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The debate over the origins of the COVID-19 virus has overwhelmingly come down partisan lines. Democrats tend to believe it came out of a wet market in Wuhan, China. Republicans tend to support the theory that it came from a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

It’s easy to see why partisans have come down on different sides of the divide. Conservative media tends to demonize China and position it as an enemy of the United States. In contrast, liberals are more sensitive to race issues and don’t want to demonize Chinese people. This concern was played out in real time after there was a rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But shouldn’t people choose to believe how the virus originated based on facts instead of blindly supporting their political tribe? Especially when discussing a deadly disease that has killed nearly 7 million people?

Jon Stewart thinks so.

In 2021, he caused a big stir when he broke ranks with many liberals by endorsing the lab leak hypothesis on ‘Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

“Science has, in many ways, helped ease the suffering of this pandemic…which was more than likely caused by science,” he said to nervous laughter.

Colbert added there was “a chance” the virus leaked out of the lab.

“A chance? Oh my god!” Stewart replied. “There’s a novel respiratory coronavirus overtaking Wuhan, China. What do we do? Oh, you know who we could ask? The Wuhan novel respiratory coronavirus lab.”

“The disease is the same name as the lab! That’s just a little too weird, don’t you think?” he continued.

Stewart then put his theory in perspective.

“There’s been an outbreak of chocolatey goodness near Hershey, Pennsylvania—what do you think happened?” he said. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe a steam shovel mated with a cocoa bean…or it’s the f**ing chocolate factory. Maybe that’s it!”

The idea is gaining traction two years after Stewart’s admission. On Tuesday, February 28, FBI Director Christopher Wray publicly acknowledged that the Bureau considers the lab leak theory the likeliest cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Energy has also endorsed the idea saying it has “low confidence” that COVID-19 “most likely arose” from a lab leak.

However, none of the other U.S. agencies have changed their assessment that natural origin is more likely, so the intelligence community sits divided, with no definitive proof either way.

Stewart addressed the controversy on the latest episode of his Apple+ TV show, “The Problem with Jon Stewart.” When it was brought up on the show’s accompanying podcast, he shared how the debate shows an inability for people to discuss complex topics in today’s political climate.

WARNING: Strong language.

u201cToday @JonStewart talks to some of our staff about the news that the COVID-19 virus may, in fact, have leaked from a lab in China and what it reveals about the problem with the media narrative machine. Full episode drops Wednesday on @ApplePodcastsu201d

— The Problem With Jon Stewart (@The Problem With Jon Stewart)
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“The larger problem with all of this is the inability to discuss things that are within the realm of possibility without falling into absolutes and litmus-testing each other for our political allegiances as it arose from that,” Stewart added.

“My bigger problem with that was, I thought it was a pretty good bit that expressed kind of how I felt, and the two things that came out of it were, I’m racist against Asian people, and how dare I align myself with the alt-right,” he added.

Stewart said the backlash he received from people on the left was “swift, immediate and quite loud.”

“The part that I don’t like about it is the absolutes and the dismissive like ‘f**k you, I’m done with you. I will never forgive you, you have crossed an unforgivable line. You’ve expressed an opinion that is antithetical to mine, or not mine,’” Stewart continued.

“What was stunning to me, I think, was the anger,” he added.

There are numerous lessons we can learn from the COVID-19 era if we decide to look at the hard facts. One of the most important has to be our ability to think critically about important issues, whether that’s the origins of the virus or the facts about masks and vaccinations. During the pandemic, these were life-and-death tests and sadly, far too many people put their politics before the facts and paid dearly for it.

We need to know how the virus emerged, no matter how uncomfortable it makes people, so that we can prevent it from happening again.

Yesterday (March 2), Rockstar Games announced the new Grand Theft Auto Online event. Through March 8, users now have the chance to earn “even more lucrative” rewards in all of the missions that feature Dr. Dre.

According to NME, “the event will offer double in-game cash and RP rewards for completing F. Clinton & Partner’s Security Contract missions.” The publication also notes that “finishing Payphone Hits for Franklin” will earn fans more money.

Finally, anybody who simply logs on to GTA Online before the set date will receive a free White DJ Pooh Tee.

Last December, Rockstar Games unveiled The Contract expansion — which included the rapper’s new music on the soundtrack, given it serves as a direct tie-in to the game. Players have to help him track down his stolen music.

“Dr. Dre’s stolen phone is the talk of the town. Word is the device is loaded with never-before-heard music,” the company posted on social media. “Tracking it down before it leaks could make or break your new “celebrity solutions Agency” — and you’ll be the one getting your hands dirty.”

