Morbius has become the little engine that couldn’t but kept going anyway! The Jared Leto movie became a pandemic spectacle after being delayed several times and finally hitting theaters on April Fools Day of this year…to disastrous reviews. But hey, at least they were being good sports about it!
After inspiring ironic memes throughout every corner of the internet, Sony decided to bring it back into theaters in June…which was also a bit of a disaster. Finally, the movie got one last push into streaming, and it’s actually dominating Netflix. Who would have thought that morbin’ time could lead to all of this?
Last year, Sony and Netflix inked a deal that allows the streamer to get first access to Sony films after their theatrical run. This is proving to be effective for Morbius, which is currently sitting at No. 1 on the movie top 10 for this week. Considering the movie was just released to the platform on Wednesday, it’s a pretty impressive feat for a movie that barely made $75 million at the US box office.
To make matters even more complicated for a movie with such a rich history, Morbius will eventually find its home on Disney+ after Netflix’s rights expire in the next year. So, there will be many more opportunities for everyone in the world to keep talking about this movie for the rest of eternity. Besides Matt Smith.
As Elton John performed his final Toronto show last night, he took a moment to honor Queen Elizabeth II of England, who passed earlier in the afternoon on September 8 at 96 years old. Highlighting images of her on the venue’s screens, John used music to pay tribute to her. Specifically, he dedicated his 1974 song (and 1991 collab with George Michael) “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” to the monarch’s passing.
“She was an inspiring presence to be around,” John said. “She led the country through some of our greatest and darkest moments with grace and decency and genuine caring, and warmth.”
Elton John sings “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” after paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in Toronto pic.twitter.com/FT1oX6lP5E
“I’m 75 and she’s been with me all my life and I feel very sad that that she won’t be with me anymore, but I’m glad she’s at peace,” he added in his speech. “I’m glad she’s at rest and she deserves it. She worked bloody hard. I send my love to her family and her loved ones, and she will be missed. But her spirit lives on. And we’ll celebrate her life tonight with music.”
John has been a longtime friend to the royals. Specifically, he was close with the late Princess Diana and performed his song “Candle In The Wind” at her 1997 funeral, as well as a tribute concert in 2007. John has also attended both the weddings of Prince Harry and Prince William. He was officially knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998.
In addition to John’s live show tribute, he also took to Instagram to share some extra words. “She was an inspiring presence to be around,” he wrote. Queen Elizabeth II died at age 96 at Scotland’s Balmoral Castle. Following her passing, Prince Charles III is currently the King of England, with his wife Camilla Parker-Bowles serving as Queen Consort.
Some good news, and some maybe bad news. A sequel to the Pixar hit Inside Out will reportedly be announced at this year’s D23 Expo, but the movie might be missing two voices from the original film. According to Matthew Belloni’s Puck newsletter, Amy Poehler will be returning as the voice of Joy, but she won’t be flanked by Mindy Kaling or Bill Hader. In what Belloni claims is an increasing trend at Disney, Kaling and Hader were reportedly offered very low-ball salaries and decided to take a pass.
Per Belloni’s sources, Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader will not be returning to voice Disgust and Fear, respectively, because they were offered just 2 percent the salary of Amy Poehler, who is returning as lead character Joy. Apparently, Poehler was offered $5 million “plus additional fees and bonuses,” while the rest of the main cast was offered just $100,000, no bonuses.
Disney reportedly tried to offer Kaling and Hader higher salaries, but the two of them still passed. Both are busy with their own projects, which could also be a factor, but Belloni writes that problems with voice actor pay became especially prominent with this year’s Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers movie. Belloni says the offers were “laughably low” and that stars John Mulaney and Andy Samberg only agreed to provide their voices as a favor to director Akiva Schafer.
Maybe the new Inside Out movie can help navigate the complex emotions this information is causing.
On Friday (September), New York federal judge Ann Donnelly ruled that prosecutors could claim the tens of thousands of dollars R. Kelly possesses in his prison funds account and use them to pay fines or compensate his victims. The ruling deemed that the federal bureau of prisons must hand over $27, 824 to the prosecutors who will maintain possession until a final ruling is given.
Federal prosecutors argued, “The defendant has not made any payments towards the substantial criminal monetary penalties imposed upon him at sentencing, even though payment was due immediately.” Kelly retorted that the government had “improperly” taken his funds and did not have the right to do so, but Donnelly countered that there was “no dispute” that federal statutes gave prosecutors the right to use Kelly’s inmate funds to compensate his victims.
This decision came after a Washington Post article revealed that the Bureau Of Prisons was giving pushback on efforts to seize funds from inmates to be given to their victims. The article reported that said funds amount to over $80 million per year and are used to pay the salaries of hundreds of staffers within the bureau.
