Category: News

Paramore is fully committed to their comeback. Last week, lead vocalist Hayley Williams shared with fans that she “would not be be ready to give myself back to the band and the music and the life that I love so much had we not voluntarily given it up for a season.” The band’s four-year hiatus included putting their beloved track “Misery Business” on the shelf. That changed last night (October 2) during the first show of Paramore’s 12-date North American tour in Bakersfield, California, when Paramore performed “Misery Business” for the first time since September 2018.

According to BuzzFeed at the time, Williams told the 2018 crowd in Nashville, “Tonight we’re playing this song for the last time for a really long time. This is a choice that we’ve made because we feel that we should. We feel like it’s time to move away from it for a little while.”

Williams had previously taken to Tumblr in 2015 to air conflicted feelings over “Misery Business,” sparked by fan comments questioning her position as a feminist. The 2007 Riot! lead single includes the lyric, “Once a wh*re, you’re nothing more, I’m sorry,” in the second verse. (In relation to Williams’s and Paramore’s validity as feminists 15 years later, they announced in July that $1 of every ticket sold for this fall US tour will go toward ARC Southeast, providing “funding and logistical support to ensure Southerners receive safe and compassionate reproductive care,” per the organization’s official website.)

The Bakersfield show marks the first time Paramore has played “Misery Business” in four years, but Williams joined Billie Eilish‘s headlining Coachella set to give a surprise acoustic duet of the song in April.

Paramore released “This Is Why” last Wednesday (September 28), the title track of their forthcoming sixth studio album — and first since 2017’s After Laughter.

This Is Why is out 2/10/2023 via Atlantic Records. Pre-order it here.

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

Earlier this year, Britney Spears signed a major deal with Simon & Schuster for her debut memoir, with the sale at an estimated $15 million — according to Page Six (via The Guardian). In the months since, Spears has shared more details about what she’s including in the tell-all book, including in a recent Instagram post.

While the post’s caption discussed more of Spears’ thoughts on her family’s lack of accountability for her lengthy conservatorship, she closes it with a teaser about having not one, but several different memoir versions. “Psss I’ve written 3 different versions of my book and had LOTS of therapy through the process … was it worth it ???? Not so sure … Here’s to a new day,” she said.

Spears has shared some thoughts on her book through her other Instagram captions, including a now-deleted one (via Nylon) from April where she references her sister Jamie Lynn’s own memoir, which dropped earlier this year. “So sorry if I’ve offended anyone by writing these stories,” Spears said. “But just as my sister can legally mention my name in her book over 200 times, cry on tv, and get a heartfelt ‘awww’ from most, I also have the right to share a couple paragraphs on Instagram. Anyways, Godspeed my friends.”

In July, TMZ had reported that while Spears and Simon & Schuster originally intended for her memoir to release in January 2023, the paper shortage is delaying its official publication. A new official release date has yet to be announced, along with details on the title and other memoir info.

Jason Bateman has had prominent TV roles at various points in his life, whether it’s childhood parts on shows like Silver Spoons and The Hogan Family, playing Michael Bluth on the beloved comedy series Arrested Development, or starring in the recently concluded drama Ozark. Whatever endeavor you first knew Bateman from, the fact is that he’s been in show business for a long time.

The actor was a guest on Friday’s (September 30) episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where the host decided to have some fun with Bateman’s longevity: Kimmel rattled off a list of random names of celebrities, mostly from the ’80s, to see how many of them Bateman knew, which yielded an interesting Michael Jackson story.

Towards the end of the segment, Kimmel named Jackson and Bateman said, “Ricky Schroder and I almost ran over Michael Jackson with our bicycles,” which got a desk-pounding laugh from Kimmel. Bateman continued, “This was while we were doing Silver Spoons in Universal and we’d need to have our bikes because kids gotta play. And Michael was there to see him.”

At that point, Bateman trailed off and gave an uneasy gesture to the audience, presumably a nod to the child sexual abuse allegations made against the singer. Bateman continued, “I don’t… listen, hey! He was a fan of the show and a fan of the Ricker! He was coming onto the stage while we were zooming off and almost took him down.”

Check out the full interview above.

If Kim Kardashian ever wants to make a sequel to her Kim Kardashian: Hollywood mobile game, Kim Kardashian: Crypto Criminal has a nice ring to it. The model and law school grad has been fined $1.26 million by the SEC for promoting a cryptocurrency asset without disclosing that she had been paid for the promotion. “Kardashian agreed to settle the charges, pay $1.26 million in penalties, disgorgement, and interest, and cooperate with the Commission’s ongoing investigation,” the SEC wrote in a statement.

