Category: News

Fans are jumping to the defense of Jaden and Willow Smith after a clip from this week’s episode of Red Table Talk went viral. In the clip, Willow confesses to feeling like she and her brother were shunned by other Black people due to their upbringing and at-times unusual behavior during a discussion of stereotypes and “mom shaming” with author Dr. Ramani Durvasula.

Responding to Jada’s admission that she was shamed plenty for both of her kids’ idiosyncrasies, but especially for Jaden, Willow shared her belief that “Specifically, with the African American community, I felt like me and Jaden were shunned a little bit. Like, ‘We’re not going to take pride in them because they’re too different, they’re too weird.’… Even some of our family members, I would feel they thought we’re too different.”

When Baller Alert shared a tweet linking to the clip, Fans on Twitter chimed in, recalling the wealth of articles criticizing Jaden’s choices, which included wearing a Batman suit to Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s wedding, an androgynous campaign for Louis Vuitton’s womenswear, and his wealth of cryptic tweets, to say nothing of the responses to those headlines. “Remember when y’all was calling them weird and calling Jaden gay & was coming for Jada and Will’s parenting?” one user responded. “No lies told.”

Watch the latest episode of Red Table Talk above.

The NBA Bubble brought with it waves of players with energy – nervous, angry, hopeful, and otherwise – looking for ways to find their voice, use their voice, and put their voice into tangible action. Whether through voting initiatives, protests over the racial injustice that’s permeated into every facet of society, a desire to keep family members and friends safe by following expert guidelines during COVID, or otherwise, stars around the league turned to action in a time when they felt their efforts could be the most impactful.

For some, this was a chance to educate and be vocal for the first time. For others like Harrison Barnes, it was a way to amplify efforts that had already been put into place. If Barnes isn’t the most well-read player in the league, he’s damned close, and he’s seen his role off the court transform and adapt the same way he’s seen himself as a veteran shift from Golden State to Dallas to Sacramento.

The Ames native has planted seeds everywhere from Iowa to Chapel Hill and each of the places he’s played, carrying responsibility and an obligation to pay it forward every step of the way. As his profile rises, so does the gravity of the conversations he has with teammates and community leaders, which has led to increased visibility. Barnes was one of the NBA’s Community Assist award nominees, finished fourth in the NBA’s sportsmanship award voting, and was named to the league’s Foundation board of directors along with Gail Benson, Adam Silver, Tobias Harris, Tony Ressler, Michele Roberts, Larry Tanenbaum, and Michael Jordan.

Dime recently caught up with Barnes for a wide-ranging interview late last week as he discussed his community efforts, what he’s reading, how he’s staying in the fight for justice, and how he continues to make an impact locally and universally, one day at a time.

Martin Rickman: I always appreciate the opportunity to talk to you. I think the last time you and I talked was right before the Olympics back in ’16. So it’s been a minute, actually.

A lot of life has happened since then.

Yeah, seriously. It feels like a lot of life has happened, just in this summer alone. I guess that’s a good start for me. This week has been a pretty eventful one for you, especially heading into the news of today with the board of directors. What does that mean for you to kind of put, not just all the change that you’ve been enacting and all the work that you’ve been putting in, not just over the last couple of years, but especially this summer, to not just get the recognition, but to see that kind of snowball into more and more ability to affect change and to do so with the backing of the league?

Yeah, I’m definitely honored to have been selected for the Community Assist Award amongst all those guys who were selected as well. I’ve been following all of their work very closely. And just being even mentioned with those guys is humbling. And to be able to be selected, as well, to the Foundation. To have worked with the NBA and the NBPA of how to distribute the funds in that, to make change, I think it really just is a great opportunity. With everything that’s going on in our society, to be able to pour into the Black community, minority communities that have been disenfranchised.

A big thing I remember when we talked in the locker room forever ago at UNC was you wanting to build that brand for yourself. You spent those years doing that and have had pivot, after pivot, after pivot, in doing so. And you’ve got this opportunity now where yourself … it’s bigger than you. Right now, the moment is bigger than all of us. Is this a situation where you just knew that your voice mattered, and this was something that you could pivot toward to make that difference, because you have that ability that maybe some people don’t, or some people’s voices are voiceless, but you have that opportunity?

For me, it starts with education. And I think being around different voices, exposing myself to different people in different fields, whether it’s authors, whether it’s activists, whether it’s just people in the locker room, people in different organizations, getting as much information as I can and just saying, “Okay, how can I make change?” Yes, I have this platform, but everything that you give to doesn’t have to be national campaigns. It can be something local, it can be something in Ames, Oakland, Dallas, Sacramento, wherever it may be. And that became my focus, and how that kind of snowballed into 2020, is simply just saying, I may not be able to reach millions and millions of people, but hopefully, if I can just reach two or three people and have an impact, whether that’s voting, whether that’s educating them on the violence that’s being committed on the Black community by police, whether that’s education disparities, whatever it may be, that’s what kind of led to today.

