Year: 2024

The Rundown is a weekly column that highlights some of the biggest, weirdest, and most notable events of the week in entertainment. The number of items could vary, as could the subject matter. It will not always make a ton of sense. Some items might not even be about entertainment, to be honest, or from this week. The important thing is that it’s Friday, and we are here to have some fun.

ITEM NUMBER ONE – Which one of you will buy the Cousin Greg puke dog?

I have terrific news for anyone who enjoys prestige television and collecting weird trinkets that cost a lot of money: There’s a Succession memorabilia auction going on right now. It’s been going on all week, actually, and as of this writing, there are only a few days left to get your bids in. But that means there’s still time. You might have to dip into savings or sell some semi-important organs, but you have options. That’s the point here.

The items up for auction are a wild collection, too. Real weirdo stuff. Want some of the outfits the characters wore, like the flashy gold jacket Alexander Skarsgard had on one time, or the fancy business suit Shiv is wearing in the image at the top of this post? Those are in there. How about Kendall Roy’s driver’s license or Roman Roy’s diploma from USC? I can’t in a million years imagine why you would want either but, yup, they’re in there, too. Click around a while. Look at the bids on some of these things. People are very excited.

There is one item that stands out, though. To me, at least. Again, I can’t imagine why anyone would want to spend… holy crap, it’s up to almost $3,000 as I type this, but whatever. Not my money. Look at this.

And look at the description:

Succession (HBO® Original, 2018-2023) Nicholas Braun “Greg Hirsch” Doderick Costume from Season 1, Episode 1: “Celebration”. Original (7) piece “Doderick” dog costume includes (1) Dog head, (1) Fur body suit with back zip/whopper popper/snap closure, (1) Foam stomach pad, (1) Vest with tie, (1) Pair of clip on fur hand gloves, (1) Pair of Dragon Do ankle wraps with clip on attachments, and (1) Pair of dog fur shoes. This highly visible costume was worn by Greg Hirsch (Nicholas Braun) in the pilot episode during his first day on the job at Waystar Adventure Parks.

Okay, here’s the thing: Yes, this is all accurate. Cousin Greg did wear this costume in the pilot episode. But that’s not what makes it so notable. What makes it so notable is that this happened while he was wearing it.

A few things are worth pointing out here:

• Heritage Auctions should be ashamed of themselves for not pointing this out in the official description
• Imagine you go to hang out with a buddy you haven’t seen in a while and he’s got a full dog costume prominently displayed in the corner of his living room and he proudly explains it by saying “That’s the actual costume Cousin Greg puked through the eyeholes of in Succession”
• Now imagine him explaining it to someone who has never heard of Succession

This fascinates me. I want to read an interview with the person who places the highest bid on this. I want to know… everything about it. Hell, I’ll conduct the interview. If you know (or are) the person who wins this, please contact me. I am not joking. It’s mostly for my own curiosity but I’ll publish the transcript, too. For the people. And so I can count it as work. For a lot of reasons.

I hope it smells a little like puke.

ITEM NUMBER TWO – Dave Foley should be in more things

Most of the chatter about this season of Fargo has centered on things like Jon Hamm’s nipple rings and Juno Temple going full Kevin McAllister and Jennifer Jason Leigh’s fascinating unplaceable accent, which is… kind of fair, actually. Those are all things worth talking about. I’ll talk about any of them this weekend if you see me out and about and I’m not too busy. But we should also be talking about Dave Foley because Dave Foley is awesome.

Foley plays Danish Graves, a lawyer for Jennifer Jason Leigh’s character who is ruthless and silly and wears a sparkly eyepatch. I don’t think he’s been my favorite character this season, only because, like, every other character is so good, too, but also I have gotten excited every time he’s popped up. Like in the early part of this week’s episode — which I will not spoil for a bunch of reasons, some relevant to our discussion here — when he walked out of a debate and popped his collar a little, as you can see in the GIF above.

And like in an even earlier part of this week’s episode — for other reasons I will also not spoil — where he helped this man with a name change at the courthouse.

I should point out here that the man was changing his name from John Sasquatch, not to John Sasquatch. I should also point out that this particular fact had nothing to do with anything. It was just a little throw-in. A treat for Brian. I appreciate it.

Anyway, the big thing here is the thing I said in the heading for this section: Dave Foley should be in more things. He’s always good in the things he’s in and he has been for many decades now. Let’s get him in more stuff. Let him play the hotel manager in a season of The White Lotus. That would be a good start.

ITEM NUMBER THREE – Okay, I will watch the final season of La Brea

I am admittedly very behind on La Brea, the NBC time travel science fiction show where… things happened… and then there were… dinosaurs… in California. I’m actually kind of fuzzy on how it all happened now, in part because I skipped the second season and in part because it really was a lot. But I might go ahead and just jump right back in for the third and final season next week, if only because of the quotes in this preview at TV Line.

Look at this.

