Category: News

The HBO and HBO Max listings for January 2021 have arrived to remind us that, yes, we’ve actually made it through this hellfire of a year.

As a reward, enjoy more Euphoria specials, a crime thriller with Denzel Washington and Rami Malek, and a new season of the addictive comedy series, Search Party. Plus, there are plenty of film franchises including Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and Kill Bill Vol. 1&2 to keep your binge-watching schedule full.

Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) HBO and HBO Max this month.

The Little Things (HBO Max film streaming 1/29)

Academy Award winners Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto all star in this psychological thriller from John Lee Hancock. The film follows two California sheriffs (Denzel and Malek) as their hunt for a killer targeting women sparks a dangerous growing obsession around one suspect (Leto) for both of them.

Search Party: Season 4 Premiere (HBO Max original streaming 1/14)

This latest season of HBO Max’s singular comedy series sees Dory as the missing person (she’s being held prisoner by a psychotic stalker) forcing her friends Portia, Elliott, and Drew, to go searching for her this time around. Of course, they’ve also got to balance their post-trial lives — Portia’s filming a movie based on her experience last season, Elliott is now a far-right conservative talk show host, and Drew is drowning his sorrows as a theme park mascot.

Euphoria Special Episode Part 2: F*ck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob, Special Episode Premiere (HBO series streaming 1/24)

Euphoria follows up its superb special starring Zendaya and Colman Domingo with its planned second installment. This episode focuses on Jules (Hunter Schafer), who we last saw leaving Rue at the train station as she made a break for L.A.

Here’s everything coming to HBO and HBO Max this January:

Dates TBA:
Arthur’s Law, Max Original Series Premiere
The Event, Max Original Series Premiere
Locked Down, Max Original Film Premiere
Perfect Life (fka Vida Perfecta), Max Original Season 1 Premiere
Possessions, HBO Max Season 1 Premiere
Selena + Chef, Max Original Season 2 Premiere

Avail. 1/1
12 oz. Mouse, Seasons 1 & 2
42nd Street, 1933
All the President’s Men, 1976
Apple & Onion, Season 1B
The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman, 1974 (HBO)
Batman Begins, 2005
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker, 2000
Batman: Bad Blood, 2016
Batman: Death in the Family, 2020
Batman: Hush, 2019
Batman: The Animated Series
Blade, 1998
A Better Life, 2011 (HBO)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 2005
Dog Day Afternoon, 1975
Check It Out! with Steve Brule
Chinatown, 1974
Codename: Kids Next Door
The Color Purple, 1985
The Conjuring, 2013
Courage the Cowardly Dog
Craig of the Creek, Season 2
The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, 2002 (HBO)
The Dark Knight, 2008
The Dark Knight Rises, 2012
Dim Sum Funeral, 2009 (HBO)
Ed, Edd n Eddy
El Amor No Puede Esperar (Aka Love Can’t Wait), 2021 (HBO)
Happy Feet, 2006
The Electric Horseman, 1979 (HBO)
Escape from New York, 1981
The Exorcist, 1973
Flashpoint, 1984 (HBO)
The General’s Daughter, 1999 (HBO)
Gossip Girl
Green Lantern, 2011
Green Lantern: The Animated Series
Gremlins, 1984
Gremlins 2: The New Batch, 1990
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
Happily N’Ever After, 2007 (HBO)
Happily N’Ever After 2: Snow White, 2009 (HBO)
Happy-Go-Lucky, 2008 (HBO)
He Said She Said, 1991 (HBO)
Heaven Help Us, 1985 (HBO)
The Infamous Future, 2018
Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back, 2001 (HBO)
The Jellies
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, 2020
Kong: Skull Island, 2017
Little Con Lili, 2021 (HBO)
Loiter Squad
Ma, 2019 (HBO)
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, 1983
Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015
Magic Mike, 2012
Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart
March of the Penguins, 2005
Margaret, 2011 (Extended Version) (HBO)
Miracle On 34th Street, 1994 (HBO)
Miss Firecracker, 1989 (HBO)
Mulholland Dr., 2001
Mystic River, 2003
Nitro Circus: The Movie 3D, 2012 (HBO)
No Country for Old Men, 2007
The Notebook, 2004
Ocean’s 8, 2018
Ocean’s Eleven, 2001
Ocean’s Thirteen, 2007
Ocean’s Twelve, 2004
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, 1985
Piter, 2021 (HBO)
The Producers, 1968
Pulp Fiction, 1994
Purple Rain, 1984
Ready Player One, 2018
Revenge Of The Nerds, 1984 (HBO)
Revenge Of The Nerds II: Nerds In Paradise, 1987 (HBO)
Revenge Of The Nerds IV: Nerds In Love, 2005 (HBO)
Rollerball, 2002 (HBO)
Se7en, 1995
Shallow Hal, 2001 (HBO)
Snowpiercer, Season 1
A Star is Born, 2018
Superman: Doomsday, 2007
Superman: Man of Tomorrow, 2020
Superman Returns, 2006
Swimfan, 2002 (HBO)
This Is Spinal Tap, 1984
The Three Stooges, 2012 (HBO)
TMNT, 2007
Tom Goes to the Mayor
The Trouble With Spies, 1987 (HBO)
Underclassman, 2005 (HBO)
V for Vendetta, 2005
Van Wilder: Freshman Year (Extended Version), 2009 (HBO)
Walk Of Shame, 2014 (HBO)
Warrior, Seasons 1 & 2 (HBO)
Willard, 1971 (HBO)
Worth Winning, 1989 (HBO)
You Can Count On Me, 2000 (HBO)

