Month: November 2023

Shortly after Timbaland started getting criticism for saying he thought that Justin Timberlake should’ve put a “muzzle” on Britney Spears, it seems he offered an apology.

“I apologize to the Britney fans,” he said in a TikTok video. “And her. Yeah, so you know, about respecting women? Hell yeah.”

The comment was originally made during Timbaland’s appearance at the Afrotech Conference in Austin, Texas, but quickly picked up steam online. Given that he had collaborated with Timberlake in the past, especially on songs like “Cry Me A River,” someone in the audience asked what he had thought about the headlines surrounding Spears’ recently-released memoir.

“I wanted to call JT and say, ‘Man! You gotta put a muzzle on that girl,’” Timbaland responded.

Many online were quick to call out his misogyny, his history with the late Aaliyah, and the fact that Spears reportedly didn’t want to work with him several years ago.

As for her memoir, Spears didn’t hold back on Timberlake. She revealed that she had an abortion during their relationship, claimed that he cheated on her, and gave her thoughts about how she seemed to have been portrayed using a lookalike in the “Cry Me A River” video.

Check out Timbaland’s apology about his Britney Spears comment above.

Drinking on the job is always a bad idea — unless it’s New Year’s Eve, and you’re on live television. It used to be tradition for Andy Cohen to get blitzed while co-hosting CNN’s end-of-year broadcast with Anderson Cooper. When they rang in 2022, Cohen got so hammered he railed against Ryan Seacrest (to whom he later apologized) and departing NYC mayor Bill DeBlasio (to whom he did not). Last year CNN banned on-air boozing, much to Cohen’s despair. This year, though, he’s hoping they’ll reverse that decision.

During a sit down on E! News, the talk show host was asked if he was planning on drinking on the DL during this year’s NYE broadcast.

“Hopefully, I will not be sneaking it,” Cohen replied. “I haven’t heard anything yet, but come on, they need to let us drink. It’s New Year’s Eve. That didn’t go well last year in terms of viewer happiness about us drinking. People really cared and I hope CNN gives the people what they want.”

He added, “Give the daddies some juice.”

Truly. During last year’s show, while trying to subsist on apple cider vinegar, a presumably sober Cohen lost it, screaming, “I NEED TEQUILA! HONESTLY!” while throwing his non-alcoholic drink.

Even Kevin Hart, during a remote interview, took pity on them. “I can’t believe this right now! Watching you guys, and you are completely sober! What is happening? What is happening right now?” Hart railed. “You guys can’t say anything about it, but I can! I can say things about it! This is absolute bullsh*t! I don’t like it one bit!”

CNN has had a rough year, with dramatic management upheaval and a disastrous attempt to kowtow to the MAGA crowd. They need a win. Perhaps that can come by feeding Andy Cohen shots of Malört while he insults the Pope or something. Surely Newsmax would let him do it.

(Via E! News)

City Girls recently dropped their new album, RAW. As part of the press cycle, both Yung Miami and JT talked with Billboard about the record. However, during the interview, the former was also asked about her relationship with Diddy.

For those who don’t know, Yung Miami has been apparently dating the media mogul for a while, even though they have a bit of a unique relationship. A few months ago, she appeared to go shopping with Diddy’s money as a celebration of his and City Girls’ collab dropping. Now she’s sharing how she first attracted him.

“I don’t know ’cause people say that I wasn’t Diddy type,” Yung Miami said. “But clearly, I am. So, I think that you just be yourself because people, they gravitate towards real. Like, so many people try to be something that they not.

“You just got to be yourself,” she added. “I’m just myself. I’m just that b*tch.”

In terms of the timeline of Diddy and Yung Miami’s relationship, they were first linked during the summer of 2021. By the following summer, she was in the crowd of the BET Awards, cheering him on while getting the Lifetime Achievement Award with a sign that read “Go Papi!.”

Meanwhile, JT had been seeing Lil Uzi Vert, but she confirmed that while they are a rap duo, the two girls won’t be going on double dates any time soon.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Billie Eilish is planning to add a new fragrance to her collection pretty soon. This one’s titled “Eilish No. 3,” and it’s being released in a sleek red bottle, modeled after a body. For fans or perfume collectors who might be wondering how to get Eilish’s limited-edition release, here’s what to know about when it’s coming out.

Back in September, when Eilish unveiled her previous fragrance, her social media post noted that it would be dropping simply in November, without an exact date given.

The same is true for Eilish’s fragrance website, which only has it listed as “coming soon.” However, those interested can enter their information to “be the first to shop” it when it does.

As of now, the perfume will at least be out sometime by the end of this month.

