Lil Baby is going harder than ever in the wake of his undisputed star run over the past couple of years. Picking up where he left off last year with his third studio album It’s Only Me, the Atlanta native dropped the video for the album’s standout track “Forever” with Fridayy today.
The video, shot on location in the tropics, finds Baby recounting a toxic relationship with a woman he only manages to see sporadically thanks to his jet-setting lifestyle. “You be on some toxic shit but I cannot get off this bitch,” he worries. While he wonders if the couple should keep going or call it quits, Fridayy’s crooned chorus illustrates the issue in plain terms: “I know you miss me,” he sings. “Who it’s gon’ be if it ain’t me, lil’ baby?”
Upon its release in October, It’s Only Me became Lil Baby’s third No. 1 album, receiving favorable reviews for Baby’s polished technique, although some reviews were critical of its formulaic nature. Baby performed “Forever” on Saturday Night Live earlier this year, continuing his momentum and showing that he intends to continue supporting his latest album, even four months later.
Watch Lil Baby’s “Forever” video with Fridayy above.
In the battle of the animal movies, the drug-addicted bear crushed the half-man, half-ant. Cinema is back.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania dropped 69 percent in its second weekend at the box office, from $105 million to $32 million. That’s not great! In fact, it’s the biggest weekend-to-weekend decrease in the 15-year history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Meanwhile, Cocaine Bear — which had a much smaller budget than Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — outperformed expectations: the Elizabeth Banks-directed film about a bear… that does cocaine made $23.1 million at the domestic box office (it was tracking to open in the $15 million to $17 million range).
Sensing an opportunity, the Asylum — the studio behind The Fast and the Fierce, 18-Year-Old Virgin, and Titanic II — has found its next low-budget ripoff. Replace a bear with an alligator and cocaine with meth, and you’ve got Attack of the Meth Gator. “Hold our bear… I mean, beer. Coming for your life this summer,” the Asylum tweeted. It’s not a bit: “This is real! We’re pumping the meth into Floridas fresh water reserves as we speak!”
The Lorretto Police Department has a reasonable request: please don’t flush your meth down the toilet. “On a more or less serious note: Folks please don’t flush your drugs m’kay,” LPD wrote on Facebook. “Now our sewer guys take great pride in releasing water that is cleaner than what is in the creek, but they are not really prepared for meth.”
The Last of Usstar Storm Reid has some choice words for any trolls who might be thinking about review-bombing the latest episode of the HBO drama: Get over it.
Episode seven’s “Left Behind” gave fans some much-needed backstory on Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and her childhood in the Boston QZ. Not only did we see flashbacks of her growing up as a ward of FEDRA, but we also got to meet her best friend Riley (played by Reid), who ran away from the military detention center where they were living and enticed Ellie to join her. The girls enjoyed a night out at an abandoned mall that eventually ended in tragedy but not before they shared a kiss and confessed their feelings for each other. It was all very sweet and romantic and, of course, it triggered some people who seem to enjoy broadcasting bigotry with review ratings on sites like IMDb.
Already some viewers are complaining about the show’s decision to highlight the romance between the two girls — which was a feature of the game as well — and Reid for one is just not having it.
“I think Bella put it perfectly a couple of weeks ago: ‘If you don’t like it, don’t watch,’” the actress told Variety when asked about the potential homophobic backlash to the episode. “There’s so many other things to worry about in the world. I think being concerned about who people love is just absurd to me. I just don’t — I will never understand it. I don’t get it.”
This isn’t the first time trolls have come for the show over a Queer romance subplot. In episode three’s “Long Long Time,” guest stars Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett played a gay couple fighting for their happily ever after amid the fungal apocalypse to rave reviews from critics and more than a few zero-star ratings from the prejudiced crowd. Ramsey has addressed the controversy before, advising fans to “get used to” Queer characters appearing in the series — especially since they feature so heavily in the game — but Reid backed up that sentiment by encouraging audiences to focus on the positive when it comes to Ellie and Riley’s love story.
