Category: Trending

“So just recently I went out on a Match.com date, and it was fantastic,” begins Dr. Danielle Sheypuk in her TEDx Talk.

If you’ve ever been on a bunch of Match.com dates, that opening line might make you do a double take. How does one get so lucky?!

---

But don’t get too jealous. Things quickly went downhill two dates later, as most Match.com dates ultimately do. This time, however, the reason may not be something that you’ve ever experienced.

Intrigued? I was too. So here’s the story.

She’s a licensed clinical psychologist, an advocate, and a model — among other things. She’s also been confined to a wheelchair since childhood. And that last fact is what did her recent date in.

On their third date over a romantic Italian dinner, Sheypuk noticed that he was sitting farther away from her than usual. And then, out of nowhere, he began to ask the following questions:

“I’ve been thinking, how are you gonna be a mother? How are you gonna do the duties that’s gonna be required of you? And even as wife — how … I’m not sure how this is gonna work.”

Used to this line of inquiry, she had the perfect quippy reply: “Well that’s simple: I’m just gonna hire someone like every other New Yorker.”

But despite her witty answer, he’d already made up his mind. She never heard from him again.

“I tried to convince myself that this was like any other relationship, but deep down I knew the reality. Who wants to date someone in a wheelchair?”

Dr. Sheypuk knows that that single question is evidence of a really serious problem —not just on the dating scene, but in society in general.

Society has factored out an entire group of potential romantic partners: people with disabilities.

In her words:

“We are completely left out of the dating picture. Society, media included, seems to ignore the fact that we have the same emotional needs and desires as everyone else. Is this injustice born out of the concept of the poster child and his or her duty to induce pity to raise money?

Or maybe it’s a conclusion drawn form mainstream porn where we have actors performing, like, gymnastic stunts with the stamina that none of us have of bucking broncos and jackrabbits.”

Um, yes. So much yes. She continues:

“The silent message: The more in shape your body, the better the sex. The unspoken conclusion: If you have a disability, you are too sick to have sex.

The silent message: The more in shape your body, the better the sex. The unspoken conclusion: If you have a disability, you are too sick to have sex.

“Now let’s look at the continuum in our society where sexual is measured. On the one hand, we have humans that are the ultimate sex appeal object. So on that end, we have Victoria Secret models, Playboy centerfolds, people like that.

On the complete opposite end, we have people with physical disabilities. And it seems like the more we deviate from this ultimate sex icon, the more desexualized we become, the more taboo the topic, and the more damaging the consequences.

Now, for most people there are quick fixes, right? We have Hair Club for Men, Botox, Spanx, butt implants. But for people with disabilities, there are no quick fixes. There is no magic pill.”

“And we are hit hard.”

Watch the rest of Dr. Sheypuk’s talk to hear her important insights about what dating and relationships are like when a person has a disability — and how much of society is limiting itself.

This article originally appeared on 07.22.15

If you asked me to name two rappers who were very likely to beef, Meek Mill and Trippie Redd would be very low on the list. They just run in such disparate circles — only ever crossing over occasionally — that before today, I’d have been willing to bet that Meek didn’t even know who Trippie is, let alone have beef with him.

And yet… here we are.

Apparently, Trippie did something very irksome to Meek — which hasn’t proven to be extremely difficult in recent years — resulting in the Philly rapper going all the way off the handle on Trippie via Instagram. In a series of since-deleted posts, Meek threatened the Ohio rapper, demeaned his street credibility, and told him he “look like you repping the devil” (which is in my top-ten rap fan tropes that need to die by New Year’s Eve).

Rap fans on the whole seem pretty confused by the whole thing, wondering what exactly sparked the tirade from Meek, to which Trippie has yet to respond. Was Meek’s (often hilarious) account hacked? Did Trippie say something about him behind-the-scenes? Are they hyping up some sort of collaboration (unlikely, but entirely possible this week)? No one seems to know, but if things continue or escalate, we may have a chance to learn more.

The badass animated series, Blue Eye Samurai, is racking in rave reviews after debuting on Netflix. Blending a unique animation style with an epic tale of revenge, series creator David Green and Amber Noizumi have opened up about the creative process behind the samurai series.

