The Phoenix Suns don’t have many options to make changes to their team for next year, as they have a disastrous cap situation with their three stars — Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal — all locked in long-term to max deals. Moving any of those stars would be difficult, especially because Beal, who is the guy they’d most likely want to trade, still has a no-trade clause.
As such, they have to hope things just click better next year, and they’ll hope a new coach can bring some fresh ideas on how to make this roster work. On Thursday, word emerged that Frank Vogel would be out as head coach after one year in Phoenix, going 49-33 in the regular season before being swept by the Timberwolves.
ESPN Sources: The Phoenix Suns dismissed coach Frank Vogel. The Suns — who won 49 regular-season games with league’s third-highest payroll and tax — were swept in opening-round series to Timberwolves. Mike Budenholzer will be prominent part of search. pic.twitter.com/SDTRkXxkrG
As Adrian Wojnarowski notes, former Bucks and Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer will be a leading candidate for the Suns job, but it will be a very difficult gig given the expectations and limitations. Still, a team with three stars will have coaches believing they are the ones that can coax their full potential out of them, and the Suns will hope someone will come in with a plan to maximize their stars.
That’s easier said than done, but it shouldn’t be a huge surprise that’s the move they are making, given there aren’t really any other levers to pull to make significant changes.
Back in 2021, 18 former NBA players were arrested for participating in a scheme to defraud the league’s health and welfare benefits fund. The players were alleged to have filed fraudulent claims for dental and medical expenses from 2017 to 2020, receiving payment from the league’s fund despite never having the procedures and expenses they filed claims for.
Terrence Williams, who played for the Nets, Rockets, Celtics, and Kings, served as the leader of the scheme. Williams was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role as the ringleader back in 2023, but some of the players were still waiting on sentencing for their roles. Among them was Glen “Big Baby” Davis, who was convicted in November 2023 and found out on Thursday that he would serve 40 months in prison, plus an additional three years of supervised release, via ESPN.
Former NBA forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis was sentenced by a federal judge Thursday to 40 months in prison, plus three years’ supervised release, for his Nov. 2023 conviction in an alleged scheme to defraud the league’s health care benefits plan.
Davis will also have to pay $80,000 in restitution, and as part of his supervised release he will attend drug treatment and a financial management class, per ESPN.
It’s been a long time since Justin Beiber first sang “Baby,” but today, he’s got a new reason to dust off his breakout hit. On Instagram, Bieber and his wife Hailey posted a special announcement: They are about to become parents. They posted Hailey pregnancy photos in a carousel that includes a romantic video of the couple kissing in a field and pics that appear to be of them renewing their vows.
According to TMZ, a source with direct knowledge confirmed that Hailey is six months along, meaning their baby should be born sometime in August or early September.
Usher later confirmed that he did ask Bieber to appear, but that “he’s just wanting to tell a different story right now.” Usher promised, “We’re gonna do something else in the future. But no love lost or anything like that.”
Preparing to be a father is as good a reason as any to sit out the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and it looks like the only stories Justin plans to tell are bedtime stories. He might not have time to release that long-awaited album, but at least one person gets to have a nightly concert — one of mostly lullabies, presumably.
The Office wrapped up over a decade ago, yet because there is something some timeless about the joys of modern capitalism, the show could still work today! And it just might.
Peacock announced this week that a spinoff of the popular workplace comedy is on the way from creator Greg Daniels. Even though it will focus on a Midwest newspaper company in the “same universe” as Dunder Mifflin, we probably won’t be seeing Kevin and his chili anytime soon.
But Rainn Wilson does think that the idea is perfect. He told the ladies of The View that he has no part in the show, but he’s still excited about the idea. “The announcement came out yesterday and I learned about the show. I literally know nothing about it,” he said. “But I love the idea that they’re trying to do an Office spinoff not in Dunder Mifflin, not with the same characters but a documentary crew following a different workplace. That’s a great concept.”
Even though Schrute lives in PA on his beet farm, Wilson says that he is open to returning as the weird paper salesman if it makes sense. “Sure, if Dwight Schrute shows up at a newspaper in the Midwest then I’m there,” he added.
Hey… magazines need paper, so it is not that weird to imagine the #1 salesman taking a quick little business trip out to there. Imagine how much fun he would have at the Mall of America?
The upcoming spinoff does not have a release date, but here is the official logline: “The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters.”
