Category: News

Birdman goes by many names — Baby, Stunna, and Beatrice, to name a few — but it looks like he will be getting another one soon. The difference this time: He’ll be altering his birth name.

Birdman, whose real name is Bryan Christopher Williams, recently shared with the world that he has plans to restore his birth name from Williams to Brooks. The rapper and Cash Money record executive shared a video on social media explaining the decision.

“2023, I’m changing my name,” Birdman said in the video. “I was born Bryan Brooks. My momma died, and my daddy pulled me out [of] the boys’ home, and I became a Willams. And I love my daddy with every piece of my soul. But [in] 2023, I want to die, Bryan Brooks. Not saying I’m about to die. I’m just saying I’ma change my name to Brian Brooks. In February 2023, I won’t be Williams no more. I’ll be Bryan Brooks.”

The rapper isn’t the only one who has plans to change their name. Singer and TV personality Ray J said he would be changing his to Tron, according to XXL.

“My real name is Willie. Willie Ray Norwood Jr. I’m a junior, so Ray Jr.,” he said during a recent appearance on The Talk. “But my dad has owned Willie. That’s his name. That’s my dad’s name. He’s Willie. So, I’m Ray J, but I’m changing that too.”

“I’m going with a new name at the top of the year,” he continued. “Ray J, he’s lived, you know what I mean. It’s time to evolve,” he said. “My new name will be Tron.”

Austin Butler hosted a special SNL this weekend: It was both the final episode of 2022 and the swan song of Cecily Strong, the longtime stand-out performer who surprised viewers with news that she was done. It was a bittersweet affair, more sweet than bitter, especially when the star of Elvis donned some drag to freak the hell out of someone else doing The King: Sarah Sherman, who gave the world “Jewish Elvis.”

Butler plays one of a room full of horny residents of a retirement home who welcome to the stage a version of Presley not seen before. He changes the words to his classic songs. He banters about schvitzes and schmutz. The geriatric ladies lap it up, none moreso than Butler’s retiree, who keeps shouting things like “I’m so horny I’m gonna frickin’ explode” and “Ruin me Jewish Elvis, Ruin me!” Eventually the actor who played Elvis himself on the big screen joins her/him, doing a twist on “Suspicious Minds.”

Strong was also present, playing another face in the crowd who gets all hot and bothered by the idea of a Semitic Elvis. She’s game all the way to her last episode, a reminder that when the show returns in 2023, they’ll do so without one of their best performers, and not just because no one does Judge Jeanine Pirro like her, not even Judge Jeanine herself.

You can watch the sketch in the video above.

Argentina are World Cup champions for the third time in the country’s history and the first time since 1986, as Lionel Messi added the final, elusive accolade to cement GOAT status in the world of soccer.

Messi was at the center of a thrilling win in penalties over France, as the two teams put forth one of the most dramatic World Cup Finals in recent memory. The first goal of the game came off the left foot of Messi, as he took advantage of an early penalty decision against France to push Argentina up 1-0.

He was also the spark for Argentina’s second goal, flicking a ball into space at midfield to set up a gorgeous goal from Angel Di Maria to push Argentina ahead 2-0 late in the first half.

It seemed for most of the second half that would be the final score line, as France couldn’t even so much as muster a shot on goal going into the final 10 minutes of the game. However, a penalty gave Kylian Mbappe a look from the spot and he rocketed home the first goal of the game for France, which he followed up one minute later with an equalizer that absolutely stunned the crowd in Qatar.

From there, both teams had great looks at go-ahead goals in stoppage time, but neither could produce the game-winner sending us to extra time.

After a few chances went begging for Argentina in extra time, they finally retook the lead thanks to another goal by Messi in the 108th minute.

However, once again Argentina gave up a penalty, this time on a blatant handball in the box, allowing Mbappe to again rip a penalty into the side netting to tie the game.

France then had two unbelievable chances at winners, but Emi Martinez made the save of the tournament on the second to preserve Argentina’s chance at penalties.

The two stars of the game stepped up first and both put home pens, with Mbappe taking the same approach with all three of his penalty goals in the game, while Messi was much cheekier, simply rolling the ball home after the keeper made his move.

Argentina would continue making its penalties, but France missed their next two, setting up Argentina with a very simple equation of just needing to hit 4 successful penalties to ice the game and win the World Cup.

They would do just that, with Gonzalo Montiel getting the honors of hitting the game-winning penalty.

