Category: News

Hosting Jeopardy! is all but officially a job for more than one person, but as current co-host Mayim Bialik has detailed, sometimes that situation doesn’t feel too great when fans get critical. Bialik, who served as a guest host in the wake of Alex Trebek’s death and later signed on to co-host the show with Ken Jennings on a more permanent basis, has gotten some tips on the job in the months since she and Jennings took control of Season 38.

She’s also gotten plenty of attention from eagle-eyed viewers, who even noticed when she repeated an outfit during two different tapings. And while some of that attention to detail has been positively met by Bialik, she recently admitted that it’s been tough to be compared to other hosts.

As Newsweek pointed out, Bialik spoke on her podcast recently with Justin Long about how fans have treated her in the months since she took the co-hosting reigns. The actress has spoken about how passionate fans of the show are, but it doesn’t always mean they have nice things to say about her work.

Actor and comedian Long broached the subject, when he asked Bialik if she was ever made aware that she was favored over Jennings by Jeopardy! fans.

“Sometimes,” Bialik responded, adding that “sometimes I get, ‘We don’t prefer you to Ken.’”

Noting how celebrities are often seen, Long said: “Isn’t that wild—well, it’s probably the only profession that I can think of, or maybe politicians—where people will tell you deeply insulting things but with a big smile?”

That’s pretty tame compared to what else is out there when it comes to anonymous online criticism. When you’re vying for a gig hosting one of the most beloved game shows on television, criticism is inevitable. And fans do have their favorites, even if they didn’t do very well hosting, either. But you have to feel for Bialik, who wasn’t responsible for how Jeopardy‘s executive producers have conducted their very public search for a true Trebek replacement. Neither Jennings nor Bialik wanted to make it a competition, and neither of them rigged the game for Mike Richards in the first place. All they’re trying to do now is their jobs, even if that’s inevitably going to make some trivia fans upset regardless of who gets to host Jeopardy!

The brotherly rivalry between Loki and Thor was a major theme in the early MCU movies until Loki’s death in Infinity War, though is anyone in the Marvel universe really dead, after all? Either way, Loki is absent from the upcoming installment Thor: Love And Thunder, (though Matt Damon’s Loki will probably appear, which is just as good) and Chris Hemsworth seems a little salty about it!

When asked about the lack of Hiddleston, Hemsworth confirmed that the actor hated them and refused to be in the movie. “He didn’t want to be involved. He said ‘I hate all of you, and in particular me,’ and I was like, that’s a shame. And that’s it. I mean, how many times can we kill him? Three? Four?” Hemsworth (presumably) joked. Hey, we don’t know what these stars are like in real life! Maybe they have actual beef. But probably not. Maybe he just didn’t want to see Thor’s butt in person.

Hemsworth added, “We love Tom. He’s just dead. Not him, but the character of Loki.” Co-star Taika Waititi chimed in, “He’s dead to us,” and Hemsworth concluded, “He’s obviously dead to us, as far as friendship goes.”

Though Loki won’t be in Love And Thunder, Disney+ has confirmed there would be a second season of the hit show Loki, which means there is still a potential for an on-screen reunion after all. Thor: Love And Thunder hits theaters on July 8th.

(Via CinemaBlend)

Over the past couple of days, the prevailing sentiment regarding Jalen Brunson’s unrestricted free agency has swung from the Dallas Mavericks retaining him, despite the New York Knicks’ pursuits, to the Knicks landing the 25-year-old point guard on a lucrative, long-term deal worth roughly $110 million across four years.

Dallas losing Brunson would be a major blow to a team weeks removed from a Western Conference Finals appearance. Brunson is the Mavericks’ best shot creator behind Luka Doncic and, arguably, their second-best player overall.

As such, reports from Tim Cato of The Athletic and Marc Stein indicate that Dallas may look to negotiate a sign-and-trade with New York to potentially soften the blow of Brunson’s potential departure.

“The Mavericks’ players and executives have understood the increasing likelihood of Brunson’s departure as an unrestricted free agent in past weeks. (Last Thursday, Marc Stein had the offseason’s first substantial report on the possibility.),” Cato wrote. “Within the Mavericks’ organization, conversations have shifted from re-signing Brunson to replacing his production, as well as the possibility of a sign-and-trade deal involving Brunson that could at least prevent Dallas from losing him for nothing.”

