Category: News

Chief Keef, Lil Durk, and a few other Chicago natives may have birthed hip-hop’s latest subgenre, drill music, but that hasn’t stopped other regions across the globe from making it their own.

Lately, the biggest drill acts hail from the mecca of hip-hop, the Bronx, New York. As fans crown Ice Spice, the princess of the sound, in Kay Flock’s absence from the scene, his childhood friend B-Lovee has upheld the crown for the fellas. B-Lovee’s viral song, “IYKYK,” produced by ChrisSaves, has made him a fixture in New York’s thriving drill scene.

Sampling the hypnotic melody of Wayne Wonder’s “No Letting Go,” in contrast to the B-Lovee’s harsh lyrics, you don’t know whether to dance to the groove or look over your shoulder to ensure to coast is clear. The Bronx native may be cold as ice, but he makes it extremely clear that he’s with all the smoke should it come his way.

Watch B-Lovee’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “IYKYK” above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

While there’s no shortage of places to stay in Madrid, few hotel spaces can date their roots back to the 19th and 13th centuries—save for Palacio de los Duques, one of the newer Gran Melía properties in the heart of Madrid. Ideally situated at the western end of the Gran Via, this historic property’s backstory is just as impressive as its current offerings. Comprising two separate buildings, a former 13th-century convent and a 19th-century palace, this centrally-located property is perfect for art lovers, cocktail aficionados, and wellness-forward travelers alike.

Also… it look like this inside:

In addition to numerous Diego Velázques reproductions scattered around the hotel’s common areas, a few original pieces (donated by the Prado Museum) are also lurking around the property’s interior. Simply post up with a book in the common area, grab a coffee, and take in the overall grandeur of the hotel’s main space.

Hey, it’s no visit to the Prado Museum itself, but it’s certainly a more relaxing experience.

With regards to F&B, while I definitely recommend taking in the city’s remarkable culinary scene, skipping the Palacio’s on-site offerings would be a serious miss—especially if you can get a res at Dos Cielos. Grab a craft cocktail at the lounge bar (I enjoyed the Palacio, made with bourbon, gin, and mint, though the Spanish Mojito made with mint, Manzanilla sherry, and lime looked equally refreshing) before exploring, then indulge in a nightcap at the hotel’s rooftop bar (PX Martini crafted with Pedro Ximenez sherry and gin, anyone?)

For those looking to sweat it out the next day, the hotel’s 24-hour fitness center offers Technogym equipment, as well as complimentary granola bars, fruit, tea, and clean towels.

WHY IT’S AWESOME:

Palacio de los Duques is home to 180+ rooms across numerous tiers, rendering the hotel accessible to a variety of price points and personal preferences. Guests in RedLevel suites will enjoy a more boutique experience, including private check-in and check-out, as well as access to a special à la carte breakfast, a private lounge area with a private garden, and more. Although I didn’t really partake in the tapas aside from a few salty almonds and chips, the all-day Nespresso machine was a lifesaver.

Most importantly, the hotel’s central location makes it easy to access nearly every neighborhood in Madrid, making exploring the city incredibly easy—though with a hotel of this standard, it’s quite tempting not to leave. The downstairs lounge space is spacious and stunning, offering a great place to get some work done or simply enjoy a coffee in peace, and while many on-site spas at hotels often fall short, the RedLevel spa is exquisite.

IN-HOUSE FOOD + DRINK

Come for the room, stay for the food and beverage. Palacio de los Duques is home to three on-site restaurants: Coroa Royal Gallery & Garden (tapas with a view), Vinoteca Montmartre Restaurant (French-Spanish fusion), or Restaurant Dos Cielos, a sustainable-forward restaurant spearheaded by the award-winning Torres Brothers.

