Wonder Woman 1984 is one of several big budget Hollywood movies to see its release schedule moved several times due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the latest plan for the Gal Gadot vehicle seems intent to be its last schedule change. Currently slated to arrive on Christmas Day, the movie will now hit whichever theaters remain open on the traditional movie holiday as well as HBO Max.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the DC Universe film will stick with a December 25 release, but will be available both on the streaming service as well as in theaters.
Warner Bros. announced Wednesday that the tentpole is all but giving up on a traditional theatrical release and will instead open in whatever cinemas remain open on Dec. 25 as well as stream on HBO Max that day.
That certainly signals a commitment to getting Wonder Woman 1984 released before the start of 2021 regardless of potential lockdown measures increasing in states where the COVID-19 pandemic is spiraling out of control.
As Variety notes, several films have gone straight to streaming services in 2020, though that sparked a bit of industry drama of its own. But the final months of 2020 present a different movie-going atmosphere than the full lockdown that saw Trolls World Tour and others hit VOD while theaters remained closed.
Though surprising, it’s not unprecedented for a major movie to debut simultaneously on home entertainment and in movie theaters. Universal Pictures opened “Trolls World Tour” on premium video-on-demand in April, when most cinemas were shuttered due to the pandemic.
The unconventional release plan comes as 50% of U.S. theaters are closed, including major moviegoing markets like New York and Los Angeles, and many still hesitant to go to the movies.
While other films like the James Bond title No Time To Die have already slipped into 2021 and other big budget films opening in theaters despite many still being closed, Wonder Woman 1984 will apparently try to thread the needle and go right to streaming while still giving some moviegoers something to see on the silver screen, if allowed by law.
After a fairly quiet morning, business around the NBA picked up in the evening as the NBA Draft approached, as the active trade period across the league continued.
It started with the Thunder acquiring yet another first round pick, along with Al Horford and the 34th overall pick in tonight’s draft, in a deal that sent Danny Green to Philadelphia. Then, the Houston Rockets worked out a deal with the Detroit Pistons to send Trevor Ariza — who was traded back to Houston on Monday in the Robert Covington deal — along with the 16th overall pick (also brought in from Portland) for a future first, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Houston is trading Trevor Ariza and the No. 16 pick tonight to Detroit for a future first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. The deal gives the Rockets – a hard-capped team — the freedom to use their mid-level exception in free agency.
The pick being sent back to Houston is, per James Edwards III, strongly protected and would not convey if it’s in the top 16 anytime soon.
Per source, the pick the #Pistons are sending to Houston is HEAVILY protected. It’s top-16 protected for the next four years, top-10 protected the following two years and then top-9 protected. After that, it becomes seconds.
On top of that, the Rockets will purchase a 2021 second round for $4.6 million — effectively operating as some cash considerations for Detroit to ease the burden of taking on Ariza’s salary, which is not fully guaranteed.
The Rockets are purchasing Detroit’s 2021 second-round pick — via the Lakers — for $4.6M, sources tell ESPN.
In all, this seems like a good deal for the Pistons, who acquire another draft pick for this year that will be better than what they’d send back in the future, while also getting some money to take the sting out of the Ariza acquisition — they have ample cap space to absorb him, anyways. For the Rockets, as Woj mentioned, this allows them to use their full mid-level exception as they try to figure out what they will look like next season.
Genuine forgiveness is one of the most beautiful gifts we can give to another person. Being forgiven is an amazing relief for the individual and allows the relationship to forge ahead without any debilitating emotional baggage.
However, people often disregard the life-altering benefits that come with being someone who is able to practice forgiveness.
The ability to completely let go of resentment isn’t just great for us psychologically. Our bodies and minds are so interconnected that being able to forgive has physical benefits as well.
What happens when we don’t forgive?
“There is an enormous physical burden to being hurt and disappointed,” Karen Swartz, M.D., director of the Mood Disorders Adult Consultation Clinic at The Johns Hopkins Hospital says.
Living with deep-seated anger puts us in fight-or-flight mode that affects one’s heart rate, blood pressure, and immune response. These negative physical states can, in turn, lead to diabetes, heart disease, PTSD, and depression.