Stein, meanwhile, has been among the most plugged-in reporters when it comes to Brunson’s summer plans. His report is in lockstep with Cato’s, in which he wrote “the Mavericks don’t expect to be able to sway Brunson” and a sign-and-trade “is more likely.”

Since Thursday’s NBA Draft, New York has offloaded a trio of veterans in Kemba Walker, Alec Burks, and Nerlens Noel, sending all of them to the Detroit Pistons. Walker was dealt last on the night of the NBA Draft in a deal separate from Tuesday’s involving Burks and Noel.

Brunson is an excellent point guard whose scoring prowess and dribble-drive game would bolster a lackluster New York offense. Last year, he averaged 16 points on 58 percent true shooting during the regular season. Amid Dallas’ surprise run to the Western Conference Finals, he notched 22 points on 55 percent true shooting, including four games with 25 or more points.

Republicans are gaslighting you! That’s the big takeaway Seth Meyers had for viewers on Tuesday night, when he featured clips of the many ways conservative lawmakers and media outlets are trying to spin the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade seem like it’s no big deal.

While tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest the Supreme Court’s decision to strip women of the bodily autonomy the Constitution has given them for the past 50 years, Republicans have been cooking up all sorts of excuses to explain why disagreeing with the court’s decision is an extreme overreaction on the part of protestors. And despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of Americans—Democrats, Republicans, and otherwise—had no desire to see the near-50-year-old ruling overturned. As Meyers explained:

Americans are understandably outraged that a rogue court just decided, on a whim, to shred abortion rights purely because it could. And went even further, essentially announcing through Thomas’ concurrence, that it would target contraception, marriage equality, and privacy next. And yet the shameless weirdos on the right, instead of confronting the reality for millions of Americans who’ve just lost a fundamental constitutional right—putting their health at risk and relegating them to second-class status—chose absurdly to accuse pro-abortion activists of staging riots.

Yet when those same people aren’t lying and accusing the left of doing the very things that the right has actually done (like, say, stage a violent coup because they disagreed with a decision), Meyers says they’re busy “gaslighting everyone into thinking nothing has actually been banned.”

The line many Republicans, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, are trying to take is that the Supreme Court didn’t outlaw abortion—they just made the decision about whether or not abortion should be legal back to the states. Meyers played a clip of Sean Hannity and Marco Rubio going back and forth about how “nothing’s been banned,” which caused Meyers to kind of lose his sh*t.

Nothing’s been banned? Are you insane? This is the sh*ttiest Jedi mind trick I’ve ever seen. Of course, with a Jedi mind trick you usually need to be able to project calm, and Hannity isn’t capable of that… Thirteen states have trigger laws that either made abortion instantly illegal as soon as the decision was handed down, or will make it illegal very soon. And there are several more states that are likely to join, meaning all or most abortions could soon be illegal or severely restricted in at least 20 states, if not more.

This ruling was not theoretical. It put millions of women and people who could become pregnant in jeopardy immediately. These guys don’t issue hypothetical rulings. It’s a rogue court hellbent on remaking America as an authoritarian, right-wing theocracy.

And a court, Meyers helpfully reminded us, that counts two men “who have credibly been accused of sexual misconduct” among its members.

You can watch the full clip above.

Even Republicans don’t think Democrats are doing enough to protect women’s rights in the wake of the Roe v. Wade reversal.

In a Puck article from (excellent) reporter Julia Ioffe, GOP folk in D.C. were “shocked at how little the Democrats were doing to fight them” following the Supreme Court’s decision, especially considering they have majority control in both the House and the Senate. According to Ioffe, one Republican aide said, “If I were the libs, I would be putting forward a flurry of legislation like making birth control free and widely available. If you say it’s not widely enough available, go after that, cover the gaps. Don’t go for the really big stuff, just split the G.O.P. conference as much as you can, force people to vote. If the goal is really protecting women or advancing legislation that could actually pass, then take every potential approach you can.”

While the Republicans Ioffe spoke to are trying not to “gloat” over their pro-forced-birth win in the courts, they are scratching their heads over the Dems inaction on an issue a majority of the country supports them on. In a PEW poll, 61% of Americans believe abortion should be legal in some form. Currently, dozens of lawsuits in trigger-ban states are pushing to keep abortion access a fundamental health right for women with judges blocking statewide bans in places like Louisianna, Utah, and Texas. All over the country, people and organizations are fighting the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade but in Washington, Dems seem to be disorganized and performatively helpless, using the reversal to harass voters for more campaign donations instead of presenting any meaningful strategy that would actually help their base.

