Category: News

After increased reports of financial instability and a lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James, the National Rifle Organization has filed for bankruptcy. In a letter posted to the NRA’s website, Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre announced that the controversial gun group has filed chapter 11 petitions in an effort to “dump” New York and move the organization to Texas where where they can experience greater “constitutional freedoms.” In an effort to control the narrative, LaPierre attempted to get ahead of dire headlines by assuring members that the NRA is stronger than ever. Via NRA Forward:

You know that our opponents will try to seize upon this news and distort the truth. Don’t believe what you read from our enemies. The NRA is not “bankrupt” or “going out of business.” The NRA is not insolvent. We are as financially strong as we have been in years.

But they know today’s announcement makes us bigger, stronger and more prepared for the fight for freedom.

While claiming that group is not in any trouble, LaPierre made several references to the lawsuit filed by AG James, which sought to dissolve the organization “for years of self-dealing and illegal conduct” and fraud.“The NRA’s influence has been so powerful that the organization went unchecked for decades while top executives funneled millions into their own pockets,” James told CNN in August.

Contrary to LaPierre’s claims, it appears the lawsuit has worked as the NRA attempts to “reorganize” in Texas. Meanwhile, the reactions on Twitter have been firing fast as folks can’t help but taunt the gun group with messages of “Thoughts and Prayers” as it faces imminent death.

(Via NRA)

The Atlanta Falcons officially entered the head coaching market this offseason following Dan Quinn’s midseason ouster after five and a half years. While they were not the first team to fill their vacancy this winter, Atlanta did eventually get its man, as the team announced on Friday afternoon that Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is going to move a little farther south.

The news comes less than a week after Smith’s Titans fell in the AFC Wild Card round to the Baltimore Ravens in a hotly-contested game. It also marks the first time that Smith, 38, will become a head coach. Prior to joining Atlanta, Smith spent the entirety of his NFL career with the Titans, joining the franchise as a quality control coach in 2011 after a stint in college ball and working his way up the ranks.

When the Green Bay Packers hired away Matt LaFleur prior to the 2019 season, Smith was promoted from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator, and under his tutelage, the Titans have boasted one of the league’s most fearsome rushing attacks behind a nasty offensive line and bruising tailback Derrick Henry. This past season, Tennessee was second in the league in rushing yards per game, tied for second in total offense, and fourth in scoring offense.

The Falcons went 4-12 this season, and while the offense was rather limp on the ground (27th in the league in rushing offense), they were able to find success through the air, as only four teams accrued more passing yards. They will need to figure out how they want to proceed on that side of the ball going forward, as starting signal caller Matt Ryan will be 36 at the start of next season with three years remaining on his contract.

Gallant released his sophomore album, Sweet Insomnia, in 2019 to critical acclaim and now, the singer is returning to usher in a new era of music. Sharing his first single of 2021, Gallant teases his forthcoming EP Neptune with a video alongside the swooning single “Comeback.”

Drawing from R&B’s heyday in the early aughts, Gallant croons his heartfelt verses over a sparking beat. The video that accompanies the single is directed by Bennett Johnson and depicts the singer pulling out all of his best moves to try to win over his woman. After she rejects his call, he begins showing up everywhere from her TV’s infomercials to her car’s dashboard bobblehead to remind her of his worth.

Speaking about his inspiration behind the single, Gallant said the lyrics were compiled from his late-night thoughts:

“I put the lyrics of ‘Comeback’ together from pages of notes I had typed up late at night and saved on my computer (and didn’t really want anyone else to read). I was having some trouble finding a spark of inspiration and at the same time, I had these small bits and pieces of early 2000s R&B floating around in my head that I could never really turn into any good ideas. When I finally locked myself in a room and told myself I couldn’t leave until I made something, I looked at all these pieces in front of me and felt like, in a weird way, they might be able to complement each other. Eventually they turned into this song full of nostalgia and longing, where you feel like you’ve been there before and are desperately trying to get back.”

Watch Gallant’s “Comeback” video above.