After taking some time off, The Eras Tour is back, baby: Taylor Swift just kicked off (or is in the process of kicking off, as of this post) a European leg of the tour in France. Whether you’re interested in this specific show or want an indication of what the tour could look like going forward, here’s what to know about when Swift took the stage.
What Time Does Taylor Swift Go On Stage For The Eras Tour In Paris?
As noted on setlist.fm, Swift’s May 9 concert at Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre, France began at 7:55 p.m. setlist.fm also notes that on average for The Eras Tour so far, Swift has taken the stage 3 hours and 23 minutes after the doors opened, and the average show length is 3 hours and 22 minutes.
Meanwhile, Paramore is opening the tour for the next couple months, so check out their setlist here. Swift previously said, “We came up alongside each other as Nashville teenagers writing our own music, so it feels insanely special to kick off the tour together nearly two decades later. I just remember being constantly floored and inspired by their writing, originality and artistic integrity. Hayley is such a riveting performer because she’s so multifaceted — bold and playful and ferocious and completely in command. It’s a dream come true to join forces like this.”
(WARNING: Spoilers for The Chi season 6 will be found below.)
Later tonight, Showtime will release a new episode of The Chi titled “The Aftermath.” The episode is the first new release in the series’ sixth episode since September, when The Chi began a lengthy mid-season break eight episodes into the sixth season. Some changes are in order for the rest of season six, but the trademark The Chi drama will still be present. With that being said, how many episodes will we have for the second part of season six?
How Many Episodes Are In The Chi Season 6, Part 2?
The Chi season 6, part 2 will have eight episodes that will air weekly for the next two months. “The Aftermath” will air on Friday, May 10 on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME starting at midnight ET/PT and the episode will air again on the SHOWTIME TV channel on Sunday, May 12 at 9pm ET/PT. Weekly episodes of The Chi season 6, part 2 will follow this schedule of on-demand and on-air releases until the show’s season six finale, which is scheduled to air on June 28.
Revisit the season 6, part 2 trailer below and stay tuned for more on The Chi.
‘The Chi’ season 6, part 2 debuts on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME on May 10, 2024. Seasons 1-5 as well as season 6 part 1 are available now to stream on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
Paramore previously had a brief stint on Taylor Swift’sThe Eras Tour, opening (alongside Gayle) for the first two shows, in March 2023 in Phoenix. Now, though, they have their own leg of the tour opening by themselves, as Hayley Williams and company are joining Swift for European dates from May 9 to August 20.
Their first show of the run just want down in France, so check out the band’s opening setlist below (via setlist.fm).
In 2023, Swift said of the band, “Having Paramore join me on tour is such an honor. We came up alongside each other as Nashville teenagers writing our own music, so it feels insanely special to kick off the tour together nearly two decades later. I just remember being constantly floored and inspired by their writing, originality and artistic integrity. Hayley is such a riveting performer because she’s so multifaceted — bold and playful and ferocious and completely in command. It’s a dream come true to join forces like this.”
Paramore’s The Eras Tour Setlist
1. “Hard Times” / “Heart Of Glass” (Blondie cover)
2. “Burning Down The House” (Talking Heads cover)
3. “Still Into You”
4. “Caught In The Middle”
5. “Brick By Boring Brick”
6. “The Only Exception”
7. “That’s What You Get”
8. “Ain’t It Fun”
9. “This Is Why”
The concert started the same way as every other show on the tour so far with sets dedicated to Lover to Fearless. But Swift then switched things up by skipping evermore, Reputation, and Speak Now by going straight to Red. What other surprises does she have in store? We’ll update throughout the concert.
Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour Setlist
Lover
1. “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince”
2. “Cruel Summer”
3. “The Man”
4. “You Need To Calm Down”
5. “Lover”
Fearless
6. “Fearless”
7. “You Belong With Me”
8. “Love Story”
Red
9. “22”
10. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”
11. “I Knew You Were Trouble”
12. “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)”
Speak Now
13. “Enchanted”
Reputation
14. “…Ready For It?”
15. “Delicate”
16. “Don’t Blame Me”
17. “Look What You Made Me Do?”
A few weeks back at the first weekend of Coachella, I walked about 80,000 steps, or 33 miles, over three days. At Stagecoach, with fewer stages and artists — and a conscious decision to “take it easy” — I walked a more manageable 16,000 steps per day, a bit over seven miles. Still, I was fighting rising heat, toxic dust clouds, and noisy hotel neighbors keeping me up half the night. Sure, most people don’t go as hard as someone working at a music festival, but if you take away the pressure of trying to see as much music as possible and replace it with narcotics, booze, Zyns, and an all-pizza diet, it all spells out to tens of thousands of people treating their body suboptimally.
