Category: News

Peter Navarro is flying very close to the sun. In late 2021, the former advisor to Donald Trump published In Trump Time: My Journal of America’s Plague Year, a memoir of the former president’s final days in office. In what seemed like a not-so-bright move, the book detailed all sorts of behind-the-scenes shenanigans, including how Navarro and Steve Bannon worked together to concoct a plan to decertify the 2020 election.

When Navarro was asked about whether he was concerned about this massive overshare, as it seemed like just the sort of information the January 6th committee would be interested in hearing, he laughed at the notion. “They don’t want any part of me,” Navarro insisted, adding that “I exonerate Trump and Bannon.”

Fast forward to Monday of this week, when Navarro confirmed that he had received a grand jury subpoena to testify in the ongoing January 6th inquiry—then promptly sued the committee and the Department of Justice. But rather than keep a low profile and say nothing about the very things the committee wants to speak with him about, Navarro is instead making the media rounds to tell his side of the story. And answer the very same questions the committee wants to ask him. While Ari Melber was happy to let Navarro spill his guts, he also felt compelled to point out the idiocy (our word, not Melber’s) in making an even more public figure of himself. As Melber told him:

You’re waging this legal battle not to talk to the committee. Not to talk potentially to the DOJ, although as you’ve said, TBD. So you’re risking going potentially to jail not to talk to them but you’re out here talking in public. You do realize these investigators can hear you when you talk on TV?

Navarro didn’t really have a good answer for that, which probably doesn’t bode well for the fact that he is acting as his own lawyer.

It is with a heavy heart that I must acknowledge that this season of Top Chef has come to an end. With three competitors remaining, it was mostly all over but the cooking on this episode. Which opened with each of the remaining chefs choosing their sous chefs. Would you believe that they chose from the previously eliminated competitors? Crazy, right? Has this ever been tried before?

Actually, kudos to the producers for not delivering this information like it was some kind of new twist, as they had in some past seasons. This show has been on for 19 seasons. They get it. We get it. The eliminated chefs always come back to be sous chefs for the finale.

One thing they did do a bit differently was to have just one sous chef per remaining contestant. Evelyn chose Jo, aka Sarge. Sarah chose Robert, aka Damian from Mean Girls. And Buddha chose Jackson, aka Andrew Lunk aka Napholeon Dynamite. This was actually a good reminder that, for all my Sarah bashing leading up to the finale, she was still more likable than plenty of the previously eliminated contestants. No offense to Jo, but I’m not sure what she was bringing to the table, other than a series of relentlessly milquetoast confessionals. Jackson, I mean you might not want him as your wingman, but at least he gave me good nickname fodder. God bless you, Big Magoo.

Probably we lost Ness, aka Sam Kang (you might remember his attempt at grilled potatoes?) too early, not to mention North Dakota Jolie, who got angry any time she had to cook something not made out of cows or corn. But this season felt like it was extremely long on talent and a bit short on characters. I didn’t need anyone getting called a snake or hulking out over a pea puree, say, but… I don’t know, something weird could’ve happened. Anything short of the winner being revealed as a sex pest hours after the finale.

Aaaaanyway, with the sous chefs set, the remaining contestants all headed off to the Pima County Courthouse, where the judges would now pronounce them man and food. You know what I mean. Padma told them that they’d all be responsible for producing a four-course progressive menu, for a panel of 10 judges, including Stephanie Izard, Eric Ripert, Ed Lee, Gregory Gourdet, Alexander Smalls, and more.

Edward Lee — see, now there‘s the kind of personality this season could’ve used. Edward Lee actually attempts jokes. The closest we had this season was Sarah, who sometimes says things that are sort of in the shape of jokes. Eric Ripert isn’t exactly a laugh riot, but he has one of the most soothing French accents on Earth. Eric Ripert could read my death sentence in a medieval court and I’d probably think “Mmm, sounds delicious.”

Individuals aside, I’m not sure these chefs get enough credit for having to make four separate dishes for 10 people, with only one sous chef to help. In his memoir, Jacques Pepin wrote “I believe that it is impossible to cook superlatively for more than 10 diners.”

On my stove it’s more like six. This is why I think people who have three or more children on purpose are completely insane (well, one of the reasons, anyway).

