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Cats have a reputation for being aloof and standoffish, like they’re better than everyone and simply can’t be bothered. Those of us who have cats know they’re not always like that … but yes, they’re sometimes like that. They can be sweet and affectionate, but they want affection on their terms, they want to eat and play and sleep on their own clock, and we puny, inferior humans have little say in the matter.

There’s a reason why we have obedience schools for dogs and not for cats. Maine coon or Bengal, Savannah or Siamese, ragdoll or sphynx, domestic cats of all breeds are largely untrainable little punks who lure us into loving them by blessing us with the honor of stroking their fur and hearing them purr.

But perhaps we assume too much when we think cats are full of themselves for no good reason. Maybe they are actually somewhat justified in their snootiness. Maybe they really, truly are superior to pretty much every other creature on Earth and that’s why they act like it.

(Cats, if they could talk, would be nodding and prodding us along at this point: “Yes, yes, you’re so close. Just a little further now, keep going.”)

Think about it. They’re beautiful and graceful, but also quick and powerful. They groom constantly so they’re almost always clean and their fur even smells good. They can fall from ridiculous heights, land on their feet and walk away unscathed. They’re wicked good ambush hunters. They can walk completely silently, like ninjas, then pull out the razor blades on their feet at will and do serious damage in an instant.

All of that makes them impressive specimens, but ironically it’s their total hubris that makes them truly superior. When they feel like it (because cats only do things they feel like doing) they will take on anyone and anything. Big, small, dangerous, fierce—doesn’t matter. That unbridled confidence—earned or not—combined with their physique and skill makes them the badasses of the animal world.

Want proof? Here ya go:

u201cI love cats, they are very brave and there is a challenge in their nature! u2764ufe0fud83dude02ud83dude02nnu201d

— Figen (@Figen)
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The lightning-fast smackdown is really the cat’s weapon of choice, isn’t it? They’re so fast with the swipe-slap, it takes their victims by surprise. “Aww, you’re so cute and cuddly, look at y—OUCH!” And then the way they just stand there and stare with their big eyes and their ears back. It’s unnerving. Throw in a little hiss or yowl, and no thank you.

If that video wasn’t enough to convince you, here’s another.

The snakes, man. I can’t get over the snakes.

Cats really are better than us and every other living thing, basically. And even if they aren’t, they believe they are, which counts just as much. They’re either the ultimate creatures or the ultimate conmen. Either way, you just don’t mess with them.

This article originally appeared on 08.17.22

It seems a little strange that many A-list celebrities don’t have social media accounts. One would assume that someone who makes their living in the public eye would have no problem sharing things about their lives on Instagram or Facebook.

According to InStyle, there are plenty of big-name celebrities who do not have social media accounts, including Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone, Kristen Stewart and Brad Pitt.

In a recent interview with ‘The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast,” actor Scarlett Johansson revealed why she doesn’t use social media. “The Skinny Confidential” is hosted by Lauryn Evarts Bosstick and her husband, Michael Bosstick.

The main reason why Scar Jo doesn’t have a social media account is she doesn’t think it’s good for her mental health.

“I honestly am too fragile a person to have social media. I can’t. My ego is too fragile,” she said on the podcast. The hosts couldn’t believe that social media would be a problem for Johansson.

“I can’t deal with it,” she continued. “My brain is too fragile. I’m like a delicate flower. I have enough anxiety, honestly.”

She admitted to having an Instagram account for “three days,” but things didn’t go well. Even though she has a lot to be proud of in her life, she couldn’t help but compare herself to others on the platform.

“I started realizing that I’d spent 20 minutes looking at somebody’s Instagram page, someone who worked for a friend of mine. I now know you have a pit bull and two daughters and you live in, like, Burbank,” she said.

She also thinks that social media is a huge time suck.

“I was like, what? I just wasted 17 minutes of time,” Johansson said. “I now feel like I should move to California, get this specific dog, and change my life in all these ways. I felt so bad. Like I was missing out on this random person’s life. I can’t do this. I’m too fragile.”

However, she thinks TikTok is fun when she uses it for work.

“I then become like a 3-year-old with their mom’s phone where I get completely absorbed into it. So, that’s why I know I can’t have it,” Scarlett concluded.

