Amber Heard is “heartbroken” about the jury’s decision to find her guilty of defamation against ex-husband Johnny Depp, she wrote in a statement following the verdict’s announcement. “The disappointment I feel today is beyond words. I’m heartbroken that the mountain of evidence still was not enough to stand up to the disproportionate power, influence, and sway of my ex-husband,” she wrote.
Heard is “even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women.” She called it a “setback” and that it “sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously.” The actress continued:
I believe Johnny’s attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the UK. I’m sad I lost this case. But I am sadder still that I seem to have lost a right I thought I had as an American — to speak freely and openly.
Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages in his defamation suit (which attracted more viewers online than the Better Call Saul midseason finale), while Heard will receive $2 million in compensatory damages.
Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors are in the NBA Finals. It’s the culmination of the team taking two full years to reload after their last appearance in the Finals in 2019, and for Curry, this presents the best chance he’s had to earn the first NBA Finals MVP award of his decorated career.
There’s been a lot of discussion about Curry’s legacy and how winning that will impact it, because basketball cannot be about the game itself and has to be about this sort of stuff, instead. Anyway, let’s go to First Take, where the topic of how Curry impacted the game was broached on Wednesday morning. It took quite the turn when Stephen A. Smith decided to make the argument that Michael Jordan actually really hurt the game of basketball by making it more about individuals than teams.
.@stephenasmith says Steph Curry changed basketball for the better, while MJ changed it for the worse.
“Michael Jordan is responsible, as much as anybody, for changing the game for the worse!” pic.twitter.com/XkgDKzFp0l
“It’s not Steph Curry’s fault because Steph Curry can shoot,” Smith said. “Steph Curry, people say he changed the game — no, no, he elevated it to a point where it was acceptable because you’re looking for somebody to produce somewhere close in the vicinity of what he does, and what Klay Thompson does to a slightly lesser degree.”
Smith went on to argue that the person who changed basketball in such a way that Curry could come along and elevate it was Mike D’Antoni, who ushered in the era of shooting threes and layups. Then, he decided to bring up Jordan and make the case for why “he’s responsible, as much as anybody, for changing the game for the worse.”
While Smith made clear he does not mean to disrespect the best player of all time, he does believe Jordan’s greatness came at a cost.
“He was so phenomenal that the NBA marketed the individual, the audience gravitated toward the individual, and the game became a bit more individualized, because people wanted to be like Mike,” Smith said.
He brought up the two players who were viewed as the faces of the game just before Jordan — Larry Bird and Magic Johnson — and said that while they were great individuals, they were cogs in a machine where all the players around them were elevated.
“You were thinking team until Jordan elevated it to another level, and from Jordan, then you had the Kobes and the Vince Carters and others that came along thereafter, and the individualization of the sport, particularly because of the money that came with it, became more of a focal point,” Smith said. “So I would tell you Mike D’Antoni in terms of the three-point shooting and making sure to maintain the pace, letting people score so you don’t disrupt the pace, and then Jordan with the individuality, even though obviously he was a team player and the Chicago Bulls were a great team. The marketing of individual. Those two components is what made the game what it is today.”
It was unsurprising to see Jack Harlow at the 2022 Kentucky Derby back on May 7, given that he’s a proud Louisville native and his new album, Come Home The Kids Miss You, has a song called “Churchill Downs,” named after the famous venue where the storied horse race has been held for nearly 150 years now (this year’s race was the 148th). He and Drake (who features on the song) made some noise at the event, whether it was Harlow getting carried around, Harlow trying to match Drake’s bets, or Drake crashing a Harlow interview.
It turns out that while the pair was there, they also shot a video for their collaboration, which was shared today. Along with B-roll of race attendees, the event atmosphere, and running horses, the video is mostly clips of Harlow and Drake rapping at the camera and otherwise enjoying the event. The clip actually also includes a bit of footage of Harlow in a baseball bat factory, presumably that of Louisville Slugger (or at least at a different factory but in reference/homage to the esteemed bat brand).
Watch the “Churchill Downs” video above.
Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Juno earned Elliot Page an Oscar nomination, but it wasn’t an all-together fun experience for the actor. “When Juno was at the height of its popularity, during awards-season time, I was closeted, dressed in heels, and the whole look — I wasn’t okay, and I didn’t know how to talk about that with anyone,” he wrote in a cover story for Esquire.
