Month: May 2024

Former President Jimmy Carter, 99, is known for being a man of tremendous character who rose from a humble Georgia peanut farmer to president of the United States. He was elected in 1976 when America was reeling from the Watergate scandal and turned its eyes to an outsider with integrity.

Carter, a Democrat, served as president from 1977 to 1981, when Republican Ronald Reagan defeated him. After his presidency, he dedicated his life to public service, exemplified by his humanitarian work through the Carter Center, which focused on global health, democracy and human rights.

On Tuesday, March 14, Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, announced that the former president was “coming to the end” of his life in a statement made at the Carter Center. The 39th president has been under hospice care since February 2023 and in November, he lost his wife, Rosalynn, at the age of 96.

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“(My grandfather) is doing OK,” Jason Carter said at a mental health forum at the Carter Center. “He has been in hospice, as you know, for almost a year and a half now, and he really is, I think, coming to the end that, as I’ve said before, there’s a part of this faith journey that is so important to him, and there’s a part of that faith journey that you only can live at the very end and I think he has been there in that space.”

Former president Jimmy Carter
byu/Justin_Godfrey inpics

News of Carter’s decline inspired people on Reddit to share a photo of him taken at his wife’s funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church, on November 29, 2023, in Plains, Georgia. In the photo, the once vibrant man is seen in a wheelchair, looking frail and wearing a suit.

Even though the photo of Carter isn’t flattering, it’s a testament to his stamina that propelled him to serve his community and the world until deep into his 90s. Commenters used the post as an opportunity to lavish their praise on a man who’s often referred to as the greatest ex-president one of the most decent men to ever hold the office.

“Interesting fact: Jimmy Carter has been alive through 40% of the whole US history” — Dacadey

“I love that he built homes for habitat for humanity until he literally couldn’t lift a hammer.” — Chester7833

“A true life of service.” — Faux Real

One commenter noted one of Carter’s greatest achievements was working to eradicate Guinea worm. “His work with the eradication of the guinea worm saves countless lives from unnecessary pain and scarring. And he never asked any recognition for it,” Press465 wrote.

Forty years ago, 3.5 million cases of Guinea worm were reported annually, but thanks to the work of Carter’s team, there were only 13 in 2022. The disease, caused by parasitic worms that can grow up to 3 feet, causes severe skin lesions, debilitating those infected and causing extensive absences from school or work. By establishing educational programs on the risks of infection, primarily spread through contaminated water, Carter’s team helped its eradication in several countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“I came to the conclusion a while ago that he’s the one president at least in ‘modern’ times that was too good of a person for the office.” — RevengencerAlf

“I find it amazing that when he was beaten for a second term, people were putting down the solar panels he had, putting him down as ineffective (although he did get hostages back) and so on. And today’s voters see him as fantastic. He did everything he was supposed to – put his peanut company in a trust (?) So he had no control of it, chose to negotiate, was forward thinking with technology (solar panels), and he by far has had the best after-presidency career with Habitat for Humanity. He’s just a good, honest guy who has done his best to give back and I find that to be truly remarkable.” — Estrogen

Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, and Kamilla Cardoso headline a potentially trajectory-altering rookie class for the WNBA, and the 2024 season tipped off this week. Reese’s debut with the Chicago Sky came against the Dallas Wings in Arlington, Texas on Wednesday night, May 15, and her magnetism was already apparent.

Latto sat courtside. When asked what brought her to the Sky and Wings’ season-opener, Latto plainly stated, “Angel Reese.” The multi-platinum rapper was also asked for her thoughts on the unprecedented attention surrounding the WNBA. “It’s the year of the woman, it’s the year of the female, it’s the year of the girl,” Latto said. “I’m here for the girl power, period. Let’s go, Angel Reese.”

Latto posted part of the clip on X (formerly Twitter), and Reese reposted it along with the message, “DUHHH!! THE BIGGEST [lips emoji]”

Roughly one year ago, Reese was fresh off capturing the first NCAA Division I basketball national championship in LSU history when she appeared in the video for Latto and Cardi B’s “Put It On Da Floor Again.” Reese also co-starred alongside Flau’jae Johnson, her now-former LSU teammate, in NLE Choppa’s “Champions” video.