Yeah, I know really operating locally seems to be something that you’ve taken a lot of pride in. You’re never going to forget Ames, and keeping your hometown in place is always going to matter, because you have to build the community from where you grew up. But it seems like you really have left those breadcrumbs in each of the places that you’ve been in addition to that, because of the career that you’ve had and the chances that you’ve had to kind of leave that legacy, but not leave a place behind.

Absolutely. Now, I was fortunate growing up that I had people who cared and gave opportunity, who sacrificed a little bit to give me confidence, to give me a chance and opportunity. And, if I can pay that back, whether that’s with somebody who I have a direct relationship with, or who went to the same school as me or whatever it may be, that’s something that I try to do. And, I may not ever meet that person, but hopefully some of the things that my wife and I do, hopefully they can be impacted by that.

Where do you guys get your approach to philanthropy? Has there been anyone who has guided you from a mentorship perspective, that kind of helped you understand, I have this opportunity to invest and be on boards, but a big part of doing that, also is in nonprofit and a lot of the community work that you’ve done?

We haven’t had a mentor for our philanthropic work, in terms of how to structure things or what our approach is. A lot of what we do is simply based off what moves us. Whether it’s food related, whether it’s community involvement, whatever it may be, it’s simply saying, look, there’s a need here and can we help? Whether that’s monetarily, whether that’s with our presence, whether that’s promoting things on social media, whatever it may be. And I think that’s what’s made it more authentic for us. And it hasn’t really seemed like it’s work on our end. And when you talk about bigger foundations and things like that, that’s not really something that we broach, as of this point. It’s mostly just bee through our community.

I always see your ability to take what’s happening, kind of nationally, and contextualize it, either through what you’re reading, who you follow, kind of who you engage in, in conversation. And, consistent authors tend to come up, whether it’s James Baldwin or whether it’s someone operating right now, like Bomani Jones or Ta-Nehisi Coates. And, those individuals are able to kind of speak through the experience, and especially the Black experience, which matters so much right now. Who are the authors that you commit to and relate to, other than those? And just how important is staying as educated as you have been, to allow yourself to kind of further that voice and push that voice forward?

Ooh, that’s a great question. Ta-Nehisi Coates actually just did Vanity Fair. And I think, if you kind of go through that issue, there are so many great, great, talented, authors, poets, voices, thought leaders, in that piece. So, I think you could just run down that list and just pick any of those amazing writers, and read their work. And Dr. Carol Anderson is … I absolutely love her work. I was fortunate to be able to do an interview with her and she is great. I highly recommend any of her books because her style really, really, cuts to the heart of issues. So, those would probably be my two recommendations. I also want to add Dr. [Ibram X.] Kendi into that list as well. He’s gotten, rightfully so, a lot of acclaim about his book, How to be Antiracist. But his previous book, Stamped from the Beginning, yes, it is a dense read, but I feel like that is very great work. And I highly recommend people not only check out his work, but check that out.

Harrison’s Reading List

With regards to what you and your wife have done. I know how important it is to have Black women-owned businesses, and how proud you are to be associated with that? How did that business come about? It was a labor of love, it really seemed like, and a matter of years for you guys, on working on that.

Man, I might have to connect you with Brittany to address that because it was really birthed by her. She had been getting her hair done, just when we’re traveling throughout the league, and she really was seeing … she really wanted a place where she could have a great experience. She’d seen that in other industries, but, for Black women, there wasn’t that one place that they could go, in whatever city they were in, and have that. And so she, a couple of years ago was like, “I’m going to create this experience. I want to create this business for Black women to be able to go and to feel great about doing their hair.”

And a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication, COVID, all these things happen, but, she was able to open it up and it’s been a great experience for her. She’s enjoying it. People who’ve come in so far, have enjoyed it. The name of the salon is GoodBody. It’s based in Oakland. I’m just extremely proud that, she not only had the idea, but she had the follow through to see it open.

I feel like a lot of us have had to look internally at ourselves. What have you learned about yourself through this time that we’re in, both from the pandemic, but also from the social situation that has led you to have that personal growth? Because, it’s easy to remain stagnant in situations, but it really does seem like you’ve used this to propel, not just conversations, but yourself again, and to have that personal growth as an individual.

The ability to adapt has been the biggest change in my personal growth since COVID. Before, I would say that I feel comfortable being able to adapt and things like that, but to literally have your whole world shifted upside down, basketball stopping, being confined to the house. Everything now is virtual, hence, we’re on Zoom right now. All of these different things are just completely changing, and learning to adapt, learning to be flexible, learning to figure out different ways of connecting with, not only a family who you may not be able to see, but teammates, coaches. How do you learn virtually, whether it’s conversations with people you admire or just different reading materials?

All these different types of things. I think I just learned to just be adaptable and just say, “Look, this might not be ideal, but I’m going to make the best of this situation.”

