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Justin Bieber Is Postponing All Of The Remaining ‘Justice’ Tour Dates To Focus On His Health

Justin Bieber’s Justice World Tour was set to be an incredible undertaking, to begin with. Considering what a spectacle his performances are and how much production heavy-lifting has to be done for each show, to be able to put on close to 100 concerts in less than a year is a huge task. Now Bieber, who has been public about his struggles with Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome — and had already postponed a set of tour dates as he tried to get better — is postponing the remaining 70 dates on the Justice World Tour to focus on his physical health and overall well-being.

Bieber just played at the Rock In Rio festival in Brazil and in a statement posted to his Instagram Story, he wrote, “After getting off stage, the exhaustion overtook me and I realized that I needed to make my health a priority right now. So I’m going to take a break from touring for the time being.”

Variety confirmed the statement that Bieber is postponing the tour indefinitely with his reps. The dates would have stretched into March of 2023. Read Bieber’s full statement below.

“Earlier this year, I went public about my battle with Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome, where my face was partly paralyzed.

As the result of this illness, I was not able to complete the North America leg of the Justice Tour.After resting end consulting with doctors, family and team, I went to Europe in an effort to continue with the tour.

I performed six live shows, but it took a real toll on me. This past weekend I performed at Rock in Rio and I gave everything I have to the people in Brazil. After getting off stage, the exhaustion overtook me and I realized that I needed to make my health a priority right now. So I’m going to take a break from touring for the time being.

I’m going to be OK, but I need time to rest and get better period I’ve been so proud to bring this show and our message of justice to the world.Thank you for your prayers and support throughout all of this exclamation point i love you all passionately!”

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Donald Trump Reportedly Refused To Make Rudy Giuliani Secretary Of State Because Of Concerns About Drinking

While Rudy Giuliani would go on to play a more disastrous role in the final days of Donald Trump’s presidency, the former New York City mayor and once-respected attorney reportedly had his eyes on a more prestigious title: Secretary of State. According to writer Andrew Kirtzman’s new book, Giuliani: The Rise and Tragic Fall of America’s Mayor, Trump passed on giving Giuilani the coveted cabinet position because of the attorney’s drinking problem.

Thanks to letting Giuliani roam the secret tunnels beneath Mar-a-Lago after his failed presidential run in 2008, Trump was well aware of Rudy’s drinking. While the two had a friendly relationship where they reportedly fought for one and other’s respect, Giuliani made an ill-advised move by going to the press to convince Trump to make him Secretary of State, which he felt he deserved. Instead, the campaign ended up angering Trump. Via The Daily Beast:

“He started just hearing all of these negative stories about him, about his drinking; Giuliani waged this campaign in the press to get the job which turned Trump off. They launched an investigation internally in the campaign into Giuliani’s clients, and he had so many clients with potential conflicts that had filled a report, dozens of pages, and eventually, Trump moved on,” says Kirtzman, who shares a lot of other Giuliani anecdotes on this episode, including his ex-wife’s speculation that he had a drinking problem.

Before anyone gives Trump too much credit, Kirtzman said that the former president offered Giuliani a chance to be Attorney General or head of Homeland Security, which are both frightening prospects. Fortunately, Giuliani’s ego led him to turn down those offers in pursuit of being Secretary of State even though he had practically zero foreign policy experience. Later, he’d take over Trump’s legal battle to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which so far, has resulted in multi-billion dollar lawsuits and an ongoing investigation in Georgia that’s not looking great for Trump and Rudy.

(Via The Daily Beast)

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Chelsea Gray Is Beating Anything And Everything The Storm Throw At Her

All I could think throughout one of the best playoff basketball games any of us have seen is that Chelsea Gray is breaking the game. A’ja Wilson, Gray’s teammate on the Las Vegas Aces, has dominated the last two games of the team’s semifinal matchup with the Seattle Storm. Chicago Sky forward Candace Parker has been on her own postseason heater.