Avail. 1/2
The High Note, 2020 (HBO)

Avail. 1/4
30 Coins, Series Premiere (HBO)

Avail. 1/8
Patriot’s Day, 2016
Scream, 1996
Squish, Season 1

Avail. 1/9
The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, Season 2
Ben 10, Season 4A
The King Of Staten Island, 2020 (HBO)

Avail. 1/10
Miracle Workers, Season 2
Tiger, Two-Part Documentary Premiere (HBO)

Avail. 1/12
Against The Wild, 2014
Against the Wild 2: Survive the Serengeti, 2016
Alpha and Omega 5: Family Vacation, 2015
Alpha and Omega 6: Dino Digs, 2016
Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around the World, 2015
Blue Valentine, 2010
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, 2000
Earth Girls Are Easy, 1989
An Elephant’s Journey, 2018
The Escape Artist, 1982
Get Carter, 1971
Hecho En Mexico, 2012
Hellboy: Blood and Iron, 2007
Hellboy: Sword of Storms, 2006
Hellboy: The Dark Below, 2010
Jennifer Lopez: Dance Again, 2016
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, 1976
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, 2013
La Mujer de Mi Hermano, 2005
Leapfrog Letter Factory Adventures: Amazing Word Explorers, 2015
Leapfrog Letter Factory Adventures: Counting on Lemonade, 2014
Leapfrog Letter Factory Adventures: The Letter Machine Rescue Team, 2014
Leapfrog: Numberland, 2012
Lost and Delirious, 2001
Love and Sex, 2000
Lovely & Amazing, 2002
The Man Who Would Be King, 1975
Meatballs, 1979
The Men Who Stare at Goats, 2009
A Mermaid’s Tale, 2017
Mistress, 1992
Mother’s Day, 2012
Mud, 2013
Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki, 2016
Night is Short, Walk on Girl, 2017
No Eres Tu Soy Yo, 2011
Norm of the North: King Sized Adventure, 2019
Ollie & Moon, Seasons 1 & 2
Other Parents, Seasons 1 & 2
Pinocchio, 2012
Promare, 2019
Reservoir Dogs, 1992
Ride Your Wave, 2019
Righteous Kill, 2008
Sprung, 1997
The Spy Next Door, 2010
Tender Mercies, 1983
Thanks for Sharing, 2013
Turtle Tale, 2018
The Visitor, 2008
Vixen, 2015

Avail. 1/14
Search Party, Max Original Season 4 Premiere

Avail. 1/15
Stephen King’s It, 1990
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 1975
Poltergeist, 1982
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Director’s Cut, Season 1 dubbed (Crunchyroll Collection)
Real Time With Bill Maher, Season 19 Premiere (HBO)
Roots (Mini Series), 1977
Si Yo Fuera Rico (Aka If I Were Rich), 2021 (HBO)
The Wayans Bros

Avail. 1/16
Eve
Kill Bill: Vol. 1, 2003 (HBO)
Kill Bill: Vol. 2, 2004 (HBO)

Avail. 1/19
Everwood

Avail. 1/20
At Home with Amy Sedaris, Season 3
C.B. Strike, Season 1 (HBO)
C.B. Strike: Lethal White, Limited Series Premiere (HBO)

Avail. 1/21
Gomorrah, Max Original Season 3 Premiere
Looney Tunes Cartoons, Season 1C

Avail. 1/22
The New Adventures of Old Christine
Painting With John, Series Premiere (HBO)

Avail. 1/23
Don’t Let Go, 2019 (HBO)
Person of Interest

Avail. 1/24
Euphoria Special Episode Part 2: F*ck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob, Special Episode Premiere (HBO)

Avail. 1/26
Babylon 5
Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel (HBO)

Avail. 1/29
¡Animo Juventud! (Aka Go Youth!), 2021 (HBO)
The Little Things
What I Like About You

Avail. 1/30
The Mummy, 1999 (HBO)
The Mummy Returns, 2001 (HBO)
Pushing Daisies
The Scorpion King, 2002 (HBO)

Avail. 1/31
Axios, Season 4 Premiere (HBO)

Here’s Everything Leaving HBO and HBO Max In January:

Leaving 1/7
War Dogs, 2016 (HBO)