It’s funny you say adaptability because, from a professional standpoint, that’s something that you’ve been faced with over and over again, and you’ve done such a great job of. So, it’s funny, we work, and we spend so much time working, but to have that chance to kind of do so in a personal standpoint where you didn’t think to do it, you didn’t think about that as being a personal growth aspect, because you just roll with the punches when it comes to your career, moving from team to team, or doing any of those things.

Exactly, and I think the quarantine really kind of opened up into, okay, if I had a limited time to do something, what would I do? If I said I was going to read this book, if I said I was going to clean this room in the house, if I was going to work on X, Y, and Z, what would be the things that I would do? And, some things I did, somethings I didn’t do. But I think it just kind of gave me a little bit more perspective about how to be adaptable in your personal life, rather than just on the basketball floor.

Yeah, I was actually watching a conversation with George Mumford and Scottie Pippen as part of a Calm event through American Express. And that was something that they’d mentioned was, not just being able to wake up and face the day from a personal perspective, but being willing to kind of let those things in and do those body scans and be willing to acknowledge what’s happening that day, and then allow it to happen. I think we’re in a place here where, if you didn’t take this time to be more forgiving of who you are, but also to allow yourself that opportunity to grow, you almost did yourself a disservice. So it feels like it’s been that time where we all could reflect and then really work on that mantra of just “be better,” on a daily basis.

Mindfulness is huge. I read George Mumford’s book. It was actually recommended to me by Steph Curry. He worked with the Bulls, he worked with the Lakers. I think that’s such an important component, not just in sports, but just in life. And we’re fortunate here in Sac, we work with a great woman by the name of Dr. Andrea Becker, who’s definitely been helpful, especially during this COVID time of, how do you stay mindful? How do you stay present? How do you get the most out of every moment, which leads to the most out of every day?

Have you found that you’ve been able to take on a role with some of the younger players that you maybe weren’t able to do in the past? Just based on kind of the role that you were set in, whether it was in Golden State or Dallas, but now you’re in this situation in Sacramento where you’ve had to wear different hats and you’ve had to be different people, while still maintaining yourself and being who you are. But, this role is evolving for you. And just like in life, where we’re constantly works in progress, but, how do you use your voice to kind of reflect what you’ve learned and kind of build that within the team, just like the same way that you’re building that within the community, in some of the efforts that you’ve made there?

Yeah, I would say my leadership style is growing. Just coming up into the league, I had great examples of great players to learn from, to play alongside, whether it’s Steph, whether it’s Dirk, whether it’s an ultimate professional, like a guy like Andre Iguodala. So to be able to be around those guys and their leadership styles, it was always, the work came first. I’m going to be the hardest worker in the room. I’m going to take care of my body. I’m going to do the things I can do to excel physically, every single day.

So, that’s definitely a style I approach, I embody. But, as I’ve gotten older, I realize how important your voice is. And, while I’m an open book, it’s not necessarily my nature to necessarily go to somebody and, not necessarily tell them what to do, but subtly suggest what to do. So, that’s been an area of growth for me actually, just in terms of how I can engage younger guys and how I can, whether it’s share my experience, give my expertise, give my two cents, so they can get the most out of their abilities.

Do you find that some of the off-court conversations that you’ve had with those intelligent individuals, who’ve been successful in a variety of fields, that you’ve been able to kind of take away, either little nuggets of how they divide their day or how do they spend their time, what do they read, what do they do? But not just that, but almost attribute some of those things into practice, so that you can take those on the court?

Yeah, I would say, even since I was drafted in 2012, the approach to training, the approach to treatment, the approach to the game has shifted tremendously. If you watched an NBA game in the middle of February in 2012, versus a NBA game in February in 2020, you’d be like, “Where are the centers? Why is there a 6’4 guy playing power forward? Why are these different things going on?” So kind of what I was going back to earlier, just about being adaptable and just saying, “Look, this may be how I’ve done things, but now I understand the need to change.” And, I invite any of the younger guys that I play with, kind of into that experience of, look, this is an art. This is a constantly evolving art, the game of basketball. And you’re welcome to join my process at any point.

You feel like a lot of that, not just the on-court stuff with how the game’s changed, because that definitely is the case, but with how the process has been more open, and the way that players have kind of evolved in their ability to take things from a variety of different mediums, do you think that the time in Golden State had a lot to do with that?

One hundred percent, without a doubt. You got guys like Andrew Bogut, Richard Jefferson, Jarrett Jack, Carl Landry, David Lee, Andre Iguodala, guys who were always having conversations with me about things that were outside of basketball, whether I was playing well, or I wasn’t playing well, whatever it may be. And that really kind of got me thinking, talking, having different conversations, and me learning so much from those guys. Each and every one of those guys, I felt like I learned something definitely, from them, and still have relationships with them to this day, because of those conversations.

