Month: November 2023

Thanksgiving is all about getting together with your family to eat food. Which is kinda weird considering many Thanksgiving staples are straight garbage. Sure, a fair few of them are amazing enough to make up the difference — stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes with warm gravy, gooey homemade macaroni and cheese — and you get to top off your dinner with a slice of decadent pumpkin pie. Those are wins. But for every good dish, there are two dishes you’d never eat any other time of the year.

Candied yams? Canned cranberry sauce? F*cking Ambrosia?! WHY AMBROSIA??? WHYYYYYYYYYYY???

If you’re going to spend a day passively aggressively arguing over the political agenda of the Barbie movie and comparing incomes over lukewarm food… well, at least eat the stuff that’s likely to taste good. And we’re here to help by shouting out all the worst Thanksgiving side dishes, from bad to “why in the world would you ever eat that, don’t you understand that your stomach capacity is finite?”

Let’s dive in!

8. Glazed Carrots

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Why We Hate This Dish:

I love carrots but what the f*ck is going on with these things? Admittedly, Thanksgiving isn’t a holiday known for its vegetable sides. But when they do show up, it’s… these things.

That’s because it’s super easy to make this dish, so if you’re the person who shows up with glazed carrots just know that everyone thinks you slacked. Also, carrots are already naturally sweet, do you need to toss them in brown sugar and butter? No, but you’re going to because bringing just a bowl of steamed carrots to a dinner party is insane and will get you thrown out.

People hate on green beans, but green beans you can toss with bacon and cook them in the grease. Carrots are too thick for that.

The Bottom Line:

These are just for show. There’s enough sugar on Thanksgiving.

7. Creamed Spinach

Why We Hate This Dish:

“Oh, thanks for bringing this wet mushy dirt-flavored dish, we can’t wait to microwave it and make the texture even weirder.” This is what everyone really wants to say to you when you show up with this dish in hand. Creamed spinach? Get the hell out of here!

I’ll admit, there is a time and place for creamed spinach. My editor likes it. Zach Johnston probably knows how to make it good. But that time and place isn’t Thanksgiving dinner. This is the sort of dish you pair with a bloody savory steak, not dry turkey and ham.

The Bottom Line:

Maybe it works if you’re making it fresh, but you probably aren’t — which means it’s going to need to be microwaved and no one likes microwaved leaves.

6. Apple Pie

Why We Hate This Dish:

The only other pie aside from pumpkin that is acceptable to bring to the table during Thanksgiving is pecan. I will not argue or belabor this point.

The Bottom Line:

If the pumpkin pies are sold out, you don’t pick up apple. You go to another store and hope they have pumpkin.

5. Turkey

Why We Hate This Dish:

I know it’s weird to place the centerpiece dish of Thanksgiving in this list of worst Thanksgiving sides, but let’s face it, turkey is always the worst dish (roast and ham are always the go-to proteins). No shade to turkey, outside of Thanksgiving I love it, but because this is a holiday that centers around food that is cooked elsewhere and then re-heated hours — sometimes days — later, the turkey always suffers.

Unless it’s deep-fried or you’re eating one of those big roasted turkey legs, your Thanksgiving turkey is probably dry and requires layers of gravy to even be palatable. There are better ways to enjoy gravy, my friend.

Don’t blame your family too much, either — cooking a whole turkey is something most people do only once per year, resulting in few masters of the craft. Better to put all the turkey you have coming your way aside with some gravy and do turkey tacos the next day.

The Bottom Line:

We should be able to admit that Thanksgiving turkey is terrible without hurting someone in our family’s feelings.

4. Sweet Potatoes

Why We Hate This Dish:

If your family goes all out and makes the sweet potato casserole, you get a pass. While I don’t love that dish, at least it’s a legit dessert that reheats wonderfully and feels tied to the holiday. Mashed sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are awful. Once you go for that “walk with the cousins” you might fool yourself into thinking this admittedly beautiful-looking dish might be delicious, but even high, I promise you it’s not.