Leaving 1/24
Wonder Woman 1984, 2020

Leaving 1/31
Ad Astra, 2019
After Hours, 1985 (HBO)
Akeelah And The Bee, 2006 (HBO)
All Is Bright, 2013
America, America, 1964
Anchors Aweigh, 1945
The Arrangement, 1969
Bee Season, 2005 (HBO)
Before Sunrise, 1995 (HBO)
Before Sunset, 2004 (HBO)
Best Laid Plans, 1999 (HBO)
Bigger Than The Sky, 2005 (HBO)
Blade II, 2002
Blade, 1998
Blood Simple, 1984 (HBO)
Bridge To Terabithia, 2007 (HBO)
Bright Lights, Big City, 1988 (HBO)
The Change-Up, 2011 (HBO)
The Children, 2009
A Christmas Carol, 1938
Crash, 2005 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
David Copperfield, 1935
Days After Your Departure, 2019 (HBO)
Enemy Of The State, 1998 (HBO)
Everybody’s All-American, 1988 (HBO)
Father’s Day, 1997 (HBO)
Friday Night Lights, 2004 (HBO)
Get On Up, 2014 (HBO)
Guys And Dolls, 1955
High Society, 1956
Jeepers Creepers 2, 2003 (HBO)
Jeepers Creepers, 2001 (HBO)
Leprechaun 2, 1994 (HBO)
Leprechaun, 1993 (HBO)
Magnolia, 1999 (HBO)
The Man With The Golden Arm, 1955
Mars Attacks!, 1996
Martha Marcy May Marlene, 2011 (HBO)
Martin Lawrence You So Crazy, 1994 (HBO)
New Year’s Eve, 2011 (HBO)
Ocean’s Eleven, 2001
Ocean’s Thirteen, 2007
Ocean’s Twelve, 2004
On The Town, 1949
The Pelican Brief, 1993
Planet Of The Apes, 2001 (HBO)
Risky Business, 1983
Semi-Pro, 2008
Some Came Running, 1958
Something Borrowed, 2011 (HBO)
Splendor In The Grass, 1961
Walk The Line, 2005 (Extended Version) (HBO)
When Harry Met Sally, 1989

Talking to Edmond Sumner and Andrew Mitchell about the AAU team that bears the former’s name is a pretty fun exercise. Here’s what Sumner had to say when Mitchell came up in conversation:

“I give him the most credit,” Sumner told me over the phone. “I basically just have my name on it, he does all the dirty work. That’s why, honestly, the interview should be more towards him because he knows everything. He’s the one dealing with the parents. He’s the one making sure everybody’s happy. He’s recruiting kids. He’s coaching the kids. He’s doing a phenomenal job and he needs 100 percent of credit. I’m just the guy that’s using the blessing God has gave me to be able to fund most of the things.”

And here is what Mitchell has to say in response:

“I’m just thankful that Edmond gave me this opportunity to try to run away with this,” Mitchell says. “And I think our program is headed for the stars. And I think we’re definitely headed in the right direction. And obviously Edmond gives me a lot of credit, but I give him a lot of credit for even believing in me and this opportunity.”

No matter who deserves more credit between the two, Sumner and Mitchell, a pair of former teammates with the Xavier University men’s basketball team, are determined to be a pair of positive influences in the young men who come through their program. Both Sumner, now of the Indiana Pacers, and Mitchell, who is in charge of the day-to-day operations of the program, came through the AAU circuit, and understand that people who run these programs don’t always have the best interest of the kids who play the game in mind.

As a result, the two wanted to make sure that the young men participating in their program were front and center.

“At the end of the day, you never know really what people agendas are,” Sumner says. “And I know what my agendas are. So, at the end of the day, it’s to get these kids the opportunity to get seen and potentially get a college scholarship. That was my goal. A lot of people who are in it for the wrong reasons. And my whole thing is making sure we all in it for the right reasons. If you’re in this circle, you’re in in for the right reasons. This is not about us. It’s about solely the kids.”

A former four-star guard recruit, Sumner was an All-Big East selection with the Musketeers. He parlayed this into a second round selection by the Pacers in 2017, and after spending some time with the team’s G League affiliate in Fort Wayne, was able to make the jump to the league.

Throughout his basketball career, Sumner always knew he wanted to do something with AAU. A talented player in his prep days who participated in the Nike EYBL circuit, Sumner remembers going from being a kid whose family had to pay for things — his dad was his coach when he was younger — to someone who was able to participate in AAU ball without that extra burden being on the adults in his life.

“My parents not having to pay for the tournaments, not have to worry about basketball shoes all the time and little things like that,” he says. “It adds up and that puts a whole other pressure. So my mindset always was, I always wanted to try to have either my own program or give back to a program. And Andrew, he’s the reason why. He brought it to my attention, it’s an opportunity we have and he knew what I believed in and stuff like that. So he basically told me ‘I’ll run it for you, I know you’re going to be busy during the season.”

Mitchell took the reins of the program prior to Sumner’s involvement. His partner’s son was on the team when it was known as Much Greater Elite, and when the team needed someone to step in as coach, it only made sense to turn to the former college basketball player who was around the program. It paid off, as he managed to lead them to a win in a tournament. Things snowballed from there — he kept volunteering as the coach as a way to help the kids out, they kept winning, and next thing he knew, Mitchell was the program’s full-time head coach.

At the time, the program’s sponsor was now-former NFL cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones. Mitchell, who doubles as Sumner’s manager, thought it’d be cool to be the only AAU program sponsored by an NFL and an NBA player. Sumner agreed, hopped on board in a smaller capacity, and then got to thinking: How cool would it be to have his own AAU program with his name on it? As such, Edmond Sumner Select, led by Andrew Mitchell, came to fruition in Sept. 2019.