But before the dinner, the chefs all got together and ate some food that Tom Colicchio, Stephanie Izard, Padma Lakshmi, and Eric Ripert cooked for them. What was that food? Uh… I guess we’ll never know. Seriously, producers, you didn’t think to include that part? Are you saving it for the DVD?

THE BREAKDOWN:

THE INSPIRATION —

Chef Sarah Welch’s Dinner: “The Hunter-Gatherer Mentality”

Chef Sarah said she was “inspired by the hunter-gatherer mentality,” and wanted to cook only foods that would be available in the local Tucson environment, with a theme of using things that would normally go to waste (she brought some miso paste that some chef friends made from food about to go off). It was… a pretty solid theme, honestly.

Chef Evelyn Garcia’s Dinner: Don’t Skip Goat Neck Day

Evelyn’s inspiration was, and I’m paraphrasing a lot here, to combine her Southeast Asian training with her Mexican roots and Houston upbringing. Not exactly a Galaxy Brain kind of theme, but themes are probably best not overthought.

Chef Buddha Lo’s Dinner: A Young Boy’s Strange, Erotic Journey From Australia To The US

Buddha wanted to serve a culinary representation of how far he’s come as a chef, from his roots as a Malaysian-Australian in Port Douglas to his work in Hong Kong all the way up to his current home in the US. In practice, this meant lots of tuiles. So many f*cking tuiles, bro. It was a real Night In The Tuileries.

Writer’s Verdict: Sarah. Sarah’s theme was more a statement of purpose than a statement of identity, which makes it seem more interesting somehow. Or maybe it’s just because it sounds the least like fusion cuisine on the face of it.

THE MENUS —

Evelyn

First Course: Scallop Crudo
Second: Crystal Dumplings With Aromatic Broth
Third: Goat Curry Mole
Fourth: Buñuelo With Cajeta, Panna Cotta, Whipped Cream and Basil

Buddha

First: Hamachi with Caviar
Second: Lobster Laksa
Third: Mongolian Lamb
Fourth: Pumpkin Pie Mille-Feuille

Sarah

First: Venison Tartare with Sonoran Focaccia and Smoked Butter
Second: Squash Tortellini In Corn Broth With Three Sisters Salad
Third: Rabbit Ballotine With Grains, Nuts, and Greens Salad
Fourth: Smoked Buttermilk Ice Cream with Acorn Cake

Writer’s Verdict, Whole Menu:

Too close to call. All of them have at least one course that feels like a must-order (lamb, laksa, dumplings, curry, tortellini) with a few I’d probably avoid (venison tartare, scallop crudo). I’m giving the edge to Buddha, solely because when he says “mille-feuille” it sounds like “MILF loin.” Mmm, love to end a meal with some tender MILF loin.

Writer’s Verdict, Course By Course:

One: Buddha, both for how it sounds and how it looks. Scallops are boring, venison tartare sounds adventurous, even for me, and when the dishes actually came out, we discovered that Buddha had made “sweet potato bees.” Which sounds like a random phrase Grandpa Simpson would’ve uttered in the midst of his senile ramblings. “Sweet potato bees, we ate, which was the style at the time. Gimme five bees for a tuber, we’d say…”

Two: Evelyn, again both for look and sound. Buddha’s lobster laksa both looked and sounded pretty good (frozen lobster notwithstanding — get him!), and Sarah’s tortellini was also a dumpling — my theory is that you should always order anything that’s a dumpling as a first move with an unfamiliar menu. But Sarah’s pasta looked thicc, while Evelyn’s looked clear and delicate.

Three: Buddha. “Mongolian Lamb” and “Goat Curry Mole” both sound about equal, in my mind, but while Buddha’s lamb also looked incredible, discovering Evelyn didn’t actually braise the goat necks in the curry (as virtually every judge pointed out) knocks it down a few pegs. I’m not a huge fan of rabbit (sticks to your teeth!) as it is, but Sarah first undercooking (in the circulator) and then overcooking (in the oven) hers sure didn’t help. Is this the start of a Top Chef sous vide curse?? Sarah was circulated on her on circulator! She really took a water bath on this one!

Four: Sarah. As for what sounds the best, obviously I have to go with the MILF loin, though buñuelo is an automatic win on account of being deep fried. Give me any dessert that resembles a funnel cake. Meanwhile Buddha literally served a plate of edible leaves like a demented aristocrat. But Sarah’s cake looked pretty good, and based on the judges’ feedback I have to assume that it was the best.