While I didn’t have a meal at Dos Cielos, my meal at Coroa Royal Gallery & Garden was delicious, especially enjoyed al fresco. As a vegetarian, the menu items I enjoyed most were the vegetarian taco made with black beans and sweet potato, the fresh garden salad made with frisée, artichoke hearts, and asparagus, and some form of stuffed/rolled pasta (think similar to manicotti) drenched in a thick green sauce and topped with spinach and pickled onions. To kick off the meal, I started with a glass of Fino sherry to break up the cocktail drinking a bit, though Coroa’s vast array of still (non-fortified) Spanish wines by the glass—including the Terras Gaudas Albariño and Gran Caus Rosado from Penedès—were equally tempting.

In addition to the rooftop pool bar, the hotel’s lounge bar boasts an impressive list of craft cocktails, mixed up by some of Madrid’s best mixologists. Choose from modern twists on a number of classics, including the Wild Cosmo, made with blueberries, lime, vodka, and triple sec, or a Spiced Mule made with spiced vodka, lime and ginger beer. As it was late, and my sweet tooth was kicking in, I opted for the Tiramisù, made with vodka, hazelnut liquor, vanilla, and coffee. Regardless of what you choose, the only thing that promises to up-show your drink is the 360-view of Madrid by night.

Lastly, Palacio de los Duques’ breakfast buffet is arguably one of the best I’ve ever seen, offering an array of hot, cold, and made-to-prepare items. Standard breakfast offerings (scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, sausage, pastries, and more) are available, as well as an array of freshly squeezed juices and smoothies. Seeing as I was slightly hungover, I opted for a massive green juice and two cappuccinos. Next time, I’ll make sure I’m in better form to enjoy all that the breakfast has offer.

AMENITIES:

• Excellent location
• On-site cocktail bar and restaurant with outdoor patio
• Large variety of room types
• On-site spa / wellness center
• Rooftop pool
• Free Wi-Fi throughout the property
• Excellent breakfast buffet (included with certain reservations)
• 24-hour gym
• Room service
• Airport transfers available

ROOM TYPES

While I stayed in a Suite Junior RedLevel, which came equipped with a separate table/sitting area for working, there are both smaller and larger options at the hotel. For an upgrade, you can get the same room with a balcony, or spring for a Suite RedLevel with a separate bedroom—with Master and Penthouse options also available.

For those traveling more modestly, Classic, Premium, and Supreme rooms make for great—and more affordable—options. A single queen-size bed or two individual bed options are available within these tiers.

THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 15-MINUTE WALK:

For hipster coffee shops, vintage shopping, and great nightlife, head up to the bustling Malasaña neighborhood, located less than ten minutes away from the hotel on foot. Despite its proximity, the neighborhood couldn’t be more different than the busy, Opera-adjacent area where the hotel is found. I grabbed a cappuccino at Töto Ice Cream & Coffee for prime people watching, though definitely skipped on the latter (it was 10 AM, otherwise I would’ve been in).

Should you visit the neighborhood on the weekend, be sure to check out the neighborhood’s weekend market in between shopping and bar hopping, or even an outdoor movie at the Conde Duque, should the weather permit.

BEST THING TO DO/EAT/DRINK WITHIN A $20 CAB RIDE:

For a taste of the urban outdoors, there’s no better place to stretch your legs and grab some fresh(ish) air than Parque de El Retiro. Simply post up with a book, stroll around the reservoir, or grab an ice cream at one of the centrally located stands and enjoy. If you’re feeling sporty, hit the Canoeing Club Vallehermoso Retiro in the center of the park and enjoy some time on the water.

Pro tip: Exit the park to the north and enjoy the ritzy shopping / cafés / fine dining in the city’s Salamanca neighborhood. The neighborhood has a little bit of everything, from Zara Home and Aesop all the way to Chanel and Balenciaga. Also, grabbing a world-famous tortilla at Casa Dani (washed down with an Estrella, of course) is an absolute must.