“We won over 120 games in three years and lost less than 25,” Mitchell says. “In three years! So we’ve had a lot of success and I don’t really go by the rankings, because I’m a big ‘scholarships over rankings’ guy. But, if you go by the rankings, in the last few years, we’ve been in every top-15 ranking in the country that’s ever been announced. We’re on every ranking site, we go to tournaments, we’re in super pools, which means the best teams are playing each other in pool play. So we’re playing against the best teams in the country right away.”

The early returns have been solid — as Mitchell noted, the ’26 squad, in particular, is quite promising — but neither want the kids involved to feel pressured to make it to the NBA. That’s far down the road, and if that comes to fruition, so be it. Instead, the pair care about taking care of young men who have dreams, while Mitchell has the long-term goal of seeing his kids all sitting together on signing day and making their college decisions together.

Still, the pair picked one heck of a time to get into the AAU game. Several months after the team started carrying its current name, the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing movement for racial justice in the United States became as much a part of everyday life as getting out of bed in the morning. For Mitchell, this presented an opportunity to hammer home life skills — he teaches them things like making sure they always hold the door for someone walking behind them, and wants them to “be the best man on the court, be the best man in the classroom, [and] be the best man at home” — while letting the basketball court be a source of refuge.

“I feel like it’s just their getaway from all the stuff,” Mitchell says. “Obviously most of the families in our team, they’re not letting their kids do much. So their kids are on lockdown in the house, and it’s just you, your mom, your dad, your siblings in house. So as soon as we were able to come out and have an AAU tournament, I used it as a getaway. So I preached that to the kids before the games. Like, ‘The world has been crazy. We didn’t know when we were going to play basketball again, if you were going to play basketball again. This thing can last for years. So all these moments where you get to go on the court and you play with your friends, use that as your Why.’ I call it your Why, your fuel as like, ‘Don’t go out there and waste time. You never know when you could get these moments again, they could be your last moments, for some of you guys.’”

You’re never too old to learn, though, and for both, this year served as a learning experience for both of them on how they can use AAU basketball — and mentorship in general — as a way to improve the lives of young men. Mitchell praised the NBA for setting an example on how to come together in the face of multiple hardships, specifically citing the social justice-inspired slogans that players wore across the backs of their jerseys in the Orlando Bubble.

As Mitchell tells it, that trickled down to the AAU level, which adopted a similar practice. And unsurprisingly, he cited one player in particular who was in the Bubble and chose “EQUALITY” as his slogan for being able to cut through everything and get a message across to his kids.

“I think our kids have been torn all over the place, because they’re obviously getting older, they’re more mature, they’re listening to their parents talk, they’re listen to everybody talk,” Mitchell said. “Social media is huge. So they’re seeing ever thing and some of their favorite players — obviously Edmond’s in the NBA, so he’s a part of this stuff that NBA was standing for this year.

“You see everybody with jerseys, similar to the NBA — the Black Lives Matter slogans on the back, or ‘Equality,’ or ‘My Life Matters’ and things like that. So it was awesome to see white people, black people, all peoples of color just standing together as one. It was awesome.”

Sumner says in general, this year hammered home the importance of not taking life for granted. When it comes to the AAU program, while Mitchell is making sure everything is going well on a day-to-day basis, he’s taking pride in making sure he can set the sort of example that every kid is excited to follow.

“I feel you can really tell someone’s character by how they treat somebody that they don’t need, like a janitor or somebody who you don’t really benefit from them,” Sumner says. “It’s easy to go ahead and treat your head coach great, or treat somebody that you look up to, that’s easy. But for you to, like [Drew] said, somebody is behind you, hold the door open for them and let them walk in, or little stuff like that. That’s a testimony to your true character. And I just really try to be the best role in my life each and every day.”

Lil Baby has had about as much market penetration as anybody in 2020, as his album My Turn rocketed to the top of the charts. He’s become a household name, and consequently, it hasn’t been hard for him to find new endorsement opportunities. For example, he recently got in bed with Magnum Condoms for a new marketing campaign, for which he penned a new verse.

In the video promoting Magnum’s large size condoms, he balls out on a minute-long verse, which includes lyrics like, “She already know how I play, just bring the Magnums / Always keep a gold one, it fits right with my fashion,” as well as other words in a similar vein.

Baby has been pumping out hits this year, as “The Bigger Picture” came in at No. 3 on the Hot 100 chart, and his Pop Smoke hook-up “For The Night” was also a top-10 single. He spent the year going in and out of the studio, as he also collaborated with partners like Mulatto, Jack Harlow, and City Girls. Baby was also a member of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list this year, as were folks like Doja Cat, Murda Beatz, Polo G, Brent Faiyaz, Conan Gray, G Herbo, Ava Max, London On Da Track, and Saweetie.

All in all, though, there’s only one Lil Baby, which should be especially true going forward thanks to his new endorsement.

Get a load of the video above.

Famous for being supremely dedicated to the power and might of the gridiron, NFL coaches tend to go a bit overboard from time to time when they are asked to contextualize the importance of football compared to other things in their lives. They’re actually kind of famous for how important football is to them.

This year, Giants head coach Joe Judge is translating that mentality to the holiday season. When he was asked this morning on Good Morning Football about what it meant to be playing on Christmas Day against the Ravens, Judge went full scrooge.

“With all due respect to Christmas, we’ve gotta forget about Christmas for a little while and focus on the Ravens,” Judge told the show’s hosts.

The Giants are still in contention for the NFC East title or a wildcard berth, so Judge’s focus is warranted, but still pretty hilarious.

While Judge is in good company among coaches in his steadfast commitment to Playing Football, the first-year head coach ensured with this quote that he goes down in history. There’s just nothing like starting a sentence with the phrase “with all due respect to Christmas.” If you find yourself having to set aside a few words for quite literally the most important day of the year for millions of people around the world, it may be an indication that you’ve gone a bit too far with your football-ism.

Da-Da-dum da da da da-dum, da da-dum. Da-da-dum da da da da-dum, da da-dum.

As you’ve clearly guessed — because it couldn’t be more obvious — that is the most hum-able section of the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s jazz standard Linus and Lucy. It’s a song that not only says “Charlie Brown” but “Christmas.” It’s also reverberating in my head at the moment because I am in fact watching A Charlie Brown Christmas. While smoking a bowl of the green stuff.

This totally normal holiday activity got me thinking: “What weed strains embody each of the Peanuts characters?” Which, admittedly, is a random thought to have. But I think any stoner can agree that most of the strain names out there are garbage. Wouldn’t you rather live in a world where you can pick up a 3.5-gram jar of Schroeder flowers instead of, you know, Purple Monkey Balls or whatever?

The more I thought about this, the more I started to take it seriously. You wouldn’t name a giggle-inducing, munchie causing strain “Charlie Brown,” it just doesn’t match his character. So I started pairing my favorite characters from A Charlie Brown Christmas — which unfortunately means no Peppermint Patty, Woodstock, or Little Red-Headed Girl — with the weed strains my very high brain thinks that they’re best represented by.

Let’s dive in!

Lucy van Pelt — Riff OG

Strain: Indica
THC: 26.87%

“It’s too early. I never eat December snowflakes. I always wait until January” — Lucy van Pelt.

Okay, here we go, starting with Lucy van Pelt. When I was younger I didn’t like Lucy, I thought she was mean and a big bully. Why wouldn’t she let Charlie Brown kick the ball? Now that I’m older and wiser, I get it. Sometimes you see Charlie Brown, and you sympathize, but eventually, his incessant moping gets you to a point where you say to yourself, “You know what? F*ck that kid! Stop getting in your damn own way, Charlie Brown.”

What does any of this have to do with weed? Let’s see… Lucy van Pelt, she’s strong, she’ll throw hands with a trash talker, she doesn’t take anybody’s sh*t — as exhibited in A Charlie Brown Christmas — and she’s got a thing for Schroeder who riffs on the piano.

Easy, I’m going with Ember Valley’s Riff OG, a super-strong indica so powerful that it’ll knock you into a couch lock with a single bowl, no matter how regularly you toke up. It’s the bossy, weed strain that pulls the football out from under you.

Find Riff OG at Weedmaps.

Linus van Pelt— Cereal Milk

Strain:Indica
THC: 30.2%

“You wouldn’t hit an innocent Shepard would you?” Linus van Pelt.

Linus is the intellectual soul of the Peanuts cast, he drops knowledge on Charlie and his dumb friends constantly, yet ironically, he’s also a big baby who carries around a security blanket and sucks his thumb. He’s basically, a Zoomer. So he needs a weed-like Cereal Milk.

A cross between strawberry lemonade and thin mints, Cereal Milk is an Indica strain that sports beautiful light green buds caked in bright crystals, giving it a sugar cereal and milk vibe with limonene and linalool terpenes that crush anxiety, bring on a heavy rush of euphoria, and settle you into a sedative relaxed state.

Find Cereal Milk at Med Men.

Sally Brown — Strawnana (aka Strawberry Banana)

Strain: Hybrid
THC: 21%

“Dear Santa Claus. How have you been, did you have a nice summer? How is your wife? I’ve been extra good this year, that’s why I have a long list of presents that I want. Please note the size and color of each item and send as many as possible. If it seems too complicated, make it easy on yourself, just send money. How about $10s and $20s?” — Sally Brown

Charlie Brown spends much of the movie wandering around complaining about how the people around him are falling into the commercialization of Christmas and it’s making him depressed — it’s a very deep cartoon — but it doesn’t get any darker than when his own sister asks him to write her wish list to Santa and literally asks for rewards for good behavior.

As annoying as that is to CB, I think we can all agree that he needs to chill. Sally is just living her life and having fun. It’s the ’60s for god’s sake, Chuck. Grow out your hair and smoke some herb.

Anyway, Sally needs a weed strain to match her bubblegum personality. I choose Strawnana, aka Strawberry Banana, a cross between banana kush and strawberry bubblegum with fruity citrus notes, and a deep herbal flavor that makes for a great option for vaped weed or a glass-on-glass bong.

Find Strawnana at Weedmaps.

Pig-Pen — Durban Poison

Strain: Sativa
THC: 24.5%
CBD: 0.1%

“Pigpen, you’re the only person I know who can raise a cloud of dust in a snowstorm” — Charlie Brown.

This has got to be the easiest one. All you need to know about Pig-Pen is that this dude is always dusty. Everybody has that one dusty friend in their life! So we’re going with a strain that’s so stinky it gives you a head change once you open up the jar. Durban Poison is a sativa with sticky dense buds dusted in trichomes, a pungent nose-scrunching smoke smell, and a burnt-earth flavor.

It brings on some nice body tingles and makes tactile sensations something to giggle over. Basically, it’s a weed you can get down with that’ll make you feel good, and if you’ve seen A Charlie Brown Christmas‘s dance scene, you know Pig-Pen gets f*cking down.

Find Durban Poison at Weedmaps.

Schroeder — Wedding Cake

Strain: Hybrid
THC: 23-25%

“What do you mean Beethoven wasn’t so great?” — Schroeder.

Schroeder has always been the coolest Peanuts character. Music is such a big part of the cartoon — which is ironic considering its comic strip origins — and those jazzy chords and rhythms are usually expressed through Schroeder rocking out on his toy piano.

For Schroeder, I’m going with Wedding Cake, an Indica-dominant hybrid that will chill you out, enhance your senses, and give you those closed eye visuals that make listening to music high awesome. Flavor-wise, this strain is smooth with piney herbal notes and a noticeable hint of sweet vanilla.

Find Wedding Cake at Med Men.

Snoopy — Skywalker OG (Mazar x Blueberry OG)

Strain: Hybrid
THC: 20%

Snoopy is pretty much good at everything. In the movie, he wins a decorating competition, elegantly ice skates, plays guitar, and shows off his acting chops. He needs a strain worthy of a hero, so I’ve chosen Skywalker OG, which isn’t legally allowed to be called that anymore.

Now it’s sometimes known as Mazar x Blueberry OG. An ironic fit for a character who has been licensed for theme parks, clothes, toys, and food.

This indica dominant hybrid has a distinct earthy blueberry flavor with subtle spicy notes and a sort of diesel undertone. Get it? Diesel — jet fuel — snoopy’s a pilot — give me a break here.

Find Mazar x Blueberry at Weedmaps.

Charlie Brown — Alien OG

Strain: Indica-Dominant Hybrid
THC: 35.8%

“I think there must be something wrong with me Linus. Christmas is coming, but I”m not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel. I just don’t understand Christmas I guess.” — Charlie Brown

I know I spent a lot of this article sh*tting on Charlie Brown, but that’s because in so many ways I am Charlie Brown. Or at least, I understand Charlie Brown. He’s an alien, he’s out of step with the people around him, sometimes it feels like he’s always losing. We’re all Charlie Brown, in fact. That’s what makes him such a resonant character. We may all collectively have shades of the entire Peanuts cast, but what is life but feeling like the star of a show who never wins? Especially in 2020.

So we’re giving Charlie Brown Alien OG. Coming from California’s Caliva, Alien OG is a thinking person’s indica. It’s not for knocking out and chilling out as much as it’s for soul searching. It’s a strain that makes you question things, but it’s limonene and myrcene terpenes keep you in a chill enough state that you don’t fall into panic mode.

Find Alien OG at Caliva, Med Men, or Weedmaps.

We’ll always remember this tumultuous year as one that sparked necessary discussions, especially within the spirits industry. From shining a spotlight on “off-limits” topics — from sexism to the lack of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) representation — the industry felt the heat of controversy exposing its biggest flaws, leading to a welcoming influx of conversations with the focus on change. Though we still have quite a way to go as an industry, 2020 saw its share of redefining moments that offered a beacon of hope for the future.

“2020 was the year that forced us to look within,” says Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Blender, Eboni Major, one of a handful of women of color making positive advances within the spirits industry in 2020. “The positive stride is the visibility. I say that because, for a while, whiskey was seen as just liquor. For a while, it was just like, ‘Okay, this is the person that makes it.’ Now you have Black Bourbon Society and people like Becky [Paskin] that are calling out things that we knew, but it was kind of taboo.”

To Major’s point, whiskey has traditionally been marketed to solely older white men — leaving out a significant portion of its consumers, including women and people of color. Conversations that call that out are the first step in addressing it. Or, as Major puts it: “The visibility has been huge in being able to really see what’s going on because you can’t change or improve anything if you don’t take the time to really see it for what it is.”

Marketing is one vital piece of the representation puzzle, but jobs for BIPOC within the industry are equally important. This year saw massive growth for Uncle Nearest — a brand led by Fawn Weaver, a Black woman, and blended by Victoria Eady Butler, a Black woman. It also saw new voices enter the conversation, like the forthcoming Fresh Bourbon, whose founders, Sean and Tia Edwards, are the first Black owners of a grain-to-glass distilling company in Kentucky.

Fresh Bourbon will begin shipping their first batch in January 2021 to customers who supported the presale campaign, in addition to being on store shelves throughout Kentucky and expanding to six states by the end of next year. They also plan to break ground on their distillery in the summer of 2021.