THE FEEDBACK

Buddha

Nicest Compliment: “This was a three-star Michelin first course.”

Meanest/Most Petty Criticism: “It reminded me of the 80s and 90s.” “Maybe a little show off.” “That dish was a little too cleaned up.”

Evelyn

Nicest Compliment: “Evelyn is masterful at restraint.”

Meanest/Most Petty Criticism: “That sauce read ‘top note.’” “It needed more flavor throughout.”

Sarah

Nicest Compliment: “It made me feel like a child again.” (Padma, on Sarah’s cake).

Meanest/Most Petty Criticism: “As the dish progressed I was confused.” “The flavors were fighting.” “I think the three sisters brought along some cousins.”

THE VERDICT

My first screener didn’t have the final act revealing the winner, so worried are they about an idiot like me spoiling the Top Chef winner before it airs (honestly, fair). But it didn’t take a genius to figure out that it was Buddha. Buddha did what he did for most of this season, and performed like a machine. Speaking of geniuses, did you guys get a look at who I had as my number one chef in the very first power ranking of the season?

I mean, I don’t like to brag, but it must take someone pretty smart and experienced at watching Top Chef to predict the winner after just one episode. Not to mention handsome. And sveltely built. (*”You can’t do this to me, I’m a Top Chef expert,” he screamed while being dragged out of his child’s soccer game*)

Regardless, Buddha did what he’s been doing basically all season: seemingly cooked twice the amount of food with twice the amount of techniques as anyone else on the show. I’ve been calling him “Moneyball” and “Big Data” on account of his seemingly Big Data-influenced approach to this show (could’ve called him Bryson Béchemelchambeau for the golf fans out there) but as much as that he sort of just outworked everyone. Even the judges seemed to think making bees out of sweet potatoes and eight million tuiles was more unnecessary decoration than substantive cookery, but how much can you really knock someone for working too hard? Especially when the biggest mistake he made was “not quite enough maple caramel for the amount of edible crunchy leaves.”

Top Chef is the only way I could ever type a sentence like that and have it not be because I was having a stroke, and that’s why I’m still thankful for this show.

Read the rest of our Top Chef Power Rankings here. Vince Mancini is on Twitter.

Bobby Shmurda is still finding his footing in the music industry after his release from prison last year. This process has resulted in him parting ways with his longtime label Epic Records and moving forward as an independent act. So far, Bobby has released two singles as an independent rapper, but he’s also used the past year to speak out about things that he’s deemed important. He shared his support for New York’s Rap On Trial bill, voiced his displeasure with not having control over his music, and more. In his latest message, Bobby addressed school shootings and what he feels needs to be done.

“We pay all this motherf*cking tax money,” Bobby said to TMZ which approached him as he was hanging out with Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast co-host Wallo267. “You know what my motherf*cking tax bill was last year?” He continued by suggesting that schools should increase their security. Next, Bobby took aim at mass shooters who target these schools.

“Let me tell you why they ain’t come to my block and shoot sh*t up or why they don’t go into the precinct and shoot sh*t up, cause they gonna shoot right back at your motherf*cking ass,” Bobby said. “It’s kids! It’s f*cking kids! Kids! Shoot at my black ass n****. Come shoot at me watch what happen.”

Bobby’s message comes a little over a week after the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas which left 19 children and two adults dead.

You can watch Bobby’s interaction with TMZ here.

Ari Lennox sent the internet into a frenzy today (June 2) after posting pictures with the Married At First Sight star Keith Manley II. Coincidentally, per the Instagram stories, the two appear to be in San Diego for a wedding as Lennox posted multiple videos of the newlyweds before the pictures of her and Manley appear. He added to the rumors with his own upload featuring him and the Dreamville artist holding hands. While neither of them has confirmed anything, as the old saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Ari Lennox last released her rendition of “A Kind Of Magic,” performed as part of the global launch of Coke Studio sessions. She also had two solo cuts “Coming Down” and “Blackberry Sap” on the Dreamville compilation mixtape D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape hosted by DJ Drama. Elsewhere, he 31-year-old has been enjoying the success of her 2021 single “Pressure” and has repeatedly referenced her forthcoming follow-up to 2019’s Shea Butter Baby, though there is no confirmed date, tracklist, or cover art yet. Keith Manley II was last seen in Season 9 of Married At First Sight where he was married to Iris Caldwell.

Check out photos of the alleged couple above.

