Category: News

Unlike the perfect couple Phyllis and Bob, Jim and Pam’s relationship had its share of ups and downs over nine seasons of The Office. But it was never tested more than in season eight with the introduction of Cathy. She filled in as the office administrator while Pam was away on maternity leave — and like Pam, she had the hots for Jim. Unlike Pam, however, she had no shot. Not after John Krasinski said no to a make-out scene.

“That’s the only time I remember putting my foot down,” Krasinski writes in the new book, Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office. “I remember saying things that I never thought I’d say before, like, I’m not going to shoot it.”

He continued:

“My feeling is there is a threshold with which you can push our audience. They are so dedicated. We have shown such great respect to them. But there’s a moment where if you push them too far, they’ll never come back. And I think that if you show Jim cheating, they’ll never come back.”

The kiss between Jim and Cathy would have happened while they were on a work trip in Florida, but creator Greg Daniels was convinced by Krasinski’s appeal and cut it. He still defends the idea, however. “I feel like that kind of worry was good in terms of the fans’ engagement. I think they knew what was coming. They were very comfortable with the show they were getting, and I needed to worry them that maybe I was going to give them a bad ending so they were happy when they got a good ending,” he contends.

As for Lindsey Broad, who played Cathy, she would appreciate it if “fans” of The Office stopped harassing her. “If anyone is wondering what it was like to be on The Office, the best comedy of this century: I just posted something on Instagram about how my dog was murdered and a bunch of people were like ‘F*ck you, Cathy, she deserved it!’ So. There ya go!” she tweeted last year. Everyone on social media needs to chill out.

(Via the New York Post)

This month is a big one when it comes to the release of new music from today’s top stars. The smash-hit duo of Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars, Silk Sonic, shared their debut album. On the same day, Taylor Swift graced fans with the rerecorded version of her classic LP Red. Though Silk Sonic had one of their singles previously top the charts, Swift’s new album seems to have wildly out-performed Silk Sonic’s when it came to first-week album sales, leaving .Paak with a few regrets.

A few days after the release of his collaborative LP An Evening With Silk Sonic, .Paak shared a screenshot of the projected numbers for this week’s Billboard 200 albums chart. It show Swift’s music at No. 1, having nearly five times the amount of streams as Silk Sonic at No. 2. As a result of the numbers, .Paak joked that he wishes he formed Silk Sonic with Swift rather than Mars.

“Looks like I linked up with the wrong pop star,” he wrote. “Hey @taylorswift13 is your number still the same!? Lmk if you need help with 1989, I’m available! #ShakeItOff”

Despite the joke at Mars’ expense, .Paak has said he really does admire working with the singer. .Paak recently commended Mars as “one of the greatest vocalists” he’s ever worked with, going on to say that Mars has been able to push him “to a different level.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Brooklyn Nets were throttled at home by the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night thanks to a monster performance by Steph Curry, who played so well that the crowd at Barclays Center showered him with MVP chants. While the loss knocked the Nets to 10-5 on the season, the team is still in third place in the Eastern Conference and one game out of first place.

Despite this, Stephen A. Smith thinks the loss is a sign of a much bigger issue in Brooklyn, and on Wednesday’s edition of First Take, he expressed his belief that Kevin Durant should have never joined the franchise in the first place.

Much of Smith’s argument revolves around Durant having “no help” despite his two superstar teammates — James Harden, he claims, “ain’t James Harden right now, averaging 19 points a game. You sittin’ there, struggling from the field, you had 24 points last night, it’s the most meaningless 24 points that I’ve ever seen from the career of James Harden.” He then turned his ire to Kyrie Irving, who has yet to play in a game this season due to his decision to not get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“KD, you made the wrong decision, bro, and here’s why: Because you trusted Kyrie,” Smith said. “Kyrie Irving betrayed you, flat out betrayed you, left you hanging. And why you’re sittin’ up there, gettin’ your ass kicked last night — Steph Curry’s sittin’ there, shimmyin’ and jokin’ around, they were cheering for Steph Curry in Brooklyn from opening tap. They were chanting ‘MVP’ in the Barclays Center, and it wasn’t for the dude averaging 28.9 points per game for the Brooklyn Nets. It was for Steph Curry.

