Over its brief six-episode run, The White Lotus quickly became a hit with critics, and according to new numbers from HBO, the Mike White series also became a strong draw for viewers by the time its finale aired on Sunday, August 15. Despite starting out as a limited series, The White Lotus has been renewed for a second season that will feature a new cast and a new location as the show pivots to an anthology format. The renewal announcement was made before the show’s finale, which reportedly brought in huge numbers, so HBO has to be pretty happy with that decision. Via Variety:
Viewership of the sixth and final installment of Season 1 was up more than 59% from the Aug. 8 penultimate installment and more than triple the crowd that turned out for the series premiere on July 11. The first episode has now drawn more than 7 million viewers to date.
While the show clearly had a strong showing with critics and a slew of viewers, it has had a few detractors, especially after a few fans were left disappointed by the finale. But creator Mike White has been more than happy to explain his creative choices, which involved trying to make the show be “true to life.” In fairness, the show did strive for realism in ways that surprised even some of the cast members. And, yes, we’re talking about…
[SPOILERS]
…the giant poop Armond (Murray Bartlet) took in Shane’s suitcase. Not even Bartlett was ready for that one.
“Let’s just say when I watched it, I was shocked,” he told The Daily Beast after the finale. “I didn’t know it would look that realistic.”
In a new interview with The Breakfast Club, Ludacris calls himself the “worst” hoarder but reveals that he has a smart solution to help him cope with it. “My wife will tell you I am the worst when it comes to hoarding,” he says. “My wife’s family, they still live in Africa, so everything I hoard we put on this container that goes across the water and I give it to everybody in Africa who’s going to appreciate it so much more than any family members or anybody I could give to in the United States of America. I am the worst hoarder of all, trust.”
Even if he didn’t send all his stuff abroad to share the wealth, it’s unlikely he’d have trouble finding the space for it. In another recent interview, he admitted that his 22-acre property is so large, he didn’t even realize it had such amenities as a tennis court until he had to quarantine last year during the pandemic. Among the things he’s held onto is a ’90s-era Acura Legend he still drives, despite having over 250,000 miles on it. He told the show’s hosts that “I’ve had that car now two decades. There are things that you have for your whole life and that’s one of those things that’s a staple in my life. I had it before the deal and commercial success, so I’m gonna ride it literally until the wheels fall off.”
That’s a fitting quote for a star of the Fast & Furious series, who’s even held onto childhood habits like devouring Jif peanut butter by the jarful — even during his studio sessions, as he does in a recent ad for the brand featuring Gunna.
Senator Ted Cruz may be a GOP whackjob who thrives on disinformation-fueled chaos and crappy haircuts that give off human-skunk vibes, but he’s also an author, and, like most writers these days, he knows how hard it can be to get people to buy your damn book.
So, he did it himself.
A new report from Forbes just landed, detailing how Cruz’s team used campaign funds to buy copies of his book from retail publishers late last year. The book in question is One Vote Away: How a Single Supreme Court Seat Can Change History, a title that dropped in September of 2020. According to financial records disclosed by Cruz on Monday, the Texas lawmaker shelled out $153,000 to buy copies of his latest political work from retailer Books-a-Million. Is it sad that a sitting senator had to buy that many copies of his own book in order to get it on the bestseller lists? Sure, but it’s not the public humiliation that we’ve seen most from Cancun’s “Dad-Of-The-Year.”
Apparently, Cruz used his own campaign funds to buy his book and to advertise it on social media sites like Facebook, which might violate ethics standards. The Federal Elections Commission allows members to use campaign funds to buy books, as long as they don’t receive royalties in the process. If they do, those royalties are supposed to be donated to charity. Cruz’s team denies receiving any royalties from sales of his books, but they won’t clarify which books they bought using campaign money, making the whole fact-checking process a bit difficult. But, even if we take Cruz’s word for it on the book-buying front, the fact that he used campaign funds to pay for social media advertisements is what’s really troubling. A government watchdog organization recently filed complaints with the FEC and the Senate Ethics Committee after news broke that Cruz had paid $5,000 for ad placement on Facebook. The group alleges that there’s no way to really know how many books were purchased because of the ads, which means there’s no way Cruz can confidently deny receiving royalties on sales of the book that might have a link to his campaign finances.
