After years of ducking the press, and his own manager, actor Robert Iler sat down for a rare interview to talk about his life since The Sopranos ended in 2007. Iler famously played Tony Soprano’s youngest child and only son A.J. on the hit HBO series and then seemingly disappeared, except for a few small roles here and there. But thanks to an invitation from his old co-stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa, Iler briefly stepped back into the spotlight on Monday by dialing into their Talking Sopranos podcast.
Speaking candidly with Imperioli and Schirripa, Iler revealed that after The Sopranos ended, he told his manager he wanted to take six months off to just play poker and hang out. Those six months turned into years, and Iler found himself battling drug and alcohol addiction while being uninterested in acting work unless he could use it to get out of jury duty. But the young actor is now seven years sober, and he’s not afraid to speak candidly about his struggles and his inability to revisit his golden days on The Sopranos, especially following James Gandolfini’s death.
“I have not seen 80 percent of the episodes,” Iler explained, calling it “torture” to watch Gandolfini now. “He met me when I was 12 … and it was very father figure. He always told me if you ever have any problems, you can call Uncle Tony. He came to my Confirmation in a three-piece pinstripe suit, gave me a kiss on the cheek and a card with cash.”
While he may not want to open old wounds by watching old episodes, Iler did reveal that he’s working on a podcast with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who played his sister Meadow Soprano on the HBO series. He also admitted to feeling the acting bug after recently watching the latest season of Ozark, so we could be seeing more of the young actor in the days ahead.
The NHL is still making plans to restart the 2019-20 season and crown a Stanley Cup champion, and now we know some of the proposals the hockey league is taking seriously as the world hopes to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Hockey was one of several sports that had their seasons interrupted in March and would be in the middle of its postseason under normal circumstances. But as spring turns to summer and the sports calendar’s disruption starts to threaten the offseason, draft and 2020-21 campaign, leagues face tough decisions about whether to cancel the season altogether or find a way to finish things out and safely declare a champion.
According to Newsday, the league has narrowed its two remaining options for a season restart, with one plan involving a brief “regular season” conclusion and another that jumps directly into postseason play and a traditional 16-team playoff.
The first scenario includes 24 teams. Under this plan, the top four teams would play for playoff seeding and the bottom teams would have postseason play-in games.
The second plan would include only 16 teams heading straight into the playoffs, with no regular-season games salvaged.
It’s not clear how the standings for the returning teams in either scenario would be determined or where the games would be played.
The first plan may leave the 25th place Buffalo Sabres and teams worse than them out in the cold, but those squads were all but out of the playoff hunt and would have little incentive to play just to warm postseason-bound teams up. It would be a significant departure from the traditional eight team in each conference postseason format the league has had for decades, but it would provide a period of warm-up play for players who have been off the ice for months and would need considerable time to sharpen their skills.
The report notes that which plan — if any — the league can implement would depend on the timing around when a restart could get off the ground. That would imply the league prefers the 24-team format if there’s time in the calendar year, with a 16-team playoff only format being a last-ditch effort to save the season at all.
Several locations that have been relatively unscathed by the coronavirus pandemic have apparently volunteered to host games, though team owners would undoubtedly want to have their teams playing in home markets if possible. It also seems unlikely that fans would be able to attend any of these games given the risks associated and stakes invested in limiting more interruptions if the season resumes. The league stressed that a decision has not been made, but that “every option” remains on the table.
“I think, as of now, every option we have considered remains on the table,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said via email. “Obviously, some may be being explored more extensively than others. But no decisions have been made.”
Looming over all of this is the ability to test players and what could happen if members of teams or their essential staff test positive for COVID-19 and what measures the league would have to take to ensure safety of those wherever they decide to play. Several members of the Ottawa Senators and undisclosed members of the Colorado Avalanche, for example, tested positive for COVID-19 in recent months and it’s likely others had positive tests that were not publicly disclosed.
Either way, it looks like the season is already over for the Sabres, Devils, Ducks, Kings, Sharks, Senators and Red Wings. But we knew that well before the COVID-19 pandemic actually stopped play.
Making an on-set PPV cameo isn’t the riskiest thing Vince McMahon has done on a WWE set during the pandemic era. According to Fightful, the 74-year-old also tried out one of WrestleMania 36’s most memorable stunts.