“And then you juxtapose Steph Curry, compared to Kyrie Irving, and what do you have?” Smith continued. “You got Kyrie Irving, who is a showstopper, Kyrie Irving, who is a superstar talent, he is box office, and can’t be trusted. I actually hope Kyrie Irving gets cut, I mean, this is a disgrace. To sit up there and watch this team last night look like straight garbage, and every respectable team that you go against — you lost to Chicago by double-digits, you got spanked last night by Golden State by double-digits, you lost to the Charlotte Hornets by double-digits, you got spanked on opening night by double-digits against Milwaukee — every respectable team you go up against, waxes y’all behind. And why? Because KD don’t have not help. You’re left there all alone, you ain’t got a culture, you don’t even got a damn fanbase.”

Smith went on to say that he was showing more passion by being disappointed than anyone who attends a game at Barclays Center has for the Nets before turning his attention back to Irving, claiming that while it can be denied by anyone, he knows what sequence of events led to Durant ending up in Brooklyn.

“KD and Kyrie were going to the Knicks, they were going to the Garden,” Smith said. “Kyrie steps in and Kyrie said, ‘To hell with all of that, let’s establish our own culture, let’s go to Brooklyn, don’t feed off of their brand, their culture, let’s build our own culture.’ KD said, ‘Yo, I wanna go with Kyrie.’ But even in the wee hours, Kyrie and KD wasn’t talking, because Kyrie was all over the place. And DeAndre Jordan had to get on a phone call, five in the morning, to get them brothers together, so you could do this and come to Brooklyn. That is why KD is in Brooklyn. Only to be here and watch this dude, this sad excuse for a professional — I ain’t sayin’ he ain’t a superstar, I didn’t say he’s not box office. As a talent, I think Kyrie Irving deserves $50 million a year. I don’t think that man should ever get another long-term contract in his career, cause he can’t be trusted.”

Smith closed by saying the fans in Brooklyn do not appreciate and value Durant nearly enough, that he thinks Steve Nash is not quite up for being the coach of a team right now, and that he has no plans of returning to Barclays Center unless ESPN makes him. It is worth mentioning that Smith and Durant have butted heads a number of times in the past, and that he does not seem to think that Durant just likes being in Brooklyn regardless of what’s going on with Irving. The Nets will get the chance to bounce back on Wednesday night during a home tilt against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Two years since the release of Pretty Buff charted a new path for Baltimore hardcore-turned-folk-punk rockers Angel Du$t, they’re officially back with a new collection of songs that show how they are able to find the middle ground between their past and future. Yak: A Collection Of Truck Songs is twelve tracks that show Angel Du$t’s full spectrum of strengths, from introspective acoustic tracks to driving power pop numbers. While it seems on the surface that they’ve left their hardcore past behind them, there are sometimes explosions of aggression on this record that remind us just where Angel Du$t came from.

To celebrate the new album, frontman Justice Tripp sat down to talk Key & Peele, Turnstile, and Los Angeles in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.

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

Spin kick acoustic guitar.

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?

There used to be a popular google search of “Justice Tripp gay?” I hope people are still googling that in 2050 still.

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

Los Angeles. Sorry to every other city, I fuck with you too.

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

Lou Reed because he can’t sing either, but yes he can and you love it.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

🙁

What album do you know every word to?

ODB’s Return to the 36 Chambers. Except the n words. I don’t know those.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Turnstile.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

Barbecue-stained white t shirt, because a heart don’t forget something like that.

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

Jake Krantz. If you are reading this Jake please use me in one of your viral hilarious videos.

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

Straight up it’s “Garden Grove” by Sublime. It’s polarizing and I have to weed out the weak.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

“Baltimore to Asheville”

What album makes for the perfect gift?

Iggy Pop – Lust for Life. Everyone should own a copy.

