Craig Ferguson was the host of “The Late Late Show” on CBS from 2005 to 2014. He’s probably best remembered for his stream-of-conscious, mostly improvised monologues that often veered from funny observations to more serious territory.
In 2009, he opened his show explaining how marketers have spent six decades persuading the public into believing that youth should be deified. To Ferguson, it’s the big reason “Why everything sucks.”
“In the 1950s, late ’50s, early ’60s, a bunch of advertising guys got together on Madison Avenue and decided to try to sell products to younger people. ‘We should try to sell to younger people because then they will buy things their whole lives,'” Ferguson explained.
The problem is, according to Ferguson, that young people are “kind of stupid.”
“So the deification of youth evolved and turned into the deification of imbecility. It became fashionable to be young and to be stupid,” he continued.
‘Why everything sucks’
On a deeper level, Ferguson makes the point that exalting youth and inexperience over wisdom and experience runs contrary to the way of nature.
“Then what happened is that people were frightened to not be young,” he said. “They started dyeing their hair, they started mutilating their faces and their bodies in order to look young. But you can’t be young forever, that’s against the laws of the universe.”
Calling marketers’ war on the over-49 set the reason why “everything sucks” may be a bit of an exaggeration. But the takeaway from Ferguson’s monologue is spot-on. There’s no reason to feel bad about aging. You’ve got experience, wisdom, probably better credit, and have learned that Saturdays are a lot more fun after you’ve been to bed by 10:00 pm on Friday.
A childhood game can go very wrong in the blink of an eye.
“You’ll never get me!”
“Freeze! Put your hands up.”
If you’ve ever played cops and robbers, you know how the game goes.
John Arthur Greene was 8 and he was playing that game with his older brother Kevin. Only the two brothers played with real guns. Living on a farm, they were both old hands at handling firearms by their ages.
The blast from the gun must have startled them both.
“We were always extremely safe. They were never loaded,” John said.
Except this time it was. And John’s brother died in his arms while he watched.
It happens more often than you would ever want to imagine.
In federal data from 2007 to 2011, which is likely under-reported, an average of 62 children were accidentally killed by firearms per year.
“In Asheboro, North Carolina, a 26-year-old mother was cleaning her home when she heard a gunshot. Rushing into the living room, she discovered that her three-year-old son had accidentally shot her boyfriend’s three-year-old daughter with a .22-caliber rifle the parents had left in the room, loaded and unlocked.”
And the numbers may actually be getting worse.
With an increase in unfettered access to guns and philosophical opposition to gun regulations, the numbers seem to be on the rise. Here’s how many accidental shootings happened at the hands of children in 2015 alone, by age:
From January 19-26 of 2016 — just one week — at least seven kids were accidentally shot by another kid.
If the pace holds up for the rest of the year, America would be looking at over 300 accidental shootings of children, in many cases by children, for the year. That’s far too many cases of children either carrying the guilt and pain of having shot a loved one or hurting or killing themselves by accident.
John Arthur Greene has been able to manage his feelings of guilt and sorrow through music and by sharing his story for others to hear.
He told his story during an audition for the final season of “American Idol.” He says music has helped him keep his brother’s memory alive:
“Right now I lift him up every day and he holds me up. Music is how I coped with everything.”
It’s a powerful reminder. No matter how we each feel about gun safety laws, guns should always be locked away unloaded and kept separately from ammunition.
Our babies are too precious to leave it to chance.
Watch John Arthur Greene’s audition for “American Idol” here:
Back then, it was a hard riddle. A very hard riddle.
By 1993, when I first heard it, the notion that women could be highly skilled, highly trained professionals wasn’t so absurd.
To me, it was normal.
I knew women who were lawyers. Bankers. Politicians. My own doctor was a woman.
To be sure, women still faced challenges and discrimination in the workplace. And even 20 years later, they still do.
But at its core, the riddle is about how a family can work. And that had changed. Long-overdue progress had rendered the big, sexist assumption that underpinned the whole thing moot.
A very hard riddle was suddenly not a riddle at all.
I never forgot it.
Now, I’m 30 — almost as old as my dad was he first told me that riddle.
I don’t have kids, but I mentor a child through a volunteer program.