This stands in contrast to much of the reputation that Generation Z holds. We always hear about them drinking less, taking better care of their bodies and mental health, and often turning their backs on unhealthy lifestyles of their parents, and music festivals seem like they face a bit of a conundrum in serving both what people expect out of a typical experience and the way more and more people are actually living their lives. Many music festivals offer things like morning group yoga sessions, guided meditation, and countless other wellness activities, but this is usually more on the fringe of festival culture, more common at a camping event like Bonnaroo and Lightning In A Bottle.
Brands like Plunge, The New Bar, and Hyperice are trying to change this and merge wellness with music festivals in a more seamless manner, going beyond things like IV drips and cold-pressed juices. This was highlighted both by brand presence over the three weekends of music in the Coachella Valley, and culminated with Plunge’s Recovery Rodeo on the final day of Stagecoach Festival, held at a gorgeous property just a few miles from the festival grounds. At the day party, guests enjoyed the experience and healing qualities of Plunge’s cold plunges along with assorted non-alcoholic beverages (I now stan Mela, the watermelon water beverage) and N/A Micheladas from Best Day Brewing, testing out the Hyperice Normatec 3 boots, and a surprise performance from country-artist-of-the-moment Shaboozey.
“We saw an opportunity to integrate Plunge into festival parties not only as a recovery experience, but also to set a new precedent as a premium hospitality offering,” says Dom Cianciotto, Director of Community & Experiences at Plunge, about Plunge’s presence at this year’s festivals. “The idea was being of service to the guests of these parties during a time of need, when they may be experiencing hangover symptoms, dealing with extreme desert heat, and are prone to having sore legs and feet from all the walking, standing, and dancing during these multi-day music festivals.”
It’s a movement that Cianciotto notes benefits both hosts and guest, and it’s only growing. “In just one year, comparing our 2023 vs. our 2024 planning, this category of wellness integrations has grown substantially,” he says. “We have tons of creator houses and brand-sponsored houses asking us to integrate, which makes us feel confident that the Plunge experience is here to stay. We also feel like this helps open up room for local recovery studio businesses to develop their own experiences and showcase their services.”
Cianciotto recounts his own personal experience of coming back from Coachella several years back and thinking that he needed to adjust his lifestyle, and it is a thought that resonates for any of us who have used festivals as a place of indulgence. But even if you aren’t partaking in debauchery, you have to contend with “Coachella cough,” a local catch-all for the respiratory infections that people return with. It didn’t take more than looking around at the hundreds of people having fun at the Recovery Rodeo to realize that this is more than a trend, it is a movement that resonates widely.
“Our guest attendance swelled from 50 people to 300+ within a couple events,” Cianciotto notes. “There seems to be a consensus that moderation is on the rise and it’s definitely not inhibiting the fun. Whether people are hitting the plunges purely for recovery, attempting to cure a hangover, or finding a new way to socialize, the mood-boosting effects work and the demand is growing.”
Hyperice, the innovative company that’s creating recovery technology good enough for athletes like Patrick Mahomes and Naomi Osaka, went as far as having an actual integration on-site at Stagecoach, as well as a presence at the Recovery Rodeo and some other area branded events. As VP of Marketing Steph Smith notes, a big part of this presence if moving Hyperice away from just something associated with the Erling Haalands of the world, and something for everyone.
“A big focus for us right now is accessibility,” Smith says. “In the past a lot of these premium experiences have only been available for the most elite athletes, performers, and artists, so we can continue to look at ways to prioritize the masses and ensure our wellness products are available for all.”
This meant that festivalgoers and party attendees could try out their Normatec Boots and Hypervolt massage gun, seeing their powers first-hand as they incorporated them into their festival routine. “The response from those who experienced Normatec at Recovery Rodeo expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be able to rest and recharge after a weekend of walking and dancing through festival grounds,” Smith says. “They also appreciated the thoughtful integration of wellness into an event and found Normatec to be a helpful addition to their festival experience.”
As someone that tried these products, the benefits can be felt instantly. The boots inflate, tighten, and massage your legs for the length of your choosing, creating a moment of relaxation and mindfulness that goes beyond the affects on the legs. But after the session is over, your legs feel lighter and ready for whatever exertion lies ahead. For the festivalgoer, this means being able to put leg pain in the back of your mind. And for athletes or anyone else needing it on a more regular basis, the attributes are even more meaningful.