What are we supposed to pair this dish with? We already have baked ham which when combined with this dish is overwhelmingly sweet, and if you’re going for the roast beef then mashed potatoes and gravy are going to be a way more satisfying side dish. So that leaves what, turkey?

The Bottom Line:

The lazy version of the sweet potato casserole. It’s not even 1/10th as good.

3. A Corn Dish That Isn’t Cornbread

Why We Hate This Dish:

If you’re bringing corn to the table it’s because you were straight up too lazy to make an actual dish and instead opened up a can of corn, boiled it, and then put it in a bowl pretending you did your part.

The only corn-related dish you should be bringing to Thanksgiving is cornbread. Specifically jalapeno corn bread which doesn’t have to be hard to make. Let me help you: buy a box of jiffy cornbread mix, a single jalapeño, and some Greek yogurt. Follow the recipe on the box, dice up a jalapeño and throw it in the mixture as well as a spoon of the Greek yogurt (this will help make it creamy and not too dry), toss it in the oven and bam, you have a dish that is one thousand times better than a bowl of corn and is just as easy to make!

The Bottom Line:

At least pick a food that is in season. This isn’t Fourth of July, friend.

2. Canned Cranberry Sauce

Why We Hate This Dish:

It feels shallow to hate canned cranberry sauce because of the way it looks but, I mean, look at it! Now granted, no one is eating canned cranberry sauce the way that it’s photographed, but once you’ve seen those can ridge in the gelatinous goo, it’s hard to enjoy it.

Now let me defend cranberry sauce for a second. It’s an interesting way to add complexity and dimension to your dish, it’s tart and sweet and pairs well with various Thanksgiving staples. But so does gravy, and why you’d opt for this over gravy is beyond comprehension.

When done right, this dish can be amazing, look no further than Uproxx’s own Zach Johnston and his recipe for homemade bourbon-cranberry sauce. Doesn’t that just sound great? Now compare that to the words “canned cranberry sauce.”

The Bottom Line:

If you’re willing to make your own — which isn’t hard by the way — you get a pass, but canned cranberry sauce is more about tradition than pleasing anybody at the table.

1. Ambrosia

Why We Hate This Dish:

Aside from this dish looking like what I imagine clown throw-up looks like, Ambrosia is just straight-up weird. A fruit salad made from pineapple, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, coconut, and whipped cream — ambrosia is one of those dishes that should work because each of the individual ingredients is delicious on its own, but fails to come together harmoniously.

The mix of vague tropical fruit notes and intense artificial sweetness is stomach-turning. It is by far the sweetest dish you’ll ever find on the table, and I struggle to see how this fits alongside any of the staple Thanksgiving flavors.

Also, most of the time people leave the ambrosia out on the table — probably because no one knows what to do with it — which allows the whipped cream to melt, making this a soggy puddle of sweetness.

The Bottom Line:

Ambrosia gets its name from the food of the Greek gods. Whoever invented this dish and called it “ambrosia” must’ve had Hermes (famous for being a prankster) in mind because this is a joke of a dish.

Snoop Dogg shocked the world today with perhaps the most surprising announcement he could have made: In an image shared on social media, he declared, “After much consideration & conversation with my family, I’ve decided to give up smoke. Please respect my privacy at this time.”

Seemingly, this is Snoop declaring that he is no longer smoking weed (although that’s something he’s tried before). He didn’t explicitly say that, though; Perhaps his phrasing of “give up smoke” was calculated and intentional, a tease for another announcement to come soon (his own line of edibles, maybe?). Whatever the case may be, this has Snoop fans talking, which makes now a good time to look back at when Snoop’s weed journey began.

In 2008, he told the story to Esquire, saying, “The first time I got high off marijuana was in the ’70s, with one of my uncles. They had these little roaches on the table — these part-way-smoked marijuana cigarettes — and there was some Schlitz Malt Liquor Bull. I went in there and sipped the Schlitz, and my uncle asked me did I wanna hit that roach. And I was like, ‘Yeah.’ He put it on the roach clip for me and lit it up, and I hit that motherf*cker. I was about eight or nine years old.”

So, whether or not Snoop is really done with smoking weed, you at least know how the legendary journey began.