BED GAME:

Perhaps it was because I was hungover AF, but truly, I could have died in the bed at Palacio de los Duques. The pillows offered a perfect balance between structure and fluff, and with the AC cranked up to the max, I was able to burrow beneath the massively thick comforter.

Rating: 10/10.

SEXINESS RATING:

While the comfortable beds, rooftop access, and downstairs cocktail bar—as well as the on-site spa—are perfect lead-ups to getting “in the mood,” the rooms’ outdated decor and lack of stellar views (at least in the room I stayed in) render it an attractive experience, though definitely not the city’s sexiest.

Rating: 7.5/10

BEST SEASON TO VISIT

As with many European cities, the fall and spring seasons offer the best conditions temperature-wise, as well as a lack of crowds. While the hotel’s ample air conditioning offers a perfect reprieve from scorching summer temperatures, exploring around the heated city streets are certainly not for the faint of heart.

IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING:

It’s hard to find a complaint about the Palacio de los Duques. The rooms are spacious, the on-site food and beverage options are delectable, and I truly had one of the best massages of my life at the RedLevel spa.

I will say that the in-room decor is quite outdated, and the hotel’s unique layout can make it confusing to get around, but overall, these are peanuts compared to the excellent amenities and unforgettable hospitality.

BOOK NOW:

Expect to pay between $340 for a standard room, $579 for a RedLevel Room, and $660-$1,200 for various levels of suites.

INSTAGRAM IMAGES TAKEN AT THE PALACIO DE LOS DUQUES HOTEL:

Penn Badgley has ironically (and perhaps troublingly) become an internet boyfriend during the run of Netflix’s psychological thriller You. Badgley stars as Joe, a sociopathic murderer and stalker, but he seems likable in real life. He certainly buttered up Swifties with a clever “Anti-Hero” and You mashup as his first-ever TikTok in October.

“I thought for years, ‘I’ll get a TikTok when the time is right,’” Badgley explained of the viral TikTok in a recent interview with Rolling Stone. “And then when Taylor’s record came out, it just seemed the song wouldn’t have worked with anybody else. Me. Joe. Anti-Hero. Taylor Swift? It just was the perfect moment.”

The Swift connection isn’t over, either. According to IndieWire, Badgley directed the upcoming ninth episode of You‘s fourth season, and according to Badgley’s new Variety cover story, the episode “contains a Taylor Swift reference.” Naturally, Variety‘s Kate Aurthur posed whether Joe is a Swiftie.

“I think, unfortunately, he would despise her,” Badgley said. “Because she’s successful and blonde, maybe? I don’t know, but I think he would.”

The first half of You‘s fourth season hit Netflix on February 9. The second half is due out on March 9.

If you’re all caught up, watch the “Part 2” trailer below.

Rye whiskey is bourbon’s fun-loving cousin. It’s often drier, more herbal/floral, funkier, and, sure, it can be spicier. And since we’re all chin-deep in the latest whiskey boom, there are new rye whiskeys hitting shelves at a non-stop pace. Meaning it’s a lot to sort through.

That’s where I come in. I’m lucky enough to get a lot of tryes to try — so much so that it’s time for yet another blind taste test of rye whiskeys.

For this blind tasting, I grabbed some new (and new-ish) ryes along with a few new batches of old standards (I picked up the Sazerac Rye from the distillery last week) and stacked them up against each other in a blind tasting. The idea was to cast a wide net with stuff on the shelf right now. Naturally, that’ll depend on what gets to your region or not.

That makes our lineup today the following bottles:

• Blackwood Toasted Rye Whiskey Small Batch (New)
• Proof And Wood Polish Whiskey 100% Rye Aged 8 Years ‘The Stranger’
• Sazerac Rye Straight Rye Whiskey
• Tattersall Wi-Ski Straight Rye Whiskey Maple Syrup Barrel Aged (New)
• Roulette Rye Straight Rye Whiskey 4 Years Old
• Old Elk Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Rum Barrels (New)
• Kentucky Owl Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 11 Years Limited Edition Bayou Mardi Gras XO Cask (New)
• Proof And Wood Crossborder Jackpot Whiskey

When it comes to ranking these bottles, that is all about the taste. I’m looking at the depth of flavor and the journey these profiles take me on as I taste them. In the end, the taste of these whiskeys is why we’re all here. So check out the ranking below and hit those price links to try the best ones yourself!

