Kris Statlander appeared on the latest episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast to talk to Aubrey Edwards and Tony Schiavone about her journey from stunt person to standout indie wrestler to the All Elite Wrestling women’s division. She also explained how she ended up in AEW rather than WWE, and it’s a story of timing and flagged tweets.

Statlander explains that she caught WWE’s attention at last year’s WrestleMania weekend with her match against Allysin Kay in Shimmer. She started emailing back and forth with the company and “They were kind of talking about bringing me in for a tryout, but it was more like a formality type thing.” When she couldn’t make a tryout in the U.S., they offered to fly her to the tryout in London, and when she wasn’t sure if she could make that, “It kind of led to just, ‘You know, we kind of just want to hire you, so why don’t we just send you a contract?’ So I didn’t even have to do a tryout.”

She chalks the reason she isn’t in WWE today up to her background check, saying “there’s a lot of things you don’t expect to get flagged.” Some of those things were related to her stunt work, and “There was one time I made a tweet about how my old school got put on lockdown because police thought that a suspicious person was carrying a gun or a weapon at a gas station near my school, so my college went on lockdown, but it was just a guy holding an umbrella. Because I mentioned police in the tweet, it got flagged and stuff like that. It’s very strict.”

Statlander responded to WWE explaining that the flagged things were out of context (“It just highlights words”) and had been deleted just after she submitted her background check anyway. “They were like ‘Okay, we’ll get back to you. It could be a while though,’” Statlander says. “During that ‘while’ period, AEW snuck their way in and were like ‘We want to book you for a Dark match’ and I was like ‘Oh, okay.’”

She was offered a contract with AEW after her Dark match, though like the WWE tryout offers, it was a formality; Edwards told her she was “pretty much hired” when she showed up. After choosing to sign with AEW, Statlander sent an email to WWE saying “‘Unfortunately, I have another offer that works with my overall life schedule a little bit better’ because I’m also a massage therapist and I would still be able to do that, and I had just gotten my license that year, so I was like, ‘I kind of still want to, I don’t want to waste that [license] that I just went to school for two years for.’”

So wrestling fans have massage therapy and a weird background check algorithm to thank for Statlander being in AEW – or blame for her not being in NXT.

The NBA’s hiatus has led to plenty of stories about how players are (or are not) staying in shape for the upcoming restarted season. There are rumblings that some like Luka Doncic “aren’t in the best shape,” while others like James Harden have publicly been documenting their workouts and appear to have dropped significant weight.

There have been rumors that Nikola Jokic, whose weight has often been a topic of conversation in his career, was actually in the camp with Harden of those that have slimmed down pretty tremendously during quarantine, as he headed back to Serbia to be at home. Given Jokic’s tendency to show up for the start of seasons in questionable shape, those rumors — with him apparently showing the Nuggets staff his abs via video calls — caused some serious skepticism among the NBA community.

However, confirmation came on Thursday in the form of videos from Serbia that indeed show a slimmed down Joker strolling around a gym and, truly, looking to be in the best shape of his life.

Conditioning has long been a talking point when it comes to Jokic, even though last postseason he proved he can play big minutes in playoff series while sustaining a high level of play. Now it appears he’ll be coming into the NBA’s restart needing, if anything, to put on a few pounds and strength, which is the opposite discussion we’ve ever had of the uber-talented All-Star center. A more agile Jokic is a terrifying proposition, given his already elite footwork and skill, and it will be fascinating to see how a slimmer Jokic performs when the Nuggets restart their season in Orlando.

Michael Stipe guested on The Late Show in April, and the R.E.M. leader performed “No Time For Love Like Now,” a song he wrote with Aaron Dessner for Dessner and Justin Vernon’s joint project, Big Red Machine. Now, two months after its late-night debut, Big Red Machine have shared the studio version of their Stipe collaboration. The contemplative track arrives alongside a video, which features stylized footage of Stipe and Dessner separately performing the song, with the clips superimposed on top of each other.

Dessner told Rolling Stone of working with Stipe:

“On a whim, I shared a folder of in-progress BRM sketches with Michael last year, and it was exciting when he really gravitated to a few of them. Michael wrote the lyrics to ‘No Time For Love Like Now’ last fall, but when the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic and social-distancing and self-isolation descended, they felt like they were written about this time all along and perhaps the message resonates especially now.

I’ve looked up to Michael and R.E.M. for so long; they were really such a huge influence on us and we became friends on tour, but I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to make a song with him. Working together to arrange this song in person and ultimately finish it from our respective isolation at home was definitely one of the more surreal experiences I’ve had as a musician. He has an incredible vision and focus for the art that he makes.”

Watch the “No Time For Love Like Now” video above.

After BlacKkKlansman became both a box-office and critical success, even going so far to having a strong presence at the Oscars, you’d just assume Spike Lee would have no trouble getting his next film made. Guess again.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lee opens up about his struggles finding a home for his latest movie, Da 5 Bloods. Pitched as Lee’s take on his favorite films The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (“We flipped it,” Lee says. “Put our flavor on it, some barbecue sauce, some funk, some Marvin Gaye. And there you have it”), the story about five Vietnam vets searching for their squad leader’s remains was turned down by every studio. Fortunately — or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it — Lee is used to rejection, and he kept moving down the line before finding a willing partner in Netflix.

“We barely got this film made,” Lee says. “We had gone to every studio, and they all turned it down. I’ve had many, many projects turned down, and in my history, they don’t say they hate it, they just say, ‘No, it’s just not for us.’ I’m in this game a long time. So when someone doesn’t want to do it, I’m not going to say, ‘But why? Why don’t you want to make this film?’ I just say, ‘Thank you.’ And keep stepping. Like Jay-Z. On to the next one. And that is why I’ve been able to amass a body of work. I’m not going to sit around and cry. Keep it moving.” Though Lee is frank, “There was nowhere to go after Netflix.”

Part of the Netflix deal included a theatrical release, which has naturally been scuttled due to the pandemic, and Lee is definitely not pushing for to release Da 5 Bloods in cinemas any time soon. “I hope only when it’s safe. There are theaters open now, but I would not go see a movie now. But I do hope that somewhere down the line, people could see this film on a big screen.”

Da 5 Bloods premieres June 12 on Netflix.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

View Entire Post ›

The Portland Trail Blazers were the only organization not to vote to approve the NBA’s plan to return to the court, and start point guard Damian Lillard has been one of the most outspoken about the league’s plans. Now, it’s Lillard’s new teammate, Carmelo Anthony, who is voicing his uncertainty about the Orlando bubble.

In an interview with Ernie Johnson as part of the #NBATogether series on the league’s social channels, Anthony said he was still “up in the air” because of a lack of details from the NBA on the plan.

“As far as actually playing and going back down into Orlando, I’m still up in the air a little bit because I really don’t, we don’t have all the details.” Anthony told Johnson. “We don’t know a lot of information, so until we have that, it’s hard to just commit to that 100 percent.”

It’s a bit of a change of tune for the 10-time All-Star. Previously, he had told CBS Sports that he would be excited for the chance to compete with his teammates, especially a fully healthy Portland frontcourt with Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins back in the fray.

“I feel like if we have a healthy team then, yes, we want to go in,” Anthony told Colin Ward-Henninger of CBS Sports.

Yet Anthony is not the only skeptical NBA star. As Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported this week, at least 40-50 NBA players, predominantly from non-title contending teams, are voicing hesitancy about the plan based on a range of issues. The stringency of the bubble, health risks, and distractions from the ongoing uprisings over the death of George Floyd are just a few of the reasons NBA players are hesitant to depart for Orlando in a matter of weeks.

For the message to come from Anthony’s mouth is for it to have more power, however. Despite his slide on the court recently, he is one of the most famous players in the league. His words matter. While both the league’s board of governors and representatives from the Players’ Association both voted overwhelmingly in support of a return, it does appear that there’s plenty of wrinkles that need to be ironed out between now and whenever games tip off in Orlando.

Philadelphia-based boundary-breaking indie rocker Shamir has followed up his recent 2020 album Cataclysm with even more music. With “On My Own,” Shamir turns the page and sets his sights on yet another record that’s due out later this summer.

“On My Own” boasts a fuzzy, grunge-inspired guitar riff that’s juxtaposed by Shamir’s lilting vocals. “I used to think that love was fleeting / You’ll just end up hurt / But it’s a cosmic game of meetings / That may never work and I think / Maybe I deserve a little more / And life will get easier / But I don’t believe in love anymore / Don’t bargain with my worth cause,” Shamir sings at the hook, reflecting on a breakup.

The single’s accompanying video was directed and produced by Shamir himself while in quarantine. For the visual, Shamir makes use of his space, playing with different backdrops and outfits composed of second-hand clothing to reflect that track’s cathartic nature.

Speaking to Rolling Stone about the single, Shamir said he originally penned the track about finding solace in being an introvert after a particularly tough breakup. But, as many songs have in the past few months, “On My Own” eventually morphed into an “accidental” quarantine anthem, “especially for the people who live alone like me,” he said.

While Shamir has yet to unveil a firm album release date, the singer plans on debuting his upcoming project some time this summer. According to Shamir, the record is his most “accessible” since his 2015 breakout Ratchet and the singer has heavily leaned on post-hardcore ’90s for sonic inspiration.

