Category: News

In a move that seemed pulled from a Saturday Night Live comedy sketch, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice flashed his dog’s butthole during a State of the State address this week.

Justice, a failing coal baron, and former Democrat-turned-Donald-Trump groupie touted out his poor bulldog named “Babydog” in order to insult Bette Midler of all people during his speech. West Virginia has been on the wrong side of the headlines recently thanks to the state’s Senator Joe Manchin, who single-handedly killed President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislation. That bill would’ve expanded healthcare coverage and the child tax credit while also creating a national paid leave program (among other improvements). Manchin’s decision to torpedo the bill upset a lot of people, including Midler who took to Twitter to call out the centrist Democrat.

Well, it looks that dig really got under Governor Justice’s skin because during his C-SPAN address Thursday night, the indoctrinated MAGA spokesman carted out his sweet little pup and flaunted her butthole to the world in an apparent “F*ck you” to Midler and the rest of the haters.

Is this the first scene in an apocalyptic horror movie that pins the downfall of American politics on a bulldog’s poop shoot? The answer is, yes.

(Via Vice)

Sean Penn has definitely said and done some questionable things in the past and, for some reason that isn’t quite clear, he keeps doubling down on men who wear skirts.

Earlier this month, Penn told i News that he thinks men in America are “wildly feminized” in a string of strange, off-topic comments. “I don’t think that being a brute or having insensitivity or disrespect for women is anything to do with masculinity, or ever did. But I don’t think that [in order] to be fair to women, we should become them.”

In an interview with The Independent, Penn — who once claimed to have farted in the presence of El Chapo — was asked to clarify his comments, maybe in an effort to have him clear the air. Instead, he just made it weird again. He said the following, basically equating femininity to wearing skirts:

I think that men have, in my view, become quite feminized. I have these very strong women in my life who do not take masculinity as a sign of oppression toward them. There are a lot of, I think, cowardly genes that lead to people surrendering their jeans and putting on a skirt.

Since when is surrendering jeans a power move against men? The comments seem a little misguided for someone who has played many roles that explored masculinity.

Penn is promoting his new movie Flag Day with daughter Dylan, who stars in the drama. His daughter remained quiet and “stared into space” during her father’s strange comments.

It’s not the first time Penn has said some, uh, weird things. Last summer, the actor criticized “cancel culture, which is an interesting take for someone who doesn’t know how to use a laptop. He also wasn’t a big fan of the #MeToo movement.

WARNING: Contains spoilers for The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett below.

As The Mandalorian burst onto Disney+ and became an immediate pop culture sensation thanks in no small part to Baby Yoda, and also the show’s wielding of iconic imagery from the original Star Wars trilogy, the show offered fans the first live-action deep dive into Mandalorian culture and history, which had only been explored in the animated series. Until this point, the classic bounty hunter Boba Fett and his father Jango Fett were the only on-screen representations of the warrior creed, but their true place in that culture has been… murky.

Despite the main character in The Mandalorian looking a whole lot like Boba Fett, he’s actually an entirely different character named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) or Mando, as he affectionally called on the show. However, it didn’t take long for Boba to appear in the second season, and with him, came some long-awaited answers about his Mandalorian heritage. Most importantly, the revelation that his father Jango Fett was a foundling like Mando.

In The Mandalorian Season 2 episode, “The Tragedy,” Boba Fett finally regains his armor, which had been lost following his escape from the Sarlacc Pit where he was last seen seemingly dying in Return of the Jedi. After helping Mando fight off a wave of Stormtroopers and vowing to help him rescue the now-captured Baby Yoda, Boba Fett revealed a secret hidden in his armor. Inside his gauntlet is coding that proves his father, Jango, was a Mandalorian foundling who fought in the Mandalorian Civil Wars. Foundlings are exactly like they sound. Young children who are adopted in a Mandalorian clan or “Covert” as they’re referred to in the series.

Jango Fett’s Mandalorian heritage is a significant change in canon because, until now, The Clone Wars animated series claimed he was not a Mandalorian and had stolen his armor. With Boba Fett’s revelation to Mando, that explanation is now out the window.