But wellness and changing attitudes as music festivals goes beyond things used to aid recovery, it also stems to the decisions made that need to be recovered from in the first place. The New Bar, a nonalcoholic cocktail concept, set up shop at both Coachella and Stagecoach, with a presence on the grounds and in American Express’ activation. Sampling drinks in both places, I was taken by how much The New Bar subverts the expectations of a “mocktail,” a word I shudder to even type. Often times, these drinks are just excuses to pack a bunch of sugar and juice into a glass to get cash out of non-drinkers, but The New Bar is far more thoughtful. Here, you’ll have a margarita that actually packs a similar bite to its alcoholic cousin, allowing you to take time and enjoy each sip. As founder and CEO Brianda Gonzalez states, a good cocktail forces you to slow down, and that’s just what the drinks at The New Bar do.
Gonzalez notes that she’s already seeing a difference in how festival attendees approach their work. “It’s been really interesting to observe the themes in my conversations with festivalgoers this year versus last year,” she says. “Last year, I felt a lot of folks had never tried a nonalcoholic drink, or had more hesitation about ‘the point’ of it all. This year, most people I spoke with had tried a drink or at least had awareness of the category in a more meaningful way. I think people are sick of feeling worse at the end of a long, fun weekend than they did when they entered it. People are looking to come back from their vacations feeling re-energized and alcohol doesn’t quite facilitate that.”
Gonzalez sums up The New Bar’s goal to “make being good to yourself fun,” and that’s the lasting thought that resonates to all of these brands and what they brought to this year’s festival season kickoffs. Festivals and festival culture is always evolving, and while the 2010s felt defined by localizing events and bringing the best in food, wine, and experiences from a particular area to the festival footprint, maybe the 2020s will be defined by a focus on self-care. It’s long been said that festivals are endurance contests that people age out of, where depriving yourself of basic necessities like quick and easy access to water and bathrooms makes little sense to anyone caring about their physical health. More and more, though, people are pushing back on this and brands like Plunge, Hyperice, and The New Bar are leading that charge.
“It just seems like health-conscious and wellness-centric party elements are in the zeitgeist,” Cianciotto says. “Consumers should be able to optimize their festival experience and shouldn’t feel like they have to choose between an all-out day-rager vibe or a quiet spa experience. I see a future where there’s room for both elements at the same event.”
Uproxx was hosted for this story by Plunge. They did not review or approve this story. You can learn more about the Uproxx Press Trip policy here.
Netflix, Max, Hulu, Apple TV+, Amazon, Disney+, Paramount+, Peacock, MGM+, AMC+, and Fubo.
That list of streaming services isn’t even complete but still might be enough to make your head spin, and as UPROXX has previously detailed, the lure of churning is real after people realize that they spend hundreds of dollars monthly on a cocktail of subscriptions. That was bound to happen after prices inevitably go up, which has been the case with most streaming services lately, including Hulu and Disney+ as well as Max.
Content does cost plenty of money to produce, after all, and although streaming services have leaped into offering ad-supported packages, those prices still creep up. Adding to that pressure on consumers is how services that previously encouraged password sharing have pulled back and brought down the hammer on those who attempt to stream away from home. Then there are the technical difficulties involved with attempting to use 5G internet with some of the services, and it’s no wonder that around 25% of streaming subscribers have cancelled a service (or more) in recent months.
Obviously, streaming services are looking for ways to make their subscriber bases sticky, so that people are dissuaded from jumping ship from month to month in order to periodically sample new TV shows and movies.
Enter the latest bundle between Max, Hulu, and Disney+. The former two services were already packed up tight together with a new interface to match, and now, Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney Entertainment have announced that they have formally joined forces. According to a press release, the three overarching streaming services will be offered together, which will provide “the best value in entertainment and an unprecedented selection of content from the biggest and most beloved brands in entertainment including ABC, CNN, DC, Discovery, Disney, Food Network, FX, HBO, HGTV, Hulu, Marvel, Pixar, Searchlight, Warner Bros., and many more.”
As of now, the cost of this bundle has not been clarified, but availability will begin this summer for both ad-free and ad-supported plans. As JB Perrette, CEO and President, Global Streaming and Games, Warner Bros. Discovery promises, this mega-bundle “presents a powerful new roadmap for the future of the industry.” Yes, this sort-of looks like cable TV has resurrected itself, but if the price is right, consumers will be there.
Expect more details in the coming months, and we will be all over them.
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