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In the midst of Disney+’s news dump of announcements during Disney Investor Day 2020, trailers for the new Marvel shows dropped in addition to a first tease of Loki in a prison jumpsuit. As charismatic as Tom Hiddleston’s jokester is, he does deserve punishment for all his Tesseract shenanigans and generally being a pain in the ass to Thor and the Marvel Cinematic Universe at large. What of the other shows, though, that will be arriving sooner? Well, the new The Falcon And The Winter Soldier trailer looks absolutely fantastic, which is great news for everyone who anticipated a Sam Wilson/Bucky Barnes buddy comedy after the two squabbled in a cramped car while also looking on approvingly at Captain America being semi-smooth with Sharon Carter.

The trailer previews high-flying action, literally on behalf of Anthony Mackie’s Falcon, with a straight-up adventure feel as the two continue to work out their dynamic’s rough spots and assemble together without really knowing what their plan is. Sebastian Stan’s Bucky undertakes some badass gunplay, we’ve got explosions, and yep, this should be a crowd-pleaser, even though we’re seeing Bucky with the Short Hair. Given that the show takes place following Avengers: Endgame, we know that Steve Rogers has already passed the shield onto Sam, and even though Bucky seemed pretty cool with this decision at the end of the Infinity Saga, comic-book fans know that he, too, has taken up the shield, so it’ll be interesting to see if this matter’s ever addressed as a source of conflict within the Disney+ series.

The Falcon And The Winter Soldier (which is currently planned as a March 2021 release) will also include Emily Van Camp returning as Sharon Carter/Agent 14 and Georges St-Pierre as returning villain Batroc the Leaper. In addition, we’ll see the Bucky and Falcon team up against Daniel Brühl’s Zemo, who hails all the way back to 2016’s Captain America: Civil War.

While Disney+ was doing its Marvel thing at the event, they went ahead and dropped a final WandaVision trailer ahead of the show’s January 15th debut. This one plays up the sitcom feel even more with an appearance by Kathryn Hahn’s nosy neighbor character. Unfortunately, we did not see Vision’s unit, but it’s still very much looking like a not-at-all-subtle homage to The Dick Van Dyke Show and Bewitched with some The Outer Limits for good measure. Yes, the MCU is finally making things weirder.

The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball had to do things differently this year, obviously. What is normally a live concert event was forced to go virtual for 2020, but the performances didn’t suffer for it. Participating artists brought their all, which for a handful of them included some covers of holiday classics.

For example, Billie Eilish, backed by Finneas on piano, delivered a rendition of “Silver Bells,” and her hushed, breathy vocals work tremendously with the subdued Christmas favorite.

Doja Cat also popped up to sing “Santa Baby” in a red and perfectly Christmas-y set that featured a brightly lit tree, a spiral staircase, and a fluffy, comfortable-looking robe for Doja.

BTS made an appearance, although not as a featured performer. They spoke some between performances, but took the opportunity to offer an of-the-cuff a capella rendition of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.”

Lewis Capaldi showed up to cover Wham’s “Last Christmas,” but he shined brightest during his brief interstitial segments. Dressed as Santa, Capaldi declared at one point, “Hello fans, Lewis Capaldi here. Hope you’re all well. It’s been a terrible year!” During another bit, he spoke about the hope this year has brought him before concluding, “Also, I think my hemorrhoids are gone, so that brings me great hope, too.”

Check out the highlights above.

It feels weird to be sad about losing some good television shows in a year when so much went wrong, but screw it, we’re going to do it anyway. The human mind is a powerful thing, capable of processing many different thoughts and feelings at one time. You can be worried about the state of the world and also very sad that, like, a show about lady wrestlers won’t be on anymore. It’s doable. You can do it. We’re doing it right now.

But not every ending is a sad one. Some shows came to more organic conclusions, wrapping things up on their own terms instead of getting yoinked away abruptly. This is a rarity in recent years. You should take note of it when it happens and be happy about it. So we’re doing that, too. Here is our little tribute to some of the very good television shows we said goodbye to this year, for whatever reason. It’s part funeral, part celebration… like all good goodbyes.