Johansson isn’t alone. Studies show that most people who use social media compare themselves to others on platforms such as Instagram, which can lead to problems with mental health. A big reason is that we are all prone to comparing ourselves to others, whether consciously or not.

“We may not have a direct realization that taking in other people’s highlight reel—or content in general—is causing us to gauge how we feel about ourselves, our appearance and lifestyle, or our progress in life based on others,” the BetterHelp Editorial Team wrote.

Social media creates an unrealistic view of other people’s lives because people only tend to share flattering things.

One study found that 87% of women and 65% of men compare their bodies to others when consuming social and traditional media. Another study found that people who use Facebook often believe others are happier.

The good news is that reducing social media use to just 30 minutes a day can lead to lower anxiety, depression, loneliness, and difficulty with sleep.

What do you get when you combine comedian Trevor Noah, tennis legend Roger Federer and the world famous clock-making, chocolate-brewing, Alpine-skiing symbol of neutrality, Switzerland?

Apparently, a delightfully charming train ride through the Swiss countryside and perhaps the greatest tourism ad ever made.

Both Noah and Federer shared a tourism ad they collaborated on for the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland, and people are loving it. It’s one of those ads that people don’t care is an ad because it doesn’t really feel like an ad and it’s so enjoyable to watch. (It’s also incredibly effective—like, give us alllll the train rides through Switzerland, please.)

The ad plays like a mini-documentary of Noah and Federer filming a Swiss tourism ad gone wrong. The two men—both of whom are half-Swiss in real life—appear to hop on the wrong train while arguing about whether or not the ad they are filming is funny (or whether it even should be).

What follows is a tale involving Swiss punctuality, hospitality and stunning natural beauty, all wrapped up in wholesome hilarity.

Check it out:

Thousands of commenters have chimed in with how enjoyable and effective they found the ad:

“This clip is brilliant and I am definitely going to travel on that train in Switzerland in the near future. Excellent work,” wrote one commenter.

“Usually, I hate tourism ads because they’re always so clichéd and unoriginal, but this one hooked me from the beginning,” shared another. “Switzerland is such a beautiful country, and this ad singlehandedly convinced me so. Looking forward to this train ride sometime in the future! :)”

“This is criminally short!” wrote another. “I wish for a full hour! I can’t seem to get enough of them.”

Noah and Federer shared their experience making the video with Financial Times, and their “behind the scenes” stories are as delightful as the ad itself.

Federer, who is an official Switzerland Tourism Ambassador, shared how much he has enjoyed making Swiss tourism ads with Robert DeNiro, Anne Hathaway, and of course, Trevor Noah. He said the shoot with Noah brought him back to his own childhood.

“I was always on trains, leaving home, looking out of the window, seeing the trees and the fields go by and thinking, ‘Will I be a good tennis player? Will I not? Will I win, will I not?'” he said.

Several parts of the ad point to how strict the Swiss are about being on time, and Noah shared that there were a few instances while filming when a train really did almost take off with them inside.

“They weren’t even going to hold it for us,” he said. “We were like, ‘Oh, we’re making an ad,’ and then they were like, ‘Yeah, and the train has a schedule.'”

“We were laughing,” Noah said, imagining what would have happened if a train really had left with them on it. “Like, would that become the meta joke? Does that become the joke in the joke?”

If you enjoyed the train tour ad, take a few minutes to see Noah and Federer share how it came to be and how much fun they had making it.

Nothing says “you’re old” quite like the foundations of your once hip and trendy music tastes being dubbed nostalgic.

But hey, Jon Fishman is making the best of it. The middle school teacher started a TikTok account dedicated to playing chart-topping 80s and 90s tunes for his sixth graders and getting their candid, hilarious and often brutal responses.

So far, the playlist has included hits like “Heart of Glass” by Blondie (which is “good” but “very old person music,” apparently), that “so-so” and “kinda disco but also western” Andy Gibb classic, “(Love is) Thicker Than Water” and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Soul to Squeeze,” aka “trash in a good way.”

But by far the song with the biggest response and the most views on TikTok goes to “1979″ by The Smashing Pumpkins.

ICYMI (i.e., in case you weren’t alive in the late 90s), “1979” is one of The Smashing Pumpkins’ most highly acclaimed songs, even earning the band a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year in 1997.

Does Fishman’s class care about the accolades? No, definitely not.

