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If August 2023 in the United States turns out to be anything like July, then you will certainly be looking for ways to stay cool during downtime. The wonderful news is this: TV is here for you. A handful of popular returning TV shows will be on hand while Justified: City Primeval parcels out its remaining doses of Raylan Givens’ hat and swagger.

Enter those Rez Dogs along with the Only Murders trio and the final season of Billions, which will only be the beginning of that franchise. From there, Star Wars junkies will somehow receive another new series. Issa Rae’s latest brainchild returns, too, and there’s a Glass Onion-like story brewing for the end of the month. Oh, and we might be seeing the next Squid Game-type success, so keep your eyes on that one.

Here are the must see shows for August.

Physical: Season 3 (Apple TV+ series streaming 8/2)

Rose Byrne’s other Apple TV+ show (she recently scored a hit with Seth Rogen in Platonic) returns for a final season of darkly comedic aerobicizing. That exercise empire, Body By Sheila, is now under threat due to a rival workout goddess portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, so is there enough room on people’s VHS shelves for both fitness moguls to keep shining amid leg warmers and mega-hairstyles? This show has so much bite, and it will be sorely missed by those who dig tales about unhappy housewives who ditch their stifling lives and move onto entrepreneurial success, albeit with its own hazards.

Reservation Dogs: Season 3 (FX series streaming on Hulu 8/2)

The TV world’s favorite four Indigenous teens (Elora Danan, Bear Smallhill, Willie Jack, and Cheese) will bring Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi’s story home in rural Oklahoma. Actually, they are now stuck in Cali and will be attempting to return home, after which they will try to feel out their futures, which look to be a far cry from what they originally imagined when this show began. As always, the assortment of elders will provide more comedy and drama while the community could still stand to heal past wounds that never quite closed.

The Lincoln Lawyer: Season 2 Part 2 (Netflix series streaming 8/3)

The series picked up the same subject matter as the movie, and whaddya know, the show turned into a streaming hit that kept the adventures of Los Angeles’ most talked-about defense attorney. Naturally, Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) is still running business out of his Lincoln’s backseat, where he’ll handle just about every case, and if you’ve been missing Neve Campbell from the continuing Scream franchise, you can find her here as Season 2 continues.

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty: Season 2 (HBO series streaming on Max 8/6)

Adam McKay brings more of his adaptation of Jeff Pearlman’s Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers, which will see the Lakers prepare to face off with the Boston Celtics in their rivalry for the ages. Expect the personal lives and troubles of Jerry Buss and his team members to play as substantial a role (if not more) than what happens on the court. That’s to be expected in this series, but this season, the show takes on Magic Johnson’s sex addiction, which is only one of many distractions that could cause the team to lose momentum after their phenomenal inaugural season.

Only Murders In The Building: Season 3 (Hulu series streaming 8/8)

The dream team of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and the underappreciated Selena Gomez return once more, and there’s another murder (along with Meryl Streep) that will soon suck them in after a time jump. First, however, the trio must clean up after the resolution of the search for Bunny’s murder, and there shall be no rest for the true crime-obsessed among us. Maybe one day the Emmys will wise up and nominate Selena for this role because she holds her own against comedy legends with a punchy aplomb that will be remembered.

Zombieverse: Season 1 (Netflix series streaming 8/8)

Pay attention to this one because this show could be the next Squid Game. This reality series plops “survivors” into Seoul, South Korea, amid the outbreak of a zombie virus. Various challenges must be completed while the undead remain a constant threat, and we truly are awash with zombie disgustingness these days on TV, aren’t we? No word yet on how this shall be received by viewers of The Walking Dead and The Last Of Us, but it would be mildly surprising if this series isn’t a success.

Rap Sh!t: Season 2 (Max series streaming 8/10)

Issa Rae’s newest premium cable hit will return with Shawna and Mia, two long-lost high school pals who previously came back together as a rap duo, adjusting to music industry demands. That conflict hits a pivotal moment that pushes them to examine whether they can remain themselves or conform, and that’s not the only challenge of this season. The show’s music supervisors spent an inordinate amount of time attempting to clear a certain Drake song, and now, you must tune in to find out whether they got it.