• Every Single Buffalo Trace Whiskey & Spirits Brand, Ranked
• The Single Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• Our Head Drinks Critic Reveals The Expensive Whiskeys He’d Pay Above Retail For
• The 50 Best Rye Whiskeys Of 2022, Ranked
• All Of Michter’s Whiskey Expressions — Ranked & Reviewed

Part 1: The Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is a straight-up classic with a sense of cherry and cinnamon tied to fresh and chewy tobacco with a sense of old cedar bark braided with dry sweetgrass and smudging sage with a light sense of pear candy and cream soda.

Palate: The taste leans into spiced cherry tobacco and stewed pear with a hint of marmalade and peach cobbler next to a hint of black-tea-soaked dates, salted whiskey-laced toffee, and clotted cream before a red chili pepper spiciness kicks in with a sense of cinnamon and cherry bark.

Finish: The woodies of the orchard fruit and spice drive the warm finish — but never hot — toward a luxurious and creamy end full of sharp yet sweet tobacco, a whisper of dank resin, and echoes of old fruit orchards.

Initial Thoughts:

Well, this is a fantastic pour of whiskey. The first pour out of the gate is going to be the whiskey to beat.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Peppermint candy canes mix with candied orange rinds, winter spices, a touch of caramel sweetness, and some black peppercorns.

Palate: There’s a mint chocolate chip vibe to the taste that gives way to old oak, woody Christmas spices, and a hint of burnt orange with a whisper of sweetgrass.

Finish: Dark orchard fruits and barks lead the way on the finish toward a bright mintiness next to burnt orange layered into dry tobacco and cedar bark.

Initial Thoughts:

This is pretty nice overall. It’s complex and balanced but not overly deep.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a vanilla base that supports anise, sasparilla, clove, cardamom, and a hint of red peppercorn with a very soft minerality.

Palate: The palate has big Christmas-time vibes with candied fruits and nuts with plenty of dark spice alongside more of that red peppercorn with old pine wood paneling lurking in the background.

Finish: The finish is soft with candied fruits creating a spicy cream soda with an old sweetgrass rope drying things out that ultimately leads to a proofed finish.

Initial Thoughts:

This starts off lighter, peaks in the mid-palate, and then ends pretty light. There’s a lot going on but you really have to dig to find it. This feels like a mixing whiskey.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a butterscotch note on the nose next to a lot of citrus with a pancake syrup sweetness and an old blended whiskey vibe.

Palate: Lemon pepper dominates the palate with a sense that you’ve time-traveled back to 2005.

Finish: The end has a slight graininess that circles back to the citrus and butterscotch.

Initial Thoughts:

Nope.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a mix of soft leather and mild chili spice next to orchard fruits and barks with a sense of dried fruits and dried sweetgrasses with a hint of vanilla tying it all together.

Palate: Sweet prunes and raisins draw you in on the taste as a nutty chocolate creaminess is accented by fresh mint with a touch of winter-spiced tobacco.

Finish: The end leans into the woody winter spices and soft tobacco with a well-rounded sense of mint, chocolate, and creamy dried fruits.

Initial Thoughts:

This was pretty nice all things considered. It wasn’t a “wow” pour but it wasn’t bad by any stretch either.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a clear sense of grilled pineapple and clove on the nose that leads to woody tropical spices and an overall feel of rummy tropical cocktails with plenty of spicy booze in them.

Palate: The palate leans into the woody spice bark with bitter orange, bright lemon, and a hint of lime leaves before delving into vanilla pods and a touch of warm tobacco.