Where does golf fit into this for you? One of our writers [the great Robby Kalland] feels like that’s his place. That’s where he’s able to go to kind of put himself in a headspace to basically do a form of meditation, even though he’s not a meditative guy. And I know Steph and Iguodala and some of those other guys are that way when it comes to golf.

Yeah, I’ve had tons of teammates that … it’s hot or cold. You either love golf or you hate it. I’ve been fortunate enough to be around different guys. Bobby Jackson is one of my coaches here in Sac, and dude is playing all the time. I’m out here on the course with him right now. Kent Bazemore, another guy, great friend and teammate, loves golf. So I feel like, for me, it’s an opportunity to work different muscles, mentally. This game, it has so many ups and downs in one day. And it’s a great way, and after you’ve gone to the gym, you’ve worked out, you’ve done all your stuff, to just come out here and relax.

Yeah, it’s really just facing you. And so, if you’re in a good place when you’re golfing, even if you’re not shooting well, you’ll be in a good place on the course. It’s just, it’s a mirror almost, to your own mindset and to who you are. And I think the people who struggle with that are the same ones who maybe struggle with being able to let go, or being able to just kind of let things happen. If you’re trying to force it, it’s just like trying to win a championship. If you’re trying to force a championship, you’re not going to win one. You’ve got to kind of let the process come to you.

Absolutely, and I am a terrible golfer. Somebody on their first time golfing is probably the level I’m at. It’s something I enjoy, coming out here and learning. But by no means, would I consider myself any good.

What does voting mean to you and what have these last months taught you about this process that you’ve been able to kind of share and keep pushing that message forward, whether that was in the bubble or otherwise?

A lot of the change you want to see in society, lies in officials that we elect, we choose to put there. And I think, well, I hope, whenever this interview comes out, that people have registered, and have gone out to vote. And they’ve taken their time to educate themselves on these issues because it is very important. And for somebody to say, “Oh, my vote doesn’t matter and my voice isn’t going to be heard.” This is how you counteract that. And not just in November, but, whether it’s local elections that are coming up, in your city, in your state, those are just as important as well. And I think the more people that we have that do vote and that do make their voices heard, I think, the better shape our society will be.

Do you feel like there’s been a change within the locker room? Are the conversations changing a little bit within, even just team by team? And was there a specific event that, maybe was the catalyst for that, do you think?

I don’t know if it was a specific event, but I feel like guys have become more and more vocal about helping their communities, about addressing social justice issues, about voting. And, COVID, I think, was a big catalyst for, if a guy maybe, was on the sidelines, or maybe he didn’t know how to get connected, I think there are more and more resources that are being made available to guys, to do something. And, even not only just in the NBA, but even just the younger athletes who are expressing their voices and their thoughts on social media, whether they’re witnessing these protests, or maybe a part of these protests. So I think as we continue to move forward, I think more and more guys will continue to be more vocal, and those conversations in the locker room, are occurring.

Where does mental health fit into the picture for you personally? I know that’s something that the league has really rallied behind and you see guys like Kevin and DeMar and other individuals, even with the Stockton Kings, with Kyle Guy, who’s been so vocal about that, and his own struggles. Where does that fit in for you personally and kind of, how have you seen that change?

Yeah, I put mental health with, for me, with mindfulness, being present, trying to get the most out of every moment, not allowing anxiety or worry or doubt or any type of frustration or imbalance that I have going on, to kind of take me out of where I’m at, whether that’s on the basketball court, whether that’s when I’m at home with family, whether that’s, wherever I may be. I think that’s so important. And a lot of times, people, they just assume that they’re athletes, they just flip a switch, everything mentally just goes out the door and you just get to this level and play, but there’s life outside of the court. And while a guy can have a great performance, that person can also be hurting off the floor. And I think it’s so important to, just like you train your body, to train your mind and have self-care.

Last question for you. Just how important are programs like the Boys and Girls Club for you, and where does your devotion and your relationship to them stem from?

Man, the Boys and Girls Club to me is huge. I grew up in the Boys and Girls Club in Ames. I’ve always had reading academies in all the cities that I’ve been to, whether it’s in Oakland, Dallas, Sacramento, I’m associated with that. And I feel like it’s a great place for kids to go, to feel safe, to be themselves. You can get help with your homework, you can play sports. It’s a safe haven. And, it’s been an organization that I’ve been thankful for in my childhood, and I’ve tried to support, my wife and I have tried to support everywhere we’ve been.

I Am Dead sounds like an awful game to play in year already so full of death and suffering, but as someone on the other side of the gaming experience, I simply can’t recommend it enough. It’s charming, lovely, and all of the words you gently insert into your vocabulary after hearing English accents uninterrupted over the course of a few hours.

The adventure puzzle game from Annapurna Interactive is admittedly more story than game. Created by Richard Hogg and Hollow Ponds (Hohokum, Wilmot’s Warehouse), I Am Dead both provides meaning to the afterlife and amplifies the importance of the small moments in life that can impact others long after we’ve stopped living.

