Category: News

Doja Cat has had a massively successful last few years, racking up victories and nominations across a variety of prominent award shows, putting on stellar live sets, and regularly being called upon by stars of today and yesteryear to add her versatile spice to their records. Today (July 1), she has earned a whopping 22 new RIAA certifications, which has helped put her in rare air: She now has 14 total Platinum singles, which is tied with Nicki Minaj for the second-most ever for a female rapper. The Planet Her and Queen artists now only stand behind Cardi B within these specific rankings, with the Invasion Of Privacy artist holding firm at 17 Platinum singles.

The RIAA has certified the 26-year-old’s singles “Juicy,” “Need To Know,” “Ain’t Sh*t,” “Streets,” “Rules,” “Get Into It (Yuh),” “Woman,” “Cyber Sex,” “Candy,” “You Right” featuring The Weeknd,” “Like That” featuring Gucci Mane, “Tia Tamera” featuring Rico Nasty as Platinum, with “Say So” and “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA now five-times and four-times Platinum, respectively. Additionally, “Freak,” “Bottom B*tch,” “So High,” “Mooo!,” and “I Don’t Do Drugs” featuring Ariana Grande are officially Gold-certified. Lastly, Doja Cat’s 2019 LP Hot Pink and 2021 LP Planet Her are officially Platinum, with 2018’s Amala reaching Gold status.

Though the multi-talent unfortunately has to miss some major upcoming shows due to tonsil surgery, surely some good news like this will comfort her in the recovery process before she is back to doing what she does best. It may just be a matter of time before she reaches No. 1.

Check out the full list of Doja Cat’s RIAA certifications here.

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

We love Florida here at Uproxx — as a travel destination, if not as a state of mind. From the pristine beaches of Fort Myers to the party scene in Miami, the Sunshine State offers a year-round tropical oasis. That’s why super model and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Rookie Olivia Ponton, a proud resident of Naples, Florida, keeps returning to her home city.

“I feel the most myself at any beach. Eating an acaí bowl on the beach and playing sand volleyball seems like my perfect day,” says Ponton.

To get the inside scoop on all things Naples, we asked Ponton to share her ultimate guide to the quintessential seaside city. Read on for where to stay, play, eat, and explore in Naples, Florida.

ALSO READ:

An Adventure Travel Blogger Shares Her Guide To Costa Rica
A Professional Photographer Shares His Expert Tips For Snapping Epic Vacation Pics
Travel Writers And Influencers Share Their All-Time Favorite Beaches In The US
Model And Travel Influencer Kara Del Toro Shares Her Detailed Guide To Tulum, Mexico
Travel Influencer Ali Alsulaiman Shares His Ultimate Guide To South Africa

WHY NAPLES, FLORIDA?

I love how calm it is, it’s truly a vacation retreat. Growing up I didn’t even know what ocean conservation was because our beaches were so beautiful and clean. When the red tide happened, it caused me to learn more about keeping our beaches clean! I think Naples is a must-visit destination. I love to wake up on the beach, put on my bikini, go to the beach all day, order smoothies, go home to shower and go get sushi for dinner. That is my perfect day.

What’s one thing that every first-time visitor should see or do in Naples?

Jet skiing, because the water normally isn’t too choppy. It’s so much fun to do with your friends. Boat days are unbeatable. You can rent boats and jet skis, take a charter out, or go for a sunset cruise. Most hotels will have access to these services! Any activity on the water in Naples will not disappoint, with warm water and very frequent dolphin sightings.

Where to find the best shopping

Either near 5th Ave, 3rd Street South, or Waterside Shops. All three are distinct shopping experiences. 5th Ave has many local shops with cute local restaurants, offering the perfect setting for an evening dinner with shopping. 3rd Street South (near 5th Ave) is similar in that it’s home to many local shops as well! 3rd STreet South is the perfect spot for brunch and shopping (make sure to get lunch at Jane’s Cafe). Waterside Shops is an outdoor mall that houses upscale shopping, with designer brands and luxury products, perfect for weekend shopping.

Where can nature lovers explore in Naples?

Go to Greenway Park. It’s a beautiful boardwalk near Naples High School that stretches for miles (about four or five to be more specific) and is shaded in some areas. This trail leads all the way to Baker Park, which is a large park along the water and a great place for all interests. There’s a dog park, event space, kids water playground and regular playground, and a grass area for relaxing and activities. It’s fun to walk with friends or just do a nice workout by yourself.