It was, truly, one of the greatest men’s World Cup games of all-time, with both of the superstars of the game showing up and showing out, with Argentina finally fulfilling the promise of the Messi era with a World Cup title in what is likely his final time at the tournament.

The Los Angeles Lakers have finally started to look like a threat to make the play-in in the West over the last month, largely thanks to some stellar play from Anthony Davis.

The Lakers’ star big man is averaging 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game on the season, doing so with a career-best 60.3 effective field goal percentage. Unfortunately, Davis will not play on Sunday for the Lakers after suffering a right foot injury in the second quarter of Friday’s win over the Nuggets.

While the initial hope was that Davis would be able to return fairly quickly, multiple reports emerged on Sunday that pointed to a longer absence for Davis. Shams Charania reports Davis is expected to miss a month, while Chris Haynes says Davis will be out “indefinitely” with a right foot injury.

While the Lakers have been much improved of late, they still have a 5-5 record in their last 10 games and are 12-16 on the season, 1.5 games back of the 10-seed in the West currently. They already faced an uphill battle in trying to get into playoff contention, but now will have to go without their best player (so far this season) and try and make a bit of a run just to be in the play-in conversation when he comes back. One also has to wonder how this impacts the Lakers’ pursuit of reinforcements, as they now have a glaring hole in the frontcourt and while they’d been linked to various 3-and-D types, it’ll be interesting to see if this changes the calculus on who they pursue and how aggressive they are in the trade market.

Donald Trump’s third presidential campaign has gotten off to an inauspicious start. His business was found guilty of fraud, he spent Thanksgiving dinner with anti-Semites, and his “MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT” last week turned out to just be a bunch of crappy NFTs. The latter was such a creatively lame move that it got prime real estate on the last SNL of 2022, first during the Cold Open, then during the opening stretch of Weekend Update.

Co-host Colin Jost began by pointing out that the digital trading cards — which depict him as things he isn’t, like a cowboy, a superhero, and “most incredible of all, a guy who didn’t dodge the draft” — should help the “semi-retired maniac” avoid jail time. After all, he said, “he’s pretty much locked down that insanity plea.”

He then tied it back to another recent Trump boondoggle, saying, “It’s such a funny move to get into NFTs after the whole market just crashed. It’s like getting into Kanye now — which Trump also kind of did.”

Elsewhere, Michael Che took on Sam Bankman-Fried, the crypto king who is accused of funneling money from customers to make large political donations. “That money,” Che joked, “will now be used to make sure the cameras outside his jail cell aren’t working.”

Later Jost took on another, actually wealthy freak: “A new study found that using screens to stop a child’s tantrums can harm their ability to control their emotions. The study is titled ‘Elon Musk.’”

Elsewhere on Weekend Update, Cecil Strong swung by as one of her beloved characters, the very opinionated Cathy Anne, which wound up being her farewell to the show on which she’s appeared since 2012.

You can watch Weekend Update in the videos above and below.

This week’s SNL wasn’t just the final episode of 2022. It was also the last dance with one of its most acclaimed cast members: Cecily Strong. The show’s resident Judge Jeanine Pirro (and lest you forget, Catherine Deneuve) surprised viewers by announcing her retirement from the late night sketch show, which she did not once but twice: on a RadioShack sketch that turned into her and host Austin Butler singing “Blue Christmas”; and on Weekend Update, where she bid adieu in the guise of one of her beloved characters.

That character was Cathy Anne, the unlit cigarette-wielding, very opinionated neighbor of co-host Michael Che. “Actually, I’m a little emo tonight because the truth is, I’m here to say goodbye,” she told the crowd, revealing that after years of wrongdoing, she was finally going to jail. She wasn’t that worried, alluding to “friends on the inside” who “seem to be doing OK,” prompting a photo of recently departed cast members Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant, who both left at the end of Season 47.

Strong stayed in character for most of the bit, but slightly broke it as she mildly choked up. “Everybody has to go to jail at some point, right? It’s just my time now,” she said. “But I had a lot of fun here and I feel really lucky that I got to have so many of the best moments of my life in this place with these people that I love so much.”

Strong joined SNL in 2012 and over the years has proven a game and inventive performer. Her possible departure has been discussed many times, including in 2021, when it seemed like she was saying goodbye (by way of her Pirro impersonation), only to return in the fall. But this time is real.

You can watch Strong’s Weekend Update farewell in the video above and you can watch her crooning with Austin Butler below. Congrats on the fantastic run.