Kardashian failed to disclose that she was paid $250,000 to publish a post on her Instagram account about EMAX tokens, the crypto asset security being offered by EthereumMax. Kardashian’s post linked to the EthereumMax website, which provided instructions for potential investors to purchase EMAX tokens.

I don’t know what the SEC’s problem is. Everything about this looks super legit:

“This case is a reminder that, when celebrities or influencers endorse investment opportunities, including crypto asset securities, it doesn’t mean that those investment products are right for all investors,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “We encourage investors to consider an investment’s potential risks and opportunities in light of their own financial goals.” He added, “Ms. Kardashian’s case also serves as a reminder to celebrities and others that the law requires them to disclose to the public when and how much they are paid to promote investing in securities.”

Kardashian will now go back to making money the ol’ fashioned way: selling crotchless catsuits.

(Via Variety)

Spoilers for House of the Dragon will be found below.

This week’s House of the Dragon episode gave fans a return of the old Prince Daemon, who surprise-married Princess Rhaenyra in a Valyrian wedding. Yep, they’re proudly following in their most incestuous family tradition, and more than that, they’ve combined forces in light of the brewing Civil War. That would be the Targaryen side of the fam who isn’t the product of King Viserys I’s marriage to Alicent Hightower, who wore green as a declaration of war in the most recent bloodbath of a wedding for this franchise.

And as HBO showed in the Episode 8 preview, war is definitely on the horizon. Who made the biggest power move of the episode, though? That would be young Aemond Targaryen (played by Leo Ashton), who we first got to know while his siblings bullied him for his dragon-less status while gifting him a pig. Well, Aemond got a dragon in Episode 7, and as our own Jessica Toomer concluded in her weekly recap, this positions him as a “Contender.” Following Laena Valarian’s death, Aemond decided to step up and claim her dragon, Vhagar.

Now, there’s some contention out there about whether Aemond “stole” this dragon, but it truly seems like he tamed her with some “dohaeris” (instructing her to serve) before taking his very first ride. Yes, he then got the holy hell beaten out of him and Aemond lost an eye as a result, but he was fine with this result because, hey, he has a dragon. Even more than that, Vhagar is now part of Team Hightower. Given that she’s the biggest dragon in Westeros, that’s quite an asset. Also, one has to admit that Aemond looked pretty darn cool on his ride, even if not everyone is a fan of the “rugrat.”

Here’s an intriguing theory: “maybe vhagar stole aemond did you ever think abt that.”

HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon’ airs on Sunday nights at 9:00pm EST.

Last week on the Billboard 200 chart belonged to Blackpink, whose new album Born Pink debuted at No. 1, making it the first LP by a K-pop female act to ever do so. They knocked Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti from the top spot, but now the album has stormed back: On the new Billboard 200 dated October 8, Un Verano Sin Ti returns to the top spot for a 12th total week.

This was thanks to 87,000 equivalent album units earned (down six percent from the previous week), with streaming equivalent album units making up 85,000 of the total, album sales contributing 2,000, and track equivalent albums adding another 1,000. Un Verano Sin Ti is the longest-charting No. 1 album since Drake’s Views had 13 non-consecutive weeks back in 2016.

As for the all-time ranks, Un Verano Sin Ti still has a long way to go to reach the top: The West Side Story soundtrack spent a whopping 54 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 back in 1962 and 1963. In second is Michael Jackson’s Thriller, which is the longest-running No. 1 for a solo artist, which had 37 weeks on top.

Elsewhere on this week’s Billboard 200, 5 Seconds Of Summer’s 5SOS5 debuts at No. 2, Born Pink slides down to No. 4, and Alice In Chains’ 1992 album Dirt re-enters the chart at No. 9 after a 30th anniversary reissue.

Britney Spears has been free of her conservatorship for months now, but the situation is still at the forefront of her mind. She regularly shares Instagram posts about how it impacted her and she did so again this weekend.

In a September 30 post, Britney wrote in part, “The real problem to me is that my family to this day honestly have no [conscience] whatsoever and really believe in their minds they have done nothing wrong at all !!!! They could at least take responsibility for their actions and actually own up to the fact they hurt me !!!! For me just a genuine apology would help give me closure but it honestly blows my mind every day of my life even after what is known what they did to me, they still act as if that’s ok !!!! Their reaction it shows that I don’t have a family that values me or respects me …. AT ALL !!! That’s the hard part for me and as much as I loved them, it’s something that I’ll probably ever won’t be able to get over.”