“If you’re so worried about infant life, in other words, let’s have a vote on free diapers and free childcare,” Ioffe suggested in her report. “If you say it’s not a gun issue but a mental health issue, let’s vote on funding the shit out of mental health.”

It seems everyone, including the GOP, has a plan for moving forward except the current party in power who would apparently rather recite poems and sing “God Bless America” on the Capitol steps than actually doing something in their capacity as elected officials with control of both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government.

(Via Puck News)

Thanks to starring alongside Johnny Depp in 2015’s Black Mass, Dakota Johnson found herself being roped into the actor’s highly contentious defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. Johnson would like to be left out of that conversation, please.

In a sprawling new profile for Vanity Fair, Johnson has addressed the situation for the first time, which all started because of a YouTube video that’s racked up over three million views. In the viral red carpet clip titled, “The EXACT moment Dakota Johnson KNEW Amber Heard was VIOLENT towards Johnny Depp,” the actress is seen looking at Depp’s injured finger, which he’s alleged is the result of Heard throwing a bottle at him despite contradictory evidence that he injured himself.

Regardless, Johnson did not come to realization that Heard was violent during the red carpet moment, and she wants out of the whole thing:

Johnson has seen the video. “I was like, ‘For the love of God, why? Why am I involved in this?’” she says, shaking her head. “I don’t remember that at all, but please, take me out of this. Don’t let this go further. Can you imagine, oh, my God, if I was called to the witness stand? I can’t believe that people are watching [the trial] like it’s a show. It’s like it’s a courtroom drama and my heart breaks. It’s so, so, so crazy. Humans are so f*cking weird. The internet is a wild, wild place.”

After opining on “cancel culture” while carefully not choosing a side in the Depp vs. Heard debate, Johnson ends her thoughts with a blistering critique of Twitter.

“Twitter makes up like, what, 12 percent of the world?” Johnson said. “I mean, some of these people can’t even spell.”

(Via Vanity Fair)

Tuesday night was the sort of game that sums up the way things have gone for Los Angeles Angels the last few years. Despite the fact that Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani combined to go 4-for-7 with a walk and three RBIs, the team lost to the Chicago White Sox, 11-4, to drop to 36-41 on the season.

One of the two did contribute to the pitching staff’s performance against the White Sox, and in a bit of a twist, it wasn’t Ohtani. Trout was posted up in center field while Elvis Peguero was on the bump in the top of the seventh, and from where he stood several hundred feet away, he noticed that Peguero tipped his pitches.

The fine folks on the Angels’ broadcast noticed it, too, and decided to do a quick video breakdown of what he was doing and how Chicago’s hitters appeared to catch onto it. Then, a visibly frustrated Trout was caught on camera moving his hands up and down to relay what Peguero’s doing.

So not only is he a golden god at the plate but Trout also moonlights as a pitching coach based on things he sees while standing in the outfield. The man really is phenomenal.

Once upon a time, New Orleans bounce music icon Big Freedia put Megan Thee Stallion in her “twerk hall of fame,” and yesterday on Instagram, Megan showed exactly why she deserved such an honor to one of Freedia’s many, many twerk-ready anthems. Wearing a pair of striped pink shorts and leaning over the back of a couch in her dressing room as members of her entourage cheer her on, Meg gyrates for a full minute, putting on a tour-de-force display that could very well double as a workout video. Seriously, that’s some impressive cardio and core work.

And look, I get it: Writing a post about Megan Thee Stallion twerking is a little like writing one about a dog barking, a fish swimming, a stand-up comic telling jokes, or Donald Trump compulsively lying. But sometimes, you just gotta give the people what they want, and judging from the reactions over on Twitter, this video is a real crowd-pleaser. While you have the usual performative pearl-clutching from people who are likely watching just as attentively as Megan’s hardcore Hotties (seriously, guys, it’s okay, you don’t have to hate just be different or holier than us), the overwhelming majority of the responses are resoundingly positive.

In other news, Megan spoke up about the recent Supreme Court decision striking down Roe V. Wade, leading a “my body, my choice” chant during her set at Glastonbury — with a little extra spice thrown in for good measure. She’s also working on her second album, which she promises will have fans following her lead and feeling a little emotional, too. Truly, she is a role model and we are blessed to have her.