Finish: The tobacco drives the finish toward a whisper of mango and pineapple with a dried and almost salted vibe before ending up in a nice and rummy-spiced note.

Initial Thoughts:

This is a nice rum-finished whiskey. It leans pretty heavily in that direction but it’s not distracting.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a soft leatheriness on the nose with a sense of old rye bread, sweet butter, and winter spices layered into a vanilla cake.

Palate: The taste is on the sweeter end with dark cherry and stewed plum next to orange marmalade, allspice berries, creamy vanilla pudding, and a mild sense of dry and old herb gardens.

Finish: The lush end layers in that sweet butter and creamy vanilla with a sense of clove tobacco, sharp and spicy root beer, and lush eggnog with plenty of nutmeg.

Initial Thoughts:

This is deep, luxurious, and just plain tasty. I want more of this one.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Woody spices and caramel candy mix on the nose as orange and pepper lean into a vanilla cake and a hint of soft leather.

Palate: Cinnamon bark and cedar planks bind with a sense of dry grains and some sweetgrass next to a mild line of apple cider syrup with a dash of rye caraway.

Finish: The end leans into winter spices and more dry grains with a hint of cinnamon tobacco.

Initial Thoughts:

This was perfectly fine. There’s nothing wildly exciting about it and nothing wrong with it.

Part 2: The Ranking

8. Tattersall Wi-Ski Straight Rye Whiskey Maple Syrup Barrel Aged — Taste 4

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $35

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is a collaboration between Tattersall Distillery and the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation. The whiskey is a three-year-old rye that’s finished maple syrup barrels that once held bourbon. After six months, those barrels were batched, proofed, and bottled.

Bottom Line:

This tastes bad. It feels like the first attempt at making rye whiskey in 2005. Hard pass.

7. Sazerac Rye Straight Rye Whiskey — Taste 3

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $34

The Whiskey:

Sazerac Rye is an entry-point whiskey and a throwback to the 1800s. The brand was named after the famed Sazerac Coffee House on Royal Street in New Orleans where the Sazerac cocktail was born. Today, this expression is a true classic made at Buffalo Trace from their iconic rye mash bill.

Bottom Line:

This is just a little too proofed down. It’s really made for mixing cocktails and highballs so use it for that.

6. Proof And Wood Crossborder Jackpot Whiskey — Taste 8

ABV: 53.5%

Average Price: $79

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is a blend of three different whiskeys. The main components are a Canadian rye (91/9 rye/malted barley) from Canadian Whiskey Distillers in Lethbridge and an American rye (95/5 rye/malted barley) from MGP of Indiana. The last component is a Canadian corn whiskey (97/2.7/0.3 corn/rye/malted barley). Those whiskeys were all seven years old before they were blended and finished in ex-rye whiskey barrels for a final rest.

Bottom Line:

This rye-heavy blended whiskey was tasty enough. It’s clearly better suited for mixing than sipping.

5. Proof And Wood Polish Whiskey 100% Rye Aged 8 Years ‘The Stranger’ — Taste 2

ABV: 52.5%

Average Price: $64

The Whiskey:

This is a big outlier. The whiskey in the bottle is a Polish-made 100% rye whiskey that’s aged in the U.S. in ex-bourbon and ex-rye barrels. The rye whiskey spent eight years aging before 10 barrels were chosen for this batch.

Bottom Line:

This was pretty good all things considered. It was interesting, just standard. I can see sipping this over some rocks in a pinch. Otherwise, I’d mix it into a cocktail.

4. Roulette Rye Straight Rye Whiskey 4 Years Old — Taste 5

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $23

The Whiskey:

This is four-year-old Indiana rye (95/5 rye/malted barley) that’s small batched by Proof and Wood. The whiskey is proofed down to 100 proof and specifically built for mixing cocktails.

Bottom Line:

Yup, this felt like a solid cocktail base, so mission accomplished.