As for whether or not Boba Fett is a Mandalorian, that’s where things still remain unclear. As a clone of his father, Boba Fett is not a true member of the Mandalore race, and he even tells Mando that he’s not a Mandalorian. However, as the series continues to show, the true definition of being a Mandalorian is a highly contested topic between followers of the creed. Not to mention, the concept of foundlings allows anyone to become a Mandalorian.

That definition is even more in flux as The Book of Boba Fett Episode 5 shows Mando’s desire to make Baby Yoda a Mandalorian while he struggles with the cult-like doctrines of his sect. As the current wielder of the Darksaber, Mando is poised to become the new leader of the Mandalorians and with that could come a change in what truly means to be a member of the fierce warrior group.

The Book of Boba Fett is currently streaming on Disney+.

As the executive director of a butterfly sanctuary, one might think that Marianna Trevino-Wright’s days are filled with peace and tranquility. And perhaps that was the case until she made an enemy of Donald Trump when she protested the former administration’s plans to bulldoze right through her property with their long-promised border wall. Now, dealing with MAGA die-hards and QAnon-like conspiracy theorists is all in a day’s work.

As the Daily Beast reports, Wright is the executive director of the National Butterfly Center in the border city of Mission, Texas. Though firmly planted in the United States, this wildlife sanctuary became the topic of much debate during Trump’s days in office, as his proposed border wall would have bisected the 100-acre property. After filing a restraining order against the project in 2019, Wright and the Butterfly Center have become a favorite target for harassment by far-right groups like Brian Kolfage’s “We Build the Wall” campaign. Though Kolfage was permanently suspended from Twitter a while back, he at one point sent more than two dozen tweets disparaging the sanctuary, which he claimed “openly supports illegal immigration and sex trafficking of women and children.”

In the years since, Wright has unfortunately grown accustomed to unwanted visits from people like Kimberly Lowe, a conspiracy theory-abiding congressional candidate from Virginia, who the Daily Beast reports showed attempted to push her way onto Wright’s private property last week so that she and a woman identified only as “Michelle” could go see the “illegals crossing on rafts.”

The women tried to bypass Wright’s son to force their way onto the property, which is when Wright got a call about the visitors. When Wright herself confronted the women, telling them that “You are here to promote your agenda, and your agenda is not welcome here,” what transpired was… bizarre.

Lowe, who had been broadcasting their visit to the facility in now-deleted Facebook Live videos, asked Wright: “So you’re not for helping all these poor people in the humanitarian crisis? You’re OK with children being sex trafficked and raped and murdered.” When Wright again informed the pair that they were trespassing on private property and asked them to leave, “Michelle”—like something out of a terrible Bond spec script no one asked for—tells Wright that “I’m federal—I work for Secret Service, so nothing is off-limit for me.”

Wright could not help but laugh at this, and who can blame her?

The Daily Beast obtained a copy of the increasingly unhinged audio, which you can listen to here.

Meanwhile, Wright and her colleagues have decided to close the Butterfly Center from today through Sunday due to a credible threat against the center because of a We Stand America event that is intent on taking a field trip to the border. Wright was advised that “she should be armed at all times or out of town” as the events on the group’s agenda include “a ‘Trump Train’-style caravan to the border.”

Butterfly sanctuaries are the new pizza parlors.

(Via Daily Beast)

What do you think the biggest, richest rappers on the planet do with their spare time? For Drake, this past Thursday was video roulette night. Doesn’t sound all that exciting, right? Well, maybe if you were putting down over $200,000 on a single spin, then it could be really exciting. That’s exactly what Drake did and he took video of himself winning a very improbable bet.

With a $215,000 bet down (to be exact), Drake was sitting at his kitchen table, hookah by his side. The man loves roulette and even has a $620,000 roulette watch. “I guarantee you it’s a repeat eight,” he says while staring at the live Roulette app on his screen. “I guarantee it. I feel it.” The ball goes around and sure enough, it lands on the eight. Drake flies up from his seat yelling “What did I say?! What did I f*cking say?!” And then promptly sits back down to play again. What a life.