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

We actually withdrew, but we almost stayed in a garage with a pit bull that lived in the wall.

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

First tat was on my 17th birthday. Skull knife. My mom signed for it because I got good grades that time.

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

Turnstile.

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

Have sex.

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

“Tell that little crazy man to chill the fuck out.”

What’s the last show you went to?

Section H8, Alpha and Omega, Dead City. Legendary under the bridge – bonfire – swat team – apocalyptic – scary show.

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

Key and Peele. I am down.

What would you cook if Obama were coming to your house for dinner?

I would order wing stop and throw it in the air fryer for a few; Then pretend I made them myself.

Yak: A Collection Of Truck Songs is out now on Roadrunner Records. Listen here.

Angel Du$t is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

With Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond officially at an end, there’s been no shortage of potential actors tossed around as potential successors for the classic 007 role: Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and Regé-Jean Page who rocketed to the top of bookies lists after becoming the smoldering heartthrob of the moment thanks to Bridgerton. But, now, a new contender wants to throw his hat in the ring for a very different take on Bond: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

While promoting his latest spy film, Red Notice, The Rock opened up to Esquire about his ambitions to take on the classic role and his surprising familial connection to the beloved British franchise. Via NME:

“Yes, my grandfather was a Bond villain in You Only Live Twice with Sean Connery. Very, very cool,” he began.

“I would like to follow in his footsteps and be the next Bond. I don’t want to be a villain. Gotta be Bond.”

Of course, The Rock is going to have compete with top talent vying to be the next Bond. It was recently revealed that Spider-Man star Tom Holland has been having big Bond dreams. Granted, he’s British, the Peter Parker actor might still be a little too young to play the distinguished spy. And then there’s Henry Cavill. The Witcher and Man of Steel recently confirmed that he is open to having a discussion with producers about taking a crack at Bond.

Interestingly, in the same Esquire video where The Rock opened up about his Bond ambitions, he also revealed that he is doing everything in his power to get Cavill back as Superman so he can pit the Man of Steel against Black Adam. Although, naturally, The Rock already knows who will win.

“Black Adam could kick the sh*t out of Superman,” The Rock proudly boasted about a showdown with his (maybe) James Bond competitor.

(Via Esquire)

Donald Trump is just as good at taking jokes as he is at making them—in other words: not good at all. Though he happily accepted the opportunity to be roasted by the likes of Jersey Shore’s “The Situation” for Comedy Central in early 2011, provided no one insinuated that he wasn’t as rich as he claimed to be (yes, really), he wasn’t as game to be the butt of anyone’s joke just a few months later, when he and Melania attended the White House Correspondents Dinner.

If you don’t remember the details, here’s what happened: Then-president Barack Obama got up to deliver a speech, as sitting presidents (with the exception of Trump) usually do, and proceeded to take aim directly at Trump and the infamous “birther” conspiracy he invented. Trump sat there stone-faced, looking highly unamused.

If it looked like Trump was shooting daggers with his sullen eyes, that’s because he was absolutely pissed, according to Insider. In his new book, Republican Rescue: Saving the Party from Truth Deniers, Conspiracy Theorists, and the Dangerous Policies of Joe Biden, former New Jersey governor and meatloaf enthusiast Chris Christie, who was at the dinner that night, says that Trump was “beside himself with fury.” He goes on to describe the situation:

“It was fascinating and excruciating all at once. [Obama] never turned his eyes away from the man who’d been questioning his right to be president. He showed no mercy on Donald Trump.”

When Christie spoke with Trump later in the evening, “He was pissed off like I’d never seen him before. Just beside himself with fury.” Which might explain why Trump opted out of attending any of these dinners when he was actually president.

(Via Insider)

Once it was deemed safe for live music and touring to return once again earlier this year, musicians of all genres scrambled to reschedule their previously postponed tour dates. Pearl Jam were no exception. Their massive 2020 Gigaton tour was canceled well over a year-and-a-half ago, but the band now has some good news for fans who long to see them play live: Pearl Jam’s Gigaton tour is set to return in 2022.