This constant state of arousal takes its toll on the body. A Hope College study found that holding onto a grudge leads to higher physiological activity — facial muscle tension, heart rate, blood pressure, and sweating — compared with having forgiven.
So there is a lot of truth to the saying that “resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”
In addition to relinquishing the debilitating resentment, research shows that those who are able to forgive others are also more likely to forgive themselves.
“One barrier people face in forgiving themselves is that they feel they deserve to feel bad. Our study found that making amends gives us permission to let go,” study researcher Thomas Carpenter, of Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences, said in a statement.
Being in a constant state of anger with oneself takes a huge physical and psychological toll.
“It weakens you emotionally and makes your body more vulnerable to sickness and disease by compromising your immune system,” Dr. John H. Sklare writes at Everyday Health.
There’s a wealth of evidence that shows cultivating an attitude of forgiveness is a powerful way to become healthier mentally, physically, and spiritually. But that can only happen when our forgiveness is genuine.
via Gus Moretta / Unsplash
Practicing true forgiveness
Andrea Brandt Ph.D. believes that true forgiveness begins with being “willing” to forgive. Then, after rigorously accessing the incident we can begin to accept our feelings and reactions.
“Acknowledge the growth you experienced as a result of what happened. What did it make you learn about yourself, or about your needs and boundaries?” she writes in Psychology Today.
Next, consider the needs of the person we’re willing to forgive: “What do you think this need was and why did the person go about it in such a hurtful way?” she asks.
The final step is to decide whether or not to tell them they’re forgiven.
Swartz says we all have the power to forgive, we just have to make the choice to do so.
“It is an active process in which you make a conscious decision to let go of negative feelings whether the person deserves it or not,” Swartz says. Once we begin to release our anger, hostility, and resentment, feelings of empathy and compassion will begin to take root.
However, Brandt says it’s just as important to realize what forgiveness doesn’t mean. It’s not a pardon or excusing another’s actions. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have any more feelings about the situation or that the relationship is miraculously healed.
“By forgiving, you are accepting the reality of what happened and finding a way to live in a state of resolution with it,” Brandt wrote in Psychology Today.
So now the big question remains: Who are you willing to forgive?
Comedies can be difficult to compare. Sometimes you’re in the mood for something cerebral, and other times you just want to watch people get punched in the nuts. While there are definitely some gems in Netflix’s movie sections, you have to dig through a lot of straight-to-DVD sequels and bad indie flicks to find the best comedies to watch. While people have cracked the code for finding the best comedies on Netflix right now, we’ve put together a list of some of the funniest movies as a starting point in your quest for the perfect Friday night in.
Even if you’ve never seen any of the Monty Python films, you most certainly know of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It’s been quoted, memed, gif-ed, and idolized by comedy fans for generations. At its core, it’s a parody of the legends of King Arthur and his knights. It’s stocked with an impressive cast — John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, etc — and its full of eccentric characters, bizarre adventures, and gut-bustingly funny jokes. Think failed Trojan Rabbits, modern-day murder investigations, animated monsters, and musical numbers. Intellectual midgets everywhere will love it.
Comedian John Mulaney delivers another brilliantly off-kilter comedy special for Netflix, this time paying tribute to children’s programming of the past with Mulaney and some friends palling around with kids for most of the 70-minute runtime. Jake Gyllenhaal gets deliciously weird as Mr. Music, and there’s a tween talk show with Richard Kind, but it’s Mulaney — who foregoes a script in favor of honest, insightful, darkly comedic convos with these kids — who really shines here.
This disaster parody starring Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty has become a sort of cult classic over the years, mainly thanks to its slapstick comedy and verbal puns and gags, of which there are plenty. Hays plays an ex-fighter pilot (with a serious fear of flying), who must take over when the pilot of a commercial flight he’s on becomes ill.
This iconic ’80s comedy franchise might have wrongly-assumed we’d have flying cars, hoverboards, and self-tying shoes by now, but it got a lot of other tech predictions right. Still, that’s not what makes this film a classic. Christopher Lloyd playing a brilliant-but-eccentric scientist, Michael J. Fox playing a smart-mouthed teenager who can time-travel, and a brilliantly-funny script from director Robert Zemeckis. That’s what makes this comedy a classic.
Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz star in this dark, absurdist comedy about a man searching for love under some very strange circumstances. Farrell plays David, a man whose wife recently left him. David is sent to a hotel where he’s told he must find a mate within 45 days or be turned into an animal. While there, David witnesses strange rituals and must follow strict rules in order to find love, but it’s not until he ventures into the woods, where the “loners” live, that he pairs up with a woman (Weisz) who may be his soulmate. It’s weird, eccentric, and the perfect Farrell-starring vehicle.
Eddie Murphy stages a bit of a comeback in this biopic about famed comedian, actor, showman Rudy Ray Moore, better known as Dolemite to fans of his raunchy comedy albums, stand-up tours, and blaxploitation films. Murphy plays Moore at the beginning of his career when he was just a record store clerk looking to break out in the business. He’s joined by a cast that includes Keegan-Michael Key, Ron Cephas Jones, Tituss Burgess, and others, but it’s Murphy who shines here, giving possibly the best performance of his career as a man who will stop at nothing to pursue his dream.
This teen comedy officially put Emma Stone on the map, handing her the lead in a modern-day retelling of The Scarlet Letter — just without most of the Puritanical bullsh*t and witchcraft slander. Stone plays Olive, a fairly clean-cut student who sheds her good-girl image when she pretends to have sex with a friend at a party. She starts trading imaginary sex for clout (and gift cards) but her growing reputation begins to wreak havoc on her friendships and romantic life. Stone has enviable leading-lady status here and she’s supported by a terrific cast.
Edgar Wright’s 2010 action comedy about a hapless boy who must defeat evil ex-boyfriends in order to win the hand of the girl he loves is a fast-paced ride that bombards the senses. Michael Cera plays a loveable goof in the titular hero, a young man enamored with a woman named Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). In order to be with his lady love, Scott must fight her evil exes, six guys, one girl, who challenge him to truly strange contests. The film is a cinematic mash-up of Japanese anime and gamer culture, intended for the crowd who grew up on Nintendo and comic books, but it brings plenty of laughs all the same.
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence star in this drama that’s equal parts rom-com and a harrowing look at mental illness. Cooper plays Pat Solitano, a former high school teacher who recently completed a stint at a mental institution. Things aren’t going well for Pat. He’s moved back in with his overbearing parents (a wickedly-funny Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver), his now ex-wife cheated on him, he doesn’t get along with his therapist, and he’s operating under the delusion that if he gets fit and gets his sh*t together, he can get his wife back. Lawrence plays Tiffany, a young woman with problems of her own. She’s depressed after the death of her husband and prefers sex with strangers to drown the pain. The two strike up a friendship that pushes both to their mental and emotional limits. It’s a messy, complicated love story, which makes for a nice change of pace if sappy-sweet rom-coms just aren’t doing it for you.
You’ve probably never heard of this rom-com starring Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell, which is a damn shame because the two have great chemistry on screen and the plot’s just quirky enough to feel refreshingly different from anything else on this list. Kendrick plays Martha, a woman reeling from a bad break-up and searching for direction in her life who meets Rockwell’s Francis, a hitman who targets his own employers and is on the run from a nasty government agent (and excellent Tim Roth). It’s weird, but in a fun way, ya know?
The early aughts action-comedy borrows elements from famous Kung Fu films of the ’70s and pairs them with a completely ridiculous plot and some impressive cartoon-style fight sequences to produce a wholly original flick that we guarantee will make you marvel. The film follows the exploits of two friends, Sing and Bone, who impersonate gang members in the hopes of joining a gang themselves, but they inadvertently strike up a gang war that nearly destroys the slums of the city. Of course, the real draw here is the absurdist, over-the-top comedy that takes place during some of the film’s biggest action sequences. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, but only if you check your brain at the door.
The Coen brothers are back with a slick new Western romp, one that serves as an ode to all of the tropes present in Hollywood’s best Wild West adaptations. Split into six parts, each story is loosely connected although thematically and tonally different. Tim Blake Nelson stars as the titular hero, a sharpshooting songster who takes part in the film’s opening musical portion. From there, we get stories of outlaws getting their due, prospectors mining for gold, ghostly hauntings, and wagon trails. Forget trying to follow the thread and simply enjoy the ride with this one.
Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson, and Mark Duplass star in this quirky, soulful comedy from director Colin Trevorrow. Johnson plays a disillusioned reporter who, along with two weird interns (Plaza and Karan Soni) travel to do a story on a guy who put a time-travel ad in the local paper. Duplass plays that guy, a paranoid, genuinely kind man who forms a bond with Plaza’s offbeat Darius and invites her to be his partner on his next trip. From there, things just get even more strange.
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg make a surprisingly perfect comedic duo and the two draw on their Grumpy Old Men-like chemistry for this buddy cop action flick about two mismatched NYPD officers who uncover a plot by a multinational corporation to steal millions from the city’s police retirement fund. Wahlberg plays the brawns, a quick-tempered detective forced to babysit Ferrell’s mild-mannered accountant after he accidentally shot Derek Jeter during the World Series. That right there should tell you all you need to know about this film.
Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams take on the planet’s most-watched singing competition with this campy comedy about an Icelandic duo named Fire Saga, who are set on achieving glory on the world’s biggest stage. Ferrell and McAdams play Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdottir, artists chosen to represent their nation in the Eurovision Song Contest, a real competition that features musicians from all over the world, who are often performing in wild get-ups. Dan Stevens almost steals the show while Pierce Brosnan and Demi Lovato make appearances. We’re calling it now: “Volcano Man” is going to be a bop for the ages.
Seth Rogen and James Franco star in this comedy about a process server and his drug dealer who go on the run from a couple of hitmen. Rogen plays Dale, a 25-year-old slacker who witnesses a murder and is hunted (along with his drug dealer Saul, played by Franco) by a drug lord intent on silencing him before he can go to the police. The two get into all kinds of hijinks involving Asian mobsters, barn explosions, and nursing homes.
If you like your wanderlust just a bit on the weird side, may we recommend this adventure comedy starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe. Dano plays Hank, a man marooned on an island, ready to commit suicide, before a corpse washes ashore. Radcliffe plays the dead man, whom Hank soon befriends and discovers he can manipulate like a Swiss Army Knife. As Hank treks through the wilderness in search of civilization, he uses the corpse, which slowly comes to life, goes by the name Manny, and, at one point, is used as a jet-ski powered by uncontrollable flatulence, to reconnect with the world around him. It’s strange, there’s lots of farting, but there’s also some great Survivor Man-type of adventuring going on.
For anyone surprised that John Malkovich was the funniest thing about Netflix’s recently released Space Force, I’d like to point you to this Spike Jonze fantasy mindf*ck. Malkovich has been a comedy giant since the ’90s, but he masks his funny in truly weird vehicles, like this movie about a puppeteer (John Cusack) who discovers a portal that leads into the mind of actor John Malkovich. It’s bizarre, but the funniest things usually are.
Steven Soderbergh gave us one of the slickest heist films of the decade when he delivered this caper about a group of suave criminals with plans to rob a Las Vegas casino. George Clooney plays Danny Ocean, a con-man recently released from prison who gets the gang back together again — the gang is Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, Casey Affleck, Bernie Mac, Scott Caan, and Matt Damon — to rob a casino owner who just happens to be dating his ex (played by Julia Roberts). It sounds like more of a soap opera than it is, and it works because Soderbergh mixes sharp comedy with high emotional stakes.
Greta Gerwig’s love letter to her hometown of Sacramento, California follows Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf as they navigate the often-frustrating relationship between mother and daughter. Ronan plays “Ladybird,” a young woman attending Catholic school who longs for the culture and change of scenery that New York City promises. Her mother, Metcalf, is overbearing and overprotective, and the family’s lack of money and social standing contributes to a rift between the two. Some hard truths are explored in this film, but watching Ronan manage teenage angst, first love, and everything in between will give you all kinds of nostalgia.
Andy Samberg and his Lonely Island crew have given us plenty of comedy gems over the years, but this may be one of their more inventive shorts. The group spoofs notorious baseball stars Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire in this visual rap album that imagines the brothers in their heyday. Think Beyonce’s Lemonade but, you know, sports.
A charming, unconventional story about what it means to be a family, Hunt for the Wilderpeople follows a juvenile delinquent named Ricky (Julian Dennison), who is adopted by a couple living on a farm in a remote region of New Zealand. After Ricky fakes his suicide and escapes into the bush, his (reluctantly) adopted father Hec (Sam Neill) goes looking for him, and after a series of mishaps, the two are forced to survive in the woods together for months.