Though most cities across the US have lifted their COVID-19 restrictions, the pandemic is very much not over yet. “We Fly High” rapper Jim Jones is living proof, as he told fans he just recovered from contracting COVID. The rapper described how the virus “knocked the socks off” of him, and he’s advising fans to continue taking safety precautions seriously.
The rapper revealed his diagnosis in a video posted to Instagram. While Jones notes that he’s now tested negative, the rapper detailed just how sick he got, saying he doesn’t want anybody else to go through a similar experience so he’s urging fans to “continue to mask up”:
“I was contemplating whether I should do this or keep my business to myself, but I think it’s more important for me to do this. I urge everybody to stay safe out there, COVID is real. I was running around thinking I was Superman and COVID knocked the socks off Superman. I urge and encourage everybody to please continue to mask up, please continue to hand sanitize, social distance as much as you can, try to stay away from a lot of packed and crowded places. This sh*t is no joke, I really felt it. I don’t want nobody to feel like how I felt.”
If there’s one thing we can say about Vegeta fans, it’s that they’re anything but fair-weather. Despite the prince of the Saiyan just getting a shiny new form in the ongoing and wildly popular manga series Dragon Ball Super (oh, and a pretty cool rumored name for it, too), the reformed baddie just can’t stop catching L’s in battle — and his fans are over it.
Now it would be one thing if this was a once or twice kind of situation, but as some folks have pointed out, this has happened… a lot. Turns out that despite Vegeta constantly growing better and discovering new ways to harness his power and strength, he seems all but capable of just winning a damn battle, regardless of what form he busts out. One good-humored and downright dedicated Dragon Ball fan created a massive collage using only photos of Vegeta losing, if you want just a glimpse at how down this guy is. It’s reached a point where several fans are now joking about retiring if he doesn’t catch a break.
In a few days, Lorde’sSolar Power will be released. It comes a few years after her previous album, and it may have arrived sooner had it not been for the death of her dog in 2019, as she previously indicated the loss of Pearl was a major creative setback for her. One of her fans had a dog pass away recently, and it appears after they sent a message about it to Lorde, the artist took the time to respond with a touching message.
i don’t think i’ve posted about this here yet, but last week my best friend for the past 11 and a half years passed away. i reached out to lorde to ask what helped her when she lost her dog and she responded with the sweetest message pic.twitter.com/LDSVbiO0eQ
As a user in the r/Lorde subreddit noted, a fan named Austin tweeted a screenshot of an email that’s allegedly from Lorde, as well as a photo of their late pet, writing, “i don’t think i’ve posted about this here yet, but last week my best friend for the past 11 and a half years passed away. i reached out to lorde to ask what helped her when she lost her dog and she responded with the sweetest message.”
As for Lorde’s email, it read:
“Hello Austin,
I’m so sorry to hear of sweet Boone’s passing. I found this piece helpful in the immediate days, as well as the book ‘Grief is the thing with feathers.
Be kind to yourself — a great light has gone out. It won’t get easier just yet, but in time your body will heal around the loss. I’m sending you all my love and care.
After the passing of Lorde’s own dog, she wrote in a message to her fans, “I was holding him when he went, and I know he knew that I was there. But this loss has been indescribably painful, and a light that was turned on for me has gone out. […] He was instrumental to the discovery that was taking place. I felt he led me towards the ideas. And it’s going to take some time and re-calibration, now that there’s no shepherd ahead of me, to see what the work is going to be.”
It’s been almost two weeks since Sony Pictures Television announced Mike Richards as the new permanent host of Jeopardy!, and fans are still smarting over LeVar Burton being snubbed for the top job. According to the results of a new poll from Morning Consult, that backlash actually tracks because Burton was reportedly the top choice of Jeopardy! fans who were surveyed, and by a lot. In fact, Richards was towards the bottom of list, while new spinoff and primetime special host Mayim Bialik scored almost as high as Burton. Via Mediaite:
Mr. Burton was the first choice of 14 percent of all respondents, and 16 percent of self-described Jeopardy! fans, edging out Bialik, who was #1 with 13 percent of both groups.
But Mr. Richards was the #1 choice of just 3 percent of all respondents, as well as of those self-described fans.
