The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating the restaurant scene since states across the country first started locking down in March. Now that strain is beginning to be felt all the way up the supply chain. Farmers have produce, meat, and other goods piling up as commercial demand across the country has sharply declined, yet at the same time, The New York Times reports that millions of Americans across the country are flocking to food banks — sometimes for the first time — due to food insecurity caused directly by the current pandemic.

This irony isn’t lost on celebrity chef José Andrés who used two photos of seemingly unrelated problems to illustrate just how broken our nation’s food system is.

The first photo shows a mountain of potatoes from a farm in Idaho that are going to waste because the stadiums, cafeterias, and restaurants that rely on them are currently shut down, while the second photo shows thousands of cars lined up at a food bank in San Antonio. The two photos were originally shared through unrelated accounts.

“How is it possible these two photos exist at the same time, in the most prosperous and technologically advanced moment in our history? It’s because all along the way, we have a food supply chain that we treat as invisible when it’s working… and only notice it when it’s not.” Tweeted Andrés in an extensive thread highlighting the long chain of workers that our food system relies on — many of whom are struggling as a result of the shutdown. He also called on the President and leaders of Congress to make feeding Americans a bigger priority.

Chef Andrés also waved the flag for an increase of public pressure, tweeting “Call your elected officials & ask what they are doing to make food part of the solution. Ask what specific legislation they are supporting to increase #SNAP, empower food banks & nonprofits, involve restaurants, and ensure the govt is buying from farms. Accept nothing less.”

The subject of food insecurity and farm-to-table solutions is one Chef Andrés is passionate about, not just because he’s a chef dealing with the supply chain first hand, but because he’s the founder of the World Central Kitchen, a non-profit that devotes itself to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters. In short: If we should be listening to anyone’s food takes in this social/ political moment, it’s probably Chef Andrés. His commitment to surfacing these issues and seeking solutions is unparalleled.

The Rundown is a weekly column that highlights some of the biggest, weirdest, and most notable events of the week in entertainment. The number of items could vary, as could the subject matter. It will not always make a ton of sense. Some items might not even be about entertainment, to be honest, or from this week. The important thing is that it’s Friday, and we are here to have some fun.

ITEM NUMBER ONE — It’s weird to get sentimental about a project that features a huge inflatable penis, but here we are

I was admittedly the target audience for Beastie Boys Story, the Apple+ documentary that converted the group’s live stage show into a film experience. I love Beastie Boys. I’ve loved them for decades. I spent most of high school driving around with Ill Communication blasting out of my very crappy car. I’ve spent a not-insignificant amount of time this year blasting Hello Nasty out of my somewhat nicer car. I read Beastie Boys Book — a kind of history of the group told through a series of essays and stories by the surviving members of the groups and their famous friends — in about two days. I was pretty sure going into the movie that I was going to like it. And I did. It’s funny and silly and sweet and sad. I was expecting all of that. What I did not expect was for it to stick with me the way it did.

It is really sticking with me, too, a lot more so than the book did, which is weird, because the book is a more thorough version of what the documentary is. I’ve been putting a lot of thought into it — the why of it all — and I think I’ve narrowed it down to some combination of three reasons.

The first is that seeing them tell their story helped drive it home for me, the whole concept of change and growth. It’s not just the music, although it is very much the music, too. (It’s wild to think that the same group that made, like, “Girls” also made “I Don’t Know.”). It’s more that the snotty kids who snarled and sprayed beer on the audience grew into thoughtful dudes with regrets about their childish behavior. I can relate to that. I think a lot of us can. There’s this tendency we have, collectively, as a society, to hold up something someone said five, ten, or twenty years ago and refuse to let them off the hook for it today, as though people can’t course correct in the time between then and now. If we’re always holding people to their words and behavior from the past, then what’s the point of trying to improve, to become better? There’s a good line in the movie that’s taken from an old interview with Adam Horovitz: “I’d rather be a hypocrite than the same person forever.” Yup, that about sums it up.

The second reason is the emotions. Horovitz and Michael Diamond, the surviving members of the group, are still rascals. They always will be. It’s one of my favorite things about them. They have a long history of refusing to take things seriously. It is refreshing to see that they still have a healthy dose of that even today as they creep into their 50s. That’s why it caught me off guard to see Horovitz have trouble wrangling his words while talking about Adam Yauch, the third member of the group, who passed away after a battle with cancer in 2012. It makes sense, though. They were all best friends and collaborators for about three decades. Of course there are raw emotions there. But seeing it happen, after they described it as too sad to discuss in the book, really got me. Strong men also cry. So do rascals, apparently.

And the third reason, which is substantially less serious and profound than the first two, is that it’s always strange for me to see them now, in the future. I mean, look at the image at the top of this post and then look at this picture of them on Fallon a little while ago.

They look like wacky sitcom dads now. Horovitz looks like he could be Topher Grace’s uncle. I’m not sure I’ll ever get over this. It’s shaken me to my core. Possibly more than the first two things. Maybe this is why it’s sticking with me the way it is. Beastie Boys forever.