Becky Lynch told TV Insider that she watched McMahon, “demonstrate falling off a tower… without a bother,” and Fightful verified with WWE sources how the story went down. While hosting this year’s WrestleMania, Rob Gronkowski won the 24/7 Championship after diving onto a large group of WWE Superstars. Apparently, Gronk was very nervous about taking the fall off of the platform, and McMahon took a hands-on approach to calming his nerves and took the dive himself.
WWE Network
However, even McMahon safely performing the stunt didn’t calm Gronkowski’s nerves. Ultimately, the dive had to be filmed in such a way that it masked that Gronk didn’t so much jump off the platform as much as he fell off of it after crouching down, “like a toddler jumping into the pool for the first time” — not a great look for Gronk’s party boy WWE persona.
Have a Good Trip: Adventures In Psychedelics(Netflix) — These are trippy times, so it makes sense that Netflix would bring us this doc hybrid about famous people and their strange experiences with hallucinogens. Nick Offerman plays a “scientist” who’s narrating us through various real-life tales from the likes of Sarah Silverman, Nick Kroll, and Sting while other famous faces like Adam Scott reenact those stories. There’s a bit of social commentary mixed in about the untapped potential of psychedelics, but really, this whole thing is just an excuse to hear A$AP Rocky talk about that time he thought a rainbow shot out of his penis.
9-1-1 (Fox, 8:00 p.m.) — When a train carrying hundreds of passengers derails, the 118 crew rushes to save those who’ve survived the disaster.
The Price Is Right At Night With Rupaul (CBS, 8:00 p.m.) — Rupaul is gonna spice up this archaic game show y’all. Hold onto your wigs.
Roswell, New Mexico (CW, 9:00 p.m.) — Liz ruins Kyle’s first date with Steph while Michael and Isobel learn the devastating truth about the night Tripp attacked their mothers.
Creepshow (AMC, 10:00 p.m.) — Growing fingers and weird military excursions are mixed in with tonight’s nightmare fuel.
Songland (NBC, 10:00 p.m.) — Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, Julia Michaels, stops by to hear unknown songwriters pitch their original material.
Given New York drill’s positioning as the latest iteration of party music for the youth to rebel to, it’s no surprise that the video for Lil Tjay‘s “Zoo York” — which also features drill forerunners Fivio Foreign and Pop Smoke — seriously flouts social distancing guidelines while playing with fire in more ways than one. The video, directed by JL Shot That, depicts an impromptu, punk-ish block party complete with a mosh pit and flamethrowers, with only light concessions to the need for personal protective equipment — some attendees wear face masks, but not the way you’re supposed to.
“Zoo York” also pays homage to Pop Smoke during his verse with archival footage of him performing and posting up on the block alongside Chicago’s Calboy (a nod to drill’s OG origins). “Zoo York” is the latest single from Lil Tjay’s State Of Emergency EP, which finds the 19-year-old Bronx native adjusting his usually melodic sound to adapt to a diverse array of beats including the burgeoning, London-influenced style that has become the de facto sound of New York — at least for now. Tjay proves equally adept at the more rambunctious approach, demonstrating his versatility as a rapper and justifying his growing hype alongside some of the city’s other burgeoning superstars like Foreign, Smoke, and Jay Critch.
Watch Lil Tjay’s “Zoo York” video above.
State Of Emergency is out now on Columbia Records. Get it here.
“Quarantine Kit” features interviews with our favorite actors, musicians, chefs, athletes, and artists about their personal methods for killing time, staying fit, and keeping social distance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Common is living like seven lifetimes all at once. Dude is a Grammy-winning rapper, a legit movie star, and a serious philanthropist. So it’s no surprise that being locked down hasn’t stopped the multi-hyphenate from being productive. For him, that conversation always encompasses his own mental health and wellbeing.
“I’ve been trying to find the peace in all of this,” Common said to us over the phone last week. “The best thing to do for our fellow people is to stay home right now, but that doesn’t mean we just have to shelter and sit down. I am not zen every moment these days, but my overall energy is that elements of this can be positive. There is an opportunity to come out of this for us to be better than before — as individuals and collectively as humans.”
I like all the great tools we have to stay connected, but I don’t want to spend my entire day staring at a screen or surfing the internet. When I feel like I’ve been too still for too long I’ll grab a basketball and go dribble out around the house. Being outside shooting some hoops just makes me feel normal, and it’s important to spend time in the real world however you can during these times.
These days offer a time to be creative with our minds and our hearts, finding ways to connect. I want people to see that it is still possible to have a true connection with someone even while we are stuck in different places. You can still connect with new people and grow. Whether that’s in terms of a friendship or a romance.