As La Brea Season 2 came to a close, myriad auroras had appeared in the sky, allowing people (and, yes, dinosaurs!) from other eras to drop in on 10,000 B.C. When Season 3 kicks off on Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 9/8c, the Clearing that the survivors have called home since tumbling through the L.A. sinkhole is destroyed by a dino-brawl, leaving Gavin, Levi et al to find a new place to live.

LOOK AT THIS.

“So many dinosaurs,” Macken elaborates. “Think of all the dinosaurs you ever thought of in your life, and they’re all in there.”

“We’ve got time travel, dinosaurs, romance, death…. All sorts of stuff,” Macken declares.

Reasonable arguments can be made that all I’ve ever asked for out of a television show is “time travel, dinosaurs, romance, and death.” Yes, I will give this new season of La Brea a shot. I hope other shows take note of this. It could really liven up the next season of The Righteous Gemstones.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR – Shoutout to this lady

Benny Safdie sat down for a big sit-down with Variety this week, one that covered a wide range of topics. Topics like:

• His split from his creative partner and brother Josh
• The new movie he’s making with The Rock
• Various things relating to Uncut Gems and the frenzy the movie caused

It’s a good read. Bookmark it for the weekend if you haven’t read it yet and don’t have time over lunch today. But the thing I want to highlight is this passage about the creation of his newest show, The Curse.

For “The Curse,” Safdie teamed up with “Nathan for You” mastermind Fielder, whose comedic brand is awkwardness, after the pair met up for bagels in 2016 as fans of each other’s work. Over the next two years, they continued hanging out, with no plans to make a television series, when Fielder told Safdie a story about when he moved from Canada to Los Angeles: He was walking into a cellphone store when a woman outside asked him for money. When Fielder said he didn’t have any, she replied, “I curse you.” The words shook Fielder, so after buying his phone he went to an ATM, brought her $20 and asked, “Is the curse gone?” She smiled and said yes.

It left Safdie wondering: “What if she wasn’t there? Your life is potentially over because you’ll never see her again.”

I’m going to start doing this. Just announcing that I’m placing a curse on people unless they give me $20. I know it won’t work most of the time, but when it does… hey, $20. Solid little hustle. Worth a shot.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE – Something incredible happened on For All Mankind

Three things need to be noted here…

THING NUMBER ONE: I could explain everything that happened that led up to the line of dialogue in that screencap. I could tell you all about the Apple TV show’s third season and various alternate history subplots about Mars colonies and labor struggles and the mining of wildly valuable space minerals and how it all led to this. But I’m not going to for a very simple reason: I do not want to. I would rather just let this screencap speak for itself. It’s kind of perfect as it already is. I can’t risk ruining that with my C+ summary of the journey to get there. This is too important.

THING NUMBER TWO: This line of dialogue happened at the very end of the seventh episode and — I swear to God this is true, even if it sounds like something I would make up — was immediately followed by the opening notes of “X Gon Give It To Ya” by DMX, which then played over the credits. You cannot imagine how happy this made me when I first saw it. Maybe you can. I’m smiling again now just thinking about it.

THING NUMBER THREE: I wish DMX were still alive today just to see his reaction when someone explained all of this to him.

I love television.

READER MAIL

If you have questions about television, movies, food, local news, weather, or whatever you want, shoot them to me at [email protected] (put “RUNDOWN” in the subject line). I am the first writer to ever answer reader mail in a column. Do not look up this last part.

From Anna:

I am probably the 100th person to send this to you but I can’t risk you missing it while you’re on your end-of-year internet hiatus.

What do you think he was doing? Hot water heist?

Okay, so first of all, Anna sent this with a link to the NPR story about Pierce Brosnan getting arrested at Yellowstone over the holidays, which, yes, very many people sent to me over the last few weeks because the brand I’ve crafted online is so massively stupid. Every word of that sentence is delightful. Here’s the relevant passage.

Actor Pierce Brosnan could be facing possible jail time after allegedly walking in Yellowstone National Park’s hydrothermal areas in violation of federal law, according to court documents.

Brosnan is facing citations of “foot travel in all thermal areas and w/in Yellowstone Canyon confined to trails” and “violating closures and use limits,” the court record shows.

Criminal charges were filed against the Irish actor in Wyoming on Tuesday.

And that’s all great. I mean, it’s not great if you are Pierce or the people tasked with guarding the hydrothermal areas of our national parks, but I suspect you are neither of those things just based on the odds. So it’s great. But it gets better. Please read the opening paragraph of the AP story about it.

Pierce Brosnan, whose fictitious movie character James Bond has been in hot water plenty of times, is now facing heat in real life, charged with stepping out of bounds in a thermal area during a recent visit to Yellowstone National Park.

I want to find whoever wrote that and kiss them right on the mouth.

AND NOW, THE NEWS

To Orlando!

A Central Florida woman came home to a bizarre disappearing act. She said her driveway went missing in the middle of the day.

Wait. That can’t be right. Her driveway’s gone?