In other recent news within the Grand Theft Auto realm, 50 Cent hinted on social media that he might have some possible involvement in the forthcoming game — so there’s plenty happening for players to be excited for.

One of Major League Baseball’s rule changes designed to get people who never watch the sport to suddenly become interested is abolishing the shift. In recent years, teams have leaned heavily into shifting their infield in an effort to make it harder for hitters to get on base, with left handed hitters in particular struggling when they hit the ball on the ground into the shift.

The new rule indicates that four infielders need to be on the dirt and only two can be on either side of second base — teams can no longer throw an infielder in the shallow part of the outfield in between their first basemen and whomever is lining up at second. This is theoretically good for a guy like Joey Gallo of the Minnesota Twins, a lefty hitter who almost exclusively pulls the ball, but unfortunately for him, the Boston Red Sox figured out a loophole in the rule already.

The Twins and the Red Sox played a spring training game on Friday, and Gallo stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the second inning. While Boston did, indeed, have two infielders on either side of second base and all of them were on the infield dirt, the team’s center fielder, Adam Duvall, positioned himself in right field in the spot where a shifting infielder would be in years past. The team’s left fielder, Raimel Tapia, went into center, and the Sox just assumed that Gallo wouldn’t hit the ball into left.

Gallo ended up getting on base via a walk, and the next batter, Kyle Farmer, hit a homer, which is presumably the baseball gods getting back at Boston for this one. Time will tell if the League will try to do something about this, in part because the shift rules have worked out rather well — ESPN noted earlier this week that batting averages were up 13 percentage points compared to this point in spring training last year.

Fred Again.. is continuing to prove why he’s one of the buzziest artists of the year. Just weeks after performing at Madison Square Garden alongside Skrillex and Four Tet, the London-bred DJ and producer has shared a new single called “Mike (Desert Island Duvet).”

The new song is a rework of Fred‘s other song, “Berwyn (All I Got Is You),” and features the song’s original vocals from Dermot Kennedy. “Mike” also contains a verse from The Streets’ Mike Skinner.

Kennedy blesses the chorus with his haunting vocals, singing “All that I’ve got is you,” like he did on “Berwyn.”

On Skinner’s verse, he details the experience of love lifting him out of a dark place, over a fast-paced, hypnotic beat.

“Two people on a carpet with light around the curtains / Two people from a circus on a flying carpet / You’re wiser than your years but everything changes / And when it does what is people refuse to / You caught me at a good time cause I’m feeling bad / Tonight the wind is following your command,” he raps.

You can listen to “Mike (Desert Island Duvet)” above.

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

When it comes to booking a hotel, is there ever a tried-and-true “best” way to do so? Hotel options start popping up on your screen as soon as you book your flight, asking if you want to bundle your flights with a promoted and advertised hotel somewhere close to your destination. For some people, this definitely might be the easiest course of action to take. But… is it the best?

When it comes to actually taking the time to research and find an awesome hotel deal, having the convenience of booking, managing reservations, and comparing rates through a specific app has its perks. Especially if you’re someone who prefers specific amenities or focuses on the feel of a hotel, whether it be more fitness-oriented, eclectic aesthetic, or trendy and healthy. Not only that but if flexibility and occasional last-minute hotel rooms are usually a part of your plans, nailing down the best way to get a hotel is vital.

We’ve compared eight different hotel booking apps to see what the best way to get a great hotel in Miami is, so you don’t have to. We estimated booking a hotel in Miami for a two-night stay within a month of the publishing of this article, March 31st – April 2nd. We also experimented with the best method to get a hotel in Miami the same day with basic amenities of free Wi-Fi and offered breakfast.

BEST FOR LAST-MINUTE BOOKINGS – HOTEL TONIGHT

Like the name implies, this app is best used if you’re in a last-minute pinch and need a hotel…um tonight. With hotel, motel, and resort options spanning the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, users get a plethora of booking options where hotels are trying to fill unsold rooms. It also models as a regular hotel booking app, allowing users to book hotels up to 100 days in advance.

Once you join the HT Perks program, you’ll get access to even more discounts.

PROS:

It has one of the best deal features of any hotel booking app. The Daily Drop allows you to find a personalized deal in your specified city with a special price valid for only 15 minutes. You can use this for a last-minute, same-day hotel booking or even for a booking for a specific set of dates that other hotel booking apps don’t offer. The interface is also very sleek and appealing to use while showing you the prices of hotels and what they used to be listed for and the deal price offered now. It really puts in perspective how much you’re saving.