“The spirits industry has been super receptive to new African-American owned brands entering the market,” says Sean Edwards. “If the industry allows a seat at the table for more people of color and women, it will only help it to be viewed more positively. It won’t just be paper statements; it will be concrete actions.”

Despite what the industry has gotten right this year, there is still room for actionable improvement.

“When it comes to diversity and inclusion within the industry, the conversations are there, but that’s all I see,” says Major. “The thing I’m looking for out of the future is more action.”

I share Major’s experience as the youngest person, the only woman, and/or the lone Black person in the room at whiskey tastings and events. So I speak from experience when I say that it’s not enough to simply talk the talk when it comes to change. Those talks need to be backed with action. As Major puts it: “Diversity is not just having representation. Having me in the room means nothing if I don’t have a voice, the power, or respect, and lastly, the equity that others do.”

Renowned author and creator of the award-winning Sorel Liqueur, Jackie Summers, has spoken on multiple panels this year about representation – and the lack thereof – in the spirits industry. Summers’ sentiments are similar to Major’s.

“The industry is beginning to listen,” he says. “They’re not beginning to institute change, but they’re beginning to listen. They finally figured out that while corporations are not required to have a conscience, they are required to produce financial benefits for the shareholders, and ultimately it is financially irresponsible to either not diversify your staff or not adequately serve a diverse audience.”

Change, he says, must start on the executive level and trickle down to employees.

“There has been a standard of mediocrity which has permeated how these companies are run,” Summers says, “and it’s insufficient for us anymore.”

Looking forward to 2021, there are big steps to be taken. How do we as an industry get past the conversations and into an atmosphere of action? How do you really diversify this industry from an equitable standpoint?

“I think that’s the next conversation,” Major says. “How do we make sure that this is something that continues on and on and this is not just a 2020 era of living in the moment? Intent is always great, but we know the more you ignore a situation, the more it gets left behind. So, as long as everyone is being held accountable, I think we will get where we need to be.”

Sean Edwards wants to see a shift on the executive level. “I think the industry still needs work on the C suites. What does the C suite look like? Is it as diverse as the customer? Introducing more diversity at the top would be a great move by the large companies in the industry.”

It’s human nature to take the path of least resistance. The key is to hold those in charge accountable and to continue to vocalize what needs to change to promote a shift.

“It’s important that as we seek diversity in this industry, I challenge those that will represent diversity – meaning the Black and Brown people – hold them accountable that we’re not just a number,” Major says. “It’s not just good enough to have us there. Make sure diversity and inclusion are included in everything you do. It’s about being able to create a future for others. As our ancestors did it for us, we need to do it for the next generation.”

The most important domino to fall is hiring practices. As Edwards states, “We also have a truly diverse team working with Fresh, that has assisted in every decision we’ve made. This not only makes us inclusive for people of color and women but also experienced professionals working with us who have committed years to the industry.”

Summers, who has written extensively about representation in the drinks industry, sees increased Black ownership — like himself, Fawn Weaver, and Tia and Sean Edwards — as the path forward.

“There are two parts to this game,” he says. “There’s what you do that everyone sees and then it’s what you do privately. Like Biggie said, ‘Bad boys move in silence and violence.’ So, publicly, I am trying to make sure there’s education. Publicly, I’m trying to make sure that there’s awareness. Publicly, I’m trying to put words out into the universe that bring these issues to light. Behind the scenes, I’m trying to make sure that I can not just work with organizations that put diversity and inclusion as a priority, but to create one. Because it isn’t enough anymore to accept crumbs from the table. We can make our own table.”

He certainly takes the initiative when it comes to not only speaking on change but driving it. Sorel will re-launch in the new year and be available in the Caribbean, North America, South America, and Africa. Summers also plans to release additional liquors “with centuries of cultural significance that have not been properly marketed.” Working with fellow advocates for diversity and inclusion on future projects, Summers adds, “I’m going to look for people like myself. Black people, women, Asians, Latin, anyone’s who been marginalized and help them grow their businesses. What’s important to me isn’t my achievement or my goals, but the community. There’s a model of consumer capitalism that is me and how much I can accumulate. I want to break that model. I want the model to be us and how much can we create and distribute.”

While 2020 saw the rumblings of significant change in the spirits industry, 2021 needs to be the year the chatter is put into motion.

“The industry finally figured out there are things not palatable anymore — like delicious rums that are named Plantation,” says Summers. “We love your rum, but we’re not going to support this anymore. So, they’re beginning to listen. But what have they done? That is to be seen. So, while I’m sick of hearing myself talk and I’m sure others are sick of hearing me talk too, they’re going to hear my mouth and more mouths like mine more vocally united over the months and years to come. Because we’re not accepting anything but change anymore.”

While the Rockets take stock of the lingering tension with James Harden, the team is now also dealing with a positive coronavirus test and the fallout of corresponding contact tracing, all of which could leave the team without multiple players in its opening night matchup with Oklahoma City, according to multiple reports. This all on top of a previously announced positive test for Ben McLemore, who has been isolating for several days already.

Initially, Shams Charania of The Athletic noted that players including DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall were isolating as a result of contact tracing within the Rockets’ organization. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski later added that both Wall and Cousins had tested negative but were at home isolating as a precaution.