Of the many bizarre twists in the saga of disgraced Congressman George Santos, the news that he illegally used campaign funds to pay for private expenses sounds, at first, fairly tame. After all, this is a man who was a Brazilian Drag Queen before he turned Republican. He’s lied about his ancestry, job qualifications, and collegiate volleyball career. He may have even taken money from the GoFundMe campaign for a veteran’s dying dog. He is the kind of cowardly, cartoonish villain children’s author Lemony Snicket wishes he could’ve dreamed up.

And yet, somehow, learning that he practically starved his campaign staff so that he could funnel political donations through his OnlyFans account feels next-level evil. (Wonder if he was a Bryce Adams subscriber?)

On Thursday morning, a House Ethics Committee report revealed Santos has been misusing campaign dollars for months, refusing to pay his employees even as he borrowed money to afford Botox procedures, shopping trips, and pornographic material. Santos is already facing dozens of counts of money laundering and theft of public funds brought against him by the Department of Justice, but this new report gives voters a clearer picture of the Congressman’s priorities while in office.

The committee found that Santos spent $1,500 on Botox, $3,000 on a weekend trip to the Hamptons, and $2,000 more on trips to Atlantic City. He also went on a shopping spree at Hermes that totaled $4,127.80, paid off credit cards and personal debts, made purchases at Sephora, and funded his OnlyFans account, all using campaign money. Obviously, this is abhorrent behavior from a public servant, but Twitter users seem to be having fun with how ridiculous the whole situation sounds.

(Via Mediaite)

With The Crown Season 6 Part 1 now streaming on Netflix, the reviews are pouring for the first four episodes that tackle the history-making death of Princess Diana whose likeness is amazingly captured by Elizabeth Debicki in a casting decision for the ages.

However, it’s the handling of the aftermath of Diana’s death that is dividing critics. The Crown made the risky creative choice of having Diana appear to her family after death. While some critics found the “Ghost Diana” moments powerful, others did not. (Although, they also had other issues with the show besides treating Diana like Obi-Wan Kenobi telling Luke to use The Force.)

Here’s what the first batch of positive reviews are saying:

Kimberly Ricci, Uproxx:

What transpires is obviously sad at times, but the delivery is stunning. Diana’s strength shines through while The Crown shows how she coped with the ridiculous circumstances of her life after the palace. It’s also, as weird as this sounds, nice to spend some (virtual) time with a member of royalty who was — to be blunt — not a self-involved a-hole. After all, there’s a reason why she was called “The People’s Princess.” Like many of you, I also recall where I was when news coverage of that deadly accident in a Parisian tunnel hit. This was one of those history-altering moments, like how you’ll always remember what you were doing when the 9/11 attacks began or when MAGAs started scaling the sides of the Capitol steps.

Aramide Tinubu, Variety:

Generations of people know that Princess Diana and her friend, Dodi Al-Fayed, were killed in a car crash in the early morning hours of Aug. 31, 1997. It is what occurred in the weeks prior that has remained hazy. Morgan doesn’t offer a whirlwind romance but a depiction of a comforting friendship that had only started to blossom and was exacerbated by public perception and familial obligation. In humanizing the two in life and in death (there are no “ghosts” here), juxtaposed against the reigning monarch’s stoicism and commitment to grating tradition, the show invites the audience to consider the choices made by the British royal family, which have contributed to its relic-like state. With this devastating first section of its final chapter, Netflix’s crown jewel bids farewell to an icon, and retakes its throne.

Kelly Lawler, USA Today:

The Season 5 cast returns with more slightly overwritten speeches and quivering upper lips, and they’re all passable and fine, but it’s Debicki’s show, and everyone else is just along for the ride. The actress rises to the occasion, imbuing her version of the People’s Princess with a slightly airy naïveté, but always splendidly grounding her emotional scenes.