CONS:

It doesn’t boast as many filters and amenity choices to choose from, but I was still able to select parking options, Wi-Fi, and breakfast. It also only allows you to book a hotel up to 100 days in advance, which limits you if you try to plan ahead. I also didn’t see as many options coming up as I did in other apps. Because of this, I felt my options were limited, especially at my price point with amenity filters.

BEST OPTION:

Hyatt Centric Brickell Miami – $203 per night, originally $590!

BEST FOR GETTING A ROOM CHEAPER THAN ITS RACK RATE — HOTWIRE

Hotwire is cool because it negotiates deals on unsold rooms, giving you pretty hefty deals and discounts on hotel rooms. With its Hot Rate hotels offerings, you can get an insane deal on a hotel room by letting the app choose the hotel for you. Sounds weird, right? Well, it’s a calculated risk. You’re shown a price, hotel rating, general location, and the names of three hotels. It’s kind of like a fun chance game because you book a room and then see which hotel it’ll be at from that list.

PROS:

It allows you to toggle between the map view where you can target specific areas or view options through a list. It gives you the option to choose the 31% off Hot Rate hotel option (between three hotels) or your list of hotels that match your criteria.

CONS:

Limited options to sign in with, with only Apple or Facebook. I had to punch in my email and make a password, which is annoying to do. I mean, who keeps tracks of passwords in 2023? I wasn’t a huge fan of the interface either compared to other booking apps.

BEST OPTION:

Hot Rate Hotel Deal — I’m up for the adventure so the Hot Rate deal was showing a king-sized room with free parking, breakfast, and Wi-Fi for $222 per night at a three-star hotel. That’s a steal considering the other options in the target neighborhood close to the airport and downtown are over $280 per night, so it’s a 30% price break.

BEST FOR GATHERING POINTS — HILTON HONORS

This was the only hotel-branded app we decided to download and look into because Hilton does actually have some serious perks. If you’re a Hilton hotel snob, then booking through this app could give you some serious leverage. When you get your free member signup, you’ll get access to guaranteed Hilton Honors discounted rates, account points to use for free nights, no resort fees on reward stays, digital check-ins and check-outs, access to free Wi-Fi, and premium bonuses the more you stay at Hilton-owned bookings.

PROS:

So probably the best thing about this app is that it allows you to choose your room. When booking a hotel room, you can see a map layout of the hotel and select the room you want, including specific floors and views. While the name implies booking Hilton hotels, you can also book hotels brands Curio, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hampton, Home2 Suites, Homewood Suites, Tapestry, and Tru, giving you a variety of options that are found throughout the world.

CONS:

If you’re not a Hilton Honors member, then this app is gonna be worthless. The sign-up makes you input all of your information, which is annoying but the points you earn as you book are worth it. These hotel chains can be pricey, so the lowest you can possibly filter in Miami is $223 in Miami and even that is leading you pretty far away.

BEST OPTION:

Hampton Inn Miami-Coconut Grove/Coral Gables – $288 per night with your membership 10% discount.

BEST FOR SEARCHING BASED ON AMENITIES: BOOKING.COM

With the word “booking” literally in its name, the app allows you to look at millions of different properties spanning hotels, rental properties, vacation rentals, and more. The app also shows information in over 40 languages, which can be helpful when trying to show a specific hotel’s address to a taxi driver in another country.

You can sign up for free for the “Genius” loyalty program, leading to additional discounts of drinks, airport transportation, and more.

PROS:

Can instantly create an account linking your Google, Facebook, or Apple profile and you’re automatically starting at a 10% discount for all bookings on the app. Can sort your options by popularity, distance from downtown, star rating, and price. Using the same filters of pricing, free Wi-Fi, parking, and breakfast, along with being less than one mile from Miami’s city center, it was actually easier to navigate with fewer choices.

Four options appeared for us instead of hundreds, which I actually preferred because I knew these were important amenities for me to have.

CONS:

You can’t see your room choices until you press another button when selecting a hotel option, so it requires a little more navigation for comparison.

BEST OPTION:

citizenM Miami Worldcenter showed up with an 8.7-star rating. I noticed that the price was even slightly lower than what appeared on Hotels.com, which is a huge perk. You can book a king-sized room for a total of $497 for two nights with free wifi, and iPad in each room, a breakfast buffet, and nearby city attractions.

BEST FOR LUXURY STAYS – @hotel

As the first hotel booking platform for Instagram, users get exceptional travel discount rates through the app’s largest travel network on social media. Users typically save between 30%-50% off hotel rates that aren’t made publicly available on other booking sites. Additionally, @hotel has over 500,000 affiliated worldwide hotels in its network.