But despite that, Gray stands above the rest in a fashion that cannot be overstated. This is Gray’s shot chart in the playoffs, per InStat Scouting.

It’s one thing to be on a heater and catch fire from all areas of the court in the flow of the offense. Instead, Gray is doing this on a diet of shots almost entirely self-created. Considering her 78.5 percent true-shooting percentage (league average was 54.1 percent this season), that’s staggering.

Slightly under a third of her attempts from deep are categorized as catch-and-shoot looks. She’s shooting 55 percent out of isolation. A 63 percent clip on shots taken as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, including 62 percent on her pull-up threes from behind the arc, is actually insane. When factoring in her otherworldly playmaking ability, it’s indeed fair to say Gray is breaking the game.

And it’s not like Gray is getting a steady diet of easy shots. Watch what she’s able to do here against one of the best defensive players in the league.

Gabby Williams, who rightfully made All-Defense, gave her everything at the point of attack. Time and time again during Game 3 specifically, Gray found ways to beat that.

Here’s another example. What can you even do here? Williams has length, she has lateral quickness, she has good functional strength and reaction speed, and again, Gray figures out what she has to do to get the better of this matchup.

Gray is remarkably strong. She can bully smaller players. Anyone with a higher center of gravity is at the mercy of her shoulders. Her off-arm play to create separation is second to none in the league. There’s no hesitation in her play, every move has intention and causes shifts in both her defender and the defense as a whole. The violence she has in some of her crosses and steps is awe-inspiring, just ask Jewell Loyd.

What’s made her run even more spectacular has been the brunt of the playmaking load she’s handled in comparison to her contemporaries. It’s not just about the assists per game — still, 7.2 a night is beyond impressive — but the actual impact of how she sees the court and manipulates it is otherworldly. Watching these games, and particularly Game 3, has made it clear that there is no winning formula for the defense.

It doesn’t matter what has or hasn’t been drawn up, Gray is one or multiple steps ahead of her defenders, dictating the terms of engagement like a general. That entire first half was Gray calling for different screening variations and sets to pull apart the Seattle defense. With how she’s shooting on top of that, what do you even do defensively? How do you counter this?

How do you counter a player who hits this despite a perfectly executed switch by the defense?

That is good defense! Gray just makes it so that Tina Charles mirroring her about as well as one can for half the shot clock doesn’t matter.

Trap Gray and she hits the roller exquisitely and in a timely fashion. Switch onto Gray and she’ll take advantage of a mismatch with her shot-making or by forcing a rotation with a drive-and-kick. Go under a pick-and-roll and she’s pulling the strap. Her all-time heater has put the Storm in a very clear bind.

That’s not at all to say that Seattle is doing a bad job — their defense against Gray has actually been quite good. Instead, there’s just no answer for her while she’s playing like this. She’s causing hesitation and indecision among a team that occupied the top defensive metrics in basketball for much of the year. When you hit shots at this absurd unreal level, there isn’t a “right way” to defend her, because every look is a good look for Gray right now.

As the series enters its final stretch — it could, potentially, end on Tuesday night, as Las Vegas holds a 2-1 lead in the best-of-5 — be sure to bask in the play of Gray, who is throwing down one of the single greatest shot-making stretches and displays of offense we’ve ever seen.

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Modest Mouse Is Hitting The Road On ‘The Lonesome Crowded West Tour’ For The Album’s 25th Anniversary

In the debate of which Modest Mouse album is the best album, there is only one correct answer: The Lonesome Crowded West. Sorry, this is a scientific fact. The 1997 album is the crown jewel of Isaac Brock’s indie songwriting with a diverse offering of songs that painted a picture of the stories off the highway stops of the modern American west.

Now Brock and Modest Mouse will be taking The Lonesome Crowded West in its entirety on the road to celebrate the 25th anniversary of it’s release. Just as they did in 1997, Modest Mouse will be playing as a four-piece including Jeremiah Green, as well as Russell Higbee and Simon O’Connor. From album opener “Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine,” to iconic songs like “Cowboy Dan,” “Trailer Trash,” and “Polar Opposites,” the band will play the entire 15-song album front to back at each of these shows beginning on November 18th in Montana. Rest assured, even the midwest and East coast are included on the tour.