ITEM NUMBER TWO — Ahhhh, I get it

Extraction is fine. It’s fine. The new Netflix original movie starring Chris Hemsworth is violent and fast-paced and not entirely unlike The Raid or a John Wick movie, with the notable exception that both of those have a kind of cool/charming energy and style to them whereas Extraction is just brutal. John Wick is all bright colors and pulsing techno and Extraction is just, like, various shades of tan. Again, it’s fine. It would be better if it was 25-30 percent more fun, but it’s fine.

I guess you’re probably wondering why I have a picture of a broken rake at the top of this section instead of a picture of Chris Hemsworth. It’s a fair question to be asking, all things considered. Allow me to explain via bullet point:

• Chris Hemsworth’s character is named Tyler Rake
• While fighting a henchman early in the movie, he spots this broken rake on the floor
• Tyler Rake kills a man with a rake in the first 20 minutes of this movie

Here, look.

This is what I mean about the fun. How is this scene not fun? A dude named Rake murdered another dude with a rake and not a laugh or giggle was had by anyone involved. And it wasn’t just a coincidence because there was that shot of the rake. It’s perplexing, especially since we know Hemsworth has a sense of humor. We’ve seen Ragnarok. The man is hilarious. It’s infuriating how funny he is. No one that tall and strapping should be that funny. It’s not fair.

You know what? I take it back. The scene with the rake is good as is. Anything better would have been rubbing it in.

ITEM NUMBER THREE — Well guess what, there’s a baby in a trash can

I’m so tempted to just leave this here with no context. I really want to. But I feel like I should explain it at least a little. Right? Ugh. Okay, fine.

It’s from Killing Eve. The baby is okay. There was a whole thing where the people in the background started freaking out about a baby in a trash can (as one does) while the lady who dropped it in there went right back to having a pleasant lunch. It was really funny. As funny as any scene I’ve ever watched that involved two psychopaths laughing about stuffing a baby in a trash can.

Hmm. Yeah, I regret providing context. Let’s all just pretend I didn’t.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR — Hey, look who it is!

Very few television characters have made as big of an impression in as small a role as the person I lovingly refer to as The Car Guy from I Think You Should Leave. You know who he is. If you don’t, watch the “Focus Group” sketch now and then please seriously take an account of what you’ve been doing with the last year of your life. Things are strange out there. You deserve nice things. Don’t deny yourself the nice things!

I bring this up now for two reasons. Number one, because I haven’t posted the “Focus Group” sketch in a while and it felt good to do it again; number two, because the actor who plays Car Guy, Ruben Rabasa, popped up out of freaking nowhere in an episode of Better Things this season and I howled with joy when I saw him. You can howl with joy, too, because here are some screencaps.

To be fair, I didn’t see this when it happened because I am very behind on Better Things. My former colleague Alan Sepinwall informed me. None of you did, though. Not a single one of you reached out to tell me the Car Guy was on Better Things talking about tequila. Jesus Christ. I’m legitimately angry now. After all I’ve done for you people. No emails, no tweets, nothing. Come on.

Anyway, I recommend Googling Rabasa. He’s having a lot of fun with his new fame, achieved at the age of 82 after a multi-decade career as a working actor. I spent a solid 45 minutes clicking around and reading articles about him this week. Here’s a fun one from The Guardian:

Originally from Cuba, Rabasa moved to New York, then later to Miami, where he says he found more work, and LA. However, it was not without its downsides. “In Miami, every movie I get, they killed me. So I moved to LA. The first movie I get in LA, I play a ghost. I said: ‘What the hell is happening?’”

I love him. Let him play the villain in the next Mission: Impossible. I am not joking.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE — Let’s check in with some quarantined celebrit-… she said WHAT?!

Well, it’s time for another edition of what is quickly becoming my favorite recurring segment: Let’s Check In With Quarantined Celebrities. Two weeks ago, we were treated to a video of former Mad Men star January Jones doing some truly awful tap dancing. It was great. She’s a huge goofball. I support this with all of my heart. And I am pleased to report that she’s back again, this time doing some sort of awkward ballet set to strings that…

Hold on.

At the end.

Is that…

Is she…

IS JANUARY JONES DOING CRAPPY BALLET TO THE SCORE FROM JURASSIC PARK?

I… I think she is. Wow. Wowwww. That’s honestly incredible. I’m so proud of her. This is the content people need right now. I really don’t see how anyone can top this one this time around. It would take something pretty impressive. Something so flabbergasting that it stops me dead in my tracks. But I don’t th-…

Okay. I really must insist you click play on that video. It is the most riveting 11 seconds of television I’ve seen all year. Maybe longer. Britney Spears burned down her home gym six months ago. With candles. And she’s so nonchalant about it, like it could have happened to anyone. Like it maybe happened to her before. I love everything about it, especially how hard she hits the word “down” in “it burned DOWN” and especially the part where I’ve been singing “Oops I burned down my gym” to the tune of “Oops I Did It Again” for over 24 hours now with no sign of it letting up.