@jonfishman8 6th grade vs. the ‘90s #6thgradeteacher #teachersoftiktok #genx #musicfromthe90s #smashingpumpkins #billycorgan #music #middleschool #period4 #period6 #alternative #indie #rock ♬ 1979 – The Smashing Pumpkins

“It reminds me of depression,” one student wrote. Which, not gonna lie, isn’t inaccurate.

“Very cringe, sounds old,” wrote another. Ouch.

Another wrote that the song had “nothing to do with smashing pumpkins.” This complaint understandably drew a lot of laughs from TikTok viewers.

Still, not every comment was savage. A few students complimented the song for its “good beat” and being “very chill.”

One even went so far as to say, “It’s giving summer and cool kids.”

And perhaps the biggest, sweetest most adorable compliment of all:

“It is the bestest song in the whole wide world. My mommy and daddy listen to it.”

Fishman’s makeshift series is drawing a big fanbase, and viewers are already bidding for more “nostalgic” bands like Radiohead, Pearl Jam and The Ramones, just to name a few.

If you want to see what pops up next on the playlist, follow Mr. Fishman’s TikTok here.

When Disney’s quirky, irreverent and intergalactic animated film “Lilo & Stitch” premiered in 2002, it became a box office success (helping to bring Disney out of its notorious Dark Ages of the times), earned an Oscar nomination and brought the concept of “ohana” to the mainstream.

As is the way, Disney revealed earlier this year that it would be creating a live-action version of the film, and on April 2nd, announced that Maia Kealoha would be playing Lilo—one of the show’s titular characters and everyone’s favorite eccentric young Hawaiian girl who adopts an alien dog.

With Lilo coming back into the spotlight after a couple of decades, it feels apropos to explore how this loveable outsider became an unexpected hero to the neurodivergent community.

While there appears to be no evidence that creators Chris Sanders and Dean Deblois intentionally made Lilo autistic, it is a widely accepted theory among fans—especially for those who are on the spectrum or believe themselves to be—that her neurodivergence is at least implied, much in the same way that other Disney characters are believed to be queer-coded, or exhibiting LGBTQ+ traits without being explicitly described as queer.

Looking back, Lilo’s labeling kind of makes sense. She has an obsessive interest in Elvis Presley and taking photos of overweight tourists, whom she wholeheartedly calls “beautiful.” She gets almost feral when angry by biting. She relies on rituals and routines, like feeding her pet fish Pudge the same thing at the same time every day (because he “controls the weather”). She rarely smiles, unless Agent Bubbles from social services is paying them a visit and she needs to mask. These all fall in line with the CDC’s list of autism signs and symptoms.

Of course, one could argue that Lilo is simply a neurotypical kid who doesn’t fit in or that the trauma of losing both her parents has impacted her social skills. But through this specific lens, people in the autistic community have shared how seen they feel by the character. Entire essays and video blogs have been created about it, for crying out loud. Whether or not she was written that way, it’s pretty heartening to know what a huge impact Lilo’s story has made on people.

Even certain health professionals have argued that when Lilo is seen as autistic, viewers of the movies might find more understanding and compassion for neurodivergent folks in real life.

In the Youtube series “Cinema Therapy,” licensed therapist Jonathan Decker explained that:

“Especially with neurodivergent children, there is often a real profound wisdom that people don’t see cause they’re not used to seeing it in someone so young. And neurodivergence [in Lilo’s] case means an ability to see and accept things as they are that others aren’t psychologically or emotionally ready for yet. Lilo, through the whole movie, sees and speaks the truth, which also means, because she lives in truth, she doesn’t have the clinginess of a lot of children. That is a level of maturity that a lot of neurodivergent people often don’t get credit for.”

It will certainly be interesting to see if Disney decides to lean into this aspect of Lilo’s character for the live-action remake, as the company has continuously evolved to be more and more inclusive in its representation. And judging by how much Lilo has meant to people as an unofficial neurodivergent mascot, making her definitely autistic could have a really positive impact.

And if Disney doesn’t go in that direction, clearly fans will find a way.

In 1997, Oprah Winfrey spoke with Maya Angelou for an “Oprah’s Lifeclass” episode, and she revealed one of the most important lessons the “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” author had taught her: “When people show you who they are, believe them.”