PROS:

Scrolling through beautiful travel destinations on Instagram and you’re curious to see how much it would be to book something? You don’t even have to leave the app. Simply go to @hotel on Instagram and you can plug in specific cities, regions, or names of a hotel or luxury stay either by messaging the account directly or using the link in their bio. From there, you’ll get a private booking rate.

It’s very easy to use, sleek, boasts high functionality, and gives you boat-loads of information that other booking apps don’t lay out for you, including a list of high-priority nearby destinations.

CONS:

If you don’t use Instagram, then this may not be your ideal choice. @hotel does have a sister app called Tripscout you can download, but it doesn’t seem to give you all the hefty discounts that it offers through its Instagram page. When plugging in the same dates, amenities, and luxury five-star rating, I didn’t get any of the same results or discounts as I did through Instagram.

BEST OPTION:

Carillon Miami Wellness Resort – $797.67 per night, originally $1,249 per night. That’s a whopping 36% discount.

BEST FOR BOOKING AN ENTIRE CONDO OR HOUSE FOR YOURSELF – AIRBNB

Unlike most hotel booking apps that cater to hotels specifically, AirBnB – meaning “Air Bed and Breakfast” – offers people an easy way to book apartments, homes, guest houses, and more. The app allows people to rent out their homes in a relatively stress-free way and as a result, opens up hundreds – if not thousands – of “homier” rentals to tourists looking to check out an area.

PRO:

When punching in the dates for a two-night private (entire place) stay a month in advance with free parking, Wi-Fi, and a “beachfront view” for some extra spice, we were given a decent list of 22 homes. The cheapest option was as low as $139 per night, which is great since you also don’t have to go to a front desk to check in or out and you get more than one room to roam around in, unlike one hotel room.

CON:

AirBnB is notorious for showing prices of rentals in your target budget but then you’re bombarded with a lot of extra fees. That first one should’ve realistically come out around $278 total for two nights, but with a surprise $90 cleaning fee, $52 service fee, and $37 worth of taxes, it was over $450. This can make it tricky to truly sort through what you want to spend since you don’t see the final cost until after you hit “reserve” and see the cost breakdown.

It can also be hard to find something exactly that you need. A lot of AirBnBs cater to larger groups, so finding something for one person might be hard and you could be staying in a place that has multiple bedrooms.

BEST OPTION:

Ocean Views In Paradise #2 – $225 per night for a total of $696.96 after taxes and additional fees.

BEST FOR IN-APP REWARDS — HOTELS.COM

With “hotel” literally in its name, booking a hotel in Miami on this app has some serious advantages and perks. First, when you make your profile, you can access reward status through your profile, earning one free night stay at a hotel for every 10 nights you stay. Additionally, booking hotels through the app through rewards points won’t incur a fee, unlike booking through the website. The app also boasts “Deals For Tonight” features for last-minute reservations in your target city and area, which is helpful for anyone who finds themselves making last-minute plans.

PROS:

It took me less than one minute to create a free membership account linked to my Google account. Within seconds, I was able to set filters, including my maximum price of $270 per night, with included amenities of breakfast and Wi-Fi. From there, we got offered over 300 hotel options that fit within our target area of the city, and we could even view all options on an easy-to-navigate map view. Each hotel option also shows the number of reviews it has received, as well as its current rating out of 10 stars before you even click on each individual one.

CONS:

I couldn’t figure out the view to see my options priced low to high, so I was seeing more expensive hotel options higher on the list that weren’t necessarily better than the cheaper options.

BEST OPTION:

Nuvo Suites Hotel – $277 per night thanks to a 15% in-app member discount, originally $324.

BEST OVERALL: EXPEDIA

Probably one of the most well-known booking sites for all things hotels, Expedia can come in handy featuring exclusive deals of up to 40% on its app that may not show up on the website. Additionally, by booking through the app, users earn two points per dollar spent, which can be used to save money on future bookings, as well as get free breakfast, spa credits, room upgrades, and more. And while we’re here to compare hotel booking apps, Expedia does allow you to also book flights, car rentals, and vacation packages from the convenience of your phone.

PROS:

Looks nearly identical to Hotels.com when it comes to filtering your price range and amenities. I was also able to view hotel options priced low to high which is always my preference. I love knowing that by booking on the app, I’m earning double the points on all hotel bookings to earn great rewards.

CONS:

Interface is extremely dull and boring. It’s just not a pretty app to be using.

BEST OPTION:

Hotel AKA Brickell – $331 per night, originally $414 per night.

March is shaping up to be a major month for footballers — or at least for TV viewers who like shows about footballers, a.k.a. soccer players. While Showtime is gearing up for season 2 of Yellowjackets — its (partially) ‘90s-set story of a high school soccer team that goes all Lord of the Flies when their plane crashes in the middle of nowhere — Ted Lasso will kick off its third season on March 15, 2023.