The Good Place

It’s going to take everything I have to not write “The Good Place was more like The Great Place” somewhere in this blurb. There are two primary reasons for this: One, my brain is a mangled collection of sticks and dirt; two, the show was incredible. Really, it was. Think about the ground it covered. It was a network sitcom that tackled the afterlife and ethics and went deep on philosophical principles that rarely get discussed outside a college classroom, and it was also legitimately funny, all the time. Find me another show that can name-check utilitarianism and also have a running gag about a restaurant called Stupid Nick’s Wing Dump. And when you can’t do that, think about this: In the middle of all this deep philosophy talk and stupid food puns, there was a show about friendship and found families and flawed people trying to make themselves a little better every day. There was heart in there, a lot of it, which should not be possible with everything else the show had going on. By the end of its run, I cared more about Jason Mendoza, doofus Florida breakdancer who loved video games and the Jacksonville Jaguars, than I did about some real people I know. That’s some kind of accomplishment. I guess when you think about it, The Good Place was… more like… (I’m sorry)… (I can’t help myself)… The Great Place. — Brian Grubb

GLOW

Through and through, the cancellation news on this one really hurt for a few reasons. First, it truly stung to see the very good, smart “lady wrestler” show (which I will add showcased wonderful, realistic emotional and professional dynamics) get canceled when fluff like Emily In Paris nabs a renewal like it ain’t no thing. Don’t tell me that, during our Covid-19 times, it will be super easy to shoot a touristy show in comparison to an ensemble show where a core cast can be sequestered for wrestling scenes, ya dig? Second, I was slightly surprised by the initial Season 4 announcement because it felt like last year’s run was designed as a last hurrah, but then we saw a renewal, only to have it snatched away because (by Netflix’s reasoning) it was deemed unsafe to film those wrestling scenes (with huffing and puffing) in close quarters. Yet Space Force is somehow markedly different, even though Steve Carell did plenty of huffing and puffing, too, all over a close-quarters ensemble cast. (I’m being silly about the huffing, but don’t yank my lady show away without expecting me to be ornery about it.)

What I’m saying is this: I expected a cancellation, got a renewal, and then a cancellation with a loosey-goosey explanation. Not cool! And yes, I would have liked to know whether Ruth and Sam would get it together, and whether Ruth and Debbie would get it together, and whether Ruth would get it together with herself. Call me, Ruth. We need to chat. — Kimberly Ricci

Schitt’s Creek

We have mixed feelings about the final season of Schitt’s Creek. On the one hand, the show’s creator Dan Levy was able to go out on his terms, giving us a handful of episodes that neatly wrapped up the storylines of characters we’ve grown to love for the past six seasons – and treated us to Moira Rose in full Pope-couture for that long-awaited wedding. On the other hand, it’s 2020, a year when we’re desperately clinging to the things that bring us joy. To lose a show as funny and heartfelt and inventive as this Canadian-comedy about a removed-from-reality family of elites forced to slum it with townies and earn their own way in life for once? Well, that just feels unnecessarily cruel. This year might’ve felt like a never-ending spin on Satan’s merry-go-round but we’ll remember Schitt’s Creek a much-needed beacon of what good comedy about good people looks like.– Jessica Toomer

Bojack Horseman

Where to even begin? BoJack Horseman was my favorite show of the 2010s, and although it only aired for a half-season in 2020, it will probably still rank among my favorite shows in the 2020s, too. It’s my second favorite show ever, after The Simpsons (I have a type), and I even transcribed the “it does get easier” line on a rubber bracelet that I would wear during important life events, like running marathons. The first time I had it on while wheezing my way through 26.2 miles of misery, I set a personal record and cried tears of happiness. The second time, I wasn’t able to finish the marathon and ripped it off in anger and sadness. “Happiness.” “Anger.” “Sadness.” These are all words I would use to describe BoJack Horseman (also: puns), and just like that rubber bracelet, I miss it all the time. But I miss you most of all, Todd. Life hasn’t been the same without your crazy shenanigans in it. — Josh Kurp

Supernatural

I didn’t watch much of Supernatural (missed it at the start, too many episodes to catch up on), mostly catching a half episode here and there as my wife watched religiously. But I’m so glad the show existed for all that it meant to its fans. Now, sure, people love the pop culture they consume. These things entertain, they captivate, and they are there as a distraction and a salve. But some shows just seem to create a community where that affection burns a little brighter and where it feels more symbiotic. Supernatural had that and so, especially this year, it deserves a little shout out and a nod of respect for carrying on for so long with charm, humor, brotherly bonding, and ridiculous demon and monster slaying. And the car. That was a cool f*cking car. — Jason Tabrys

Homeland

It’s weird that Homeland was still on in 2020. Doesn’t it seem like a show that should have ended in, like, 2015? Definitely before the Trump administration. Modern Family, too. They were once both Emmy titans, but unlike Modern Family, Homeland ended with a strong season. In other words, it did not — to coin a term inspired by another Showtime drama — pull a Dexter. It was oddly comforting to know that for 12 weekends a year, Claire Danes was still playing Carrie Mathison, and Mandy Patinkin was still playing Saul Berenson, and Timothée Chalamet was mercifully no longer still playing the worst character on the show (yes, Finn Walden was worse than Dana Brody). Homeland had a good run, but I’m glad it’s over. All that free time allows Patinkin to follow his true passion: making extremely delightful videos on Twitter with his wife. — Josh Kurp

Drunk History

Maybe we’re just suckers for original comedy sketch shows that combine worrisome amounts of alcohol with surprisingly insightful history lessons, but 2020 feels like the absolute wrong time to be doing away with a show that makes us laugh and teaches us something about our shared past. I don’t know what will be missed more: watching host Derek Waters play babysitter to famous comedians so sloshed, they throw-up off-camera and pass out on their living room floors, or delighting in guest stars like Laura Dern mouthing drunken dialogue that has her barking like a madwoman while telling the story of the first woman to infiltrate a mental asylum undercover. And don’t even get me started on that Lin-Manuel Miranda show-tunes singing Hamilton re-telling. This is truly a heavy loss for niche comedy on TV. — Jessica Toomer

High Fidelity

Good news and bad news. Good first: High Fidelity was a blast. The television reimagining of the 2000 John Cusack film was better than it had any conceivable right to be. A lot of the credit goes to Zoe Kravitz, who carried the show with charm and vulnerability, which is kind of a requirement when your main character spends a chunk of every episode talking straight into the camera. But the supporting cast was really good too, more than just branches off of the trunk of her tree. They were a whole little garden, friends who cared about each other while trying to navigate a tricky stage of life. That’s all the show was. It didn’t tackle huge issues, no one was trying to save the world. It was just a good show about people. You could do a lot worse.

This brings us to the bad news: Hulu canceled the show after one season. One season! I don’t usually get mad about cancellations anymore, but this one stung. I hate it. — Brian Grubb

Patriot Act

When former The Daily Show Hasan Minhaj first strode onstage and declared, “We did it, baby,” I was thrilled to see him begin to deliver stories that felt both urgent and timeless, but I also sensed that the show faced an uphill battle. A little under two years later, the cancellation news arrived when we need the show most, and I gotta imagine that has everything to do with streaming-only talk shows struggling to find their feet in a crowded late night-esque landscape. In particular, Netflix hasn’t hesitated to cancel Michelle Wolf and Joel McHale’s well-received shows when they couldn’t maintain eyeballs, but I sure did root for Patriot Act in a time when we’re already littered with The Daily Show imitators. Unquestionably, Minhaj felt passionate about his chosen subject matter, and he (not unlike John Oliver) infused his subjects with dark humor while maintaining an appropriate tone. It’s a tough tightrope along which to maneuver, but in the end, the show simply was too deep-divey to be bingeable, and it’s really, really hard to get people to tuck into streaming, politically-oriented talk without a built-in audience for the host. I imagine Jon Stewart will eventually have better luck at HBO Max (and one can only hope that’s the case). — Kimberly Ricci