“My driveway’s gone,” she said.

Fair enough.

The homeowner isn’t exaggerating. She said someone took her driveway as she was trying to get ready for Christmas

What used to be a concrete slab outside of her Orlando-area home is now a patch of dirt.

I know the Florida thing has been beaten into the ground over a decade of internet jokes but, I’m sorry, someone getting their entire driveway stolen from the front of the house they live in is maybe the most Florida thing I’ve ever seen.

That sight even left Rocki Sanchez, Brochu’s real estate agent, at a loss for words.

“Utter shock. I’ve never seen this before. I’ve never had this happen to myself or anyone in our office,” said Sanchez.

Two things here:

• Rocki Sanchez
• I would happily pay $7.99 for an audio record of this phone call

Moving on.

Sanchez believes Brochu is the victim of a scam, but neither woman knows what the scam is.

“I had multiple people come forward saying that they’ve seen things like this happen — whether it be driveways, roofs, painting, even outside the exterior,” said Sanchez. “So it happens more often than we actually see it.”

Make this the plot of the next Knives Out movie. Cast Aubrey Plaza as Rocki Sanchez. I would watch it tonight.

It’s a good thing that Emma Stone didn’t listen to the advice a male studio executive gave her early in her career. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have given the best performance of her career in 2023.

On Thursday, Stone received the 2024 Palm Springs International Film Awards’ Desert Palm Achievement Award for Poor Things. “When I first moved to L.A.,” People reports she said during her acceptance speech, “I went to one of those general meetings that they sometimes send you to, and an executive told me that for male actors, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. And in his eyes, for women, it was a sprint, not a marathon. And that was 20 years ago.”

Stone continued, “I realize that advice is total garbage because the majority of the women that I look up to in this industry, many of whom are in this room, have proven that as time goes on, life and work only get more interesting and more fulfilling.”

Outside of Poor Things, the Taylor Swift fan has also excelled in recent years in her first film with director Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite; Cruella, which is better than it has any right to be; and the triumphantly awkward The Curse.

Stone is up for two Golden Globes this weekend: Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Poor Things and Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama for The Curse. Could an Oscar be next? (It should.)

(Via People)

While “Uptown Girl” singer Billy Joel’s longstanding residency at beloved New York venue Madison Square Garden is coming to a close, fans’ chance to see the musician isn’t. Today (January 5), Joel announced that his time on the road with Stevie Nicks will run well into 2024, with Sting joining in on the fun.

Sprinkled between his MSG commitments, the trio will travel across the country playing arenas in several major cities, including San Diego, Chicago, and St. Louis. While fans in the New York City area have been spoiled by his tether to MSG, Joel will make his long-awaited return to other areas such as Denver and Seattle. The last time Joel performed in Denver was in 2019. As for Seattle, Joel’s prior show in there was in 2016.

The pre-sale for the newly unveiled shows will kick off on Wednesday, January 10, at 10 a.m. local time. The general sale will begin on Friday, January 12, at 10 a.m. local time. All of Joel’s Madison Square Garden shows are already on sale. Find more information here.

Billy Joel 2024 US tour dates

01/11 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
02/09 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
02/24 — Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium %
03/09 — Arlington, TX @ AT&T Stadium ^
03/28 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
04/13 — San Diego, CA @ Petco Park %
04/26 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
05/09 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
05/24 — Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park
06/08 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
06/21 — Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field ^
07/12 — Denver, CO @ Coors Field
07/25 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
08/09 — Cardiff, UK @ Cardiff Principality Stadium
09/27 — St. Louis, MO @ Busch Stadium %

% with Sting
^ with Stevie Nicks

Despite the internet being my primary source of income, I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion that the whole endeavor was a mistake and we should shut it all down for a while. The latest straw on the camel’s extremely stressed back is the fact that we are once again discussing the Illuminati, the supposed secret society allegedly running the world from behind the scenes. That this is thanks to comedian Katt Wiliams, whose last truly notable stand-up special was in 2008 (yeah, I said it) makes the whole thing doubly maddening.

Yet, here we are, with Ludacris rapping his response to Katt Williams’ recent viral interview claims. During an appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast (which, should we just start calling them “talk shows” again?), Williams leveled accusations at entertainment industry peers ranging from plausible (that Cedric The Entertainer stole his jokes) to outright laughable. One of the latter claims was that Katt and Ludacris were both up for roles in the 2001 Fast & Furious sequel — the one with the “ejecto seato, cuz” — but that Luda got the role because he was “in the Illuminati” and cut his then-signature sideburns. Here’s the clip:

Completely aside from the fact that this flies in the face of established history — Luda didn’t cut his hair until 2006, five years AFTER 2 Fast 2 Furious hit the box office — you’d think if Katt wanted to disassociate himself from the supposed Illuminati member, he wouldn’t have appeared on Luda’s 2004 album The Red Light District You can fool the Zoomers, Katt. I was there. I remember. Also, not for nothing, the Fast franchise basically died after that, with only a surprise Vin Diesel cameo in Tokyo Drift saving future installments from the bargain DVD bin, and even then, Luda didn’t come back until the fifth installment, a decade later. I don’t know, just seems like “the Illuminati” could manage a better turnaround. (P.S. Luda’s got an afro again.)

