Month: December 2023

When a cocky young man started showing off his muscles for the “Flex Cam” at a Philadelphia Soul arena football game, he got more than he bargained for after showing off his physique to a couple of women sitting behind him.

When the camera made its way back around, he was instantly upstaged by the superior muscles of one of the ladies he had tried to impress.

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He had no choice but to sink sadly into his seat while the stronger woman flexed over his head.

PHILADELPHIA SOUL FLEX CAM SURPISE

This article originally appeared on 05.30.19

LaTasha Kebe, the controversial YouTuber known as Tasha K, has already incurred the wrath of Cardi B. Recently she added Kevin Hart to her list. The comic and performer recently filed a lawsuit against Kebe. But what did she do to so upset him?

Per Page Six, Hart is suing Kebe for extortion. In November, Kebe, whose popular YouTube channel is devoted to spilling gossip, sat down with an interview with one Miesha Shakes, Hart’s former assistant. During their chat, Shakes made what the lawsuit claims are “false and defamatory statements regarding Hart” involving his marriage and business dealings.

That would be bad enough, but there’s a reason Hart is going after Kebe (as well as Shakes): One of her alleged affiliates, he claims, contacted his team, threatening to “publish the interview unless Hart paid a ransom of $250,000.”

What’s more, Kebe then published “teaser” for the interview that “touted the supposedly salacious and damaging nature,” which were seen as a “threat to Hart” if he didn’t pay the “ransom.” According to the lawsuit, “The teaser included a statement from Kebe at the 2:06 mark of the video specifically warning that ‘when you don’t pay, we have to get money by any means necessary.’”

After that happened, Hart’s team contacted the authorities as well as sent a cease and desist. They also noted that Shakes had signed both a Non-Disclosure Agreement and a Confidentiality Agreement during her tenure as his assistant.

Despite this, the interview went live on December 22. During the chat, Shakes alleged that Hart is a habitual cheater and a gambling addict.

In the lawsuit, Hart’s team cites Kebe’s history of “defamatory and otherwise improper content regarding celebrities and other high-profile individuals.” One of those cited is Cardi B, whom Kebe claimed was a prostitute who was addicted to hard drugs, had cheated on her husband, Offset, had contracted herpes, and had even once “f*cked herself with beer bottles.”

Kebe filed for bankruptcy after losing that case.

(Via Page Six)

This year, hip-hop culture celebrated its 50th anniversary. Each month has been filled with notable concerts, televised specials, and, most importantly, flower-giving to pioneers in the space. So, when an interview clip from HipHopDX (a fellow subsidiary of Warner Music Group) surfaced of Trina dubbing Beyoncé, the queen of rap, lovers of the genre were sent into a tailspin.

As a twenty-year veteran, fans wondered why she didn’t name herself, longtime friend Missy Elliott, or even former collaborators like Nicki Minaj during the chat. Users online began to speculate that there was a deeper reasoning behind her answer, specifically her not mentioning the latter. So, do Nicki Minaj and Trina have beef? According to Trina, the answer is no, but the Barbz beg to differ.

In a 2019 Instagram Live promoting their joint song “BAPS (Bad Ass Pretty Sagittarius),” Trina shut down the reports of friction between the two. “There is no beef between me and Nicki Minaj. There will be no disrespect for Nicki Minaj or nobody else that’s on my album,” said Trina.

However, during a Queen Radio episode following the song hit streaming platforms, Nicki Minaj revealed that members of Trina’s team did express frustration with her for not promoting the record to their standards and not working with them to film an official visual for the track given that she had for Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hot Girl Summer.”

“I always show the same love to everybody anytime I do a song with somebody. I show love just because I appreciate being a part of their record. But, for [Trina’s] team or anybody’s team to feel like I owe you anything or to go out and disrespect me because I’m showing love to another female and you’re not gonna check them, that’s not cool,” said Nicki.

So, in the eyes of the Barbz, there could still be lingering animosity between the rappers, hence the inferred dig in the HipHopDX interview.

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

Poor Rudy Giuliani. For the last three years, the former “America’s Mayor” has been Sideshow Bob stepping on endless rakes, having destroyed his life for a guy who won’t even bail him out. In the final stretch of 2023 his life somehow got even worse: After being ordered to pay a comically large sum to the election workers he defamed — and mysteriously continues to defame — he did the unthinkable: He filed for bankruptcy. Now he’s regretting he didn’t do something that could have made his situation a touch better.