Jackson McHenry, Vulture:

Perhaps because he’s retrodding familiar ground, [Peter] Morgan takes one big swing: Having Diana’s character, as well as Dodi’s in one scene, appear before the other figures in their lives for one last conversation. The scenes are weird, moving, and too neat all simultaneously. It’s almost Catholic, with Dodi and Diana as saintly figures providing everyone a little bit of absolution as they confess their transgressions, each character seeing a reflection of their own anxieties about the pair rather than the people themselves. That, in turn, reminds you of all those photographs. Everyone takes their piece of this woman, their claim to know her. But all those facets, those glimpses, surround an unknown whole.

And here are the other reviews that were not loving Ghost Diana. Notably, the majority of the negative reactions came from across the pond, but there were American outlets that were not feeling the first half of The Crown Season 6.

Lucy Mangan, The Guardian:

Beyond all its formal failures, late-period Crown is also impossibly hamstrung by being set well within living memory. Even if there were anything to engage with, the memories and consequent questions that crowd into the viewer’s mind at every stage would make it impossible. Was Charles really so astute about what her death would mean, so quickly? It seems unlikely, from everything we knew then, and the mountains we have learned since. And we know Prince Philip didn’t murmur to Harry an explanation of the crowd’s behaviour during the funeral procession (“They’re not crying for her. They’re crying for you”) because we were, effectively, there. We would have seen it. The suspension of disbelief can never be established. Ghost Diana dances among ruins.

Nick Hilton, The Independent:

While the shadow of death can offer creative tension, it also makes The Crown feel like an ailing project. “You’ve taught us what it means to be British,” the ghost of Princess Diana tells the Queen (yes, you read that correctly). And The Crown, similarly, has taught the world what it meant to be British, in the 20th century. But it has also run out of road – run out of history to retread – and, on its last legs, has less to say than ever, about what it means to be British now.

Anita Singh, The Telegraph:

There are six more episodes to go. The show may redeem itself dramatically by widening the scope – it will cover William and Kate’s early relationship, the death of Princess Margaret and the wedding of the now King and Queen. Perhaps the Queen will be redeemed and reach a new understanding with Charles. But releasing these four instalments alone is an error, and the fourth (titled Aftermath) is the weakest of the lot. It ends on a note so bizarre that I won’t reveal it here, for fear of spoiling the effect. If you make it that far, you’ll be glad of the laugh.

Ben Travers, IndieWire:

Such overreaching, such redundancy, such ghastly plotting overwhelms the clean, handsome staging and costumed elegance “The Crown” has leaned on for years. (Though the spectacle is less striking in Season 6. Scenes feel cramped and constricted, which would be fitting for the oft-trapped Diana, but the claustrophobic framings also restrict the rest of the characters.) Perhaps there’s an argument to be made that as the Royal family fell out of favor, as Elizabeth’s influence shrank in favor of the future king’s, the series had to shift focus, as well; to downplay the Queen as a way to convey the world passing her by. I don’t know if I buy it, and the heavy-handed metaphor driving Season 5’s finale already covered as much anyway, but I do know this: Talking to the dead, even in a palace, is still a cheap trick.

The Crown Season 6 Part 1 is now streaming on Netflix.

The NBA In-Season Tournament is rolling right along and will continue on Friday evening with an 11-game slate that will, finally, mean every team in the league will have played at least one tournament game — Toronto being the last team waiting to finally grace the bright courts of the IST. For others, the group stage is almost over, as many teams will have hit three games played by the time Friday is done.

That means we have a decent idea of who has a real shot at emerging from the group stage, either as group winner or as the wild card from each conference. We also have an idea of what teams won’t be moving on, even if Memphis is the only team that’s been officially eliminated at this point.

Here, we’ll take a group-by-group look at the In-Season Tournament standings, highlight the most important games of Friday night’s slate, and take a look at the paths remaining for each team.

East Group A

Friday, Nov. 17 Schedule:
76ers at Hawks
Pistons at Cavs

Standings (Teams Yet To Play)
Pacers: 2-0, +11 (Hawks, Pistons)
Hawks: 1-0, +6 (76ers, Pacers, Cavs)
76ers: 1-1, +2 (Hawks, Cavs)
Cavaliers: 0-1, -5 (Hawks, 76ers, Pistons)
Pistons: 0-2, -14 (Pacers, Cavs)

With the point differential in this group, Sixers-Hawks is a very big game as a healthy win from either side would put them in position to potentially win the group. Given Indiana still gets a game with Detroit, Philly will likely need to run the table to have a chance of catching them, while Atlanta is in control of its own destiny for now with the best teams in the group still on the schedule. Cleveland also could get back in the mix, but needs a big win over Detroit tonight to do so, while a loss for the Pistons would formally eliminate them.