Billions: Season 7 (Showtime series streaming on Paramount+ 8/13)

Whaddya know, Damian Lewis’ Bobby Axelrod is somehow back for one last *cough* job. Whether that job involves leaning deep into betrayal remains unknown for the moment, but expect alliances to fall and old wounds to fester. Enemies and friends find their lines blurred, and man, do enough people give Maggie Siff credit for being one of the most magnetic presences within any ensemble cast? I think not, but sure, Corey Still and Paul Giamatti are cool, too. Once this show takes the final lap, Showtime will somehow launch four spinoffs, and Maggie should appear in all of them.

Star Wars: Ahsoka: Season 1 (Disney+ series streaming 8/23)

Rosario Dawson was largely fancast by the Internet as the title character, and we’ll see if the former Jedi Knight can vanquish “an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy,” as revealed by the synopsis. That’s clear as mud, obviously, but in more known quantities, this live-action series will definitely co-star Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Lars Mikkelson, and Eman Esfandi. Additionally, this series looks to follow up on Ashoka’s place at the end of Star Wars: Rebels and her appearance in The Mandalorian Season 2.

In June, Offset wrote on an Instagram Story, “My wife f*cked a N**** on me gang yall n****s know how I come.” Naturally, that was received as an allegation that Cardi B cheated on him, so she responded. Now, Offset has cleared the whole situation up, admitting that alcohol played a role.

In a new interview on the Way Up With Angela Yee podcast, Offset explained, “Alright, so that post… to be honest, like… me and her going… that’s my wife, I love her to death. We going back and forth, and if you got a New York woman, you know, she’s a pitbull at the mouth. She get crazy at the mouth a little bit, and I was on some… I was really lit that night, I was lit. I had a little Casamigos, you know, I was lit and then we going back and forth, and I’m like, ‘Watch this.’ And it’s like, she got a crazy mouth, but I love my wife at the end of the day, and she crazy, man.”

As for why he didn’t clear up any confusion beyond deleting his post, he explained, “The delete is enough, because at the end of the day, them people don’t be really knowing what’s going on with us, for real.”

Watch Offset’s full interview below.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Controversy sells, and no one knows that like country singer Jason Aldean. The country singer’s latest single, “Try That In A Small Town,” earned him a new career milestone, becoming Aldean’s first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

The news of the accolade left people online torn. “I’m not even an Aldean fan, but I bought the song to support the message and to cancel, cancel culture,” wrote one.

Another wrote, “I think I’m gonna vomit.”

The song was initially released in May, and after the video’s release in July, the song gained renewed attention and many listeners considered the lyrics racially insensitive, including musicians Jason Isbell and Sheryl Crow. Others took it as far as to call it a pro-lynching anthem. In a statement, Aldean denied that was the intent behind the record.

“[‘Try That In A Small Town’], for me, refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences,” Aldean wrote. “My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from, and I know that a lot of us in this Country don’t agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night. But the desire for it to that’s what this song is about.”

Aldean’s chart placement marks the first time three country songs occupy the spots of the Hot 100, as Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” retains the No. 2 slot and Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” is at No. 3.

Experiencing homelessness can take a severe toll on a person’s mental health. Even without studies confirming this (of course, they do), it’s not hard to imagine how not having a safe and comfortable place to live along with a lack of financial resources, nutrition and community—all while having to deal with other health conditions, constant stress, loneliness and the threat of danger—can be damaging to someone’s well-being.

It’s also not hard to understand how repeated exposure to even one of these factors, let alone multiple on any given day, could result in suicidal ideation. According to an article posted by the Harvard Public Health Review in 2018, those experiencing homelessness in the U.S. are nine times more likely to die by suicide than those who aren’t.

However, even with that alarming statistic, other studies have shown that someone who is prevented from taking an attempt on their own life is far less likely to do it a second time. And while those odds might change when considering life factors like homelessness, there is something to be said about how stepping in can truly keep someone from causing themselves irreparable harm.

And that’s what makes a short, sweet TikTok recently posted by Ryan Mann so powerful.

Mann’s content consists almost entirely of GoPro-style videos of himself riding a motorcycle. A trick here, a crash there, facing different elements. The usual content for a biker.