“I wanted them to feel like they’re from the same family, but very different in themselves,” Eilish told W Magazine about her past two perfume drops. “I wanted them to feel not similar at all, while also feeling familiar, in a way.

“‘Eilish’ was very cozy and very sitting-by-the-fireplace,” she added. “It’s warm, and it’s amber-looking—this dark, soft, warm light. I wanted ‘Eilish No. 2‘ to be the opposite of that: cold and dark, but also make you feel very soft and tender, while also being sultry and sexy. I wanted it to be spicier and more gender-neutral, too.”

Last year, during Election Day 2022, Republicans got a rude awakening: Their predicted “red wave” was more like a splash in the tub, thanks in part to their draconian stance on abortion. There was much reckoning. Many blamed Donald Trump. (Trump blamed pro-lifers.) Cut to a year later, and the GOP is once again talking abortion restrictions — and their 2024 frontrunner is Donald Trump. Will they ever learn? Probably not. But for now, enjoy one of their bigger stars having an existential meltdown she’ll probably forget about in two or three months.

https://twitter.com/kayleighmcenany/status/1722081476039110739

Per The New York Times, one of the bigger takeaways from an off-Election Day year was that Ohio voters had overwhelmingly voted to enshrine a constitutional right to abortion. (They also legalized marijuana. Hell yeah.) The win comes in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, which has led to abortion restrictions in several states — and to massive backlash when put to the voters, as seen Tuesday in the Buckeye State.

After the results came in, McEnany appeared on Hannity, not to spin the decision but to blame themselves.

“On the issue of abortion in Ohio tonight, we continue the losing streak in the pro-life movement,” McEnany lamented. “Every ballot initiative has been lost post-Dobbs for the pro-life movement.”

Should they realized that restricting abortion is a non-starter, a party-killer? Nope. They just need better messaging about taking rights away from women.

“As a party, Sean, we must, we must not just be a pro-baby party. That’s a great thing. We must be a pro-mother party,” McEnany said. “We need a national strategy… to help vulnerable women because the results of next year’s election could be determined by that.”

McEnany also said something revealing — and troubling, at least to the GOP, after that recent poll that shows Trump beating Biden in swing states.

“Kentucky’s a red state. Ohio’s a red state. Mississippi, we don’t know what will happen this evening, we hope that [incumbent GOP governor Tate] Reeves pulls it off, but it is a red state” she said. “Tonight, the midterm elections, the last few elections, we must realize that as a party good polling does not always translate into resounding victory.”

McEnany then pitched some ideas about making voting easier — the very things Republicans have spent the last few years denouncing, as voters tend to vote Democrat: “It must be operationalized, with a mail-in vote strategy, with a voting early strategy, with a get-out-the-vote strategy, to put a tailwind behind those very poor numbers for Biden and very good numbers for Trump.”

But again, if history repeats itself, Republicans won’t learn a damn thing, including that their views are for the most part deeply unpopular with most Americans.

It’s the second day McEnany got mad/sad on-air. On Monday, after Trump’s chaotic court appearance, she had a field day with his unflattering courtroom sketches.

(Via Mediaite and NYT)

You wear extra chunky sweaters. You’ve never met a mitten you didn’t like. You may even keep a lap blanket at work.

You’re one of those people who is always cold. And you are not alone.

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Inside or outside, you just can’t seem to get warm. This characteristic of yours manifests itself in extra blankets, wild heating bills, and enough complaints that you start going hoarse.

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But surely there’s a scientific reason as to why some people are always cold, right?

It can’t just be random chance that has doomed you to a life of perpetual shivers. I reached out to an expert to learn more.

Dr. Christopher Minson is a professor in the department of human physiology at the University of Oregon. One of his primary research interests is thermoregulation, that’s how the brain and body interact and adapt as we heat and cool. Plainly put, he is the perfect guy to answer a few questions from #TeamCold.

(This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.)

Upworthy (UP): So what is actually happening in the body when a person gets chilly?

Dr. Chris Minson (CM): In the simplest of terms, feeling either cold or warm means that the temperature “set point” of the body is being challenged by thermal inputs throughout the body, including in the brain, the blood, the spinal cord, our organs, our muscles, and our skin. Part of our brain collects all of those thermal inputs and essentially compares them to what body temperature it wants to hold. So if your skin temperature is lowered, even though the rest of your body is still at a comfortable set-point, you will feel cold — in some cases, cold enough to make behavioral changes like putting on a sweater.

UP: Is there a reason this seems to largely impact women?

CM: The people who feel “always cold” will typically have lower muscle mass relative to body surface area (typically, women and older people). Their actual body core temperature may not really be below normal, but they feel cold because their body is telling them to conserve heat.