East Group B

Friday, Nov. 17 Schedule:
Knicks vs. Wizards
Bucks vs. Hornets

Standings (Teams Yet To Play)
Heat: 2-0, +13 (Bucks, Knicks)
Bucks: 1-0, +5 (Hornets, Heat, Wizards)
Hornets: 1-1, +1 (Bucks, Knicks)
Knicks: 0-1, -5 (Hornets, Heat, Wizards)
Wizards: 0-2, -14 (Bucks, Knicks)

Bucks-Hornets is the big game of the night in this group, as a Milwaukee win would move us one step closer to a Bucks-Heat game to win the group on Nov. 28. That said, a Hornets upset would shake things up considerably, opening the door for them to make a shocking run to the knockout round and be a big help to Miami’s cause. The Knicks have to win tonight to keep their dreams alive of a knockout round appearance, while Washington would be mathematically eliminated with a loss.

East Group C

Friday, Nov. 17 Schedule:
Celtics vs. Raptors
Magic vs. Bulls

Standings (Teams Yet To Play)
Celtics: 1-0, +14 (Raptors, Bulls, Magic)
Nets: 2-1, +8 (Raptors)
Bulls: 0-1, -2 (Raptors, Celtics, Magic)
Magic: 0-1, -20 (Celtics, Bulls, Raptors)
Raptors: 0-0, 0 (Celtics, Nets, Bulls, Magic)

This might be the weirdest group in terms of how the schedule has ended up. Brooklyn has already played three games, while no other team has played more than one, which means the Nets are just waiting to see what happens around them right now at 2-1. The Raptors will finally play their first game against the Celtics, and an upset would shake things up considerably in the standings. Boston, on the other side, could take firm control of the group with a win. Orlando-Chicago feels like a knockout game, as going 0-2 would likely spell the end of the tournament for either team (especially with Boston still lurking for both). The Magic, especially, need to win big to erase their -20 point differential after getting smoked by Brooklyn.

West Group A

Friday, Nov. 17 Schedule:
Suns vs. Jazz
Lakers vs. Blazers

Standings (Teams Yet To Play)
Lakers: 2-0, +30 (Blazers, Jazz)
Jazz: 2-0, +22 (Suns, Lakers)
Blazers: 1-1, -14 (Lakers, Suns)
Suns: 0-1, -3 (Jazz, Grizzlies, Blazers)
Grizzlies: 0-3, -35 (Suns)

The Jazz beat up on the two teams expected to end up on the bottom of the group, which sets up a big game against Phoenix. If they can win that game to move to 3-0, and the Lakers can win as expected against Portland, then the Suns, Blazers, and Grizzlies would all be eliminated, with Jazz-Lakers next Tuesday being for the group. However, a Suns win would create at least a pathway for them to get in the hunt for the West’s wild card berth — but they’ll need to be impressive to bolster their point differential in the process. Portland upsetting L.A. would create a bit some chaos, as what looks like a straightforward path for the Lakers to win the group would get suddenly murkier.

West Group B

Friday, Nov. 17 Schedule:
Nuggets vs. Pelicans
Rockets vs. Clippers

Standings (Teams Yet To Play)
Nuggets: 2-0, +14 (Pelicans, Rockets)
Rockets: 1-0, +3 (Clippers, Nuggets, Mavericks)
Pelicans: 1-1, +18 (Clippers, Nuggets)
Mavericks: 1-2, -14 (Rockets)
Clippers: 0-2, -21 (Rockets, Pelicans)

A Nuggets win over the Pelicans on Friday would basically put a wrap on New Orleans’ hopes, although they do have the point differential to be the best 2-2 team in the West which is unlikely to get the wild card but isn’t impossible at this point. The Pelicans could find themselves in first if they win, as they’d jump Denver on point differential at 2-1. Houston, meanwhile, can eliminate the Clippers with a win and move themselves into position to potentially win the group. L.A. meanwhile is desperate for a win, not just to keep faint hope alive in the tournament, but just generally after losing 6 straight since the James Harden trade went down. Dallas is all-but eliminated, but could certainly play spoiler for Houston in a couple of weeks.