Gina Rodriguez, Brittany Snow, and DeWanda Wise team up for this romantic comedy about a young woman’s final hurrah before leaving NYC. Rodriguez plays a journalist named Jenny who must pack up her life, leave her friends, and travel to the West Coast for an exciting job opportunity. Unfortunately for her, her boyfriend of nearly 10 years decides to call it quits, which leaves Jenny on the party warpath, determined to have one final night of fun before her big trip. Lakeith Stanfield also stars in this, and with Netflix’s pretty stellar rom-com track record lately, bet on this being a fun watch.
The Coen brothers give fans another ridiculous romp supported by a mind-blowing cast of A-listers — think George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton… really, we could go on. The film follows Brolin’s Eddie Mannix, a Hollywood fixer in the 1950s trying to uncover what happened to a major star who disappeared while filming an upcoming studio blockbuster. Hijinks ensue when nosy reporters and paranoid movie execs get involved.
Anyone who caught Jessica Williams during her tenure on The Daily Show knows that she’s destined for greatness. Despite being so young, she had a confidence, a voice, and a commanding presence that you just can’t fake. The Incredible Jessica James is her first starring vehicle since her time as a correspondent, and it is a true testament to where she’s headed. In a clever look at the life of a struggling playwright who is getting over a breakup, The Incredible Jessica James allows Williams to unleash her fire in the most charming way possible, and she and Chris O’Dowd have an easy chemistry that makes you root for them to make it despite not having a thing in common. Having just come out last year, The Incredible Jessica James is still one of the best comedy movies Netflix has delivered.
Jason Mantzoukas plays the road trip buddy from hell in this adventure comedy from Hannah Fidell. Mantzoukas is an enraged car mechanic (and probably an alcoholic) who invites himself along when college-bound teenager Nat (Tony Revolori) offers him a ride into town. That small gesture of kindness backfires in a big way when Richard (Mantzoukas) hijacks the trip, struggling to manage his past mistakes and bleak outlook while Nat pursues his dream of photographing the original Americana.
Come for Chris Evans, pre-Captain America, playing a dim-witted jock with a narcissistic streak, stay for the rest of the flick which dedicates itself to poking fun at classic high school movie tropes in increasingly ridiculous ways. The basic premise is, well, basic: Chyler Leigh plays Janey Briggs, an “ugly,” unpopular reject who takes of her glasses and suddenly becomes the hottest thing in school. Evans plays Jake Wyler, the dude who falls for her after making a bet. There are a lot of other familiar clichés here, and they’re just stupid enough to be funny.
Radha Blank writes, directs, and stars in this autobiographical comedy about her unconventional career. Once a promising young playwright, Blank’s trajectory to fame has stalled and in this film, she pokes fun at her failures, reinventing herself as a rapper and using the worlds of hip-hop and theater to find her true voice. It’s darkly funny at times but incredibly relatable and inspiring all the same.
Tarsem Singh’s silly take on a storybook classic often gets a bad rap. Yes, it’s ridiculous and over-the-top, but it’s got a handful of great performances from Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, and Armie Hammer. And it’s gorgeous to look at. The story’s what you’d expect: Roberts’ evil queen takes over the kingdom, Collins’ Snow White fights to get it back. Hammer plays the bumbling love interest. There’s a gang of dwarves, who are equal parts badass-and-completely-incompetent. It doesn’t take much to find the funny in this retelling. Not every childhood fable adaptation has to be serious, guys.
Ali Wong and Randall Park star in the latest rom-com from Netflix. This time around, the plot follows two childhood sweethearts who’ve spent the last 15 years apart and try to reconnect when one moves back home. Wong plays a successful chef opening a new restaurant in San Francisco while Park plays her former best friend still living at home and working for his dad. Both have some growing up to do, but the film eschews classic romcom tropes for bits that are funnier and more poignant than your average lighthearted fare.
Recent Changes Through November 2020:
Removed: Magic Mike, The Money Pit, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Spaceballs
Added: Easy A, Ocean’s Eleven, Hunt For The Wilderpeople, The Forty-Year-Old Version
After not playing basketball since June 2019 with a torn ACL, Warriors wing Klay Thompson reportedly suffered a lower-leg injury on Wednesday and is being evaluated to determine the severity of the injury. The news broke just before the NBA Draft on Wednesday through reporting from Shams Charania of The Athletic and later confirmed by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Klay Thompson was unable to place weight on his lower leg injury leaving the gym today, sources said. Everyone is hoping for the best. https://t.co/kcxYJczNmX
The Warriors played things cautiously with Thompson as he recovered from the torn ACL, which he suffered in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, and did not rush him back from the injury last season as they slumped to the lottery without he or Steph Curry. As Woj notes, it’s his right leg, so not the same leg as the one he’s been rehabbing from the torn ACL.
Golden State holds the No. 2 overall pick in Wednesday night’s draft and was expected to be in the running for a top playoff seed once again with Curry and Thompson healthy. The success of the Warriors is probably secondary to Thompson’s health at this point, but it would also change the calculations in Golden State and for Western Conference playoff contenders if Thompson’s latest injury forced him even to miss training camp or the start of the season, let alone another several months.
LeBron James posted to Twitter offering prayers and hoping for the best for his fellow All-Star.
Praying a lot @KlayThompson is cool!! Like it’s super minor.
It was the second big trade of the night for the Bucks, who acquired Jrue Holiday earlier on Monday in a blockbuster trade with the Pelicans, and positioned them to have a star-studded starting five surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bogdanovic deal raised some eyebrows for a number of reasons, but one of those was that it couldn’t legally be done until Friday when free agency was opened and appeared to be some of the most blatant tampering — a thing that always happens, just quietly, and, honestly, the NBA should just stop trying to enforce — we’ve seen in some time.
However, two days later things appear to have hit a snag per The Athletic’s Sam Amick — who is among the most plugged in reporters with the Kings. According to Amick, it seems no one every got Bogdanovic’s full sign-off on this deal and it is now “in peril.”
Now, there are a number of things that could be at play here, so we’ll run through them all.
One is that they realized they’d tampered very clearly and are making it known that the deal may be off and will revisit and complete on Friday when they’re actually able to do so and hope the NBA just looks the other way. That’s a genuine possibility and it’ll be interesting to see if the league bites on it.
The other, and honestly, the more fun option, is Bogdanovic is pulling a fast one. It doesn’t happen often, but, it should be noted that Bogdan is represented by the same agent as Nemanja Bjelica, who is the most recent player to back out of an agreement with a team (the Sixers) citing wanting to go overseas and then signing with…none other than the Kings.
We likely won’t get complete resolution on this until Friday when deals can start actually being agreed to in the free agency moratorium period, but for now speculation runs rampant on what happened that could allow such a miscommunication to happen that let this deal get reported so widely but now be potentially in jeopardy.
The world has come a long way in the past few decades when it comes to acceptance of people in the LGBTQ+ community. Those of us who grew up in pre-millennial generations remember a very different time, when hiding one’s sexual orientation or identity was the norm, homophobic jokes barely batted an eye, and seeing someone living an “out and proud” life was far less common than it is today.
That was the world Dan Levy grew up in. The Schitt’s Creek actor and co-creator was born in 1983, and on the day of the series finale of Schitt’s Creek, his mom Deborah Divine shared a tweet that perfectly encapsulates not only the changes we’ve seen in society since then, but the impact Levy himself has had on that world.
She wrote:
“Today I regret every single second of worry back in the uninformed 80’s-wondering how the world was going to treat my brilliant little boy who loved to twirl. Little did I know that he was going to kick that old world’s ass to the curb and create a brand new one.”
It’s difficult to measure the mark Dan Levy (and family) made with the hit TV show Schitt’s Creek, but it’s significant. It’s not like we hadn’t seen LGBTQ+ representation on television before—we just hadn’t seen it quite like this. In most shows with LGBTQ+ characters, their identity was either a conflict or a punchline, as were people’s reactions to them. Generally speaking, homophobia has dominated the storyline of such characters, whether it played out in comedy or drama.
In Schitt’s Creek, Levy created a world where there was no homophobia. It just didn’t exist amongst the characters in the show. The closest we came to seeing it was when Patrick was worried about how his parents would react to finding out he had a boyfriend, but that turned out to be a momentary fear that was immediately squelched by his parents’ unreserved acceptance.