You’re doing it now, too. I’m sorry and you’re welcome.

ITEM NUMBER SIX — MURDER DOG

It is my great pleasure to report that Into the Dark, the new Blumhouse horror anthology series coming to Hulu, will have an entire episode about a murderous emotional support dog that belongs to a character played by Judy Greer.

The film centers on Maggie (Greer), a woman who gets an emotional support dog to help quell some of her anxiety. Only, she finds him to be even more effective than she could have imagined because, unbeknownst to her, he kills anyone who adds stress to her life… Guttenberg [plays] Don, Maggie’s “misanthropic but at times soft around the edges” boss, while Wong is Annie, a former baby-sitting charge of Maggie’s who recently moved to Los Angeles and rekindles their friendship.

Three notes in closing:

• If this dog doesn’t talk, either on-screen or via voiceover, I will heave my laptop out my window and into the parking lot below my apartment
• The picture at the top of this section is from Dog With a Blog, a real show that aired on the Disney Channel for much of the 2010s, which feels like something I would have made up to try to trick you
• MURDER DOG

WE GOT A MURDER DOG.

READER MAIL

If you have questions about television, movies, food, local news, weather, or whatever you want, shoot them to me on Twitter or at [email protected] (put “RUNDOWN” in the subject line). I am the first writer to ever answer reader mail in a column. Do not look up this last part.

From Michael:

What game show would be the best setting for a horror movie? I am not up on what game shows are on nowadays, but I am thinking it is The Price is Right. The Showcase Showdown wheel could become sentient and chew up Drew Carey like a saw blade. The yodeling cliff hanger guy becomes a Chucky-like doll and starts hacking away at contestants with his pickaxe. The Plinko board has actual spikes and contestants are dropped down the board to be impaled on those spikes. Who is doing the dropping? Does it really matter? Let’s say the models have become zombies or something.

Am I missing a game show that is a better setting for a sudden breakout of a horror movie? And why has Hollywood not done this before? Or have they and I missed it, which is entirely possible. Probably likely.

This is a terrific email and now I’m a little terrified of you, Michael. The Plinko thing is so good I can’t believe it’s not a thing already. Although Bob Barker seems like more a demonic hellhost than Drew Carey. Sometime to consider.

As far as my suggestions go, I have two. First, Wheel of Fortune, but Pat and Vanna have people strapped to the wheel. Spinning and screaming with blood flying everywhere as the two hosts cackle with unhinged murderous glee.

The second is Jeopardy. You know how when a contestant finishes with a negative score they’re not on the screen for Final Jeopardy? Well, maybe there’s a trap door under the podiums and these people get dropped into Trebek’s torture pit to work off their debt. I don’t see how we can rule it out. I mean, where do they go?

WHERE DO THEY GO?

AND NOW, THE NEWS

To Belgium!

Belgians are being called upon to eat fries at least twice a week as more than 750,000 tons of potatoes are at risk of being thrown away.

Just a whole lot going on in this sentence. Quite a lot, really. I know this story is going to get less fun if we keep reading. It has to. A big part of that is because there’s nowhere to go but down after “Belgians being asked to eat fries twice a week in the name of patriotism,” but also because that’s how the news works. I’m tempted to just stop here. But I won’t. I’m too curious. I must press on.

The coronavirus crisis has led to a surplus of potatoes in the small European country, as demand for frites — a national dish of twice-fried potatoes often eaten in bars and restaurants — has slumped amid Belgium’s government-enforced lockdown.

Ahhhhhhhhh, dammit. I knew this was headed toward “because pandemic.” Why can’t I just have one nice story about a nation demanding its citizens eat more french fries without the hammer dropping on me like this? It’s not fair.

“We’re working with supermarkets to see whether we can launch a campaign asking Belgians to do something for the sector by eating fries — especially frozen fries — twice a week during the coronavirus crisis,” Cools said. “What we are trying to do is to avoid food waste, because every lost potato is a loss.”

YOU: Jesus, slow down. You’re going to choke.

ME: [mouth absolutely jammed full of fries, just a disgusting mush of potatoes a grease spilling out of my face as I try to talk] Itfff’s fah the ah-conomy.

“A lot of people are really optimistic in my country and in the potato sector,” he added. “But to be very honest, as we say in Dutch, I’m holding my heart for the months to come.”

Buddy, a whole lot of people are going to be holding their hearts for months if they’re eating french fries twice a week until they put a dent in a million-potato mountain.

Halsey kicked off the new year by releasing her record Manic, which quickly became certified Platinum in the US. While much of her record touches on earnest issues like toxic relationships and a struggle with mental health, Halsey also has a knack for crafting more lighthearted tunes. The singer teamed up with producer Marshmello to release the buoyant anthem “Be Kind” just in time for summer.

The new single boasts an impressive effort by both musicians. Marshmello’s jaunty instrumentals are effervescent under Halsey’s soaring vocals, which details her unwavering commitment to a partner. “I know you’re chokin’ on your fears / Already told you I’m right here / I will stay by your side every night,” Halsey belts.