West Group C

Friday, Nov. 17 Schedule:
Kings vs. Spurs

Standings (Teams Yet To Play)
Timberwolves: 2-0, +10 (Kings, Thunder)
Kings: 1-0, +7 (Spurs, Wolves, Warriors)
Warriors: 1-1, -1 (Kings, Spurs)
Thunder: 1-2, +27 (Wolves)
Spurs: 0-2, -43 (Kings, Warriors)

The lone group with just one game on the schedule for Friday, and it’s expected the Kings will officially eliminate the Spurs. The Kings will want to win that game big as well to give themselves a cushion on point differential over Minnesota. OKC, thanks to a beatdown of San Antonio, is in position to have the best point differential of all the 2-2 teams and, as such, will have a slim hope of a knockout round appearance if they can beat Minnesota. The Wolves and Kings both control their destiny, with a matchup on the horizon, while the Warriors will be rooting for OKC or Sacramento to beat the Timberwolves to give them a pathway to the top of the group. At the moment, this group has the most moving parts given the way the top three all sorts out right now.

Mariah Carey kicked off her Merry Christmas One And All Tour last night (November 15) at California’s Yaamava Resort & Casino. As her fans know that Carey’s power only grows stronger when it’s the holiday season, she channeled that energy by delivering a bunch of merry covers themed to the time.

Later in the concert, she also treated the crowd to some of her non-holiday, but still equally-major hit songs, including “Always Be My Baby” and “We Belong Together.”

For a complete list of where to catch one of Carey’s future shows, as well as how to get tickets, visit here.

Continue scrolling to view Carey’s opening setlist of her Merry Christmas One And All Tour, according to setlist.fm.

1. “Overture / All I Want for Christmas Is You (Intro)”
2. “Sugar Plum Fairy Introlude”
3. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)”
4. “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (intro)”
5. “Oh Santa!”
6. “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)”
7. “When Christmas Comes”
8. “Sleigh Ride”
9. “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)”
10. “Fall in Love At Christmas”
11. “Christmas Time Is In The Air Again”
12. “Silent Night”
13. “Joy To The World”
14. “Christmas Wrapping”
15. “Give It To Me Baby”
16. “My All”
17. “Always Be My Baby”
18. “Dreamlover”
19. “Honey / Heartbreaker”
20. “A No No”
21. “It’s A Wrap”
22. “Emotions”
23. “Make It Happen”
24. “Fly Like A Bird”
25. “We Belong Together”
26. “Hero”
27. “All I Want For Christmas Is You“

Pixar‘s latest venture into sequels won’t include another Cars movie (yet…hopefully they’ll keep it that way) but instead, viewers will finally get to see what Riley and her emotions have been up to since 2015’s Inside Out. Now that Riley is a teen, she will surely have some more stuff to say. Or TikToks to make.

The sequel to the acclaimed film was announced in September 2022 when it was confirmed that Amy Poehler would return as Joy, the blue-haired emotion living in Riley’s complex little noggin. But not the entire cast will return for the sequel due to salary disputes, so the gang might sound a little different. Here is everything we know so far about Inside Out 2, which will be directed by longtime Pixar collaborator Kelsey Mann.

Plot

We all know emotions are ever-evolving, so now that Riley is a teen, she is set to experience some fun new emotions, including everyone’s favorite: Anxiety. Luckily, Anxiety is voiced by Maya Hawke, so there is a win here.

While we can expect the usual emotions to have trouble adjusting, there will also be a handful of new emotions entering Riley’s consciousness. We don’t know which new emotions Riley will meet (yet) but it seems like it will stir up some drama inside and outside of her brain.