Page can’t single out a “worst day” before his “life-saving” transition, but “when Juno was blowing up — this sounds strange to people, and I get that people don’t understand. ‘Oh, f*ck you, you’re famous, and you have money, and you had to wear a dress, boo-hoo.’ I don’t not understand that reaction. But that’s mixed with: I wish people would understand that that sh*t literally did almost kill me.” He continued:
“So I said I wanted to wear a suit, and Fox Searchlight was basically like, ‘No, you need to wear a dress.’ And they took me in a big rush to one of those fancy stores on Bloor Street. They had me wear a dress, and… that was that. And then all the Juno press, all the photo shoots — Michael Cera was in slacks and sneakers. I look back at the photos, and I’m like…?”
Page also shared his “biggest joy” since coming out. “What have I learned from transitioning? I can’t overstate the biggest joy, which is really seeing yourself,” he said. “I know I look different to others, but to me I’m just starting to look like myself. It’s indescribable, because I’m just like, there I am. And thank God. Here I am. So the greatest joy is just being able to feel present, literally, just to be present.”
After nearly two months of dominating headlines, the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial prepared to announce its verdict on Wednesday afternoon, and within minutes, it had already racked up more live viewers than the season finales of Abbott Elementary and Better Call Saul. (Technically, Better Call Saul‘s was a mid-season finale, but you get the gist.)
At the time of this writing, over 3 million viewers were streaming the courtroom proceedings on YouTube alone, which again, are the kind of numbers that TV networks would consider a huge win. And that’s not even counting live feed on Twitter and Court TV who saw a massive boom in viewership, which the relaunched network likened to the O.J. Simpson trial.
The Depp vs. Heard trial has been highly contentious thanks to legions of online Depp fans (and some celebrities) defending the actor against Heard’s accusations of domestic violence. Those accusations stood up during a libel suit in British court where Depp failed to successfully sue The Sun for calling him a “wife beater.” However, an American jury has ruled against Heard and issued a verdict that she defamed Depp with malice. It was a stunning verdict considering Depp’s celebrity status, which often significantly raises the bar in proving defamation. As of this writing, Heard will be forced to pay her ex-husband $15 million instead of the proposed $50 million that he was seeking.
In short, now might be a good time to stay off social media. Maybe take a little break.
One of the rising trends in pop music has been the explosion in the popularity of international music in America, especially Nigerian Afropop (also known by the confusing moniker “Afrobeats” or by Burna Boy‘s chosen appellative, “Afrofusion”). But as international music becomes more mainstream stateside, one barrier still remains in bridging the gap between America and the world — namely, the language barrier. Thanks to stars singing in their native languages of Spanish, Korean, and three or four Nigerian dialects, being a music fan is starting to mean becoming a polyglot.
Fortunately, Nigerian star Ckay is more than willing to help his growing US audience learn his favorite Igbo phrases. He recently stopped by the Uproxx Studios in LA to help give us a “Pidgin English for Dummies” lesson on TikTok with the help of Uproxx’s own Cherise Johnson. Check out the video below, where Ckay explains “nwantiti” — as in, his hit song “Love Nwantiti” — “mezebu,” and “wahala.” He even shows us how to use them in a sentence, mixing English and Igbo for some useful phrases that can help unlock the infectious grooves of Afropop with a little more context for those of us who didn’t grow up on jollof and moi moi.
After six weeks of testimony (which aired on Court TV for the masses) and days of deliberations, the U.S.-based Depp v. Heard trial has come to a verdict. This case, of course, follows the U.K-based counterpart that didn’t go well for Depp in 2020. He had sued for libel against The Sun, and that bid only led the court to shut down Depp’s team and rule that the tabloid’s “wife beater” term about the Pirates of the Caribbean star was “substantially true.”
The U.S. trial, revolving around Depp’s $50 million defamation claim and Heard’s $100 million counterclaim, turned into even more of a circus (despite its triggering subject matter of abuse) with tales of “human fecal matter” and stories of peeing in hallways plus harrowing testimony about death threats and strangeness about money demands. In the end, though, the jury of “peers” made the call, which turned out much better for Depp.
In a unanimous jury verdict, the relevant statement of Heard’s Washington Post online op-ed produced a “yes” for several questions, including the following: (1) Did Depp prove all the elements of defamation? (2) Was the statement made or published by Heard? (3) Was the statement about Depp? (4) Was Depp defamed? (5) Did Depp prove that the statement was made with clear and convincing malice?