Before long, reporters uncovered who the player in question was, and it turned out to be rookie second-round pick Kenyon Martin Jr. who tested positive and was in isolation on Wednesday. Martin was added to the Rockets’ injury report mid-day Wednesday.

Soon, Wojnarowski indicated that for Martin, Wall and Cousins, the incident at the root of the problems was a trip to a nearby apartment building for haircuts.

This would be a clear breaking of protocol if Wojnarowski’s report is true. It is unclear as of now whether a player like Wall or Cousins, who have been isolating but have tested negative, will be allowed to participate in the Rockets’ opening game against the Thunder.

Last week, Vice President Mike Pence announced that members of the Space Force military service will be called guardians. The name choice came after a “yearlong process that produced hundreds of submissions and research involving space professionals and members of the general public,” the Space Force Twitter account tweeted, but they should have spent more time on it. It’s not only silly (are the guardians guarding… Earth?), that word, “guardians,” is already synonymous with a popular movie series. What, was “xenomorphs” already taken? Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn recently dinged that “dork” Pence, while Mark Hamill is ready to file a lawsuit.

“So they grab the ‘Guardians’ from your movies, they use the ‘Force’ from our movies… then they have the gall to just steal their logo from Star Trek? Let’s file a 3-way joint lawsuit & really nail these larcenous bastards!” the Star Wars actor wrote, along with the hashtag #MayTheDorksBeWithYou. If there’s one thing that can bring together Star Wars and Star Trek fans, it’s taking the Trump administration to court.

Space Force has already defended itself against plagiarism charges after many took note of the logo looking like the Star Trek insignia. “The delta was first used in space organizations as early as 1961 and has inspired generations of space professionals,” the branch tweeted, also noting that when “you look at the logo, you notice a black area inside of it. The black area embodies the vast darkness of deep space. Some feel fear and dread, but we prefer to be inspired and stand up to the challenge.” Cheery!

Hamill and Gunn should hire Dexter Jettster to defend their case. There’s no rule in the book that says a greasy diner-owning alien can’t be a lawyer.

Music is an integral part of the TikTok experience, so naturally, some big stars have made a significant impact on the platform. In a few days, TikTok is rounding up a bunch of them to help welcome 2021 with their live New Year’s Eve celebration.

The event, which kicks off on December 31 at 9:30 p.m. ET, will be hosted by Lil Yachty and TikTok personality Brittany Broski. Set to perform during the show are Saweetie, Conan Gray, Jason Derulo, Anitta, Aly & AJ, Tai Verdes, Powfu, and Avenue Beat. Meanwhile, musicians set to appear on the program in a non-performing capacity are Cardi B, Mick Fleetwood, Liam Payne, and Rebecca Black.

2020 was full of music-focused TikTok trends. Perhaps the most notable of them was the resurgence of Fleetwood Mac thanks to a dude on a skateboard vibing out to their music. Fleetwood previously thanked Nathan Apodaca for helping introduce his band to a new generation of music fans, saying, “We owe you and it’s such a celebration of everything. It’s so joyous and fun and I was just lead right into it. […] I just want to say, outside of Fleetwood Mac, we owe you. It’s such a great story and so needed in days that are challenging I’ve heard you speaking and I’m so happy to be a part of it.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Earlier this year, Tom Cruise sealed the deal to become the first actor to shoot a movie in outer space. He even secured the whole budget for the movie (made in conjunction with Elon Musk to be filmed on the International Space Station) over a Zoom call. In effect, this means that Tom will win the space-race flexing contest between everyone and Vin Diesel, but there might be a catch. Tom’s movie (which still has no script) probably won’t shoot until 2022, and Russia might get to space with its first actor in 2021.

Via IndieWire, Sky News has reported on an upcoming Russian TV channel that’s looking to film a movie (with the working title of Challenge) in October 2021, and yep, they’re aiming to do so on the International Space Station, too. A casting call even went out to cast a woman in the lead role. Oh boy:

The casting announcement for the role says a “a real superhero” is required for the part, someone who wants to “go to the stars… at the same time as becoming a big international star.”

While the successful applicant does not have to be a professional actress, she does have to be aged between 25 and 40, stand between 150 and 180cm tall, weigh between 50 and 70kg and have a “chest girth” of up to 112cm. She is also required to have a clean criminal record.

There are other, fitness-related requirements for the role, too, mostly related to endurance, but what matters most is that Tom Cruise might be bested by Russia. It’s the weirdest space race ever, really, and honestly, it sounds kind-of fun.

Meanwhile, Tom’s on-set tirade (launched at crew members who weren’t taking COVID protocols seriously) is still generating responses. Although many people supported Tom’s message, not everyone was thrilled, including ex-Scientologist Leah Remini, who accused him of doing so as a publicity stunt. This week, a source told US Weekly that crew members are essentially “walking on eggshells” and believe that while Tom had “good intentions… he didn’t need to rant and rave the way he did.” Meanwhile, a U.K.-based production source told People that Tom’s taking the breaking of protocol “personally.” Further, “The Mission: Impossible movies are very special to him. They are ‘his’ movies,” so Tom’s pretty upset to see them threatened.

(Via Sky, IndieWire, People & US Weekly)