Anyway, Ludacris himself decided to address the nonsense (sigh) with a freestyle. While he doesn’t mention Katt by name, it’s pretty obvious who he’s talking about when he says, “Addiction’s on the rise, comedians check your temperature.” Yikes. I guess we’ll pray for you, Katt.

In November, the Recording Academy unfurled its nominees for the 2024 Grammys, but it saved the best for last. This morning, January 5, the Recording Academy announced this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipients as Laurie Anderson, the Clark Sisters, Donna Summer, Gladys Knight, N.W.A., and Tammy Wynette. Summer, Wynette, and Eazy E of N.W.A. are posthumous honorees.

“The Academy is honored to pay tribute to this year’s Special Merit Award recipients — a remarkable group of creators and industry professionals whose impact resonates with generations worldwide,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement. “Their contributions to music span genres, backgrounds, and crafts, reflecting the rich diversity that fuels our creative community. We look forward to honoring these music industry trailblazers next month as part of our week-long celebration leading up to Music’s Biggest Night.”

The 2024 Grammys are scheduled for Sunday, February 4, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, with Trevor Noah returning as the host for the fourth consecutive year. The ceremony will broadcast live on CBS, stream live on Paramount+, and be available on-demand on Paramount+.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is under the umbrella of the 2024 Special Merit Awards, and The Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday, February 3, at LA’s Wilshire Ebell Theatre.

Nobody wants to pay a seemingly large amount of cash for a bottle of rum to find that it’s not really worth the price. When it comes to rum (and every other spirit), value per dollar is often the most important aspect (for some). This is a means of figuring out the ratio of the quality of spirit and your pure enjoyment for each dollar spent to purchase it.

When it comes to “value” per dollar in the rum world, you first need to figure out the type of rum you’re looking to buy. Do you want a white rum for mixing into mojitos and daiquiris? Are you looking for an aged dark rum to sip like you would a quality whiskey? Or are you looking for a bargain-price spiced rum? That’s the great thing about rum in general — there’s something for everyone if you know where to look.

To help you on your value-finding rum journey, we asked a handful of our favorite bartenders, mixologists, and beverage specialists to tell us about their picks for the best value per dollar rums on the market. Keep scrolling below to see all of their choices.

• Extra Smooth Dark Rums For Fall Sipping, Tasted Double Blind And Ranked
• The Best Rum-Finished American Whiskeys, Ranked
• The Best Sipping Dark Rums For Cool Summer Evenings, According To Bartenders
• The Painkiller Is The Perfect Late Summer Cocktail — Here’s The Recipe
• White Rums Under $25, Blind Tasted And Power Ranked

Hampden Estate Rum Fire

Sean Yeats, USBG bartender at Porco Lounge and Tiki Room in Cleveland

ABV: 63%

Average Price: $26

The Rum:

Everything Hampden Estate makes is fantastic. Every Jamaican distillery has an overproof unaged rum — the kind of stuff they drink on the island — and this is Hampden’s. All of them are great but this is my favorite because there’s so much flavor packed into this rum that it’ll shine even if you only use a little.

Tasting Notes:

Huge fruit flavors like overripe banana and charred pineapple mix in with flavors like the smell of an old forest with thick greenery and decaying logs. There’s so much to love about Rum Fire and it sings in cocktails. You always know when you’re drinking Rum Fire.

Appleton Estate Reserve Rum 8 Year

Bradley Stephens, USBG bartender at Cereus PDX in Portland, Oregon

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $35

The Rum:

Rum is a tough one due to its underappreciated diversity of styles and flavors. One of the cool things about rum and spirits made from sugar, molasses, or sugarcane is that almost every culture in the world has made one (and made it so differently from all the others). If my back was against the wall and you told me I had to decide right now, I’d likely choose Appleton Estate 8 Year. It’s fantastic Jamaican juice that works in cocktails and sipping and is made by the legend herself Joy Spence.

Tasting Notes:

Eight years of aging gives this memorable rum notes of sweet honey, vanilla, oaky wood, island spices, and candied orange peel.

Flor De Cana 18 Year Centenario

Jennifer Donegan, bar manager at Bar Pendry in Washington DC

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $65

The Rum:

I love a flavorful deep rum. If you can put it in an old fashioned, I’m game. Flor de Cana 18 Year has the body of a whiskey but doesn’t have the burn. You can enjoy this on a large rock — but in a classic old fashioned or daiquiri, it sings. To get all that in the sub $70 category? Unbeatable.

Tasting Notes:

It begins with a nose of candied nuts and vanilla beans and moves on to a palate of vanilla, oak, toffee, and gentle spices.