In a statement, the electronic DJ praised Halsey for her work on the single. “As soon as we finished the song, I was instantly obsessed!” Marshmello said. “Halsey and I connected and were both on the same page with what we wanted the final outcome to be! And it turned out great.”

The single arrives after a prolific year for Marshmello. The producer recently linked up with Saint Jhn and Southside for “Been Thru This Before” and his effort “Project Dreams” with Roddy Ricch earned a Platinum certification.

Listen to “Be Kind” above.

Manic is out now via Astralwerks. Get it here.

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

Anybody who thought the vinyl resurgence was just a fad was mistaken: The industry has experienced a legitimate revival. As a result, music fans are interested in physical media in ways they may not have if the decades-old medium hasn’t made a comeback. That doesn’t mean everybody is listening to just their parents’ old music, though. That’s part of it, sure, thanks to rereleases that present classic albums in new ways. A vital part of the renewed vinyl wave, though, is new projects being released as records, of which there are plenty.

Whatever you might be into, each month brings a new slew of vinyl releases that has something for everybody. Some stand out above the rest, naturally, so check out some of our favorite vinyl releases of April below.

Mac Miller — Circles (Deluxe Edition)

Mac Miller’s first posthumous album dropped earlier this year, and now it has made its way into vinyl. The record contains the two bonus tracks from the Circles deluxe edition: “Right” and “Floating.”

Get it here.

Wavves — King Of The Beach (10th Anniversary Edition)

King Of The Beach helped position Wavves as one of the most buzz-worthy indie bands of the 2010s, and the 10th anniversary vinyl edition of the record has some neat features. Namely, the cover was the original art meant for the album that was scrapped, and this release contains a bonus 7-inch that boasts “Mutant” and “Stained Glass (Won’t You Let Me Into Yr Heart).”

Get it here.

The Strokes — The New Abnormal

In some respects, The Strokes’ new album, The New Abnormal, is a real return to form for the group. It’s so good, in fact, that it’s Julian Casablancas’ fourth-favorite record that he ever made!

Get it here.

Nightmares On Wax — Smokers Delight (25th Anniversary Edition)

Nightmares On Wax’s sophomore album is a trip-hop classic, and now it has gotten a slick new vinyl edition to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Most excitingly, it includes a previously unreleased bonus track, “Let’s Ascend.”

Get it here.

Pavement — Wowee Zowee (7-Inch Picture Disc)

Pavement’s Wowee Zowee is 25 years old, and the band is celebrating it with an atypical sort of release. This vinyl record is shaped like the speech bubble on the original album art, the record features two tracks that are making their vinyl debut: “Sensitive Euro Man” and “Brink Of The Clouds/Candyland.”

Get it here. And while you are at it, get Guided By Voices’ excellent Alien Lanes reissue.

Wiz Khalifa — Kush & Orange Juice (10th Anniversary Edition)

Wiz Khalifa’s 2010 mixtape Kush & Orange Juice was a big moment in his early career, and now it has gotten its first physical release. It’s a nice one, too, as the two cloudy green-colored 180-gram discs come wrapped in a dimebag-style zip-lock shrink wrap.

Get it here.

Peggy Lee — Ultimate Peggy Lee

Peggy Lee was one of music’s biggest stars of the middle of the 20th century, and May will mark what would have been her 100th birthday. To celebrate the milestone, this clear 2LP retrospective release compiles some of her most recognizable tracks.

Get it here.

Thundercat — It Is What It Is (Deluxe Picture Disc LP)

Thundercat has returned with another gem, and it’s available on a striking picture disk vinyl edition. Uproxx’s Aaron Williams said of the album, “It’s serious but not too serious, reflecting the times in which it was made — we’re all facing plenty of darkness, trying to find the light, and forced to accept that sometimes, it just is what it is.”

Get it here.

The Rolling Stones — “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (55th Anniversary Edition)

“Satisfaction” became one of The Rolling Stones’ defining songs, and now the original vinyl single has been re-released for its 55th anniversary. The limited edition, 180-gram, emerald-colored vinyl features both of the original UK and US b-sides: “The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man” and “The Spider And The Fly.”

Get it here.

Fiona Apple — Fetch The Bolt Cutters (Vinyl Me, Please Edition)

Fiona Apple’s new album is getting an exclusive aubergine vinyl release, courtesy of the artisans at Vinyl Me, Please. Fetch The Bolt Cutters is one of the year’s most critically acclaimed albums, and Uproxx’s own Steven Hyden wrote of it, “I can’t imagine another person on Earth, living or dead, making this album. This, ultimately, is what was happened during Fiona’s hiatus away from the rest of us: She became her own genre. How lucky are we that it just grew by one more classic.”

Get it here.

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

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Competitive Madden is nothing new — you have, assuredly, found yourself watching games broadcast somewhere on the ESPN family of networks at one point or another while you’ve been flipping the channels in the search of something to watch. But in our current climate, one defined in part by a lack of sports, the increasingly-popular option of watching eSports is turning into an opportunity to get lost in some sort of sporting event to one extent or another.

This increased popularity, something that was occurring even before society found itself caught up in a pandemic, has led to increased visibility for those who participate in eSports. An example from the world of Madden will be on display this weekend, as two competitive players — Noah Johnson and Dwayne Wood, known respectively by their competitive names “Noah” and “CleffTheGod” — will get featured on ESPN’s Road to the Madden Bowl. The program airs this Saturday at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN2.

Both Johnson and Wood will compete against one another in group play during the upcoming Madden NFL 20 Bowl, a tournament that looks to determine the best Madden player in the world. The pair have some history against one another, as Johnson topped Wood in a recent Madden NFL Championship Series event.

Prior to the program hitting the airwaves, Uproxx Gaming spoke to Johnson — a 17-year-old high school senior who’s headed to the University of Maryland next year — about the game, the upcoming tournament, and balancing his two lives as student and a competitive gamer.

With everything that’s been going on over the last month or two, have you been playing more Madden than usual or have you been staying in your routine of what you would normally do with training and focusing on getting better in the game?

I’ve actually been playing a lot more Madden recently just because I’ve been at home almost all day every day because of what’s been going on. I’d be going to school from like 9-3 and then have baseball practice after that. So I wouldn’t be getting home until 7:30, 8:00 and only be able to play like three to four hours a day. But now, I can play a lot more just because I have a lot more time. So it’s actually been kind of nice.

Before all of this, when you’ve gotten a chance to really focus on playing Madden, what would go into a normal day of just training and focusing on improving in the game?

I’d probably play from 8:00 to 11:00, 11:30, so like three and a half hours and that’s mostly just the games against, like on the leaderboards or wagers against other people for money because I feel like that’s the best way for me to get better. Because if people are putting money up, then obviously they’re going to be playing their best game. So I know what I’m going after and also I can win some money, too, if I’m playing well.

I want to ask about that routine and whether you get into any sort of rhythm, especially when you have a big event like the Madden Bowl coming up. Do you try and follow the same routine day in and day out, or do you alter that within the context of you have school, you have baseball, those sorts of things, even when you have some sort of really serious event upcoming?

I just kind of play it by ear. Obviously, I try to get on the game and usually when I prepare on the game, I’ll go into practice mode for a little bit and before the games. But no, I don’t really have like a crazy schedule like that. I just kind of play it by ear because sometimes I’ll be on the game until 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning. So I’m still trying to get a couple hours of sleep at night. It really just depends.

So you’re in high school, believe I saw you’re heading Maryland next year. How do you balance being a normal high schooler with dedicating time to getting to the level that you are in Madden?

There’s a lot of time management that goes into it, because obviously, I want to do everything that a normal senior in high school would want to do. But being one of the best at the game obviously takes a lot of time. So I really don’t have that much downtime as opposed as other people. I’m always doing something, whether it be hanging out with my friends, doing schoolwork, going to school, or obviously playing the game.

So when you’re playing Madden against normal folks, like your friends, someone like me who is a very casual Madden player, what’s normally the biggest difference in terms of how the more casual player plays compared to a more competitive player?

Well, right away, once we load up and we’re on the play call screen, I can tell if someone’s a casual or not. Because if they pick their play instantly, I know more than likely they’re using coach suggestions. And so I can tell right there that they’re more of a casual guy. And also if they’re not using a linebacker, which is what most competitive people do — linebacker or a safety — if their user is the defensive line, I could tell that they’re probably not that competitive.

Interesting. So when did you decide to start participating in more competitive games of Madden and how did that lead to you participating in the Madden Championship Series?

I’ve been playing Madden for six or seven years and I would play their Ultimate Team game mode and just play their leaderboards on that. And then once I realized that I was pretty good on the leaderboards and growing pretty high, I realized I could take it to the next level and compete in these tournaments. But I had to wait until I was 16 because they have an age limit. So I didn’t start playing until the last year, but I didn’t really put that much time into it as opposed to this year because I was more focused on school. But I went all in this year and it all paid off.

Let’s talk about your game. I read that one of your biggest strengths is your rushing attack. Before we get into that specifically, I imagine when you play competitively, you can decide to focus on any aspect of the game and refining that and having that become a strength of yours. Is that fair?

Yeah, for sure. For this year, I focused, going on your point about my running attack, I focused my game style to running the ball because I feel like this year, it’s run-heavy, you’re going to have a better chance if you run the ball. And so I’m always going to do whatever it gives you the best chance to win. So this year, it was running the ball a lot, so I really tried to make my running game the best it could be.

So you’re basically letting the game dictate what you decide to be good at. Is that a good way of putting it?

For sure. Some people, no matter the game mode, probably the most popular formation in the game is a gun bunch if you’re going to pass the ball. And no matter the game, people are going to be coming out on that every single game and that can have its pros and cons. Like, this year, it’s really hard to pass. So I might’ve been in gun bunch last year when it was easier, but now, I’m going to be in I formation running the ball, just because it gives me the best chance to win.