Once a week, we get together and hang out for an hour. We play ping pong, do science experiments, and write songs. Neither of us like to go outside.
It’s a good match.
One day, we decided to try to stump each other with riddles.
He rattled off about five or six.
I could only remember one: The one about the man, his son, and the surgeon.
I thought it would be silly to tell it.
I was sure that, if it was easy in 1993, it would be even easier in 2014. Kind of ridiculous, even.
But a part of me was curious.
It had been 21 years — almost as long as it had been between when my dad first heard the riddle and when he shared it with me.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so easy.
Maybe I was missing something obvious, making my own flawed assumptions about how a family could work.
Maybe the world had changed in ways that would be second nature to a 13-year-old but not to me.
So I began:
“A man and his son are driving in their car, when they are hit by a tractor-trailer. The father dies instantly. The son is badly injured and is rushed to the hospital by paramedics. As he is being wheeled into the operating room, the surgeon takes one look at the boy and says:
‘I can’t operate on him. He’s my son.’
How is that possible?!”
Without missing a beat, he answered: “it’s his other dad”
Times change. Progress isn’t perfect. But no matter what shape a family takes, at the end of the day, #LoveWins.
This article was written by Eric March and originally appeared on 06.21.16
“I consider this EP to be a very beautiful introduction to me – both sonically and creatively, and how I process things like love, heartbreak, and joy.”
The future is looking very bright for Lekan. The Columbus, Ohio-born singer is just a few days removed from the release of his debut EP So You Know, and in less than three months, he will begin a nine-show run as an opener for Tems on her Born In The Wild World Tour. It’s been a long time coming for the singer who brought his talents to Los Angeles, where he is currently based, with the goal of achieving all his music dreams. So You Know and the Born In The Wild World Tour are the beginning moments on that journey.
Fresh off the release of So You Know, Uproxx caught up with Lekan to discuss his gig as an opener on the Born In The Wild World Tour, his So You Know EP, and more.
What was your first reaction to hearing that you’ll be an opening act for Tems’ Born In The Wild World Tour?
I for sure screamed [laughs]. Outside of that, I was just super grateful because when you getting somewhere, you never really know what that actually looks like. So when you get somewhere to that extent and to that platform, you’re just thankful for never really giving up. I’m just grateful for the opportunity.
What helped you stay patient in the time before your breakout “Need Somebody?” How did you remain confident that your moment was coming?
The work. I knew that the work that I was doing was just eventually going to have to be seen because I wasn’t going to stop. I knew the work that I was putting out was quality, it was just only a matter of time until the world would figure it out. I just kept doubling down on just quality work and it would speak for itself.
What was the moment that you realized things were changing for the better?
It’s really interesting because a lot of stuff that the world is starting to figure out, is something that like I feel like I was showing a long time ago. I’ve always say where it started to really changed for me was when I moved to LA. That was really when it started changing for me. From there, I was just like nothing’s ever gonna be the same. So I just kept making sure [that] I put myself in position to be aligned with like-minded individuals who could see my vision, could see my life, and could prioritize me to help me make this into a thing. It only made it easier because I would just want to run with them.
For the tour with Tems, what are you most excited for and what are you most nervous about?
I’m not nervous. I truly feel like I’m just gonna keep doing what I’ve been doing, if anything, just do at times 10. I have no fear about that because it’s just something that I’ve just been doing. What I’m most excited about is to be able to really see the people, to see the real time interactions with new fans or even just supporters that came out to see me. Seeing what that actually looks like, seeing the actual impact of these records in real time, watching people actually singing along, the experiences that I’m going to have along the way in different environments, and then also sharing that with my childhood best friend who produced the title track who’s gonna be on the right side of the stage with me for every show. That’s what I’m most excited about.
What do you hope fans takeaway from hearing So You Know and seeing you perform from it?
I just want them to be sonically introduced to me. I want them to know that I care about the music, the craft, and the advancement of this of the sound to see how much it can really impact people. I was blessed with a gift to be utilized when it comes down to music, but I just want people to understand that it really also just stems from taking initiative, having faith in something bigger than you, but also yourself. None of this stuff is happening without confidence. So, just take that, run with it, and apply that within their own system.