Check out the full slate of Modest Mouses’s The Lonesome Crowded West Tour below. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 9th at 10am local time here.

11/18 – Missoula, MT @ Wilma Theater
11/19 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Spokane
11/21 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
11/22 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
11/25 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
11/27 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
11/30 – Oakland, CA @ The Fox Theatre
12/01 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
12/02 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
12/03 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
12/05 – Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater
12/06 – New Orleans, LA @ Fillmore New Orleans
12/07 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
12/09 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
12/10 – St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre
12/11 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
12/13 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
12/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia
12/16 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
12/17 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5

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The Affordable Vs Expensive Blind Bourbon Bottle Battle

If you want to drink good bourbon whiskey, you’re going to have to shell out anywhere from $30 to $60. You might get lucky and find a hidden gem for around $20 but that’s the exception, not the rule. Then there’s the genuinely expensive stuff that starts off around $100 and reaches into the thousands of dollars, either by virtue of it being a very rare whiskey or the aftermarket dictating a hefty price inflation.

But is the expensive stuff really that much better than the (relatively) cheap bourbon these days? How much better can it honestly be? That’s where a blind taste test comes into play.

For this exercise, I’ve grabbed five bottles that fall into the $25 to $60 range (with one beloved budget bottle thrown in) and five bottles that start off above $100 and soar ever higher in price. The ranking is simple, what tastes best when sipped blind? Spoiler alert: It was a far more mixed bag than even I thought it would be.

Our lineup today is:

  • Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition Blend no. 012 Tennessee Whiskey
  • Heaven Hill Old Style Bourbon 6 Years Old
  • Maker’s Mark
  • Michter’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 10 Years Old
  • Puncher’s Chance The D12TANCE Aged 12 Years
  • Legent
  • Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel
  • Weller 12
  • Knob Creek Small Batch Aged 9 Years
  • Eagle Rare 17 Years Old 2021 BTAC

Okay, let’s dive in and see if you really need to spend a mortgage payment on a bottle of whiskey.

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months

Part 1: The Tasting

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Taste 1

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

There’s a lovely sense of sourdough old-fashioned doughnuts dusted in cinnamon on the nose with a hint of brown sugar, nutmeg, pecan, and cedar/tobacco with a warm edge. The palate layers those pecans into a waffle with plenty of butter and maple syrup next to dried sour cherries with old leather, dried corn cobs, and spiced cherry tobacco next to dry black dirt with a hint of sweetness to it. The end lessens the cherry and leads to peppery tobacco with a warm finish full of dry firewood, more of that woody maple syrup, and a dash of vanilla cream underneath it.

Well, this is a great whiskey. I can’t fathom it being too cheap.

Taste 2

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Light wicker and a hint of dried mint lead the way on the nose with a touch of brown sugar and orchard fruit and bark. The palate lets that orchard wood sweeten as a hint of espresso bean cuts the woodiness and allows lush vanilla to arrive with a hint of pancake batter. The end rounds back to the wicker with a twinge of cherry cream soda next to a thin line of mineral water.

This was really solid up until the watery finish. I’d bet it’s affordable, generally speaking.

Taste 3

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

The nose is soft with a sense of sour cherry, porch wicker, dry cornmeal, caramel sauce, and a supple vanilla foundation. The palate holds onto those notes and builds toward salted caramel over tart apples with a winter spice mix stewing it all down into a buttery and spicy apple crumble with a hint of plum and date. The end gets a little mineral-y and eventually waters down the rich spices, vanilla, orchard fruit, and old wicker.

This was so close but just missed sticking the landing on that watered-down finish.