Last week, Donald Trump hit a new low: After teasing a “MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT,” the former president revealed he was simply and belatedly jumping on the NFT train. The move was so unpopular it was even dragged by accomplices and QAnon types, who expected something more from the guy who dines with anti-Semites. Sure enough, it found its way onto the final SNL of 2022.

“This is Donald Trump, hopefully your favorite president of all time, better than Lincoln, better than Washington, frankly, better than Ezra,” said James Austin Johnson’s 45. “You may have seen this week, I made a major announcement, I’m doing my first official collection of Donald J. Trump Digital Trading Cards — or to use the technical term, ‘nifties’ … because they are so neat.”

He then cycled through some of said NFTs, most of them scarily legit. Eventually he was joined by Mikey Day’s Jr. and his fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle, played by Cecily Strong — who soon revealed that this was her last SNL after a decade. She did a recreation of her unhinged RNC 2020 appearance, which left even Trump speechless. After ushering them off-camera, he made sure to note, “What a terrible couple.”

Is fiction any stranger than truth. You can decide by watching the sketch in the video above.

Multiple times per week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.

TIE: 10. The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special (Disney+ movie)

James Gunn is shaking up the Superman game (meaning that he will focus on a film revolving around the young Clark Kent, and Henry Cavill won’t star, but that is fine since he has another iron in the fire already) and completely retooling the DCEU/DCU. Yet before that happens, he’s still got some MCU cheer on the way during this special that’s the perfect occasion to toss Groot in the fireplace. Just kidding, maybe. Awww, I love Groot, too, but I’m much more about Rocket Raccoon and whatever he’s going to do with that Spoilery Item. Godspeed, Trash Panda.

TIE: 10. The White Lotus (HBO series streaming on HBO Max)

By now, there’s a good chance that you caught up on this show if you’ve already been watching. So you know who dies and who does the killing and who gets a happy ending. What you don’t know, however, is what no one else knows: will Sicily ever recover from Tanya’s intentionally chaotic wardrobe choices? Also, the wait for Season 3 already seems too long, and I think we need a weekly podcast from Meghann Fahy as Daphne and Aubrey Plaza as Harper, where they simply sh*t all over people in different ways. Admit it, you’d listen to something like that, too.

9. Troll (Netflix movie)

Sometimes you just wanna watch a Norwegian movie, in which a creature who should only subsist within folklore collides with some impressively decent special effects and a Godzilla-like origin story. Then the being wreaks havoc upon humanity as it sets off for the nation’s capitol. Think of this as holiday counter programming because this is currently the most popular non-English film on Netflix.

8. Bullet Train (Sony movie streaming on non-basic Netflix and VOD)

One can rarely say “nope” to a Brad Pitt movie, and that’s especially the case for a frenetic Brad Pitt action flick. The title of the film might lead one to believe that this is a remake of the 1975 Japanese film of the same name, but that would be inaccurate. Rather, this picture is based upon Kotaro Isaka’s darkly comedic novel, which follows five assassins en route to Kyoto when they figure out that they’re all on missions that are somehow related. Joey King and Aaron Taylor-Johnson co-star, and expect appearances from Bad Bunny, Michael Shannon, Sandra Bullock, Brian Tyree Henry, and Logan Lerman.

7. His Dark Materials (HBO series on HBO Max)

This fantasy series adaptation is back for one final rodeo after easily besting the hell out of the 2007 movie starring Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman that’s also based upon Phillip Pullman’s work. This third season follows The Amber Spyglass and not only gives us more of Plucky Lyra (Dafne Keen continues to hold her ground alongside those Dæmons) but also some bonus helpings of James McAvoy’s Lord Asriel.

6. Wednesday (Netflix series)

Although this show hasn’t yet received a Season 2 renewal, it seems increasingly likely that we will receive more of the record-breaking, non-blinking protagonist who ruled Thanksgiving weekend in the streaming realm. Tim Burton knew precisely how an inventive storyline would work much better than treading old ground from the movies or O.G. TV show, and Jenna Ortega brings the spooky vibe home with Wednesday Addam’s parents, Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Gomez (Luis Guzmán) along for the ride in perfect doses.