So if all things are equal, a Madden game isn’t designed so you are best running the ball or best out of certain formation, what is your ideal way to play the game?

Well, playing the game when you’re passing the ball, I must say. Passing the ball is probably a lot more fun to watch, in my opinion, like if you’re watching a football game. And it can be fun when people are in the trenches running the ball for three to four yards a carry, but watching, like, Patrick Mahomes airing out the ball, that’s probably the best way to watch football, in my opinion. That’s the same way with Madden. When two passers are going at it, it’s a super, super fun to watch, and I enjoy passing the ball as well. But this year it’s really hard to.

What makes you say that?

The added abilities to this year’s game. There’s D-line abilities that make it so they just shed really quick. The blocking isn’t that great this year, in my opinion. It’s kind of more realistic, so you have less time in the pocket and you gotta make quicker reads. Running the ball’s a lot easier. A lot less that goes into it, you just got to play the numbers game, realize who’s blocking who, and yeah, find a hole.

And your other strength is rattling opponents. How do you do that and why is that such an important part of the game to you?

I’m one of the youngest, I was actually the youngest to win a belt, but I’m one of the youngest always in the tournament. Other guys, they’re are a lot older than me. I really like to get in people’s heads and I feel like that’s just what helps me a lot, because I know if I can get in your head, then you’re not focusing on the game, you’re focusing on me, and I know that I’ve already won the game if you’re not even focusing on the game anymore. So I’ll be talking trash almost all game and if I’m doing well, you’re going to hear about it. So I feel like that’s probably my biggest strength.

So let’s talk about the tournament. First, could you just map out how you got to this point?

To the Madden Bowl?

Yeah.

I qualified via the challenge, the Madden Challenge, which was the last tournament, and I won that tournament. So that allowed me to qualify for the Madden Bowl.

Cool. And for just a second, how much experience do you have against the other three players in your group and to whatever extent you have them, what are your thoughts on them?

I actually played Cleff, one of the people in that group in the championship in the Madden challenge and I ended up beating him. But I know he’s a super good player, so that’s going to be a really good game. And same with Lil Man and Schemin. I’ve watched these guys play a lot in the other tournaments. I’ve never played them in a tournament, but I’ve played them offline a ton, and I’m prepared for them. I know they’re really good players, so it should be some really good games.

And how do you make sure that you get out of your group and move on to the knockout portion of the bracket?

I just really try to take it one game at a time. I realize if I win my first game, you have a really good shot of moving on. Because all you need to do is you just got to get third out of the group, and all I care about is advancing. I don’t care if I’m first, second, or third. So I just really want to win at least one game, take it one game by one game, win the first game, then win the second game, then try to win the third game. But got to make sure I win the first game.

Among the other 12 people in this, is there anyone you especially want to play and why them?

No, I don’t really care who I play. I kind of play the game instead of the name. I’m just going to play my game no matter who I’m playing. But I’m not going to let who I’m playing dictate how I play, I’m just excited to play anyone.

A few final questions here. First off, if you end up winning this, I know you’re going to college in the fall, would the belt be coming with you or would you leave that one at home?

I already got one. I might have to leave one belt here and bring one to college. We’ll see. We’ll make that decision when it happens.

Then my last question, you could play Madden with anyone in the world. Who are you picking and why?

Man, that’s a good question. Put me on the spot here. I don’t know, I’ve seen [Baltimore Raves receiver] Hollywood Brown play, I just saw him play in a celebrity tournament. He was a really good player. I’d love to play against him sometime.

“My boobs are in fast and the furious Tokyo drift.”

No, that’s not my future-tombstone, it’s the beginning of a tweet from Chrissy Teigen. “My boobs are in fast and the furious Tokyo drift. I sat on the floor with 200 people in a parking garage in downtown la,” she shared to her 12.7 million followers on Twitter last night. “They pulled me to be ‘girl getting out of car’ and the shot ended up cutting off at my face as they panned up my body. Lmao.” The role does not appear on Teigen’s IMDb, unlike her iconic performance as “Nutcracker” in The Toycracker: A Mini-Musical Spectacular. And who could forget when she voiced Crystal in Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation? (I didn’t, because the Hotel Transylvania movies are good.)

Teigen followed her Tokyo Drift tweet with an assignment: “Can someone find it? I dont wanna have to watch it but its a parking garage scene and I believe the boobs are in a pink bra.” Within two minutes of that tweet, there was a screenshot; within 20 minutes, there was video; within 30 minutes, there was this reply, “My wife and aunt had nothing better to do than find your boobs.” We’re all surviving the quarantine in different ways…

With Furious 9 delayed until next year, there’s no reason director Justin Lin can’t add a scene where Teigen reprises her role as Girl Getting Out of Car. Or maybe she can play Dominic Toretto’s never-mentioned sister. It worked for John Cena — why not Teigen?

Another good Chrissy Teigen Twitter thread:

My personal favorite.

I’m so jealous.