Taste 4

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

The nose draws you in with big notes of fresh leather, sweet cedar bark, tart cherries and currant, burnt orange, salted caramel, spiced Christmas cake, and a hint of blackberry jam on a stack of sourdough pancakes grilled off in butter (or maybe I’m just hungry for breakfast?!). The taste leans into a lush vanilla tobacco warm with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans next to marzipan, orange blossoms, and brandy-soaked cherries with a hint of black pepper spice. The finish is velvety and supple with a black cherry and cinnamon/nutmeg spiced tobacco leaf braided with old wicker canes and dry cedar bark next to orchard wood and burnt marshmallows.

Well, this is a winner. This is basically a perfect bourbon with incredible depth. It must be pricey.

Taste 5

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Hello, Tennessee! The nose opens with a sense of cherry Tums next to soft grains, dried sage and thyme, and a hint of smoked pork fat. The taste leans into that Tennessee whiskey vibe with soft grains next to vanilla Necco Wafers, old cellar floors, and a good dose of sharp winter spices. The finish lets the cherry chine with a hint of old glove leather, apple pie filling, and a sour sense of butter with a garden center earthiness.

I really like this. It’s not overly done but hits some seriously nice notes that vibe.

Taste 6

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Sticky toffee pudding with a hint of sour grapes, sweet red berries, old oak staves, vanilla husks, and salted toffee all mingle on the nose. The palate has almost bitter cinnamon and cherry bark vibe that smooths out toward creamy nutmeg-heavy eggnog with a hint of clove next to dried cedar bark and raisins. The end mixes wild berry jam with a sense of buttermilk biscuits, brown butter, sultanas, dates, and winter cake spices as old wine-soaked oak staves add a gentle woodiness to the finish.

This is delightful. It’s a tiny bit thin on the finish (I’m guessing around 90 proof?) but that’s barely a diss.

Taste 7

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

The nose brings the vanilla pods, cinnamon/clove/anise/allspice winter spice matrix, a hint of fresh cedar kindling, and a menagerie of raisins, dates, prunes, dried cranberry with a whisper of worn leather tobacco pouches. The palate leans into the dark and tart berries with a dry edge that then leads to an old boot leather vibe next to lush marzipan touched with orange blossom and dark chocolate creaminess. The finish gently warms your sense with a nutty chocolate/spicy/dried fruit tobacco leaf rolled with old wicker, cedar bark, and sweetgrass.

I wrote, “perfect” in my notes. So you can guess where this is going to land. That doesn’t necessarily mean this is an expensive whiskey though. Time will tell.

Taste 8

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Peach and pear skins lead to pancake batter, marzipan, orange oils, old leather gloves, a hint of wool sweater on a cold day, and a whisper of old porch wicker. The palate balances cherry wood that’s just been lit next to tart dried cranberry, a touch of buttermilk biscuit, and salted toffee. The end amps up the woody Christmas spices and barks with more orange next to pound cake, hot apple cider, and a creamy line of dark chocolate over lush marzipan.

This is another winner that just tastes great. The end is a little thin (I’m guessing this is another 90-proof) but, overall, this was excellent.

Taste 9

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

The nose on this feels classic with a bold sense of rich vanilla pods, cinnamon sharpness, buttered and salted popcorn, and a good dose of cherry syrup with a hint of cotton candy. The palate mixes almond, orange, and vanilla into a cinnamon sticky bun with a hint of sour cherry soda that leads to a nice Kentucky hug on the mid-palate. That warm hug fades toward black cherry root beer, old leather boots, porch wicker, and a sense of dried cherry/cinnamon tobacco packed into an old pine box.

This was pretty freakin’ good. More importantly, it was nicely balanced between the (marginally) higher proof and flavor profile.

Taste 10

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Woah. There’s a lot going on with this nose from dark and moist Christmas cake with spices, nuts, candied fruits, and brandy butter to Black Forest Cake with plenty of dark chocolate and stewed cherry with a hint of smoked salt to old cellar beams and oak staves smoldering under some toasted marshmallows. The taste leans into the spices with a good warmth supported by sharp ginger, allspice, a hint of sassafras, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg that leads to a creamy nog countered by salted black licorice and Cherry Dr. Pepper. The end leaves the spices behind and gently lands on old cherry tobacco leaves, fresh nasturtiums, and a hint of sweet black potting soil mixed with dry straw.