While Ted Lasso has long had its fair share of detractors — Aubrey Plaza’s The White Lotus character, Harper, among them — there’s no denying that it’s the series that (finally) put Apple TV+ on the streaming map.

While some of the initial complaints about Ted Lasso were that the show was “too nice,” other viewers became annoyed when one of those beloved nice guys took a supervillain turn (and no, we’re not talking about Jason Sudeikis’ lawyers’ very public — and “vicious” — decision to serve his ex-partner Olivia Wilde with custody papers at CinemaCon). Which just goes to show you that, yet again, you can’t please everyone all the time.

But for Ted Lasso enthusiasts who are still rooting for AFC Richmond, and anxious to see how the show’s season 2 twists will play out moving forward, here’s the good news: Like season 2, there will be 12 episodes to enjoy in Ted Lasso season 3 — up from just 10 episodes in season 1.

The 12-episode season will premiere on March 15th on AppleTV+.

For the most part, you don’t have to have any proper knowledge before landing on Wheel Of Fortune as a contestant. For Jeopardy, you need to be smart and quick with the buzzer (or have a crush on Mayik Bialik) For The Price Is Right, you need to be able to yell as loud as possible by training your vocal cords to appeal to Drew Carey.

But when it comes to Wheel Of Fortune, in theory, anybody who speaks English and had gone through any type of schooling should be able to have a fun time. In theory. But that simply does not happen, and instead, viewers at home are pulling their hair out trying to telepathically communicate through the screen, a type of technology that has not been invented yet.

This week, a particular puzzle stumped one contestant on the long-running game show. See if you can figure it out, it’s s tough one:

Now, it’s pretty rare for a Wheel contestant to ask for an “X” but this is one of the fateful instances where it would surely help solve the puzzle! Instead, poor Angie tried to solve the puzzle by guessing “Warm Toasted Bagels With Low And Cream Cheese.” If you don’t know what low and cream cheese is, you’re in luck! It’s not real, nor does it sound appetizing.

The correct answer would have been “Warm Toasted Bagels With Lox And Cream Cheese” but luckily, the next contestant was able to solve it. Her incorrect guess did not go unnoticed by fans, though.

This is not the first nor will it be the last time a contestant confidently says the wrong thing much to the dismay of everyone else, but hey, at least Sajak is a good sport about it most of the time. Other times…not so much!

You can check out the full episode here.

(Via TODAY)

Phil Rosenthal has an insatiable hunger for life! Across the 33 episodes of his excellent Netflix travel show, Somebody Feed Phil, the Emmy-nominated actor, writer, and director has explored five continents and 38 cities around the world. He doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.

“It’s a big world out there, somebody’s got to eat it!” Rosenthal tells me over a Zoom call one unseasonably cold LA morning in February after returning from a recent trip to the UK to promote his new book, the perfectly titled Somebody Feed Phil The Book.

The book — already a New York Times bestseller — shares behind-the-scenes stories from the first four seasons of the show, scripts from Rosenthal’s video calls with his family, and 60 of the most fan-requested recipes from famous international chefs and local legends. The book is one-part celebration of the show and one-part greatest hits cookbook. Meaning it has a little bit of everything for everyone, whether you’re a super fan of the show and Rosenthal’s feel-good humor or just coming for all the food porn and want to take a stab at taking making the recipes yourself without buying an expensive plane ticket.

We spoke with Rosenthal about the book, asked him to reveal his favorite food destinations (and his favorite foodie city), and talk about how he feels about fast food. He also shared the most requested recipe from the book to get you started on your culinary journey. The recipe in question, Braciola all’Arturo, comes courtesy of Da’Atutro’s Ernesto Ballarin, who was covered in season two’s “Venice” episode. In the episode, Rosenthal referred to it as “the world’s best pork chop” and considering it’s a fried pork cutlet, we’re inclined to believe him.

Check out the interview below and hit the recipe at the bottom of this page!

PART I — The Interview

Tell me about Somebody Feed Phil The Book.

Oh, well this is a book, it’s kind of a hybrid of sorts. It’s the companion book to the show, with my essays and writing about how the show got started and how we make the show, and a lot of behind-the-scenes photos that my brother, the producer, has taken on the road. And then it’s a fantastic cookbook because 60 of the most requested recipes from the audience, from the best chefs in the world that we’ve met, are in this book.

And they’re all tested and this is how you can make them in your home kitchen.