While fans have picked up hints of Kill Bill and Mulan, Noizumi revealed in an interview with Emmys.com that, actually, Blue Eye Samurai‘s biggest influence: Yentl. Yup, the classic 1983 musical starring Barbra Streisand. At first glance, the animated samurai story and Yentl seem nothing alike, but underneath the action, the stories are both built around female characters striving for acceptance in a male-dominated world.

Via Collider:

Both Mizu and Yentl are concealed women living in a world where men dominate everyday life. Mizu isn’t accepted anywhere she goes due to her “impure” blood which deems her a demon to society. She is a victim of the community’s ignorance of mixed races from the lack of knowledge during Edo’s period of isolationism. Similarly, Yentl also faces sexism in her country which leads to her being frowned upon for her desire to acquire more knowledge. When becoming a man, Yentl and Mizu are able to have more choices in life and, most importantly, freedom.

Noizumi also revealed that Blue Eye Samurai took inspiration from genre classics like Lady Snowblood, but Yentl was definitely the big one as she and Green, who’s also her husband, collaborated on the series while stuck at home during the COVID pandemic.

Blue Eye Samurai is available for streaming on Netflix.

(Via Collider)

Spotify officially announced some changes to their royalty system today that will be affecting artists: The streaming service will adjust the goalpost for the number of streams needed to start earning royalties.

Starting in early 2024, a song would need to reach at least 1,000 streams within the past 12 months before it can start to earn money. For comparison, the current royalty system finds Spotify paying $.03 a month to any song that earns between 1 and 1,000 plays.

As the company pointed out in a statement, this money reportedly doesn’t even typically reach the artist between the fact that “labels and distributors require a minimum amount to withdraw” and “banks charge a fee for the transaction.” In total, these small royalty payments add up to about $40 million per year.

However, Spotify brings up that “99.5% of all streams are of tracks that have at least 1,000 annual streams, and each of those tracks will earn more under this policy.” The post also notes, “We also believe the policy will eliminate one strategy used to attempt to game the system or hide artificial streaming, as uploaders will no longer be able to generate pennies from an extremely high volume of tracks.”

Spotify is also adding other changes, like devaluing noise tracks: Tracks with just “whale sounds” or “static” will need to be at least two minutes to be eligible for royalties.

More information on the changes can be found here.

If you haven’t started doing it yet, now is the time to begin stocking up on bottles of booze for the holiday season. And while we suggest having various types of liquor on hand at all times for mixing and sipping, you can’t go wrong with a well-made flavored gin. Whether you use it as the base for a holiday punch or mix it into a refreshing gimlet or gin & tonic, the holidays are the perfect time for piney, herbal, botanical, and flavored gins.

And while you might shrug at the thought of flavored alcohol, gin is a spirit that can benefit from an added flavor or two (and basically all gin is infused/ flavored on some level). Moreover, the aroma and flavor of juniper and the various herbs and botanicals can be heightened (in a good way) by the addition of floral, citrus, and other complementary flavors.

Obviously, as with any spirit (and flavored spirits in general), not all flavored gins are worth your time. Some are overpowered by the additional flavor (or flavors), making them an unappealing mess. Luckily, the professionals that bide their time behind bars from Santa Monica to St. Petersburg have agreed to help. We asked a handful of well-known bartenders and mixologists to tell us the best flavored gins to mix with this holiday season — keep scrolling to see all of their seasonal selections.

Citadelle Jardin d’Été Gin

Nick Jackson, head bartender at The Rum House in New York City

ABV: 41.5%

Average Price: $28

The Gin:

Citadelle Jardin d’Été is a new flavored gin that captures the fresh, brightness of a French summer garden. This gin is amazing for a martini with a twist or served simply with a tonic. It’s a great choice for the holiday season.

Tasting Notes:

It is infused with twenty-two fruits and aromatics, led by upfront flavors of fresh lemon, yuzu zest, and melon, followed by a hint of baking spices to round out the light citrus and pine aromas.

Malfy Con Arancia Gin

Alex Fitzgerald, beverage director at Paseo in Louisville

ABV: 41%

Average Price: $30

The Gin:

My favorite flavored gin is the Italian blood orange expression from Malfy spirits, the Arancia Gin. I love to use this gin in a bitter context or as a sweet complement to a blanc martini.

Tasting Notes:

It offers a lovely sweetness and a full body. Unlike other citrus gins, the Malfy Arancia has a richness and depth that creates a lot of complexity in a cocktail.

Tattersall Rosso Gin

Kevin Tester, beverage manager at Momento in St. Paul, Minnesota

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $27

The Gin:

Tattersall Rosso Gin is a great pick for the holidays. Typical Gin botanicals distilled with rose petals, then rested on strawberries and raspberries make for an exceptional mixing and sipping gin.

Tasting Notes:

Bright juniper and citrus with hints of summer fruit and a touch of honey are delicious on the rocks. In a cocktail, it just adds another layer to any great gin cocktail you might want to enjoy.

Tanqueray Sevilla Orange Gin

John Cassanos, director of food and beverage at The Outsider in Milwaukee

ABV: 41.3%

Average Price: $22

The Gin:

I think Tanqueray Sevilla Orange might have been my first ‘flavored’ gin. For a long time, I considered myself a gin purist and I lumped flavored gins into the whole crazy-flavored vodka nonsense that was popular for a minute (birthday cake vodka anyone?).

Tasting Notes:

But Sevilla Orange was a revelation. On the rocks or with a splash of soda or tonic (which plays up the slight bitter-sweet flavors of the orange). It transports me to a sunny place every time. No matter the weather.

Hendrick’s Lunar Gin

Daniele Flumiani, restaurant manager at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami

ABV: 43.4%

Average Price: $45

The Gin:

In my opinion, gins are already packed with so much flavor that I don’t see the necessity to add additional flavor to most of them. If I had to choose one, I would go with Hendrick’s Lunar.

Tasting Notes:

The additional night-scented flowers and exotic fruit are well-balanced with the traditional botanical flavors. It’s a good sipping gin that’s a great choice for the holiday season.

Porter’s Old Tom Tropical Gin

Alex Barbatsis, head bartender at The Whistler in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $34

The Gin:

Porter’s Old Tom Tropical Gin is from a small distillery that uses vacuum distilling at low temperatures, which gives the botanicals a fresh zip. Try it in a modified Chi Chi and you’ll be in heaven.

Tasting Notes:

The tropical flavor comes from mangos, passionfruit, and guava. It works great with tropical drinks with lime and pineapple.

Sipsmith Strawberry Smash Gin

Jazz Craft, beverage director at Proxi in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $32

The Gin:

While I’m not a huge fan of flavored gin, my favorite would have to be Sipsmith Strawberry Smash. It’s a beautiful fruit-forward gin that still maintains its Juniper-forward identity. One of the few flavored gins that works both in cocktails and as a sipper.

Tasting Notes:

Juniper, mint, and citrus peels are heightened by the addition of real strawberries. It will add freshness to any holiday cocktail.

Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice Gin

Michael Challenger, head bartender at Nautilus Sonesta in Miami

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $40

The Gin:

Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice Gin is a favorite flavored gin for some. It features floral and fruity notes, including hints of orange blossom and juniper. The unique flavor profile sets it apart and makes it enjoyable in a variety of gin-based cocktails.

Tasting Notes:

This extremely floral and cucumber-driven gin is well-suited as a base for your favorite holiday drinks. It’s so fresh and floral, it will bring new energy to every cocktail.

Bayab African Rose Gin

Keith Meicher, beverage director at Sepia in Chicago

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $40

The Gin:

My favorite flavored gin at the moment is Bayab African Rose Gin. Floral leaning gins can often be a distractingly dominant flavor in a cocktail, but Bayab mixes in a subtly complex way that’s very interesting for gin lovers. Works equally well in a gimlet as it does in a negroni.

Tasting Notes:

Made with baobab fruit, African rose petals, and grapefruit, it’s a touch sweeter and more floral than most gins, but not overwhelmingly so.

