and marvel at how Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling pulled off a critically acclaimed crowd pleaser for the ages. Sure, there will be many more toy movies now, but this one matters and will go down in the pop-cultural history books as such.

2. No One Will Save You (20th Century Studios streaming on Hulu)

Kaitlyn Dever of Justified fame stars in a genuinely scary movie that you can stream while getting into the spooky spirit. The story puts an extraterrestrial twist on home-invasion horrors for a young woman who finds herself alienated in more ways than one. Come for the jump scares and stay for the novelty of a seat-gripping adventure that somehow communicates loud and clear with hardly any dialogue to be found, which only adds to the suspense.

1. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (AMC series streaming on AMC+)

Norman Reedus’ unwashed boo is now a washed boo, and that’s only the beginning of his new adventure. The leading man had one major condition for signing onto the only solo spinoff of the franchise (so far), and Daryl finally gets a “vacation.” Of course, this is not exactly a relaxing journey, but this franchise gives us moments of happiness for him, along with ass-kicking nuns and Paris at the beginning of the apocalypse. As a whole, this season reinvigorates the entire The Walking Dead legacy while beginning to slide puzzle pieces together for a bigger picture.

Notre Dame came painfully close to beating Ohio State on Saturday night in South Bend, as the Irish saw Ohio State punch the ball in from the 1-yard line with one second on the clock for a 17-14 Buckeyes win.

Getting to that point was an adventure, as neither offense could do much of anything until the fourth quarter when both squads drove the length of the field for touchdowns on their last two drives. Ohio State’s was set up by a 3rd and 19 completion to the 1, as Kyle McCord somehow found Emeka Egbuka on a seam to get a first down and stop the clock long enough to spike the ball and get two shots at the end zone.Notre Dame called a timeout to set up their defense for the final plays of the game, which was an incompletion followed by a DeaMonte Trayanum run off the left tackle, just barely breaking the plane of the goal line with one second to play.

It was a back-breaking moment for the Irish, who were so close to the big win they have been craving for some time, but it was made even worse when folks began taking a look at the replay and realized Notre Dame was out there with only 10 men on the biggest play of the game — with the guy they were missing being a lineman on the side Ohio State ran it in. On the full width video you can clearly count just 10 guys out there, with two in man coverage down bottom and eight in the box, with just three on the line and a big ol’ gap where Ohio State punched it in.

Not only did the Irish have 10 men on the final play, but it was also on the play following the timeout that resulted in an incompletion.

That kind of mistake in that moment is inexcusable from Marcus Freeman and the coaching staff, particularly out of a timeout, and the Irish will have to wonder what could’ve been if they’d just put their full unit out there.