Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Heaven Hill Issued A Statement After People Used Their Whiskey To Celebrate The Rittenhouse Verdict

Last week’s verdict in the Kyle Rittenhosue trial — which saw the Illinois teenager acquitted on all charges connected to the fatal shooting of two protestors (a third was wounded) in Kenosha Wisconsin last summer — continues to reverberate through the country. Reactions to this news have become a sort of litmus test for where people fall across the political spectrum, which has, in turn, led to some truly repugnant behavior.

According to Whiskey Raiders, some on the political right have celebrated the news (remember, two humans were killed), by toasting Heaven Hill’s Rittenhouse rye whiskey. Heaven Hill took to Twitter Sunday morning to distance themselves from the shootings, writing in a short thread:

“We have been disheartened to learn that some individuals and businesses have been using our Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whiskey brand to celebrate the Kyle Rittenhouse case verdict, despite the profound loss of life from those events… It is our strongly held belief that in serious matters such as this, where lives were lost and people deeply affected, there is no cause for celebration, but instead deep reflection on how we can make the world a more peaceful and respectful place for all.”

The Heaven Hill twitter also explained the origins of its name, which was meant as a commemoration of Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse square. Reactions to that tweet were (maddeningly) mixed, with some applauding the brand’s decision and call for peace and others implying that the company should stay out of politics altogether.

It’s hard to fathom how urging us to create a “more peaceful and respectful place for all” feels political, but that is the world we live in, sadly.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

What nobody warns you enough about when it comes to having kids

Parenting is as old as time, but there’s never been a time in history when we’ve talked about it more. If you go into any bookstore, you’ll find shelf after shelf filled with books about how to raise your kids. If you have questions about any element of parenting, there are countless websites and online groups you can consult.

And yet, most of us still go into it unaware of the reality of it, because let’s face it. There’s no way to adequately prepare for parenthood. No matter what you picture it being like going in, parenting will yank that image right out of your head, smash it into the ground, and grind its heel right into the heart of it.

Okay, that’s a bit dramatic. But only a bit. Parenting is the hardest, most rewarding job on earth—a thrill ride that takes you on the highest highs and plunges you to the lowest lows. Up and down you go, over and over again, sometimes squealing with delight, sometimes thinking you might puke, and sometimes screaming “Stop the ride, I wanna get off!”

While it’s not possible to truly prepare, it’s good to hear from experienced parents what you might expect. Every kid, every parent, every family is different, but there are some near-universal things that people really should know going in.

A user on Reddit asked, “What is something nobody warns people about enough when it comes to having kids,” and the answers didn’t disappoint. Here are some highlights:

You have less control over how your kids turn out than you think.

“There’s a very good chance they won’t turn out like you think,” wrote one commenter. That’s not to say that you have no influence whatsoever, but each kid is their own unique person with their own individuality, and they also change as they grow. If you’re too attached to an idea of how they should be, you may not fully appreciate who they are.

“People seem to often forget that they’re raising people,” shared another commenter, “as in, independent-thinking individuals whose actions, values, personalities, interests, and capabilities will potentially be completely unlike yours. I’ve seen a lot of parents struggle hard with that, and frankly, that’s a possibility you should have made your peace with before you became a parent, imo.”

Another person added:

“This is why many parent/child relationships are so strained. Many parents have a child thinking they are programming a perfect human being. Many are disappointed when the child is not the exact person they hoped (or worse, the polar opposite). Perfectly normal children grow into resentful, tired adults because of their parents’ unrealistic expectations that have nothing to do with them.”

The books aren’t all that helpful.

We all want to look to “the experts” when raising our kids, and some things we find in parenting books can be marginally helpful. But they certainly aren’t the be-all-end-all of good parenting.

“The books are fine for ideas, your experience, friends thoughts, paediatricians, therapists,” wrote one commenter. “But at the end of it all you have this complicated little person you’re in charge of with their own preferences, feelings, insecurities, abilities, and you have to do what works for them and your family and, of course, also raise someone who isn’t a blight on humanity or menace to society.”

Another wrote:

“As my mum says: ‘The kid hasn’t read the book.’

