This month hasn’t had been great for celebrity wax figures. Last week, The Musée Grévin in Paris, France, unveiled their tribute to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, which people online tore to shreds. Even Johnson took to his official Instagram page to offer constructive criticism. Now, a statue of “Presha” rapper Lil Wayne has become the latest piece of art to cause havoc across social media.
On Monday, October 23, someone uploaded a photo of Lil Wayne’s wax figure inside the Hollywood Wax Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, with the caption, “They did Lil Wayne filthy.”
Once Lil Wayne got wind of the viral image, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to chime in on the wax figure. “Sorry, wax museum, but dat sh*t ain’t me! You tried, tho, and I appreciate the effort,” he wrote.
Sorry wax museum but dat shit ain’t me! You tried tho and I appreciate the effort.
Portrait sculptures are hard. The artist receives praise when they nail a celebrity piece, as in Madame Tussauds’ Lizzo, Rihanna, Missy Elliott, or the fan-created piece of the late Nipsey Hussle. But when they don’t, die-hard supporters flood different platforms with messages until the piece is updated.
The Hollywood Wax Museum hasn’t issued a response. Check out a few of their other celebrity wax figures below.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
It’s been two-and-a-half whole years since the first season of Invincible. The Amazon cartoon — about the son of the world’s mightiest superhero — dropped a special over the summer, and it’s second season is right around the corner. But there’s a catch: said season is going to be split in two. But that doesn’t mean there will be a ton of forthcoming episodes, as has happened with The Sopranos and Breaking Bad. In fact, how many new Invincible episodes will there be total?
The answer: eight. That’s not a huge number, and what’s more, fans will have to put up with meager pickings: Only four episodes will air in 2023, with the next quartet saved for the following year.
Amazon has not formally give a reason for splitting up the season, the likely culprit is the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. That may have kept voice stars Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, and J.K. Simmons away from the recording booth.
Another possible reason is Amazon hopes to spread out new content, as the film and television industry has been partly on hiatus since the WGA strike began in May.
When it returns, Invincible will continue the story of teenage Mark Grayson (Yeun), who has reached the age when his superpowers kick in, allowing him to follow in the footsteps of his super-powered dad (Simmons). Alas, their relationship goes south, although the second season will reportedly not make their fall-out the primary focus.
Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift are collaborators and very good friends. Over the summer, the producer tied the knot with Margaret Qualley. Swift, meanwhile, is in a budding relationship with Travis Kelce, which has been widely discussed online and in sideline commentary during football games. But together Antonoff and Swift are responsible for a new hit.
On Monday, October 23, Billboardrevealed that their 2019 collaborative track “Cruel Summer” has become Swift’s tenth No. 1 single. That mean Swift is tied with icons Stevie Wonder and Janet Jackson over the same record. After the platform shared the charting data, Swift and Antonoff took to social media to post a video message.
“A song from five f*cking years age… yeah,” yelled Antonoff. “Our favorite song from ‘Lover.’ The song that we said was the best song, but we said, ‘This was our secret best song.’ That’s what we thought.”
Swift added, “We just wanted to say thank you so much for making ‘Cruel Summer’ a Hot 100 No. 1. and it’s not even the summer anymore.”
Initially chart predictions suggested that Doja Cat’s single “Paint The Town Red” would return to the top after being dethroned by Drake & J. Cole’s “First Person Shooter.” That didn’t happen.
The Lost Explorer/Leyenda/Bozal/El Jolgorio/istock/Uproxx
While we’re sure you’re going to enjoy a dram (or seven) of your favorite bourbons, ryes, or single malt Scotch whiskies this fall, we implore you to give another spirit a chance to shine this season. When it comes to complex, sweet, and sometimes smoky fall flavors — it’s difficult to beat the appeal of a well-made mezcal.
If you’re new to Mexican spirits, you might not have a real grasp on what exactly mezcal is. It looks like tequila and (to the novice) even smells like tequila, but it’s absolutely not tequila. It is close-ish, though. Think about it like this: all tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila — as any spirit made from agave falls under the latter term.
To be considered tequila, a spirit must be made with Blue Weber agave exclusively. Mezcal, on the other hand, can be made with multiple types of agave — some of the more common are tobalá, Tepeztate, and espadín. It’s also known to often feature a smoky finish — a nice sensation as the weather turns. To help us find the best mezcals for fall, we turned to the professionals, asking well-known bartenders to lend us a hand.
Keep scrolling to see all of their picks.