Well, Britney got an apology from one family member: her mother, Lynne Spears. In a comment on the post shared on October 1, Lynne wrote, “I am soooo sorry for your pain! I have been sorry for years! I love you so much and miss you! Please unblock me so I can speak to you in person! Britney, deep down you know how much I love and miss you! I apologize for anything and everything that’s hurt you!”

Find Britney’s post below.

“I can understand that my posts complaining about my past may seem consistent !!!! It must seem like I have an extremely hard time letting it all go … but for me the real problem to me is that my family to this day honestly have no conscious whatsoever and really believe in their minds they have done nothing wrong at all !!!! They could at least take responsibility for their actions and actually own up to the fact they hurt me !!!! For me just a genuine apology would help give me closure but it honestly blows my mind every day of my life even after what is known what they did to me, they still act as if that’s ok !!!! Their reaction it shows that I don’t have a family that values me or respects me …. AT ALL !!! That’s the hard part for me and as much as I loved them, it’s something that I’ll probably ever won’t be able to get over. When I post in those moments, I just want to speak from my heart cause it’s extremely hard for me and then I look back and I see how many people say get over it … I’m working on becoming stronger !!! Psss I’ve written 3 different versions of my book and had LOTS of therapy through the process … was it worth it ???? Not so sure … Here’s to a new day !!!”

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 Crown (Netflix series)

The royal soap opera shall soon gear up to release Season 5, and the Netflix crown jewel experienced a sudden burst of interim popularity following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Meanwhile, the show’s continuing to not exactly win over the British Royal Family, given how it sh*ts all over the fairy tale, especially where Princess Diana’s fate is concerned. The divorce of Charles and Di and her subsequent death will soon be handled onscreen, and that’s making King Charles very nervous, but before that happens, you can go back and watch Matt Smith as a different type of prince than we see during his current courtly jaunts on HBO’s House of the Dragon.

TIE: 10. The Greatest Beer Run Ever (Apple TV+ movie)

Zac Efron (as John ‘Chickie’ Donohue) takes on a very noble quest: to haul some American beer to his buddies serving in Vietnam. As one can imagine, this journey isn’t a straightforward one. As well, there’s a rude awakening for Chickie while mulling over all the realities of the war while he’s only trying to come of age and have some fun with his bros. This isn’t the loftiest movie, of course, but who needs that in October? Also, you’ll get to see some Russell Crowe and Bill Murray, so get on it.

9. Confess, Fletch (Paramount movie on Amazon and PVOD outlets)

Jon Hamm’s hidden comedy chops are more understated than those forthright methods of Chevy Chase, but that’s part of the beauty of this reboot. Hamm believed in the film to such a degree that he gave up a majority of his salary to complete the project. Hamm charms and disarms, all while dodging a wrongful murder accusation, and it’s a delight to watch. Director Greg Mattola (of Superbad and Adventureland) has also voiced his frustrations at the lack of a publicity machine here, which is a travesty.

8. Cobra Kai (Netflix series)

This show harnesses nostalgia in a way that few could have accurately predicted five seasons ago, and thank god that Ralph Macchio and William Zabka were all in (and remain that way) for a return. This series still somehow has the “Eye of the Tiger” and has put karate supervillain Terry Silver to semi-rest, but it’s all good. Catch up on this season with several heaping helpings of Chozen and try to figure out how the writers and showrunners nailed all the quadrants while we await an announcement for more.

7. Andor (Star Wars series streaming on Disney+)

This one’s a slow burn in the Star Wars universe, given that the show doesn’t rush to begin what will eventually be a 24-episode season. That’s a rarity in the streaming realm, but that means that there’s plenty of Diego Luna while he returns as Cassian Andor. This selection’s a lot more grounded and grown-up than most of this franchise’s offerings, particularly if we’re talking about Disney+ shows, but the more traditional storytelling seems almost novel on TV today. Eventually, fans will get to see Andor emerge as a rebel hero in what’s essentially a rare character study in a galaxy far, far away.

6. Blonde (Netflix movie)

Both this film (directed by Andrew Dominik) and the leading lady, Ana de Armas, are receiving mixed reviews, and this film’s as controversial as one would expect, but it’s still an engrossing study to behold. De Armas will likely receive some nominations, after all, and the movie doesn’t take a standard approach to giving us a peek into Marilyn Monroe’s life. Rather, this project adapts of Joyce Carol Oates’ expansive novel about a somewhat fictionalized version of Marilyn Monroe. As Dominik previously promised, the film also possesses something “to offend everyone.”