Here is the official synopsis:

Inside Out 2 returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.

Cast

While Poehler is returning as Joy, there are some big cast changes for the sequel. It was announced last year that Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader, who voiced Disgust and Fear, respectively, would not return to voice their characters for the sequel. Allegedly, the two were only offered $100,000 for the Disney movie, which would be just two percent of what Poehler is set to earn. Poehler was supposedly offered 5 million plus additional bonuses for Joy, which is probably why her character seems to be joyful all the time.

The good news is that Phyllis Smith will be returning as Sadness, while Lewis Black is back as Anger, the role he was made for. We also know that Maya Hawke is joining as Anxiety, a new emotion in Riley’s brain, though the rest of the cast is under wraps.

Release Date

Inside Out 2 will be released in theaters on June 14th, 2024.

Trailer

The teaser trailer was released earlier this month, finally introducing the world to Anxiety. A lot of us have already met.

Taylor Swift has played 59 shows during her record-breaking The Eras Tour. She has three more this weekend in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the country’s most famous landmark, the Christ the Redeemer statue, will reportedly be projected with a shirt from one of Swift’s music videos.

Rio isn’t the first city to hand the proverbial (or sometimes literal) key to to Swift, and it won’t be the last, not with how much money is pumped into the local economy wherever she goes. Here are 10 of the more memorable city-wide takeovers so far.

Glendale, Arizona Becomes Swift City

The Eras Tour kicked off at the same stadium in Arizona as the Super Bowl. But was the city renamed for Super Bowl MVP (and teammate of future Swift boyfriend, Travis Kelce)? Nope. But it was for Swift. “And now therefore, I, Jerry P. Weiers, mayor of the city of Glendale, on behalf of our city council, do hereby proclaim that on March 17 and 18, 2023, the city of Glendale will be renamed Swift City,” Mayor Jerry Weiers proclaimed.

Las Vegas, Nevada Lights The Gateway Arches

Sin City? More like Swift City. The Gateway Arches were lit to reflect the colors of Swift’s albums.

Arlington, Texas Renames A Road To Taylor Swift Way

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the love for Taylor Swift. Arlington’s Randol Mill Road was ceremoniously renamed to Taylor Swift Way, while city hall was lit red, a reference to her 2012 album.

Houston, Texas Gets A New Stadium Name

NRG Stadium became NRG Stadium (Taylor’s Version) when The Eras Tour came to Space City. “We know all too well that other areas have done huge things,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a message on then-Twitter. “They’ve lit up the town; they’ve renamed streets, they’ve even made you mayor for a day. But we’re going to something even better. I know if I did any of that, folks would say that I am the man.”

Tampa, Florida Gives The Key To The City To Swift

By the time Swift came to the Sunshine State, it was a competition to see which city would throw themselves at her the most. “We are so excited to welcome you to Tampa. We know Glendale changed its name, Arlington made a street sign, and Vegas illuminated their Gateway Arches, but here in Tampa, we’ve got a reputation to uphold. We want to go bigger. So I want to present you with a key to the city,” Mayor Jane Castor announced. She was also invited to be the city’s honorary mayor for a day.

Nashville, Tennessee Dedicates A Bench

Nashville was a hometown show of sorts for Swift. To celebrate, a bench in Centennial Park (which was name-checked in the folklore track “invisible string”) was dedicated to her. “A bench for you to read on at Centennial Park. Welcome home, Nashville,” the plague reads.

East Rutherford, New Jersey Gets A New State Sandwich

Swift wrote a song about New York, but New Jersey named a sandwich after her. Check and mate. “In New Jersey, we have a reputation for a great war between Taylor ham and pork roll. Usually we let you call it what you want, but since we have a superstar coming to town, we know all too well that we should commemorate the occasion,” governor Phil Murphy said in a video on X. “So today we are declaring the official state sandwich of New Jersey a Taylor Swift Ham Egg and Cheese.” There is no higher distinction in New Jersey.