But how much did he really win? A single bet of $215,000 on the eight would pay out 35 to 1. $7.525 million would be the payout there. But that’s not how anyone plays roulette. Not even Drake. You spread the odds and put smaller amounts on single numbers and groups of numbers to balance out your winnings and limit your potential losses. A popular way to bet is to put the bulk of your chips on either red or black, which gives you close to a 50/50 split on wherever the ball lands. (“Always bet on Black,” Wesley Snipes famously said in Passenger 57.)

For context, another clip on Twitter shows Drake placing another $215,000 bet (gotta be his go-to figure) where, despite not hitting the single number he called out, the screen flashes with “you win $354,000,” as “PAMI” by DJ Tunez, WizKid, Adekunle Gold, and Omah Lay blasts in the background.

Whatever the payout on the “repeat eight” bet was, Drake’s screen also shows that he had over $2.8 million in the bank at that point in the evening. So this second spin probably came after hitting the eight. Again, what a life.

The New York Liberty faced pressure from the moment the franchise won the WNBA Draft Lottery in 2019. Finally out from under the weight of James Dolan’s ownership after being purchased by Nets governor Joe Tsai, the ping-pong balls determined that the Liberty would have the chance to draft Sabrina Ionescu, one of the most famous and exciting prospects ever to come out of college, the following spring. A new era had begun.

Ionescu represented hope for a franchise that Dolan had publicly complained about owning, then moved out of the five boroughs. Before she even played a WNBA game, Ionescu was one of the most famous basketball players on the planet, a voice for the sport, and a thrilling talent.

Unfortunately, Ionescu suffered an ankle injury three games into the WNBA Bubble season, creating something of a lost year for both her and the Liberty, which went 2-20 in Bradenton. Still, New York pushed ahead in its quick rebuild, adding star free agents Betnijah Laney and Natasha Howard ahead of the 2021 campaign. This allowed them to sneak into the playoffs for the first time since 2017 despite Ionescu still acclimating to the WNBA for much of the season.

Laney turned in her first All-Star season and became the top option on the team with a physical, slashing style that made her difficult to contain with one defender. At the same time, Howard made good on the claims she made when she was signed by New York, upping her scoring production while remaining efficient before getting injured midway through the year.

Ionescu was tied for third on the team in scoring behind Laney and Howard, posted a subpar 47.0 effective field goal percentage, and turned the ball over on nearly a quarter of her possessions. New York’s offensive rating was one of the worst in the WNBA and was only slightly better when Ionescu was on the court. Late in the season, however, Ionescu started to come on, becoming an engine for New York in tight games as the Liberty powered to a 9-8 record in games that were within five points in the final five minutes. Ionescu closed the season with 11 straight double-digit scoring games, including 22 points and nine assists in a must-win matchup with Washington in the final game.

In a one-point loss to Phoenix in the first round, Ionescu put up 14 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds while Laney went off for 25 points while playing nearly every minute of the game. Howard was back and healthy in time for the game as well, pitching in a double-double with an assist and a block, and the promise of the Liberty core showed itself again. Fully healthy, their stars rose to the occasion and nearly knocked off a Phoenix team that would end up in the WNBA Finals.

All that does is add to the pressure coming into 2022. Entering her third season, Ionescu has yet to fully make good on the promise she had coming out of Oregon, when Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb called her a “generational player” and Oregon head coach Kelly Graves called her a “transcendent basketball player.” Ionescu was a nightly triple-double threat in the Pac-12. As a pro, she has been mistake-prone and inconsistent. Even in 2021, with star talent around her like she had in Eugene, Ionescu did not consistently raise the level of her teammates or control games like she was expected to do when she was the No. 1 overall pick in 2020.

There are reasons for Ionescu’s rather slow start to her WNBA career. After playing 35-plus games per season at Oregon, Ionescu has played just 33 total since being drafted in April 2020. She also has not yet traveled overseas to play during the WNBA offseason nor has she yet been invited to join Team USA for international competition, creating a vacuum of competitive basketball for Ionescu outside of the WNBA summer. The Grade 3 ankle sprain in the Wubble ended up requiring surgery in November 2020, and Ionescu was still rehabbing the injury into the start of 2021, both taking away the experience of her rookie year and her first full offseason to put in work.