5. Interview With The Vampire (AMC series streaming on AMC+)

Yes, it’s another remake (of the blockbuster 1990s movie starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Kirsten Dunst), but this one arrives with extra fun, more layers, and un-closeted sexual tension. Jacob Anderson of Game of Thrones steps up as Louis, and Sam Reid picks up the Lestat de Lioncourt role with results that are stunning to behold. Anne Rice’s most popular gothic novel gets a more complex treatment than the movie, but it’s in the spirit that the story deserves. Not only are there extra shades of historical relevance here, but Bailey Bass gives us a Claudia that’ll break down vampire walls.

4. The Patient (FX series streaming on Hulu)

Following the season finale, this truly scary series brings all the intensity that one would expect from The Americans producers. In addition, Domhnall Gleason switches things up to portray a serial killer named Sam who terrorizes his therapist, Alan (portrayed by Steve Carell). Patient takes doctor prisoner, and repressed memories rear their heads. This show didn’t burst out of the gates with a large audience, but word of mouth has encouraged the audience to build, right as the show approached a fever pitch. Fortunately, you can now binge this all in one go because it’s an on-the-screen version of a page turner.

3. Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power (Amazon Prime series)

Epic fantasy fans really lucked out this fall, and although there’s not as much weekly talk about this series as the Game of Thrones franchise continues to yield, every week continues to bring in the J.R.R. Tolkien fans. This series goes back in time to give us the fabled Second Age and a version of Middle-earth than has ever been captured on the screen. The project’s also more expensive than most shows out there and makes use of every dime. It’s a different kind of world building than fans saw in the Peter Jackson movies, but sorry, Neil Gaiman didn’t write this one.

2. Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix series)

This Evan Peters-starring series generated a lot of controversy, which led to Netflix removing the LGBTQ tag from sight, and no wonder. The families of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer’s victims aren’t happy either. Still, people remain fascinated by this Ryan Murphy limited series, perhaps because Halloween is on the way, and the true-crime craze cannot be denied? There’s no way to know for sure, but Joe Berlinger has a docuseries approach (Conversations With A Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story) on the way too, so get ready for more cannibal grossness.

1. House of the Dragon (HBO series on HBO Max)

Last week’s episode delivered questions about Targaryen fire immunity and also gave us the worst character of the series thus far. It’s also worth taking stock of the bevy of Rhaenyra sidepieces while we all wonder exactly how Paddy Considine’s King Viserys I is still alive. Daemon continues to deliver the saltiest TV prince in recent memory, and we’re also continuing to see new dragons on a regular basis. No epic fantasy fan can complain about that.

Warning: Spoilers for House Of the Dragon Episode 7 “Driftmark” below.

In episode seven of House of The Dragon, a twist-filled cliffhanger marks the show’s biggest departure from George R.R. Martin’s writings so far.

“Driftmark” see House Targaryen reuniting in honor of Laena Velaryon’s memory. Her funeral is held at her House seat, Driftmark, and it marks the return of Daemon and his twin daughters who have spent the past decade in Pentos. Tensions are high and the Velaryons are grieving, none more so than Laenor, Laena’s younger brother, who spends most of the episode drunk-crying into the sea. As the husband to the heir to the Iron Throne, Laenor has a duty to perform, one he often shirks in favor of courting squire boys and bar hopping – but his behavior in episode seven proves he’s a liability that Rhaenyra Targaryen (and her uncle) just can’t afford.

What Happened On The Show

After a bloody confrontation with Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra realizes that she won’t inherit her father’s crown without a bit of bloodshed and, naturally, she turns to her uncle to name which of her enemies (and allies) need to have theirs spilled first. The two rekindle their romantic relationship and quickly plot the best way for Rhaenyra to ensure her birthright. With her son’s parentage in question and Laenor’s preference for men and drink doing nothing to quell the rumors hounding her, Rhaenyra realizes that, as much as she genuinely cares for her husband, he’s a roadblock on her way to the Iron Throne. By marrying Daemon instead, she can shore up her claim and shut down her naysayers as two Targaryens in power are much harder to argue against than just one.

The pair casually plan Laenor’s death in a move that fills ripped from Martin’s book, Fire & Blood, off which House of The Dragon is based but, at the last moment, the narrative shifts. Daemon approaches Laenor’s lover, Qarl, offering him gold in exchange for a “quick death” and promising that life across the Narrow Sea will be kind to those who can afford anonymity. So, it seems, Daemon and Rhaenyra are arranging for Qarl to kill Laenor and then flee to Essos and beyond, freeing Rhaenyra to marry her uncle and finally make a play for the throne. Qarl starts a fight with Laenor, making sure to have at least one witness present before servants are called to intervene. We never see Laenor die, but we do see his parents, Rhaenys and Corlys, mourn his burnt body while Qarl jumps into a rowboat, headed for a ship just offshore, and Daemon can be heard telling Rhaenyra that her enemies must fear her and what she’s capable of.