There have also been limited reports that women have a higher density of blood vessels at the skin surface, which would make them more sensitive to cold. However, there hasn’t been enough good data collected on this theory to confirm or disprove it.

This also explains a frequent frustrations about women and men in relationships…

CM: A common complaint by women and men in relationships is that women’s feet are often very cold, especially in bed. That goes along with the lower body mass to surface area relationship in women. As their body works to conserve heat, it vasoconstricts blood vessels in the extremities (hands and feet) to keep the core warm. This reduced blood flow results in cold hands and feet in women more than men.

So there you have it: Your brain is simply an overworked project manager trying to keep you alive. But there are a few things you can do about it.

UP: If you are a person who is always cold, is there anything you can do to “retrain” your body, so to speak?

CM: One of the best things someone can do is to increase their fat-free mass (muscle). This will increase overall metabolic rate (although it’s not easy to do.)

Another thing a person could do is undergo cold-stresses, such as allowing themselves to be exposed to very cold temperatures for short periods of time. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s been suggested that this could decrease the sensation of feeling cold. An example is putting the shower on ‘cold’ for a short period of time in the shower. Not easy to do, and you would want to build up to a full minute each day, but in some people it can help them to decrease the feeling of being cold.

UP: There are a lot of jokes at the expense of people who are always cold, but at what point does it go from “I’m always cold, and it’s a quirky thing about me” to “I’m always cold and I should probably see my doctor”?

CM: There is the possibility that someone’s perpetual coldness could be caused by abnormally low thyroid hormone levels, and that can be verified with a blood test. That is by far the rarer condition, but taking hormone supplements if medically needed can help. If a person is quite lethargic, has low motivation, and is always cold, it might be worth having thyroid hormones evaluated.

So if you are a lap-blanket wearing member of #TeamCold, don’t fret.

You are strong. You are capable. And unless you have pain or some of the symptoms Minson mentioned, there is likely nothing wrong with you. Our bodies just require different things of us, and yours requires that you have to deal with an overly-air conditioned-society. My sincerest apologies. On behalf of #TeamHot, your next cocoa is on me.

This article originally appeared on 02.13.18

Dua Lipa is gearing up for her next album, as she will seemingly be kickstarting it with her upcoming new single, “Houdini.” A few days ago, Lipa revealed that fans in London would be getting a surprise event this Thursday, but it seems she is starting the festivities early.

BBC’s music correspondent, Mark Savage, went viral on Twitter after taking a photo of her listening party. She held it right outside the organization’s office.

Lipa, wearing a black jacket and some sunglasses, smiles, as a man appears to be listening to it with wired headphones. BBC’s security team surrounds the small but fun event with colorful flags, and even one member is standing on a stepstool with a disco ball just to bring the party vibes.

“Congratulations, you are the first person to hear Dua Lipa’s brand new song,” read the banner in the back of the photo.

Along with Lipa’s other planned London event, she will be holding other “Houdini” launches in Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 14, and Tokyo on Monday, November 20.

Check out the celebratory photo of Dua Lipa’s first listener above.

Dua Lipa’s “Houdini” is out 11/9. Find more information here.

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

Last night Jung Kook stepped into the solo spotlight to treat The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon audience to the live debut of his new song, “Standing Next To You.” The romantic track serves as the standout one from his new debut album, Golden.

At the start of the video, Fallon poses in front of a crowd holding Jung Kook’s album cover. It then cuts to a shot of a sun design that is flashing on the screen. The silhouettes of background dancers take the stage, with Jung Kook being creatively hidden, only seen with a glittery blazer. He then makes his way to the front, showing off his moves alongside the other performers.

Along with the song, Jung Kook sat down with Fallon, where he discussed the possibility of doing a world tour tied to the album. As BTS is currently on an indefinite hiatus, he currently has lots of free time.

“I want to complement them more and make more songs, and maybe when I’m ready I can do the tour in full swing,” Jung Kook shared.

At another point in the interview, he also gave a shoutout to the BTS fandom (known as ARMY) for enjoying the “unexpected” moment when he fell asleep during a WeVerse livestream.

Check out Jung Kook’s TV debut of “Standing Next To You” on The Tonight Show above.

Each year that I teach the book “1984” I turn my classroom into a totalitarian regime under the guise of the “common good.”

I run a simulation in which I become a dictator. I tell my students that in order to battle “Senioritis,” the teachers and admin have adapted an evidence-based strategy, a strategy that has “been implemented in many schools throughout the country and has had immense success.” I hang posters with motivational quotes and falsified statistics, and provide a false narrative for the problem that is “Senioritis.”