Yup, this is excellent.

Part 2: The Ranking

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

10. Maker’s Mark — Taste 3

Beam Suntory

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $24

The Whisky:

This is Maker’s signature expression. It’s made from red winter wheat with corn and malted barley and then aged in seasoned Ozark oak for six to seven years. This expression’s juice is then built from only 150 barrels (making this a small batch, if you want to call it that). Those barrels are blended, proofed, bottled, and dipped in red wax.

Bottom Line:

If this had a little more proof to it (and less water), it would have been way higher. This is good whisky at a great price. But because of that watery end, you kind of need to build this into a cocktail to plaster over that thin finish.

9. Heaven Hill Old Style Bourbon 6 Years Old — Taste 2

Heaven Hill Green Label
Heaven Hill

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $13

The Whiskey:

Heaven Hill’s Old Style Bourbon is always affordable and very palatable. This expression adds an extra two years (or so) of aging to Heaven Hill’s other entry-level juice(s). Beyond that, we’re talking about a very standard bourbon that’s meant to be mixed, shot, and enjoyed without breaking the bank.

Bottom Line:

This was another super solid bourbon that just couldn’t land the finish thanks to those low ABVs. That said, this has way more depth to it than it should for this price point.

8. Puncher’s Chance The D12TANCE Aged 12 Years — Taste 5

Puncher's Chance
Punchers Chance

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This sourced whiskey is a 12-year-old Tennessee straight bourbon whiskey. Those barrels are emptied and the juice is refilled into old Cabernet Sauvignon casks for a final maturation before proofing and bottling.

Bottom Line:

This was very “Tennessee whiskey,” in a great way. There was depth and nuance. Again, it was a tad thin on the end (thanks to that proofing) but great otherwise.

7. Knob Creek Small Batch Aged 9 Years — Taste 9

Beam Suntory

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $46 (one-liter)

The Whiskey:

This is Jim Beam’s small batch entry point into the wider world of Knob Creek. The juice is the low-rye mash aged for nine years in new oak in Beam’s vast warehouses. The right barrels are then mingled and cut down to 100 proof before being bottled in new, wavy bottles.

Bottom Line:

This was just classic from top to bottom. It didn’t blow me away or change the way I think about whiskey but it certainly got the job done.

6. Weller 12 — Taste 8

Sazerac Company

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $299

The Whiskey:

Weller is made from the exact same mash bill as Pappy Van Winkle. This expression of Weller rests in the warehouse for 12 long years, in the same barrels and warehouses as Pappy. The difference between this and Pappy 12 is pretty simple actually. If the barrel doesn’t hit the exact flavor profile needed for a Pappy, it’s sent to the blending house to become a Weller (as long as it hits that flavor profile, of course).

Bottom Line:

This was so well-made. It was deep and engaging while still feeling drinkable and easygoing. That said, that lower proof pushed it down this ranking a bit.

5. Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition Blend no. 012 Tennessee Whiskey — Taste 1

Uncle Nearest Masters Select
Uncle Nearest

ABV: 60.8%

Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

While Uncle Nearest is distilling their own juice these days, this is still the work of Master Blender Victoria Eady Butler with carefully sourced Tennessee whiskey barrels. In this case, Eady Bulter hand-selected the best-of-the-best from their inventory to create the perfect whiskey to exemplify the brand and Tennessee whiskey traditions.

Bottom Line:

This was really nice overall. There was no fault in any of it. The only reason it’s a little lower today is that I really wanted to pour this over a single rock to calm down those ABVs and let the deep flavors bloom in the glass.

4. Legent — Taste 6

Beam Suntory

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $47

The Whiskey:

This bottle from Beam Suntory marries Kentucky Bourbon, California wine, and Japanese whisky blending in one bottle. Legent is classic Kentucky bourbon made by bourbon legend Fred Noe at Beam that’s finished in both French oak that held red wine and Spanish sherry casks. The juice is then blended by whisky blending legend Shinji Fukuyo.