There’s something special about that nervous excitement that you get when you’re going on a date with someone you’re excited about. That doesn’t have to go away during this time. Get on the app, and have a virtual date — something you get dressed up for. I went on one [for Bumble as part of a brand sponsorship], and I really enjoyed that process of picking out an outfit and even putting on some cologne.
I think for a woman, it’s also a safe way to start out getting to know someone new. And you can still feel someone’s energy through the screen and in how they hold themselves. The conversation can still flow. You can even find somewhere that you can both order food from and watch a movie at the same time. On my date, I watched Queen Sono on Netflix, which was a show that my date enjoyed, and we got to talk about it after. I’ll definitely be doing that again. And for some people — because of long distances and other challenges — doing a virtual date may become a new normal.
KEEPING TUNED IN: Questlove (check his Instagram here)
I’ve been loving the sets that he’s doing live online during this time. Not only does Quest play amazing music, but he also gives lessons and history on the music as he plays it. The man knows what he’s talking about. He’s a walking music library.
I know that he’s bringing a lot of joy to people right now, myself included.
BEING HEALTHY: Yoga Exercise Ball (buy online here)
Courtesy
My entire life I’ve believed in working out and having a clean diet. So now I feel like has been the time to share more of that journey, because I want to share the good energy that it has given me. I took a few days off when this first started but now I’ve been getting back into training regularly with what I have at home.
I just put in an order for a few more things, but I’ve been doing just fine with an exercise ball, resistance bands, and jump rope. I think you can accomplish a lot with bodyweight training alone. The other day I was doing crunches using a few books that I had kicking around for weights.
During the beginning of all of this I wasn’t watching anything. I decided to take some time off. But once I had about a week without, I decided to start pulling out a few classic movies that I love. I have no problem seeing this movie multiple times, even though it may have some pain and some hurt in it. There are just amazing performances, particularly from Dustin Hoffman.
Not only do I enjoy watching it, but it just inspires me with how good certain acting performances can be. I love to see actors doing their thing and being great. There’s just something dope about this movie any night.
STAYING SPIRITUAL:A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose (buy online here)
Courtesy of Charles Thorp
There is something to be said for taking that time that you would usually use just to stay busy, or keep busy, and using it to grow your soul. I don’t think that’s wasted time. In that pursuit, I read a lot of books on spirituality. This is one of my favorites. I’ve also been reading Ask And It Is Given. Both books that tackle the idea of building a stronger relationship with God and being a better leader in our homes.
This pick is about not letting religion separate or confine us, but instead recognizing the power that we have as human beings. That’s what’s going to get us through this.
Mike Tyson is 53 years old and is 15 years removed from his most recent fight, but the former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world still possesses that terrifying speed and power that made him the most electrifying boxer of his generation.
The man that won his first 37 fights, finishing all but four with a knockout, is perhaps better known by the current generation for his cameo appearances in movies and eccentric behavior, but he decided to remind everyone he’s still one of the baddest men on the planet. Tyson posted a workout video on Monday of him absolutely ripping his trainers hand pads with punches, bobbing and weaving and snapping punches that still look like they’ll send most anyone to the canvas.
At the end, Tyson says “I’m back,” which I assume simply means he’s back in the gym and not, like, some grand plan to get back in the ring at some point. Whatever the case, the kind of hand speed he has at 53 is better than you see from most anyone in their prime, and is a reminder of the preternatural talent Tyson has that made him the most famous boxer in the world and the heavyweight champ in the late 80s.
Also, I hope this stops the foolishness on social media in which people ask questions like “could you go five rounds with Mike Tyson?” Because the answer to that is hell no.
Are people in general innately good or innately bad? Does humanity skew toward self-service and savagery or compassion and cooperation?
People have explored these questions in various ways over the centuries, and while we have plenty of examples of humans acting on both ends of the spectrum, there is still debate to be had about how we humans average out. Are we more likely to tilt toward helping or hurting?
An article in The Guardian by Australian writer Rutger Bregman offers a rare insight into an accidental experiment that addresses this question. The article tells the largely-overlooked-but-amazingly-true story of six teenage boys from Tonga who were stranded alone on a deserted island in the South Pacific for more than a year. Rather than devolve into murderous animals, a la Lord of the Flies, the 13-to-16-year-olds pledged not to quarrel—and ultimately built a cooperative, supportive life together.