“Her parents tried to do everything by the book with her and she hated it. She was supposed to have pigtails, wear dresses, learn piano and not go climb trees and play soccer/football. She saved pocket money to get her hair cut short and her dad almost hit her for it. Did she stop pushing to be herself? Nope. She is a strong woman, but boy, does she have some scars on her soul.

“With her own three kids she watched what interests they developed and then helped them explore it further and to not forget to keep an open mind about other possible hobbies, sports, arts etc. I have no idea how to thank her properly for this.”

It doesn’t go by fast—until suddenly it does.

“The days are loooong and the years are so very short,” wrote one person. It’s true. When you’re in the thick of parenting and someone tells you how fast it goes, you might feel like strangling them. But then you look at your child who has changed so much and it does feel fast in hindsight.

“I’ve heard older people say this or the equivalent all my life,” wrote another. “I always thought I understood. And then I had children. Now I understand. I keep looking at my kids and can’t believe how much time has passed. I’ll look at them doing something new and just be amazed. Seems like yesterday that my youngest couldn’t lift her own head and now she’s doing tuck rolls across the house.”

“This is it!” shared a parent of young adults. “Mine are 18,19 & 20. Empty-nest syndrome is a REAL thing. I always look back and think… How the hell did it go by so quick? I used to roll my eyes at people who would say stuff like this when they had 3 different practices, in 3 different places at the same time. It really goes by so quickly.”

Your time—and sleep—are no longer yours.

When they’re babies, they wake up in the night for all kinds of reasons—to eat, to practice crawling, to say hi, to wail inconsolably for no explicable reason, etc. When they’re older, they wake up because they need to go to the bathroom or a drink of water or they’re scared. Then, when they’re much older, they suddenly stay up late and want to have deep, heart-to-heart talks at 10pm. Most of us expect the baby sleep deprivation stage, but there are sleep disruptions throughout a child’s entire childhood.

“When they grow older, you don’t have a private life anymore,” wrote one commenter. “They stay awake longer than you.”

“Never thought of this. The later part of the evening is my time usually,” someone responded.

“Used to be my time as well,” shared another commenter. “Since becoming a parent, my time is 4-6am. One reason why you start waking up early once you’re older, probably.”

I have a young adult, a teen, and an almost-teen, and I can attest to waking up extra early simply to have uninterrupted time to myself.

You will miss being able to think clearly.

“For me, I stopped having a chance to think anything through without interruption,” wrote a commenter. “I had a very hard time with that. I couldn’t remember anything, couldn’t make decisions, etc because every thought seemed to get interrupted.

“I’d just sit in my car alone sometimes so I could think.”

Ah, the beautiful, quiet solitude of the car. Every mother I know enjoys a good “car bath” once in a while.

“I am so glad somebody said this,” someone responded. “I was starting to worry I was getting early onset dementia, because my mind just feels like mush all the time. I can’t remember things, I start sentences and can’t finish them, I forget common words….my mind rarely gets to switch off because someone is always interacting with me or calling my name.”

Part of the brain mush is because kids need things all the time. And part of it is that you now have an entire other person’s life (multiplied by however many kids you have) to think about. Their health and well-being, their education, their emotional state, their character—It’s a lot. So much more than you can really imagine until you’re in it.

Take advantage of the middle years.

“How important the years between 7 and 12 are for building a bond (one that lasts into the teenage years),” wrote a commenter. “They are so hard to listen to at that age with all the starts and stops in conversation and they talk about the most boring thing’s BUT it is so important to listen and converse at those ages. They will grow into teenagers that will talk to you, and be fun to talk to, but only if you can get through long boring conversations about Minecraft or whatever thing they are currently into.”

Having teens and young adults, I have seen the truth of this advice play out. If you want your teens to talk to you, you have to listen well before they get to that age.

Another user shared what it meant to them when their mother did just that:

“I can remember being about 12 and wanting to share my biggest interest at the time with my mom, that being Bionicle, by reading to her all the books I had been collecting with my allowance. Sometimes she would involuntarily fall asleep, but my God she tried so hard to show an interest. I really didn’t appreciate it at the time, focused on all the times she yawned or fell asleep, but now (16 years later) we both remember it fondly as the bonding time it really was.”