Other recent top picks hailed as generational such as A’ja Wilson or Breanna Stewart had made Finals appearances and won MVPs by the end of their rookie contracts. The WNBA is unrelenting. The league’s limited size, increased player movement, and short season creates a huge gap between contenders and lower-level playoff teams. Eight of 12 teams make the postseason, which means a playoff appearance can have the dual effect of inflating the achievements of teams and players but also intensify the pressure on them to make a deeper run the next season.

That pressure has seemed to drive decisions this offseason for New York. They moved on from head coach Walt Hopkins after two seasons as his five-out system failed to generate elite offense, hiring Sandy Brondello — one of the most accomplished coaches in WNBA history — away from Phoenix. And already, they have reportedly met with two-time Finals MVP Stewart and reigning WNBA champion Stefanie Dolson to fill out the frontcourt and take the team over the top. The Liberty are +2200 to win the title, and Ionescu is +2000 to win MVP, but New York is handling its business like a team ready to make a big leap.

Unless they land a Hall of Fame talent like Stewart (which would require some salary cap creativity), the Liberty will likely go as far as Ionescu can take them. The rest of the roster met or exceeded expectations in 2021, and still they were several games below .500. A big guard who can rain in pull-up threes, create consistently out of the pick and roll, and handle multiple assignments on defense is theoretically a game-breaker in today’s WNBA. Ionescu has rarely been that across two WNBA seasons, but getting a full offseason while healthy after finally seeing what WNBA basketball is like on a nightly basis will give her a chance to build on last year.

Elite players usually find a way to rise to the top. New York drafted Ionescu to be one, and built a team under the assumption that she is an All-WNBA level offensive engine. With an accomplished new coach, a deeper set of teammates, and a clear hunger for more from ownership in free agency, the table is set for Ionescu to make 2022 her breakout year.

If she does, the Liberty could indeed make the leap from an outside playoff team to a true contender. New York could finally return to the sustained excellence it enjoyed under Teresa Weatherspoon, Becky Hammon, and Tina Charles throughout franchise history. Under Tsai, the team’s investment, visibility, and star power have been among the best in the WNBA. Now’s the time for the winning to follow, and Ionescu will be expected to take on that pressure and make good on the promise of her college superstardom.

Miami isn’t a hidden gem or secret travel hub. It’s one of the best-known, most populous party cities in the United States. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go. Miami is awesome. Go a lot. Go bi-monthly. Move there.

Charly Jordan — DJ, model, and style entrepreneur — is a Miami regular who’s learned the ins and outs of the city’s scene. She’s DJed at Miami’s hottest nightclubs and most exclusive events (including Scott Disick’s “Boat To Basel” party during Art Basel 2021) and had more than enough adventures to call herself a Miami expert. In preparation for her new single, “Innerbloom,” (debuting today, January 28th, on Spotify and Apple Music) Jordan has been playing the city often and cultivating a vibe in the rooms she plays.

“My goal is to influence positive change in the way people perceive mental health and success,” says Jordan. “I believe success is not just being monetarily successful, but living a rich and full life as well while helping others around you. Be the energy that fills a room, not takes away from it.”

The DJ — a longtime friend of Uproxx — certainly brings energy to the room when she hits the stage in Miami. So we asked her to share a guide to the best places to explore and party in from South Beach to the Keys to Wynwood.

WHY MIAMI?

I’ve had the pleasure of playing many shows in Miami over the past year and I’ve really grown to love it. It can be a bit difficult to enter the city if it’s your first time not knowing anybody, but as soon as you find your niche and your crowd there are endless possibilities. I’ve never seen boat life quite as active as I’ve seen in Miami. There are full-blown yacht parties, speed boats, deep-sea fishing, and the late-night boat rides through the Miami River are pretty magical.