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

James Harden has developed something of a reputation for being a difficult teammate. His relationship with Chris Paul was chilly, to say the least, and Harden apparently didn’t take kindly to Paul’s penchant for criticism and holding his teammates accountable for their actions.

Even Russell Westbrook, a close personal friend to Harden, was reportedly appalled by the way the Rockets organization bent over backwards to accommodate Harden’s whims, an environment that led directly to his own trade request from Houston after just a single season together.

But the saga reached its nadir in recent weeks as Harden continued to try and force his eventual trade to the Nets, in the process alienating his Rockets teammates, who he described as “not good enough” in his now-infamous press conference following a blowout loss to the Lakers earlier this week.

John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins both fired back at that assessment, with Cousins calling his comments disrespectful. Harden, naturally, didn’t see it that way, as he attempted to explain in his first presser for the Nets.

“I wasn’t disrespectful to anyone.”

James Harden opens up about his recent postgame comments and departure from Rockets pic.twitter.com/LEamwbeNwc

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 15, 2021

Harden did, however, express some regret about the way the situation ended in Houston, saying broadly that some of his actions were “out of character,” but it’s not likely that there will be much reconciliation with the aggrieved parties anytime soon. The Rockets and Nets are currently headed in different directions, but both sides must be relieved to be able to put this behind them and move forward.

Skies may have looked clearer last year than in 2019 due to COVID-related lockdowns and a drop in air travel. But just because we were all locked inside, doesn’t mean our ecological problems suddenly vanished. Forests around the world continued to get cut down, protected lands continued to be threatened, and that island of plastic that’s been forming in the Pacific Ocean continued to grow.

Hawaiian blues balladeer Tavana is helping to put that into perspective with the video for his new single “Plastic Island,” which artfully combines stop motion animation with local microplastic sourced directly from the Hawaiian shores. Made in collaboration with fellow Hawaii-based musician Paul Izak, the Hawaii-based art collective Three Tree Creative, multi-dimensional artist Charles-Antonie Vallieres, and released in partnership with the Surfrider Foundation and Kokua Hawaii Foundation, “Plastic Island” is probably the coolest and most artistic display of the environment-ravaging effect of microplastics we’ve ever seen.

Alas, the incredibly creative video also acts as a bittersweet reminder that we’re slowly destroying our planet with our own waste. In fact, that was kind of the point. The video was made, in part, to raise awareness of the state’s continued efforts to battle single-use plastics, something that is increasingly becoming a problem for a state with an economy that revolves entirely around “island paradise” status.

“In the past, our beaches were comprised of natural materials like driftwood and shells,” says Lauren Blickley, the Hawaii Regional Manager at Surfrider Foundation. “Today many of these natural materials have been replaced with plastic — a material that is responsible for the large-scale pollution of our ocean and environment.”

The state is fighting back, though. In November 2020, the island of Oahu passed Bill 40, which seeks to ban single-use plastic on the island and would stand as one of the strongest bans on single-use plastic nationwide. The bill was supposed to go into effect on January 1st, but was delayed for a “90 day education period.”

Lawmakers are now facing increasing pressure from both the plastic industry and lobbyists who are attempting to delay the bill from going into effect for an additional two years. The Surfrider Foundation and its Oahu chapter are hoping to raise awareness to help ensure the bill takes effect not later than April 1st.

While the stakes are clearly high, Tavana approaches the track with a sort of laid-back plain-spoken approach that is both educational and supremely chill. “Plastic Island” opens with a cascading acoustic guitar riff that quickly dips into delta blues territory as Tavana directly addresses the origins of The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, without ever getting too heavy or preachy — delivering truths with laid back lyrics like: “How did it get there, man? How could it be? It’s the plastic thrown away by you and me.”

“I think it’s wonderful when art and raising awareness for a noble cause come together so seamlessly,” Tavana told us. “I hope to continue to find ways to use my music to heal the earth.“

That quote itself embodies the vibe of the song, which is sort of like if the Bill from Schoolhouse Rock smoked a joint and started waxing poetic about ocean pollution. It’s a whimsical, fun idea but also a painful reminder that all of the cute plastic in the “Plastic Island” video was directly harvested from the beaches of Tavana’s home state. According to Forbes, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch currently covers an approximate surface area of 1.6 million square kilometers, an area twice the size of Texas.