Rhum Barbancourt 5-Star

Anne Saunders, head bartender at The Kimpton Shane in Atlanta

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $25

The Rum:

Rhum Barbancourt 5 Star is my go-to recommendation. Made using sugarcane juice instead of molasses, it’s matured for eight years in charred oak barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Made in the heart of Haiti, their Agricole selection spans crisp, grassy, tart, vanilla, and rich notes.

Bacardi Carta Blanca Superior

Federico Doldi, food & beverage director at Gansevoort Meatpacking in New York City

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $14

The Rum:

The best value-per-dollar rum remains Bacardi Carta Blanca. It’s a world-famous award-winning unaged rum. The original light rum, its history can be traced back to 1862.

Tasting Notes:

Featuring citrus, spices, and pepper on the nose with notes of tropical fruit, this rum can be used for any rum-based drink or simply sipped with a nice ice block and a slice of your favorite fresh fruit.

Camazotz Oaxacan Rum

José Medina Camacho, co-owner and mixologist of Adiõs in Birmingham, Alabama

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $45

The Rum:

Camazotz rum out of the highlands of Oaxaca is a small batch, family-owned, and pressed by hand. That should give you enough of a reason to purchase and enjoy. I’m hoping to see more rums like this in the market in the coming years.

Tasting Notes:

Flavors of sugarcane, earthy grass, oak, and salted caramel make for a unique memorable base for your favorite cocktail.

Cruzan Aged Light Rum

Tracy Javier, lead mixologist at VUE Rooftop at Hotel Washington in Washington, DC

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $13

The Rum:

I love Cruzan Aged Light Rum. It’s a blend of rums matured between one and four years and then charcoal filtered. The price is awesome, and it stands up well in a cocktail like a daiquiri or mojito, especially a Hemingway daiquiri.

Tasting Notes:

The tasting notes of molasses and a bit of oak from the used bourbon barrels create a creamy subtle yet complex rum.

Hamilton Demerara River Rum

Bijan Ghiai, beverage manager-Sommelier at Urban Hill in Salt Lake City

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $24

The Rum:

Hamilton Demerara River Rum has a ridiculous quality-price ratio. For $23, you get more provenance and complex flavors than anything, hands down. It deserves a price tag twice as high. Ed Hamilton is a genius in this avenue, and for my palate, his rum expressions never disappoint.

Tasting Notes:

The depth of profiles includes dried tobacco, lumber yard, fresh figs, and gingerbread cookies. I feel like this is what good rum epitomizes.

Plantation 3 Stars

Nick Jackon, head bartender at The Rum House in New York City

ABV: 41.2%

Average Price: $20

The Rum:

Plantation 3 Stars is so versatile for a light rum with its blend of rums from Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad. It offers a bit more depth of flavor than a traditional white rum. The addition of Jamaican rum in the 3 Stars helps to give it some amazing depth of flavor without being overpowering.

Tasting Notes:

A nose of honey, brown sugar, and vanilla start everything off right. Drinking it reveals notes of grassy flavors, vanilla, oak, and toffee.

Ron del Barrilito Three Stars

Jose R Rodriguez, general manager at COA at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $39

The Rum:

The best value-per-dollar rum is made by Puerto Rico’s oldest rum producer, Ron del Barrilito Three Stars. It imbibes history and tradition alongside an exceptionally smooth palate.

Tasting Notes:

It has a full body with a strong wood backbone followed by aromas of plums, bananas, almonds, vanilla, and caramelized sugar cane.

Lil Nas X begged to be called by his name on his single, “MONTERO.” Now, he is asking that the courtesy be extended to his parents. Although Lil Nas X has no problem dismissing attacks on his name (hi, Dave Chappelle), he doesn’t hold back regarding family. Yesterday (January 4), People Magazine learned that the hard way when it misidentified Lil Nas X’s mother.

After getting wind of the publisher’s inaccurate piece on the rapper’s life, he hopped on his official X (formerly Twitter) page to set the record straight. Fans are very familiar with Lil Nas X’s father, Robert Stafford, having attended many events with his famous son. Stafford has even clapped back at a few celebs over their disgusting comments. However, Lil Nas X’s mother remains a mystery.

So when People incorrectly claimed (in a now-deleted article that has been archived here) Lil Nas X’s mother’s name was Shawnita Hathaway, he slammed them. “Y’all just be creating people. cuz who the hell is Shawnita Hathaway? I did not come out that lady p*ssy,” Lil Nas X wrote.

Back in 2021, when rumors circulated that Lil Nas X refused to help his mother had fallen on hard times, Stafford took to his Instagram to shut down the reports with a statement (seen here).

During an interview with Vanity Fair, Lil Nas X opened up about his relationship with her mother. “I never really talk about my mom. She’s an addict, so we don’t have the closest relationship. Even trying to get her better — things didn’t quite work out. But there’s still love… The biggest surprise of becoming globally famous? On the outside, everybody loves you — but on the inside, everything [feels] the same,” said the musician.