However, while Burton has been riding high on a wave of fan support, that enthusiasm reportedly didn’t transfer over to one very important metric: ratings. Burton lagged behind the other hosts, which possibly sealed his fate when it came to getting the top job. (It also didn’t hurt that Richards was allegedly involved in the selection process, and his actual influence was recently revealed to be more than he let on.)
But the Morning Consult results do corroborate earlier reports that Bialik was actually the first pick to be the new host of Jeopardy! but declined because she couldn’t commit to the workload. It appears she was a top choice of both fans and decision-makers behind the scene.
As of August 9th, Canada has reopened its borders to non-essential travel for U.S. citizens. In short, that means they’ve opened up the country for international tourism from the U.S. Meanwhile, the U.S. has not offered the same priveledges to Canadian citizens wishing to spend their tourist’s dollars in the U.S. So we guess it’s more like a one-way opening.
Yes, the border between Canada and the U.S. is open to tourists again. But no, that doesn’t mean you can just pick up and go. Canada has a few restrictions and a few unavoidable fees in place.
This really all boils down to whether or not you’re vaccinated and can afford an extra $300 to $500 on PCR tests to go and come back (per person). There’s more to it than that and we’ll get into it below, but that’s the gist. While that means that you can totally go this weekend if you’re already vaccinated and willing to shell out some serious cash for PCR tests, it does make it harder to just go on a whim (especially on the cheap). If you’re already spending $300, $400, or $500 just to get in and out before you even pay for your first Labatt’s and poutine … it’s a lot.
Anyway, here are the broadest rules you need to know to actually get in and out of Canada as a U.S. tourist.
Vaccination Status/Proof of Recovery from COVID
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This is the biggest caveat to the whole thing. The border is re-opened (for now) to vaccinated Americans or those who have tested positive and recovered from the disease in the last 14 days to six months.
If you’re unvaccinated, you’ll have to quarantine upon arrival for 14 days and take another test after day eight.
You’ll have to show your original vaccination certificate either at the border crossing (by land) or at the check-in counter at the airport when you get your boarding pass. If you skip the check-in desk, the gate agents will call you up to check your documents before boarding.
All of this, luckily, can be pre-uploaded and pre-approved, which leads up to the next requirement.
ArriveCAN App
ArriveCAN
You’ll need to download this app and answer a few sections of pre-arrival questions. You can also upload your vaccination documents, PCR test results, and any other customs documents to help you clear immigration and customs more efficiently.
Next, you’ll have to fill out a “backup plan” in case you get sick while in Canada. That means you’ll have to detail how and where you’re going to quarantine for 14 days if you get a positive COVID test back while on vacation.
Negative PCR Test, Each-Way
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This is what’ll weed a lot of travelers out. You’ll have to provide a negative PCR test that was taken within 72 hours of arrival in Canada (not departure to). Then, you’ll have to get another one to come back into the United States. It’s also worth noting that desk agents at airports will 100 percent require a new test if yours is even a few minutes past 72-hours old.
These tests are not cheap. Generally, testing spots (if you can find one outside of an airport) will have two options. XpresCheck, for instance, offers a PCR with results in three to five days for $75. Or you can get a rapid PCR test with results in 30 minutes for $250. Obviously, that’s priced to force you into buying the $250 option, as five days fall far outside the 72-hour cut-off for the test to be considered valid for travel.
And yes, you still need to have the PCR test, both ways, even if you’re vaccinated or recently recovered.
Post-Arrival Re-test
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So, there’s more before you’re cleared to start having a vacation in Canada. You’re required to take a post-arrival COVID test on the first day in Canada. This is either a free test upon arrival. Or you’ll be given a home-test kit and you’ll have a set up a video call to walk through the test with a medical professional.
Once the result of that rapid test comes back negative, you’re in the clear to grab that Labatt’s and poutine. If it doesn’t, you’ll be required to carry out your quarantine plan on the ArriveCAN app and wait for the next covid test on day eight coming back negative before you can return home.
Rules In Canada
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When it comes to actual rules on the ground in Canada, it depends on which province and sometimes which city you’re standing in. Look up local rules before you go for dining, bars, events, and outdoor adventure. It’s on you to know and follow the rules and protocols in place where you’re going.
It’s also important to remember that all of this is ever-changing. Borders could reclose at any time, lockdowns can start unexpectedly and regardless of your travel plans, being level-headed, practical, and flexible is the only way travel works right now.