The twist comes when Qarl, who seems to be waiting for someone, begins rowing the boat as a hooded figure jumps in. It’s Laenor, wearing commoner’s clothes and sporting a shaved head. It seems the two are heading across the Narrow Sea together, faking Laenor’s death so Rhaenyra can take the Iron Throne and the Velaryon heir can finally live life on his terms.

All in all, it’s a surprisingly happy ending, one Game of Thrones would never have given a character like Laenor – a gay man of color with a claim to the crown. But it’s even more shocking because it marks a huge narrative shift from the show’s source material.

What Happened In The Book

In Martin’s Fire & Blood, Laenor Velaryon dies shortly after his sister Laena. Her death comes after a difficult birth; his happens at a fair in Spicetown. As in episode seven, Ser Qarl Correy is responsible for his death, but in the book, the two get into a violent argument in front of merchants and townspeople – enough witnesses to ensure Laenor actually dies and doesn’t just fake his demise. Some say the quarrel was because Laenor began favoring a younger knight over Ser Qarl but others, namely the unreliable narrator called Mushroom, claimed that Daemon Targaryen was behind the attack.

According to Mushroom’s account, Daemon paid Ser Qarl to kill his lover and escape across the Narrow Sea – though he eventually murdered Qarl before that could happen in order to tie up any loose ends. Daemon’s motivation for the assassination plot was similar to his plan on the show – he was now a widower and he wanted Rhaenyra for himself. He likely also wanted the Iron Throne and knew that by marrying his niece, he could get it. Rhaenyra had no part in the murder of her husband in the book, though she does quickly marry her uncle without her father’s permission once he’s dead.

Why It Matters

There are a few reasons why the change to Laenor’s fate feels important. First, as an openly gay man of color in a fantasy world that hasn’t really championed diversity before House Of The Dragon came along, to see Laenor get a happier ending than a gruesome death at the hands of his boyfriend feels surprisingly unproblematic. It shows that the writers of HOTD are at least trying to treat these characters with care and thoughtful storytelling instead of using them as plot devices, torturing and killing them in the name of shock value and the ratings that follow. Whether Laenor will pop up again once the Dance of Dragons truly begins remains to be seen, but even if he just passes the rest of his days in peace in Essos (or wherever the couple flees to) at least he’s steering the course of his own destiny for once.

His ”death” also changes the characterization of both Rhaenyra and Daemon, not to mention the nature of their relationship moving forward. In the book, Daemon appears to be the more manipulative of the pair, orchestrating his relationship with Rhaenyra and prioritizing his position of power over any romance that might exist between them. Rhaenyra is powerful and determined in her own right, but her uncle seems to always be scheming his way to the Iron Throne – and hoping to cut down a few Hightowers in the process. But the show is setting up a different dynamic. With Rhaenyra proposing the plot to “kill” Laenor and Daemon arranging how it can be done, the pair look to be on much more even ground. Both have ambitions, but Rhaenyra is finally willing to do what must be done to make sure hers come to fruition. And, by having Daemon help Laenor disappear rather than paying to have him killed, the show transforms a morally-grey character who, let’s be honest, is a bit more villainous in the books, into a sympathetic anti-hero.

Well played, HOTD. Well played.

The Phoenix Suns‘ first game since their stunning Game 7 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Semifinals took place on Sunday night. The team played host to the Adelaide 36ers of Australia’s top professional league, the National Basketball League, as they kicked off their preseason slate ahead of the 2022-23 season.

Unfortunately for Phoenix, they learned the hard way that the 36ers can play. Adelaide walked into Footprint Center and took it to the Suns, knocking down shot after shot from behind the three-point line en route to a 134-124 victory. While all five members of Phoenix’s starting lineup — Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Chris Paul — only put in 22 minutes worth of work, the 36ers still put on a show, connecting on 24 of their 43 attempts from behind the three-point line.

A pair of Americans playing in Australia, Robert Franks and Craig Randall, were especially impressive on the night. The former had 32 points and seven rebounds, while the latter had a game-high 35 points. Both combined to go a scorching hot 15-for-27 from three.

Kevin Pelton of ESPN noted that this was the first time that an NBA team lost a preseason game to a non-NBA team since 2015.

The silver lining for the Suns is that this is their first basketball game after almost five months off, and their starters did not exactly shoulder a gigantic workload. Still, for a team that left such a bad taste in everyone’s mouths with how their season came to an end last year, it’s hard to imagine a worse way for their 2022-23 campaign to begin.

Phoenix’s next preseason game will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers.