Category: News

On the cover of his 2022 album Dawn FM, Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a The Weeknd, aged himself to look like an old man with wrinkles and a gray beard. But you know what’s even scarier than beholding the ravages of age? A haunted house attraction!

The Weeknd is returning to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood this year for The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy, an “authentic, one-of-a-kind horror experience with surprises at every turn and music by The Weeknd scored by seminal producer, artist, and seven-time Grammy award winner Mike Dean.” You can watch the announcement video above.

“The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy” is one of eight haunted houses coming to Universal Studios Hollywood, along with “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface,” “Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines,” “Insidious: The Further,” “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” and “A Quiet Place.” There’s also “Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse,” which features characters from Blumhouse movies like M3GAN, The Black Phone, Freaky, The Purge, and Happy Death Day. I don’t know what The Weeknd is teasing, but it better involve M3GAN.

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood begins on Thursday, September 5, and continues on select nights until Sunday, November 3. For more information, including how to buy tickets, click here.

With the success of movies like The Super Mario Bros Movie and Sonic, it seemed like the video game adaptation era has been going pretty well lately. That, on top of hit shows The Last Of Us and Fallout, have proven that these beloved games can translate well onto the big (and small) screen with the introduction of well-rounded characters and a bit of action, or, in some cases, Walton Goggins.

So a game like Borderlands, with a massive fan base and an elaborate world, would make total sense for a big-screen adaptation, as long as it’s done right. It sounds like it was not done right.

Borderlands, based on the post-apocalyptic video game of the same name, is the latest movie adaptation from director Eli Roth. In the film, Cate Blanchett stars as Lilith, an outlaw who returns to where she grew up in order to find the missing daughter of the most powerful man in the universe. The stacked cast also includes Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Edgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Gina Gershon, and Jamie Lee Curtis, so you might have thought that it would be a guaranteed blockbuster hit, but these things aren’t very predictable these days. Early reactions are not very promising and call the film “forgettable” even while (mostly) praising the actors:

The movie has had a rough start: the film was announced in 2015 and production began in 2020. Last year, Tim Miller stepped in for reshoots, while Craig Mazin denied any sort of screenplay involvement, which might not have been the best sign. Even Jack Black’s video game magic can’t seem to make it a crowd pleaser. You’ll have to see for yourself when Borderlands hits theaters on August 9th. Or don’t!

For the first time in his career, Drake is the underdog. Okay, that’s a bit dramatic, but a comeback of sorts is certainly expected from the Toronto rap star. That, or proof of resilience — evidence that his defeat by Kendrick Lamar won’t be marked as a major turning point in his career. Admittedly, we’ve already seen this resilience from Drake.

His 2018 beef with Pusha T ended with a semi-low-blow knockout punch in the unveiling of Drake’s son Adonis, but in the end, Drake went on to put out his biggest hits and run the summer as he’s done many times this year. But this time, Kendrick Lamar beat Drake at the game he hoped to play, and now the Compton rapper owns the summer thanks to “Not Like Us.” That leaves the fall and winter months up for the taking, and in extremely smart fashion, Drake is gearing up to take them over.

Over the weekend, Drake announced that a joint album with PartyNextDoor will arrive this fall, and it’s the perfect next move for him in his career. “I know you girls are outside,” Drake quipped during a guest set at PND’s Sorry I’m Outside Tour stop in their hometown of Toronto. “When it gets a little chilly, a PartyNextDoor and Drake album will be right there for you.”

Mr. OVO himself has a long track record of big moments in the year’s colder months, though it wasn’t until last year’s For All The Dogs that he actually released an album in October. His breakout mixtape Comeback Season was released in September, as was arguably his best album Nothing Was the Same as well as What A Time To Be Alive and Certified Lover Boy. The Grammy-winning Take Care saw the light of day in November, as did Her Loss, while other highlights like So Far Gone and If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late debuted in February.

In addition to the argument that Drake’s best work arrives outside of the summer months, there’s also one for PartyNextDoor being one of — if not the — best collaborator Drake has consistently worked with in his career. Drake and PND have created over 20 songs together, including collaborations like “Recognize” and “Loyal,” songwriting contributions for each other’s songs, like PND’s “Not Nice” and Drake’s “Come Thru,” and work on other artists’ songs like Rihanna’s “Work” and Popcaan’s “Twist & Turn.”

Drake — music’s versatile superstar — and PND — a modern-day R&B wizard with an unmatched pen — are the perfect combination for a collaborative album. Fans often request joint albums from artists after two or three decent collaborations, all for the finished product to fall flat and underwhelming when it comes to fruition. Drake and PND, have already proven to be a match made in heaven that will only be solidified with this upcoming release.

With all this being said, what makes Drake and PND’s upcoming joint album the perfect move for Drake? Well, for the first time in a long time, Drake can be the cohesive tunnel-visioned artist he hasn’t been in nearly a decade. The beauty of albums like Take Care, Nothing Was the Same, Views, and If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is they each exist in one individual world. You read their titles and can feel the texture and atmosphere they exist in, whereas with other projects, it’s a bit more scattered and all over the place.

PND thrives at this cohesion, as his most recent album PartyNextDoor 4 proves. He also subscribes to a simpler and more focused approach to his projects, which Drake can also benefit from. Furthermore, Drake and PND’s joint album marks the return of a beloved duo after both reached heights fans previously thought they could only dream of. It makes use of nostalgia, thanks to a decade-long catalog of collaborations, and fulfills a longtime request. For once, Drake is actually listening to us.

Drake will never take a break from music, he’s told us that plenty of times over the last few years. So fans who have begged him to step out of the spotlight will just have to suck it up and deal with the ever-present rap star. There is a compromise here, though. In the aftermath of the infamous rap beef, Drake is seemingly stepping out of the character that played the role of Kendrick’s fuming and disgruntled opponent, and replacing him, is one who wants to prove that good music can erase the bad times, or blur them at least. Drake’s recent release of “100 gigs” of unreleased material included plenty of evidence to show how calculated he is as a musician.

Announcing a joint album with a longtime friend and beloved collaborator is another example of that, and it’s one that could benefit everyone involved, from Drake and PND themselves to waiting fans, as well — if they deliver and meet the expectations laid before them.

The Atlanta Braves gave out one of the all-time great bobbleheads on Tuesday night to fans that came to see them take on the Milwaukee Brewers, as they partnered with the mighty, mighty Outkast to create a bobblehead of Big Boi and Andre 3000 sitting in a Cadillac.

While Outkast night didn’t go the way they wanted to on the field, with the Braves losing 10-0, plenty of fans were still happy to collect a bobblehead of Two Dope Boyz (in a Cadillac). Unsurprisingly, the night did not feature a full Outkast reunion, as Andre 3000 rarely makes a public appearance (well, without his flute, anyway), but Big Boi was on site at Truist Park to represent for the South’s greatest rap duo and throw out the first pitch. He also joined the Braves broadcast booth in the third inning, with the Braves already down 6-0, but brought a bit of good mojo for the home team and delivered an electric call of a strikeout, telling the Brewers batter to “Go an’ sit down somewhere” after chasing a high fastball.

I also really liked the “YAH” from Big Boi as the pitch got thrown. It’s always enjoyable when guests who pop in on sports broadcasts seem to genuinely be having fun (see: literally everything Snoop Dogg has been doing at the Olympics), and Big Boi brought a little extra flavor to the Braves booth.

Adam Sandler has had a beautiful friendship with Josh Safdie over the years, beginning with Uncut Gems, which in turn sparked a cultural shift in which the world finally recognized Sandler for what he is: an unmatched entertainer with the fashion sense of a seventh grade junior varsity athlete. The duo will be teaming up once again for a different project that will hopefully be less stressful than their first one.

Sandler returns to stand-up for the first time since 2018 with a new comedy special, Love You, directed by Safdie.

This is the latest Sandler project to land on Netflix after the comedian extended his longtime deal with the streamer, which began in 2014. Sandler has churned out a wide variety of projects for Netflix in the last few years alone, including the family comedy You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah starring his daughters, his buzzy Murder Mystery franchise with Jennifer Aniston, and the existential crisis that was Spaceman featuring Paul Dano as a talking alien spider. This is how we win!

Love You will also feature Sandler on guitar, which is a sure sign that you’re in for a musical treat. The special hits Netflix on August 27, 2024. Check out the trailer above.

Asake experiences the best of American culture in his video for “Active” featuring Travis Scott, going from riding horses to hanging out in a skate park. He also dances with a marching band, rages out on a car with a crowbar, and, of course, hits the strip club with Scott, seeing the best that the ol’ U.S. of A has to offer.

“Active” is set to appear on the Nigerian star’s newly announced album Lungu Boy, alongside collaborations with UK rap breakouts Central Cee and Stormzy, Brazilian singer-songwriter Ludmilla, and fellow Afropop vanguard Wizkid. Lungu Boy is Asake’s third album, arriving just a year after its predecessor Work Of Art.

Later this month, Asake’s set to go on his tour for Lungu Boy, hitting Washington, DC, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York, before hopping the pond for shows in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Ireland, and Australia. The tour follows his stint as headliner at Afro Nation in Portugal. You can find the dates for that below.

Lungu Boy is out 8/9 via EMPIRE/YBNL Nation. Find out more information here.

Asake’s US Lungu Boy Tour Dates

08/16 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
08/18 — Detroit, MI @ AfroNation^
08/21 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
08/24 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
08/27 — Los Angeles, CA @ YouTube Theater
08/30 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden

After every stop on The Eras Tour, Taylor Swift has posted on Instagram about whichever city she provided an economic boost to. Most recently, it was Warsaw, Poland, where she played three shows in three nights. “Oh I loved those Warsaw shows SO much!!! Our first time ever playing in Poland, but it won’t be the last… I seriously had the best time,” Swift wrote. The specifics may change, but the sentiment is usually the same — so why is there so much discussion and speculation about the Poland post?

Some fans think Swift subtly endorsed Kamala Harris for president. On the seventh slide of the Instagram post below, a Harris-like silhouette is seen waving behind Swift during the Lover section of the concert.

Did Taylor Swift Endorse Kamala Harris For President?

Can we expect to see Swift baking Kamala cookies, like she did for Joe Biden?

Maybe in the future (her endorsement matters), but a source close to the “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart” singer told The Hollywood Reporter that “the silhouette is of one of Swift’s background singers onstage, with those shadows regularly appearing on the backdrop during her live show.”

So, while Swift has yet to publicly comment on Harris / Walz 2024, we know what she thinks of Donald Trump.

There comes a point in every adult’s life when suddenly everything younger generations are doing seems baffling, if not downright annoying. You’re convinced that the ways things were done back in your day were better, and, of course, you’re gonna complain a bit.

And that’s when the harsher reality sets in—you’re old.

But don’t fret. After all, getting older is a gift not given to everyone. Plus, you won’t be alone in your grumblings. Especially when we’ve got the internet.

Recently, someone by the username @Thel200ster recently asked millennials on Reddit to name their “old person hill” they’d gladly die on.

The OP started with text message “reactions,” which have apparently ”gotten so out of hand.”

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They continued, “Younger people I text seem to think you have to attach a reaction to every text message, be it a haha, a heart, a thumbs up, a !!, or what have you. It’s gotten to the point that I’m worried about people thinking I’m rude for not using them.

But they suck. My ‘reaction’ to your text message is my reply. It feels so reductive and Orwellian and I hate how limiting and canned these responses are. Back in my day we used words to communicate our feelings!”

Is this resonating just a bit? Congrats, you’re old! And there’s even more “old people hills” to die on where that came from.

Here are some of our faves:

1.“No, you cannot listen to music / videos / calls / whatever in public without headphones.” -u/Yman_j

u/ZelnormWow added:

“I so get why boomers hated GenX and their boom boxes now. Our lord and savior Sony Walkman did not come to earth and give his life so I have to listen to you watch the same 45 second TikTok on loop for 15 minutes.”

2. “Social media was better when it only showed you relevant content from friends/followed pages, and allowed you to sort by most recent so your longest scrolling session would last 10-20 minutes.” -u/ Zonda1996

3. “New car headlights are too damn bright” -u/pnwerewolf

“My astigmatisms agree!!!” quipped u/Tiny_Independence761

On the subject of cars…

4. A car’s turn signal should ALWAYS be used to signal a turn. Yes, I’m talking about you Steve when you say ‘well I don’t see anyone around’ YOU DON’T KNOW THAT FOR SURE, STEVE.” –u/falconwolverine

5. “STOP SPEEDING IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND PUT YOUR DAMN PHONE DOWN!” -u/Typical80sKid

6. “I hate downloading an ap for every frickin’ thing. I ain’t clogging up my phone just for 1 baseball game ticket. Email to me a PDF of my ticket yo.” -u/beekaybeegirl

u/BrokenLink100 added:

“I went to a restaurant once where they had the QR codes for menus. That doesn’t bother me as long as the online menu has been properly formatted for mobile devices. But this QR code took you to the Apple Store to download the restaurant’s app just so you could view the menu. I asked for a physical menu, and the waitress said “oh our menu is on our app!” Like it was a totally acceptable thing. We ended up going someplace else anyway.”

7. “Not everything needs to be recorded/photographed and posted online. Whether it’s for good, taking excessive vacation pictures or for bad, like recording arguments between strangers.” -u/Li-IonClub

“Your lips to God’s ears. I also feel passionately about this one. People need to come to grips with the fact that driving is BY FAR the most dangerous thing people do on a regular basis,” the OP commented.