Empire

I checked out on Empire around season 3. I don’t remember what happened. I think we just lost touch. It couldn’t have been a jump the shark moment because the show jumped sharks all the time. It was part of its charm. Like, acknowledge that Empire was Succession before Succession but every episode was Boar On The Floor. Do it. Acknowledge the electricity of Cookie and how Taraji P. Henson breathed life into one of those rare characters that you track whenever they’re on-screen even if they don’t have the ball. Because you know, at any point, fireworks. Or the petty and style and ferocity of Lucious Lyon and all Terrence Howard brought to the role. I don’t really have much more to say. This is one where larger than life characters linger in the memory more than specific plot points and stories. It just seemed like someone should mark the occasion of its exit since, for a bright shining moment, we were all about it in a way that feels near impossible with a broadcast show now. — Jason Tabrys

I’m Sorry

Historically, most sitcoms have flat out sucked at portraying marriage. The husband is a buffoon, the wife is a cold know it all. They never have sex, they stay together for the kids. Generations of TV writers have brought their shit to work with them, codifying into a genre that is as depressing as it is boring. Or lazy. That’s probably a better term. Like, marriage can be cool. Why writers run from and not towards that fact is a mystery to me. But I’m Sorry did the opposite. Andrea Savage (who created the show) and Tom Everett Scott’s pairing oozed chemistry and a kind of on-screen shorthand that made you feel like these characters genuinely liked each other. That they were excited to navigate the weirdness of parenthood and this world together. It’s something I honestly haven’t seen since Mad About You, which is the gold standard when it comes to sitcom marriage goals. TruTV clearly agreed even though the show didn’t have the following it deserved. Then COVID hit and, to my memory, I’m Sorry was the first of many (GLOW, Stumptown) to get whacked after securing a renewal, owing to a changing economic climate and complexities of filming in this era. And so here we are, eulogizing the show after two really strong, silly, and smart seasons. It’s not a lot of time to build a legacy, but one does exist, showing the way for others that try to portray the complexities and charms of marriage in a comedy. — Jason Tabrys

The Society

You either love or hate teen dramas but you can’t deny The Society gave us something different when it came to the genre. Sure, there were hormonal young adults running around, screwing anything that moved and stirring up a real sh*tshow with their childish drama, but there were also moments of real promise. The series’ plot for one, which imagined a community of kids left to fend for themselves after all of their parents mysteriously disappear. By the end of the season, we’re not sure if this is the result of some strange social experiment or an alien invasion or some kind of weird plague. But the why matters less than the consequences of this phenomenon because the show’s strongest moments focus on how these teens rebuild some semblance of society without adult oversight. There’s tension, betrayal, surprising choices in leadership, and of course, toxic romantic entanglements, but it was all watchable as hell and carried by a talented young cast. It’s a shame we’ll never know how this modernized “Lord of the Flies” saga really ends. — Jessica Toomer

Fox News spent much of the spring downplaying the world-altering impact that COVID-19 could have on America. The public health crisis that’s followed that denial of basic facts from our nation’s leadership has caused nearly 300,000 deaths, an untold number of which could have been prevented with a more thorough acceptance of the basic science behind the pandemic and safety measures to help control it.

And now, even people on Fox News have noticed the network’s impact on those who continue to deny the severity of the pandemic or even acknowledge the rising death toll that’s followed an explosion of cases in the United States in recent weeks. On Thursday, the result was one anchor attacking a guest for pointing out that spiral of silence in the first place.

As The Hill pointed out the incident happened between guest Marie Harf and Outnumbered host Harris Faulkner, who quickly defended the network in a tense segment, in which Harf broke the fourth wall, in a sense, and pointed out that people on the program were arguing about various safety restrictions in place in states without talking directly about the horrific number of people coronavirus is killing each day:

“We’re 43 minutes into this show and we haven’t mentioned that 3,000 Americans died yesterday. More than on 9/11,” said panelist Marie Harf, a former Democratic staffer who often serves as a liberal panelist on Fox News’s program “Outnumbered”…

Harf added that public health officials are “not perfect” but they are “trying” to slow the spread of the coronavirus and said Americans “cannot lose sight of the tragedy that is unfolding in the country, in large part because people want to go about life as normal, and a lot of people don’t want to wear masks even though the evidence is overwhelming that they save lives.”

Other mental gymnastics on COVID-19 has been going on lately with guests appearing on Fox News. That includes a Trump surrogate claiming Joe Biden was not fit for the presidency because he didn’t have “firsthand experience” with coronavirus. As in, he didn’t contract COVID-19 like Trump did. But the raw numbers (behind the sense that Fox is downplaying the soaring death toll fueled by a lack of cohesive masking and coronavirus safety measures nationwide) are clear. A day after the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, the New York Times reported more people died of coronavirus than the total killed in the attack that brought the United States into World War II.

But rather than take the note, Faulkner defended Fox News and the size of their collective hearts, which apparently go out to the unmentioned people killed by COVID-19 each day while panelists argue about hair salons and governors who refuse to issue mask mandates amid skyrocketing case counts and deaths:

“I feel like Marie, you took a shot at us there,” Faulkner said. “But if you don’t think that our hearts are big enough to mourn for the people who we have lost during the pandemic, what exactly are you trying to say? That is offensive and is not true.”

Faulkner argued the best way to “protect those people we love so much is to make sure the decisions that we make give them longevity after the pandemic as well.”

Faulkner wanted Harf to “keep your judgment some place where you know you can fact check it because you can’t see my heart.” But others have actually fact-checked the number of times the daily death count — which is breaking new records daily and is likely to rise even further after a well-traveled Thanksgiving in America despite the pandemic — on Fox News, and it can’t even beat Hunter Biden these days.

It’s a horrible situation all around, and talking about death all day might not make for the best of television. Still, while Fox News may not like getting shots taken at it from its own guests, it’s hard not to wonder if maybe Harf hit a bit of a nerve here.

Jeopardy! is a game of structure and rules, so learning that one of them is entirely arbitrary may rattle some longtime fans of the most popular syndicated trivia show in America. And yet, here we are, slowly seeing many of the institutions we’ve come to rely upon erode before our very eyes.

The latest, perhaps less consequential example of this comes from journalist Clare McNear, who wrote a book about Jeopardy! called “Answers in the Form of Questions” this year. She also wrote a post for The Ringer about who the next permanent host of the show may be, as Ken Jennings has taken over the duties temporarily following the death of Alex Trebek.

The most fascinating part of that story, however, was pointed out by McNear herself on Twitter: the show’s host is actually in charge of determining when to ring the tone that signals when contestants ran out of time to answer a question. Yes, though you likely may have assumed there’s a set time players have, it’s really up to the host to physically press a button that plays the chime. This was revealed by other hosts of spinoff Jeopardy! shows, including Bob Bergen, the former host of Jep!

Both Bergen and Patrick remember the surreal experience of finding themselves suddenly in control of that iconic blue set. “I will tell you, it is one of most difficult jobs in the world to host a game show,” says Bergen. He still recalls his shock when he realized that the boop-boop-boop tone that sounds when contestants don’t ring in wasn’t automated—the host, be it him or Trebek, had a button in front of him to manually trigger it. “The very first day, Harry”—Harry Friedman also oversaw the trio of spinoffs—“is showing me the podium with the button. I said, ‘Wait a minute, there’s no set time? Do you edit it down so people don’t go, ‘How come he had ten seconds and he had four?’ He said, ‘Nope, and nobody in the history of the show has ever questioned it.’”