Halle Berry is — objectively speaking — an attractive person. This is the one thing everyone can agree on, right? She’s the center of attention of photos she’s in… well, most photos. The Oscar-winning actress recently shared a picture on her Instagram where she’s posing among rocks in a lace bodysuit. “couldn’t hide these rocks,” the caption reads. But the comments aren’t about the John Wick star or her outfit — they’re about the “gross object” by her feet.

According to the Daily Mail, “the pic, which garnered more than 148,000 likes, generated speculation from followers that the stunning star’s bare feet were in close proximity to a pile of feces, the source of which also conjured up debate.” We need the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia gang on the case.

The top comments to Berry’s Instagram post include “Literally nobody sees the 3 giant mounds of human sh*t??? seriously, why post that photo with the sh*t in it?” and “How do you know it’s human sh*t though? Maybe it’s from some wild animal that lives among the rocks!” and “Dope Pic, crop the [poop emoji that’s right in front of you out of this pic tho!!” Someone else had a different but technically related take: “Lol when I didn’t have my glasses on, I thought you were peeing.”

I think everyone is missing the point of the photo. Also, it doesn’t look like human [poop emoji] to me. It’s obviously jawa droppings. Judge for yourself with Berry’s Instagram post below.

(Via the Daily Mail)

While accepting an award at the New York Film Critics Circle this week, Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan shared a hilarious anecdote about a Peloton instructor trashing one of his movies while he was in a virtual class.

“I was on my Peloton. I’m dying. And the instructor started talking about one of my films and said, ‘Did anyone see this? That’s a couple hours of my life I’ll never get back again!’” Nolan said via Variety. “When [film critic] Rex Reed takes a sh*t on your film he doesn’t ask you to work out!”

Naturally, the internet immediately went to work, and by mid-day Thursday, the video was found. The instructor was also identified as Jenn Sherman, who took a swing at Tenet during a December 2020 intervals-and-arms class.

“Someone’s got to explain this. Yeah I’m not kidding, what the f*ck was going on in that movie?” Sherman said with no idea that Nolan was in the class. “Seriously, you need to be a neuroscientist to understand. And that’s two and a half hours of my life that I want back.”

You can watch her slamming Tenet below:

After the Sherman video went viral, she took to Instagram to apologize to Nolan and claim it was a “dark time” when she made the crack. In her defense, it was the first year of the pandemic, which saw an especially deadly surge during the 2020 holiday season.

Via TODAY:

“I’m up on the platform, teaching my little class and I’m running my mouth off like I’m known to do,” she said. “And I make a random comment about a movie that I’ve seen the night before. What do you think the odds are that the director of said movie would take that ride some four years later?”

Sherman said that she “may not have understood a minute of what the hell was going on in ‘Tenet” but she did see “Oppenheimer” twice and loved it.

Sherman also invited Nolan to attend one of her classes in person where she promises to be nice.

“You can critique my class. We’ll have a great time,” she joked. “You’ll sit front row and I promise you, it will be insult free!”

You can watch Sherman’s response video below:

(Via TODAY)

It’s a new year, and if you’re like me, that can only mean one thing — it’s time to make reservations for summer National Park travel. In the past several years, the most popular US National Parks have seen explosive annual visitor growth, with several parks instituting reservation and timed entry systems to mitigate the crowds and help preserve the land for generations to come (and keep it tenable for people visiting right now).

Although summer may feel like a long way away, many of the most popular parks are opening up their first rounds of timed entry reservations as early as this week. So, if you have National Park travel on your mind for summer 2024, this is what you need to know first.

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ACADIA NATIONAL PARK — MAINE

Maine’s Acadia National Park is consistently among the top 10 most visited parks annually. The coastal paradise saw just shy of 4 million visitors in 2022 over just over 49,000 acres, making the number of visitors per acre much higher than the most visited parks in the system — and reservations for the popular Cadillac Summit Road necessary.

What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?

Like in years past, you won’t need a reservation to enter the park, but you will need one to drive on Cadillac Summit Road. The road leads to epic views at Cadillac Mountain Summit — which is a must while visiting the park, especially at sunrise or sunset.

When do I need it?

You’ll need a vehicle reservation for Cadillac Summit Road from May 24 to October 22. The reservations are on a timed entry system, so you’ll have to enter during your reserved time period, but there is no required departure time until 10 pm.

When and where are reservations/permits available?

Reservations cost $6 and must be purchased in advance on Recreation.gov for daytime or sunrise. Exact release dates haven’t been announced as of this writing. In previous years, 30% of timed entry reservations were released 90 days in advance, and the remaining 70% were released two days in advance at 10 am ET.

Are there workarounds?

Not if you want to drive. The timed entry reservation is required for vehicles, and the Island Explorer Bus that services other sections of the park does not serve this road. If you want to hike or bike, you can enter without a reservation. The road is approximately 3.5 miles, and there are a few options when hiking to the summit with various lengths and difficulty.