However, on July 14, we see Mann rushing on his bike toward a man he saw on a nearby bridge. Though it’s impossible to get full context from such a short video, presumably, the man was getting ready to jump off.

Once Mann arrives, he immediately steps off his bike to ask if the man is okay and tell him he was worried about him. The two then exchange a couple of hugs. At the end of the video, the man, who introduced himself as Cameron, confirmed that he was now safe.

Watch:

@ryan_s_mann It doesn’t matter who you were, who you are, or who you’re trying to become, everyday we have the chance to improve someone else’s life. Don’t waste that chance. #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #bikelife #biker #motorcycle ♬ original sound – ryan_s_mann

Whether or not Cameron was actually dealing with suicidal thoughts, Mann’s stance, which he put in the video’s caption, rings true:

“It doesn’t matter who you were, who you are, or who you’re trying to become, every day we have the chance to improve someone else’s life. Don’t waste that chance.”

Others who watched the video agreed with Mann’s sentiment and praised him for showing kindness.

“Character—doing something for someone you know can offer you nothing in return,” one person wrote.

Another added, “Bro need more compassionate people in society like you. Hopefully, he got some help. That hug had me tearing up. You’re a good person!”

Whether or not Cameron was on the brink of ending his life, it’s clear that at the moment, what he needed most of all was connection. It’s something we all need, and not just in times of peril. A warm interaction with another human is sometimes all it takes for the world to become a little brighter.

And as Mann so eloquently put it, there’s a chance for those little life-changing moments every day.

Any manager knows that giving people time off isn’t just good for the employee, but for the company as well, because it increases productivity when they’re back at work. “The productivity, creativity, bringing new ideas forward isn’t the person who’s working crazy hours,” said Katie Denis, VP and lead researcher at Project: Time Off tells LinkedIn. “It’s someone who’s getting outside of their day-to-day.”

Much like a battery, people need time to recharge.

“There is a lot of research that says we have a limited pool of cognitive resources,” says Allison Gabriel, an assistant professor of management at Virginia Commonwealth University, according to Inc.com. “When you are constantly draining your resources, you are not being as productive as you can be. If you get depleted, we see performance decline. You’re able to persist less and have trouble solving tasks.”

If people need time off to be effective at work, then it should be the same for parents. A parent at wit’s end can’t be effective without a substantial break from their kids. Without getting some downtime, parents are at risk of having a serious case of burnout.

Matt Ragland, an expert in productivity and the creator economy, agrees. That’s why he’s taken his professional know-how and carried it over to his life as a father. In a viral tweet he sent on July 23, Ragland explains how he and his wife will start giving each other PTO or paid time off.

— (@)

“My wife and I are working on a family PTO (parent’s time off) plan,” he wrote on Twitter. “Here’s what we are starting with: 1 night per week, Half day weekend per month, One full weekend day per quarter.”

With Ragland’s plan, one parent watches the kids solo while the other recharges, and then they switch.

“Parenting little kids is one of the most meaningful parts of life, but the gift of time is one of the best ways to support your spouse,” he continued. “We use these times to meet friends, sleep in, go camping, play golf (me), long runs (her), read and journal, or just chill. It’s hard to run life’s race on an empty tank, and these times are great ways to refuel and recharge.”

​This arrangement is excellent because it mutually benefits both people in the marriage. Plus, they should have no problem letting the other person enjoy their time off because they want to enjoy theirs, too. It’ll also provide some relief on super stressful days when they have a day off just around the corner and know they have time off coming soon.

The kids will probably enjoy having parents with recharged batteries, too.

The plan was a hit with Ragland’s followers, many of whom say they want to implement it in their families.

Love this! I think as parents, we often sacrifice our happiness, our time, and our priorities for our kids. And rightfully so. But sometimes it’s important to refuel the tank so we can be even better parents (and partners) when it’s that time. Kudos to you Matt!

— Craig Hewitt (@TheCraigHewitt) July 23, 2023

Love this idea. Gonna pitch this idea to wifey for us

— Cathryn (@cathrynlavery) July 23, 2023

Excellent sentiment here. People need to realize that having little moments like these MAKE you better parents. It really matters.