And another shared just the opposite:

“My god, what an amazing mom you have. I vividly remember coming home from school around 12-13 yo, super excited to tell my mom all about my day, and she’s sitting there reading her book, as always. No problem, I’m just telling her my stories while she’s reading. Then that one time, I wondered is she actually listening? So I stopped mid-sentence and she didn’t notice. I remember my heart just sank, and after that I never told her anything ever again. I don’t think she noticed.”

Diapering a doll isn’t going to prepare you for wrangling a baby.

“Practicing diapers on a doll doesn’t count,” wrote one commenter. “You’re ready when you can do it on a cat.”

HA. So true. Others shared their diaper wrangling woes as well:

“My first daughter was patient and would just let us change her. My second daughter wants nothing more than to roll over and crawl away. There’s nowhere for her to go but she wants to go anyway.”

“It’s like, I am physically orders of magnitude stronger than her, how the hell does she still win?”

“My daughter has just perfected the alligator death roll technique when she doesn’t want to be changed or put pants on lmao. And because she’s 2 and a bit she laughs the whole time cause it’s hilarious.”

Don’t even get me started on trying to get an unwilling jellyfish toddler buckled into a carseat.

All parents are winging it.

“I stupidly thought once I had a child I would automatically ‘know’ how to parent,” wrote one commenter. “You’re the same dummy before and after having a child, and you realize how much your parents were winging it.”

“Leaving the hospital with that tiny fragile little being was terrifying,” wrote another. “C-section delivery so they kept us a couple days longer. Lots of help from the amazing maternity ward, to the moment you realize you and your spouse are alone and now solely responsible for keeping this little baby alive.”

“Yeah, it’s like: “We can just leave? WITH the baby? Who approved this?” added another.

“The panicked looks my husband and I exchanged the first time we were left alone with our newborn will live forever in my mind,” wrote yet another.

It really is surreal that you’re just, like, handed a newborn baby and that’s it. A whole life in your hands, and you’re supposed to just figure out what to do with it. Good luck!

The relentlessness is real.

“Nothing prepared me for the sheer ‘unrelentingness’ of parenting,” shared one parent. “Every day for many years has to be finished with a dinner/bath/bed routine that takes two hours, regardless of how tired, upset or unwell you are. Difficult enough if you’ve been at work all day, yes. But also if you’re on holidays and got a little bit sunburnt, or been to a family wedding and overeaten, or spent the day assembling Ikea furniture and are just exhausted.

“As a childless adult you could occasionally say ‘I’m just having takeaway tonight’, and flop in front of the TV until bedtime. As a parent, that’s not an option.”

This is a truth that’s hard to fathom but oh so real. Parenting never ends. You don’t ever really get a break, even when you’re lucky enough to kind of get a break. Your kids’ well-being is always on your mind, even when you’re not with them.

And it doesn’t end at 18, either. Many commenters talked about how parenting is forever. You worry about your adult kids, too, just in a different way than when they were young and you were fully responsible for raising them.

This list might lead people to believe that parenting sucks, but it doesn’t. I mean, sometimes it can, but that’s true of anything in life. If you’re fortunate and put in your best effort, the joy and fulfilment of parenting hopefully outweighs the hard parts. Getting a realistic picture of what it entails—both the delights and the challenges—can help people temper their expectations and take the roller coaster of parenting as it comes.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Travis Scott And Live Nation Are Being Sued By The Family Of A Man Who Died Saving His Fiancee At Astroworld

Another new lawsuit against Travis Scott and Live Nation has emerged in the wake of the tragedy at this year’s Astroworld Festival, this one brought by the family of a man who allegedly died while trying to get his fiancee to safety during the sudden crowd surge during Travis’ closing set on the first night of the festival.

According to The Houston Chronicle, the parents of 27-year-old Mirza Danish Baig tapped Dallas-based law firm, Lyons & Simmons, to sue the festival’s organizers for upwards of $1 million, alleging that Baig was one of the eight people killed at the festival (10 have died in total after another pair of attendees succumbed to injuries sustained during the rush) as he tried to lead his fiance Olivia away from the crushing crowd. However, the two were separated, and he later died from injuries after being trampled by the crowd. Olivia and Baig’s brother Basil were also injured.