There might not be an E3 this year, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any game announcements this month. While E3 has traditionally been a big part of why, June is typically the time of the year when game companies like to make their big announcements to get fans excited for not just the end of the year, but the future of gaming as a whole. We’ve already seen that a little bit with Wednesday’s trailers of Sonic Frontiers and Pokémon. However, these were just individual announcements. What fans really look forward to are the big showcase events.

These showcases during events like E3 are when companies like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo put together a series of trailers and announcements for fans to get excited about. Alongside those huge showcases are smaller ones, sometimes hosted by publishers like Ubisoft and other times by media organizations such as IGN, or groups like Wholesome Direct that just want to showcase how different video games can be. It’s basically one giant month-long celebration of video games and it’s a fun time to follow along.

In the past, it was easy to just tell someone when the dates for E3 were and to keep an eye on Twitch/YouTube during that timeframe, but since there is no official E3 this year everyone’s showcases are a bit more spread out. That’s why we’ve looked at what to expect this month and highlighted a few events that every video game fan should watch.

PlayStation State of Play – June 2

PlayStation’s State of Play was the first major showcase of the month, giving us about 30 minutes worth of upcoming games for the PlayStation system of consoles. The headliner was a Resident Evil 4 remake trailer that showed off a more cinematic version of the beloved game — as well as the news that it will be part of their new VR offerings — as well as a March 2023 release date. We also got a release date and new trailer for Final Fantasy XVI and looks at some other offerings, although there was unfortunately nothing new for God of War: Ragnarok. The summer State of Play set the table for what will be a busy few weeks for game trailers and showcases.

Summer Game Fest – June 9

The third year of Geoff Keighley’s answer to E3 has a chance to be its biggest year yet. In 2021, Summer Game Fest got ahead of all the major publishers and E3 to lead off the announcement cycle. It didn’t disappoint either with major titles like Elden Ring being announced during the presentation. This year, with no E3 in site, Summer Game Fest has a great opportunity to separate itself from E3 and potentially influence the announcement cycle. It also has the opportunity to showcase some major titles.

Since Summer Game Fest is not affiliated with any one publisher that means we should get a pretty strong variety of games to look at during the presentation. Major AAA titles, indies, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, etc could all make appearances here. It’s definitely going to be one of the must see presentations this month.

Wholesome Direct – June 11

We fell in love with the idea of Wholesome Direct last year and we’re really glad to see it making a comeback this year. Wholesome Direct is a relatively new presentation that focuses on games that don’t focus on violence. Video games are historically very violent — just look at how many games come out every year with a heavy focus on guns — but there’s been a greater focus as of late to make more games that focus on telling different kinds of stories. Ones about farming, animals, or simply making our way through life.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying a mindless game about violence, but events like Wholesome Direct a breath of fresh air among the sea of action games that flood the industry. This is a must watch event because it shows us how video games as a whole are changing for the better.

Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase – June 12

The Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase is Microsoft and Bethesda’s joint conference. Since purchasing Bethesda in 2020, Xbox has been adamant about keeping the Bethesda name in events like their summer showcase. Not only does this continue to let Bethesda feel like its an independent free thinking company, but there are still many fans out there who exclusively play Bethesda games like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls.

Since it’s an Xbox showcase we can expect a lot of Game Pass, maybe some information about the Activision Blizzard purchase, and hopefully some more information about the next major Xbox Studios release. On the Bethesda side of things, there are two updates everyone is going to want. Something on The Elder Scrolls VI, and some footage of the recently delayed Starfield.

Look out for surprise announcements!

Since there is not an official E3 this year there isn’t really anything to corral developers into all announcing their games, trailers, and showcase events at the same time. Ubisoft and Square Enix typically have events but have so far remained fairly quiet on what they have planned for the summer. We also have yet to hear if there will be a Nintendo Direct, but it’s not unusual for Nintendo to announce a Direct the same week one has been scheduled. So don’t be surprised if throughout the month of June we get some pop up presentations to check out.

It’s also a good idea to keep an eye out for individual trailer announcements. Some companies don’t have enough to show off this year to put together an entire presentation, but they do have enough to release a trailer or gameplay showcase. Don’t let those smaller announcements slip by and keep your ear to the ground. It’s gonna be a hectic summer but at the end of it we’re going to have plenty of video games to be excited about.