Malfy Rosa Gin

Mark Gallagher, bartender at Talbott Cucina in Chicago

ABV: 41%

Average Price: $30

The Gin:

Malfy Rosa. I’m more partial to infusing gin on site, but pink grapefruit and Italian lemons speak to Italian terroir and Malfy is reliably good quality.

Tasting Notes:

Unlike some faddish flavors currently added to gin, citrus has traditionally been paired with juniper, and like the grapefruit in Tanqueray Ten, the grapefruit here lifts the anise and juniper notes and the lemon provides a pleasing astringency.

This weekend, the 2023 Billboard Music Awards were held. By no surprise, Taylor Swift led the total number of nominations with a grand total of 20 across several categories. The “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” singer dominated the charts with the release of her albums Midnights, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and 1989 (Taylor’s Version).

Today (November 21), the outlet revealed that Swift secured yet another top spot as the No. 1 overall artist of the year on their year-end charts. However, just like the night of the award ceremony, Swift was overshadowed by another entertainer; the same goes for the publication’s top song of 2023 position.

What Is The Top Song Of 2023 on Billboard?

During the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, Morgan Wallen walked away with 11 total wins, the most of anyone that evening. Now, Wallen beat out Swift again for the coveted top song of the 2023 title. Wallen’s “Last Night” has been crowned the top song of the year. The track was released in February, and by March, it reached No. 1, where it stayed for 16 weeks. In total, the single has spent 42 weeks on the chart.

“Last Night” is followed by Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” in the No. 2 spot. SZA’s “Kill Bill” is snuggly positioned at No. 3. Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” is placed at No. 4, with Metro Boomin’s “Creepin’” featuring The Weeknd and 21 Savage rounding at the top five.

The second half of the top ten included (in this respective order) Rema & Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down,” The Weeknd’s “Die For You (Remix)” with Ariana Grande, Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” SZA’s “Snooze,” and David Guetta & Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue).”

One of the first jokes in comedian Matt Rife’s Netflix special Natural Selection is about a waitress he met in Baltimore with a black eye. “It wasn’t like, ‘What happened?’ It was pretty obvious what happened,” he said. “And my boy, who I was with, was like, ‘Yeah, I feel bad for her, man, I feel like they should put her in the kitchen or something where nobody has to see her face.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn’t have that black eye.”

That joke about domestic violence — and others like it — has led to a backlash against Rife, who has over 18 million followers on TikTok. He responded on Instagram by writing, “If you’ve ever been offended by a joke I’ve told, here’s a link to my official apology.” It leads to a website for special needs helmets.

A clip from a 2015 episode of MTV’s Wild ‘N Out has also resurfaced since the special premiered last week. In it, Rife tries to make Zendaya laugh while she has a mouth full of water. “Look, you’re mixed, I want to be Black, let’s make a lifestyle movie,” he jokes, unable to crack a smile from the future Emmy-winning Euphoria actress. Rife then cups her face with his hands and instructs her to “spit that water out so I can get your number, please.”

The Euphoria star was visibly unimpressed with his attempts and wagged her finger to deny his advances. His co-stars also jumped to her defense and told him to back off. “Keep your hands off her, Matt,” one cast member yelled, while another said, “She’s too young.”

You can see the clip below, along with reactions.

(Via Page Six)

When I spoke with Ronny Chieng last week he said that “the true job of comedians these days as professionals is to not overreact to other people overreacting,” and I think that’s pretty informative about the man and his operating system. At the time we were discussing the cultural importance people put on comedians and the way the internet can freak out over this or that. But it (and the following conversation) shows Chieng as someone who is aware of the moment and the hype but at ease amidst the noise.

Fresh off numerous high-profile film and TV projects (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, M3GAN, American Born Chinese) Chieng is about to embark on an epic tour of the US at the start of the new year with his Love To Hate It comedy tour (tickets available here). Might he have to find a way to mix in duties as the new host of The Daily Show? Who knows, but he doesn’t seem too concerned with whatever choice the suits at Comedy Central make after nearly a year of guest host tryouts. Chieng, one of the Daily Show‘s All-Star correspondents, is in that chair tonight, as it happens, but this isn’t an interview about what could be considered a very important audition. It’s about a guy who seems to love his job(s), who is humbly taking things as they come, and just trying to be funny and unique while finding affirmation about the non-awfulness of the American public as he meets and greets them on the road.