I just wanted to ask some questions about your travels in particular. And I know this is going to be kind of a tough question to answer for somebody who’s been to so many places. But what are some of your favorite food destination cities?

Well, Italy wins for some reason. I don’t know why, because I’ve now been to several places. But for me, maybe it’s because it’s one of the first places I ever went when I was in my early twenties and I just fell in love with the people. I always say, everywhere you look is beautiful there. Every bite of food is delicious, and everyone’s hugging and kissing you. So what’s not to like?

But I’ve, I’ve just been to Paris again and that is a knockout of a city and a place. And the food is also phenomenal. Also, I’m in love with Spain. I love every place that we go. I love Thailand. The food in Thailand, some of the food there, has been some of the most spectacular I’ve ever had in my life. There was a crab omelet that I’ll never forget. There was a bowl of Khao Soi in Chiang Mai that I will never forget. It also was a dollar, which is my second favorite price.

So one of the great things about travel, in addition to being the most mind-expanding thing we could do in life, is that you find things. Let’s take food for example, food you can find in the United States again. You get turned on to a dish, like Khao Soi for instance. It’s at most Thai restaurants. You can find it. You would never know to order it, but if you go to Thailand and have this fantastic thing, now you know to order it when you’re in a Thai restaurant in the United States. So it makes your life better for the rest of your life.

Right. Right. I know that one of your mottos is “food is the great connector.” Obviously, you’ve proven that in the show.

Thanks.

Can you make the case for why is it so important for people to expand their horizons and get traveling in order to experience new things? Why is that such a vital thing that everybody needs to do? I know that you famously pushed Ray Romano to travel.

That’s right.

What kind of advice you would give to somebody who might be as apprehensive as Ray once was?

Yes. Well, first of all, to answer the first part of your question, why is it important? ‘Cause I think the world would be better if we all could experience a little bit of other people’s experiences. I think maybe we wouldn’t have the problems that we have in this country if people were a little more open-minded. Two-thirds of Americans don’t even have a passport. And I just think if they were exposed to other people from other cultures, they would see that they have nothing to be afraid of. Right?

When you share a meal with someone, you’re already on common ground because we all gotta eat and it’s something that we all enjoy doing. I’ve never met a culture that doesn’t love eating. In fact, every culture that I meet says that they eat more than any other culture. “Oh, if you come to my Chinese mother’s house, she’ll never let you out of the house without killing you with food.” Same with Italian people. Same with Greek people. Same with Chinese. Korean people. We’re all the same in that way.

And why is that? Because it’s the way to show hospitality and it’s something that we naturally must do anyway. And it’s one of the most relatable things. I always say food is the great connector, and then laughs are the cement. If we share a laugh, then, over the meal that we’re having, now we’re friends and we’ll eat again.

If people who are nice people, and I think the world is mostly populated with nice people, they just don’t get on the news as much as the not nice. But it’s important for nice people to go to represent niceness in the world. And of course, what you put out is what you get back. I literally think it would make the world better. All you have to do is take that baby step out of your comfort zone, and that’s where the fun is.

And in terms of pushing people out of that comfort zone?

You get them to take baby steps. During Covid, we couldn’t go anywhere. So how did I travel? I traveled through the menu on my phone. I would look up a menu of an ethnic restaurant, let’s say that I hadn’t tried before. A whole cuisine that I never tried. It doesn’t cost anything to look. So you look: Oh, what’s this Peruvian place? I never had Peruvian. Oh, they have chicken and rice. You like chicken and rice? Yes. So try it. Oh, it’s delicious. Maybe I’ll try something else from there.

Now maybe Covid is over, I go to the restaurant. You meet the owner. Now you’ve fallen in love with it, and then the next thing you know, you’re in Machu Picchu. That’s how it works. That’s from looking at the menu on your phone. That’s all I’m asking of people. Try something, try it. Just try it. Because what’s the worst that can happen? We’re not children. The worst that can happen is I didn’t care for it. So you don’t have it again. But at least you tried it. And the journey, just like everything else in life, the journey is its own reward.

Is there a food out there that’s very popular that you just can’t seem to get behind? Obviously, on your show, you don’t show when you don’t like something, because that would be really rude to your guests and that’s not your vibe.

Yes.

But what’s a really popular food that everybody loves and you just for some reason can’t get behind? Does such a food exist for you?

It does exist. I’m not crazy about black licorice, for example. The world seems to enjoy it.

Same.

Also, in my hometown, I can’t understand why the Dodger Dog is popular.

I come from New York and I love hot dogs around the world. In Chicago, they make great hotdogs. And a lot of great hotdogs here in LA. And there are great hotdogs in Copenhagen. Right? This is my comfort food, from when I’m a child. The Dodger Dog is antithetical to all these things. I have no idea why it’s popular. But I understand that if your dad took you to a Dodger game when you were five and you had this hotdog, you love it.