Finding the best bourbon is a lifelong endeavor. There are so many bottles on the shelves these days from big-name producers to small-time local craft distillers that it’s hard to know where to start. We’re not complaining. All we’re saying is that it’s a good time to be a whiskey drinker. Still, the dearth of choices can lead to a lot of head-scratching. That’s why we write about bourbons so damn much.

This time, we’ve gone to the masses to find out which bourbons they think are the best. Over on Ranker folks cast a whopping 54,000 votes, and a clear top ten bourbons emerged. It’s a mainstream list, for sure. But all things considered, it’s a solid selection, too.

Hopefully, this list will help you the next time you find yourself perusing whiskey pages from your local delivery service. The bourbons featured are all winners and each has a little twist or nuance that makes it special.

10. Booker’s

Entry Bottle: Booker’s Bourbon
Distillery: Jim Beam, Clermont, KY (Beam Suntory)
ABV: 63%
Average Price: $79.99

The Whiskey:

Booker’s makes great bourbon overall. This heady bourbon from Jim Beam is a blending of six and eight-year-old barrels from deep in their rickhouses. The quality is top-notch, making this a bottle that won’t disappoint even the snobbiest of whiskey “lovers.”

Tasting Notes:

There’s a sweet toffee nose that gives way to bright cedar, stewed apples, spicy red and black pepper, and a flourish of sour cherries. It’s as complex as it is satisfying and will linger on your senses with all that spice and fruit.

9. W.L. Weller

Entry Bottle: Weller Special Reserve Bourbon
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $39.99

The Whiskey:

This expression from Buffalo Trace’s distillery is billed as the “Original” wheated bourbon. The wheat replaces rye in the mash bill and creates a subtly softer bourbon that’ll entice your senses.

Tasting Notes:

Caramel shines brightly on the opening. That caramel ebbs towards butterscotch and then rich notes of fresh honey as florals and sweet fruits kick in. The sense of oak and vanilla help those sunny spring flowers mingle with the honey on the long, warming finish (that classic “Kentucky hug”).

8. Eagle Rare

Entry Bottle: Eagle Rare 10-Year Bourbon
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $37.99

The Whiskey:

This expression is a blending of ten-year-old Buffalo Trace whiskeys, giving this one a deep nature. The master blenders look for well-known bourbon flavors in each barrel in the rickhouse so that they can dial those notes into one of the tastiest bottles of bourbon available today. It’s a fascinatingly complex whiskey in this price range.

Tasting Notes:

This one opens boldly with orange rind and maple syrup sweetness. Then the oak char and vanilla kick in, giving it a classic old-leather-chair-in-a-smoky-library vibe. There’s a very distant tartness on the back end that hints at very big red fruits. The finish is short but sweet in all the right ways.

7. Elijah Craig

Entry Bottle: Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
Distillery: Heaven Hill Bernheim Distillery, Louisville, KY
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $31.99

The Whiskey:

Elijah Craig is one of Heaven Hill’s premier brands. The bourbon is a blend of eight to 12-year-old bourbons from Heaven Hill’s rickhouses, each hand-selected. The end result is a whiskey that’s as drinkable as it’s affordable.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a rush of a cedar forest just after a rain shower alongside echoes of honeycomb. That turns into honey-soaked baked apples with spicy cardamom and cinnamon. Finally, that charred oak kicks in — tying the whole drink together wonderfully.

6. Maker’s Mark

Entry Bottle: Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky
Distillery: Maker’s Mark Distillery, Loretto, KY (Beam Suntory)
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $29.99

The Whiskey:

Maker’s Mark cuts the corn mash with red winter wheat, giving it a subtlety that makes this bourbon very drinkable and mixable. This is a good bourbon to use as a base for any cocktail application from an old fashioned to a Manhattan to a mint julep.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a burst of spice, botanicals, fruit, and honey sweetness that lean towards sweet vermouth. There are clear bourbon notes of oak char, vanilla, and a slight, wheat-y spice that all give way to a rich butterscotch. The sip draws to a close rather quickly with a nice return of the spice, fruit, and warmth.

5. Knob Creek

Entry Bottle: Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Jim Beam Distillery, Clermont, KY (Beam Suntory)
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $34.99

The Whiskey:

Jim Beam’s Knob Creek is a blend of bourbons from the Beam rickhouses that have aged up to nine years. That’s a good amount of time for bourbon in this price range, especially given that bottles just ten to 15 bucks cheaper are usually only aged four years.

Tasting Notes:

The dram starts with a sense of buttery toast and echoes of rye spice. That rye leads to charred oak and maple syrup essence that mellows into delightful hints of apple orchards. The oak, spice, and fruit bring about a long finish with plenty of warmth.

4. Pappy Van Winkle

Entry Bottle: Pappy Van Winkle’s 15 Year Family Reserve
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $1,399.99

The Whiskey:

Pappy Van Winkle is the mountaintop of “great” bourbon. The bottles are only released twice a year and will set you back — checks notes — over $1,000 since they’re bought up quickly by retailers and collectors who hold on to them, increasing their “value.” Look, if you have an extra $1,300 laying around for this, more power to you. But, let’s be honest, there are very good bourbons on this list you could buy ten or more bottles of for that same price. Do that, instead.