The rest of the time, all we saw in the town of Schitt’s Creek was an embracing of the characters for who they were, quirky outfits notwithstanding. What we experienced in that world was an example of what the world could be.
Watching David and Patrick’s wedding finally and basically my face is an ocean right now. 🥺😭
And it was done with simple storytelling. The romcom sweetness David and Patrick’s relationship from “meet cute” to marriage was something we’ve rarely seen with a same-sex couple on screen. Honestly, the joyful normalness of it all probably did more to help people understand and accept gay relationships than most overt activism ever could. Activism is important for advocating for rights and justice, but those battles are a lot easier to fight when people’s hearts are on your side. And people’s hearts are what Dan Levy has played a role in changing most.
He comes by it honestly. In a speech for GLAAD last year, Levy said that his family’s unconditional love and support—as exemplified by his mom’s tweet—were what made him feel safe to come out at 18.
Dan Levy reflects on creating Schitt’s Creek, “A place where everybody fits in.”
“Had I not had the love to give me a sense of security, I don’t know if I would have found my way out of the closet, let alone create the opportunity for myself to tell stories on television that have effected some kind of positive change in the world,” he said. “Support, encouragement and love: three relatively simple acts of kindness that can change the course of a person’s life.”
For six seasons, Levy showed us a world where everyone embraces those three simple acts of kindness, so everyone is safe. What a wonderful world that turned out to be for all of us.
If you take a look at the shelves of your local grocery store and see that they’re overflowing with Christmas sweets, you’re sure to recognize that even though fall feels like it’s still ramping up, the holidays and winter are upon us. Soon, you’ll have to start thinking about what beers to stock up on for those nights when snow makes going outside impossible.
We’ve had so much fun with fall spirits and beers that we’re not ready to give up on the season just yet. That’s why we went looking for some beers that could help us transition between chilly and cold. You know, those in-between times. To help, we tapped ten of our favorite bartenders — who kicked us their picks for the best beers to bridge fall and winter.
Rowdy from Atlas Brewery is my pick. It perfectly complemented with bitterness and peppery, floral notes. It’s super easy to drink with a very clean finish.
Houblon Chouffe
Chris Johnson, beverage director at Oaxaca Taqueria in New York City
It may just be nostalgia from fall trips to Europe, but this time of year I always lean into Belgians. The Brasserie d’Achouffe Dublin Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel is amazing. Halfway between a classic tripel and an American-style IPA.
Sierra Nevada Celebration. It’s a fresh and hoppy IPA, if you like to drink good hoppy IPAs or IPAs with notes of citrus and mild hops. Celebration IPA will give good winter notes of spice and sweetness. The hops will give you mountain fresh green notes, like fresh pine, crisp, floral aromas, malt notes, and a nice ale color.
Concrete Beach is still keeping it real with their Vienna-style Havana Lager. The malt is present without being overbearing, making it almost drink like an Oktoberfest. Perfect for those days when it might be too warm for a stout but calls for a change of season.
Side Project Inevit
Andy Printy, beverage director at Chao Baan in St. Louis
When you’ve had enough Marzens, but not quite ready to go full stout/ porter season yet, dark-fruited sours are the jam. Side Project Brewery in St. Louis has collaborated with Jester King in Austin for Inevit. A fruited sour with raspberry, cherry, and blackberry. It’s dark and dank, with enough dark berry and tartness to treat your palate in this time of seasonal transition.
Oskar Blues Death by Coconut
Seth Falvo, bartender at The Hotel Zamora in St. Pete Beach, Florida
There are subtle beers, there are not-so-subtle beers, and then there is Death by Coconut by Oskar Blues. This insanely coconut-forward porter is one of my favorite seasonal beers. It’s light-bodied enough to be a great fall porter, but the flavors are rich and decadent enough for the holiday season.
As an added bonus, this beer ages exceptionally well, with the milk chocolate and coffee notes really coming forward as this beer gets older.
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout – This is a Chicago favorite. An Imperial Stout, this beer is brewed and released once a year with small tweaks each year. This beer also ages very well, I have several bottles cellaring at my house to enjoy after they age for a few years. You get chocolate, malty, vanilla notes in this beer, with some sweetness from the bourbon barrel aging process. After you age this beer, it becomes smoother and the sharpness of the hops dies down and becomes even silkier with almost a dessert-like finish.