Watch Shamir’s “On My Own” video above.

Who is the Scranton Strangler?

Seven years after The Office ended, we still don’t have an answer. I mean, sure, the lamestream media wants you to believe that George Howard Skub is Scranton’s most notorious serial killer (I assume there are multiple serial killers in the Pennsylvania city — looking at you, Jim), but much of the evidence points to Toby… Or does it?

Rolling Stone recently spoke to Creed Bratton, and asked him whether the character he played on The Office, also named Creed, might be the Scranton Strangler. He did dress up as that twisted menace the Joker, after all. “If I was there right now, I’d probably strangle you for asking me that question,” Bratton responded, hopefully with a laugh.

He continued:

“He obviously had a body in the trunk of his car [in season six’s ‘Murder’] after Michael said, ‘There’s been a murder here’ and he ran out. He’d obviously killed somebody. He came in once with blood all over him [in season nine’s ‘Here Comes Treble’]. He’d obviously killed somebody, but he had blood all over him. A strangler doesn’t get blood all over him. They just take the life out. He had been slicing up somebody with a knife. Maybe he’s not.”

What about Michael Scott’s least favorite human resources rep? “People say it’s Toby, but I just can’t imagine that,” Bratton said. “Can you imagine him grabbing someone and strangling them? I can’t. Me? Yes. You can see me doing it. Of course.”

My money’s on Creed. Or maybe Gabe. It’s Gabe, definitely Gabe.

(Via Rolling Stone)

It’s been almost four years since the release of Spillage Village’s third album, Bears Like This Too Much, and apparently that’s been long enough for them to decide it’s time for a follow-up. The group, which consists of Atlantan rappers 6lack, Earthgang, JID, and Mereba (who isn’t from Atlanta, but went to Spelman College, where she started her career), announced their the new project with “End Of Daze,” a hazy rumination on the hectic state of the world and introduces newcomers Benji, Hollywood JB, and Jurdan Bryant.

The video for “End Of Daze” features the majority of the crew — minus LA-based members 6lack and Mereba, who understandably weren’t able to meet up with the others due to social distancing protocols — crowded on a couch around an old-fashioned television in the Georgia woods, watching the apocalyptic-looking scenes of recent news broadcasts that have informed the dumpster fire that is 2020. Images of the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, protests against police brutality, and COVID-related telecasts flash across the screen as Spillage Village vent their frustrations and count their blessings. The video ends on a hopeful note, though, with Earthgang’s Olu strumming a guitar and singing in a falsetto about love enduring through disastrous times.

While Spill Vill haven’t shared the release date or much info about their new album, their Twitter page reads “SPILLIGION PROCESSING,” leading some fans to assume that Spilligion might very well be the title. We’ll find out soon enough, as the Dreamville-associated supercrew prepares to release their shoulder-shimmying brand of spiritual hip-hop on the world this year.

Watch Spillage Village’s “End Of Daze” video above.

While writing Bully’s third album, vocalist Alicia Bognanno underwent some major life transitions. “Where To Start,” the noisy and earnest lead single that announces Bully’s forthcoming album Sugaregg, was born out of the clarity that came with her life’s upheaval.

Speaking to Rolling Stone about “Where To Start,” Bognanno said she channeled Chumbawamba’s 1997 track “Tubthumping” while drafting the single: “I was listening to ‘Tubthumping’ by Chumbawamba and picking apart the melodic structure and sort of trying to mimic that. I’m not even joking; it still makes me laugh to think about. But let’s be real, that is undeniably a solid song. ‘Where to Start’ addresses the frustration that comes along with love having the ability to fully control your mood and mental state for better or worse. It was therapeutic to funnel some lightheartedness into what can be an otherwise draining state of mind.”

Directed by Alan Del Rio Ortiz, Bully’s “Where To Start” video visualizes that frustration through a disorienting series of clips. Filmed in isolation, the video boasts messy paint, glitter, and a cameo from Bognanno’s dog.

Speaking about the album as a whole, Bognanno says it marks a sonic shift from her previous records. Pointing to “Where to Start,” and a few other tracks on the record, Bognanno said “there are more songs about erratic, dysfunctional love in an upbeat way, like, ‘I’m going down and that’s the only way I want to go because the momentary joy is worth it.’”

Watch “Where To Start” above and below, find Bully’s Sugaregg cover art and tracklist.

1. “Add It On”
2. “Every Tradition”
3. “Where To Start”
4. “Prism”
5. “You”
6. “Let You”
7. “Like Fire”
8. “Stuck In Your Head”
9. “Come Down”
10. “Not Ashamed”
11. “Hours And Hours”
12. “What I Wanted”

Sugaregg is out 8/12 via Sub Pop. Pre-order it here.