8. “If I say something to you, I’d like an acknowledgement that you heard me.” -u/pie_12th

9. “Manners. Manners go a long way. Having and using manners make you feel good. It is about respecting other humans beings and showing them that you do. It feels good to be polite, respectful, and generous. Manners are not disingenuous. They help others feel welcome, comfortable, appreciated, and at ease. Always use ‘please,’ ‘thank you,’ hold doors open for people. Acknowledge others, be considerate of other people. Wish others well. Don’t be afraid to smile first. Think of how your actions impact others. Think of the next person. Be kind. Help others feel appreciated for sharing this existence with you.” -u/Jocelyn_Jade

10. “I am not instantly available at any waking moment just because it is technically possible for me to see your message immediately on my electronic device. If we didn’t have prior plans to be in contact, please allow 24-48 hours for response to all non-emergency communications.” -u/KuriousKhemicals

11. “I hate dealing with touchscreen keyboards. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to type on them nearly as fast as I can on a physical keyboard.” -u/lahdetaan_tutkimaan

Speaking of tech…

12. “Important stuff is reserved for laptops and computers. Booking a flight, studying for an exam, etc.” –u/ThatEmoNumbersNerd

13. “We do not need to follow every single trend we see on the internet.Just because it’s a trend does not mean you must do it.No, you DON’T need the new expensive super big gulp metal cup that comes in an array of colors.No, you DON’T need to buy a bunch of clear plastic/glass containers to restock your fridge/pantry when food ALREADY comes in containers.No, you DON’T need make your home look like it came from a magazine or sad beige channel.No, you DON’T need a 100 step skincare routine.No, you DON’T need to get filler just because your face is maturing out of teen hood.Trends come and go, and thanks to our ever shortening attention spans, they go almost as soon as they come.Pretty soon, people will regret spending all their time and money on those trends and then move on to the next big trend that will leave them equally, if not more, unfulfilled.Just be happy with what you have.” -u/Spookybeagle

With similar gusto, u/Archeressrabbit wrote:

“Kiddo, you can’t change your style every two weeks and attach core to a random buzzword. You need to look into your soul, your lifestyle, your likes and dislikes, and make boundaries about what goes on your body. I hate to go back in my day, but back in my day when we were goth, we only had the power of our imaginations and our DIY skills to create a look. We ripped fishnets, shredded jeans, raided Halloween stores army surplus and thrift stores, learned to sew, forgot to hem, held our clothes together with safety pins and hot glue, used white out on our combat boots, made our jewelry, used copious amounts of eyeliner and dyed our hair with kool-aid and splat. We made our styles ourselves. If we did buy something, we either had to save up for docs and Tripp pants, and God forbid you were Lolita because those dresses started at 500 dollars in those days.”

Of course, millennial folks felt differently about their own clothing trends. -u/Notaninterestingcat declared “My black leggings will have to be pulled from my cold dead hands.”

14. “Tips should be for sit down meals in restaurants only. I should not be asked to tip at random places like a clothing store or when I get my oil changed.” -u/New_Ad_7170

15. “Kids need to stop ‘diagnosing’ themselves with all sorts of mental health conditions…There is a reason why we have diagnostic criteria…So many kids I meet are self-diagnosing based on a 30-second TikTok they saw. Many 20-somethings I know are doing it as well.On a related note, the overuse and misuse of ‘therapy language’ also needs to stop…Like, come on.” – u/dribdrib

Lastly, but perhaps most important of all…

16. “The way that Gen Z makes hearts with their hands makes me deeply unsettled.” -u/TheRainbowConnection

There’s no shortage of haka footage on social media, each as viscerally compelling as the last. And while this traditional Māori dance, consisting of exaggerated facial features and vigorous percussive gestures, might often be viewed as exclusively for male warriors preparing for battle, it is performed by both men and women.

And if there’s any doubt as to whether or not an all-female haka is every bit as breathtaking, just take a look at the one carried out by New Zealand’s rugby team after their Olympic gold medal win. Yowza.

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After defeating Canada’s team 19-12 (not to mention becoming first women’s rugby team to secure back to back Olympic golds) the Black Ferns made their way back to the field to celebrate their victory in arguably the coolest way ever.

The Black Ferns celebrate their unprecedented win with a traditioanl Māori haka. NBC Sports/Youtube

That’s at least how viewers seemed to feel about it. Whether noting the haka’s ability to always pack an emotional punch to sharing gratitude that the Māori people were able to celebrate this part of their culture, folks were notably moved.

Check out some of the lovely comments:

“Hakas always give me chills. The emotions it conveys can transcend culture. Full respect for these ladies.”