“I think despite what people are going to say, if they don’t like it, I think there are going to be a lot more people that appreciate it,” Reid continued. “A lot more people that feel represented and seen and heard. So that’s what matters.”
Ted Lasso is an interesting phenomenon. The series was universally acclaimed and gave fans a wholesome little sports show to take their minds off of things when the first season launched in 2020, though the follow-up season was not as well-received, and characters began betraying one another. Still, the AFC Richmond crew will return for a third (and possibly final) season next month on Apple TV, so it’s time to start perfecting your biscuit recipes now!
Season three will bring back the regular cast, including the titular Mr. Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis, as he continues his coaching journey in the wild world of professional sports, while also dealing with his own personal anxieties and drama back home. This time, however, his former right-hand man Nate, played by Nick Mohammed, has gone over to work at West Ham United after betraying his former teammates/pals, who are scrambling to really “believe” here. As per the official description:
In the wake of Nate’s contentious departure from Richmond, Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) steps up as assistant coach, alongside Beard (Brendan Hunt). Meanwhile, while Ted (Jason Sudeikis) deals with pressures at work, he continues to wrestle with his own personal issues back home, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) is focused on defeating Rupert and Keeley (Juno Temple) navigates being the boss of her own PR agency. Things seem to be falling apart both on and off the pitch, but Team Lasso is set to give it their best shot anyway.
While there hasn’t been any official confirmation, most of the cast has alluded to the show ending after three seasons. After winning big at last year’s Emmys, Sudeikis seemed unsure: “I don’t know. It’s up to more factors than myself.” Aside from the series, Sudeikis has had a pretty tough few months all around, so maybe he will welcome the time off.
Ted Lasso returns on March 15th. Check out the trailer above.
Lanez is appealing the ruling and preparing for his sentencing tomorrow, February 28, but Meg has another complicated legal matter still up in the air.
“Unfortunately, me and Megan, we haven’t talked since 2019, so we’ve been going through I guess what you guys see online, and like I said, it’s unfortunate as well because I never wanted to have a situation where I was going back and forth with her on the internet,” he said.
Crawford later added, “I never had any problems with Megan Thee Stallion. It’s just the social media stuff. It really just turned really, really sour. You take this social media part out of it, [and] we don’t have a problem. So, yeah, this is the moment for me to — I’m done with that. You won’t hear me mention Megan Thee Stallion’s name in the media unless I’m doing something like this or it’s just a big-time interview [and] I gotta say it. But you won’t see me texting or making a post or doing any of that stuff that would cause social media to go crazy.”
In late December, a Texas judge denied 1501’s request to not count Meg’s 2021 project Something For Thee Hotties as an album toward her obligations to her record deal, allowing her lawsuit to continue to a formal trial.
Megan Thee Stallion had filed in February 2022, requesting that Something For Thee Hotties be deemed an album to effectively release her from her contract with 1501. After releasing Traumazinelast August, she amended her suit to specify that Traumazine could also be counted as her fourth and final record for 1501, additionally suing for $1 million in damages.
Read more about the situation here, and watch Crawford’s full TMZ segment below.
Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Last week it was reported that actor Jansen Panettiere, brother of Hayden Panettiere, passed away suddenly at the age of 28. Today, the family has confirmed his cause of death, while also celebrating his life and career.
The family released a statement (via ABC) that reveals that the actor died of an enlarged heart. “Though it offers little solace, the Medical Examiner reported Jansen’s sudden passing was due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications.”
Less than a month ago, Panettiere posted a picture of him getting a haircut from his sister Hayden. His last acting credit was a role on The Walking Dead in 2019. The sibling duo (who are five years apart) appeared together on the Disney Channel before Hayden became the star of the country music drama Nashville.The statement continued, “His charisma, warmth, compassion for others, and his creative spirit will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all whom he encountered.”