Last month, Chicago drafted Reese at No. 7 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft. The 22-year-old star forward posted 12 points, eight rebounds, one assist, and one steal in her W debut, a 87-79 loss to Dallas. The Sky will remain in Dallas to play the Wings again on Saturday, May 18.

Nothing is really “free” in life. Sure, there might be free trials or free samples, but you end up paying for it one way or another when karma comes back around. So when a hot dog chain promises a free meet and greet with your child’s favorite animated dog, you really can’t expect much, though people sure did.

Dirt Dog, a regional hot dog chain on the west coast, held a Bluey-themed event over the weekend that promised face painting, games, and treats based on the insanely popular pup and her family. Only that is not what they were given.

The Facebook event quickly went viral with thousands of Bluey fans responding to the event. Unfortunately, there was no cute pup, but a Dirt Dog employee wearing a Bluey onesie with his face uncovered. As one mortified child put it: “He looked, like, unexpected. We could see his beard.”

Parents were upset, flooding to Facebook to express their disappointment with the event. “The kids were distraught. Some kids were crying. Some kids were upset, crying in their parents’ shoulders,” mother Stephanie Hernandez told Fox 5. “How could you do that to little kids: advertise something so fun and eventful for kids ranging from toddlers to six, seven years old, and not actually follow through with it? It was a very upsetting moment to see so many kids, especially my daughter, just really upset,” she said.

Many are comparing this unfortunate fumble with the infamous Wonka “experience” fiasco of March 2024, which will go down in the history books.

While thousands responded to Dirt Dog’s Facebook event, the restaurant didn’t think that many people would show up. “We expected like maybe 50 to 60 people–not in the sense of like the whole city coming out. Just now knowing who Bluey is, we would have planned ahead and would have had security,” Taj Wilder, a spokesperson for marketing for the restaurant, told the local news.

The restaurant released a statement on their social media, apologizing for the confusion. “We are truly sorry this event wasn’t the expected experience,” the statement read. “We were overwhelmed with the turn out to this event.”

The moral of this story? Never underestimate the power of Bluey again.

(Via SF Gate)

Over 35 seasons of The Simpsons, we’ve learned about Comic Book Guy. His real name is Jeff Albertson; he’s married to Kumiko; and he can’t resist a 100 tacos for 100 dollars deal, especially if there’s a Doctor Who marathon on. We also might have finally learned who the “real” Comic Book Guy is.

In the latest episode of the excellent Talking Simpsons podcast hosted by Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert, guest Eva Anderson claimed that the character is based on a man named John Brian King.

“I met him a few times and he worked at a book store,” she said. “He has a website and stuff, but he was the one who was eating fried clams when the Simpsons writers came over to the store.” This checks out with previous comments made by Simpsons writer George Meyer, who said back in 2000 that the the character was inspired by an employee at the Amok bookstore in Los Angeles who was “sitting on the high stool, kind of lording over the store with that supercilious attitude and eating behind the counter a big Styrofoam container full of fried clams with a lot of tarter sauce.”

Anderson, a writer for Comedy Bang! Bang!, You’re the Worst, and WeCrashed (and a podcast favorite on Doughboys and Podcast: The Ride), called the “real” Comic Book Guy a “very funny, sarcastic guy. He’s also a title designer. He did the titles for [the Paul Thomas Anderson movie] Punch Drunk Love.” She met him “when I was in my early 20s. I was a receptionist for his wife, who was a famous music supervisor… But we all went to dinner together. When you meet this guy, there’s no question that he’s the entire Comic Book Guy model.”

Hopefully minus the loneliness and cheeseburgers.

You can listen to Talking Simpsons below (the Comic Book Guy talk begins around the 2:02:55 mark, although you should listen to the full thing since the episode they’re covering is the all-timer “Last Exit to Springfield”).

Cardi B is a human being — a multi-diamond-certified human being, but a human being, nonetheless. Cardi B simply wishes BardiGang, her most fervent fans, and the general population at large would remember that when questioning why it has taken six years and counting for the Bronx-bred rapper to deliver her sophomore studio album, the long-awaited follow-up to her record-obliterating debut Invasion Of Privacy.

