Category: News

Analogies can be a useful tool when attempting to help someone understand a situation or scenario they have little to no personal experience with and have trouble relating to. They can also be wildly misguided. On Monday, conservative radio talk show host and co-founder of PragerU Dennis Prager made a statement that fell firmly into the latter category with a violent thud.

As the Daily Beast reports, Prager was being interviewed on Newsmax on Monday when he began speaking about the state of America, and the way history will look back upon this time. “If we survive this as a free country,” Prager said, “historians will just ask: How did this happen? How did people get governed by irrational fears?’”

You might think you know where Prager is going with this, but no—it got much, much worse.

By “irrational fears,” Prager was referring to the discomfort vaccinated individuals often have when faced with an unvaccinated person. To Prager, the unvaccinated have become “the pariahs of America as I have not seen in my lifetime… During the AIDS crisis, can you imagine if gay men and intravenous drug users, who… were the vast majority of people with AIDS… had they been pariahs the way the non-vaccinated are? It would have been inconceivable. And it should have been inconceivable! They should not have been made pariahs. But this is kosher. This is ok… So it’s a different America.”

Ummm… what America was Prager living in during the AIDS crisis? You know, the one that started out with the virus being referred to as a “gay disease” or “gay cancer.” Despite the overwhelming number of people who became sick or died from HIV/AIDS, it took years for the CDC to even acknowledge that it was a problem. Meanwhile, the stigma of being diagnosed with HIV often led to people being totally ostracized: people lost their jobs, their homes, and their families. Ryan White, a teenage hemophiliac who contracted the virus through a blood transfusion, was famously banned from his own school as the administration didn’t want to deal with him.

The big difference? Had there been a vaccine that would greatly decrease the chances of these same people contracting the virus, or becoming fatally ill if they did get it, most of them surely would have taken it. So where was Prager when all this was happening? According to Daily Beast’s AJ McDougall: “Prager, who would have been in his thirties during the height of the AIDS crisis, apparently went the length of the decade without witnessing the endemic fear, ostracizing, and mistreatment of AIDS sufferers by wider society.”

(Via Daily Beast)

The final moments of the first Karate Kid movie transformed two lives forever when Daniel LaRusso pulled off the Miyagi-taught crane kick on Johnny Lawrence. That’s when Daniel ascended to franchise hero at the All Valley Karate Tournament, and Johnny got pushed down into the gutter by his sensei, and arguably life, forever. In the moments immediately thereafter, Johnny admitted, “You’re alright, LaRusso!” Cobra Kai has yet to follow up on how those words fell by the wayside (although I did dig some insight out of Ralph Macchio ahead of Season 3).

Then there’s the question of that crane kick, and whether it should have been allowed to stand. In the decades since that movie has passed, fans have wondered if that kick was actually illegal and, if so, that means that Daniel could be a kind-of villain. People take this very seriously, too, so much so that there’s an oral history of that crane kick. It’s awesome, really, that the moment inspires so much debate, all these years later, but consider this: What if Johnny Lawrence decided to do the crane kick in Cobra Kai.

Chaos, sweet chaos, will reign. Well, it is truly Johnny’s turn to do the move, and co-showrunner tweeted the Season 4 photos to prove it.

Hell yeah. To further hit that point home, Macchio previously told us that the crane kick kick was such a big hit at an early screening that “a majority of the audience — whether they were 10 or 62 years old — they were out on the sidewalk doing the crane pose to each other.” And now, Johnny has that power, so good on him.

Most notable as the frontman of Blood Orange, Devonté Hynes has also built an impressive resume as a composer of film scores. Hynes’ film score credits include Melina Matsoukas’ Queen & Slim in 2019, Gia Coppola’s Palo Alto (2013) and Mainstream (2020), Luca Guadagnino’s We Are Who We Are (2020), and most recently for actress Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut in the Harlem renaissance drama, Passing, which comes out on Netflix tomorrow.