According to Simmons, “Each of the responsible parties pushed boundaries of common sense and turned their heads to the dangers, simply for profit. And when it was obvious they had lost complete control of the situation, instead of stopping the show, they made the decision to continue. That disregard resulted in one of the worst mass-casualty events at a concert in history. It’s a total disgrace.”

Scott has been named in over 20 lawsuits — a number that continues to grow — for his role in the crowd surge that caused dozens of people to be crushed, suffocated, or trampled. Ahead of the concert, Travis tweeted encouraging fans to “sneak in,” and previous to it, incidents in which attendees at his other concerts were injured were also attributed to his goading. While Travis has his share of supporters, including Chuck D, who wrote an open letter condemning Travis’ partners in the festival, Live Nation and ScoreMore, with lawsuits ranging all the way up to $750 million have ensured that Astroworld is becoming costlier by the day.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

LeBron James Tried To Get Isaiah Stewart’s Phone Number To Apologize After Their Fracas In Detroit

Sunday night’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons had some unexpected drama when LeBron James caught Isaiah Stewart with a stray hand during a box out that led to the second-year big man getting cut open above the eye. Stewart, furious about what happened, kept trying to get into it with James and other members of the Lakers, including Russell Westbrook.

Eventually, James and Stewart were tossed from the game, while Westbrook got a technical foul for reasons he still does not understand. It caused quite the stir, but it’s still not exactly clear if James intentionally swiped at Stewart or not. He’s not the kind of guy who has a history for doing this, but Stewart very obviously thought something happened here that was dirty.

One day later and Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that James wanted to clear the air after the game. While appearing on Pat McAfee’s radio show, Charania said that James tried to get Stewart’s number after the game so they could talk through things and he could apologize.

“You could tell, right after the play happened, it looked inadvertent,” Charania said. “And I’m told LeBron James had made clear, whether it was on the court or postgame, that was an inadvertent hit to Isaiah Stewart, that he didn’t mean to do that, it was not intentional. But as soon as it happened, you could see him kind of say, ‘Listen, I’m sorry, man.’

“I’m told LeBron James did try to track down Isaiah Stewart’s number postgame to apologize to Stewart again and let him know it was an inadvertent hit to his face,” Charania later said.

There’s no word on whether or not James was able to get in touch with Stewart. As of his writing, the NBA has yet to hand down any fines or suspensions for the incident.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

The Royal Family Is Raging With British Fury Over A New BBC Documentary About Harry And William

The Royal Family is reportedly spitting mad at the BBC for refusing to let them see a new documentary on Prince Harry and Prince William before it airs. Titled, The Princes and the Press, the documentary explores Harry and Williams’ relationship with the press, most notably accusations that the two planted “smears” against each other through their advisors. While things have obviously been strained between the brothers after Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah, revealing their clandestine press wars probably won’t help the situation.

According to a senior source, the Royal Family has condemned the documentary as “tittle tattle,” which we’re guessing is British for “not cool.” (Don’t quote us on that.) In fact, the monarchs are so perturbed that they weren’t given a chance to respond in advance that they’re now threatening the BBC with a family-wide boycott if the documentary isn’t edited to their liking. Via The Daily Mail:

It is understood that unless Monday’s documentary removes these allegations, the three households have threatened to withdraw co-operation for future BBC projects such as interviews or documentaries. Such a move would mark the end of a long relationship between the Royal Family and the BBC, which screened a tribute to the late Prince Philip this year and broadcast Earthshot, a five-part series about climate change which was presented by Prince William.

In a statement, the BBC defended its reporting and showed no signs of making the adjustments requested by the Royal Family. According to British law, this now means Prince Charles may hurl one Wonka bar in the BBC’s general direction, or two Everlasting Gobstobbers at medium velocity. (Maybe don’t quote us on that either.)