Bongo ByTheWay is your right-hand man in your career so far, I feel like he’s to you what D’Mile is to Lucky Daye. How did this relationship start and what makes him the perfect collaborator for this point of your career?
It’s really helped, honestly. You can come to the table and then you just see what someone else can also just bring to the table, as well. He’s someone that had accolades and just experience walking into this. For me personally, it was dope to see someone who looked like me, as far as like Nigerian American just out here really making a name for himself. When him and I started to work together, he just affirmed me. He was just one of the first people to really put his arm around me and really be like, “Nah, he’s the one,” and just affirm me, really believe in me, and push me ultimately. He definitely pushed me and got a lot out of me. I’m really grateful, forever indebted to how he just did that off of discernment, honestly. He could have handled it in so many different ways, but he did the right things in handling it. I’m grateful for the relationship that him and I have built.
You once tweeted that you have to listen to Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Part 2” and The Kurt Carr Singers’ “For Every Mountain” or your days feel weird. What are some other things that are key to your routine? Especially before a show.
Before a performance, I always got to listen to jazz or Anita Baker — just certain things that keep me in such a very mellow mode. It’s a lot of noise, you just got to be able to find your way to stand firm and find your own little process of things that you need to do to keep you firm within whatever’s going on. Also family, I always gotta talk to a loved one of mine every day. If it’s not all of them, it’s one of them for sure. I have to do that.
What song on this project do you think speaks best to your artistry and the experience can best define you by?
If I had to choose, I would say “Change.” That’s one thing that is solely just me which is something that I wanted to highlight. I felt like it was a very important part of my process for people to understand. I do stuff like that all the time, I have albums-worth of like stuff like that. It was just really important for me to make sure that the world understand the identity, the texture, the intentionality, [and] the care, that stuff takes a lot of time. It might be probably 8/9-hour sessions for just to do that one song. It’s definitely nothing light, it’s definitely not nothing easy. Yeah, I think that something that I would like for the world to really understand like, “Okay wow, this dude’s sound is… he definitely cares about trying to push the sound.”
If there’s one word that could describe the last year for you, what would it be? And what do you hope the next year brings you?
This year, I would say is affirming. It’s been affirming to everything that I’ve always believed, everything that God has always shown me, everything that I’ve always known to be true, which is that I could do anything that I put my mind to through Christ that strengthens me. Every time I gotta circle back bro because I could say that I’ve done everything on my own strength and put myself in position, but there’s a lot of stuff that is just simply based off of His favor and based off of me being faithful to focus on what He was showing me when it didn’t look like it. So, I guess affirming will be this season [and] this year and then next year will be faithful. Just continue to stay faithful to the craft, faithful to the grind, [and] faithful to the goal which is to inspire the masses. What comes with that is just gonna come with that, and it’s gonna be a lot, but I’m only just gonna get stronger to be able to withstand it.
So You Know is out now via At The Studio/ByTheWay/Human Re Sources. Find out more information here.
At some point last year, HBO likely reached out to George R.R. Martin and asked “what do ya got for us next?” and he knew exactly what the network needs to make another hit show: a boy named Egg.
HBO announced today that production on A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms is underway in Ireland, and the network even shared an image of Ser Duncan the Tall, played by Peter Claffey. Get this: at 6 foot 5, he’s two inches taller than Alan Ritchson, which is almost unheard of.
HBO
The drama will be an adaptation of Martin’s Novella The Hedge Knight, which was first released in 1998 as a part of Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg series. The series takes place before the events of Game of Thrones. Dexter Sol Ansell, who was born after the premiere of Game of Thrones, signed on to star as the young Egg.
Here is the official synopsis:
A century before the events of “Game of Thrones,” two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends.
It may be a while until we get to see Dunk and Egg on screen, fans can rest easy knowing that as soon as House of the Dragon season two ends, another epic tale will be shortly behind it. But with a very tall man.
After being announced in 2022, fans have been eagerly awaiting Mickey 17, the latest film from Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho. Starring Robert Pattinson, the movie is based on the sci-fi novel Mickey 7 and has been shrouded in mystery ever since the one (and only) image of Rob has been released. You’ve probably seen it before.