Bottom Line:

This was just freakin’ delicious. Again, the lower ABV is the only thing I can think to ding. Because of that, I immediately wanted to mix this into a killer Manhattan.

3. Eagle Rare 17 Years Old 2021 BTAC — Taste 10

Screen-Shot-2021-10-21-at-10.23.29-AM.jpg
Sazerac Company

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $2,308

The Whiskey:

This whiskey was produced in the spring of 2003. Since then, it lost 73 percent of its volume to the angels as it rested in warehouses C, K, M, and Q on various floors. The barrels were then vatted, proofed down, and bottled.

Bottom Line:

I would have put money on this or the next entry to have won. They’re both perfect bourbon specimens that are hard to beat. The proof here was a little warm but didn’t take away from the depth of the flavor profile. I simply liked the balance on the next one a tad more.

2. Michter’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 10 Years Old — Taste 4

Michters Distillery

ABV: 47.2%

Average Price: $512

The Whiskey:

The juice in this bottle is a little under wrap. Michter’s is currently distilling and aging its own whiskey, but this is still sourced. The actual barrels sourced for these single barrel expressions tend to be at least ten years old with some rumored to be closer to 15 years old (depending on the barrel’s quality, naturally). Either way, the juice goes through Michter’s bespoke filtration process before a touch of Kentucky’s iconic soft limestone water is added, bringing the bourbon down to a very crushable 94.4 proof.

Bottom Line:

Again, this is a perfect whiskey. Plus, it has this great balance between the warmth and the palate that just works.

1. Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel — Taste 7

Wild Turkey

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $59

The Whiskey:

Jimmy Russell hand selects eight to nine-year-old barrels from his warehouses for their individual taste and quality. Those barrels are then cut down ever-so-slightly to 101 proof and bottled with their barrel number and warehouse location.

Bottom Line:

I was kind of surprised to see this win. I was also kind of… not surprised. I love this whiskey and actually drink it at home. It’s so good, nuanced, flavorful, and balanced that it’s almost too good to be true — especially at $60 a bottle.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

Affordable v. Expensive Bourbon Blind
Zach Johnston

Well, there you have it. The expensive bottles were not inherently better tasting than the affordable (even cheap) ones. Hell, even the budget bottles (Maker’s and Heaven Hill) really only ranked last because of their thinner finishes, thanks to the proofing — not the taste of the whiskey.

Overall, all of these whiskeys are worth seeking out for one reason or another — mixing drinks, shots, perfecting a cocktail, neat pours on cold nights, etc. — but it’s the top four or five that really shine the brightest.

I’d recommend the Legent, Knob Creek, and Wild Turkey if you’re looking for a great everyday pour that also mixes a great cocktail. The Eagle Rare and Michter’s are also great but maybe only break those out for holidays and big occasions. Turns out you’re not missing that much between the bottles after all.

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J. Cole’s ‘NBA 2K’ Cover Was Partially Inspired By His Dunk Attempt At All-Star Weekends

While J. Cole has always put his pro basketball ambitions at the forefront of his rap career, he’s come way further than perhaps even he could have foreseen. At the start of the month, he was announced as 2K Games’ first-ever non-athlete cover model for the latest iteration of NBA 2K. The rap star-turned-hooper features on the Gamestop-exclusive Dreamer Edition cover of NBA 2K23. He’ll also appear in the game as himself; the player will encounter him and Dreamville associates Bas and Elite in the MyCareer mode, helping the player character achieve their own hoop dreams.