Per The New York Post, when he was mayor of New York City, Giuliani failed to do something other mayors have done: applying for pensions to see them through the autumn years. Had he done so, Giuliani would have been able to pocket an annual sum of $26,000 after turning 62. He’s 79, which means that over the last 17 years he would have amassed a whopping $442,000.

That would only put a tiny dent in the $148 million he owes the election workers, but it would have at least been something.

When asked why on earth he didn’t apply for something all other NYC mayors receive, Giuliani told the NY Post, “Giving back to the city I love.” In case that made him sound selfless, he added, “Although I would like to take it now.”

Giuliani then admitted, “I don’t know how to go about it.”

One unnamed top official told NY Post that even though he was raking in the cash at his peak — long before he came out of near-retirement to torch his career and wealth for a failed blogger — he really should have planned better for his future.

“This might have seemed like chump change to someone like him who left City Hall with multi-million-dollar book deals, but I bet he wishes he had [pension payments] now,” the official said. “In his situation, every penny helps.”

Giuilani isn’t only missing out on his mayoral pension. He also doesn’t receive a federal pension for his six years as Manhattan’s U.S. attorney as well as other governmental work.

Alas, the guy who might help him out is a little busy these days, which is to say he’s furiously claiming he didn’t bully his way into a cameo in Home Alone 2.

(Via NY Post)

In 2022, Kehlani hit the ground running. By last April, Kehlani’s third studio album, Blue Water Road. Shortly after its release, Kehlani hit the road for the Blue Water Road Tour alongside special guests Rico Nasty And Destin Conrad. After such a busy 2022, Kehlani laid low in 2023 while promising a new project was in the works.

On Friday, December 29, the “Up At Night” singer teased that their next project will drop sometime next year. In a post on Instagram, Kehlani hyped their follow-up by captioning pictures of them in the studio. “Describing the year would take more words than I have,” they wrote. “Everything led to this. I accept all of God’s plan for me: twists, turns, and gifts alike. ’24, my luckiest number. See you then.”

Initially, Kehlani suggested that the project would be a sequel to their 2017 album SweetSexySavage. However, that might have changed based on Kehlani’s upload last month. “Been transforming (again) for six months straight,” they wrote. “Reimagining what 100% looks like… Lately, I’ve sat with what I have to offer and what I have to give. The artist’s role is to add beauty to the world & contribute joy, power, and strength amidst the pain.”

Kehlani’s next album seems to align more with Blue Water Road.

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

From Drake and Nicki Minaj to Taylor Swift and Cardi B, Kanye West (formerly Ye) has a long and well-documented list of people with whom he’s had beef. But according to a recent Rolling Stone interview, one iconic musician has rethought getting into it with the “New Body” rapper.

On December 28, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Chaka Khan said that her apparently one-sided grudge with West was over. Back in 2019, on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Khan confessed that she was “insulted” by how her 1984 single “Through The Fire” was sampled on West’s 2003 track “Through The Wire.” But upon reflection, she’s changed her mind.

“You know, that was my fault, too, for feeling salty about that in any way. Because if I understood the rap game more completely, like I do now, then that wouldn’t have been a big deal to me,” said Khan. “I’m done. Please. I’m not hanging on to any silly grudges.”

Based on a video floating around online, Khan isn’t the only artist that recently buried that hatchet with West. It appears that Kid Cudi and him have also put aside their issues after reconnecting at his Vultures listening party on December 14.

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

Dalton Ross wanted to make sure his family didn’t miss him too badly while he was studying abroad in London.

To help them cope, the 22-year-old Tennessee native did what any selfless college student would do…

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He sent his mom a life-size cutout of himself.

“I thought maybe they’d put it in the living room corner until I got back to remember I exist,” he explained about the cutout, which came with a short note: “You’re welcome.”

But like any clever mom, Susan Talley couldn’t just stash this amazing piece of work away when it arrived about two months ago.

No, no — she had better plans in mind.