Mickey 17 stars Pattinson as a disposable employee, sort of like a clone, on a space expedition who refuses to be taken over by his replacement clone. Mark Ruffalo, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, and Toni Collette also star. So what in the world is taking so long?
The film was initially supposed to be released in March of this year. Filming took place from August to December 2022, and a brief teaser was posted shortly after that. And then…nothing.
Then, in January 2024, the movie was yanked from Warner Bros release schedule and replaced by those pesky guys, Godzilla X Kong. Finally, in March, Warner Bros. set the official release date to January 31st, 2025. Seems far off, right?
— Immortan Bob (gooch) (@bobgoochman) June 9, 2024
While the initial delays were in part due to the 2023 strikes, rumors are surfacing that Warner Bros. might not have been on board with Bong Joon-ho’s version. Hollywood insider Daniel Richtman (via JoBlo) claimed that “Mickey 17 is delayed because Warner Bros. won’t let Bong Joon-ho release his director’s cut. They want to release a more ‘accessible’ version.”
Shortly after that claim, the director denied the rumor, saying that he submitted the film back in November 2023.
Even though it seems far away, the movie is starting to gain some traction. At CineEurope this week, Pattinson and Bong Joon Ho virtually presented clips from the movie, so we know it does exist out there! We just have to wait a few more months to see it.
If there’s one that that has been made clear over the years, it’s that Rihanna is a bankable star. Music aside, she has also excelled in the worlds of cosmetics and lingerie with Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty, respectively. Now, she’s getting into scents: It was just announced that Rihanna is the new face of Dior J’Adore.
Rihanna said in a statement (via Allure), “Being the new face of J’Adore is both an honor and a mission. This scent that I have known and loved for so long means so much to women. I am especially looking forward to joining this adventure and contributing to it through my world, my story, my roots, as well as my creativity and my own femininity.”
Véronique Courtois, CEO of Parfums Christian Dior, also said, “The unusual talent, audacity, and captivating beauty of this absolute star are the ideal embodiment of dazzling, powerful Dior femininity that transcends generations. Her golden dream promises to be unique, reflecting a fragrance that is present for women and retains its radiance.”
Rihanna takes over the position from Charlize Theron, who has been the face of J’Adore campaigns for 20 years and is now the brand’s style and jewelry ambassador.
How To Buy Rihanna’s First Dior J’Adore Release
J’Adore is a classic scent that debuted in 1999, so you can just buy it right now. Rihanna’s first J’Adore campaign is set to be revealed on September 1, so perhaps that will bring some sort of new J’Adore-related offering.
In 2022, Kendrick Lamar released Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, which in 2021 he declared would be his last album released under Top Dawg Entertainment. Now, it’s Reason’s turn to leave the nest: Today (June 18), the rapper announced he is leaving TDE.
Why Is Reason Leaving Top Dawg Entertainment?
He made the announcement via a letter shared on social media. Based on the message’s tone, the split appears to be at least somewhat amicable, with Reason expressing his appreciation for the label, Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, and TDE fans. Reason also references his “decision to travel a different path after the years.”
Worth noting is that least year, Reason made waves for publicly arguing with TDE president Moosa, so perhaps some tension with the label was a contributing factor to Reason’s departure.
Check out the full letter below.
“The last 7 years have been incredible, and I’ve appreciated all the time and experiences that have come within that span of time. I can’t even put into words the surreal feeling I’ve had of being able to share my thoughts, expressions, emotions, stories, and experiences with you all through the platform provided to me by Top Dawg Entertainment.
With that being said, it comes with great appreciation and excitement that I want to announce my split with TDE. I want to give a huge thank you to Top himself, not only for giving me a chance to live out my dream but also for hearing me and understanding my decision to travel a different path after the years. There’s truly no words for the amount of respect I have for you, and that’ll never change, no matter what.
I also want to thank every single TDE fan who embraced me and allowed me to share my music with them. There’s no world in which you don’t mean the absolute most to me. Last but not least, a thank you to all the artists who embraced me.
Thank you for being a constant inspiration and ear while trying to navigate this industry and music. Thank you guys for the time and a huge thanks to everybody for this experience.