Is there anywhere that you haven’t gone yet that you’re dying to go to?

Yes, India. And I haven’t been to Greece yet or Turkey.

Really? You haven’t been to Greece?

I have not. No, I haven’t. I haven’t been to New Zealand yet. These are all places I want to go. I haven’t been to a lot of Spain yet. I haven’t been to Sicily yet.

Oh, wow.

I know. The White Lotus killed me. I can’t wait to go.

Are there any other shows, like White Lotus, out there that you watch where you think, “Oh, I got to try the food.” Even if it’s not explicitly about food?

Every single Anthony Bourdain show that he ever did. He was on for 18 years. He was on so long that he went back to places multiple times. I dream of that.

How do you see your show continuing to evolve as it goes on in the years? Would you like to do what Bourdain did and re-explore places you’ve already been to? Or are there just so many places still that you have yet to go to that you’ll always have content?

Well, you’ll never run out of content. Because not only is the world gigantic, it’s 194 countries. I’ve done 32 shows, right? So I haven’t even hit every country. I don’t think it’s possible to do it, let alone the cities in those countries. There are places in the United States I’ve never been.

So yes, the answer is yes and yes. I want to go hit all the places I’ve never been to and revisit them. By the time I’ve done that, it’s time to revisit other places. Places change, especially giant cities like New York and Tokyo and London and Paris and Rome. I mean, it’s a big world out there. Somebody’s got to eat it.

Do you have a favorite American city for food?

Los Angeles.

And why is that, is it the variety?

Yes, yes. The variety is amazing! We have this great diversity. We have the largest populations of people outside their native homelands in, I think, the world. So there are more Chinese people in the San Gabriel Valley than anywhere else on earth outside of China. You can visit the different provinces of China just by going to the different neighborhoods in the San Gabriel Valley here. And we have the most Mexican people, the most Korean people. I could go on and on. Your chances of hitting a great meal are exponentially greater because of this diversity, because of the number of people.

What are some of your favorite places right now in Los Angeles to grab a bite?

Oh my God.

It doesn’t have to be a hard favorite, just whatever comes to your mind right now.

Off the top of my head, I think République is amazing, I think for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I love Sonoratown.

Me too!

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Oh my God, it’s great. I love Sea Harbour for dim sum in the valley, in the San Gabriel Valley. I love Mozza for Italian food and Antico Nuovo for Italian food. There are so many. I mean, name a cuisine. There are so many great places. That’s just off the top of my head right now.

We’re pretty spoiled when it comes to food for sure.

I love Angry Egret downtown. None of this stuff needs to be fancy. In fact, I prefer places that aren’t fancy. I want great food. I don’t care about the setting, really.

You were just in the UK, right?

We did the book tour there. I couldn’t believe how many international fans we have, and it’s so nice. We’re selling out these 1500-seat theaters all over the place. I was in Amsterdam, in Paris, had two sold-out shows in London, and Glasgow and Belfast and Dublin.

It was so much fun. And I’m on the road now around the United States too, because I’m trying to promote the book because proceeds from my share of the book are going to, iamals.org and ALS is what my mom passed away from, so this is a labor of love for me to go. And I have to be honest, I’ve been having such a good time meeting all the people. They’re so beautiful and great to me. Who wouldn’t love this?

As a final question, do you have any favorite fast food brands?

There’s this chain called Nando’s that’s popular in England. I think there’s one in Chicago. Do you know it? It’s a chicken place. It’s fantastic. I love it. It’s just great.

But other than that, you’re just kind of sticking to the local places. You’re not hitting up a Wendy’s?

Not really. No. There are too many great places. You can eat just as well. I mean, you can eat just as reasonably cheaply at a mom-and-pop place. My favorite thing in America is diners. I think we’re losing our diners, and it’s my dream to open one. I would love to open one in my neighborhood.

What’s going on your diner menu? Just the kind of classic greasy spoon stuff?

Classic. If you saw our Maine episode, there’s a place called the Palace Diner, which is in an old railroad car, and it’s just like this. All this comfort food that’s been idealized by great chefs without making it fancy. They just used amazing ingredients to elevate a tuna sandwich, a burger, an omelet, French toast, and pancakes. Just the best of those you ever had. And I realized, “Oh, this is my favorite thing in life, is this food.”