The band shared the official announcement on social media, saying they are set to hit the road next spring but are waiting to unveil specific dates until next year. Pearl Jam thanked fans for their “patience and flexibility” while noting that the entire band has been itching to hit the road once again for nearly two years:

“Thank you, Pearl Jam fans, for your patience and flexibility as we have waited to reschedule the band’s postponed 2020 North American tour.

We are confirming that the previously scheduled shows in North America will start in May 2022. We are working to finalize the details of the new tour schedule and will announce the dates early next year.

For nearly two years, the band has wanted nothing more than to play their new music live for you. The whole Pearl Jam team shares your excitement for us all to be safely on the road again together.”

See Pearl Jam’s tour announcement above and revisit Uproxx’s review of the band’s live performance here.

House of Gucci, the supremely gaudy movie of your dreams (assuming your dreams involve Jeremy Irons looking dapper, like mine do), is almost here. The Ridley Scott-directed film comes out on November 24, just in time to be able to discuss Lady Gaga and “pensive bison” Adam Driver’s sex scene with the family on Thanksgiving.

“We blocked it out as we would any fight or any scene, then we just kind of ran it maybe once or twice, and that was it,” Driver told Entertainment Weekly. “We were feeling it, so to speak! Everything I say sounds like a double entendre, but we winged it. I will say also, at that point, we had been shooting for a month, so we felt very comfortable to go where we needed to go.” That ease around each other explains the animal-life noises.

Over the weekend, Gaga and Driver appeared on The Graham Norton Show, where host Graham Norton praised them for being in “one of the best sex scenes I’ve seen in forever.” This compliment prompted a fist bump between the two Oscar nominees.

House of Gucci also stars Jared Leto, Salma Hayek, and Al Pacino, who was rudely asked to take his sunglasses off at the New York premiere on Tuesday. Gaga’s reaction: “Don’t make him take his glasses off, he’s AL PACINO.” She makes a good point.

Ozark recently teased the supersized, two-part, final season for Jason Bateman’s Marty Byrde, and his long-suffering family, including Wendy, played by Laura Linney. That went down in some teaser footage that showed what happened after the blood-spattered tarmac happenings. Viewers know that Marty and Wendy were received with opened arms (for a new life in Mexico?) while the footage recalled Navarro’s “today is a beginning” from the Season 3 finale after Helen took a gunshot to the head. In other words, Marty Byrde’s still lacking as much control of the situation as usual.

Well, we’ve got a longer teaser video (ahead of Season 4), and it mostly promises that Marty cannot outrun his money-laundering past, and he’s still up sh*t creek, and essentially, there’s no footage here. Instead, the show puts us in rewind mode to relive the past three seasons’ biggest violent fiascos, and Netflix revealed in the logline that Helen is indeed gone, and Marty’s here to “climb to the top of Navarro’s empire.” Despite getting out of the Ozarks, they’ll find that “some past sins won’t stay buried and the most dangerous threats come from blood.”

Hmm, ominous. Netflix revealed, as well, that Julia Garner is definitely back as Ruth Langmore, so expect her F-bombs to go into higher gear. I guess Ruth is still stuck at home? No clues there, but here’s Netflix’s summary of new characters:

“Javi Elizonndro” (played by ALFONSO HERRERA) – Navarro’s nephew is tired of playing the obedient lieutenant and looks to seize power for himself.

“Mel Sattem” (played by ADAM ROTHENBERG) – A disgraced ex-cop turned P.I. arrives to get Helen’s signature on her divorce papers and stumbles into the Byrdes’ dirty laundry. The more they lie, the more he digs.

“Clare Shaw” (played by KATRINA LENK) – CEO of a leading biopharmaceutical company makes a deal with the Byrdes and learns the true cost of power.

A biopharmaceutical CEO, really? Man, Marty is really screwed now. The season will contain 14 episodes, which will launch in two seven-part halves, and I’m still pretending that we’re getting five seasons.

Ozark will return on January 21, 2022.