“Like yesterday, I was scrolling through TikTok and a b*tch made me cry,” Cardi B told Rolling Stone as the cover star for its June 2024 issue. “She was just like, ‘She has got to give it up. She’s better off being an influencer. You was cosplaying being a rapper. Because you don’t take it seriously. That’s why you don’t put out your music.’ And it’s like, I take my music so f*cking seriously that that’s why I don’t put it out. Because if it’s not perfect to my ear, if every f*cking word doesn’t sound like it’s pronounced right, if the beat is overpowering the words or the words is overpowering the beat, I don’t want to put it out.”

She added, “When you give so much and somebody just drags it down, like you’re just playing with your p*ssy all day, just watching Netflix all f*cking day long, it’s very hurtful.”

Elsewhere in the Mankaprr Conteh-written profile, an unnamed Cardi B rep confirmed that “an album in 2024 is still the plan,” and much of the story is dedicated to observing Cardi B hard at work in the studio — tormented over getting it right because she cares so deeply.

The tear-inducing TikTok is referenced again toward the end, when Cardi B showed Conteh an offer to perform a show for $1.5 million.

“If I was doing things for money, I would put out music every month because nothing pays me more than shows,” Cardi said. “I’m turning down these concerts because I don’t got no new music.”

So far in 2024, Cardi B has released “Like What (Freestyle)” and “Enough (Miami).”

The most anticipated sports video game release of the last decade is rapdily approaching, as EA Sports College Football 25 will revive the old NCAA Football franchise after more than 10 years away. After rumblings of a July release for the past few months, EA Sports confirmed a July 19 release date for the franchise and released the covers for the game.

The reason the game is finally back is that EA Sports is now able to pay the players — something they’ve always been willing to do, but were not been able to until recently as the NCAA enacted NIL policies. Because the active players are signed on to a licensing deal, the cover no longer has to be a former college football player. Last week, the PlayStation Store spoiled the cover release for the Deluxe Edition of the game, and while we all knew it was likely to feature active players, it still was somewhat jarring to see a college football game with current college football players on the cover.

On Thursday, EA Sports officially unveiled the two covers for the game, with the Deluxe Edition we already saw and the Standard Edition, which features a trio of current stars: Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, and Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter.

The three cover stars provided brief thoughts in a release about their excitement to be on the cover of the game as college football finally returns to the video game landscape.

“EA SPORTS games are legendary and to see myself on the cover of College Football 25 is truly surreal,” said Edwards. “It’s a huge honor to join past Michigan greats as a cover athlete on an EA SPORTS college football game and keep the tradition going.”

“To represent the burnt orange on the real and virtual gridirons is such an honor. EA SPORTS games were the first place I lived out my childhood dream of playing for the Longhorns, so it’s a full-circle moment to now be on the cover of College Football 25,” said Ewers.

“I couldn’t be more pumped to be part of College Football 25 and represent my Buffaloes on the cover of a game with so much excitement behind it,” said Hunter. “I can’t wait to play and see myself, my teammates and my school in the game.”

More details about the game will be coming this week and later this month, but the Standard and Deluxe editions are available for pre-order, while EA Sports will also offer an MVP Bundle, which will get fans the Deluxe editions of College Football 25 and Madden 25, with 3-day early access to both games.

(Obviously, NSFW content will be found below. C’mon, it’s Bridgerton.)

As Bridgerton already proved with Netflix show’s second season, the show can still get it despite the odds (being Duke-less, that is). And much like when the streaming service knew what they were doing with a certain photo of Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, they are at it again on this third-season release day: “Good morning, Bridgertons.”

Yes, the story’s main focus this season is upon Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton and their sex scenes, but the series made sure to bring us up to speed with how the last central courtship is working out, and let’s just say that Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma are still in their honeymoon phase, six months later. They are also rivaling that “moaning” display from a recent The Walking Dead season.

For starters, there are obvious “scratch marks” on display.

Then there’s the moment that might even be able to make Julia Fox reconsider her celibacy stance (only kidding, Julia — please keep doing you):

For sure, Bridgerton is still refusing to shy away from female pleasure, and my goodness, these two actors (Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey) have absurd chemistry. Perhaps even too much.

Bridgerton‘s fourth season (the first half of it, anyway) can currently be streamed on Netflix.