5. Emily The Criminal (Roadside Flix/Netflix movie)

Man, this is a bit of a horror movie, but it’s also a movie where Aubrey Plaza kicks some overdue ass. She takes no bullsh*t as Emily, who’s buried deep in student loan hell and catching no breaks from having a felony offense on her record. She’s no heroine, but Emily’s compelling as hell to watch while choosing to hop into a scheme that’s led by Theo Rossi’s sinister character with a soft side. This movie should also please The White Lotus fans who wanted Harper to haul off and beat the hell out of those who anger her most.

4. Fleishman Is In Trouble (FX series on Hulu)

Claire Danes is nearly a ghost throughout much of this season (which is dropping on a weekly basis), but her Rachel is still mightily screwing with her husband, Toby Fleishman, as played by Jesse Eisenberg. They play spouses who are divorcing, which is probably in the best interests of everyone, but then Rachel evaporates. There’s a bit of mystery regarding her whereabouts, but that’s not the real attraction of this show. Rather, it’s amazing how Eisenberg can continue to be awkward in many different ways and still remain watchable. Also, Lizzy Caplan’s character rules in Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s adaptation of her own novel, and Adam Brody is here for some finance-bro comic relief.

3. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix movie)

Did we really need another take on this classic? Once you catch a few minutes of this stop-motion masterpiece, then you’ll realize that sometimes, another retelling of the same story can yield some magic. The maestro who recently brought his Cabinet of Curiosities to Netflix now takes on the wooden puppet whose story gets reinvented with some darkness but with plenty of thematic relevance for a new audience. You probably won’t want to show this to young children, but other ages will dig the latest from the helmer of Crimson Peak.

2. Harry & Meghan (Netflix docuseries)

Alright, so Piers Morgan is having an absolute field day (he even forgot to publicly wish his wife a happy birthday when the first batch of episodes started streaming) with hating on the Sussexes, but they have their fans as well as their detractors. Especially with the second installment that arrived this week, this limited series gives a peek behind the curtain of what pushed Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to make the difficult decision to part from the British Royal Family. And of course there are strong opinions, but that’s part of the viewing experience.

1. Avatar (20th Century Fox/Disney movie streaming on Amazon and VOD)

You may have heard that Avatar: The Way Of Water has arrived in theaters and is apparently a very good movie. So before you watch this sequel that James Cameron promised will make “sh*t yourself with your mouth wide open,” you might as well also relive the original trip to Pandora. The film got pulled from Disney+ ahead of the sequel’s theatrical release, but it’s available for rental on Amazon and VOD platforms, so get back in league with the Na’vi and then prepare to check yo’ britches.

In her second performance of the night, Lizzo took to the Saturday Night Live stage to deliver a cover of Stevie Wonder‘s “Someday At Christmas.”

Wrapped up in a festive, puffy, silver and gold dress, Lizzo expressed hope for a brighter future and a happy holiday season for all. Joined by a group of equally powerful background singers, the group sang in joyous harmony.

“Someday at Christmas there’ll be no wars / When we have learned what Christmas is for / When we have found what life’s really worth / There’ll be peace on earth,” Lizzo sang.

Lizzo released the studio version of her “Someday At Christmas” cover last month, as part of a series for Amazon Music. Though Wonder’s original version of the song was released over 50 years ago, Lizzo felt the song’s message still rings true today.

“I chose to cover ‘Someday at Christmas’ not just because it’s a classic, but because it’s a reminder to us that almost 60 years later, we are still fighting for peace, compassion, and equality,” said Lizzo in a statement. “A friendly reminder to spread love and kindness this holiday season.”

Check out the performance above.

Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

In the last Saturday Night Live episode of the year, Lizzo returned to the stage. In festive spirits, she performed her buzzy track, “Break Up Twice” from her critically-acclaimed sophomore album, Special.

During her performance, Lizzo is woken up by an alarm clock, then arises from a bed after hitting pressing the alarm off. Donned in white nightwear, Lizzo lets her man know that she’s willing to give their relationship another try, but she’s not giving him any more chances after this.

“Boy, you know you better / ooh, you know you better / Boy, you know you bettеr watch out / ‘Cause boy, you know me bettеr / you know me so much better / You know that I don’t break up twice,” she sings on the song’s chorus, which interpolates Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)”

As the song progresses, Lizzo is joined by a backing chorus, who sweetly supplement Lizzo’s soulful vocals. She also twerks by her mattress, in true Lizzo fashion.

This is Lizzo’s second time performing on SNL this year, her first being in April upon the release of her comeback single, “About Damn Time.”

Check out the performance of “Break Up Twice above.

Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.