Kim Kardashian isn’t afraid of going after what she wants. And what she apparently wanted following the breakup of her nearly decade-long relationship with Kanye West was a ginormous penis to get her over her heartbreak. Enter: Pete Davidson.

As E! News reports, in the newest episode of Hulu’s The Kardashians, Kim admits that it was she who pursued Davidson—and that the rumors of his oversized organ were definitely at the forefront of her mind. While the soon-to-be couple first met in October 2021, when Kardashian hosted SNL, she says that Davidson basically blew her off. (Which might be part of his seduction routine—be careful out there, ladies.) According to Kim:

I did SNL and then when we kissed in-scene, it was just a vibe. I was like ‘Oh sh*t maybe I’ve been … maybe I just need to try something different.’ But Pete does not come to my after-party. Everyone was at my after-party. He does not give me the time of day.

A few days later, I called the producer at SNL and I was like “Hey do you have Pete’s number?’ They were like ‘Yeah’ and I text him. I wasn’t even thinking like ‘Oh my god I’m gonna be in a relationship with him.’ I was just thinking… I heard about this BDE. I need to get out there… I was just basically DTF.

And F they did. (We know this because Kim says she’s having the “best sex” of her life right now.) What a cute story this will make for their grandkids.

(Via E! News)

Perhaps the best compliment I can give Jensen Ackles after seeing his contribution to the third season of Amazon Prime’s The Boys is this: It’s a damn good thing he was never cast as Captain America.

By now fans have learned the truth about that long-rumored “missed opportunity.” Ackles, who was likely in the running early on, has said he never even auditioned for the job because of scheduling conflicts. His career might have side-stepped the Marvel Cinematic Universe but he became an on-screen quasi-superhero anyway, playing one-half of a brotherly demon-fighting duo in Supernatural. The show ran for 15 seasons, netting both Ackles and co-star Jared Padalecki a dedicated following, one that will presumably be tuning in when Ackles ushers a prequel series to the small screen this Fall.

Until then, fans can catch him playing Soldier Boy, the latest villain to cause chaos in creator Eric Kripke’s debauched superhero series. A perverse fever dream filled with orgies and cum shots and exploding body parts, the latest season of The Boys pushes the line of what’s humanly possible to endure while watching a comic book show to new lows — in the best possible way. It’s sharp-witted, intellectually challenging, and bleakly funny. And there’s absolutely no way Ackles could have been a part of it had he played the more wholesome (and let’s just say it, boring) version of his machismo World War II vet. No, we’re betting Ackles fans will be more than happy that the actor’s first experience donning some spandex was under the direction of Kripke, who teases out a tortured anti-hero in Soldier Boy, one that shakes up the core dynamics of the show in irreversible ways.

We chatted with Ackles about fighting for the role, taking on toxic masculinity, baring it all, and the odds that he’ll ever end up on a MAGA poster after this.

The Boys is such a big show. I assume plenty of people want to be involved in it. Were you able to slide into Kripke’s DMs for this role or did you have to get down and dirty and fight for it?

[laughs] This certainly wasn’t a package that showed up at my front door. We were talking about something completely unrelated, and at the end of the conversation, I was just like, ‘So when are you going to have me over there on The Boys?’ And he kind of chuckled and he’s like, ‘You want to come over?’ And I was like, ‘Dude, I’ll do anything,’ thinking that maybe he’d just write me a little scene and he comes back the next day, he’s like, ‘I gave it some thought and sure, I can write you in but there is a big role coming up in season three. We’re trying to figure out the list of people that we want to think about for playing this role.’ And I was like, ‘I’m not on that list, am I?’ He’s like, ‘No, but let me just send you the material. Tell me if it’s something you’re interested in.’ Right off the bat, it was a scene between Soldier Boy and Butcher. It’s not in the show, but it was an audition scene. I called him back and was like, ‘Who do I have to kill to get this role?’

Who’s on the list and where do they live?

How do I destroy the list and be the last man standing? And so I did. I had to put myself on tape and I did it over and over. We kept going round and round, making adjustments until finally, he was like, ‘Okay, man, I think I can take this up the ladder and see if they’ll sign off on you.’ So I was fingers crossed for a couple of days and he finally got back to me. He was like, ‘All right Soldier Boy, you’re in.’

Did you get a sense during your Supernatural days of what you might be in for or was this a whole new animal?