The plot of the game is simple: You play as Morris Lupton, the curator of a museum on the fictional island of Shelmerston. Who is, you know, dead. As his spirit, you work with his dog, Sparky, to search for a new caretaker for the island. Shelmeston happens to have a volcano on it and Aggi, the spirit responsible for keeping that volcano from destroying the town, is tired of doing it after a few thousand years.

If that sounds like an interesting story, know that it’s not really the focus of gameplay itself. In your search for a new caretaker, you learn the stories of recently deceased people in town who have met and influenced others still alive. Each story unfolds in a kaleidoscope of colors as images come into and out of focus while voice actors tell a story about an item you’ll need to find to help Sparky sniff out their spirits.

It’s a game about an island filled with fish people, bird people, and ordinary humans as well. And despite its whimsy and unique humanoid creatures, it’s also one of the most beautiful reflections on life I’ve ever experienced with a controller in my hand. The game’s stories are heartfelt, with love stories and tragic accidents given a proper place in island lore. A puzzle game doubling as a meditation on the value of one’s life after it’s ended is heavy, sure, but it’s also a game about really good toast and smuggling booze and how mementos and keepsakes keep people alive long after they’re gone.

Finding those keepsakes is the main goal of the game, which is done with a point and click navigation of sorts. Items that are clickable get zoomed in on and, since you’re dead, you have the power to look through them and reveal things hidden inside. Most of the main puzzles are fairly easy to snuff out by paying attention to the story, and each item can be found in the nearby area where you hear the tale. But there are more challenging scavenger hunts to be found in the game, with spirits called Grenkins hiding in each area you unlock with the help of abstract images you create by turning and looking “through” items.

There’s also a more mischievous character in the game offering riddles with a time limit if you really want to be challenged, and other surprises await those who seek them out. Once you start looking around, it’s likely you’ll take any excuse to further explore the game’s vibrant island setting. It really is beautiful, a fictional island where everyone lives together in harmony despite things constantly changing. In what’s been such a difficult year for so many, the chance to explore a world so full of connection and meaning was a welcome suggestion of what this reality could be.

“Nobody is just anything, Morris,” your dog assistant Sparky will say at one point, implying not only that everyone has several roles in life but that they’ve all meant something to someone at one point or another. Considering that connection can be overwhelming sometimes, but it’s also a nice reminder that how you treat others and the way you live your life carries on in those who keep your stories.

It’s a really lovely thought, especially in a year so fraught with pain and abrupt endings for so many. I Am Dead doesn’t bring anyone back to life, but it does serve as a reminder that some things just aren’t measured by time the way we think. That alone makes this game a story worth experiencing for yourself.

On the latest episode of People’s Party, Talib Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sat down with the co-founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter, Melina Abdullah, for an in-depth chat about America’s racial wealth gap, systemic racism, and the types of “good trouble” Abdullah has gotten herself into throughout her career as an activist. Following the countrywide protests over the police killing of George Floyd in late May, Abdullah has remained a vocal champion of the “defund the police” movement — an idea that has spread rapidly and, while not endorsed by either Presidential candidate, is still a matter of discourse across the political spectrum.

While discussing her goal to “undo policing,” Kweli pressed Abdullah on the meaning behind the phrase “defund the police.” She breaks it down definitively in the clip above.

“‘Defund’ was our way of getting away with saying we’re abolitionists,” she explains. “Policing, and jails, and prisons, they’re not reformable. They’re irredeemable systems. Policing, literally — and this is not disputable — the American system of policing literally evolved out of slave catching. When we think about what chattel slavery is and why it had to be abolished, and when we think about how ridiculous it would’ve been to say ‘lets reform chattel slavery’ that’s the same ridiculousness with which we have to meet people who say “lets reform policing.’”

Abdullah acknowledges that defunding the police is a road to eventual abolition — an opinion not shared by a majority of Americans in any group surveyed by a recent Gallup poll. But she also offers a new way of envisioning public safety in a world without police,

“We’re not saying we don’t want to live in safe communities. We absolutely want safe communities. But what does public safety, what does community safety look like? So we want to defund and abolish the police and we still want safe communities, recognizing that safe communities are built when everybody has housing. Safe communities come when people have good jobs. When there are quality after-school programs when we have mental health resources and health resources… We want to defund the police and reimagine public safety.”

Watch ‘People’s Party with Talib Kweli’ featuring Melina Abdullah at YouTube.com/UproxxVideo.

The last time we got new music from King Princess was back in February when she shared “Ohio” on the deluxe edition of Cheap Queen. Now, though, for the first time in months, King Princess has given fans something new to chew on: a song called “Only Time Makes It Human.”