Check out the full video for Tavana’s “Plastic Island” above.

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm and blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B jams that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Emotional Oranges — “Bonafide” Feat. Chiiild

Mystic R&B duo Emotional Oranges is entering 2021 with their sweet vibe “Bonafide,” featuring fellow Avant Garden artist Chiiild. It’s a song robust in love, guided by vulnerable words filled with soul. “Bonafied” comes ahead of EO’s forthcoming project Juicebox, which is expected to have Vince Staples in the mix.

Tone Stith — “Devotion”

Tone Stith released “Devotion” at the tail-end of 2020 and this year, he’s taking the passion-induced cut to the next level with a live performance. In the visual, the talented musician, who also happens to be one of Drake‘s faves, shows off his guitar skills and flawless vocals. Please, pay attention.

Asiahn — The Interlude EP

If there’s anyone worthy of keeping an ear out for in the R&B space it’s Asiahn and she just dropped her latest EP The Interlude, featuring her previously released single “Gucci Frames.” The five-song collection is immersed in ethereal soul as she conveys everything about the battles of love and war with her crystal-clear vocals. “It’s important that as an artist I not only sing about love,” she says in a statement on the project. “There’s more to life than just being in a relationship and falling in and out of love with others, we also have to fall in love with ourselves and discover what we like and don’t like, explore our sexuality, get drunk and have fun!”

No1-Noah — “Ridin For My Love”

After appearing on Summer Walker’s EP Life On Earth last year, R&B newcomer No1-Noah arrives with a track of his own titled “Ridin For My Love.” Noah asserts his love for the object of affection while analyzing some of his relationships from the past. The song is Noah’s first release since signing to Walker’s Ghetto Earth Records. In 2018, No1-Noah popped off with “FaceTime for 30” and has been making his presence known ever since.

Dvsn — Amusing Her Feelings

Dvsn really didn’t have to, but they did. Amusing Her Feelings is the duo’s deluxe edition of A Muse In Her Feelings, and we are here for it. It’s just four songs and they’re all great, including their previously released track “Use Somebody.”

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

If the Top 10 list on Netflix is to be believed, the people are desperate for more Bridgerton. But actually delivering a second season of the soapy Shondra Rhimes-produced drama may be a bit harder because of, you know, that still-ongoing pandemic.

That’s according, at least, to the show’s star. Phoebe Dynevor, who played Daphne Bridgerton, thinks actually pulling off filming safely will be significantly harder, not to mention getting the same chemistry going while wearing masks. Dynevor spoke to Deadline about all things Bridgerton and detailed why she thinks filming Season 2 in the age of novel coronavirus could be more complicated than some might think. First and foremost, of course, is the sheer size of the show’s scale regarding cast and crew.

“I can’t imagine how it would be possible to film under these circumstances. There are so many extras and so many crew members, and it’s a very intimate show. It just baffles me how we would film it under Covid rules unless there was a vaccine beforehand,” the actress explains. Producers may have more confidence, with Production Weekly suggesting Season 2 could shoot in the UK from March.

Another significant obstacle is the locations Bridgerton shot in, which included a number of lavish British mansions appropriate for the period piece. One immediately thinks of the poor soul whose job it might be to sanitize all those ornate carvings and reliefs after a long day of filming. And then there’s the idea of recreating that kind of intimacy we saw in Season 1. The interview revealed that Dynevor and co-star Regé-Jean Page had six weeks of intimacy training to get those romantic moments looking right and feeling appropriate. She noted working on another show in the past year while wearing masks for safety often made things significantly tougher.

Dynevor says this was vital to the final performance and their chemistry could not have been achieved behind the shield of a mask, which is an experience she has had while filming TV Land’s Younger in New York last year.

“When I was filming, it was masks on in rehearsals. So you don’t take them off until you say action. Or at least we didn’t. It was a really strange experience. I didn’t see my character’s new boyfriend’s face until we were filming a scene together, which was really bizzare,” she says of the shoot.

It’s unlikely anyone is interested in waiting out the pandemic, especially given the hiccups in vaccine rollout we’ve seen in these last few weeks. Time is money, even if that means significantly more money spent on health and safety protocols. There’s a lot of small details in the Deadline piece about where the show’s second season might be headed, and what role her character plays in the drama given how her storyline wrapped up in the first season. But before we get to see what may lay ahead, it has to be filmed. Which right now sounds a lot more daunting than it was for Season 1.

[via Deadline]

WandaVision (Disney+ series premiere) — Marvel fans, prepare for the official launch of Phase Four with this show that will get very weird very fast, while two galaxy-crossed lovers take a rip-roaring ride through decades before this series turns into a full-on action affair. Our own Mike Ryan calls the series “a wickedly retro treat for fans of classic sitcoms,” and there are certain things that fans would like to see happen, especially while viewing the show against the backdrop of Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch and Vision’s respective roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Before you start watching, feel free to check out our timeline of what’s happened so far in the MCU.

One Night in Miami (Amazon Prime film) — Regina King directs this fictional account of a historic night, in which Cassius Clay, soon to be known as Muhammad Ali, celebrated a major boxing upset with three friends, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown. More than forty years later, the conversations that take place in this film continue to resonate, along with providing a chance to reflect upon the cultural upheaval taking place during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s

Search Party: Season 4 (HBO Max series) — Alia Shawkat’s Dory is missing in the continuation of this highly bingeable series that jumped from TBS to HBO Max without a hitch. This time around, the group of friends must confront their traumatic pasts and become a search party again, this time while attempting to track down Dory. Guest stars will include Susan Sarandon, Busy Philipps, and R.L. Stine.

The Ultimate Playlist of Noise (Hulu film) — A high-school senior must face up to the fact that his upcoming brain surgery will leave him deaf, and given that he adores music, he sets upon grabbing onto his own fate by recording the ultimate bucket-playlist. And then he takes a wild road trip alongside a struggling musician while they both experience transformative revelations.

Disenchantment: Season 3 (Netflix series) — Matt Groening of The Simpsons fame (and more) is still cranking away on this adult animated comedy fantasy series that digs into the many misadventures of boozy and feisty characters, including ogres, mermaids, walruses, and even human fools while exploring Dreamland. In this batch of episodes, the hard-drinking Princess Bean continues to explore her own destiny and identity as she comes into power. Don’t worry, Bean’s personal demon, Luci, and feisty elf companion, Elfo, are still a big focus.

Endlings: Season 2 (Hulu series) — Sci-fi fans will enjoy seeing the return of this crew, who must accept that they can change the future and (at least) make up for the mistakes of the past without achieving a full-on reckoning. The very fate of the planet and humanity depends on their continued fight, and the endearing group is here for it.

Outside The Wire (Netflix film) — Sorry to disappoint, this show has nothing to do with The Wire. It does, however, star Anthony Mackie as an android military officer, who must locate a doomsday device before the bad guys can get their hands on it, and all hell breaks loose. Damson Idris co-stars as a drone pilot who assists Mackie’s cyborg, and they’re both in full-on action mode.

What Would Sophia Loren Do? (Netflix film) — The title tells you a lot, but the structure of the series deserves a little explaining. Sophia Loren’s daughter, Nancy “Vincenza” Kulik, leads viewers down her inspirational path, which was carved by her mother, that she uses to guide all decisions, no matter or big or small. At times these questions are mundane (and involve pasta), but during other moments, Sophia’s enduring wisdom leads Nancy through moments of support, strength, and solace through tough times.

Here’s the rest of this weekend’s notable programming:

Supermarket Sweep (Sunday, ABC 8:00 p.m.) — Leslie Jones and every bit of her enthusiasm will host contestants in this revival of the grocery-shopping game show.

Batwoman (Sunday, CW 8:00 p.m.) — Javicia Leslie makes her entrance as the new Batwoman after Ruby Rose’s surprise departure, all while everyone wonders where the hell Kate might be. Her Batsuit’s still around, so Ryan uses it as armor while going rogue in Gotham. I guess that’s one explanation?