The family then thanked fans for reaching out with support after Panettiere’s death. “We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of love and support towards our family as we navigate this unthinkable loss, and ask that we be gifted our privacy during this time of mourning, We love you so much Jansen and you will be in our hearts forever.”
In the late ‘70s, the FBI started the ABSCAM operation in an attempt to catch New York City underworld figures dealing in stolen art. Agents had no idea that it would grow to ensnare prominent national leaders and open the public’s eyes to rampant corruption.
To connect the bureau with crooks willing to sell stolen works of art, the FBI enlisted the talents of con man Mel Weinberg, who was facing prison time for fraud and willing to lend his talents to settle for probation.
“Mel was a fabulous con man,” former FBI agent John Good, mastermind of the operation, told Inside Jersey. “He was a very, very intelligent guy. A little on the crude side, but with a magnificent ability to con people. He was a significant part of the case. Without him, it’s unlikely we ever would have had a case.”
If this story sounds familiar, Christian Bale played Weinberg in “American Hustle,” a fictionalized version of the ABSCAM operation.
The centerpiece of the operation was a fictional Arab sheik named Kambir Abdul Rahman who, with the help of a group of FBI agents posing as members of Abdul Enterprises, was looking to invest oil money in stolen works of art. The operation was a success, nabbing $1 million in stolen goods. The art thieves led investigators to criminals dealing in fake stocks and bonds, stopping the sale of nearly $600 million worth of fraudulent securities.
“From there, our investigation led to southern New Jersey, and on to Washington, D.C. Our criminal contacts led us to politicians in Camden willing to offer bribes to get our ‘business’ a gambling license in Atlantic City,” the FBI wrote on its website.
What began as a scheme to nab shady art deals quickly evolved into a political scandal after the FBI realized that state and federal officials were more than happy to accept bribes to do favors for the fake sheik. After learning that Angelo Errichetti, the mayor of Camden, New Jersey, was on the take, Abdul Enterprises approached him about getting the phony oil baron a gambling license to buy a casino in Atlantic City.
“He was a nice guy. But he was just an unbelievable crook. He had no fear,” Weinberg said about Errichetti. The mayor was later charged with promising a casino license for $25,000 upfront and a total payment of $400,000.
At one meeting, Errichetti intimated that he knew of congressmen who were willing to take bribes.
So the sheik and Abdul Enterprises approached Democratic Rep. Raymond F. Lederer of Pennsylvania who said he’d gladly sponsor legislation so the sheik could become a permanent resident of the U.S., if need be, for $50,000 upfront and another $50,000 upon delivery.
The agents then approached Democratic Rep. Michael “Ozzie” Myers of Pennsylvania with the same proposal. “I’m gonna tell you something real simple and short: Money talks in this business and bull**it walks. And it works the same way down in Washington,” Myers told Abdul Enterprises. Before he left the meeting, he too was given an envelope containing $50,000 in $100 bills.
u201cOn February 2, 1980, the FBI released details of ABSCAM, an undercover operation targeting political corruption in government. Agents, disguised as sheiks, met with officials and offered money or other items in exchange for favors. More than 30 political figures were investigatedu201d
The sting would go on to nab Democratic Sen. Harrison A. Williams, Jr. of New Jersey after he promised to use his influence to aid the sheik in return for a multi-million dollar loan to a titanium mining corporation in which the senator had a secret financial interest.
Williams would be indicted and found guilty on nine counts, including bribery, receipt of an unlawful gratuity, conflict of interest and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
“When the dust settled, one senator, six congressman, and more than a dozen other criminals and corrupt officials were arrested and found guilty,” the FBI says on its website. Of the six congressmen, two resigned, three were defeated when running for reelection and Myers was expelled by the House.
On February 2, 1980, NBC News shocked the world after making the ABSCAM operation public.
The ABSCAM operation was an overwhelming success, but it also faced accusations of entrapment from critics who believed that making bribes so easily available was unlawful.