The song’s visual features a 3D model of King Princess admiring the real-life human on TV and computer screens. On the track, she sings about simultaneously wanting and not wanting to get over an old flame, singing on the chorus, “And it sucks that I think about her / ‘Cause thinking ’bout her leaves me lonely / And it’s not that I wanna suffer / But thinking of her keeps me going.”

Alongside the video, King Princess has also launched some new merch items, including the underwear and tank top she wears in the video.

King Princess has stayed mostly away from the public eye during the pandemic. In April, she performed an at-home Tiny Desk concert from her Hawaiian “quarantine shed,” and during the summer, she called out JK Rowling after the Harry Potter author shared some controversial tweets about trans women.

Watch the “Only Time Makes It Human” video above.

Donald Trump lost the ratings battle, and he appears to be losing the election war, too.

After the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that the second debate between Trump and Joe Biden on October 15 would be held virtually due to the president having recently tested positive for COVID-19, Trump backed out, telling Fox Business that he was “not going to waste my time on a virtual debate.” ABC, now with a hole in its schedule, soon after announced a town hall event with Biden; NBC quickly (and controversially) followed suit with Trump, whose town hall aired at same time as his opponent’s, Thursday night at 8 p.m. EST. Trump, ever obsessed with ratings, wanted to trounce Biden with a higher viewership. His town hall was even on multiple networks.

Let’s see how that went.

Joe Biden’s town hall on ABC averaged 13.9 million viewers on Thursday night, easily surpassing the Nielsen ratings for President Trump’s town hall on NBC. The Trump town hall was simulcast by two of NBC’s cable channels, MSNBC and CNBC, but even when those channels are included in the total, Biden — on only one network — still prevailed.

Trump’s town hall was seen by 10.6 million viewers on NBC, plus an additional 1.74 million on MSNBC and 671,000 on CNBC. That’s 13 million overall, nearly a million fewer than Biden on ABC alone. “Staffers at ABC News privately admitted to their surprise when the preliminary ratings came in on Friday,” according to CNN.

Good work, TikTok teens!

Trump has yet to respond on Twitter, but you know it’s coming.

(Via CNN)

Thank goodness for John Oliver for keeping things weird while the world burns around us. The Last Week Tonight host recently saw his (only attainable) “dream” come true — one that might be even better than accepting an Emmy while wearing a hoodie. While feeling the afterglow of that honor, Oliver confessed that his remaining ambition for 2020 was to have a sewage plant in Danbury, Connecticut named after him.

If that doesn’t speak to the dumpster fire that this year has been, than I’m not sure what else would qualify. Well, there’s some fantastic news coming for those who’ve been watching this story. Not only did the Danbury city council vote almost unanimously to officially rename the facility as the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant, but Oliver will be present at a rechristening ceremony. He’s either actually made this decision on his own, or Mayor Boughton is trolling him so that he has to show up, but either way, Oliver is on the ribbon-cutting calendar.

Boughton told the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce on Thursday that Oliver “agreed to come to the city.” Via the Danbury NewsTimes:

“We’re still working out the details on that to cut the ribbon on the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant, which we renamed last week,” Boughton said. “We’ll be putting something up on Facebook about that, but it won’t be available or open to the public, unfortunately, as they’re very strict in terms of the COVID-19 regulations.”

This event (please let the ceremonial ribbon be brown) will end a lengthy (mock) feud between Oliver and Boughton, who called the host “full of crap.” Oliver was actually delighted to hear the insult but then disappointed to hear that it was only a joke, at which point he opened his wallet and made a $55,000 donation to the city. After the Emmys, he gushed, “My dream this year is to have a sewage plant named after me in Danbury, Connecticut… And I’m close. I feel like I’m real close.”

Previously, Oliver enthusiastically faux-raged in front of his HBO audience, and that reached an apex in August, “Listen, I didn’t know that I wanted my name on your sh*t factory… But now that you floated it as an option, it is all that I want.” And he’s teaching us all to never give up on his dreams, no matter how silly they might seem.

(Via Danbury’s NewsTimes)

David West is one of the most thoughtful people in basketball, but his latest take, that Andrea Bargnani would be a dominant scoring force in the NBA if he played right now, is a bit surprising. But West was certain of it in an appearance on Basketball News’ NBA Finals Watch Party last week, and that the same was true of Chris Bosh.

Here’s West’s explanation:

“I thought about this the other day. When [Andrea] Bargnani and [Chris] Bosh were in Toronto, the reason why that sh** didn’t work is ’cause the NBA let us beat them up! We beat up Bargnani, they let us body Bosh.

“Like, Bosh and Bargnani right now, they would blow this NBA out of the water. They were damn near impossible to guard. I’m serious. The only reason Bargnani didn’t have a (successful) career was ’cause the referees let people like me beat him up!

“In today’s game, he would be killin’ because he would be protected. Ryan, you know, you remember — he would try that sweep at the three-point line; they wasn’t giving him that sh**, that rip-through. We could grab both arms.”