As it happens, though, Cole planted the seeds for this idea even before he’d managed to make it onto a Basketball Africa League roster. In a new interview with Complex, 2K’s digital marketing director Ronnie “Ronnie2K” Singh explains how J. Cole actually approached Singh with the concept for his inclusion after giving the world one of his first public demonstrations of hoop talent at the NBA’s 2019 All-Star Weekend. There, J. Cole allowed himself to be used as a prop in fellow Fayetteville native Dennis Smith Jr.’s dunk attempt before attempting a dunk of his own. Although Cole got blocked by the rim — in his defense, he was wearing street clothes and hadn’t warmed up first — he was able to pitch Ronnie2K about being in a future version of NBA 2K.

According to Singh, “Three and a half years ago, when he dunked during one of the breaks of the All-Star Weekend Saturday Night, J. Cole said, ‘Ronnie, I’d love to be in MyCareer and help think about the ideation around that.’ I worked with our team on bringing this to life but it was very fitting to work with him. When we put out that tease, everybody thought it was going to be another basketball player…it allows us live in fashion, culture, music which 2K has a seat at the table now.”

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Montrezl Harrell Has Reportedly Signed A Two-Year Deal With The Philadelphia 76ers

Montrezl Harrell finally has found a new team after an offseason that saw him dealing with some legal trouble after a traffic stop in Kentucky where he was found to have marijuana on him.

Those charges were dropped from felony trafficking to misdemeanor possession last week, with his record being cleared entirely in 12 months provided he doesn’t run into any more legal trouble. With that situation settled, teams could begin looking into the former Sixth Man of the Year, and after a couple uneven seasons with the Lakers, Wizards, and Hornets, Harrell will seek out a familiar face in search of a bounce back season.

Per Adrian Wojnarowski, Harrell will join the Philadelphia 76ers where he’ll be coached once again by Doc Rivers, who oversaw Harrell’s 6MOY campaign with the Clippers and knows the talented center well.

Harrell averaged 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game on 64.5 percent shooting (71.6 percent from the line) in 71 games in Washington and Charlotte last season. In Philadelphia, his role will be pretty clearly defined in backing up Joel Embiid, as the Sixers give themselves an offensive weapon off the bench to spell their All-NBA big man. Harrell figures to split backup duties with Paul Reed, who showed flashes a year ago but will give Rivers a trusted veteran presence with some real scoring punch.

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Hilarious mom gives a master class on how to rock the school drop-off

The school drop-off line is a constant source of stress for a lot of parents because there are so many things that can go wrong. First, you’re relying on every kid to get out of their cars without having any trouble and that their parents can get them out efficiently.

There’s also the problem of the random grandparent or babysitter who isn’t used to the routine, gumming things up for everyone behind them. A school in Ohio recently posted funny signs with ’90s hip-hop references to remind parents how to get their kids in and out as quickly and safely as possible.


Lateasha Witherspoon, a mother in Texas with two sons, Jason, 8, and Jeremiah, 6, got more than 3.5 million views on TikTok for creating a video where she teaches other parents how to get through the drop-off line with maximum efficiency.

Witherspoon thinks the drop-off should be treated like it’s a military exercise, and a lot of parents and teachers agree.

@teashawitherspoon

This is how you do it!!! #schooldropoffsbelike #schooldropoffline #tuckandroll

“First things first, put your kids on the passenger side of the car,” Witherspoon says. Next, she says parents should have their kids “holding the latch” once you are “three or four cars” from the designated drop-off area.

Witherspoon says that kids should already have their backpacks on before they get out of the car, adding that if they’re uncomfortable for a few minutes it won’t hurt and it could actually help their posture. This is an important point because a lot of time is wasted when kids get out of the car and then have to reach back in with their tiny arms to put on their backpacks.

“They need to be ready to go,” she explains.

She also believes that parents should stop acting like chauffeurs. “Y’all have got to stop getting out of the car and opening the doors for them. Let them open their own damn door—it takes too much time,” Witherspoon says.

Her most controversial point is that parents don’t need to fully stop their car but should “yield” as their kids hop out of the moving vehicle. “It’s not a stop. It’s a yield… We’re gonna teach them how to tuck and roll,” she says.