Talley decided the cardboard version of her son could be a great companion “while the real one is in Europe.” So she brought him along with her to events, like basketball games …

Can you spot cardboard Dalton in the stands?

… trips to the doctor’s office …

… and sub sandwich runs.

Fake Dalton celebrated Valentine’s Day with a fellow inanimate object.

He enjoyed playing with a furry, four-legged friend in the sunshine.

And he appreciated a good bedtime story, just like the rest of us.

The photos of fake Dalton are spreading like wildfire.

Without showing her son the photos first, Talley went ahead and uploaded them to Facebook. And after Dalton shared them on Imgur — explaining his mom “seems to be entertaining herself” while he’s gone — the story sent the Internet into a buzzy frenzy.

“The attention is crazy,” Ross told Upworthy, noting the story has gained so much traction that a restaurant featured in one of the photos, O’Charley’s, sent the family a gift card.

“I hope my mom’s holding up all right,” he said. “It’s awesome though.”

Fake Dalton has been hitting the batting cages…

… taking in some nightlife…

… and celebrated Easter with his family.

Although the viral reaction to the photos has been a bit nuts, Ross isn’t all that surprised his mom was up for a good laugh.

“Oh yeah, my mom is very funny,” he explained to Upworthy. And it’s a good thing, too: Laughter can be a great tool in improving the quality of family dynamics and boosting a loved one’s emotional health. (A student studying abroad should especially keep that in mind, considering being away from loved ones and familiarity can be tough.)

“We’re a big family of jokesters.”

Bravo, mom, for setting the bar very high ahead of April Fools’ Day.

This article originally appeared on 03.30.16

Every parent wants to see their kid get good grades in school. But now we know social success is just as important.

From an early age, we’re led to believe our grades and test scores are the key to everything — namely, going to college, getting a job, and finding that glittery path to lifelong happiness and prosperity.

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It can be a little stressful.

But a study showed that when children learn to interact effectively with their peers and control their emotions, it can have an enormous impact on how their adult lives take shape. And according to the study, kids should be spending more time on these skills in school.

Nope, it’s not hippie nonsense. It’s science.

Kindergarten teachers evaluated the kids with a portion of something called the Social Competence Scale by rating statements like “The child is good at understanding other’s feelings” on a handy “Not at all/A little/Moderately well/Well/Very well” scale.

The research team used these responses to give each kid a “social competency score,” which they then stored in what I assume was a manila folder somewhere for 19 years, or until each kid was 25. At that point, they gathered some basic information about the now-grown-ups and did some fancy statistical stuff to see whether their early social skills held any predictive value.

Here’s what they found.

1. Those good test scores we covet? They still matter, but maybe not for the reasons we thought.

Back To School GIF by IFC – Find & Share on GIPHY

Traditional thinking says that if a kid gets good grades and test scores, he or she must be really smart, right? After all, there is a proven correlation between having a better GPA in high school and making more money later in life.

But what that test score doesn’t tell you is how many times a kid worked with a study partner to crack a tough problem, or went to the teacher for extra help, or resisted the urge to watch TV instead of preparing for a test.

The researchers behind this project wrote, “Success in school involves both social-emotional and cognitive skills, because social interactions, attention, and self-control affect readiness for learning.”

That’s a fancy way of saying that while some kids may just be flat-out brilliant, most of them need more than just smarts to succeed. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt spending a little more time in school teaching kids about the social half of the equation.

2. Skills like sharing and cooperating pay off later in life.

Adam Sandler Pee GIF – Find & Share on GIPHY

We know we need to look beyond GPA and state-mandated testing to figure out which kids are on the right path. That’s why the researchers zeroed in so heavily on that social competency score.

What they found probably isn’t too surprising: Kids who related well to their peers, handled their emotions better, and were good at resolving problems went on to have more successful lives.

What’s surprising is just how strong the correlation was.

An increase of a single point in social competency score showed a child would be 54% more likely to earn a high school diploma, twice as likely to graduate with a college degree, and 46% more likely to have a stable, full-time job at age 25.

The kids who were always stealing toys, breaking things, and having meltdowns? More likely to have run-ins with the law and substance abuse problems.

The study couldn’t say for sure that strong or poor social skills directly cause any of these things. But we can say for sure that eating too much glue during arts and crafts definitely doesn’t help.