The tough-to-describe sound is impossible to not hear if you’re a fan of the show, which is why an audio example of time differences may help here. A handy video of four different clues all being read by Trebek surfaced online after the Ringer article was published. And what may have been dismissed as editing for time now seems to make a lot more sense: it was actually Trebek deciding when players didn’t have the answers and it was best to move on.

If anything, it’s a simple reminder of just how much of an impact Trebek had on Jeopardy! and how daunting the task of replacing him will be. Not only was Trebek the voice of the show, he quite literally controlled how the game flowed. Contestants have trained their answering skills on the signaling device on the cadence of his voice and the way he ended questions to get their timing down. But, as it turns out, it was also his own skills on a different button that was key to the show’s pace over the decades as well.

[via The Ringer]

Netflix is giving fans a good mix of genres to choose from with this week’s lineup. First is Ryan Murphy’s musical spectacular, The Prom. It’s got a who’s-who call sheet — everyone from Meryl Streep to Nicole Kidman and Keegan-Michael Key is in this thing — and a heartfelt story that survives the more outrageous Broadway bits. Then there’s Jessica Chastain’s under-the-radar spy thriller, Ava, which sees her kicking a** and taking names alongside Colin Farrell and John Malkovitch.

Here’s everything else coming to (and leaving) the streaming platform this week.

The Prom (Netflix film streaming 12/11)

Ryan Murphy’s bedazzled Broadway adaptation lands on Netflix this week to give us over-the-top musical numbers from the likes of Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and James Corden. The story focuses on a teenage girl from a small town who’s barred from attending prom with his girlfriend — because, well, people are bigots. In swoops Streep’s aging starlet and Corden as her dandy sidekick. They intend to help the town see the light of inclusion and acceptance while rehabbing their own suffering image. It’s gaudy, full of glitter, but it’s got a good message, and really, what else are you watching right now?

Ava (film streaming 12/7)

Did you know Jessica Chastain put out a movie this year? Us neither. But her spy action-thriller just landed on Netflix — blame the pandemic we guess — and it looks like a good primer for her next espionage venture which should come early next year. In this globetrotting romp, Chastain plays an assassin who’s double-crossed by her handler (Colin Farrell) and goes on the run to clear her name and reunite with her estranged family. The plot gets a little too thick rather quickly but there are some good performances in there from the likes of the two leads and John Malkovich.

Here’s a full list of what’s been added in the last week:

Avail. 12/5
Detention
Mighty Express: A Mighty Christmas

Avail. 12/7
Ava
Manhunt: Deadly Games

Avail. 12/8
Bobbleheads The Movie
Lovestruck in the City
Mr. Iglesias: Part 3
Spirit Riding Free: Ride Along Adventure
Triple 9

Avail. 12/9
Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love: Christmas
The Big Show Show: Christmas
Rose Island (L’Incredibile storia dell’Isola Delle Rose)
The Surgeon’s Cut

Avail. 12/10
Alice in Borderland

Avail. 12/11
A Trash Truck Christmas
Canvas
Giving Voice
The Mess You Leave Behind (El desorden que dejas)
The Prom

And here’s what’s leaving next week, so it’s your last chance:

Leaving 12/14
Hart of Dixie: Seasons 1-4

Leaving 12/17
Ip Man 3

Kid Cudi announced the tracklist for his now-released album Man On The Moon III: The Chosen earlier this week, and one of the standout guests featured on it is Phoebe Bridgers. Now that the album has dropped, their joint effort, “Lovin’ Me,” is out in the world.

While Bridgers’ collab with The 1975 saw the band take on her style, the opposite happens with her Cudi guest spot. “Lovin’ Me” isn’t a folk-leaning song, but instead a hip-hop-inspired ballad on which the two sing about self-love.

While this may not have been the most expected collaboration in the world, it’s not out of Cudi’s wheelhouse. He has worked with a number of indie artists on songs before, including Haim, St. Vincent, Father John Misty, and MGMT.