Back in 2020, Cardi B interviewed Joe Biden as part of his presidential campaign. Since then, she has soured on the now-President.

Cardi is the subject of a new Rolling Stone feature shared today (May 16). In it, she’s blunt about her feelings towards both Biden and Donald Trump: “I don’t f*ck with both of y’all n****s,” she said as confirmation that she doesn’t plan to vote at all in the upcoming election.

The piece goes on to note, “Before, she had seen Trump as a dire threat, but under Biden, she’s felt ‘layers and layers of disappointment’ from what she sees as domestic and foreign mismanagement. The cost of living is too high, wages are too low, and too little is being done about it, she says.” Cardi added, “I feel like people got betrayed.”

Cardi also said, “It’s just like, damn, y’all not caring about nobody. Then, it really gets me upset that there is solutions to it. There is a solution. I know there’s a solution because you’re spending billions of dollars on any f*cking thing.” She later added, “[America] don’t pay for endless wars for countries that have been going through sh*t for a very long time. There’s countries [where] kids are getting killed every single day, but because the [US] won’t benefit from that country, they won’t help. I don’t like that America has this superhero cape on. We never did things to be superheroes. We did things for our own convenience.”

Check out the full feature here.

BardiGang is starved for Cardi B’s sophomore album, which will be her first LP release since her groundbreaking, Grammy-winning 2018 debut, Invasion Of Privacy. Cardi has teased her highly anticipated follow-up for years, even saying that the album would drop at some point in 2024 on several occasions last fall. Still, it’s difficult to keep up with where Cardi actually is in her album rollout process.

Is Cardi B Releasing A New Album In 2024?

Earlier this week, Cardi B responded to someone on X (formerly Twitter) who suggested that Cardi was “underappreciated” by her fans. Cardi wrote, “Exactly and I tell myself this all the time, and I hate that I fall back and start interacting again and it bites me in the ass…anyway NO album this year..Dropping these features I already committed to and traveling and enjoying my summer.”

Uh oh.

But fear not.

On Thursday morning, May 16, Cardi B was revealed as the latest Rolling Stone cover star. Within the Mankaprr Conteh-written profile, Cardi’s apprehension about dropping a follow-up to Invasion Of Privacy is thoroughly reported, and an update is provided on where the as-yet-titled sophomore studio album stands, as excerpted below.

“In an Instagram video from March 1, Cardi promised to do just that, saying she would release the album this year. By the middle of May, however, she will backpedal in a heated online exchange with her followers. As Cardi and Spotify commemorate those four songs hitting a billion streams each, she’ll spot fans on X posting skeptically about the status of the album, and fire back: ‘This is a big accomplishment for me, and of course here comes Bardigang complaining like Deum I can’t celebrate sh*t,’ she’ll write, adding, ‘Anyway NO album this year I don’t care I’m relaxing.’ Soon after, however, she’ll delete the latter tweet, with her rep confirming to Rolling Stone that an album in 2024 is still the plan.”

Read the full Rolling Stone profile here.

The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia gang has never been busier.

Glenn Howerton is giving award-worthy performances; Charlie Day has become an in-demand voice actor; Kaitlin Olson is the star of the new sitcom High Potential (she’s also doing great work on HBO’s Hacks); Rob McElhenney is buying soccer teams around the world with Ryan Reynolds; and Danny DeVito is doing his Danny DeVito thing (Jersey Mike’s commercials, mostly).

It must be a challenge to have all their schedules open at the same time, but they found a way: DeVito revealed that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 (!) will begin filming in September. “We’re going again in September,” he said at a recent red carpet event for Chris Pine’s Poolman. “Now that we’re with Disney here, we’ve been very tame over the years, so now we can really pull out the stops, you know? Maybe make some noise.”

Maybe win some Emmys, too? Probably not, but a man can dream!

DeVito also recently expressed an interest in voicing Wario in the sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie. “You never know what happens in the world. I’m up for a lot of things… I’m ready to do a lot of things,” he told The Movie Dweeb. “Whatever’s coming, you know, I look at, I see, I evaluate.”

He’s a-Danny Devito, he’s a-gonna win… the role… hopefully.

(Via Deadline)