Mezcal de Leyendas Azul
Mezcal de Leyendas
Corey Hayes, general manager and beverage director at Gala & Muse Bar in Miami
ABV: 46.1%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Mezcal:
Always and forever. Mezcal de Leyenedas Azul. This western Sierra slope mezcal is by the best for the fall or anytime, Don Lupe is an absolute legend and if you don’t know this mazcalero, then you should start reading up.
Tasting Notes:
This particular mezcal has heavy mezcal notes with a beautiful citric flavor. Similar to the other agave-based spirits (if you can’t tell, I’m passionate about them), they should be sipped on the rocks.
Cinco Sentidos Pechuga de Mole Poblano
Cinco Sentidos
Vlad Novikov, general manager at Silver Lyan in Washington, DC
Vago produces some great mezcal for sipping. But for the fall specifically, I’d direct people to try some pechuga. Cinco Sentidos Pechuga de Mole Poblano is what I would recommend.
Tasting Notes:
It is really lovely. It’s earthy, with great warming spice and savory notes. It’s the kind of mezcal you’ll want to sip slowly as the weather turns cooler.
El Jolgorio Tobalá
El Jolgorio
Alex Barbatsis, bar director at The Whistler in Chicago
I love to sip Tobalá Mezcal in the fall. It’s made with a smaller agave plant that only grows in high, arid altitudes which gives the piña heart a rich and dense flavor to extract. El Jolgorio Tobalá Mezcal is amazing. The agave is harvested only after 12 years, crushed by a mule-drawn Tahona, and then open-air fermented. This one has limited availability since they only harvest the agave in a sustainable way.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is lightly smoky and fruity with agave sweetness and a palate of minerality, vegetal sweetness, roasted agave, ripe peppers, and more gentle, warming smoke.
I am so in love with agave spirit, so it is very difficult to choose, but if I have to, I will go with something rich in flavor and perfect for the cold weather as we head into fall and winter: Del Maguey Tobala. Handcrafted on a tropical hillside surrounded by fruit trees and rose bushes, Tobala is naturally fermented and twice distilled.
Tasting Notes:
The floral and fruit nose is strong, and the palate is overwhelmed with mango cinnamon flavors. An incredible mezcal.
Ilegal Joven is unaged, which sets it apart from Ilegal reposado and Ilegal Añejo which are in fact aged. This mezcal is a perfect fit for cocktails, but it is by far the best option to be sipped on its own.
Tasting Notes:
It has deep agave aromas and hints of green apples, citrus, and white pepper. There is a lingering heat and sweet agave feel, which will evoke the perfect ‘cozy autumn warming’ sensation.
Del Maguey Pechuga
Del Maguey
Evan Hawkins, head bartender at Virginia’s in New York City
I really enjoy Del Maguey Pechuga, It’s a mezcal that is from this village, Santa Catarina Minas. It’s distilled three times in these cool clay stills. They use apples, plums, red plantains, pineapples, almonds, and a chicken breast (hence the name) are used in the third distillation. It gives so much depth and flavor to the mezcal.
Tasting Notes:
The palate is complex and flavorful with notes of leather, chocolate, ripe fruit, agave, and gentle spices. The finish is lightly smoky and highly memorable.
Amarás Espadin Reposado is an enjoyable mezcal for both sipping and in a cocktail. The flavors are warming, complex, and soft as it spends some time in an oak barrel.
Tasting Notes:
When sipping you pick up on the roasted hazelnut and vanilla. Has the smokiness of what you expect from a mezcal but with elegance.
Bozal Guias de Calabaza
Bozal
Dana Lachenmayer, head bartender at The Wesley in New York City
Following age-old practices of mezcaleros, Bozal’s Guias de Calabaza is my favorite mezcal to sip on in the fall. Produced in small batches as a vegetarian ‘sacrificio’, this mezcal is filled with complex aromas and flavors.
Tasting Notes:
It’s steeped with pineapple, plantains, oranges, pumpkin seeds, and chepiche from the local market. It is at once a labor of love and a unique expression of mezcal. The result is a complex, flavorful mezcal that will leave you feeling warm all fall long.
My personal favorite is Mezcal Vago Elote. It’s a unique, elevated Espadin mezcal that’s finished with roasted corn, giving it a savory, sweet, memorable flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
What flavors make it great? Traditionally smokey with subtle pepper spice, toasty corn, and nutty notes with an almost creamy texture.
The Lost Explorer Salmiana Mezcal is a superb choice for fall sipping due to its earthy and smoky characteristics. It’s the kind of mezcal you’ll want to savor for as long as possible.