3. Old Elk Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Rum Barrels — Taste 6

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $89

The Whiskey:

This is a five-year-old 95/5 (rye/malted barley) rye whiskey. The nuance here is in the finish. That 95/5 rye is re-barreled in 14-year-old Barbados rum barrels for a final two to five-month-long finishing touch. Those barrels are then touched with water before bottling.

Bottom Line:

This was deeply hewn and played well with the finishing barrel. This feels like an easy sipper over some ice that’ll also work well in a cocktail.

2. Kentucky Owl Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 11 Years Limited Edition Bayou Mardi Gras XO Cask — Taste 7

ABV: 51.4%

Average Price: $500

The Whiskey:

The latest limited edition from Kentucky Owl celebrates Mardi Gras with a small release of rum-finished whiskey. The whiskey in the bottle is 11-year-old Kentucky straight rye that then spends another year in Bayou Rum XO casks from Louisiana.

Bottom Line:

This was very tasty rye. The rum and rye really melded well and created a dynamic sip of whiskey. That said, I’ll probably try this in a Sazerac next time.

1. Blackwood Toasted Rye Whiskey Small Batch — Taste 1

ABV: 58.2%

Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

This rye is sourced from expertly picked barrels for a very small batch offering. The mash is a classic 95/5 rye/malted barley bill. The barrels are close to seven years old before a handful come together to create this barrel-strength bottling of only 620 bottles.

Bottom Line:

This was far and away the best whiskey on this panel and it wasn’t even close. This is so deep, enticing, and delicious that it almost haunts you after you taste it. This is the good stuff, folks.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

There was really only one bad whiskey on this list. Tattersall just missed the mark with that rye release. Numbers 7 through 3 were all fine. I do like the Old Elk but prefer their bourbons.

The Kentucky Owl Mardi Gras bottle was pretty damn tasty. But nothing came remotely close to that Blackwood Toasted Rye. It blew away the competition. It’s worth the high price of admission, trust me.

Last year, superstar Billie Eilish had to get a restraining order against 23-year-old John Matthews Hearle who “harassed and threatened me while he has camped outside a school across the street from my family’s home,” the Happier Than Ever performer explained. Unfortunately, she’s dealing with more scary situations.

TMZ reported that the “Bad Guy” singer’s Los Angeles home was swarmed by cops on Wednesday (February 15) because someone made a false call that Eilish needed a wellness check. Upon arrival, the police talked to Eilish’s team, who assured them she was fine.

Last month, it was revealed that Eilish was seeking a restraining order against a 39-year-old man who broke into her childhood home, in which her parents still live. On January 5, he went in “unannounced and uninvited after apparently professing his love for me and expressing that he really wanted to meet me,” she explained in a statement.

“Regrettably, this is not the first time an unknown individual has attempted to contact my family and me specifically by stalking us outside my family’s home and by making professions of love to and threats of violence against me,” she wrote in court documents. “However, each such occasion, including the present one, causes me substantial anxiety, fear, and emotional distress over my personal safety and that of my father, mother, and brother.”

Someone’s always bound to get upset when Oscar nominations land, but this year, the tables turned with part of the Hollywood establishment growing irked. That much was evident during the audible gasp prompted by a surprise nomination for Andrea Riseborough’s turn as an alcoholic, spiraling single mother in To Leslie. Her co-star, Marc Maron (who portrays a motel manager), already spoke against the backlash, and the comedian and popular podcaster made clear that he supported Riseborough’s grassroots campaign and pointed out how it fired up the Academy because it “threatens their system that they’re completely bought out by corporate interests in the form of studios.”

Maron’s currently promoting his new HBO comedy special, From Bleak To Dark, so he’s been out there discussing both tragic subject matter along with lighter things like his Avatar 2 audition. Maron also took a turn as an advice columnist, and now he’s circling back to his faith in Andrea Riseborough.