Book reservations here.

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK — UTAH

Arches National Park is another smaller park by land area. That, along with its extremely accessible location just 5 miles north of booming Moab, Utah, and Instagram-ready red rock arches, the crowds are inevitable nearly any time of year, especially in the summer months. To combat this, Arches has continued its timed entry system.

What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?

Visitors need a reservation to access any park area during the reservation season. Unlike other major National Parks, there is one gated entrance to the park. So there’s literally no getting around this.

When do I need it?

Reservations will be required from 7 am to 4 pm from April 1 through October 31.

When and where are reservations/permits available?

Timed entries will be released on Recreation.gov three months in advance. April entries were already released on January 2, with the next release — for May dates — occurring on February 1 at 8 am MST. Each month after that follows the same pattern: June dates are released on March 1, July on April 1, August on May 1, September on June 1, and October on July 1, all at 8 am Mountain Time.

Are there workarounds?

Visitors can enter the park without a permit before 7 am or after 4 pm. Next-day reservations are also available at 7 pm MT the day before your preferred visit. If you have a Devil’s Garden campground permit, backcountry camping permit, Fiery Furnace permit, Special Use Permit, Commercial Use Authorization, or arrive on foot or bicycle, you don’t need a timed entry permit.

Book reservations here.

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK — MONTANA

I’ve visited nearly every US National Park but keep returning to Glacier National Park in Montana. Through my several times over the past decade, I can’t help but notice each time, the crowds have only increased. The park is large with multiple entrance points, but the dramatic landscape, glaciers, lakes, and world-class hiking can create problems in the busy summer months. Glacier has instituted a reservation system to combat the crowds since 2021.

What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?

In 2024, you will need separate vehicle reservations for three areas of Glacier National Park — Going-To-The-Sun Corridor (coming from the West), the North Fork, and Many Glacier.

When do I need it?

You will need a reservation to enter the Going-To-The-Sun Corridor from the West past the Agpar Checkpoint from May 24 through September 8. A reservation for the road is valid for just one day and is needed from 6 am to 3 pm.

Vehicle reservations for the North Fork area are good for one day and are necessary from May 24 through September 8 from 6 am to 3 pm.

Many Glacier requires vehicle reservations, good for one day only, from July 1 through September 8 from 6 am to 3 pm.

When and where are reservations/permits available?

Reservations are available online on a rolling basis, 120 days in advance, starting at 8 am MDT on January 25. Another portion of reservations will be available one day in advance, beginning at 7 pm MDT on May 23.

Reservations must be made for each park entrance separately for $2 each, in addition to park entrance fees.

Are there workarounds?

Reservations aren’t required this year to enter Going-To-The-Sun Road from the East side or to visit the Two Medicine area of the park. Visitors can enter the park before 6 am or after 3 pm without a vehicle reservation.

Book reservations here.

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK — NORTH CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE

While maybe not the most Instagrammed park in comparison to the vistas of the West, Great Smoky Mountain National Park is — by far — the most visited major National Park in the system. With nearly 13 million visitors in 2022, it is incredible that there has not been a reservation system or even an admission fee in this spectacular southern park. And there still isn’t — not really, anyway. But there is one big change visitors should be aware of.

What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?

You still won’t need a reservation to enter Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but you will need to pay for parking. Last year, this new system brought more funding to the incredibly popular park that had historically been fee-free.

When do I need it?

You’ll need a parking tag anywhere in the park if you plan to be there longer than 15 minutes throughout the year.

When and where are reservations/permits available?

No reservations are necessary, and daily, weekly, or monthly parking tags can be bought online (to be shipped or printed) or at various visitor centers and automated fee machines at the park.

Are there workarounds?

No tag is required if you drive through without stopping for more than 15 minutes.

Buy a parking tag here.

HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK — HAWAII

One of my most memorable experiences was watching the sunset at Haleakalā National Park, which should be on everyone’s travel bucket list. On the gorgeous and lush island of Maui in Hawaii, the dormant Haleakalā volcano creates an otherworldly experience that seems completely unreal. So yes, you’ll need a reservation to access it.

What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?

While most reservation and timed entry systems have been instituted since the 2020 surge in National Park visitors, Haleakalā has required reservations for sunrise at the summit since 2017. To create a better viewing experience and keep the winding road to the summit safer for everyone, a reservation has been necessary and highly sought after for years.

When do I need it?

You only need a reservation for sunrise to enter the park between 3 am and 7 am. Otherwise, you can enter simply by paying the parking fee.

When and where are reservations/permits available?

Reservations are available online 60 and 2 days in advance starting at 7 am HST for a $1 fee plus park entrance fees.

Are there workarounds?

You might remember just a few sentences ago that I visited at sunset — which does not require a reservation — and honestly, it was a highlight of my life. So, if you can’t grab a sunrise permit, head for sunset, but head up early to ensure parking availability.