After she made the post, Witherspoon was contacted by the school’s principal and she thought she was in trouble. “He was like, ‘I gotta thank you,’” she told Today. “He wants to post it on the school (Facebook) page!”

Witherspoon’s advice was also celebrated by fellow frustrated parents.

“I know this woman knows how to RUN a household!” Jessica Parker commented on the video. “People who mad about this video need to use the parking lot drop off!!! If you want to be extra and hold up the line, walk your kid in!” Vanessa Cisneros added.

Teachers also praised Witherspoon for the no-nonsense video.

“As a former teacher and administrator that had car duty, thank you for this,” Courtney wrote.

“Miss ma’am- teacher here can I book you for a family night to present this very helpful information?” MissYMV73 asked.

Witherspoon’s advice may be a bit much for some parents, but for those who want to take their time getting their kids out of the car, that’s what the parking lot drop-off is for. The drop-off lane is for parents like Witherspoon who don’t have the time to screw around.

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Brendan Fraser’s teary reaction to a six-minute standing ovation is simply a must-watch

If anyone deserves a six-minute standing ovation, it’s Brendan Fraser.

The actor’s return into the spotlight with notable roles in “The Affair” and “Doom Patrol” is more than a career comeback. His courageous act of speaking up about a sexual assault that led to his long Hollywood hiatus inspired others to do the same.

As Fraser once again makes headlines, this time for his transformational role as Charlie, a 600-pound obese man in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale,” he returns to the public eye not only as a beloved celebrity, but as someone who has truly made it successfully through a harrowing emotional journey.

Fans have warmly welcomed his glorious return, which has on more than one occasion made Fraser get a bit choked up. Receiving nonstop thunderous applause at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday Sept. 4 was no different.

The now-viral video is a must-see. Fraser might have undergone a million transformations in one lifetime, but one thing remains unchanged—his endearing charm.


The clip, which has been viewed more than 15 million times, shows Aronofsky encourage a teary-eyed Fraser to take a bow. He obliges graciously, and then offers an adorable “aw shucks” kick to the crowd.

It’s pure. It’s uplifting. It’s quintessential Brendan Fraser.

Fellow actor Dwayne Johnson also sent love to his former co-star after seeing the video, writing:

“Man this makes me so happy to see this beautiful ovation for Brendan. He supported me coming into his Mummy Returns franchise for my first ever role, which kicked off my Hollywood career. Rooting for all your success brother.”

During a press conference for “The Whale,” Fraser reflected that while he might have played the ultimate onscreen hero of the ’90s, his role of Charlie in “The Whale” is “by far and away the most heroic that I have ever played because his superpower is to see the good in others and bring that out in them.”

That level of empathy is what makes Fraser so remarkable. Life sometimes deals us an unkind hand. The choice is to become unkind ourselves or deepen our compassion. Fraser is living proof of what can happen with the latter option.

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Tim Robinson Won An Emmy For ‘I Think You Should Leave,’ So Awards Shows Aren’t A Total (Coffin) Flop

We’re all trying to find the guy who won Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series at the 2022 Creative Arts Emmys. Oh wait, it’s Tim Robinson.

Netflix’s fantastic I Think You Should Leave was up for two awards during the non-televised Emmys this weekend: Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama, or Variety Series and Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for Robinson. Sadly, Carpool Karaoke won the former (even though the driver’s ed sketch is 50 times more entertaining than watching James Corden drive ALF around Los Angeles, or whatever), but Robinson took home the latter for playing “Various Characters.”

It’s a shame that the Short Form categories aren’t presented during the primetime Emmys. A Dan Flashes shirt would really pop on the red carpet. Maybe for season three.

Speaking of the Emmys: did you realize that they’re this Sunday? Better Call Saul, Euphoria, Ozark, Severance, Squid Game, Stranger Things, Succession, and Yellowjackets are up for Outstanding Drama Series, while Abbott Elementary, Barry, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hacks, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Only Murders in the Building, Ted Lasso, and What We Do in the Shadows compete for Outstanding Comedy Series.

You can find the full list of nominees here.