I’ve had a couple of people associated with The Daily Show tell me that you have said that “the Daily Show correspondent’s job is the best job in comedy.” Do you want the hosting job or do you want to stick with this job that gives you, I imagine, a lot of flexibility to do other things?

I think Jon Stewart set the standard of how much dedication you need for the job to do it properly. The machine of the show is so strong, meaning the support staff and the producers, the writers, the editors. The institution of the Daily Show is probably its greatest strength, because they know how to do that show so well. So you can make a show of news with jokes, and you can get by on that pretty well. You can have a good life, whatever, but if you want to really make that show great, you need a point of view and you need to be very dedicated to the show, anticipating where the culture is right now and commenting on it.

I’m happy with whatever they choose. I still think working at that show is the best job in comedy. I don’t want to speak for the other people working there, but correspondent is, I think for sure, the best job in comedy. You come on, you learn a lot. I think I’ve always said that it’s almost like the Harvard Business School of Comedy. Forget the fame. Even if you don’t become one follower more famous, you learn how to write comedy, you learn how to perform, you learn how to edit, how to produce, how to direct, how to do improv TV production. Every field piece is like an indie film and you have a lot of support. Producers and writers and editors and everyone helping you out, versus this new economy of one person does everything; you are your own cameraman and writer. But The Daily Show is very old school in terms of priding itself on having high production values. So in that sense, it’s the best job in comedy.

I think it’s equal parts ambition and dedication to do what Jon did. Do you feel like you have the want to put that much of yourself into it? Obviously, Jon did it for however long — 14 or 15 years. I interviewed Roy Wood Jr. a few months ago and he was like, “No one should do it for more than seven or eight years.” I think that’s right. I feel like Jon got toasted a little bit because I think he cared so much. Outside perspective, obviously.

I can’t speak for Jon. I think he himself said that he was feeling a little burnt out. I think that’s fair to say. I guess it is a show that you can get burnt out on. It’s every day.

Like you said, you could mail it in, but if you do want to do it right, you have to put so much into it. At this stage of your career, if they came to you and were like, “Do you want this job?” Do you feel like you could do that for the next six, seven years?

I’m lucky that I’ve been getting a lot of cool work outside of hosting a show. You’re right.

That would go away if you have the show.

It would have to be a choice. If they came to me and they asked me, it would be giving up (that work). Yeah, I’m not sure. I’m lucky to be in a position where I’m not just on the show, but outside the show, I’m doing the stuff that I like doing. It would be something I have to consider. I don’t know. It’s hard to answer.

I get that. Also, to your credit, there are ways to answer that question that are campaign-y, and you’re not obviously interested in campaigning.

I’m not American, so I don’t know how to campaign for stuff. I look up to all the other correspondents. All the correspondents I ever worked with I think are much better than me. It’s very un-American, but if you ask me from a pure skillset point of view, all these other correspondents were way better than me. When I first joined the show, I was like, “Man, if I could be 10% of any of the correspondents who’ve ever been on this show, if I could be 10% as good as them, I will be extremely happy with myself.” So that was my goal. So I look at the other correspondents in awe. I look at everyone in awe, everyone currently on the show.

How do you gauge improvement in terms of as a correspondent, as a comedian? In terms of your career, how do you look back and say, “I’m doing something right” or “I need to work on this?”

That’s a good question.

I’m assuming it’s not just from the volume of the crowd.

Absolutely. I think you can divorce art from fame, first of all, and you can definitely divorce skill from fame. So independent of fame, I think fame is a reasonable indicator, but you and I both know that just because something’s popular doesn’t mean it’s good and vice versa. Just because something’s not popular, doesn’t mean it’s not good. So in terms of judging my own, I think good comics have their own internal barometer of a joke that they write and they go, “This is just hack.” Then they know when they’re writing a joke where it’s like, “This is more satirical, this is more elevated. This is the voice I aspire to. These are the kind of jokes and this is the kind of material I aspire to write.”