R. Kelly, who is currently on trial in Chicago for several criminal charges, was convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges last year in New York after decades of sexual misconduct allegations. Specifically, the R&B singer was accused of a longstanding operation where he would recruit and abuse women and underage girls. After a long enduring process, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison this past June.
The Chicago artist is gearing up to appeal his convictions. His attorneys feel his previous legal team was inadequate and the evidence against him is insufficient to justify a conviction. As for his Chicago case, if convicted, Kelly can face additional decades added to his already-30-year sentence.
Seth Meyers is sick and tired of “just how craven and ghoulish the modern GOP has become under Donald Trump.” Case in point: The current heat wave that’s happening in much of the western part of the country right now. While, in more logical times, Meyers notes that this should serve as yet “another wake-up call to the imminent dangers of climate change,” the Republican party has instead determined it’s better to politicize the hell out of the fact that the planet is literally on fire.
In order to avoid blackouts, California governor — and Democrat — asked the state’s residents to help ease pressure on the power grid by conserving energy for a few hours each day. It’s a small ask and one that so far has proven successful. Yet Ted Cruz couldn’t help himself from pointing out that Newsom made this request from a place that was clearly air-conditioned. Yes, Ted Cruz: the same man who high-tailed it out of the country the moment the Texas power grid failed and left his constituents to freeze to death. Or, as Meyers put it:
This mid-November jack-o-lantern, who sounds like Urkel swallowed a kazoo, decided to chime in on the whole thing in a way that revealed a complete lack of shame and self-awareness for no other reason than he’s apparently just a glutton for humiliation.
But Meyers was incensed by Cruz’s comments for reasons beyond the sheer hypocrisy of it all. He also wanted to remind viewers that “unlike California, Texas’ deregulated power grid actually DID fail during that deadly snowstorm in 2021. And remains so fragile that Texas officials basically did the same thing as California earlier this year.” In fact, Texans were asked to actually turn up their thermostats and cease operating any major appliances from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. when faced with a heat wave earlier this year.
“Six hours! That’s just enough time to book a flight to Cancun and then have your neighbors — who apparently all hate you — rat you out to The New York Times,” Meyers helpfully noted. “Remember that? When Cruz invited his neighbors to come to Cancun with him, and instead they called the newspapers to complain about how much of a dipsh*t he was.”
This year’s results are in from the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition and there are some serious Scotch whiskies on the shortlist. Being that I was a judge on this year’s panels, I’m calling out all the finalists or best-in-class whiskies that made it to the end of the competition with double gold medals.
For a little context, the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition (NYWSC) is part of the larger The Tasting Alliance which runs competitions in San Francisco (the Oscars of spirits competition), New Orleans, and Singapore that covers beer, premixed cocktails, wine, mixers, and every spirit you can image (plus some you might not even know about). The judging is done double-blind by a panel of experts from across the industry. Long story short, for a pour to make it to the best in class finals to compete for “best in show,” it has to anonymously and unanimously get a gold medal for every judge on the panel and then they decide if it’s good enough to compete in the finals. These are the Scotch whiskies that made that cut, which admittedly is small in New York (which has a much bigger local American and craft whiskey vibe).
For this list, I’m adding my own tasting notes to each bottle as, again, I was there and actually tasted these (in some cases two or three times). Scroll through, read those tasting notes, and then try the one that speaks to you. Just hit that price link!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
This lightly peated single malt from the Highlands is a classic. The juice is a no-age-statement whisky that’s meant as an entry point to the wider brand. The malt is just kissed with peat while malting. The single malt blend is a mix of those barrels with an eye on highlighting the subtler aspects of the whisky. Once vatted, the whisky is proofed and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a nice dose of honey wafer biscuits wrapped in an old leather sheet with a hint of dried grass, soft raisin, and mildly spicy malts. The palate leans into those malts with a hint of malted vanilla next to oatmeal cookies with cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts next to a glass of heavy cream for dipping. The end kicks in with a sharp orange/cinnamon before descending toward soft oak and more of that leather and honey wafer.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty goddamn good for what is essentially a cheap scotch. This over some rocks or as a base of a cocktail is a solid play.
Best Dsitillers’ Single Malt Scotch — Old Pulteney 15-Year-Old Single Malt
This seaside Highland whisky is a whisky lover’s brand. The unpeated juice in this case is made from local malted barley. That spirit goes into ex-bourbon barrels for 15 years before it’s refilled into first-fill ex-Oloroso sherry butts for a final rest. Finally, the whisky is vatted and proofed before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Soft stewed pears in honey with a hint of saffron open the nose next to a touch of raisin, dried apple chips, and maybe some dried roses and orange rinds. The palate touches on a chocolatey coffee with hints of vanilla bean, minced meat pies, and mulled wine spice with a smidge of sour red wine in there. The end is part sticky toffee pudding and part salted dried berries with a hint of marzipan and dark chocolate tobacco on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a really solid whisky. I dig this on a single rock as a slow evening sipper.