“It’s beautiful how the Kiwis, no matter their own race, pay respect to the beautiful Māori culture by performing the Haka at every event. The spirit of the Māori is in all of them and you can see it in their faces.”

“Why am I crying? The emotion transmitted through their voices, movements and facial expressions is so much. I don’t know how to process the way this makes me feel. I’ve watched it so many times.”

“Love that they can honor their heritage and culture in a time of victory. Haka always makes me emotional and I feel privileged to watch it. It’s like experiencing a sacred moment every time.”

The haka is heavily associated with rugby, often performed just before a game.NBC Sports/Youtube

“It is so beautiful to see them together as a team celebrating a gold medal win but never forgetting their culture and honoring it with a Haka dance for the world to see and enjoy.”

“They should now get another medal for: ‘Best Medal Award Celebration.’”

“Now THIS personifies the Olympics! Strength, unity, team. Way to go, ladies! You are inspiring! ”

“So powerful – so grateful to see that they were allowed to honor their heritage at this incredible moment in their lives! Also – very moving to see that ALL of them were a part of it. It was an honor to watch this. ️”

“This will never get old. So many emotions & a powerful expression of a centuries old tradition.”

“This brought tears to my eyes, they have died to preserve their culture and every time they perform it I hope their ancestors are singing along.”

You can watch the whole thing here.

The term “gaslighting” has become a popular, everyday term, but there’s still some confusion about what it means. Part of the reason is that the word has been misused so many times that the definition has become fuzzier. But another reason is the gaslighting itself is confusing for the person on the receiving end. Even if you know what gaslighting is, it’s not always clear that’s it’s happening to you.

Briefly, gaslighting is a manipulation technique in which someone purposefully and maliciously makes someone question their reality. Abusers and narcissists will often use gaslighting to wear down their victims’ sense of self and as a means of establishing and maintaining control over them.

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In a relationship, gaslighting can look like denying that something happened and telling the person they’re crazy for how they’re remembering it. It can look like flat-out lying about something the victim knows for sure to be true. It can look like invalidating someone’s feelings and telling them they’re overreacting. It can look like being cruel and then claiming it was just a joke or making the victim believe they’re at fault for something the perpetrator did.

Sometimes people use gaslighting to describe basic disagreements or arguing from different perspectives, like simply saying, “That’s not what happened,” or “That’s not how I remember it,” but gaslighting is intentional in its impact on the victim. People can have different memories of how something happened and disagree vehemently, but if a person isn’t purposely trying to alter someone’s sense of reality, it’s not gaslighting. Similarly, telling someone to calm down and not take things personally may not be a sensitive way to respond to a person who’s upset, but it doesn’t automatically equate to gaslighting, either. Gaslighting requires a malicious intent to manipulate and control.

As Dr. Robin Stern, author of the book “The Gaslight Effect” describes gaslighting on Psychology Today:

“Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse where one person’s psychological manipulation causes another person to question their reality. Gaslighting can happen between two people in any relationship. A gaslighter preserves his or her sense of self and power over the gaslightee, who adopts the gaslighter’s version of reality over their own.”

Gaslighting also isn’t confined to a one-time event, but is more a a pattern of behavior. The gaslighter’s repeated distortions and denials wear the victim down over time, making them doubt themselves and question their reality. That’s part of what makes it hard to spot from the inside, since someone being gaslighted is likely to question whether it’s really happening.

If you detect an unhealthy dynamic in your relationship, it’s important to seek professional help from therapist, especially if you suspect gaslighting may be at play. But having a tool to help clarify what you’re experiencing and help determine what kind of help is needed can be useful.

Psychology Today offers a 20-question online self-test to help you assess whether gaslighting might be a problem in your relationship. The test takes about three minutes and includes statements like “This person makes me feel like I’m unstable,” “This person tells me that other people are not trustworthy,” and “I choose my words carefully when I’m with this person.” After responding to each statement with one of five answers ranging from Always to Never, the test tells you how likely it is that gaslighting is an issue in that relationship based on your answers. Possible outcomes include no signs, few signs, some signs, strong signs or very strong signs of gaslighting.

The test results page also provides more detail about what gaslighting is, things to watch for to spot it and tips for what to do if you are being gaslighted in you relationship.

“The healthiest course of action, in most cases, is to end the relationship or significantly reduce contact,” the site states. “Leaving a gaslighting relationship is challenging but possible. Confrontation is rarely effective; instead, trust your instincts, gather evidence, reduce or cut off contact, and seek help from friends, family, or a therapist.”

Find the Psychology Today gaslighting self-test here. (And if you need a therapist to help you with your relationship struggles, you can search by location, insurance and specialty on the website’s “Find a Therapist” database of providers here.)