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

If you’re a first-time visitor in Miami and you love food, which who doesn’t, Mila is one of the best dinner spots to go to. As well as taking a stroll along ocean drive in South Beach during the day, where you’ll see endless restaurants and stores right next to the white sand beach.

Miami Beach is a classic, but I also love hotel hopping in South Beach and hitting the different restaurants and bars that overlook the water.

Best way to take in the iconic art scene of Miami?

The best way to take in the art scene in Miami is honestly just by paying attention because I feel like the art is everywhere. Obviously, there are more specific areas that are filled with art like Wynwood, where you can hardly turn a corner without seeing graffiti on the wall neighboring a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. But you’ll see sculptures all throughout Miami, even in many of the apartment buildings.

Best nightclub for a late night out in the city?

Since I DJ, I would consider myself a sort of connoisseur of nightclubs, given that I’ve been to so many. You won’t really experience anything better than E11even Miami. One of the only of its kind, a hybrid nightclub and strip club that serves food and also has massive artists perform like Migos, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and many more (including myself lol). I’ve performed at E11even a couple of times, so not only is it one of my favorite clubs to go to but they’ve become a family to me.

Make sure if you go to E11even you order the chicken sandwiches because there’s nothing that beats them.

Coolest hotel or place to stay in Miami?

I like hotels that have a lot of amenities and typically when I go to Miami my personal favorite hotel to stay at is the Mondrian. It has the perfect view of the ocean, it’s in the city, has a perfect assortment of food at their downstairs restaurant, and a great bar as well.

If you’re looking for more of a family resort vibe, Loews Miami Beach Hotel is perfect.

Best time of year to visit Miami?

The best time of year to visit Miami is definitely during the summer, but the weather doesn’t change that much there honestly so it’s pretty much a good time to go year-round. Basically what I’m saying is there’s no excuse to not go to Miami.

Anything else you’d like to add about Miami:

10/10 would recommend taking a boat out into the keys or even to the Bahamas since it’s so close to Miami. There are many sunken ships, planes, and underwater statues with an abundance of wildlife like dolphins, huge schools of various fish, jellyfish, and sharks. Miami’s endless, as long as you know the right people and know where to go. I typically play at E11even Miami and Daer in Fort Lauderdale so if you’re ever out there make sure you catch me at a show or check out my upcoming tour with Cheat Codes.

You can cross the Sacramento Kings off of the list of teams that are trying to bring Ben Simmons on board before the NBA trade deadline. According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Sacramento has made the decision to stop its pursuit of Simmons for now and turn its attention to trying to find a deal elsewhere in the trade market.

The hang up, Wojnarowski reports, is that the Kings simply do not believe that the Sixers have an asking price in a Simmons deal that they can meet.

Sacramento has been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Simmons for some time, with previous reports indicating that the teams held very preliminary talks regarding a move that would send De’Aaron Fox to Philly. That, however, never really got off the ground, and while he recently admitted that he could see a path forward that would involve a deal with the Kings, Sixers executive Daryl Morey made clear that it’s more unlikely than likely that Simmons isn’t moved by the trade deadline on Feb. 10.

Despite this, it does not sound like Sacramento — which sits 18-32, 13th place in the Western Conference, and needs to make up a three-game gap to get the 10-seed and a berth in the play-in tournament — is willing to sit back and roll into the second half of the season with this group. According to Wojnarowski, the team’s front office is “determined to reshape their roster and remain engaged on several other fronts.”

Dry January is almost over. That begs the question: Which cocktail are you going to drink to break the streak? I have an answer: The Amaretto sour. It’s the sweet and nutty, bourbon-filled citrus bomb with a silky mouthfeel that’ll help you ease back into cocktails again (if you’ve actually taken part in Dry January, that is).

Just to be clear, I’m not talking about a low-alcohol cocktail here. The Amaretto sour is a full-on shaker that’s full of almond liqueur and high-proof bourbon. This has a good kick hidden underneath layers of egg white and citrus with a touch of sweetness. All of those layers make this both complex and easy to sip, while still holding onto a wintry vibe (mostly thanks to Amaretto having a marzipan feel to it).