I’m excited just thinking about it.
Tröegs Master of Pumpkins
Alex Clark, bartender at Square 1682 in Philadelphia
Master of Pumpkins by Tröegs Brewing Company. For me, it’s not quite cold enough yet to pick up a heavy stout, so I go for this one earlier in the autumn for a slightly lighter brew. I find that many pumpkin beers taste way too sweet or artificial, but this beer has the pumpkin sit in the background with cloves and other spices on the front.
Yellowhammer Midnight Special is the perfect beer to bridge those seasons. It’s rich enough to warm you in the cold without being overpowering. It’s filled with notes of deep, dark roasted malts with a slight bitterness on the back palate.
When I switch to Guinness, I know that it’s wintertime. I’ll have any beer, whenever, but in winter — Guinness is every other beer. It’s rich, dark, malty, and perfect as the seasons change.
Three years ago, the city of Houston declared November 18 Astroworld Day as a way to honor Travis Scott, the hometown hero who grew up in the nearby Missouri City suburb. Today, on the third annual Travis Scott Day, Scott announced the launch of his Cactus Jack Foundation to give back to Houston. The foundation is named — as much of his branding is — for Travis’ grandfather, although there is a WWE wrestler who formerly went by that name.
According to a press release, the foundation’s first major initiative is the formation of The Waymon Webster Scholarship — also named for Travis’ grandfather, who attended Prairie View A&M University in Texas, an HBCU. The fund will pay for students struggling with tuition due to the pandemic. Travis hand-picked the recipients from the HBCUs Grambling State University (his mom’s alma mater), Howard University, Morehouse College, Prairie View A&M, and Texas Southern University.
The press release also provides the Cactus Jack Foundation’s mission statement:
The mission of the Cactus Jack Foundation is to empower and enrich the lives of youth by providing access to education and creative resources to ensure long term success. The foundation believes the youth should not be prevented from attaining their lifetime goal and is committed to extending educational opportunities to all, regardless of their circumstances to achieve their dreams.
Travis explained his reasoning for the foundation’s educational focus as well. “Waymon Webster was a Dean of the Prairie View A&M graduate school,” he elaborated. “My grandfather wanted me to take it all the way through college. I feel there is a power in education so to be able to give someone the opportunity to fulfill that dream as my papa thought for me is amazing.” He previously stated he wanted to be more involved in political activism.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will never stop going in when it comes to acquiring first round draft picks. After getting first-round picks for Dennis Schröder and Chris Paul — along with a quality young player in Kelly Oubre Jr. — the Thunder weren’t done flipping veterans for picks and using their ability to absorb some longterm money to their advantage.
On Wednesday, word broke from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Philadelphia 76ers were trading Al Horford, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick to Oklahoma City in exchange for Danny Green — who the Thunder just landed in the Schröder trade.
The Sixers are sending a lightly-protected 2025 first-round pick and the 34th overall pick in tonight’s draft, sources tell ESPN. The Thunder are also sending Terrance Ferguson to the Sixers with Green. https://t.co/sDCfPo4T4L
The Horford signing in Philadelphia failed to pan out, as he struggled to find anything close to the form he had in Boston while trying to fit in alongside Joel Embiid and company. With three years and just north of $81 million left on his deal, they had to use a first-round pick to unload him, but managed to do so while also bringing in a perimeter shooter and quality defender in Green. A player of Green’s profile feels like a snug fit for the Sixers, as Daryl Morey is moving swiftly to undo some of the roster mess that was created last offseason by some big swings and misses. Terrance Ferguson is also an interesting wing player to give the Sixers a bit more regular season depth.
For the Thunder, they continue to bring in some quality players that will allow them to remain fairly competitive, even if maybe not a playoff team in the West, while stockpiling picks and assets that they can potentially move down the road for a star or to move up in a draft. The No. 34 overall pick tonight is, effectively, a late first rounder that they could package together with 25 and 28 to move up, and the lightly protected 2025 pick could end up being valuable depending on the trajectory of the Sixers.
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via Felix Koutchinski / Unsplash
via Gus Moretta / Unsplash 