American Gods (Sunday, Starz 8:00 p.m.) — Season 3 continues with Shadow working hard to separate himself from Mr. Wednesday while the secrets of the Gods are messing with the brewing war.

Shameless (Sunday, Showtime 9:00 p.m.) — This “Hall Of Shame” episode (one of several) breaks from the current season to dig into Lip’s history as a character, where he is today, and where he might go from here. Maybe bring your tissues for this one.

Tiger (Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — This documentary takes an intimate look at the rise, fall, and return of Tiger Woods. Our own Vince Mancini calls this an irresistible watch, and the film charts the prodigy’s obsession with his sport that led him to the highest of heights and fame, which led to a downward spiral, and eventually, an epic comeback.

Your Honor (Sunday, Showtime 10:00 p.m.) — Panic-Cranstoning is still in high effect with Bryan Cranston’s bad-breaking judge realizing that he’s being blackmailed while the mob family still aims to avenge their son’s hit-and-run death. This week, Michael’s blackmail problems do not find a solution but deeper problems for everyone.

In case you missed these recent picks:

History of Swear Words (Netflix series) — A Nic Cage series? Yes please. A Nic Cage series where he teaches us lessons about expletives? Give it to me now. Cage hosts here with an array of guests — including Jim Jefferies, Zainab Johnson, Nick Offerman, Sarah Silverman, Baron Vaughn, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Joel Kim Booster, DeRay Davis, Open Mike Eagle, Nikki Glaser, Patti Harrison, London Hughes — to dive deep into his proudly profane stance. Over the course of six episodes, you’ll learn about the origins of “F*ck,” “Sh*t,” “B*tch,” “D*ck,” “Pu**y,” and “Damn.”

Pretend It’s A City (Netflix limited series) — Marty Scorsese’s back on Netflix while directing this project revolving around long-time friend Fran Lebowitz. The series follows her “New Yorker to the core” brand of straight talking in what’s essentially a punchy guidebook that will appeal to true New Yorkers. Scorsese, too, gives his own takes on the Big Apple, so expect a double dose of attitude on everything from tourists to the subways to the arts to, yes, Times Square.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s inauguration will be one of the most hopeful days many of us have had in a long time. To acknowledge the optimistic outlook of their first term, the president and vice president-elect have commissioned a sprawling inauguration day playlist full of hopeful songs from across seemingly every genre imaginable. To help curate the list, the duo’s team brought on DJ D-Nice, whose Home School quarantine streams offered a warm distraction from the stress of the early pandemic, and Issa Rae, whose record label Raedio presents the playlist.

There are 46 songs on the list, nodding to the 46th President of the United States, ranging from underground rap like Kota The Friend’s “Lupita Interlude” to all-American rock legends like Bruce Springsteen. There are also some not so subtle messages to the American people in the titles of the song choices, as in the aforementioned Springsteen selection “We Take Care Of Our Own.” The incoming President wants to “Give The People What They Want,” courtesy of the O’Jays and promises to “Pick Up The Pieces” via Average White Band.

And while the feel-good vibes extend throughout the playlist, it’s probably also going to be fun to imagine Joe bopping along to the late MF Doom‘s “Coffin Nails” or SZA’s “Good Days.” Fortunately, there are plenty of well-tread classics for the older set, including Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day,” Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up,” Jackie Wilson’s “Higher And Higher,” and Sounds Of Blackness’s “Optimistic.” To put it bluntly, it’s a way better list than anything we could have expected from the other guy, and a smart move on the inauguration committee’s part to nab a purveyor of tastemaking cool like Issa Rae to select a collection of songs that speaks to the needed tone of the Biden-Harris presidency: One of unity, diversity, and hope.

Check out the list above.

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

The Sazerac is a classic New Orleans cocktail. It’s also just a bit harder to make (while requiring a little bit deeper bar shelf at home) than the most-straightforward drinks. It’s a great “we’re not beginners anymore” cocktail and a nice weekend project.