Book reservations here.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK — COLORADO

The jutting peaks, golden aspens, and heart-pumping trails to pristine alpine lakes of Rocky Mountain National Park are legendary. The park has long brought vast amounts of visitors to the Colorado park. But in the past few years, like other popular National Parks, the crowds have exploded to a degree where a timed entry system is necessary to protect the biodiversity and alpine tundra ecosystem that the park is known for.

What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?

There are two types of timed entry tickets for Rocky Mountain National Park, and you’ll need one. The popular Bear Lake Corridor has its own timed entry ticket (that will also allow you to access the rest of the park), while the “rest of the park” also has a specific timed entry ticket that gains you access to all but the Bear Lake Corridor.

When do I need it?

You’ll need a timed entry to access Rocky Mountain National Park from May 24 to October 15 for the “rest of the park” and to October 20 for the Bear Lake Corridor. The Bear Lake Corridor permit is necessary from 5 am to 6 pm, while the “rest of the park,” excluding Bear Lake, is needed from 9 am to 2 pm.

When and where are reservations/permits available?

Timed entry reservations are available on Recreation.gov at 8 am MT beginning on May 1 for permits from May 24 to June 30. Permits for July will be released on June 1, permits for August on July 1, permits for September on August 1, and finally, permits for October will be released on September 1.

Are there workarounds?

If you don’t snag a permit on the initial release, 40% of reservations will be held for release the day before your visit, starting at 7 pm MT.

Book reservations here.

SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK — VIRGINIA

You don’t need a reservation to simply visit Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, but you will need one if you plan to hike one of its most famous mountains.

What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?

Visitors to Shenandoah National Park will need a day-use ticket to access or hike the popular Old Rag Mountain.

When do I need it?

You’ll need a day-use ticket from March 1 to November 30.

When and where are reservations/permits available?

Tickets are available on Recreation.gov for $1 in addition to an entrance pass. Exactly 400 tickets will be released 30 days before the reservation date. Tickets are released each day at 10 am EST.

Are there workarounds?

An additional 400 tickets will be released at 10 am EST, five days before the reservation date.

Book reservations here.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK — CALIFORNIA

Yosemite is likely what most people envision when considering a National Park summer trip. It is legendary for a reason with towering granite cliffs, beautiful meadows, awe-inspiring waterfalls, and hiking that is hard to beat anywhere else. Despite its nearly unmatched beauty and incredible popularity, Yosemite has not had summer timed-entry reservations for the last few years (only in February for the legendary Firefall).

That is changing this year with a new system for visitors during peak travel times.

What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?

You’ll need a reservation to enter the park during two separate periods and use two different systems during February and peak hours between April 13 and October 27.

When do I need it?

If you plan to visit during a Firefall weekend in February (10-11, 17-19, 24-25), you’ll need a day-use permit to enter at any time of the day. If you visit on a weekend or holiday between April 13 and June 30 or August 17 to October 27, you’ll need a permit between 5 am and 4 pm.

And finally, if you’re visiting in the peak summer months between July 1 and August 16, a permit will be necessary daily between 5 am and 4 pm. Each reservation is valid for three days.

When and where are reservations/permits available?

Reservations were partially released in December for Firefall dates, with the remaining released two days prior at 8 am Pacific.

Most peak-hour reservations will be available on January 5 at 8 am Pacific, with the rest being released seven days in advance at 8 am.

Reservations are available online at Recreation.gov and will be sold out almost immediately.

Are there workarounds?

Reservations aren’t required if you enter the park after 4 pm or before 5 am. You’re also able to access the park without reservations on YARTS public transportation buses (which I did last year and recommend) or if you have a reservation at a campsite (Upper Pines, Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow, or Camp 4) or lodging within the park (The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley Lodge, Curry Village, and private lodging in Wawona, Yosemite West, or Foresta) or with a Half Dome or wilderness permit.

Book reservations here.

ZION NATIONAL PARK — UTAH

You may be surprised that Zion National Park is consistently among the top-visited US National Parks. Its impressive rock formations draw visitors worldwide, and many are interested in one particular hike, Angel’s Landing. The hike is just 2.4 miles each way but up a 1,488 ft rock formation with extreme exposure (and views). It’s become a social media sensation and bucket list item for many travelers, so you’ll need a permit to hike it.

What do I need a reservation or timed entry for?

Everyone who wants to hike the iconic Angel’s Landing will need a permit to do so. The permits are non-transferable and will cost you $6 to apply.

When do I need it?

You’ll need it year-round.

When and where are reservations/permits available?

The March 1 to May 31 seasonal lottery is open until January 20, with subsequent dates available to apply later in the year. The permits are non-transferable and will cost you $6 to apply.

Are there workarounds?

There are also permits available the day before they are valid. These are open each day after 12:01 am until 3 pm MST. The permits granted are then issued via email at 4 pm that day.

Book reservations here.