(Via Daily Mail)

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

What’s On Tonight: ‘Kamikaze’ Tackles All Of Life’s Questions On HBO Max

Kamikaze: Season 1 (HBO Max series) This Polish show might not be on your radar yet, but it arrives with a riveting premise: what happens to one’s identity when everything that matters in your life disappears in one panicked heartbeat? Marie Reuther portrays a young woman who gets a terrible text message — her entire family is about to go down in a plane crash — that changes everything. She’s alone and picking up the pieces, and this feels very much like Morvern Callar but with a contemporary spin. Yes, expect tragedy here, but you also won’t be able to look away from where this protagonist goes.

Ordinary Joe (NBC, 10:00pm) — James Wolk’s still playing three Joes as they endure three different Thanksgiving dinners. Cop Joe’s on the defense, Music Joe’s feeling betrayed, and Nurse Joe admits that he needs help.

All-American (CW, 8:00pm) — Spencer must develop a contingency plan, Layla extends an offer to Patience, and Coop has a difficult realization, all while Olivia considers a new role.

4400 (CW, 9:00pm) — Keisha learns new details about her sister’s death. Meanwhile, Shanice and Andre head out yonder for a day while another pair of friends grows much closer.

We’re Here (HBO, 9:00pm) — The Queens travel to Kona, Hawaii to help make more vibrant stage dreams come true.

Wakefield (Showtime, 9:00pm) — Genevieve cannot remember her wedding day, which horrifies Raff while Linda’s bullying behavior results in a confrontation from Colette.

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Jeremy Renner, Kristin Chenoweth, Jenny Lewis

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Michael Che, Rep. Adam Schiff, Jon Epcar

The Late Late Show With James Corden — Adrien Brody, Zazie Beetz, Little Simz

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

The Musical-Comedy Series ‘We Are Lady Parts’ Has Been Renewed For Season 2 At Peacock

While they might have a hard time securing shows in London, looks like the four-part Muslim punk band Lady Parts has a pretty steady gig on NBCUniversal streaming service Peacock. Earlier today, Peacock announced the comedy-musical series We Are Lady Parts has officially been renewed for its second season, which is slated to hit the streamer sometime next year, according to Variety. The big news comes on the same day the show’s creator, Nida Manzoor, is set to receive the 2021 Rose d’Or Emerging Talent Award for her work on the show, making it a pretty momentous day for the British television writer.

“I feel so incredibly lucky and excited to have the opportunity to make a second series of We Are Lady Parts. I can’t wait to delve back into the world of the band and go deeper into their lives. Expect more high jinks, more music, and more flights of fancy.”

First premiering earlier this year, We Are Lady Parts follows the fictitious punk band Lady Parts as they navigate relationships, identity, cultural differences, and the London music scene. Anjana Vasan shines as lead character Amina Hussain, a geeky college student who becomes the band’s unlikely lead guitarist and ultimately forms close friendships with fellow, eccentric bandmates Saira (Sarah Kameela Impey), Ayesha (Juliette Motamed), and Bisma (Faith Omole). The series received two Emmy nominations for its first season, including breakthrough short format series and outstanding performance in a new series for Anjana Vasan, and has been widely praised by critics. NBCUniversal scripted content president Lisa Katz said the service is “incredibly proud” to host the “fan-favorite” series that is driven by “boundary-pushing comedy.”

We Are Lady Parts exploded onto our screens and into our hearts with irreverent humor, original storytelling and boundary-pushing comedy. We’re incredibly proud that this fan-favorite series was heralded as groundbreaking for Muslim representation on TV and can’t wait to continue on this journey with visionary creator Nida Manzoor and this beloved ensemble.”

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Khalid Reveals The Release Date For His New Album, ‘Scenic Drive’

It has been well over two years since the last full-length solo release from El Paso, Texas singer Khalid Robinson, who last dropped an album, Free Spirit, in April of 2019. Understandably, the former teen star’s fans have been anxious for any new information on his forthcoming third album — information that he’s been reluctant to supply. Despite previously calling finishing the album “overwhelming” and saying he was losing passion for it, today, he finally shared all the information his fans could want on a new project, including the project’s title, tracklist, and most importantly, its release date.