Hynes has just shared “Passing,” the title track to the film, a somber trumpet-laden number with a hushed piano in the background. He certainly has a penchant for setting the mood musically for dramas and you can almost feel the imagery of the cold Autumn streets that Tessa Thompson’s main character traverses in the film’s scenes. Hynes also recently scored the HBO series In Treatment this year and his music showed a distinct ability to heighten the emotion of serious interactions between characters. It’s brilliant in and of itself, but it lets the picture shine above all else.

As for Passing, it’s based on a 1929 novel by author Nella Larsen, and tells the story of a 1920s Black woman (Thompson) who re-connects with an old friend (played by Oscar nominee Ruth Negga) who is living her life passing as a white woman during the Harlem Renaissance. Watch the trailer for it below and listen to “Passing” by Devonté Hynes above.

While Demi Lovato has brought joy to fans for years through their music, the artist is now making this a bit more, well, intimate. Following Gwyneth Paltrow releasing her own line of sex toys through her lifestyle brand Goop, Lovato has partnered with sex toy retailer Bellesa to launch their own discreet device: the Demi Wand.

According to its listing (via Rolling Stone), the Demi Wand is a compact 5.5-inch device that works “for all body types” and offers the user “whisper quiet” yet intense vibrations in eight speeds. The toy comes in two colors — beige and bright, buttery yellow — and is made of “silky-smooth” silicone that’s non-porous, body-safe, and fully water-resistant, making it easy for cleaning as well as bath time fun. Last but certainly not least, the vibrator also comes with a clam-shell carrying case that charges the device when not in use, similar to AirPods. Honestly, this might just be the device’s biggest selling point, as it makes it a real must-buy for folks who never seem to have any batteries lying around or, much like myself, can’t even be bothered to charge their phone half the time. The Demi Wand is available exclusively through Bellesa Boutique and retails for $79.

According to Lovato, this venture is part of their greater mission to reduce the stigma surrounding sex toys, as well as make them more inclusive and gender-neutral. In their press release for the toy, Lovato said:

“There is nothing more empowering than taking your pleasure into your own hands. We have spent far too long pretending we are not sexual beings – it’s time for us to put this stigma to rest. We are all deserving of pleasure. We are all deserving of orgasms.”

Lovato also shared the news on their Instagram, writing in the caption they “wanted to create my own sex toy to take the stigma away from pleasure, and to take your sexual relationship to the next level.”

In addition to Lovato, the partnership is also a massive milestone for Bellesa. Founded in 2017, Bellesa got its start by creating by-women, for-women pornography, and used its success in that industry to help launch Bellesa Boutique, an online storefront specializing in sex toys and sex-positive merchandise. Bellesa CEO Michelle Shnaidman gushed about Lovato and the collaboration, calling the musician “someone who is fiercely and unapologetically themself” and ultimately embodies “the Bellesa brand.”

“Demi is someone who is fiercely and unapologetically themself. This is the embodiment of the Bellesa brand .. We set out to design a product that is empowering, inclusive and approachable, in the way that Demi is. We achieved that, together, with The Demi Wand. It is a truly brilliant pleasure product that we are proud to introduce.”

Former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany and former Senior Advisor Stephen Miller have just become the latest Trump administration stooges to get slapped with subpoenas by the January 6 committee. In late October, both their names came up in a trove of documents on the insurrectionist attack that Trump is trying to prevent the National Archives from releasing, so the two of them being dragged before Congress is not a total surprise. However, it should be a worrying development for others in Trump’s orbit during his disastrous “Stop the Steal” really that resulted in the U.S. Capitol being attacked by MAGA rioters. Via Mediaite:

McEnany has been subpoenaed for her very public comments pushing false claims of election fraud (including some absolute mathematical nonsense) and for allegedly being with Trump as the Capitol riots unfolded.

Miller was similarly subpoenaed for his public comments stirring up election lies.

According to the New York Times, the documents Trump is attempting to assert executive privilege over reportedly contain “proposed talking points” for McEnany from the day of the January 6 attack. As for Miller, he is referenced in 46 of the 770 pages that Trump wishes to block. However, President Joe Biden has already declared that Trump’s executive privilege ended when he left office, which naturally, triggered a court battle over the documents being released.