Brooklyn-based band Momma are quickly becoming one of indie’s most talked about projects — and that’s exactly what the band had hoped for. After being praised then promptly brushed off by several labels, Momma have something to prove on their aptly titled album Household Name, out this Friday.

The alt-rock group, composed of lead singers Allegra Weingarten and Etta Friedman along with drummer Zach CapittiFenton and producer Aron Kobayashi Ritch, already have two albums to their name. But they’re pulling out all the stops with refined hooks and catchy riffs on their upcoming LP. Early singles like “Lucky” and “Speeding 72” display the band’s kinetic songwriting, infusing wailing guitar chords and propulsive rhythms inspired by ’90s grunge. Ahead of their album’s release, Momma chatted with Uproxx about getting matching tattoos of each other’s names and their mutual love of The Cure for our latest Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Allegra: Loud, personal, shiny, bright.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

A: Just hooks that get stuck in your head forever. Clever songwriting and purposeful production.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

A: Haven’t really played in that many cities, but the best experience so far would be Brighton.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

A: Liz Phair. You just really can’t beat her lyricism. She also sings in a super low register which makes me feel better about my singing voice.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

A: There’s this Greek place called Taverna Tony in Malibu. It’s sooooo good.

What album do you know every word to?

A: Exile In Guyville by Liz Phair or Aha Shake Heartbreak by Kings Of Leon.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

A: Seeing Blur live was surreal. I also remember being really blown away when I saw Grizzly Bear at the Greek Theater when I was in high school.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

Etta: Personally, it’s always gonna be a button down or t-shirt, a pair of nice jeans, and boots. It’s a perfect option because you don’t have to think about too much besides playing if you’re simply feeling comfortable and confident.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

E: Jack Black or Tierra Whack.

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

E: I’m not sure if there’s just one, but me and [Allegra] will always crush “Muscle Cars” by Wussy.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

E:The lyrics to “Grace Kelly” by Mika.

What album makes for the perfect gift?

E: Depends on who you are giving it to, I think. But, if I had never heard Jessica Lea Mayfield’s Make My Head Sing… I’d be really impressed by the music, and by the person who gifted it to me — that album’s pretty perfect.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

E: My ex’s house… Twice on the same tour.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

E: My first tattoo was given to me by an old friend of mine in her childhood bedroom when I was probably 16 or so. It’s a small stick-n-poke of my parent’s birth years on my left wrist. But, some of my most memorable are the matching tattoos I have with Allegra. We both have each other’s names tattooed on our arms, and it was done at a party I threw at my parent’s house once.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

Aron: Probably The Cure, I’m always in the mood for a Cure song. Always catchy, and never gets old.

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Ar: Hard to top anything my parents have done for me! Definitely wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for all they’ve given and sacrificed.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Ar: Try and stress less and believe that things will take their course and happen for a reason!

What’s the last show you went to?

Ar: The last show I saw that wasn’t a bill that we played was Kills Birds in Brighton. It was by far one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen, they’re just so beyond good, it’s upsetting.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

Ar: In terms of pure rewatchability: Wet Hot American Summer or anything by Miyazaki.

What’s one of your hidden talents?

Ar: Before music I wanted to be a chef! I still love cooking at home and do it whenever I can. I’m also a pretty good whistler.

Household Name is out 7/1 via Polyvinyl/Lucky Number Music. Pre-order it here.

“No one puts baby in a corner.” – Johnny Castle, Dirty Dancing (1987).

I still can’t resist Dirty Dancing whenever it comes on TV. It’s got one of the best partially improvised scenes known to cinema (“Spaghetti arms! You’re invading my dance space”), and it’s one of those “chick flicks” that somehow endures, and yet, the Patrick Swayze line turned into an eternal punchline for a lot of reasons. Hell, even Swayze resisted uttering those words, and it’s easy to understand why that was the case. Frances Houseman (Jennifer Grey) was content to be known as “Baby” while planning for the Peace Corps, and Johnny (still Swayze’s most notorious role, though god only knows he tried to top himself with the Road House sex scene that Bill Murray loves and that sensual-pottery scene from Ghost) was an angst-filled, bumping-and-grinding machine, who looked about 30 years old (but was in his mid-20s).