Just FYI (and for comparison’s sake), Amber received $7 million from Johnny in her divorce settlement. On Wednesday, the jury declared that Depp’s entitled to $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, as revealed in this clip.
A jury has sided with Johnny Depp in his high-profile civil trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, ordering her to pay Depp a total of $15 million in damages. pic.twitter.com/wyLDx2kdDe
Following this verdict, the project will now go into documentary mode, so this story obviously isn’t over, but even though Johnny Depp technically won this trial, the biggest winner happens to be Court TV.
As one of MSNBC’s most prominent news anchors, Chris Hayes is typically the consummate professional. But even he couldn’t keep a straight face on Tuesday night when reporting on Marjorie Taylor Greene’s latest attack on the English language, in which the Gazpacho Queen referred to a petri dish as a “peach tree dish.”
In introducing the clip of Greene speaking to her followers, Hayes wasn’t really even sure how to describe her. Because while she is indeed a Republican congresswoman, Hayes noted that “she has no committee assignments, after having them all stripped. And so she really doesn’t do anything for her constituency. She certainly doesn’t, like, write laws”—which is something for which we can all be grateful.
What she does do, Hayes noted, is maintain a very active life on social media. Over the weekend, Hayes explained:
[Greene] had a livestream on her Facebook page and it was the usual mix of bizarre and offensive conspiracy theories on everything from the monkeypox virus to the LGBTQ community. And while everything she said is, of course, bonkers, she managed a bit of a Triple Lindy in this one with an assault on reality, science, and the English language all at once.
Of course, Hayes was talking about Greene’s insistence that the government (which, remember, she is a part of) is attempting to surveil us at all times. And is monitoring what we eat, and making sure it’s good for us. According to Greene, if you try to eat a hamburger versus the “fake meat” that Bill Gates is growing in a “peach tree dish… you’ll probably get a little zap inside your body and that’s saying, ‘No, no—don’t eat a real cheeseburger! You need to eat the fake meat! The fake burger. From Bill Gates.” She then stated that they also want to know when you’re going to the bathroom “and if your bowel movements are on time and consistent.”
When the camera cut back to Hayes, he couldn’t even look at it as he was laughing so hard. And admitted that about 10 percent of him “thinks it’s a bit, like she’s doing it on purpose? I don’t know.”
Hayes assured his viewers that none of what Greene was suggesting was true. “Gates is not working to build a global surveillance to track when you use the bathroom and zap you for eating meat. But it is very funny that a sitting member of Congress doesn’t know what a petri dish is.”
In detailing the music he makes as the leader of Bruce Lee Band, Mike Park uses the descriptor “anti-facist.” To Park, the term isn’t just a leftist buzzword — it’s a core part of his identity as a musician. Since their inception in the mid ’90s, politics have always been at the heart of Bruce Lee Band, which is comprised of Park along with fellow musicians Jeff Rosenstock, Dan Potthast, and Kevin Higuchi. Take their two previous releases for example, last year’s Division In The Heartland and 2019’s Rental!! Eviction!!, both provide commentary on the perils global capitalism while embracing humor and frenetic punk rock energy.
Bruce Lee Band’s newest LP One Step Forward. Two Steps Back. takes a similar approach. The album is filled with danceable, horn-heavy ska filled with witty refrains that capture the band’s political ethos. Songs like “The Right Time” take aim at politicians who argue about when the “right time” is to protest injustices while others like the shout-y “I Hate This!” speaks to the relatable feeling of exhaustion at the state of the world.
To celebrate the release of One Step Forward. Two Steps Back., Mike Park sat down with Uproxx to discuss musical influences and surprising punks with his breakdancing skills in our latest Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Burritos, friends, anti-fascist.
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?
I’ll be 82 and still running Asian Man Records out of my mom’s garage who will be 125 in 2050. Is it possible? F*ck yeah! If I’m still churning out music at that age I’d love for people to look back fondly on the catalog of songs I’ve written. With the sense of where I was in my life at the time of the recording. I think each record I’ve made signifies my mental state as much as my creative state.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
That’s tough to choose, but if I had to pick one I’d have to say Tokyo. It’s a surreal feeling of being in a non-English speaking country and seeing/hearing people sing your songs back to you. It’s also one of the most wild and crazy cities. It’s like being in Disneyland and the euphoric feeling of being high without being high. Almost like an out of body experience.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
Another tough one! HA! I don’t think it’s possible to pin down one person. Since I’ve been making music for over 35 years, there’s been too many influences that have pushed me one way or another. But for sake of continuity, I’ll go with Angelo Moore. Lead vocalist of the band Fishbone. The band was my everything in high school. The overt politics of the band was my first foray into the idea that music can be a way to share ideas that weren’t just mindless love songs.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
My mom’s house. She is the master chef. My favorite dish is a mung bean pancake called Bindaetteok (빈대떡). I dream of this dish.