(Via Mediaite)

The National Rifle Association (or the NRA) is probably the most powerful political lobbyist organization on Capitol Hill. The group has dug in on their Second Amendment agenda in recent years and funded millions of dollars to various members of Congress to get their legislation passed. They’ve got a large, loyal, uber-conservative fanbase behind them too, one that’s so loyal in fact that top NRA executives don’t mind trashing them as “hillbillies” and “fruitcakes” in private meetings. (Because really, what are they going to do? Stop owning guns?)

A recently unearthed recording of a secret meeting between high-level NRA members following the Columbine shooting in 1999 paints a pretty grim picture of the group that claims to be representing everyday Americans invested in protecting their Constitutionally-given rights. The closed-door meeting happened soon after the mass school shooting left 13 dead and dozens more injured, and was recorded by a participant who asked to remain anonymous when giving NPR access to the tapes. NPR published parts of transcripts taken from the 2.5 hours worth of recordings today and those documents contain some damning insight into the organization, including how higher-ups within the group view their most outspoken supporters.

As the group, which consisted of NRA chief Wayne LaPierre, NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer, PR consultant Tony Makris, among others, debated on whether to hold a planned convention in Denver just days after the shooting, a handful of members questioned whether doing so would invite the more fringe guns-rights activists to stir up trouble for them.

“The people you are most likely to get in that member meeting without an exhibit hall are the nuts,” LaPierre says of the planned exhibit set-up before Makris quickly chimes in, “I agree. The fruitcakes are going to show up.”

Hammer can be heard backing both men saying, “You’re going to have the wackos … with all kinds of crazy resolutions, with all kinds of, of dressing like a bunch of hillbillies and idiots. And, and it’s gonna, it’s gonna be the worst thing you can imagine.”

NPR reached out to the NRA for comment after verifying the recordings and their courses to which the gun group responded like this:

“It is disappointing that anyone would promote an editorial agenda against the NRA by using shadowy sources and ‘mystery tapes’ in order to conjure up the tragic events of over 20 years ago.”

So, it sounds less like the firm is outright denying any of their executive members would ever disparage their base and more like they’re trying to draw attention away from the name-calling by questioning why tapes from 20 years ago still matter. An interesting strategy, though, probably not a good one.

(Via NPR)

Alec Benjamin first started out in music by teaching himself how to play guitar in his bedroom. Fast-forward several years and the “Let Me Down Slowly” singer boasts more than 5 billion global streams and several platinum-certified singles. But his path to success wasn’t always linear. In Uproxx’s latest How I Blew Up segment, Benjamin walks his fans through his triumphs and setbacks during his rise to fame.

Benjamin began making music in high school after a brief identity crisis led him to pick up a guitar. When Benjamin signed his first record deal in the early 2010s, he thought it was his big break. But it ended up being a turbulent time for new artists, as music streaming services weren’t yet popular.

After being dropped from the label, Benjamin found his passion for his career ignited and he decided to start from the ground up. “It was a good gut check for how much I actually wanted to do music,” he told Uproxx. Benjamin’s plan was to play as many shows as he could. “I did a lot of open mics and then I also released a lot of music online,” he said. “I started putting out a song every week.”

Eventually, Benjamin was able to build up a massive following. He signed a new record deal and his 2018 track “Let Me Down Slowly” acted as his breakout hit. But the singer says the moment he really knew he “made it” was when his friends started to text him and say they heard his music on TV or the radio. “That was tight,” he recalled.

Watch Benjamin detail his rise to fame in his episode of Uproxx’s How I Blew Up above and check out more artist interviews in the series here.

Alec Benjamin is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Just when you think all of the love song tropes have been explored and done before, Courtney Barnett arrives to offer a different take. Back in August, she sweetly professed on “Before You Gotta Go” that “If something were to happen, my dear, I wouldn’t want the last words you hear to be unkind.” It’s her ability to capture what we could possibly say before a door shuts and partners split for a period of time that challenges the romantic mind.

Now today, she’s shared “If If I Don’t Hear From You Tonight,” a song about the matter-of-factness of being in love, something that feels very apropos of the Courtney Barnett canon. It’s the final single ahead of the release of Things Take Time, Take Time this Friday. “And it’s so quiet outside, with this curfew lullaby / Is now an okay time to tell you that I like you? I wait for your reply, wait for your reply,” she sings over drums by Warpaint’s Stella Mozgawa and Cate LeBon on bass.