PART II — The Recipe: Braciola all’Arturo

Serves 2 (1 for today, 1 for tomorrow)

When I opened this restaurant in 1968, people said I was crazy in Venice to have only meat, no fish. This is one of our most popular dishes. You need to pound the pork chop very thin. –Ernesto Ballarin

• 8- to 10-ounce (225 to 280g) pork chops, preferably bone-in
• 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
• 11/2 cups (165g) fine bread crumbs
• large eggs, lightly beaten Fine sea salt
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 cup (240ml) white wine vinegar, divided

• Use the smooth side of a meat mallet to pound the pork chops as thin as possible without tearing the meat (about 1/4 inch/6mm thick). If using pork chops with the bone, pound the meat up to the bone but leave the bone in place. Put the pork chops on a sheet pan, sprinkle the flour evenly over both, and toss the pork chops in the flour until well coated.
• Put the bread crumbs in a mound on another sheet pan and put the eggs in a large bowl.
• Dip 1 floured pork chop into the eggs, shake off the excess, then lay the pork chop on top of the bread crumbs and flip the pork chop in the bread crumbs until evenly coated. Dip the pork chop again in the eggs, coat it a second time in the bread crumbs, and sprinkle both sides with the salt, to taste. Bread the remaining pork chop the same way.
• Heat about 1 inch (2.5cm) of oil over medium-high heat in a large cast iron skillet or sauté pan (large enough for 1 pork chop to lay flat) until very hot. Test the oil by adding a few bread crumbs; they should sizzle. Add 1 pork chop to the skillet and fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, flip, then brown the other side, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pork chop to a plate.
• Carefully pour the hot oil from the skillet into a saucepan or metal bowl (save the oil for the second pork chop).

• Return the pork chop to the skillet, pour 1/2 cup (120ml) of the vinegar evenly over the surface of the meat, and cook over medium heat, flipping the pork chop occasionally, until the vinegar has mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pork chop to a plate, let rest for 5 minutes and serve.
• When ready to cook the second chop, pat the skillet dry with paper towels, pour the reserved oil through a strainer into the skillet, and add more vegetable oil, if needed, to fill the skillet by about 1 inch (2.5cm). Fry the remaining pork chop the same way, let cool completely, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Serve the second pork chop at room temperature.

*Tip Use the smooth side of a meat mallet, not the textured (tenderizer) side to pound the pork chops to avoid tearing the meat.

Jonathan Isaac went more than two years between games for the Orlando Magic due to surgery to repair a torn ACL and meniscus. He returned to basketball in January of this year, and unfortunately for the 25-year-old forward, he was only able to play in 11 games before this season came to an end due to injury.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that Isaac underwent surgery on Friday to repair a torn left adductor muscle, which the team discovered after giving him an MRI earlier this week. As a result, Isaac will watch the remainder of the season from the sidelines.

The team announced the news in a statement shortly after Wojnarowski’s report, saying that Isaac underwent a practice in Milwaukee on Tuesday and he informed the team that he was in some pain.

It is a brutal blow for Isaac and the Magic, as both sides were careful not to put too much on his plate once he got back on the floor this season. Isaac played 11.3 minutes per game for Orlando this year, averaging five points, four rebounds, and 1.3 steals a night. The news comes while the Magic are 4.5 games back of the Washington Wizards for the 10-seed in the Eastern Conference, as the team sits at 26-37 on the year.

Because Florida never ceases to be a bottomless well of weirdness, Governor Ron DeSantis has reportedly picked one heck of an appointee for the state’s new oversight board that’s now in control of Disney’s special tax district. Florida Republicans stripped Disney of the Reedy Creek Improvement District in retaliation for the media company’s denouncement of the state’s infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill. That move allowed DeSantis to hand-pick the district’s board, and he certainly made an interesting choice.

Earlier this week, Orlando-based pastor Ron Peri was appointed by DeSantis to the five-member board, and it turns out Peri has some interesting views on homosexuality. Namely, how it’s caused.

Via CNN:

“So why are there homosexuals today? There are any number of reasons, you know, that are given. Some would say the increase in estrogen in our societies. You know, there’s estrogen in the water from birth control pills. They can’t get it out,” Peri baselessly said in a January 2022 Zoom discussion, later put on YouTube. “The level of testosterone in men broadly in America has declined by 50 points in the past 10 years. You know, and so, maybe that’s a part of it.”

Peri also blamed society for removing “constraints” on homosexuality, “and then evil occurs.” What a nice guy!

For the record, yes, there has been a drop in testosterone levels in recent decades, but it’s nowhere near 50% nor does it affect sexual orientation. Also, and this should go without saying, but birth control pills are not adding estrogen to tap water. As even CNN notes, that’s some real Alex Jones nonsense.

(Via CNN)