“When a person says to you, ‘I’m selfish,’ or ‘I’m mean,’ or ‘I am unkind,’ believe them,” Oprah says in the clip. “They know themselves much better than you do.”

Oprah recounted the life advice while discussing a relationship with a man she felt had let her down. “[Dr. Angelou] was saying to me, ‘Why are you blaming the other person? He showed you who he was,'” Oprah recalled.

Angelou’s simple advice is a great way to detect potential red flags, whether someone has a new romantic partner, coworker or friend. It’s especially helpful when we’re unsure of how to judge someone or in denial about their questionable behavior.

A Reddit user with the username Potatoe_stealer asked the online forum, “What is a telltale sign that someone is a selfish person?” and the question received over 7,000 responses. Many of them explained how selfish people often disregard others in conversations or downplay the seriousness of their problems.

This is a great way to determine if someone will be selfish when a conversation turns into action. According to this group of Reddit users, if someone is cutting you off when you speak, they may not be there for you when things get rough.

Here are 19 of the best responses to the question: “What is a telltale sign that someone is a selfish person?”

1.

“They feel no remorse for how they’ve hurt others.” — avidhiker96150

2.

“Doesn’t think they’re wrong in the slightest bit. They can’t shoulder any bit of responsibility.” — No_Key_6276

3.

“They don’t remember the times people helped them, but remember clearly all the times they have helped others.” — GoodMerlinpeen

4.

“They respond how worse their situation is when you’re sharing your problems with them. No try for help or listening, just trying to draw attention on their side.” — seyfgs

5.

“They gladly take any favours you do for them, but when asked if they could reciprocate once, they get defensive and or aggressive and act like you’re the selfish one for daring to expect something in return. It doesn’t make you a bad person to expect reciprocation in a relationship with someone else, romantic or platonic. Relationships are give and take and that makes them healthy. It’s not entitlement to expect kindness if you give kindness. If you’re the only one giving, you’re being taken advantage of.” — random-sh**-writing

6.

“Every bad thing you do to them is drama-worthy. Every bad thing they do to you are details and should be moved on from, and why can’t you just do that? You’re so dramatic!” — Pasdusername

7.

“If you are in a group and there is one person that is constantly interrupting the middle of what you or anyone else is saying generally to brag about themselves with a ‘one-upper’ story, is generally a precursor to stop associating with them. I’ve met too many of them in my days and they are more often than not happy to throw you under the bus whenever the opportunity arises.” —Philay_shio

8.

“If they always talk about themselves.” —Effective-Craft-1173

9.

“They have that superpower to lead everything back to themselves. Even when you’re actually talking about your own life or a specific problem of yours, they somehow make it that you start talking about them instead without even changing the topic.” — Anskin12

10.

“They have that superpower to lead everything back to themselves. Even when you’re actually talking about your own life or a specific problem of yours, they somehow make it that you start talking about them instead without even changing the topic.” — AnnaVonKleve

11.

“Cliche answer but I have found the ‘return the shopping cart’ test to be pretty accurate. It is such a small thing, but it does tell you if a person thinks small things like that matter.” — LeeroyTC

12.

“They’re rude to waitstaff or just staff and employees in general. Or if their situational awareness is severely lacking and they don’t seem to have a problem with it.” — SpeedBlitzX

13.

“Trauma dumping and then not reciprocating if someone else had a bad day/felt comfortable enough to open up to them.” — PessimistThePillager

14.

“People who have kids on purpose, and then act like their kids owe them (well above and beyond basic kindness and human respect) for the rest of their lives.” — femmetastic

15.

“Poor listener.” — Pristine-Practice-51

16.

“When they monologue at you. Every conversation is just them performing and everyone else is just part of the audience.” — blocky_jabberwocky

17.

“People who always talk about money or the grind. Usually, they will sell you out in a heartbeat or take advantage of others for money which is pretty selfish.” — stonebutts

It seems like each week of “American Idol” brings all of the emotions. Watching the show from week to week means being prepared for laughs, tears, shock and sometimes frustration, and the most recent episode of the long-running hit show was no different.

Contestant Kaya Stewart, who is the daughter of Eurythmics singer Dave Stewart, was supposed to sing a duet with Fire, a single mom who was given a second chance at the show. Every chance to sing in front of the judges is a big deal to contestants because it’s another chance to become a fan favorite and win over the judges to make it to another round. It’s safe to say that the singers’ nerves are often in a heightened state, and Stewart was feeling ill-prepared to sing her duet with Fire after getting sick.