The new project will be titled Scenic Drive and it will drop on December 3. Consisting of nine all-new tracks, the album will feature guest appearances from Alicia Keys (with whom Khalid previously collaborated on “So Done” from her 2020 album ALICIA), 6lack and Lucky Daye (on the song “Retrograde”), LA-based singer Quin (who has collaborated with and dates 6lack), Dreamville rapper JID, blooming R&B singer Kiana Lede, OVO dance-pop duo Majid Jordan, and rapper/singer combo Ari Lennox and Smino (on the album’s title track).

“Been waiting for this one and I can’t wait for you guys to hear it,” he wrote in a tweet announcing the new project. While his tweet didn’t cover whether this would be the same project as the previously announced Everything Is Changing, I’m sure fans are more than happy just to be getting a new project at all, whether it’s been renamed or this is just a side project to hold them over. Naturally, the announcement caused quite the stir on Twitter as fans marked their calendars, set their alarm clocks, and prepared to take this long-awaited Scenic Drive.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

NFL Fans Are Convinced Taysom Hill’s Big Contract Extension Is A Money Laundering Scheme

Taysom Hill is 31 years old and has been the New Orleans Saints tight end, H-back, quarterback combo for the past five seasons. He has 1,291 combined rushing and receiving yards in that span, with seven touchdowns, and is 101-of-142 as a passer for 1,103 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions as a passer.

There is some value to what Taysom Hill brings to the Saints team, but the strange obsession Sean Payton and the Saints have with trying to make him a thing baffles most NFL viewers — and many Saints fans. They also keep handing Hill contracts that pay him, potentially, like a quarterback despite him not having ever won the starting QB job despite this offseason his top competition being Jameis Winston, who is certainly a talented QB but even the most ardent Winston supporters would have him in the league average starter realm.

So, when Adam Schefter brought word of a new contract extension for Hill in New Orleans that includes a weird “hybrid” model that could pay him more if he plays QB, everyone was stunned this was happening again.

The real answer involves some cap gymnastics and paying him out at a base of $10 million a year, with just that $22.5 guaranteed, which isn’t horrible, but still eyebrow raising.

Still, that didn’t stop fans and media from having plenty of jokes about the Saints handing Hill yet another potentially huge contract, despite him quite clearly not being the answer at quarterback. A popular theory among fans is that Hill is, in fact, a money laundering scheme for the Saints that will one day come to light.

Others are just baffled that we are still doing this with Hill, despite Trevor Siemian starting over him recently — which has been, in part, due to Hill coming back from another concussion, which he has suffered a few times in his career.

Categories
News Trending Viral Worldwide

Ridley Scott Blames The Dang Millennials For ‘The Last Duel’ Bombing At The Box Office

After going four years without making a movie (I’d need a break after working with Kevin Spacey, too), director Ridley Scott returned in a big way in 2021. House of Gucci is one of the most anticipated dramas of the fall with a fantastic cast led by Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, and Jared Leto in clown makeup for the second time, while The Last Duel had all the makings of a Gladiator-sized hit. Unfortunately for Scott — and fans of R-rated dramas — the film bombed at the box office, earning a meager $27.5 million on a $100 million budget. What the heck happened? Was it because of Ben Affleck’s hair? Not exactly.

“I think what it boils down to — what we’ve got today [are] the audiences who were brought up on these f-cking cell phones. The millennian, [who] do not ever want to be taught anything unless you told it on the cell phone,” Scott said on the latest episode of Marc Maron’s podcast, WTF with Marc Maron. He added, “This is a broad stroke, but I think we’re dealing with it right now with Facebook. This is a misdirection that has happened where it’s given the wrong kind of confidence to this latest generation, I think.”

Normally I would roll my eyes at an 83-year-old guy going off about Facebook and “the millennian” (I assume he means “millennial”?) and not attributing the low box office to the film’s older demographic maybe not wanting to go to the theater during a pandemic. But Scott made Alien AND Blade Runner AND Thelma & Louise, so you won’t hear a peep from me. Also, The Last Duel is a good movie; it’ll find its audience on streaming.

As for Gucci, it’s expected to open around $17 million, which is more than The Last Duel made during its entire run in the United States. The power of Gaga.

(Via the Hollywood Reporter)