Tasting Notes:

Having had the pleasure of tasting this expression, there’s a richness from the present-yet-subtle oak next to a nutty toffee essence. Caramel and vanilla mingle with echoes of sharp spice, toasted oak, wild florals, and orchard fruit. Everything in this bottle just works as the finish sits on your senses and reminds you why you love bourbon in the first place.

3. Buffalo Trace

Entry Bottle: Buffalo Trace Bourbon
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $29.99

The Whiskey:

The low-rye mash bill lets the corn shine with a softer nature and smoother experience. The price point also makes this a very accessible bottle to have on hand for pretty much any application — from a neat nip at the end of the day or a longer cocktail-making-session over the weekend.

Tasting Notes:

The dram starts off bold with caramel, dark chocolate pastry butteriness, Christmas spices, and malt-forward earthiness. Then bursts of raw sugars, wet oak, bitter roasted coffee beans, and apple orchards shine through. The end tends to linger without overpowering on the warmth.

2. Woodford Reserve

Entry Bottle: Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Brown Forman Distillery, Shively, KY
ABV: 45.2%
Average Price: $37.99

The Whiskey:

The whiskey has a slightly high rye content (18 percent) which gives it a unique drinkability and a nice hit of spice. It’s twice distilled in pot and column stills before being mellowed in oak for six to eight years. The final blend tends to be complex yet a very easy-drinking whiskey.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear feel of old leather, rich pipe tobacco, raw cacao, and creamy vanilla-laced butterscotch. That’s followed by marzipan, darkly roasted coffee beans, rye spiciness that’s more fresh ginger than pepper, and an aged rum sweet edge. The final notes let you know it’s bourbon — with more spice, vanilla, bitterness, and oak resting on your senses.

1. Blanton’s

Entry Bottle: Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac Company)
ABV: 46.5%
Average Price: $79.99

The Whiskey:

Blanton’s bourbon is taken from the best cuts from the stills. The hot juice then goes into barrels and is stored in Buffalo Trace’s famed warehouse H. Singel barrels are hand-selected to represent the deep virtues or a great bourbon. The result? This is one unique bottle of booze.

Tasting Notes:

This is a single barrel expression, so results will vary. Still, in my experience, this bourbon is dialed into damn near perfection. There’s a bold caramel depth that gives way to just the right amount of peppery spice. There are hints of barrel char, toasted vanilla, bright fruit orchards, and fields of malts. Everything is balanced as the warm embrace of the finish adds wisps of tobacco smoke and a hint of worn leather to the mix.

The coronavirus pandemic has necessitated a change in lifestyles across the world. Big events in shared spaces where people are packed in close proximity aren’t a thing anymore, so the world is adapting. As cinemas everywhere are closed, drive-in movie theaters are experiencing a bit of a renaissance. It’s the perfect idea for these times, and now somebody in Denmark has finally applied it to the concert space as well: Danish musician Mads Langer recently hosted an honest-to-goodness, in-person concert, but instead of fans crowding in in front of the stage, the attendees were all in their cars, parked in front of it.

On the outskirts of Aarhus (Denmark’s second-largest city), Langer put up a stage and performed a sold-out show; In this case, “sold out” was 500 tickets, since there’s less room for people at a drive-in concert. The show’s audio was transmitted on FM radio, so attendees could hear things well in their cars. Additionally, fans could also interact with Langer via a Zoom call.

Logistically, it seems like things went pretty well, as local police told Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, “There are only positive messages from our people on the spot. It has been controlled. People have behaved the way they should, and all the cars were out of place within half an hour.”

Now, we wait for At The Drive-In to reunite.

Doja Cat’s Hot Pink track “Say So” recently became a hit after rising in popularity on TikTok. To celebrate its viral success, Doja Cat enlisted Nicki Minaj to breathe new life into the vibrant track. While the remix is a clever, lighthearted rework of the song, fans combed through Minaj’s lyrics and concluded that she is throwing shade at a particular celebrity through a particular verse. The rapper noticed her fans’ speculations and quickly addressed the rumors.

During her outro, Minaj seemingly throws shade at an unnamed person: “Why you talkin’ ’bout who body fake? / With all them fillers in your face, you just full of hate / That real ass ain’t keep your n**** home / Now you lookin’ silly, that’s word to silicone.” After the remix dropped Thursday night, Minaj’s fans immediately took to Twitter to analyze her bars. Eventually, the Barbz deduced that the lines are directed towards Wendy Williams, who recently criticized the rapper’s recent marriage to longtime boyfriend Kenneth Petty.

After fans began buzzing about the line, Minaj hopped on Instagram to shut down the rumors. While the rapper didn’t reveal her inspiration behind the verse, she announced that the shade was not directed at Williams. “The line ain’t about Wendy tho,” she wrote.

Minaj’s fans have been active lately, as they recently tried to cancel Doja.