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I tell the students that in order to help them succeed, I must implement strict classroom rules. They must raise their hand before doing anything at all, even when asking another student for a pencil. They lose points each time they don’t behave as expected. They gain points by reporting other students. If someone breaks the rule and I don’t see it, it’s the responsibility of the other students to let me know. Those students earn bonus points. I tell students that in order for this plan to work they must “trust the process and not question their teachers.” This becomes a school-wide effort. The other teachers and admin join in.

I’ve done this experiment numerous times, and each year I have similar results. This year, however, was different.

This year, a handful of students did fall in line as always. The majority of students, however, rebelled.

By day two of the simulation, the students were contacting members of administration, writing letters, and creating protest posters. They were organizing against me and against the admin. They were stomping the hallways, refusing to do as they were told.

The president of the Student Government Association, whom I don’t even teach, wrote an email demanding an end to this “program.” He wrote that this program is “simply fascism at its worst. Statements such as these are the base of a dictatorship rule, this school, as well as this country cannot and will not fall prey to these totalitarian behaviors.”

I did everything in my power to fight their rebellion.

I “bribed” the president of the SGA. I “forced” him to publicly “resign.” And, yet, the students did not back down. They fought even harder. They were more vigilant. They became more organized. They found a new leader. They were more than ready to fight. They knew they would win in numbers.

I ended the experiment two days earlier than I had planned because their rebellion was so strong and overwhelming. For the first time since I’ve done this experiment, the students “won.”

What I learned is this: Teenagers will be the ones to save us.

Just like Emma Gonzalez, the teen activist from Marjory Stoneman Douglas, my students did not back down nor conform. They fought for their rights. They won.

Adults can learn a lot from the teens of this generations. Adults are complacent, jaded, and disparaged. Teenagers are ignited, spirited, and take no prisoners. Do not squander their fight. They really are our future. Do not call them entitled. That entitlement is their drive and their passion. Do not get in their way. They will crush you.

Foster their rebellion. They are our best allies.

This story originally appeared on Medium and is reprinted here with permission. It was originally published on 2.21.18.

It’s interesting how the little things we say in our day-to-day conversations can sometimes seem harsh, even without us meaning to be. Sometimes, even when trying to be friendly, we can say the wrong thing and come off as passive-aggressive or condescending.

John Bowe, a speech trainer, award-winning journalist, and author of “I Have Something to Say: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking in an Age of Disconnection,” recently wrote an article for CNBC on commonly heard phrases, especially in the professional world, that can unintentionally make us come off as rude or condescending.

Here are 3 of those phrases people commonly use that may be considered rude.

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1. “Do you want to …?”

“This phrase is great when you’re offering someone a choice (“Do you want to go to lunch with me?”). But as a way of delivering orders (“Do you want to take out the trash?”), its indirect fake-politeness comes across as belittling,” Bowe told CNBC.

He adds that it is more polite to state your request “directly.” If your spouse asked you to take out the trash, how would you like to be told?

“Will you do me a favor and take out the trash when you have a second?”

Or:

“Do you want to take out the trash?”

2. “Here’s the thing …”

“This phrase insists that whatever follows will be the final, authoritative take on the subject at hand. Even when used inadvertently, it can sound a bit self-important. Truly authoritative people don’t tend to waste time on throat-clearing statements,” Bowe told CNBC.

When people give their opinion by starting with, “Here’s the thing…” they are making a declarative statement that what they have to say is the objective truth. When, in reality, they are probably just sharing an opinion. By making a declarative statement, they are pumping themselves up while also diminishing the opinions of others.

As Chris Illuminati humorously points out in Brobible, there is “no specific thing.” People say “Here’s the thing” to introduce a fact or observation, but the phrase serves no purpose. One could easily lead with the fact or observation without the unnecessary puffery.

3. “Obviously …”

“This word subtly or not-so-subtly conveys that anyone disagreeing with the speaker is wrong. Even if you don’t realize it, using it can make you seem arrogant,” Bowe writes.

Dianna Booher, founder and CEO of Dallas-based communication firm Booher Research Institute, agrees. “It sounds as though the writer is pointing out that the information that follows should be obvious, but you, the reader, are not smart enough to grasp it,” Booher tells Monster.

Sometimes, it can be hard to know how we are coming off to other people. The best way to find out if we’re being rude, arrogant, or belittling is to put ourselves in other people’s shoes and ask ourselves, “How would I feel if someone spoke to me that way?” It’s also good to record ourselves in meetings or on the phone from time to time to make sure that we are communicating as effectively and politely as we can.