Johnny ended up publicizing Baby’s real name to the audience during that final dance scene, but the vanquishing didn’t work in the annals of pop culture history. The line’s still silly as heck, although there’s plenty of out-of-context reflection to be had about the word “baby.” Dirty Dancing still framed its plot around Baby taking over as Johnny’s dance partner as a cover for Penny (Cynthia Rhodes) going to get an illegal abortion, so that she (obviously) wouldn’t have a baby. The year was 1963, a full decade before Roe v. Wade, and Penny was scared as hell (for good reason) about being pregnant, which would have likely cost her livelihood while the bio dad, Robbie, was schmoozing Mr. Houseman into offering up dollars for med school. He lost that money by the end of the picture, but only because he accidentally admitted to being a terrible person.

Here we are, now, in 2022, and as far as reproductive rights go, women in the U.S. are now back in the 1960s. Dudes like Robbie can continue to skate, and there’s every reason to believe that non-privileged women could end up, as Penny did, with a so-called doctor with a “dirty knife and a folding table” due to various red states essentially outlawing abortion and being given that green light last week by the Supreme Court. Months ago, Texas and Oklahoma made headlines by putting a bounty on anyone that helps a woman obtain an abortion, and GOP lawmakers in Missouri are now going the extra mile — by extending that bounty-hunting concept to stop women from going out of state to have abortions — to make sure those dirty knives (and coat hangers) exist.

That makes Dirty Dancing strangely relevant again, particularly because of a recently announced sequel that will star Jennifer Grey. On one hand, this could be a total trainwreck, as revived franchises often end up being. Let’s be real: this sequel probably won’t see a Cobra Kai brand of tweaking that will harness the new generation while also seamlessly integrating the stories of the O.G. characters. For one thing, Swayze and Jerry Orbach are no longer alive, and only Grey’s headlining this new story that takes place in the 1990s with her revisiting Kellerman’s resort, and another young woman will be in the coming-of-age role, which shall be layered with Baby’s own story. The 1990s part is what makes me most skeptical, but this can be remedied.

So can this sequel possibly be embraced, and actually work?

That’s a tough one. All I really know is that the time couldn’t be more right for a Dirty Dancing sequel if there has to be one. But heck, putting that story in the 1990s feels like a missed opportunity right now. According to Deadline, Lionsgate and director Jonathan Levine have been working on this project, but I am hereby suggesting that they switch plans and follow through in a different era. Because the Dirty Dancing setup really wouldn’t have been convincing without the abortion subplot. Seriously. Not only did this make room for Baby and Johnny to fall in love, but we also got to see Baby — who risked her own butt to get Penny some medical help, and being an example for Johnny on how to stand up for what he believes — show what kind of person she really was.

Not only that, but Penny’s plight did something even more poignant by positioning Johnny Castle as an ally (to his platonic female friend). That’s important, right now, more than anything else, and although Johnny is no more, perhaps the remake could somehow work this into the story. Ideally, the movie could also shift into current times, rather than the 1990s when the idea of Roe v Wade crumbling seemed preposterous. That was, ironically, a much more innocent time than the fraught times we live in today after Trump couldn’t even get his story straight on his own abortion stance but still installed the justices that put this overturning into motion. So I’m appealing to the sequel makers to do a revamp because you really can’t release a proper Dirty Dancing sequel in 2024 without mentioning the essential subplot of the original.

Would that be too, you know, political? That’s no obstacle. The original film contained gravely serious moments on that rough subject but ultimately churned out quite the charming movie. C’mon, “I carried a watermelon” is still one of the most adorably embarrassing things you’ll see onscreen, even amid all of the drama and genuine terror of what Penny went through when a woman’s right to chose an abortion wasn’t yet considered protected (under multiple Bill of Rights amendments relating to privacy) by the U.S. Constitution according to the Supreme Court. Since that protection’s now gone, it would be unfortunate for a sequel to ignore this moment in history without (at least) nodding toward the topic. One can’t really do adequately do that with a 1990s-set movie.

So, here’s what I’m suggesting to the Movie Powers That Be: make this a contemporary story, and include the ally-ship once demonstrated by Johnny because god only knows that women need allies in 2022 and beyond. While responding to the Supreme Court’s stunning decision, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declared as much in better words than I’ve got: “Men, we need you right now. You can get through in rooms others can’t. Your power matters. Speak up. This is about us all.” And I’m not saying that Dirty Dancing can solve anything, but a sequel arriving in this climate cannot avoid the elephant in the room (given that the original heavily addressed it). I have a feeling that Baby would have wanted it addressed, so make it happen. Don’t put her in a corner!