The NBA schedule will be released in full at some point soon, but on Tuesday we got our first taste of the 2021-22 schedule as the league announced the national TV schedule for the first week of the season, as well as the Christmas Day slate on ESPN and ABC.
Unsurprisingly, the Nets and Lakers dominate the national TV slate, as they surely will all season as the two top Finals favorites loaded with household names up and down their rosters. The two sides will meet in the primetime slot on Christmas in L.A., and each will be in action separately on opening night. Joining them for opening night festivities are the reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, which will host the Nets to tipoff the season as they have ring night at the Fiserv Forum. In the nightcap of the first night of the season, the Warriors will head south to L.A. to face the Lakers, as they too seem poised to leap back into the national spotlight this season.
The complete national TV schedule for the first week of the 2021-22 season, as well as the Christmas Day slate, can be found below.
Tuesday, October 19
Nets at Bucks, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Warriors at Lakers, 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Wednesday, October 20
Celtics at Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Nuggets at Suns, 10:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Thursday, October 21
Mavericks at Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Clippers at Warriors, 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Friday, October 22
Nets at 76ers, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Suns at Lakers, 10:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Saturday, December 25
Hawks at Knicks, 12:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Celtics at Bucks, 2:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Warriors at Suns, 5:00 p.m. ET (ABC)
Nets at Lakers, 8:00 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN)
Mavericks at Jazz, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
If Donald Trump decides to run for president in 2024, there’s a good chance that he’ll win the Republican nomination. A recent survey from the John Bolton Super PAC found that 46% of likely general election voters would back Trump being the party’s nominee.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis came in a distant second with 13% support.
Trump’s latest fundraising figures show that he has a whopping $102 million war chest to finance a run in 2024.
Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows said that the former president recently met with “cabinet members” to discuss his political future and that they’re “moving forward” in a “real way.”
Mark Meadows from Bedminster: “We met with some of our Cabinet members tonight .. I can tell you this. We wouldn’t… https://t.co/QlHSTUpwrh
It’s hard to believe that a president who inspired an insurrection at the Capitol building and did everything he could to overturn the results of an election could still have a single supporter, let alone tens of millions.
Shouldn’t there be a law that prevents people who attack the very fabric of American democracy from having the honor of holding its highest office? Fox News contributor Juan Williams believes there is a strong legal case to deny Trump the ability to run again.
Williams is a liberal outlier at the news outlet and was a regular co-host on Fox’s “The Five.” He stepped down from the role on the show earlier this year after contracting COVID-19.
No Person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
“The facts say Trump tried to stage a coup,” Williams wrote.
Juan Williams: Trump’s coup attempt should bar him from 2024 race https://t.co/8Vy3YYMhEX https://t.co/0kHDabUSmW
Williams cites three actions by Trump that prove he engaged in insurrection.
He tried to hamstring acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen into saying the election was “corrupt.”
“Just say the election was corrupt [and] leave the rest to me and the [Republican] congressmen,” Trump told Jeffrey Rosen, then the acting attorney general, in a December phone call.
In the weeks before that call, Trump also pressured his Attorney General William Barr to do the same. “We realized from the beginning it was just bullshit,” Barr later told ABC News’s Jonathan Karl.
The former president also tried to get Georgia’s secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger to “find” him votes to help him win the state.
Trump to Georgia: ‘I just want to find 11,780 votes’
“So, yes, there is a case to be made that Trump committed crimes against America,” Williams wrote.
In a recent op-ed for The Washington Post, lawyers Laurence Tribe, Barbara McQuade, and Joyce White Vance urged Garland to block Trump from running again. “The bottom line is this: Now that Trump is out of office, the DOJ’s view that sitting presidents cannot be indicted no longer shields him. Attempted coups cannot be ignored,” they wrote.
“If Garland’s Justice Department is going to restore respect for the rule of law, no one, not even a former president can be above it,” the op-ed continued.
When Donald Trump was elected president he swore to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” His failure to do so should not only make him an unworthy choice for the American people but disqualify him from having the opportunity in the first place.
Williams makes a compelling argument that that Trump is legally ineligible to run again.
“Yes, Garland has the power to stop Trump from running again,” Williams wrote. “It is time to use it.”
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