The most underrated restaurant that everyone needs to try

For a quick smoothie to take to the beach, Tropical Smoothie hands down. They don’t have any locations in NYC or LA. So every time I go home I NEED to have it!

For a more upscale dining experience, I would recommend Bar Tulia. It’s a locally-owned, upscale Italian restaurant with locations in both Mercato and 5th Avenue, two of the most popular places for nightlife in Naples. The vibe is rustic with its open layout and buzzing crowd, a fun exciting place to be on a Friday or Saturday night!

Another favorite is The Bevy, a local spot right off of 3rd Ave South. With an array of different dishes, an outdoor setting, and beautiful decor, this restaurant is sure to give you a great taste of Naples.

For a sunset dinner, the Turtle Club is a locally owned restaurant where you are able to dine right on the beach creating the perfect atmosphere.

Best beach spot to spend a Saturday in the sun?

Downtown, there are small beaches near the Pier, but a few streets down from that the beaches are ALWAYS quiet and those are normally the best ones to go to. They offer a bit more privacy, with space for public parking and easy beach access.

Additionally, there is also Clam Pass Beach, which offers public parking and a tram service to take guests on a tree-lined boardwalk to the beach (you can also walk the boardwalk if you would like)! At this beach, there is a restaurant that serves drinks and Greek food and has ample places to relax.

Coolest hotel or place to stay in Naples?

The Naples Grande is my favorite place to stay, 10/10 best resort to stay at. With activities for all age groups, The Naples Grande is a great place for families. With two pools — one adult pool and one children’s pool — a water slide, and multiple restaurants, it’s a great place to relax and unwind. There is also a golf cart service that takes you to the beach only five minutes away. Guests are also able to enjoy a full-service spa, which has an array of treatment options.

Best time of year to visit?

Any time is amazing, I would go in April or May because that’s when the weather starts getting really, really nice. Also, the normal summer tourists haven’t started to visit yet around that time of year. But any time of year is amazing in Naples. Even during the holidays, the decorations on 5th Ave make it magical. You can’t go wrong visiting Naples.

Bill Maher is reportedly in talks to make his first Fox News appearance following a back and forth with Donald Trump. The Real Time host revealed that he’s in negotiations to appear on Tucker Carlson‘s show, and it never would have happened if Trump hadn’t falsely accused Maher of being booked on the network.

While stopping by the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast, Maher walked Mandel through an indirect exchange he had with Trump after the former president started regularly whining about the comedian during his rallies. After hearing one of Trump’s “comedy chunks” where he claims Maher has appeared on Fox News, the HBO host set the record straight that he’s never been on the network, but he’s about to be. Via Mediaite:

“He just made that up. I know — it’s so unlike Donald Trump to just make something up,” he said. “So I wanted it out there that no, I’m not f*cking booked on Fox News, but I wanna be, I’ve tried to be. And now because of that and because I tweeted about it now I am booked on Fox News. Now we are negotiating and I’m gonna do Tucker Carlson.”

According to Maher, he was asked to appear on Carlson’s show once before, but the talks fell through after he learned that the discussion would be limited to pre-approved topics.

“I said, absolutely right away,” Maher told Mandel. “And then they came back and said, ‘Yeah, but just let’s just talk about the things we agree about.’ I’m like, no. What sort of stupid way is that to have an interview? No, we’ll talk about everything.”

Apparently, this time around talks are going more smoothly, and if the booking goes through, it will mark Maher’s first appearance on Fox News, all thanks to Trump making stuff up.

(Via Mediaite)

Malcolm Brogdon is heading to Boston. According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Indiana Pacers are sending their veteran guard to the defending Eastern Conference champions in a move that gives the Celtics some major backcourt reinforcements on the heels of their NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Wojnarowski reports that the cost of doing business is not particularly high for Boston, as the team has tossed together a collection of players headlined by Daniel Theis and former first-round pick Aaron Nesmith. In addition, the Pacers will receive a 2023 first-round selection.

Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report brings word that the Pacers had an eye on Grant Williams, but Boston was able to make the deal happen without parting ways with him.

As Wojnarowski noted, one of the things Boston prioritized on the heels of their playoff run was getting a “true playmaking point guard.” While Marcus Smart did an admirable job running things for the Celtics, the team was hurt by their inability to limit turnovers against the Warriors, and Brogdon is among the most ball-secure point guards in the NBA.

Brogdon, a former Rookie of the Year, averaged 19.1 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Pacers last season while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and, in an outlier compared to his career average, 31.2 percent from three. He started all 36 games in which he appeared.