The Sazerac dates back to at least the early 1800s. Cognac, bitters, sugar, water, and absinthe came together to create an old fashioned variation that was very French Quarter (cognac being from Cognac, France, and modern absinthe hailing from francophone Switzerland). But cognac became scarce after the Great French Wine Blight destroyed France’s vines in the mid-1800s. So barkeeps in the Big Easy started using booze from a little closer to home: Rye whiskey.

Fast forward to 2021 and Sazerac’s are generally served either with cognac, rye, or a 50/50 mix of the two as the base spirit. We’re going to make the latter riff today. Why? Because that version of a Sazerac is the most delicious — pairing the vinous, floral, and almost chocolate/nutty nature of a good cognac next to the peppery and fruity rye. It’s a perfct combination with the Peychaud’s Bitters, absinthe, sugar, and lemon oils.

That being said, don’t be afraid to play around with 100 percent cognac or rye versions or create your own golden ratio for this drink. Let’s get mixing!

The Sazerac

Ingredients:

• 1.5-oz. rye whiskey
• 1.5-oz. cognac
• 4 dashes Peychaud’s Bitter
• 1 barspoon raw sugar or demerara sugar
• 1 barspoon water
• 1 barspoon absinthe
• Ice
• Lemon peel

This is sort of dealer’s choice when it comes to booze to use. I have a bottle of Hennessy VS and Woodford Reserve Rye on the shelf, so I’m using those. Both bottles are affordable and very easy to locate at any liquor store. Use whatever cognac or rye you have.

As for the absinthe, I’m using a local brand that’s 66 percent ABV. I usually use Pernod but my bottle was empty. Generally speaking, you want to find a bottle that’s between 65 and 75 percent ABV and from France. And no, it’s not going to make you hallucinate. It’s just high-alcohol booze with a lot of herbs in it that never made anyone hallucinate (folks just got very very drunk). In fact, by today’s standard of high-ABV barrel proof whiskey, it’s not even that high of proof anymore. This year’s Buffalo Trace Antique Collection had higher proof whiskey in it than the absinthe I’m using for this cocktail.

Finally, you really need to grab a bottle of Peychaud’s Bitters. The red bitter is what gives the cocktail its reddish hue and subtle bitters edge.

You’ll Need:

• Pre-chilled rocks glass
• Mixing jug
• Strainer
• Barspoon
• Fruit peeler or pairing knife
• Jigger

Method:

A couple of quick notes before we dive in. You really need to pre-chill your glass in the freezer. The frozen glass will help the absinthe wash adhere better, allowing a better coating. Think of it like a tongue sticking to a frozen flagpost on a cold winter’s day.

I’m also using demerara sugar, which dissolves pretty quickly. Take your time stirring to make it dissolve fully before you add ice. It’ll be worth it in the final product, trust us. In a pinch, you can use simple syrup. You’ll see a lot of bars (even “good” ones) using simple syrup to keep the flow of drinks going out quickly. It’s fine. But, since this about at-home mixing, take your time and use real sugar.

• Add absinthe to the pre-chilled glass and swirl around to coat the inside of the glass. Pour off excess absinthe.
• In a mixing jug, add in water, bitters, and sugar. Stir until sugar starts to dissolve, creating a reddish base.
• Add cognac and rye and stir until sugar dissolves.
• Add in ice and stir until the cocktail is chilled (the mixing jug should be frosted over on the outside).
• Strain the drink into the waiting rocks glass.
• Spritz the lemon oils from the peel over the cocktail and rub the peel around the glass. Discard peel.
• Serve.

Bottom Line:

This is a really, really tasty drink but might be an acquired taste for some. The anise and fennel are just there but fade as you drink, and those flavor notes will be what turn some people off. The nuttiness of the Hennessy is a great counterpoint to the peppery rye and both are smoothed out by the bitters and sugar. The lemon oils bring it all together and really help it feel both very light and bright.

This always goes down too easily and you’ll find yourself making another before you know it. If that’s the case, try it with only the cognac or rye. Maybe adjust the ratios a little to lean into certain flavors. It’ll be a fun mixing session no matter what you try!