— TheIndustrialGuy (@Indus_Guy) July 23, 2023

One of the hardest things about being a parent is waking up and wondering who you are because you gave so much time and attention to your family that you forgot about yourself. Ragland’s plan is great because it gives parents back not only some of their time, but a sense of themselves as well.

The Linda Lindas are still in the early stages of their career, but they’ve already managed to make the history books. For one thing, they became the first-ever act to perform live at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Now, as one of the official opening acts for Paramore’s North American tour, The Linda Lindas are using their time on the road on the lookout for their next milestone.

Their lyric video for the single “Resolution/Revolution” from their album, Growing Up, is a fast-paced look at the band’s life while on the road. Unlike the one for their song “Too Many Things,” their latest finds the group pulling together footage helping to emphasize how, as a collective, The Linda Lindas are still in their infancy.

In a statement, the group opened up about how the track came to be, saying, “Bela had been rocking out to a lot of Pantera and Judas Priest when we started writing ‘Resolution/Revolution,’” they wrote. “She came in with a riff, and as we worked together, it morphed into a composition about making small dents in big problems to make a difference in the long run. We’ve been playing the song live for a few weeks now, are excited to release it as a single, and hope it gives you a boost! And check out the lyric video, too, art directed by Bela, edited by Eloise, and featuring clips that all of us shot on our phones over the last few months. We hope you have as much fun rocking out to it as we had making it!”

Watch the full lyric video for “Resolution/Revolution” above.

Growing Up is out now via Epitaph. Find more information here.

Paramore is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

If Barbie looks like it was fun to shoot, then surprise: It was. Director/co-writer Greta Gerwig made sure to do things like hold cast sleepovers and install a slide for star Margot Robbie. Everyone got along so well that they even started a massive group chat which had to exclude Michael Cera because he’s smart enough not to own a smartphone. As for Robbie, she clearly had such a blast dressing up as one of the world’s most famous dolls that she once did Pilates while still wearing in her get-up.

“She was dressed up in one of the ‘Barbie’ outfits, full wig and everything,” David Higgins, Robbie’s longtime trainer, told Insider. “She jumps on the Reformer and we do a quick 30-minute express workout. She said, ‘Don’t make me sweaty!’”

Why did she risk ruining her perfect outfit? “She just needed to move, and that’s the beauty of Margot,” Higgins explained. “She knows her body so well. She knows what she needs to do and will sneak it in when she can. I was talking to her as she’s doing whatever she’s doing on the Reformer and I was like, ‘This is crazy.’”

Robbie, who Higgins says is “always up for everything,” also managed to win a small set record: She held a plank the longest out of the cast, lasting a whopping four minutes and 10 seconds. She beat Ryan Gosling, who lasted a good while: three minutes and two seconds. Ditto Hari Nef, who got two minutes and 15 seconds. She didn’t, however, beat Higgins, who lasted five minutes and 32 seconds.

Sylvester Stallone, to whom Gerwig paid homage in the film, would be impressed.

(Via Insider)

Controversy sells, and no one knows that like country singer Jason Aldean. The country singer’s latest single, “Try That In A Small Town,” earned him a new career milestone, becoming Aldean’s first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

The news of the accolade left people online torn. “I’m not even an Aldean fan, but I bought the song to support the message and to cancel, cancel culture,” wrote one.

Another wrote, “I think I’m gonna vomit.”

After the song was initially released in May, many listeners considered the lyrics racially insensitive, including musicians Jason Isbell and Sheryl Crow. Others took it as far as to call it a pro-lynching anthem. In a statement, Aldean denied that was the intent behind the record.

“[Try That In A Small Town], for me, refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences,” wrote Aldean. “My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from, and I know that a lot of us in this Country don’t agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night. But the desire for it to that’s what this song is about.”

Aldean’s chart placement marks the first time three country songs occupy the spots, as Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” retains the No. 2 slot and Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Cover” holds the No. 3 spot.

Lady Gaga is loved for many things that have nothing to do with her talent and instead speak to the generosity of her character. Perhaps most notable of these endearing qualities is her ability to create instant and authentic friendships with showbiz elders. Such delightful interactions, full of respect and admiration but never patronizing, are living proof of the potential we all have for intergenerational connections.