When I watched season one of The Boys, I was like, ‘Oh, so basically Eric got released into the wild.’ The handcuffs are gone. The gloves are off. Whatever metaphor you want to use, that’s what’s happening. It is Kripke unleashed.

Were you nervous at all to shoot some of the wilder stuff?

I feel like the theme this season is ‘middle-aged white boy ass.’ No one was safe this season. It’s like, if you want to be on this show, you’re going to have to show some tush.

This feels like the start of a good drinking game.

Right? Every time there’s a middle-aged ass on screen, you’ve got to take a drink.

Kripke warned you against reading the comics to prep for this role so what did you pull from to get inside Soldier Boy’s head?

They gave me a list of names of old actors and so, instead of watching their movies, I went and watched interviews of some of the old-timers — the Robert Mitchums and the Steve McQueens and the Lee Marvins. And I just got a sense of who these guys were in real life because that’s really what I wanted to do — make this character real. One of the brilliant aspects of this show is that these are superheroes, these are unreal, ludicrous characters. But the fact that they’re so grounded and so rooted in reality is one of the reasons why it’s such a smash hit and people can relate.

Soldier Boy is that old guard. He’s from a different era, an era where there was toxic masculinity, women were treated a certain way and men had to act a certain way. It was an interesting narrative that was being told through his story about some of the things that we are still having to deal with in today’s society — that have been held over from those older generations, from those eras that have gone by.

Right, it feels like toxic masculinity is definitely one of the villains this season and it just takes the shape of characters like Soldier Boy, Homelander, and Butcher.

Yeah, it’s this notion that to be a man, you’ve got to suppress your feelings and you have to be tough and you have to be strong. You can’t waiver in that at all. If you do, it’s a sign of weakness and your fellow man will look down on you, will think less of you. And so to keep your chin held high, you have to put on this air of masculinity. I often think about the show Mad Men, and that era. It was a good time to be a white male. But other than that, not so great. And there’s dialogue there that Kripke is utilizing with Soldier Boy. He said the show’s like a Trojan horse. All the craziness and the superhero-ness and the blood and the exploding heads and all that stuff, that’s the horse. But on the inside is the satire, the narrative about what we’re dealing with as a culture and as a society.

Sometimes comic book properties, especially ones that are hyper-violent like The Boys, attract toxicity within its fandom. Do you think this character is going to challenge some fans of the show?

I mean, I feel like the fans that like the show that are that probably won’t get the satire. They’ll probably just be like, ‘I like this Soldier Boy guy. He tells it like it is. Let’s get that guy a MAGA hat.’

Are you worried the character might become a right-wing poster boy then? That your face might pop up on a MAGA poster?

I mean, even not just Soldier Boy, but his sidekick Gunpowder. They utilize him with some satirical scenes that kind of take shots at the NRA and gun culture in America. It’s like Eric has a crystal ball. It’s really disturbing.

Speaking of the future, Soldier Boy has to adjust to a new era when he’s thrown into the mix here. As Jensen, if you were to wake up in 2022 after being asleep since 1950, what would be the hardest thing to adjust to?

Gas prices. [laughs] No, that’s an interesting question. I’d probably be very similar to Soldier Boy. We find him on the streets of New York looking around, just taking it all in and it’s jarring. It reminds me of when Marty McFly went to the future. But where are the hoverboards? Where are the flying cars?

It’s almost like we haven’t advanced enough.

It’s 2022 guys, where are the flying cars?

You’re spearheading a Supernatural project. Did you learn anything from how Kripke runs this show that you’ll take with you to The Winchesters?

Of course. You never stop learning. Every show, every experience, every day on set, try to pick up little nuggets of information, try to learn something. Kripke is certainly somebody who I consider a mentor, and have for many, many years. But also meeting some of these new guys and developing friendships with them, I’ve learned some really cool stuff from Karl. Just watching him lead a set, he’s a natural-born leader. I’ve been leading a set alongside my buddy, Jared [Padalecki], for 15 years. And to come on to another set where there are other leaders, it was kind of fun to sit back and observe. I mean, he could write a book. I was taking notes. And he taught me things that I had never thought of. And that’s one of the great things about doing what we get to do, is every day is different. Every day you have an opportunity to learn something, you’ve just got to be available to learn it.

It sounds like, as long as your character doesn’t die, you wouldn’t be opposed to more Boys action then.

Nobody ever really dies. This is why I do these shows because nobody ever dies.