Best Dsitillers’ Single Malt Scotch — Old Pulteney 18-Year-Old Single Malt
This unpeated Highland whisky is aged in second-fill ex-bourbon casks for 18 years before being re-barreled into first-fill ex-Oloroso sherry casks for a final maturation. Finally, the juice is vatted, proofed down, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Bright notes of floral honey greet your nose as yellow pears, orange blossoms, and tart apples mingle with a thin line of vanilla cream, winter spice, and chocolate-covered raisins. The palate leans into the chocolate while the taste gets slightly bitter like an espresso bean before a minced meat pie drops in with sweetness and meaty dried fruit with a good dusting of brown spices. The end has a nice hit of orange zest that leads to a holiday cake with tons of dried and candied fruits and a good measure of wintry spices.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice step up from the last entry. It’s just that little bit more dialed, which makes it the perfect post-meal sipper or holiday pour. Take your time with this one, add a few drops of water, and let it bloom in the glass and your senses.
Best Dsitillers’ Single Malt Scotch & Best in Class — Glen Scotia Victoriana Single Malt
This Campbelltown whisky is a rarity, like most whiskies from the tiny region. After an initial maturation, the whisky spends a final 12 months maturing in 30 percent Pedro Ximenez sherry butts and 70 percent heavily charred American oak before bottling truly as-is — no proofing, no filtering, no coloring.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this is thick with a lot of savory fruit — figs, summer squash — next to sweet oranges, overripe pineapple, and robust but fresh florals. On the palate, that floral nature takes in a nasturtium vibe with a layer of spice next to a thin line of saltwater taffy wax paper wrappers, rum-soaked cinnamon sticks, and a thin layer of creamy vanilla. The end has a vibe that’s kind of like malt-soaked tropical fruit next to spicy vanilla pudding with a whisper of singed apple bark lurking in the background.
Bottom Line:
This is one that’s really worth tracking down. It’s also not that pricy for how rare this stuff really is (there’s really not that much juice coming out of Campbeltown). When you do find it, take your time and sip it slowly — or make one hell of a Manhattan with it.
Best Blended Scotch & Best in Class — The Sassenach
Yes, Scotch whisky has celebrity white label brands too. This one comes from Outlander star Sam Heughan. The juice is under wraps so there’s not much more to say.
Tasting Notes:
Lemon drops and Almond Joys drive the nose with a hint of honey, bourbon vanilla, and dried apricot. That apricot gets leathery on the palate as the malts arrive with plenty of honey and cinnamon-forward spice next to a hint of eggnog nutmeg. The finish is concise with a little cinnamon, honey, and almond rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
This is a really popular whiskey and, honestly, I’m not the biggest fan of it. It’s fine for cocktails (sours and smashes) but is a little lemon-y as a sipper.
Donald Trump just suffered another embarrassing loss in court. A federal judge not only dismissed Trump’s “racketeering lawsuit” against Hillary Clinton and a slew of other defendants, but he also wrote a scathing 65-page ruling eviscerating the former president’s legal claims. The dismissal followed a massive amendment from Trump’s legal team, which the judge unfortunately had to read and found to be “perplexing.” Or to put it in layman’s terms: weird as hell.
“It is not simply that I find the Amended Complaint ‘inadequate in any respect,’” Judge Donald Middlebrooks wrote. “It is inadequate in nearly every respect.”
After dismantling Trump’s arguments that Clinton “damaged his political career” by pointing out who won the 2016 election, Middlebrook went to town on the whole endeavor, which he basically described as a thinly-veiled rant. You’ll probably be surprised to hear this, but Trump really likes to complain. Can’t get enough of it!
“What the Amended Complaint lacks in substance and legal support it seeks to substitute with length, hyperbole, and the settling of scores and grievances,” he writes.
“At its core, the problem with Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint is that Plaintiff is not attempting to seek redress for any legal harm; instead, he is seeking to flaunt a two-hundred-page political manifesto outlining his grievances against those that have opposed him, and this Court is not the appropriate forum,” he adds.
The proper legal response you’re looking for here is, “DAMMMNNNNNNN.”
The 74th Primetime Emmys are doing a very strange thing by holding their ceremony on a Monday night. This makes some sense, however, given that House of the Dragon will dominate a great deal of the same target audience, and the 2022 NFL season’s already underway, too. How can you watch the show?