Her friendship with the late, great Tony Bennett, who died July 21, 2023, is the best example of this. Since meeting in 2011, the two became not only creative collaborators but pretty much the closest thing to soul mates you could imagine. Even as Bennett’s cognition began to decline, Gaga treated him with reverence, describing it as a “challenging” but “beautiful” chapter.

Following the legendary crooner’s passing, Gaga shared moving a tribute to her comrade and also a valuable message about the importance of connecting without elders…even during the difficult times.

In case you somehow missed out on the greatness that is the work of Bennett and Gaga together (otherwise known as “Cheek to Cheek” and “Love For Sale”), here’s how she sums it up:

“With Tony, I got to live my life in a time warp. Tony & I had this magical power. We transported ourselves to another era, modernized the music together, & gave it all new life as a singing duo.”

See on Instagram

Bennett became far more than a career mentor for Gaga, helping her reclaim a sense of joy and hope.

“Sure he taught me about music, about showbiz life, but he also showed me how to keep my spirits high and my head screwed on straight. “Straight ahead,” he’d say. He was an optimist, he believed in quality work AND quality life. Plus, there was the gratitude…Tony was always grateful. He served in WWII, marched with Martin Luther King Jr., and sang jazz with the greatest singers and players in the world.”

Gaga then shared how Bennett’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis made the later years of their friendship “a very long and powerful goodbye.” In fact, no matter how painful it was, being at different chapters in life is part of what made their relationship so special.

See on Instagram

“Though there were 5 decades between us, he was my friend. My real true friend. Our age difference didn’t matter—in fact, it gave us each something neither of us had with most people. We were from two different stages in life entirely—inspired. Losing Tony to Alzheimer’s has been painful but it was also really beautiful. An era of memory loss is such a sacred time in a person’s life. There’s such a feeling of vulnerability and a desire to preserve dignity. All I wanted was for Tony to remember how much I loved him and how grateful I was to have him in my life. But, as that faded slowly I knew deep down he was sharing with me the most vulnerable moment in his life that he could–being willing to sing with me when his nature was changing so deeply. I’ll never forget this experience. I’ll never forget Tony Bennett.”

Gaga concluded by urging everyone to not “discount your elders,” and to not “leave them behind when things change.” Ultimately, there is a gift to be had within the pain.

See on Instagram

“Don’t flinch when you feel sad, just keep going straight ahead, sadness is part of it. Take care of your elders and I promise you will learn something special. Maybe even magical,” she wrote.

Gaga continues to not only bring about change in the music world, but inspires compassionate mindset shifts for everyday life as well.

The devil may have gone down to Georgia, but it appears he took a detour to a bar in Nashville and possessed a middle-aged mom on his way down there.

In a TikTok video that’s been viewed 5.5 million times, Olivia Reeth’s daughter shared that her family had gone to the Whiskey Bent Saloon in Nashville and was watching the Moonshine Outlaw Band perform. Her mom told the band she played the fiddle, and mid-song, the fiddle player decided to hand his instrument over to her.

You kind of have to wonder what the guy was thinking. Did he imagine she’d be able to keep up with the band? Did he figure she’d play a few bars and then hand it back?

Whatever he was picturing, it almost certainly wasn’t what she ended up laying down.

Mom might as well have said, “I’ll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul, dude” because she came prepared. In hindsight, her whipping off of her scarf was the sign it was all over, but who’d have known?

Watch her shred that man’s fiddle and see how he reacts:

@skootbutt123

#nashville #whiskeybentsaloon #fiddle

The best part is when the guy pretends to boot the band’s fiddler out of the bar. And then Mama got sassy with it! Absolute legend, making her skills appear effortless as she walked around the room. Didn’t even take her coat off. Looking like she walked in off the street, which she basically did.

The woman’s daughter shared that her mom is classically trained and that her dad was the one who introduced her to country and bluegrass music. They both play in two bands, Coconut Radio Band and Barney’s Bullet.

Seriously impressive talent. And you gotta love the respect the band’s fiddle player gave her, despite her basically stealing his soul. What a fun exchange between musicians who clearly love what they do and love to share it with others.

This article originally appeared on 12.28.22