Tasting Notes:
The flavors of roasted agave, mesquite, and subtle herbal notes make it a perfect match for the changing seasons, reminiscent of campfires and cozy evenings.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ busy offseason has been built around one thing: convince Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign a contract extension that will keep him with the team. On Monday evening, we learned the team’s efforts paid off, as Antetokounmpo announced that he decided to put pen to paper on an extension that will keep him in town.
The two-time NBA MVP did not, however, announce the terms of the deal. But thanks to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, we learned that Antetokounmpo signed a 3-year extension that will pay him $186 million over the life of the deal. He could, however, enter free agency a year early, as the final year of the extension features a player option.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has agreed on a three-year, $186 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/CmSj3I2Puk
It’s a gigantic win for Milwaukee, which were put in a tricky position by their superstar forward — on multiple occasions this offseason, Antetokounmpo made clear that he would not stay with the Bucks beyond his current deal unless the team showed it matched his commitment to winning. Not long after that, Milwaukee took a major swing on the trade market by going out and acquiring Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers.
The deal cost Milwaukee quite a lot — primarily, the team had to move on from beloved guard Jrue Holiday — but they made the gamble with the hopes that it would keep Antetokounmpo in town. The gamble paid off, and now, the Bucks can focus on their future knowing their superstar will be at the center of it all.
The 2020 Draft class had until 6 p.m. on Monday to work out a rookie scale contract extension with their current team or hit restricted free agency next summer. A handful of deals were signed with the league year began on July 1, mostly the obvious max extensions, but the rest of the negotiations dragged to the last week, bringing the total to 14 players who inked new deals. They range from 4 years, $30 million all the way up to 5 years, $206 million (with the chance to become $260 million), but all of the players involved got long-term security, while the teams signing them ensured they won’t have to negotiate with the market next summer.
There were a number players that were candidates for an extension that didn’t work one out, headlined by Immanuel Quickley, Patrick Williams, and Obi Toppin, and those players will look to find the deals they want on the restricted market.
Here are the 14 contract extensions that got done, with the Edwards, Ball, and Haliburton deals all including All-NBA escalators that could become $260 million deals — bonus structure comes via Bobby Marks of ESPN.
Anthony Edwards: 5 years, $206 million
LaMelo Ball: 5 years, $206 million
Tyrese Haliburton: 5 years, $206 million
Desmond Bane: 5 years, $197 million (+$8.6 million in unlikely bonuses)
Devin Vassell: 5 years, $135 million (+$11 million in unlikely bonuses)
Jaden McDaniels: 5 years, $131 million (+$5 million unlikely bonuses)
Onyeka Okongwu: 4 years, $62 million
Isaiah Stewart: 4 years, $60 million (+$4 million in unlikely bonuses)
Deni Avdija: 4 years, $55 million
Josh Green: 3 years, $41 million
Cole Anthony: 3 years, $39 million
Aaron Nesmith: 3 years, $33 million
Zeke Nnaji: 4 years, $32 million
Payton Pritchard- 4 years, $30 million
The max deals were unsurprising as the top three all have All-Star appearances to their name, while Desmond Bane has become a high-level starter with All-Star potential in Memphis. Devin Vassell and Jaden McDaniels got nine-figure deals thanks to their solid play thus far and in hopes from their teams that they tap into their full potential on the wing. From there you have some deals that caught people by surprise, like Isaiah Stewart’s deal that came very early on, along with more recent signings of Deni Avdija and Aaron Nesmith. The contract that stood out most in terms of team value was Onyeka Okongwu, as 4 years and $62 million was not what he was expected to fetch, but the Hawks intriguing backup center prioritized getting that long-term security over hoping he’ll pop even more this year and seeing what the market had in store for him.
Warning: This post contains spoilers for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.
The most recent Mission: Impossible pulled off a pretty neat trick: Despite being the first part of a twofer, it managed to find an ending that was both a cliffhanger and satisfying on its own. Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt managed to outwit sneaky baddie Gabriel (Esai Morales), but only for now. Surely that dude’s still up to no good. But fans of the two-and-a-half decades-old franchise will have to wait quite a bit longer for Part Two.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount has decided to bump the second half of Dead Reckoning nearly an extra year. Originally it was due next summer, on June 28. Now it won’t come out until May 23, 2025.