That’s actually going to be a fairly easy task on several fronts. The broadcast will air live on NBC beginning on Monday, September 12 at 8:00pm EST. That means that any standard cable setup will allow one to watch without pulling out the rabbit antenna ears. If you’re into the streaming game, then you’re in luck because there are many ways to view the ceremony on your favorite device(s). Peacock will stream the ceremony live, as will some of the more popular “cut the cord” services, including Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV in select markets. And if you don’t subscribe to any of the above services, Peacock does have a pretty good introductory rate for anyone who wants to sign up without a major investment.
From there, let the awards show drama begin. Better Call Saul fans’ fingers are crossed for Rhea Seehorn to finally get that gold, and The White Lotus appears to lead the very competitive Limited Series categories. And will Jason Sudeikis pull of another Ted Lasso win, or will Bill Hader snatch it away for his Barry performance? We don’t have to wait much longer to find out.
You can see the full Primetime Emmys nomination list here, and we hope you’ll join us for Emmys coverage on Monday night.
Undefeated UFC welterweight Khamzat Chimaev is supposed to face the legendary Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC 279 on Saturday night in Las Vegas, but the future of that fight is in serious doubt after Chimaev came nowhere close to making weight on Friday.
There were reports on Friday morning that Chimaev was well off weight ahead of the weigh-in, and sure enough when he strode onto the stage and stepped on the scale, he came in a full 7.5 pounds over the 171 pound limit for the welterweight division.
178.5 for @KChimaev. He will have an additional hour to make the weight.
That is no small miss, as evidenced by the fact that he didn’t try to completely strip down and do the whole towel dance thing, and while he has an extra hour to try and make weight, that doesn’t seem like that’s even close to possible. It is very funny watching him step back on the scale and flex for the cameras after missing weight by nearly 10 pounds, because it’s likely that the fight will have to be called off and the main event restructured. Ariel Helwani reports it’s a “medical issue” that caused Chimaev to miss weight by that much, although there aren’t any specifics on the details.
I’m told the reason why Chimaev missed weight by so much was due to a “medical issue.” Unclear what that is and how that affects him long term.
It has not been a good weekend for Dana White and UFC 279, after a kerfuffle backstage at the undercard weigh ins, also featuring Chimaev and Kevin Holland, led to a cancelation of the press conference.
Dana White says things got “very physical” between multiple fighters backstage. #UFC279
We’ll see how UFC proceeds from here, as having to replace the main event one day out is never an easy or enjoyable task, and it certainly doesn’t sound like Chimaev is going to come close to meeting weight. The shuffle of the deck that seems most likely is that Holland and Chimaev move into a co-main, with Diaz taking on Tony Ferguson, as both of those fighters are on the main card already.
Here is how we will do it if the shit show continues:
Over 40 years since country legend Dolly Parton released her hit song “9 To 5” as the movie’s soundtrack, she has enlisted none other than Kelly Clarkson for the new official duet version of the comedic workplace anthem. The updated version was produced by country songwriter/producer Shane McAnally, known for his work with Kacey Musgraves, John Legend, and Kelsea Ballerini. Compared to the fast-paced solo song, Parton lets Clarkson lead the vocals on the track and it takes on a somewhat slower, somber tone, sprinkled with electronic pop production.
Parton appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show earlier this year to discuss their duet, which was created for the documentary Still Working 9 To 5. “I love how you took that and just made it your own and I got a chance to sing background for a change!” Parton praised on the episode of Clarkson’s talk show. “But I’m really proud of that rendition of it and I think, hopefully, it’ll do well for us. It’s great in the documentary.”
Premiering back in March at SXSW, the documentary focused on the decades-long evolution of women in the workplace, following Parton’s part alongside Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dabney Coleman in the 1980 comedy. As the documentary’s website notes, 9 To 5 has maintained its cultural impact over the years, as it was adapted into both a TV show and Broadway play. McAnally also served as an Executive Producer on the doc.
Clarkson, whose segment “Kellyoke” has become a popular sensation, chose “9 To 5” as her first cover back in September 2019. She has since performed everything from Britney Spears to Alanis Morissette on the talk show. Over the summer, she released a project titled Kellyoke, consisting of her various covers. Parton has clearly served as an immense inspiration to the American Idol alum, as Clarkson paid tribute once more in March at the ACM Awards by covering her 1973 hit “I Will Always Love You.”
“I am so honored that Dolly asked me to reimagine this iconic song, ‘9 To 5,’ with her!” Clarkson shared in a statement, according to People. “She is so talented, an inspiration to all women, and one of the sweetest people you will ever meet!”
Listen to Parton and Clarkson’s “9 To 5” duet above.
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