Sometimes I get lucky. I have a bit that I really enjoy and I’m like, “Man, I hope all my bits could be like this.” I don’t think I’m there yet. I think it’s very much an internal barometer. Standup comedy and being a correspondent, almost two different skill sets. But standup comedy, there is an element of audience response to it. So you can tell when you’re saying something that is getting a good response, but it’s also because of your internal barometer. You know it’s not a hack-y joke, it’s kind of elevated, you’re saying something unique. I think that’s the measure of good comedy is when you’re saying something unique that’s hilarious.

So I think everything I do, if I push towards those two things, which is being unique and hilarious, I can feel myself get better. So that’s my metric, I think, for being good at comedy.

Are you hard on yourself, do you think? And has that intensified over the years or lessened?

I like to think I’m pretty hard on myself. I think all comics are, though. All the good comics I know. I can’t remember who told me this. I think Sam Morril said this. He was like, “All the good comics think they’re a hack. All the good comics hate their own routines.” They’re just like, “I made them laugh, but this is the same old stuff that I’ve been doing for months now. Where’s the new bit?” It’s almost like only the bad comics will walk on and be like, “I’m the freaking greatest of all time.” Obviously, that’s public persona and then how you feel internally. So publicly if your standup persona is the greatest of all time, then that’s different to how you feel inside. Do you believe your own act or are you just saying that just for comedic effect? So I think all comics are just trying to write better jokes, they feel like their own material isn’t the best. I think that’s a fairly common denominator among all the good comics I know.

Honestly, I think that extends to a lot of creative people.

I hope so. I think if you’re good, you would never be satisfied with where you’re at, right?

In the course of researching I read some of the past interviews and saw some of the stuff you’ve done and the spreads in Vogue; you’ve done some great stuff. Obviously even the poster for the new tour, it’s very nice with a nice suit. It looks like you’re using John Mulaney’s tailor. Do you feel a pressure to be a brand beyond just being, “I’m Ronny, here’s my comedy?”

Not really. I feel pressured to do good jokes and express myself in the way that I want to express myself. So I feel a lot of pressure about keeping my artistic expression, the integrity in it. I want to put out the poster that I want to put out. I don’t want other people to make a shitty poster for me. I think it’s important for Asian people in America to perform in show business with dignity and with class and at a high standard. So I put pressure on myself to do that, that’s why I like to put out my poster materials. I like everything to look slick. I like the show to be good. That’s why I go out every single night in New York City trying to work on this material, because I don’t want to show up and bomb. I want people to go away going, “Oh, that was a really good comedy show.” So I don’t feel pressure about the brand per se. I feel more pressure about my self-expression. You can argue those are two sides of the same coin, right?

No, I think they’re different.

Well, I appreciate that. I hope they’re different too, but I put pressure on the self-expression, not the brand.

I think the brand can chase self-expression, but to me that means it comes from a more authentic place than if you’re just chasing an ideal of what you’re supposed to be as a comedian in 2023, as opposed to being who you are and that’s the vision of who you are.

Yeah, I think so. I think on that note also, what I like to do is I like to go quality over quantity in terms of my output. Less is more, if that informs anything I’m saying. So it’s not that I hate social media or whatever, it’s more that I’d rather put out something good once in a while than having to churn out just average stuff every single day. That’s where I’m at.

That’s a good policy for everybody.

I hope so. Less is more. Quite frankly, I mean a lot of it is because I’m not talented enough to do something great every single day. So I wish I was better at it.

What is behind the title of the tour? Love To Hate It.

I just wanted something cool that was a little bit funny. I’m sure you know, it’s hard to think of titles for things. So I was brainstorming for a few weeks. It’s almost like part of me is like, “Why am I caring so much about something that doesn’t really matter?” It doesn’t need to describe anything.

It does sound cool though. It’s a good title.

It actually ended up being a good title because it actually does describe where I’m at. Sometimes you complain professionally as a standup comedian. In other words, you love to hate it. As a comic, we complain about stuff, but we do it because we love doing comedy.

Perhaps I dug too deep when I read the title. I thought it was some kind of reflection on culture and art because right now I feel like we’re in a moment where everybody just loves to hate everything.