But in the end, all of the convictions stuck. “It was so easy,” Weinberg says of the investigation. “But it could never happen again.”
One wonders if a similar sting was run today, how many in Congress would take the bait?
At Upworthy, we love to share cuddly, feel-good videos of heartwarming stories about animals.
This is not one of those stories.
Behold, today we offer instead a video of a parasite crawling out of a praying mantis. Sure, it might not be as cute as a beaver building a dam out of household items, but rest assured, it’s mesmerizing in its own dark and twisted way.
Shared by @WowTerrifying on Twitter (with the original video being credited to “Insect World”), the video shows a mantis gently having its bottom submerged in water.
Only a few seconds go by before these super creepy, spindly, dark black lines start crawling out of the mantis, and they clearly have a mind of their own. Honestly, it’s beyond gross. The only silver lining here is that the person handling the mantis appears to be offering help to the poor creature.
Watch below…at your own risk.
Praying Manis lowered into water to entice out the parasite within! 🪱😱 video credit: Insect world. pic.twitter.com/R5zvLp6KsJ
This nightmarish sight is a parasite known as a horsehair worm, which is best known for a) looking a bit like the symbiote from “Spider-Man” and b) hijacking an insect’s nervous system to control their minds. Usually the latter entails getting insects like mantises and crickets to drown themselves in water so that the horsehair worm can lay eggs…thus repeating one of Mother Nature’s more morbid cycles.
If you’re feeling traumatized, you are not alone. Pretty much everyone who saw the video shared their instant regret.
“That’s enough scrolling for me,” one person lamented.
“This will haunt me,” wrote another.
Sure, the natural world is full of wonders both beautiful and terrifying, but it never fails to provide something fascinating.
Imagine heading out to grab a pint, bask in nature and spend quality time with your family…and all it took was a walk to your (free) neighborhood park. Apparently, that fantasy is just an average day in the life for Copenhagen residents.
Just ask American mom Annie Samples, who feels living overseas in Denmark with her family is like living in a “real life wonderland.” That’s the descriptor she gives on her Instagram, and she routinely backs up this claim with some pretty awe-inspiring photos.
According to a video recently posted to Samples’ page, even the parks there have a sprinkling of fairytale-like magic. Let’s just say there’s a stark contrast between what families in Denmark experience versus what most families do.
Samples spoke specifically about parks in Copenhagen, first explaining that many families in the area live in apartments and therefore “our parks function as our backyards and are super important for family time and socialization.”
She then went on to brag about there being an abundance of clean and functional bathrooms and (and!) diaper stations.
The fun doesn’t stop there. Samples listed other commonly enjoyed amenities like restaurants, coffee kiosks and…drum roll please…bars. Yes, it is completely legal to sip on beer, wine or an aperol spritz while your little one goes crazy on the jungle gym. What a world.
Get this—many parks even have bonafide playground babysitters to watch the kids during a supervised play sesh, sometimes with toys, animals or kiddy vehicles. Between that and the alcohol, no wonder Danish parents seem so chill.
One community program offered is the trafiklegepladsen, aka kid-size replica towns where children can learn about traffic safety while riding bikes. Samples mentioned that all three of her kids learned how to ride their bike from the same trafiklegepladsen staff member.
Why do I feel like adults should have their own trafiklegepladsen to practice driving without road rage?
Lastly, Danish parks have seasonal activities like summertime splash pads and ice skating rinks for winter, where families are also legally allowed to build fires (in designated pits or mobile grills) and drink a type of mulled wine folks call glogg.
Seriously…who needs Disneyland when you have Denmark?
Samples concluded her video by saying, “Overall, I think the city does such a good job of providing the perfect backdrop to let the good times roll.”
“This is so impressive! I would be willing to pay so many taxes to create this kind of experience and dedication to people’s lives,” one person wrote.