Republicans have long claimed to be the party of traditional family values—though you wouldn’t know it by their response to tragedies like the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. While Democrats, including Joe Biden, have made it clear that stronger gun control laws are the only way forward, Republicans have their own ideas. Ted Cruz, for example, says what we really need is door control. While Missouri congressman Billy Long believes that [checks notes] abortion is to blame. Then there’s longtime Texas congressman Louie Gohmert…

On Thursday, Gohmert—a man who expects us to take him seriously even though his tooth once notoriously seemed to fall out of his mouth during a press conference—threw an absolute sh*t fit during a House debate on gun control after Eric Swalwell basically called out the GOP and implied that they were more interested in preserving the rights of gunmen over schoolchildren. As The Daily Beast reported, that’s when the notoriously nutty lawmaker lost it, saying:

“I don’t think it’s very effective for the children to have people on the other side of the aisle come in and accuse Republicans of being complicit in murder and that we put our right to kill over others’ rights to live.”

Even though that’s essentially what they are doing. And, wait, whose right to kill?! Gohmert continued:

“To infer by rhetorical supposed questions, ‘Who are you here for?’—we must be here for the gunman—is an outrage. How dare you! You think we don’t have hearts?”

Whether or not that question was rhetorical is beside the point, because Gohmert had the floor and no one got the chance to answer. Which is probably for the best, as it’s doubtful he would have liked the response.

(Via The Daily Beast)

A year and a half ago, NBC thought they had locked up their top analyst for years to come when they inked Drew Brees to a contract immediately after retiring from the New Orleans Saints.

Brees, they hoped, would be their Tony Romo or Troy Aikman, a household name who could bring unique insight into the game having been one of the all-time great quarterbacks. However, after a year with the network, the two sides are reportedly parting ways, even if Brees insists he hasn’t made a decision on his future one way or the other. Brees’ time in the booth calling games was not encouraging, but he apparently doesn’t want to be a studio analyst instead. As such, NBC will move forward with Cris Collinsworth calling Sunday Night Football alongside Mike Tirico.

As for who could replace Brees on their pregame show and also in the Notre Dame football booth, where Brees called games alongside Tirico last year, a rather surprising name has emerged, per Andrew Marchand of the New York Post.

NBC is eyeing Jason Garrett, the former Cowboys head coach and Giants offensive coordinator, to replace Drew Brees as the game analyst on Notre Dame football and possibly on its prime time NFL pregame studio show, “Football Night in America,” The Post has learned.

Going with a former Cowboy is a tried and true method for NFL coverage, but Garrett is a fascinating choice considering he’s not exactly a beloved figure…anywhere. His tenure in Dallas dragged on longer than Cowboys fans wanted without ever reaching the heights they hoped, ultimately ending with a few consecutive years of fans calling for him to get fired. His time on the sidelines as the offensive coordinator with the Giants wasn’t fruitful either, so, there’s not a lot of positive public perception of Garrett from NFL fans.

Add in that Garrett never seemed to be a particularly big personality and his fit as an engaging TV analyst is questionable, but he is already doing USFL games for the network and if the reviews there are positive internally, that might be enough. Of note in Marchand’s piece is that they’re considering keeping Garrett’s USFL pairing with Jac Collinsworth as the Notre Dame booth this fall, which would certainly not have been the expected move — or a particularly popular one with fans of the Irish.

Kyle found a unique way to revitalize his January album It’s Not So Bad this week, turning the album to an MFT (Music Fungible Token) in collaboration with Opulous. According to WeFunder, this marks one of the first times future master recordings for an entire album are tokenized into MFTs. Because It’s Not So Bad is nearly five months old, those who purchase MFTs will immediately begin earning a portion of the album’s royalty revenue.

Opulous has previously worked with artists such as Lil Pump, Soulja Boy, and Ardz Ardz. Kyle had this to say about the venture: “I wanted to release a whole MFT album with Opulous so that my fans and I can get closer to a model of becoming successful as a unit, redefining success together. Sharing this experience with fans and maybe even friends and family is a valuable thing. I don’t think anything will be able to match the feeling as we cross the finish line together.”

The 12-track album It’s Not So Bad featured Craig David, Ivory Scott, Dougie F, and Beam. Kyle and Opulous are offering multiple tiers including different perks such as meeting Kyle in person or at one of his concerts. Purchase your MFTs for It’s Not So Bad here.