The Republican-heavy Supreme Court gave people a doozy of a session wind-down, starting late last week when they officially overruled Roe v. Wade, thereby pushing women back to the Dirty Dancing era without remorse. The highest court in the land also ignored the Texas school shooting by slapping down gun restrictions, and expanded Oklahoma’s jurisdiction and power over Native American tribes, and essentially disarmed the EPA‘s ability to fight climate change.

In other words, no one can blame Americans for needing a few drinks over the Fourth of July, but maybe this news out of Minnesota will help? As Ryan Faircloth (of Star Tribune) noted on Twitter, the Minnesota Senate legalized edibles as of Friday. The catch here, though, is that members of the state’s GOP apparently didn’t read (or grasp) the entire bill, and then they wanted to undo the vote.

Yes, really. Here’s details on that hot mess from Star Tribune), which notes that Democrats stood firm on refusing a rollback:

Sen. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, who chairs the Senate Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee, said he didn’t realize the new law would legalize edibles containing delta-9 THC before it passed. He thought the law would only regulate delta-8 THC products.

“I thought we were doing a technical fix, and it winded up having a broader impact than I expected,” Abeler said, adding that the Legislature should consider rolling the new law back.

Cue the poetry and other amused commentary from social media:

Enjoy that holiday weekend, everyone. Minnesotans sure have a reason to party.

(Via Star Tribune)

Yesterday, Sabrina Carpenter announced her fifth studio album Emails I Can’t Send, her first since leaving Hollywood Records and signing to Island. So far, she’s released the songs “Skinny Dipping” and “Fast Times,” which she said are “a good indication for what the rest of the album is going to bring.”

She’s back with the fed-up single “Vicious.” It’s a cathartic anthem that she says is about healing and coming to terms with someone who showed their true colors. Read her full statement about the track below.

“Sonically, you’re able to hear me really closely, and it’s almost like I’m narrating the story to you. This song is really narrative and personal. It’s as if I’m having a conversation. We’ve all had experiences with people we love so deeply who turn out to be different than we thought they were. It’s a really painful realization to come to terms with. A lot of times, we focus on the other side of the healing process and fail to own up to uncomfortable feelings like anger and resentment. I don’t touch on that side of myself too often, but it’s a huge part of my story over the past couple of years, so I thought it was important to start there on ‘Vicious.’”

Listen to “Vicious” above.

Emails I Can’t Send is out 7/15 via Island. Pre-save it here.

An emotionally abusive billionaire father. A disinterested step-mother. A failson. Another son with political ambitions. The fake feminist.

The similarities between the Trumps and the Roys from Succession are unmistakable, even if creator Jesse Armstrong claims the Roys aren’t based on any specific family. “The amazing thing about this stuff is that it’s everywhere. Sumner Redstone’s family. The Mercers. The Murdochs. Conrad Black. Sometimes people have said, it’s really about these people, isn’t it? It’s based on them. And: No. We read widely and we do take elements of stuff,” he once told the New York Times.

But filmmaker Alex Holder, whose Unprecedented documentary is reportedly making the Trumps very anxious, can’t help but see the parallels between the real-life family and their unintentional HBO counterparts. “I’m speaking specifically about Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump, and then the president himself, and the interactions they have with each other, and the interaction they have with their father,” he said on the Skullduggery podcast. “It’s sort of got this, like, Succession-type vibe in the project.” He added, “But also, you know, it is a real-life succession drama.”

Was Donald Trump’s COVID stay at the hospital a false flag for one of his sons refusing to help him during a meeting with a many-layered businessman? I’ll leave that for you to decide. You can listen to the podcast below.

Succession is back filming, but won’t return for season four until next year.

(Via Insider)

On Thursday afternoon, the Brooklyn Nets and Utah Jazz agreed to a trade that would send Royce O’Neale to Brooklyn in exchange for a 2023 first-round pick. Without any context, that’s a rather standard trade. Utah seems to be pivoting toward a possible rebuild, while Brooklyn needs more perimeter stoppers around its superstar core of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

The context, though, is where everything seems to become really hazy. Minutes prior to that deal, Durant’s desire for a trade went public. Despite that, the Nets, already short on future picks, shipped off a first-rounder in a win-now move.

Most folks across the NBA landscape found that odd, perhaps none more than ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, although while most were focused on the Nets side of things, Windy was most curious about what Utah was doing. On Friday’s episode of First Take, Windhorst put on an incredible performance conveying his bewilderment to the rest of the show’s panel. The 131-second clip is near the pinnacle of art. It’s a spectacle. I won’t pull any of his quotes before letting all of you enjoy the scene for yourself.

