Category: News

The Inside The NBA crew comprised of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and Charles Barkley have all but mastered the sports studio show. Like any studio show, they provide insightful commentary on the league and where it’s going, but their comedy separates them from everything else on TV.

The show is just a good hang; it’s a reason to stay up way past midnight for no good reason. So much so that we listed the 10 funniest moments from Inside The NBA. Even comedian Bill Hader, who made his name on Saturday Day Night Live, thinks the show is a riot. Hader appeared on The Steam Room and revealed that other comedians who aren’t even basketball fans share clips of Ernie and the gang.

The Inside crew has a special familial quality to their comedy that makes you feel like you’re in someone else’s living room. They’re the group of kids that would never be allowed to sit next to each other in a classroom. Where else can you hear Shaq, one of the most famous people on the planet, argue that filling your gas tank when it goes to half a tank is cheaper in the long run than letting it go to empty?

It’s a special kind of comedy that can even make the professionals laugh too.

This past October, Drake announced an intimate show at Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater in conjunction with a SiriusXM broadcast. It would mark Drake’s first-ever appearance at the Apollo. Originally scheduled for a date in November, the show was delayed following the death of Migos rapper Takeoff, who was a close friend of Drake’s.

In announcing rescheduled dates for December, he announced a second night as well. “The Apollo show has been moved to allow us to pay respect to our dear friend this weekend. We have added a second date for the fans,” he wrote at the time on his Instagram Story. But now, the show is being pushed out a second time. This time because of plain old “production delays.”

“These upcoming shows for SiriusXM are so incredibly special for us,” Drake, SiriusXM, and Sound 42 said in a joint statement as reported by Variety. “If you are going to play the world-famous Apollo Theater, it has to be a world-class production. We as a team have been working around the clock not just putting together a concert but an experience our fans deserve.”

So now the 1,500 capacity shows have been moved to January 21st and 22nd, 2023. Drake and 21 Savage’s joint album, Her Loss, came out on November 4th and these two shows at the Apollo were presumably a sort of album release. We’ll know exactly what the 6God has in store for these rare appearances come early next year.

Nearly a month after Takeoff was shot and killed at 810 Billiard and Bowling Alley in Houston on November 1, Houston police said that they have made an arrest in the case. The delay was due to a lack of evidence and witnesses, which stalled the investigation until today when they revealed that they had arrested the man they believe to be responsible for the shooting: Patrick Xavier Clark. The 33-year-old was taken into custody Thursday evening (December 1) on the east side of Houston without incident, according to ABC News.

The police emphasized that Takeoff was likely an innocent bystander of the shooting and not its intended target. Police say they were able to identify Clark using a “large volume” of video surveillance. “We had to sift through all of that and use physical evidence, and use shooting reconstruction, and confirm a lot of our ballistic evidence,” said a spokesman. “‘What weapons were involved?’ And through that, we were able to deduce that Patrick Clark is the legal shooter in the case. That’s why he’s being charged with murder.” Quavo’s assistant was also injured in the shooting, while another man was arrested for carrying a firearm, but police stressed he was not involved in the murder.

Incidentally, Clark was suspected in another shooting in 2018, when a customer at a nightclub opened fire inside. A 50-year-old man died, but a Harris County grand jury found there wasn’t enough evidence to indict Clark.

What a week it’s been for the Good Morning America audience and scandal watchers alike. Anchors Amy Robach And T.J. Holmes became the subject of reports (after some telling photos surfaced in the Daily Mail) that they’re not only an item but have been that way for a good chunk of the year. The story arrived on a particularly surprising note because, as far as everyone knew, they were happily married, but nope. The pair deactivated their social media accounts, and some resurfaced cringe reared its head. We also heard that T.J.’s wife, Marilee Fiebig, was blindsided by the news. Also a shock: Robach married Andrew Shue of Melrose Place fame.

As the controversy swirled, however, neither Robach nor Holmes missed a day of work. Additionally, PEOPLE relayed word that ABC apparently does not mind the scandal because it’s great for ratings. Will the pair face any disciplinary action behind the scenes, though? According to Entertainment Tonight, it ain’t happening:

Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes won’t get in trouble at work for their romantic relationship. Two sources tell ET that the Good Morning America co-anchors will not face disciplinary action because they are two consenting co-workers, who are equals, in a relationship.

While no discipline is forthcoming for the pair, earlier this week a source told ET that their romance is the talk of the ABC offices. “There has still been no word from management addressing their relationship, but that’s all anyone can talk about around the office,” the source said. “When and if they will ever address the elephant in the room, it’s still unclear.”

Yep, these two are equals, so there’s no power imbalance, and they’re both into this relationship, so it makes sense that they’re no trouble at work. At home, however? Given that they new couple reportedly carried on for months while still maintaining their respective marriages, yeah, it’s a good thing that they did leave their partners before this went public. Yikes.

(Via Entertainment Tonight & PEOPLE)

Björk’s 10th album, Fossora, came out in September and the premier avant gardist said she made it for, “People who are making clubs in their living room.” But the song “Sorrowful Soil,” is anything but club music. It’s an enchanting homage to her mother that Björk says is her take on “funeral-music.”

Now in the new video, directed by Viðar Logi, Björk sings from atop an erupting volcano. The Icelandic volcano, Fagradalsfjall, on the Reykjanes peninsula, was dormant for 6,000 years until 2021. It’s an impactful place for Björk to sing the impassioned tune and the visuals are stunning.

Watch the video for “Sorrowful Soil” above and read a statement about the song from Björk below.

“sorrowful soil is a song i wrote from random improvisations .. i kinda thought i was writing another song but then when i edited it i threw away most of the stuff and this is what stood there staring at me.

for me, sorrowful soil and ancestress are the 2 songs on fossora written for my mother … ancestress is my take on funeral-music but sorrowful soil is written 2 years before and mirrors more that last chapter.

at the time i had been working with the fantastic hamrahlid choir and wanted to give them the piece they deserved , and with that intention unknowingly wrote what the conductor þorgerður ingólfsdóttir said was the most difficult piece they ever sang . it has 9 voices, not the usual 4 (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) which took the choir evenings of a whole summer to rehearse, i am so incredibly grateful to them for this sacrifice and you can hear all of it in the recording.

the lyric is an attempt for an eulogy and instead of the dry fact checking: place of birth , job, marriage , i wanted to celebrate the biological data like the fact that most girls are born with 400 eggs … and then in their lifetime they make 2-3 nests…

when my grandfather passed away there was a pamphlet at the hospital advising relatives how to talk to loved ones before they pass away. i loved how it went really generic and universal and said that all of them will give families to-do-lists (dry-cleaning and such).

but also ask if they did well.

the last part of the lyric is following this advice.”

The Dallas Mavericks recently signed Kemba Walker to a non-guaranteed deal to fill their need for a third ball handler after Jalen Brunson’s departure in the offseason. Walker played in just 37 games for the New York Knicks last season before he was traded to Detroit on draft night and subsequently waived by the Pistons during training camp. A lingering knee injury has limited the 4-time All-Star the last few seasons and played a role in Detroit waiving him before the season.

Walker is now healthy and ready to go for Dallas, but Mavericks GM Nico Harrison recently went on a local radio station to express caution about Walker’s knee. Via Mavs Moneyball:

“It’s not good,” Harrison said. “It’s not good at all. But he’s rehabbed it and it’s the best he’s felt in the last two years so, we’ll see how long that lasts.”
…
“Well, it hasn’t been good for a few years,” Harrison clarified. “Even last year, he had 30 point games on it. But it actually feels better now. The reality is, if you look at it, it’s not good, but that doesn’t mean he can’t play on it.”

Dallas doesn’t need Walker to return to his Charlotte form on a nightly basis. Luka Doncic covers all playmaking bases at nearly 37 minutes a game with Spencer Dinwiddie with pitching in where necessary. Still, it’s odd to hear a GM speak so candidly about a player’s health, even if it is the correct assessment.

Sitting at a disappointing 10-11, the Mavericks will take any kind of help to lessen the burden on Doncic. But when it comes to Walker, it sounds like the team knows his knee will be a huge hurdle to overcome.

Netflix has an unfortunate track record when it comes to shows that aren’t immediate hits. We all know that Stranger Things and Bridgerton will always bring in massive streams, but there are smaller shows with dedicated fanbases that don’t have the same amount of luck. The Midnight Club was one of those shows.

Based on a book of the same name, The Midnight Club was a horror series that focused on a group of teens living in hospice care. While bonding over their shared trauma and illnesses, the group started meeting at midnight every night to tell spooky stories while also unearthing some dark secrets about the house they live in. The club also came up with a pact: whoever dies first must try to reach out to the rest of them from beyond the grave. It was… dark stuff!

The show had some heavy moments and dealt with many unappealing topics, like, uh, kids dying of terminal illnesses, which could be one reason why it was not as big as some of Netflix’s bigger hits. But it also left some loose ends that were supposed to be addressed in the second season. Unfortunately, Netflix canceled the show before producer and co-creator Mike Flanagan could tie everything up. But Flanagan gave the fans something pretty unique instead.

In a lengthy Tumblr post, Flanagan confirmed that the show would not go on for another season, but he also updated fans on the plotlines that were meant to be explored in season two.

The first few episodes of season two would continue Amesh’s relationship with Natsuki while slowly succumbing to his glioblastoma. He would be eventually claimed by the Shadow, a representation of death, and a new patient would be brought into the series. Of course, their nighttime storytelling would still continue, with the same cast acting out their elaborate stories.

Not everyone would have a sad ending. Thanks to those great ’90s medical advancements, Spense’s HIV would no longer be terminal, and he would be allowed to leave the hospital. So there’s one good plot point that wouldn’t have viewers sobbing alone in the dark!

Other major reveals in Flanagan’s Tumblr post: the fact that Dr. Stanton was the daughter of a Pagan cult leader, hence all of the weird symbols shown throughout the house; and the thing where more of the group would eventually die, including Kevin, followed by Ilonka.

The big final reveal was going to be that the Shadow isn’t really death after all — it represented the unknown. Death itself is instead represented by the janitor that the kids all see before they die. So it could have had a semi-happy ending, maybe, kind of, had they been given the chance to actually make it happen!

Flanagan finished by saying, “Well, that’s it… that was what we had in mind. It’s a shame we won’t get to make it, but it would be a bigger shame if you guys simply had to live with the unanswered questions and the cliffhanger ending.” At least the story is now complete… unlike some other streaming shows.

You can read more of Flanagan’s post here.

HBO‘s cult-favorite series Los Espookys has been canceled after two seasons. Created by Julio Torres, Ana Fabrega, and Fred Armisen (all of whom also starred in the show), the comedy followed a group of friends who turned their love of horror into a business.

“We are thrilled we could deliver the unique and hilarious second season of Los Espookys to viewers finally, more than three years after the series premiere, due to pandemic delays,” HBO wrote in a statement (via Variety). “We thank Julio, Ana, and Fred for this imaginative and delightfully bizarre world they created. We are not currently planning on a third season, but we would welcome the opportunity to work with this cast and crew in the future.”

Los Espookys wasn’t a House of the Dragon– or The White Lotus-sized hit for HBO, but it had a dedicated fanbase, including Rolling Stone‘s Alan Sepinwall, who tweeted, “This. Sucks. I was literally just writing my blurb about why Los Espookys is on my list of the best TV of 2022. What a wonderfully surreal, hilarious, sweet show. We did not deserve it, apparently.” Writer Sean T. Collins added, “It’s a goddamn shame to see [David] Zaslav return HBO/HBO Max to the old cancelation paradigm we really hadn’t had to deal with since they shitcanned Deadwood.” Others were equally bummed out:

There’s only 12 episodes of Los Espookys. Give it a watch. Maybe a sudden surge in popularity will save it (probably not, but at least you will have enjoyed a good show).

(Via Variety)

Mariah Carey has officially entered the Roblox universe for the holidays. Yesterday (December 1), the pop superstar kicked off her month-long reign over the popular gaming platform that will include virtual performances.

Roblox has previously tapped into music collaborations with artists like Elton John, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, and The Chainsmokers. Carey has taken over Roblox’s Livetopia with her digital campaign “Mariah Carey’s Winter Wonderland.” Throughout this month, players can partake in a holiday-themed treasure hunt that was created by Carey’s twins, Moroccan and Monroe. Special virtual drop items and lavish Livetopia homes will be up for grabs as well.

“Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year!” Carey said in a statement. “This year, I wanted to do something different to ring in the holiday season. My kids and I live for Roblox, and we couldn’t be more excited to be creating this festive metaverse experience for everyone!”