The likely culprit for the bump? That the AMPTP, which represents the studio heads, have not resolved the SAG-AFTRA strike. Part 2 was one of many productions that had to halt mid-stream when the guild first hit the picket lines in July. While the WGA strike ended in late September, the studios are still duking it out with the actors’ union.
As it happened, Tom Cruise tried to intervene in the strike before it began, pressuring studio heads to listen to actors’ fears over how AI could impact their livelihoods. He was also concerned about stunt performers.
The eighth Mission: Impossible isn’t the only Paramount picture that’s been bumped. A Quiet Place: Day One moved from March 8, 2024 to that film’s original slot, which is again June 28.
Jermey Renner did not have a great start to his 2023. On New Year’s Day the acclaimed actor and MCU stalwart was the victim of a freak accident involving a snow plow, which ran him over. That resulted in blunt chest trauma and 30 broken bones. He’s been recovering ever since, but he’s clearly in good spirits, enough that the incident has inspired him to record some new songs.
“A collection of music we wrote about different milestones in my journey of recovery since Jan. 1 this year,” Renner wrote on his Instagram feed. The collection is called Love and Titanium, and he describes it as being
“painful, deeply healing, and ultimately cathartic for me to create.”
It’s not clear when Love and Titanium will be released, though in his post Renner included the word “Soon.”
On top of his acting duties, Renner has released two albums, both in 2020: The Medicine and Live for Now.
Since his accident, Renner has used social media to keep people updated on his progress, which includes extensive physical therapy. He’s also used the album’s title in interviews. During a chat with ABC News back in March, he said, “I’ve lost a lot of flesh and bone in this experience, but I’ve been refueled and refilled with love and titanium.”
The following month, during the premiere of his Disney+ show Rennervations, he was able to walk down the red carpet with the use of a cane. Despite all the pain and suffering it’s caused him, Renner has refused to get rid of the offending snow plow.
We are mere days away from Victor Wembanyama’s highly anticipated NBA debut, as he and the Spurs play host to the Mavs on Wednesday night.
For more than a year, Wembanyama’s other-worldly abilities have been the stuff of legend, but everyone has been waiting to see how the 7’5 Frenchman fares against the best players in the world. Rookies, even ones that go on to be greats, tend to not be among the league’s best players in their first seasons — it’s been 12 years since the last rookie made an All-Star team with Blake Griffin, who was a “redshirt” rookie after missing a year with an injury.
However, Wembanyama is not just any prospect, as he’s considered the best talent to enter the league since LeBron James, and expectations are sky-high for what he’ll do immediately. While his Summer League showing was a bit spotty and started to pump the brakes on some of the immediate hype, what he’s done this preseason has ripped the brakes completely off of the hype train. It’s not just fans that are driving the Wemby bandwagon, but some all-time greats are already all-in on him, as evidenced by this delightful video of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett on Showtime’s KG Certified geeking out over what Wembanyama’s done, proclaiming him a top-5 skill player in the league already and saying the Spurs should make the playoffs.
KG and Paul Pierce are probably a bit too high on what Wembanyama and the Spurs are going to be immediately this year, but I do love seeing two Hall of Famers showing this kind of love to the next generation of superstar. All too often we see past stars questioning the current generation, but KG and Pierce are just hyped to watch this guy who can do things no one else has ever done. There’s no “well in my day” stuff here, it’s just excitement about this alien who has an insane skillset we now get to watch play basketball. Is it going too far? Maybe, but who can blame them given what we’ve seen him do.
Ty Dolla Sign fans who were disappointed that he canceled his More Motion Less Emotion Tour may have something to look forward to next month, as the LA singer just announced that he and Kanye West are planning a “multi-stadium” listening event akin to Kanye’s listening events for Donda a few years ago on November 3. However, there’s little other info about it, so maybe take this with a grain of salt, considering how slapdash Kanye’s previous ambitious endeavors have been — and how his last year went, what with his basically burning his empire to the ground.
If anything, you’ve got to wonder why Ty has hitched his horse to this particular wagon, which has been racing at top speed toward a thousand-foot cliff with no brakes and two broken axles. He and Kanye are reportedly searching for distributors for their upcoming joint album, but you have to imagine that West’s brand is pretty much radioactive right now. Even doing the one thing everybody hoped he’d do when he was on the warpath last year might not be enough to right the ship; neither Donda was much to write home about, and you sort of have to balance the hope for a return to form against the fear that Kanye will just double down on all the shenanigans that lost him his shoe deal, bank accounts, and marriage (supposedly) in the first place.
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(@rahsh33m) October 23, 2023