Afrobeats is one of the fastest-growing genres in the country. There are big names who have seen global success, but there are even more talented up-and-coming artists looking to achieve the same type of success. Finding those artists can be tough, but we’ve got you covered. Every week, we’ll share an update on the best new afrobeats songs you need to hear and hopefully, you can find someone new to add to your rotation.
Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:
King Promise — True To Self
Ghanian singer King Promise is back with his third album True To Self. Through 12 songs and features from Shallipopi, FAVE, Fridayy, Gabzy, and more, True To Self showcases what King Promise says is the “balance between what my sound truly is, who I really am, and what I really what to churn out through my music.”
Camidoh — “NLF (Breakfast)”
After linking with Rose May Alaba for “Lockdown 2.0,” Ghanaian singer Camidoh stands on his own for his new single “NLF (Breakfast).” The new track paints an optimistic picture of heartbreak and how to move on from it. As the song’s title says, “nothing lasts forever,” and Camidoh acknowledges this and prepares to move on to what’s next.
Stonebwoy — “Your Body”
Ghanian singer Stonebwoy dives headfirst into the summer months with his vibrant new single “Your Body.” Its blend of afrobeats and dancehall makes for the perfect backdrop for Stonebwoy to display his fun and playful side, two elements that are required for a good time under the sun.
Oxlade — “Arabambi”
With his debut album Oxlade From Africa out later this year, Nigerian singer Oxlade returns with “Arabambi” which the signer says translates to “‘the child of the people,’ the community gave birth to this child,’ ‘the one.’” He goes on to say that the song is inspired by Miguel and the way he uses his vocals. “It’s a love song but it’s still me in my braggadocious elements.”
FAVE — “Controlla”
Nigerian singer FAVE readies her upcoming project with her new single “Controlla.” The track leans into the amapiano lane for energetic uptempo record that’s a great follow-up to “Belong To You” which arrived earlier this year.
Qdot — Brb The Album
Four years removed from Alagbe, Nigerian singer Qdot is back in action with Brb The Album. Sixteen songs make up the project that also features appearances from L.A.X., Reekado Banks, Bella Shmurda, Bad Boy Timz, and more.
Logos Olori — “Stay Wise”
After making his official entrance with the seven-track Olori (The EP) earlier this year, Davido-signed signer Logos Olori dishes out his latest single, “Stay Wise.” His first release since Olori (The EP) captures Logos Olori’s growing wisdom as he shares some knowledge with loved ones and fans based on the lessons learned on his own journey.
Llona & FAVE — “Cold War”
FAVE makes a second appearance on this list thanks to her collaboration with fellow Nigerian singer Llona on “Cold War.” Together, the two singers sing about the pains endured on their journey to their respective positions.
Taves — “A Million Things”
Following on appearance on “Realize” from BNXN’s Sincerely, Benson album, whom he is signed to, Nigerian singer Taves continues to solo path with his new single “A Million Things.” It’s a sweet and laid-back single perfect for a relaxing day out in the sun.
Kaestyle — Another Style
With “Egberi” and “My Dealer” leader the way for the new project, Nigerian singer Kaestyle showcases Another Style on his new EP. The follow-up to 2022’s Kae’s Study delivers five songs and features from Omah Lay, M3LON, and 6lack.
Robert Bush Sr. is an avid outdoorsman who runs a Facebook page called “Bob’s Pennsylvania Wildlife Camera.”
He set up a secret camera on a log that lays across a steam to capture footage of all the different animals that walked across it. The result is a relaxing video featuring all sorts of wildlife including a black bear, chipmunk, coyote, turkey, and great horned owl.
Bush is very active recording wildlife videos, which he shares on his Facebook and YouTube pages.
In the introduction to his Facebook page he captures his philosophy that is welcoming to all, with a few ground rules:
“I love the outdoors and wildlife and I am not anti-hunting, this page is not about hunting and I will not post any hunting pictures or videos on this page, this page is about the wildlife in the mountains of Pennsylvania. Please do NOT post hunting pictures in the comments, and do not comment about killing the animals or about hunting at all, and do not bash hunters or talk about anti-hunting … just enjoy the videos.”
Well said, Robert. And now, on to the first video:
You may have noticed the video is called “The Log 2.” Well, here’s the original.
This article originally appeared on 02.28.20
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Photo via iStock.