During a visit with Howard Stern on Sirius XM, Maron laughingly admitted that he initially signed onto the movie during COVID because “somehow, they had convinced me that doing the movie would be safer than going to the supermarket,” but then, he realized what a powerhouse performance Riseborough was giving, and his attitude turned toward “Don’t fuck this up for Andrea, alright? Just do whatever you’ve got to do to be there for her.” While also expressing relief that “thank God I did okay,” Maron discussed how much panic Andrea’s nomination is causing:

“When an underdog kind of sneaks around the side, the people that spent millions of dollars panic and they have to explain themselves, so they start sh*t,” the actor said of the controversy. “If [the Academy] has an issue with how things are supposed to transpire on social media platforms, you know, update your rules behind closed doors and change it for next year.”

Maron makes a solid point, of course. Rather than the Academy declaring that an “investigation” must be had because Andrea received bushels of support from friends including Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett, there should have been a more clear-cut set of rules instead. Because aren’t the Oscars supposed to be about the acting and none of the political stuff (silly rabbit)? Whatever happens, this should make for an awkward category on March 12, when the Oscars arrive on ABC.

(Via Sirius XM on YouTube)

If the rumor mill is true, this was a Valentine’s Day to forget for Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox. To be fair, speculation of their split last summer proved false. But, here we are again: Machine Gun Kelly was in Arizona last weekend to perform ahead of Super Bowl LVII, and on Sunday (February 12), Fox raised eyebrows on Instagram.

Before deactivating her account, Fox wiped all traces of MGK from her feed, unfollowed him and posted cryptically about dishonesty:

The following day, an unnamed insider told People, “They haven’t officially called off the engagement, but Megan took her ring off,” adding, “They have had issues in the past, but things seem pretty serious this time.” The publication relayed that sources confirmed MGK and Fox “had a fight” over Super Bowl weekend, leading Fox to not be on speaking terms with MGK.

And then (!), MGK’s guitarist Sophie Lloyd was rumored to be the reason behind the mess. Lloyd shot down any notion that MGK cheated on Fox with her in a statement provided by her management team to Page Six on Wednesday, February 15:

“Sophie Lloyd is a professional, accomplished musician who has been needlessly dragged into the media based off of meritless accusations made by social media. Any suggestion that she has ever acted in an unprofessional manner or stepped out of her relationship are untrue. It’s disrespectful to her as a female artist and poor journalism and social commentary to be reporting anything else.”

As she has done consistently since joining his Mainstream Sellout Tour, Lloyd performed with Machine Gun Kelly at Sports Illustrated‘s “The Party” in Scottsdale, Arizona on Saturday, February 11. Per a separate Page Six report, Fox did not attend.

Page Six also relayed how Lloyd got dragged into this mess: “Fans immediately speculated that Fox’s behavior implied MGK had cheated on her, with some putting the blame on Lloyd. ‘He probably got with Sophie,’ one person wrote in the comments section of Fox’s post, to which the actress replied, “Maybe I got with Sophie.’”

Neither Fox nor MGK have explicitly addressed the rumors publicly.

Chelsea Handler has made a career out of being unabashedly honest and not giving a sh*t if that offends the delicate sensibilities of conservative blowhards like Tucker Carlson and Ben Shapiro. In many ways, it’s the truest measure of just how successful she has been. But even Handler was surprised at just how much vitriol “Day in the Life of a Childless Woman,” a TikTok she posted this week, has stirred up in Overprivileged White Man Town.

@chelseahandler

Just another child-free day.

♬ original sound – Chelsea Handler

Over at Fox News, it appeared as if heads might actually explode, Scanners-style, in response to the now-viral video. In it, Handler shares the many joys of being a woman without children to attend to — and the right-wing pundits were NOT happy.