Minneapolis, Minnesota Is Now Swiftie-apolis

Minneapolis wasn’t the first city to change its name to something Swift-y, but it did have the best rebranding. From Mayor Jacob Frey: “We are renaming Minneapolis to ‘Swiftie-apolis’ – as a singer, songwriter, performer and producer, Taylor is one of the most popular artists, and we’re expecting hundreds of thousands to visit our downtown and experience our city as a result.”

Seattle, Washington Has A New Honorary Geologist

Before her show at Lumen Field literally caused seismic activity, Swift was named an Honorary Geologist by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. “I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22 reasons Ms. Swift has been just as influential in shaping our world as the tectonic plates beneath us,” geologist Casey Hanell said. “Her arrival has ushered in one of the most significant eras in Earth’s history, ranking right up there with the breakup of the Pangea supercontinent, which is never ever ever… getting back together.” She even got a cute certification.

Santa Clara, California Transforms Into Swiftie Clara

Swift’s sold-out run at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium was immortalized in the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film, but she played another California city the week prior. Santa Clara, the home of Levi’s Stadium, became Swiftie Clara.

Olivia Rodrigo received the ultimate stocking-stuffer last week when The Recording Academy nominated her six times for the 2024 Grammys. And Guts, her sophomore album, really is the gift that keeps on giving because Rodrigo just dropped holiday-themed merch on Thursday, November 16. Breaking your bank account on the 16 new items on Rodrigo’s official website is a bad idea, right? Wrong!

Actually, it won’t break your holiday budget — unless you plan to buy it all, which, fair — as you can see by the product listing below:

• $12: Guts sticker pack
• $15: Guts ornament
• $20: “Spill Ur Guts” mug
• $20: Purple lacy bow set
• $20: Black lacy bow set
• $25: Guts stocking
• $25: Guts stationary set
• $30: Guts over-the-knee socks
• $35: “Gutsy” necklace
• $40: Purple glittering Guts T-shirt
• $40: Red glittering Guts T-shirt
• $45: GUTS pajama top
• $45: GUTS pajama shorts
• $50: “Spill Your Guts” long-sleeve T-shirt
• $75: Guts blanket
• $85: Guts pajama set

After the holiday season, Rodrigo will embark on her Guts World Tour, beginning on February 23, 2024 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California.

“I’m getting it all together right now, brainstorming everything,” Rodrigo told The Hollywood Reporter of her tour preparation while attending the premiere of The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes this week. “I’m running on the treadmill right now singing my songs, because I want to be able to jump up and down and sing the songs. I think it’s going to be really fun. I want the show to feel like a great place for people to scream and jump around and let loose.”

This week has been a little stranger (than usual) for Congress. Specifically, that refers to Tuesday, when multiple displays of faux-machismo included Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin attempting to flex against Teamsters President Sean O’Brien. Mullin, whose Senate Senate bio brags that he is a “former undefeated Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter with a professional record of 5-0,” seemed to be particularly upset that O’Brien had previously tweeted a photo of Mullin standing on a lift during a debate and allegedly having “#LittleManSyndrome.”

There’s a history there, as well, with Mullin also shouting for O’Brien to “shut your mouth!” during a spring Senate hearing. Mullin claimed that the Teamsters had once loitered outside his Oklahoma plumbing company, but this week’s altercation got uglier with Mullin standing up and actually readying to fight, which prompted Bernie Sanders to step in and calm down the nonsense.

This all makes Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene’s frenemies adventure seem more civilized, but everything is relative. And if you thought Mullin would be content with this outcome, nope. He’s now enjoying this spotlight and visited with right-wing podcaster Kyle Thompson, where he revealed his willingness to “bite,” and it doesn’t matter where, so get ready.

“I will bite. I’ll bite 100%. In a fight, I’m gonna bite,” Mullin insisted. “I’m not above it, and I don’t care where I bite, by the way, it’s just…gonna be a bite.”

That wasn’t all. The very same day that Mullin tried to throw down on C-SPAN, he hopped onto Fox News and told Hannity that this was an example of “Oklahoma values.” Oh boy. And to think, this whole outpouring began over a height joke. The GOP’s 2023 is not going out quietly, y’all.