Now, it’s hard to say why West coupled Bosh, a perennial All-Star, two-time NBA champion, and potential Hall of Famer, alongside Bargnani, one of the biggest busts from the No. 1 pick slot in NBA history, but his point stands. We see many more slender scorers at forward these days than we did in the early 2010s, when these two were battling bigger bruisers inside.

At the same time, players like Dirk Nowitzki and LaMarcus Aldridge were able to succeed in the frontcourt despite less-than-elite athleticism, while many more athletic and strong scoring forwards like Michael Beasley and Derrick Williams failed to make good on their promise in the NBA despite matching up better with the old era of the league.

Still, as one of the only players who could match up with just about anyone on the inside because of his physicality and smarts, it’s not surprising West would be the one to make this observation.

(Via SLAM)

Once autumn begins in full, people all over the northern half of the US (and parts of California) decide that the most exciting weekend activity imaginable is driving out of the city to an apple orchard to pick their own apples. It’s always a thing that sounds cool and ends up being a more mid-level fun thing — unless there are fresh apple cider donuts on hand, in which case it moves waaaaaay up the “fall weekend activity ranking.”

Regardless of whether or not you’re hitting orchards for a little you-pay-them-type manual labor anytime soon, apples are synonymous with autumn. Fall is the time for apple pie, apple cider, and, perhaps most importantly, applejack and other apple-flavored spirits.

To find bottles of apple-centric booze for fall, we decided to head to the experts for advice. We asked some of our favorite bartenders to tell us the best applejack and apple-flavored spirits to drink before the leaves drop.

Apple Playa Cinnamon Liqueur

Marla White, lead bartender at Lona Cocina & Tequilera in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Apple Playa. Notes of cinnamon and apples go great in our ‘el pecado’ cocktail: blend of Contradiction Bourbon, Apple Playa, honey, and cinnamon.

The result is an adult liquid version of apple pie.

Crown Royal Regal Apple Whiskey

Molly Safuto, bartender at Mila Rooftop Bar at The Glenmark Hotel in Glendale, California

Crown Royal Regal Apple Whisky. You can drink it neat or mix it with sparkling apple cider. With the crisp apple flavor and notes of cinnamon spice, you start to forget that you are drinking whisky.

Laird’s Bottled in Bond

Andy Printy, beverage director at Chao Baan in St. Louis

Laird’s remains the champ! It’s America’s oldest registered distillery and a staple of early saloons. They harvest their own Pennsylvania apples and do a ton to support the bartending community. The balance of Apple to toasted oak is a profile designed to be the harbinger of autumn.

Their “bonded” expression is heftier in the ABV, but easily just as delicious.

Barking Irons Applejack

Crystal Chasse, beverage director at Talk Story Rooftop in Brooklyn

I am a big fan of Barking Irons Applejack. It’s locally made with delicious New York apples; the cider is produced Upstate and the aging process taking place in a stillhouse in Brooklyn. Their original aged 100 proof Applejack has fragrant caramel and baking spice notes, and their un-aged 80 proof is crisp and perfect in lighter style cocktails.

Old Hampshire Blended Applejack

Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami

Old Hampshire Blended Applejack works great in bourbon or cognac cocktails as a subtle introduction of apple flavor. This 100% New Hampshire apple-made applejack is sweet, rich, and full of cinnamon and vanilla flavors.

Laird’s Straight Applejack 86

Max Stampa-Brown, beverage director at Borrachito in New York City

Laird’s Straight Applejack 86, that’s all you really need. I ordered too much of it at a bar I worked at not long ago and wound up making a warm glühwein (mulled wine) with it. Tasted like apples and raspberry jelly on a toasted slice of whole wheat. People were upset that it only lasted a week.

Leopold Bros New York Apple Whiskey

Mitchell Cochran, bar manager at Shades Bar & Grill in South Walton, Florida

Leopold Bros New York Apple Whiskey. It has a very real apple flavor. It is easy to drink on the rocks but also goes great with Sprite and cranberry juice to bring fall flavors together.

Koval Apple Brandy

Brendan Bartley, head bartender and beverage director at Bathtub Gin in New York City

The best applejack is from Koval Distillery, in Chicago. Their ethos towards distilling is something I really love. They have a grain-to-bottle mentality and care where they source their products for distillation. In this case, apple-farm-to-bottle is the order of the day.

This, to me, is a sipping applejack. Aged in whiskey barrels, it has hints of vanilla and oatmeal, slight banana as well. But it’s a mellow smooth mouthfeel, like a creaminess to it. This has few sharp edges on it, and I think it’s a great way to spend a few hours watching the world go by during fall.

Laird’s Blended Applejack

Gavin Humes, bartender at Scratch | Bar & Restaurant in Encino, California

Laird’s Blended Applejack is the beginning and end of this conversation. Basically, their entire lineup provides the complexity and depth that I’m looking for. It’s got just enough wood, with the sweetness of the apples to be a fantastic sipping applejack, or fantastic in a cocktail.