The way Jesse Kelly sees it, “feminists” like Handler are not actually happy — despite being grown-ass women who are fully capable of understanding their own emotions. No, the truth says Kelly is that such women have “been lied to by their society forever that ‘You can be a girl boss!’ and ‘You can do anything a man can do!’ Which, everyone who’s ever seen a woman back up a vehicle knows that’s not true.”

Side note: It’s an interesting theory, and one THIS writer would love to test out any time Kelly wants to stand behind my vehicle.

Kelly went on to explain that Handler’s Valentine’s Day probably included “a 10-year-old copy of Magic Mike and a half-full bottle of Xanax.” Which sounds a hell of a lot better than a Whitman’s Sampler and some bodega flowers.

Ben Shapiro, meanwhile, described Handler as “miserable” while Carlson finds her “deeply unlikeable,” all of which is a-ok with Handler. Who was surprised to learn that her cheeky video had led to “an emergency meeting of the Receding Hairline Society, to discuss a comedy video I filmed about not wanting kids.” After confirming that she is indeed a girl boss and has the receipts — not to mention the bank account statement — to prove it, she did issue a special response, with an aside just for Tucker:

You guys seemed so triggered by me. I mean, my goodness Tucker. I think it is time for you to ask yourself a serious question: Are you really upset about how much freedom I have? Or are you upset that you haven’t been able to take it away from me yet?

“And by all means, Tucker,” Handler added. “If you want to respond to my ‘triggers,’ I will be happy to keep putting out videos as long as you want. I think we both know that you are hate-masturbating to me. And I’m down with that.”

You can watch Handler’s full response here:

Now if only we could get Mitt Romney’s take on the situation.

Janelle Monaé has been teasing her new single “Float” for some months and now, it’s finally arrived. The song, which features Nigerian musician Seun Kuti (the youngest son of Fela) and his band Egypt 80, is a fittingly airy joint, with thumping 808s, driving horns, and slight elements of reggae. Lyrically, Monaé shows off her rap skills, delivering a triumphant verse that dismisses haters and boasts her blessings.

Monaé, who has spent the past few years building her acting resume, most recently receiving accolades for her role in the Knives Out mystery Glass Onion, returned to music with all the fanfare that announcement deserved early this year. Initially teasing the track in social media posts, she threatened to withhold it after a fan’s tweet about her dressing like Mr. Monopoly gained a few too many Likes for her approval. However, she quickly relented, dropping another teaser and revealing the release date.

In addition to showing off her “triple threat” skills, Janelle is set to add to her all-around star power with an appearance in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game this Saturday. If her hoop prowess equals her social media savvy — she showed off her skills on social media wearing the viral red MSCHF boots when a fan questioned if she can really ball — she could prove that she can do even more.

With The Mandalorian Season 3 premiere less than two weeks away, Disney+ has dropped the first official clip from the heavily-anticipated return of the hit bounty hunting series. Naturally, Lucasfilm and Disney know they have a golden goose on their hands with the adorable Baby Yoda (or fine… “Grogu”), so the little guy has a prominent presence in the scene between Pedro Pascal’s Mando and Carl Weather’s Greef Karga.

In the clip, Greef offers Mando a chance to have his own parcel of land in some sort of burgeoning space community, but the exiled bounty hunter has more “complicated” matters on his plate. Not only is he reunited with Baby Yoda following the events of The Book of Boba Fett, but he’s locked into a quest to Mandalore after being banished from his clan for removing his helmet.

Mando’s search for redemption will obviously be a driving force for the events of Season 3, but the clip also made sure to emphasize that Baby Yoda will be around for some lovable distractions. While Mando explains his plight to Greef, the little guy sets his sight on a dish of candy sitting on a nearby desk. Thanks to his brief training with Luke Skywalker, Baby Yoda is even more adept at using the Force, which quickly nets him a treat for his always hungry mouth. Seriously, the kid loves to eat, and now, he’s got the means to snatch up anything and everything. Good luck with that, Mando.

The Mandalorian Season 3 premieres March 1 on Disney+.