What album do you know every word to?
Oingo Boingo’s Only A Lad
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
Fishbone at the Filmore in San Francisco in 1988. Just pure electricity. Angelo Moore crowd surfing to the back of the club, climbing up to the balcony, jumping off the balcony and somehow in one swooping wave was back on stage singing the chorus in perfect time.
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
I love wearing a vintage suit. Preferably ’60s, but even early ’70s will work. It makes me look and feel classy, but at the same time going apesh*t in a suit just looks awesome. At least in my opinion.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
My favorite twitter personality is @nihilist_arbys who without my knowledge is my friend Brendan Kelly from the Lawrence Arms. It’s bizarre, perverse, angry, funny, and inappropriate all at the same time. My Instagram go to is @alfredyankovic because it’s Weird Al whom I think is probably the most loved person in the world. Whom has a bad thing to say about Weird Al? NOBODY!
What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?
“Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA” by DEVO
What’s the last thing you Googled?
Weather in Los Angeles.
What album makes for the perfect gift?
Operation Ivy’s Energy. Even if you don’t like punk, the lyrics are unbelievably strong, especially when you consider Jesse Michaels was 17 when he wrote the words.
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
In Derby England, we stayed in the loft of the club we performed and there were mounds of dirt that had somehow grown in different places throughout the place. The severity of said dirt was just the start of it. I went and bought garbage bags to line the floor of where I slept because it was so dirty.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
I’m 52 years old and have no tattoos. Never had a desire to get one and never will.
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
I love ’80s stations, but in particular anything categorized as new wave at the time like Duran Duran, The Cure, Talking Heads, The Police, Soft Cell, etc..
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
I’ve met some extremely kind people in my life and I’m blessed to have friends that are basically my family. But the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me is my wife Monica agreeing to marry me. To put up with insanity and anxiety and constant craziness. Ask any of my exes and they know what she has to deal with, but she loves me unconditionally.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Don’t go to college. Just start touring right away.
What’s the last show you went to?
Small Crush at the bottom of the hill in San Francisco. It was Nov of 2021. It’s the only show I’ve seen since the pandemic started.
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
Planes, Trains, And Automobiles
What’s one of your hidden talents?
I can pop and lock pretty good. I posted a video of me popping and a lot of the punks were like WOAH! Didn’t see this one happening.
One Step Forward. Two Steps Back. is out now via Asian Man Records. Get it here.
Kim Kardashian, who is well-known for judging other people for their work habits, is adding another brand to her long list of brands with very off-putting names, like SKIMS, KKW Beauty, KKW Fragrance. Now, another K-centric name is in the mix: SKKN BY KIM, which reads a little bit like a keyboard smash. What does she have against vowels?
For once in her life, Kardashian admitted that her beauty has a lot to do with privilege (aka money) and insists that she’s bringing all the secrets from the world’s top dermatologists to her new line, which features a nine-step (!!!!) skincare routine.
“I’ve been so privileged to learn about skin and skincare over the years from the world’s top dermatologists and estheticians, and every bottle from my new line is filled with the knowledge I’ve accumulated along the way,” Kardashian tweeted.
I’m excited to finally introduce to you SKKN BY KIM, a rejuvenating nine-product skincare ritual that I have developed from start to finish. Photo: Mario Sorrenti pic.twitter.com/8AyapI8mgJ
The brand launches June 21st, and they have conveniently not revealed any prices of the products, though the packaging is refillable which is pretty nifty. “You will experience refillable packaging, and clean, science-backed ingredients designed to nourish all skin types, tones, and textures at all stages of maturity.” Kardashian tweeted.
Reports of a skincare line began last year when Kardashian quietly trademarked the brand name in April 2021. The business mogul already ventured into jewelry, hair products, and even her own app. What will she think of next? A line of SmartKars? A new streaming service for Pete Davidson to roam free in his post-SNL life? Or maybe a tattoo shop? The opportunities are endless.
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