His full article is definitely worth reading, but Bregman shared the highlights along with some extra details and photos in a long Twitter thread over the weekend. It’s hard to get enough of this extraordinary story, so the thread is a welcome treat after reading the boys’ story.
The title of Bregman’s upcoming book, Humankind: A Hopeful History really sums up the takeaway from this story. Humans as a whole tend toward kindness. For sure human history is full of dark chapters and cruel atrocities, but it’s more full of hope and collective progress. We tend to focus on the wars and conquests and genocides when we talk about history, but the building of civilizations, the collaborations that have led to discovery and innovation, and the everyday acts of compassion and altruism that we see all around us are arguably our default nature.
Certain conditions or influences may pull certain people away from that default, but as this story shows, people can act with cooperation and mutual support even under the most difficult of circumstances. If you’re struggling to feel hopeful for humanity right now, keep this story in mind. We can always find examples of people acting selfishly, but that doesn’t mean it’s the norm.
The boys, ages 13 to 16, hated their boarding school in Tonga so they stole a boat and set out to sea. They took food and water, but no compass—a choice that makes their story of survival all the more fascinating. They got caught in a storm, ended up lost at sea for eight days, then washed ashore a rocky, uninhabited island.
The first thing the boys did when they realized they were stranded was they made a pact not to fight. For 15 months, they figured out how to find food, how to collect rainwater, how to stay healthy and fit—even how to set a broken bone when one of the boys broke a leg. After they managed to start a fire, they took turns tending it to ensure it never went out.
Search parties gave up looking for the boys, and funerals were held because they were presumed dead. The world moved on while the boys lived an impossibly difficult existence on an inhospitable island, never knowing if or when they’d ever get to leave.
But one day, an Australian sea captain just happened to have taken a detour from his route when a naked boy jumping from a cliff into the water caught his eye. Then he saw several others follow, screaming as they swam toward his boat. They were rescued after more than a year of living alone.
Bergman naturally contrasts these boys’ experiences—a life they built that was marked by cooperation, mutual support, and collective problem-solving—with the frequently-assigned lit class novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding. In that story, a group of boys get stranded on a desert island and basically devolve into murderous animals vying for power. The message from the novel was that, left untrained and unattended, the “darkness of man’s heart” would push children to savagery.
Over the weekend, an estimated thousands of people ran 2.23 miles to show their support for Ahmaud Arbery, a former high school football player and avid jogger. Arbery was shot and killed in February near Brunswick, Georgia after being pursued in a truck by a former policeman and his son who claimed he resembled someone responsible for break-ins in the neighborhood.
Travis and Gregory McMichael were arrested on charges of murder and aggravated assault on Friday.
The incident is seen by many as another in a long list of instances of black people’s lives being threatened while engaging in normal, everyday activities that wouldn’t arise any suspicions if done by a white person.
Richard Desmick, a 34-year-old former pastor living in Vero Beach, Florida, showed his support for Arbery by running 2.23 miles and doing so in a way that exposes racial disparity in America.
“I just started crying when I just saw this poor young man running – as I have thousands of times in my life – get shot down,” Demsick told Business Insider. He said he thought “maybe I should run with a TV to show that being a suspicious character isn’t enough that someone should be shot down. Being a white person, that’s just not going to happen to me.”
Since Demsick posted the video on Saturday, it has already received over 279,000 likes.
“Alright, I figured it out. I’ve got my hat on backwards, I’m shirtless like I’m on some episode of ‘Cops,’ I’m running with a TV,” he said in a video posted to TikTok. “Someone’s going to stop me now, for sure. Cause, if not, what was the problem with Ahmaud?”
The video has received an overwhelmingly positive response on social media, with many praising Demsick for engaging in activism that proves a significant point about race in America: a white man can run through the streets looking like he just stole a TV and no one bats an eye.
A black man minding his own business and jogging has to worry about being murdered.
via TikTok
via TikTok
“People have been incredibly kind, undeservedly kind,” Demsick said about the response to his video. “There are people who are daily working trying to correct the injustice, I just made a video.”
Demisck’s passion for social justice stems from his life growing up in Detroit. He was raised in the suburbs and attended dance competitions where most of his friends were black. It was through his interaction with the black community that he learned of the struggles they face.
Demsick was also a pastor at what he calls a primarily upper-class conservative church in Florida. He later moved on to start an outreach program for individuals experiencing homelessness.
He made a follow-up video on Mother’s Day where he asked his mom if she’d be worried for him if he went running with a television in his hand.
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via TikTok
via TikTok