Writer’s Pick:

Copper & Kings American Apple Brandy

This applejack was finished in bourbon and new American oak barrels. The result is a 92 proof, rich, subtly sweet brandy with hints of apple pie, vanilla, and caramelized sugar.

Donald Trump’s attempt to buy the Buffalo Bills in 2014 is a quest largely lost to the history of all that followed. Perhaps this world is very different if neither Jon Bon Jovi or fracking billionaire Terry Pegula exist, but they do and the latter now owns New York’s only NFL franchise.

Trump went on, of course, to run for president and win, while Bon Jovi is still making music and gotten a bit more politically active as well. But in a recent interview with GQ UK, he revealed he’s very much not over his failed attempt to buy the Bills, calling it “one of the biggest disappointments” of his life. He also still has special ire for Trump, who schemed out a reported ratf*cking campaign against Bon Jovi and his bidding partners in the city of Buffalo as a way to turn public opinion against the rivals.

In case this moment was truly lost to history for you, the sale of the Bills after the death of owner Ralph Wilson became a high-profile bidding war in 2014, as Trump publicly threw his hat in the ring along with a Toronto-based ownership group led by Bon Jovi. Rumors at the time were that Bon Jovi’s group eventually wanted to relocate the Bills, and Trump jumped on that in an attempt to gain public favor for himself.

Allegedly Trump had also been interested in buying the Bills, but he knew he would be unable to outbid Bon Jovi and his Toronto-based partners, so he hired Republican operative Michael Caputo – who has previously worked as a political consultant for Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin – and they incited a grassroots campaign to turn the people of Buffalo against him.

A group of activists called “12th Man Thunder” sprung up and began establishing “Bon Jovi-free zones” in the city, with Caputo pulling the strings from behind the scenes. Radio DJs in the city refused to play his songs on air.

While Trump and Bon Jovi were fighting, however, the numbers were in another bidder’s favor. Anyone who was paying attention in Buffalo at the time of the sale could tell you that it was always going to be Pegula — the wealthiest of all parties involved — with the highest bid and his ownership of the Buffalo Sabres already signaled he was committed to keeping the team in Buffalo long-term. Trump and Bon Jovi may have jockeyed for position with each other but, quite frankly, they were both worried about the wrong guy the whole time. And when it came time for the bidding, that’s exactly what happened.

“We showed up with a billion three, sitting there with a cheque. And we could have easily bought it at any price. We didn’t get to get back in the room. [Pegula] said, ‘What do I have to do to not leave this table without owning the team?’”

Bon Jovi claims he could have paid “any price,” but the Toronto Sun reported in 2019 that the Pegulas paid $1.4 billion for the team, a record at the time. The paper also claims Bon Jovi’s group had a final bid of $1.05 billion. Trump, meanwhile, reportedly submitted a bid of just $800 million, though the Sun reported that Trump never actually submitted a final bid for the team at all. Bon Jovi and Trump both apparently seem keep to fudge the numbers here, but one thing the rocker is adamant about is that he was never going to move the team to Toronto.

A large part of the scheme involved convincing the fans that Bon Jovi and his partners intended to move the team to Canada, which Bon Jovi strenuously denies. “I can tell you, I swear to you on a stack of Bibles, because I had to have this hardy conversation with the two partners: ‘We’re not gonna get this unless we keep this here,’” he says, recalling the incident, which he calls “one of the biggest disappointments” of his life. “We never saw it coming. I was calling the town councilman, telling him, ‘I’m moving to Buffalo, New York!’”

We’ll never know what would have happened to the Bon Jovi Bills. But it’s clear that, despite more than six years removed from the incident, Bon Jovi is not ready to forgive. On Bon Jovi’s new album, for example, he has a song about Donald Trump that isn’t very positive.

But he does take direct aim at Donald Trump on his song “Blood In The Water”. “A storm is coming / Let me be clear / Your days are numbered,” he sings.

“‘Blood In The Water’ is directed at the administration, for sure. It starts off with ‘A storm is coming’ – Stormi Daniels. ‘Your shadow sold your secrets and he’s about to do some time’ – Michael Cohen. That’s what this was all written about. Now there’s blood in the water, a year later, or two months ago, you could say that it was the impeachment.”

What’s odd about all of this is, again, neither celebrity really had much chance of buying the team out from under Pegula, a man who was valued around $4 billion at the time of the sale. That doesn’t mean the musician will ever forgive the city of Buffalo for Trump’s apparent misdeeds, though, saying, “I won’t ever go back to the city of Buffalo. You will never see my face in Buffalo ever. I have knocked it off the map.”

I think it’s fair to say you shouldn’t expect a Bon Jovi concert in Western New York anytime soon. Then again, it’s also fair to say if it keeps the Bills in Buffalo, people there will take that deal every single time.