Moreover, perfecting this cocktail will give you a chance to dial in those shaking skills. You’re going to need to give this a dry shake before you add ice. You also need to pour this out well, so that the layer of citrus-infused egg white foam builds on the top of this cocktail. But don’t worry, it’s still fast, fun, and easy to make.

Let’s get shaking!

Also Read: The Top Five Cocktail Recipes of 2021

• The Long Island Iced Tea Is Our Official Cocktail Of Summer 2021 — Here’s A Classic Recipe
• The Whiskey Smash Is A Summertime Dream — Here’s How To Make It
• It’s Time You Learn To Make A Real Old Fashioned — Here’s Our Recipe
• Here’s The Iconic Sazerac Recipe From Mads Mikkelsen’s Oscar-Winning ‘Another Round’
• The Black Manhattan Is Our 2021 Thanksgiving Cocktail, Here’s The Recipe

Amaretto Sour

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Amaretto
• 1 oz. high-proof bourbon
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 barspoon simple syrup
• 1 medium egg white
• Lemon peel
• Amarena cherries
• Ice

There’s no getting around the Amaretto in this cocktail. The Italian liqueur — made from almonds and apricot pits — is readily available in any liquor store, with Disaronno being the most recognizable brand.

As for the high-proof bourbon, I’m using one of my favorite cocktail bases, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (at over 60 percent ABV). This bourbon really stands up well to everything that’s going on in the cocktail from lemon to the almond.

The rest is pretty easily to find at a grocery store. Just make sure your lemons and eggs are fresh.

What You’ll Need:

• Rocks glass
• Cocktail shaker
• Cocktail strainer
• Pairing knife
• Barspoon
• Jigger
• Cocktail stick

Method:

• Fill the rocks glass with ice, set aside.
• Add the Amaretto, bourbon, lemon juice, simple, and egg white to a cocktail shaker. Affix the lid and shake without ice for 15 seconds.
• Pop the lid and add fresh ice to the shaker (filling it about 1/2 way), reaffix the lid, and shake for another 15 seconds or until the shaker is frosted over and ice-cold to touch. Don’t go easy while shaking, you really want to build up that foam.
• Pop the lid and strain the cocktail into the waiting rocks glass with fresh ice. You’ll need to really shake out the foam as you strain. So take your time and make sure you get out as much as you can.
• Peel a thin stripe of lemon peel and twist it over the cocktail, making a twirled pigtail.
• Spear two cherries and garnish the glass with the cherries and lemon peel. Serve.

Bottom Line:

I sighed when I took a sip of this. It’s just great — so refreshing while still having serious depth.

I’m also a sucker for rich and decadent marzipan (Niedderegger is my go-to), so this really hit me in the feels. The bourbon shined through and created a nice whiskey sour base that’s bolstered by the Amaretto’s almond.

The soft silkiness of the egg white is what really helps this cocktail rise to the top, though — it’s like drinking velvet. In fact, I might have to shake up one more of these tonight.

By this time next week, Jackass Forever will finally — FINALLY — be in movie theaters, and all will be right in the world. Well, maybe not “all,” but it’s undeniable that the world is a better place with more Jackass in it. Go ahead, try to deny it. See? You can’t.

Ahead of the release of the fourth film in the Oscar-snubbed series, Johnny Knoxville & Co. sat down with MTV to discuss the classic Jackass stunt, “The Goldfish.” In case you’re unfamiliar, it involves Steve-O swallowing a goldfish and puking it back into a bowl (the little guy survived). Steve-O called it “an idea that I saved for a special occasion. I thought it was going to be a real banger.” He wasn’t wrong: “I’ll never forget after this,” Knoxville said, ‘Well Steve-O, if you’re not already famous, you’re gonna be now.’”

MTV should release All-22 versions of old Jackass episodes. It’s the only way to appreciate the attention to detail that goes into Steve-O vomiting a fish.

Jackass Forever, which stars Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Wee Man, Danger Ehren, and Preston Lacy, as well as newcomers Sean “Poopies” McInerney, Zach Holmes, Eric Manaka, Jasper, and Rachel Wolfson, opens on Feb. 4.