Oh, that too. Thank you. Yeah, I’ll take that.

There you go. Take it.

No, it’s true. The great titles have more than one meaning, right?

You’ve been all over, you lived in Australia for 10 years. This tour is expansive. Going out and seeing the country, just telling jokes to people of many different political persuasions, does that make you a better comedian? A better person, in your opinion?

Yeah, definitely. You hit the nail on the head. I actually talk about it in the show a little bit, about knowing people with extreme political views in America and being friends with them. I get to travel around America. I talk about it a little bit. It does inform who I am because first of all, I am grateful to be here. I had to fight to be here, you know what I mean? So me, every day I’m in America is a choice. It’s a choice by me to be here and it’s also not something that came easy. So it was a challenge and a choice every day to want to work in America and have to prove myself, not just culturally, but literally immigration. I came here on a 01 Visa, which is an extraordinary ability visa. So I had to prove that I had extraordinary ability.

I came here with a lot of gratitude. So part of gratitude is also loving seeing a lot of different parts of America. I love traveling around America and seeing towns and cities that people shit on. I go there and I’m like, “Oh, this is great.” Everyone’s been always really nice to me on my tour. The fans have always been really nice to me for the most part. So I get to meet a lot of people. I meet, obviously different ethnicities, but different political backgrounds as well. They’ve always been cool. I like to think I’ve shown mutual respect back. It’s why I say in the show, I talk a little bit about how face-to-face, everyone in America seems fine. It’s just when you go on the internet, it seems as though we’re always on the borderline of Civil War. But face-to-face, there’s a lot of decency in America. There are more good people than bad people here.

When it comes to the recent debate over superhero movies being real cinema, legendary action director John Woo made it clear he sides with Martin Scorsese. While promoting his return to Hollywood filmmaking with the holiday-themed actioner, Silent Night, Woo gave a candid response when asked if he’s enjoyed any of the recent Marvel or DC Comics films that used to dominate the box office.

“I’ve never liked watching movies with big special effects, or anything based on comic books,” Woo told The New Yorker. “I prefer Martin Scorsese’s movies, that kind of cinema. I can’t wait to watch ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’ I like old-fashioned movies, you know? Real cinema. There aren’t many movies like that lately.”

Clearly, Woo and Scorsese are on the same wavelength. The Goodfellas director kicked off a wave of film discourse after giving his opinion on Marvel films.

“I don’t see them. I tried, you know? But that’s not cinema,” Scorsese told Empire back in 2019. “Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”

If you’re curious what recent American action movies Woo has enjoyed, the iconic director had an immediate answer, and it’s a solid choice.

“I really love ‘Hell or High Water,’” Woo said. “Good performances, good action. It feels like a tragedy. Great cinematography, too. I tried to get its director of photography, Giles Nuttgens, to shoot ‘Silent Night,’ but he wasn’t available.”

(Via The New Yorker)

Billboard unveiled their year-end chat lists for 2023, including noting who had the top album or the top rap song. For those who are wondering who claimed the top artist spot of 2023, it’s none other than Taylor Swift.

She is the first act to ever be the publication’s year-end artist three times in three different decades, with her previously taking the spots in 2009 and 2015.

Considering the pop star has had another massive year, it’s also not shocking that she is at the top. At the start of 2023, Swift kicked off the North American leg of her Eras Tour, before announcing global dates — which will run through next year. While it hasn’t yet been revealed how much the tour has earned, Forbes placed it at least generating $1.9 billion. (And that was just in May before her other stops were added.)

She also put out a concert film tied to the tour, through an exclusive deal with AMC.

Swift dropped the deluxe version of her Grammy-nominated album, Midnights, which included a collaboration with Ice Spice. She also released two new re-recordings, with Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) in July and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) in October.

As for her success on the Billboard charts, she logged 44 total songs within the Hot 100 in 2023. Swift’s 2019 song, “Cruel Summer,” added another No. 1 to her list of hits.

Meanwhile, finishing behind Swift on the list are, from Nos. 2 to 5, Morgan Wallen, SZA, Drake, and Luke Combs.

Check out the rest of the Billboard year-end charts here.