3. Social behaviors can be learned and unlearned — meaning it’s never too late to change.

The researchers called some of these pro-social behaviors like sharing and cooperating “malleable,” or changeable.

Let’s face it: Some kids are just never going to be rocket scientists. Turns out there are physical differences in our brains that make learning easier for some people than others. But settling disputes with peers? That’s something kids (and adults) can always continue to improve on.

And guess what? For a lot of kids, these behaviors come from their parents. The more you’re able to demonstrate positive social traits like warmth and empathy, the better off your kids will be.

So can we all agree to stop yelling at people when they take the parking spot we wanted?

But what does it all mean?

This study has definite limitations, which its researchers happily admit. While it did its best to control for as many environmental factors as possible, it ultimately leans pretty heavily on whether a teacher thought a kid was just “good” or “very good” at a given trait.

Still, the 19-year study paints a pretty clear picture: Pro-social behavior matters, even at a young age. And because it can be learned, it’s a great “target for prevention or intervention efforts.”

The bottom line? We need to do more than just teach kids information. We need to invest in teaching them how to relate to others and how to handle the things they’re feeling inside.

Ignoring social skills in our curricula could have huge ramifications for our kids down the road.

This article originally appeared on 08.12.15

Actor, comedian, and self-proclaimed “voicetramentalist,” Michael Winslow was just about everywhere in the ’80s. His incredible ability to make sound effects with his voice and uncanny beatboxing skills landed him the role of officer Larvell Jones in all seven “Police Academy” movies.

He also did voiceover work in “Gremlins” and appeared in Mel Brooks’ “Spaceballs.”

But Winslow was forced to scale back his career in 1993 after the death of his first wife Belinda Church. As a single father, he had to stop appearing in films so he could spend more time with his children.

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He continued to star in the occasional commercial, perform stand-up comedy, and make guest appearances, but he didn’t have the profile he once had.

Back in July of 2021, Winslow stepped back in the spotlight with a performance on “America’s Got Talent.” After some prodding from his son, he decided it would be the perfect venue to relaunch his career on television.

In the ’80s, he was known as “The Man of 10,000 Sound Effects,” but things have changed since then, he now claims to have “hundreds of thousands.”

“Now, after raising my two kids, I’m in a different phase. I think this is my time,” Winslow, 62, said on the episode. “And America’s Got Talent is the place for me to show the world I still have something to offer, I still have some sounds to make. There’s still room for a little more.”

Judge Simon Cowell was excited to see Winslow when he took the stage. “We know you!” Cowell exclaimed. “I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that you are here!”

Winslow then gave a stunning performance where he impersonated the chimes on an airplane, beatboxed to Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust,” and performed Jimi Hendrix’s version of “The Star Spangled Banner.” His performance was proof that after five decades in show business Winslow hasn’t lost a step and, in fact, he may be at his peak.

After his performance, Winslow won a standing ovation from the audience and four “gigantic yeses” from the panel.

“My life has changed again for the better, and I’ve gotten another blessing,” Winslow told Terry Crews after leaving the stage. America’s Got Talent is the place for me to show I still have something to offer. I’ve still got some sounds to make, and there’s still room for a little more.”

Winslow is a great reminder that sometimes when celebrities seem to fade away, it isn’t necessarily because they’re washed up or past their prime. They are humans with real challenges just like the rest of us and real-world events can affect their career trajectories. It’s great to see such a wonderful performer get another shot at the big time.

This article originally appeared on 07.14.21

I remember sitting in advanced algebra and trigonometry class in high school wondering if I was really ever going to use any of what I was learning. Math at that level meant nothing to me in a practical sense. I planned to study English and education to become an English teacher, so I couldn’t imagine why I’d need to learn the ins and outs of trig.

As it turned out, some of what I learned came in handy in the functions class I was required to take to fulfill my math requirement in college. But again, I found myself sitting in class with zero idea of why I was learning this level of math and suspecting that I was never going to actually use that knowledge in my adult life.

Now I’m a middle-aged adult and I can say with absolute certainty that I was right. In 27 years, I have not used anything I learned in functions. Not once. Not even a little bit. I agonized my way through that class to eek out a B-minus and to promptly forget everything I’d learned because it was utterly useless to me.