Stewart’s illness kept her from being able to learn her part in the duet, and when the time came to perform for the judges, she bowed out, leaving Fire standing on stage and holding back tears.

After being asked by judge Katy Perry what she wanted to do, Fire replied, “I’m going to start crying, sorry. It’s been really stressful. It’s been a lot of stress on me to learn a different arrangement and then come out here.”

Stewart’s exit left the judges shocked, but with some quick thinking and a willing volunteer, Fire had a new duet partner on stage within seconds.

“Listen Fire, you’re not going to be abandoned anymore,” Perry assured the singer.

Fire held back tears as long as she could as she sang Adam Lambert’s “Whataya Want From Me,” but when she reached the final lyrics, she broke down, evoking an emotional reaction from the judges. Lionel Richie and Perry’s eyes filled with tears before Perry left the singer with some encouraging words.

Watch the incredible moment below:

Jason Isbell has some words for Kid Rock.

Following the reveal of Bud Light’s recent commercial, which features transgender model and activist Dylan Mulvaney, Rock took to Twitter to share a video of himself shooting cases of Bud Light with a semi-automatic AR-15-style rifle. He is heard saying “f*ck Bud Light and f*ck Anheuser-Busch.”

Isbell caught wind of the clip, and had a perfect response for Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie.

Isbell quote-replied to the video, saying to Rock, “is this one of those three words you wish you could say to your teenage self things.”

But it looks like Rock is going to have a hard time finding a replacement beer. A Twitter user responded to Isbell saying “Well, Bob’s drink of choice is guilty too!” The response contained a Coors Light infographic, with facts about the beer, noting that Coors Brewing has had an anti-discrimination policy, which includes sexual orientation, in place since 1978, and was one of first American corporations to have such a policy. Today, Coors Brewing is the only US brewery to offer same-sex domestic partner benefits, according to the infographic.

“This is finally how we get him,” Isbell said. “Leave no bigoted beers to drink.”

It’s a Barbie world, and we’re just living in it. The highly-anticipated Hollywood film directed by Greta Gerwig about the world-famous plastic doll is almost here. Although photos of led actors Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling on the set of the film leaked months ago, there hasn’t stopped fans from gushing over its promotional flyers.

A huge part of the excitement behind the film is due in part to the all-star lineup. Pop superstar Dua Lipa is one of those cast members. Lipa’s character is still relatively unknown, but based on the promotional poster, she’s going to be channeling her on-stage glamour.

But is that the only part of the musician’s professional experience that will be injected into the film? Most fans want to know if Dua Lipa making a song for the Barbie movie. In the past, it was rumored that she would lend her voice to the project. However, now according to DailyMail, it seems that this is no longer a rumor.

The outlet is reporting that the singer will make her musical return by writing and recording the theme song for the film. Lupa’s last studio album Future Nostalgia was released in 2020.

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

While promoting his role as Donkey Kong in the The Super Mario Bros. Movie hitting theaters this week, Seth Rogen shared his thoughts on the original 1993 film that featured an odd, live-action interpretation of the beloved video game series. Like most Nintendo fans, a young Rogen had no idea what he just watched, and he wasn’t shy about trashing the movie on the red carpet.

“When I was 11, I saw the original ‘Mario Bros.’ movie and I was so excited,” Rogen told Variety at the Hollywood premiere of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. “But it’s one of the worst films ever made. I was so disappointed. I think it made me realize that movies, like, could be bad. That never occurred to me until that moment.”

With Illumination Studios’ animated approach to Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom, Rogen is confident the new film won’t crush young fans like what happened to him in 1993.

“It really bummed me out,” Rogen said. “It’s nice to vindicate that moment. It’s nice to know that 11-year-olds out there that they won’t be disappointed in the same way that I was.”

The 1993 film isn’t the first piece of Nintendo nostalgia that Rogen has been brutally honest about. The prolific actor/writer also isn’t a fan of the “DK Rap,” first featured in 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. In a Twitter video on the official Super Mario Bros. Movie account, Rogen called it “objectively one of the worst rap songs of all-time,” but he did give props to Diddy Kong’s dance moves.

(Via Variety)