Many Denmark residents noted how these parks might be specific to Copenhagen only, which is the country’s most expensive city and one of the most expensive cities in the world. Denmark as a whole has a tax rate of up to 52.07%, whereas the U.S. rate tops out at 37%.
However, it certainly seems like those tax dollars do go towards improving quality of life in a big way, especially for parents and families, who get free access to doctors and midwives,24 weeks of paid leave for each new parent and a guaranteed spot at daycare for their children…not to mention free college. Kind of feels like a no-brainer that Denmark is regularly noted as one of the world’s happiest countries. Just sayin.’
If you need me, I’ll be booking my one-way ticket to Copenhagen. There’s a cup of glogg calling my name…
Oh goodness, here we are again watching the media and “experts” speculate on the mental health of a celebrity. After nearly two decades working with a population deemed to have “severe and persistent mental illness,” I’d like to weigh in a bit. The term “severe and persistent mental illness” is a catch-all for serious mental health conditions from bipolar disorder to schizophrenia and everything in between.
I’ve worked with a variety of clients over the years, many of whom refused medication, though their psychosis caused them to have extreme paranoia and terrifying visual hallucinations. I’ve also worked with several folks that have been under a guardianship, which is equivalent to a conservatorship in California.
As I watch the media, fans and professionals speculate about whether a celebrity needs to be hospitalized or placed in a conservatorship, I often wish they had a better understanding of what severe mental illnesses looked like. Not only that, but what constitutes a concern and what’s just normal for that person. But let’s be real for a minute. The media continuously guessing if you’ve rounded the bend is likely enough to be the cause of a mental breakdown, even in a mentally stable person.
So here’s what I wish people understood about these severe and persistent mental illnesses. When people enter a psychiatric facility against their will, it’s a trauma. The effects of that trauma can stunt brain development and create coping mechanisms that may seem a bit odd to others. This doesn’t mean that they’re off of their medication or need to go back. It just means they came out of it a little differently than they went in and we have to adjust.
Everything about their behavior isn’t related to their mental wellness. I’ve seen this a lot with families after a loved one gets released from the hospital and is doing well. If the client gets upset because someone ate all of their favorite cookies, instead of looking at the cause of the person’s anger, immediately the thought goes to, “They must not be taking their medicine.”
The same happens when it’s just plain silly behaviors, like Britney Spears getting the human equivalent to the zoomies and talking in a fake foreign accent. Suddenly it’s front page news and people are concerned, but if you take away the information of her being previously hospitalized, the concern would likely be nonexistent.
There’s also a misunderstanding about what can actually be done if someone is in need of acute psychiatric care. There are generally two reasons someone can be hospitalized against their will: if they’re a danger to themselves or if they’re a danger to others. Outside of it being the person’s first psychotic break, it’s extremely difficult for someone to be forced into help and there’s good reason for that. No matter your mental health status, you’re entitled to autonomy.
This is why it’s difficult to commit someone, and while it makes my job more difficult sometimes, I’m happy it’s hard to do. Even when I know a client is reaching the point of danger but still doesn’t meet the criteria, I’d rather make a safety plan with the family than make the committal process easier where ill-intentioned people could take advantage.
The public speculating on what warrants intervention or not mostly comes from a place of concern, but it’s often incorrect. There are licensed therapists that struggle with identifying it as well because we have different areas of expertise. While I couldn’t tell you all the ins and outs of treating an eating disorder, a therapist that specializes in eating disorders could. My area is psychosis and other severe mental illnesses, so I stick to what I know when speaking authoritatively.
Specializing in psychotic disorders has taught me more about the human condition than anything else. Getting to know the incredible people that hear voices that I cannot or believe things no one else does has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life.
People living with severe mental illnesses still deserve respect and basic human autonomy. They’re allowed to be weird. They’re allowed to be silly. They’re allowed to be angry. They’re allowed to be boring. They’re allowed to just be and we should let them.
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