“I’m gonna tell you something happened yesterday that league executives are wondering what the heck it means,” Windhorst said, “and it happened within five minutes.”

By the 15-second mark, Windhorst has already created suspense and intrigue, yet nobody but him is aware of the topic. The cadence and ambiguity make for a perfect build-up. Shortly after, he pans to his right, stares and nods his head before revealing the subject matter: Thursday’s Jazz-Nets trade.

“It’s a very strange trade, a very strange trade,” Windhorst says as he shakes his head and closes his eyes to further emphasize the oddity of the move. “You really have to be a Jazz or a Nets fan to even know what I’m talking about right now.”

OK, Windhorst loses me a bit here. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported it and he’s essentially the NBA’s preeminent newsbreaker. Many NBA fans are cognizant of the move. I’ll let a minor gaffe from the artist slide, though. Keep cooking, Windhorst. You’re in the zone.

“So, you’re going, what do you care about Royce O’Neale? Why does that matter?” Windhorst asks, followed by a brief moment of silence to raise suspense. “Why would the Jazz, who have two stars on their roster, take a player who’s one of their starters and best defensive players, and trade him in a salary dumping move? Why would they do that?”

Windhorst pauses after these inquiries. A couple fellow members of the panel chime in. Maybe, it’s a way to open space to land Durant, one of them posits. Another suggests it’s part of a larger three-team trade. He’s got these folks hooked.

They’re both wrong, though. Windhorst begins swaying in his chair and rubbing his chin. This man is in his element. The 1:13 mark is perfection. Windhorst is in complete control. Everyone is entranced by this monologue.

From there, he draws a comparison to the last time Jazz executive Danny Ainge hired a head coach, back when he was with the Boston Celtics. Both times, Ainge hired a first-time NBA head coach who hadn’t yet turned 40 and gave them lengthy contracts (Brad Stevens received six years, Will Hardy just received five).

The year Ainge hired Stevens, he also dealt Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets, which commenced a rebuild for Boston. Windhorst is hinting at Utah smacking the reset button, and says whether a teardown actually comes to fruition is something the rest of the NBA is monitoring.

“Very rare for a first-time head coach to get a five-year contract. Why?” Windhorst said. “What’s going on in Utah? And that’s what people in the league are watching right now.”

This man is an exhibit of provocative facial expressions.

For the kicker, Windhorst concludes his masterful showing by mistakenly referring to the move as “that Royce Young trade.” Young, of course, is a former ESPN colleague of his who now works for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

What a brilliant display from start to finish from Windhorst.

The Atlanta Hawks have been quite busy this offseason, as the team swung a big trade to bring Dejounte Murray into the fold from the San Antonio Spurs, while reports have indicated that John Collins is very much available for trade. On Friday afternoon, word broke that another member of their rotation is on the way out of town.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, sharpshooting guard Kevin Huerter is on his way out of town. Wojnarowski reports that Huerter will head to the Sacramento Kings for a package that includes Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless, and a future lottery-protected first-round pick.

The report was confirmed by Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.

Huerter should be a snug fit for the Kings alongside De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Between him and Keegan Murray, the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, it seems evident that Sacramento wants to put shooting around their two stars. As for the Hawks, there Holiday and Harkless are a pair of veterans who should be able to contribute if they stick around and get a shot to join the team’s rotation.

Huerter is about to enter the first year of a 4-year, $65 million extension he signed last offseason. The former first-round pick averaged 12.1 points per game last year while connecting on 38.9 percent of his attempts from three.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had one of the league’s best frontcourt pairings during the 2021-22 season. Rookie big man Evan Mobley was a revelation, while Jarrett Allen made the team look awfully smart for sliding into the trade that sent James Harden to Brooklyn and giving him a huge extension.

Ahead of their second year as a duo, the Cavaliers have apparently decided to add some veteran reinforcements to their frontcourt. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Cavaliers and free agent big man Robin Lopez have come to terms on a 1-year deal that will drop him in the same division as his twin brother, Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez.

Few players in the NBA are as well-traveled as Lopez, as the Cavaliers are set to become the ninth team for which he has played. Last year, Lopez suited up for the Orlando Magic, and provided a steady presence off the bench and in the locker room for a team that was looking to build around its young core. Now, Lopez will join a team with an eye on being a playoff contender.

Lopez averaged 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game on 55.3 percent shooting (59.3 percent from the line) in 36 games with the Magic.