In the clip — directed by Claire Marie Vogel — the trio play the song basking in the creatively-charged sunshine of Joshua Tree National Park and it further drives home the upbeat nature of Barnett’s approach to love songs. In a statement, she shared a very cool sentiment on writing this one:

“I think my stance in the past was like, ‘There’s so many love songs and they don’t mean anything,’ but there’s something really special about zooming in on a moment and capturing it.’ ‘If I Don’t Hear From You Tonight’ comes from the state of where my head was at — trying to communicate honestly instead of keeping [my feelings] guarded.”

Watch the video for “If I Don’t Hear From You Tonight” above.

Things Take Time, Take Time is out on 11/12 via Mom+Pop. Pre-order it here.

This summer brought King Princess’ first new music of the year with the single “House Burn Down,” and now she’s back with more. It’s not one of her own songs, though, as she joins Oberhofer for the duet “Dreaming Of U.” The hazy ballad comes from Oberhofer’s upcoming album Smothered, which is set to drop this week and will be his first LP since 2017’s Table 19 (Motion Picture Soundtrack): Oberhofer’s Ultimate Wedding Mixtape.

Oberhofer spoke about the inspirations behind the song with Consequence, saying, “Exploding Head Syndrome is a condition that happens during your sleep. The most common symptom is hearing a loud noise as you fall asleep or wake up. I wrote this song around 4 a.m. as I was falling asleep and wanted to create a cacophony of pleasant sounds I might hear while on the verge of slumber.” He also noted, “[Oneironautics is] the concept of being able to travel via dream and interact with the dreams of another person. The lyrical concept of this song was derived from a time I dreamt about someone three times one week, and when I told them, found out they had dreamt of me, too.”

He also said the “Dreaming Of You” video was inspired by the visual for the 1984 single “Bachelor Kisses” by The Go-Betweens, saying, “This was the first place I went in my head when I thought of ideas for this video.”

Aside from King Princess, Oberhofer’s upcoming album also features contributions from Jónsi, Teddy Geiger, Shamir, Nick Valensi of The Strokes, and Girlpool.

Watch the “Dreaming Of U” video above.

Smothered is out 11/12 via Telephono. Pre-order it here.

The gigantic NFL mess with Aaron Rodgers testing positive for COVID (after lying about his vaccination status) continues. He missed Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, which and he’s since revealed himself as a skeptic who reportedly questions fertility implications of the shot. He also went on a rant about the “woke mob” and declared that he’s been put in a “cancel culture casket.” Oh, and he admitted that he took COVID advice from his pal, Joe Rogan. (And NFL fans weren’t thrilled!)

Rogan, of course, took the right-wing-propelled Ivermectin and then got upset and threatened to sue CNN because he got mocked for the “horse dewormer” thing. Fast forward to the Rodgers developments, however, and Rogan couldn’t be more thrilled to defend the Green Bay Packers QB. “He’s not vaccine-hesitant because he’s like a conspiracy theorist,” he declared on the Tuesday edition of The Joe Rogan Experience, according to Mediaite. Rogan also addressed Rodgers’ claim that he’s allergic to the mRNA Covid vaccines, and he declared Rodgers to be “not a dummy” but a “f*cking smart dude”:

Rogan went to the CDC website and read the following, “if you have a had a severe allergic reaction or an immediate allergic reaction – even if it was not severe – to any ingredient in the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine – you should not get either of the currently availably MRNA Covid-19 vaccines.”

“He’s literally following the CDC’s recommendations on their website. He’s not a dummy, he’s a f*cking smart dude,” Rogan told his guest Theo Von.

That allergy wouldn’t prevent Rodgers from getting the Johnson & Johnson shot, but that might be beside the point, which is that Rogan seems thrilled that Rodgers listens to his advice, and that Rodgers is a monoclonal-antibodies believer. And if you were wondering what Rodgers’ girlfriend, Shailene Woodley thinks, well, she’s got a different take to tell you about.

(Via Mediaite)