To be clear, higher math isn’t useless—it’s amazing. It was just completely useless to me.

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You know what would have been useful? Learning about financing a car or a mortgage or understanding how and why and where to invest money. In all that time I was doing trigonometric proofs and calculating polynomial functions, I could have been learning all the various real-life math-related decisions I’d have to make as an adult.

I see the same thing happening with my kids in high school and college. It totally makes sense for students who are interested in going into math and science fields to take math beyond basic algebra and geometry. But for those who aren’t—why? There are so many more valuable things for them to take the time to learn—things that every single person really needs a basic knowledge of, such as:

Basic Psychology/Mental Health Maintenance

Every one of us has a brain and mental health is an issue for a huge percentage of people. Even those of us who don’t struggle with mental illness benefit from learning about how our minds work, gaining strategies for managing our thoughts, emotions and behaviors, and understanding why people do the things they do.

How many people would have been saved by learning how to spot a narcissist before getting into a relationship with one? How many people could mitigate an anxiety spiral right when it starts because they learned to recognize the signs earlier? How many people would appreciate the support and understanding of everyone having a basic understanding of their mental health disorders?

Basic Sociology/Human Behavior

Similarly, every one of us lives in a society. Understanding social connections, relationships and group behavior might kind of come in handy. If we don’t understand the causes and consequences of human behavior, we’re going to be confused by society at best and allow or enable atrocities to occur at worst.

From learning how cults and conspiracy theories work to recognizing how our prejudices can blind us to reality, sociology has useful knowledge we all need to internalize.

Media Literacy

If we’re going to be bombarded with media 24/7, we’d better know how to process it. Understanding how journalism works, what makes a source credible, how information can be skewed and how to recognize misinformation and disinformation is vital. What is bias and how can it be mitigated? How can we recognize when an outlet values accuracy?

So many of the problems the U.S. is facing currently are due to people watching or listening to dubious news sources. Mandatory media literacy courses would (hopefully) go a long way toward changing that.

The Stock Market and Other Investments

I underestimated how much I’d need to know about the stock market when I was younger. None of that economic stuff interested me, but I wish I understood it better now.

But really, it’s investing in general that we need to understand more about when we’re younger, especially since starting young is the No. 1 best advice any financial advisor will give you.

How Banking, Credit and Credit Cards Work

Every single one of us uses a bank or credit union and credit is a huge part of adult life. And yet most people I know have had to piece together how credit and credit cards actually work through advice from friends and family and good old trial and error, sometimes with devastating consequences.

Taxes

Good gracious, right? Not just how to do taxes, but what taxes get used for.

Financial literacy is what I’m saying. We need mandatory financial literacy classes. (Florida has actually just become the first state to require personal finance education to graduate, so yay Florida.) I think I was required to take economics in high school, but it was much more high-level economic theory than personal finance. We need personal finance first, then the bigger picture.

First Aid/Safety/Self-Defense

Most of us probably got some first aid and/or CPR training in health class, but how comprehensive was it? Did it include infant CPR? Do we know how to recognize if someone is having a stroke? Signs of infection?

What about basic everyday safety, like why you shouldn’t leave a car running in a garage or common household fire dangers or how to spot asbestos?

Self-defense seems like a no-brainer. Basically, a “How to Stay Alive and Keep Others Alive” course that includes most everything you need to know to protect yourself and your loved ones on a daily basis.

Navigating our Healthcare and Health Insurance System

Ugh. I’ve been an adult for almost three decades and everything about our healthcare system confuses and frustrates me. Maybe if we required schools to teach young people how it works, it would shine a big spotlight on how ridiculously and unnecessarily complicated it is because no one could possibly explain it in a way that’s understandable. Maybe that would push lawmakers to actually do something about it, because honestly, it’s just a gigantic mess.

There are surely others, but those are the major subjects that come to mind as vital after being an adult for a long while and seeing what my own kids need to have a decent grasp on as they make their way into the world. And honestly, there are some classes that adults should be required to take well into adulthood. Parenting classes, for example. Or local government and voting.

All subjects and courses have value to some people, but if we want students to be prepared for adulthood, we should make sure they are given the vital knowledge and skills every person actually needs and will use.

This article originally appeared on 03.25.22