In the lead-up to Christmas day, Carey will perform her classics and newer hits in virtual live performances. Fans can catch the first of four consecutive nights of performances on December 21 at 7 PM EST. Carey will be closing out the performances with her global holiday hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” On December 20, CBS will air her live concert special Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas To All.

A recent viral Reddit thread revealed the everyday American customs that people in other countries have a difficult time understanding. There were so many things that were perplexing to people from other countries that the thread had more than 28,000 responses.

But don’t worry, it isn’t a long list of America bashing. It’s a fun list of things people across the world genuinely wonder about that gives a unique perspective on things we all take for granted.

The thread was started by Reddit user Surimimimi, who asked, “What things do Americans like and the rest of the world not so much?” Many of the responses were from Europeans who have a hard time appreciating certain American customs, cuisines and public facilities.

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A big thing that non-Americans find unusual about Americans is our outspokenness. The commenters noted that Americans love speaking their minds on bumper stickers, lawn signs or telling somebody in public how they feel.

That’s probably because Americans are much more individualistic than Europeans. A Pew Research study from 2016 found that Americans are much more likely than our friends across the pond to believe they control their destiny and that it takes hard work to get ahead. Americans are also a lot more tolerant of offensive speech.

The American diet is also confusing to a lot of people. A lot of commenters pointed out that they have a hard time understanding America’s love of ice-cold drinks and odd food combinations such as peanut butter and jelly or chicken and waffles.

But if everyone in the world was the same it would be a pretty boring place. So, as they say in France, “vive la différence!” which, in American English means, “Do your thing, man.”

Here are 19 things that Americans like and the rest of the world, not so much.

1.

“College sports. Particularly football and basketball. The rest of the world loves soccer, but nobody gives a hoot about it at the university level.” — Scrappy_Larue

2.

“Opinion signs outside their houses. Like ‘in this house we support…’ I find it weird and unusual.” — Bitten Onion

3.

“Bumper stickers.” — Back2Bach

To which assortednut added:

“Sometimes I get the impression people put their entire political philosophy in the space of a bumper sticker.”

4.

“This used to be much more prevalent in the US but food coloring. When I moved from Japan to the US, I was surprised at how colorful their foods were. These days Americans are now more keen to organic natural stuff so I see it less but it took me a while to realize that blue raspberry is not a real thing.” — Awesome Asian

5.

“Root beer and ranch dressing. I brought some to Germany and had my friends try it and they said the root beer tasted like medicine. They politely tasted the dressing with celery and said ‘Hmmm, interesting’ but the look on their faces was that it was terrible ha.” — nargleflargle

6.

“Cheerleaders.” — liebe_rootBete

7.

“ICE. Filled till the brim before you pour any drink.” — locoliga

8.

“24-hour stores. I was in Chicago working with a colleague from Switzerland who suddenly realized around midnight that he needed a network cable to configure a mobile router for a job the next morning. I told him that I’d meet him in the hotel lobby to drive him out to Walmart. He was happily surprised, as he had forgotten about the US’s famous chain of Walmart stores.” — Fondren_Richmond

9.

“Waffles with chicken.” — glori-hallelujah

10.

“MM-DD-YYYY Date format.” — javapyscript

11.

“Peanut butter and jelly.” — FlyBuy3

12.

“Flags. So many American flags everywhere.” — justmyfakename

13.

“Free soda refills at dine-in places.” — Lostarchitorture

14.

“Free public restrooms. I know they’re gross but they are nice to have.” — vebidib774

15.

“Marching bands. If you’d played the flute in a marching band at my school you would have gotten pelted but in the US you can become a state hero.” — Fuzzie_Lee

16.

“Handicap accessiblity. Old buildings/towns in Europe are nice, if both your legs work.” — boxatel499

17.

“Lawns…what a waste.” — TheFarce_Sighed

18.

“I’d like to say optimism, even if it’s blind sometimes. The CAN DO attitude is extremely strong. I would also put belligerence up there for better or worse. That ‘Get the f*ck out of my face, I’m not paying for / doing that’ attitude. Whether you actually can or not, the American culture makes you feel like you can really do anything. Again, it’s a double-edged sword but you’ll seldom find an American who’s just going to lay down and take someone’s sh*t or heed someone who says (to your aspirations) ‘You can’t.'” — facobi8356

19.

“The switch for the bathroom is INSIDE the bathroom.” — [deleted]