There was a hint this summer that the two artists had some mutual admiration. Cudi shared on Twitter that he was listening to Bridgers’ song “Scott Street,” to which she replied, “hum with me.” Cudi responded, “ur dope” before James Blake chimed in, “Can I hum too?” Cudi replied, “Phoebe and James [thinking emoji] sounds like something,” then Bridgers capped off the exchange, “oh f**ccckkkk.”

Listen to “Lovin’ Me” above.

Man On The Mon III: The Chosen is out now via Republic. Get it here.

It was only four years ago when Texas senator Ted Cruz called Donald Trump a “pathological liar” who “doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies,” and that “in a pattern that I think is straight out of a psychology textbook, his response is to accuse everybody else of lying.” But then Trump became president, and now Cruz has agreed to defend him in an “insane” long-shot lawsuit that seeks to overturn the election results in four battleground states. Among Trump’s toadies, Cruz is the biggest Hypnotoad of them all, and Jimmy Kimmel tore into the senator during Thursday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live.

“If by some chance the case actually does make it to the highest court in the land, Trump has asked Senator Ted Cruz to argue it on his behalf,” Kimmel said in the episode. “This is a last-ditch, embarrassing, and genuinely despicable attempt to make an end-run around democracy. And while I disagree with Ted Cruz on pretty much everything, to his credit he was forthcoming on the subject of his future client President Donald Trump.”

That’s when Kimmel played the infamous “pathological liar” clip. “Oh, wait: I’m being told that was before his spine-removal surgery,” he joked when it was over. “That was 2016. That was when Trump was dishonest; now, Donald Trump is honest. For as much money as he takes from the NRA, you’d think Ted Cruz would have some idea of how to stick to his guns, but he doesn’t.” Remember, Cruz has thrown his support behind the same guy who basically called his wife ugly, suggested that his father had something to do with the JFK assassination, and referred to him as “Lyin’ Ted” at numerous rallies.

So, why would Cruz agree to defend Trump in front of the Supreme Court? Kimmel has a theory (it involves Trump calling Cruz a “lyin’ little bitch”). Watch the clip above.

Well, it’s been a big night in Taylor Swift country aka folkloreland, as the release of her ninth album, Evermore has included more collaborations with the brilliant Aaron Dessner, and plenty of other members of The National, too. Aaron and Matt Berninger, the primary vocalist for the group, both shared posts today explaining what it’s like to work with Taylor.

“Singing a song with Taylor Swift is like dancing with Gene Kelly,” Berninger wrote. “She made me look good and didn’t drop me once. “coney island” is an incredibly beautiful song she and Aaron Dessner wrote together. It really made me miss Brooklyn. Such a blast being a part of evermore. Thank you so much @taylorswift, @aarondessner, @heyjonlow and @thebestofspatrickobrien.”

For his part, Aaron had a lot more to say because he’s now worked very closely with Taylor on not one but two records. He praises Taylor’s “boundless talent” as a singer, songwriter and storyteller:

“It’s only been 5 months since folklore was released,” he began. “But truth be told @taylorswift and I never actually stopped exchanging ideas and somehow we’ve finished a sister record called evermore that I love just as much. These songs are wilder and freeer, sometimes in strange time signatures and darker hues, but very much a continuation of what we started with folklore. I can’t begin to express my gratitude and respect for Taylor — I never cease to wonder at her seemingly boundless talent as a singer and a songwriter and storyteller. It’s been the experience of a lifetime to work so fast and furiously with her.

As with folklore, @jackantonoff, @blobtower and William Bowery all contributed brilliant ideas and songwriting — the same alchemy and teamwork continued. This time my brother @brycedessner contributed much more as well — helping write and produce “Coney Island” and orchestrating the entire record. I’ve never done anything creatively of any value without Bryce helping to elevate it, as he does here again. As important, @heyjonlow has been my brother in all of this work too — I could never have conceived of this without him by my side every step of the way. And Justin @blobtower, who has taught me so much, is here again too, lending his insane talents. If that wasn’t enough, my bandmates in @thenational, Matt, Bryan and Scott along with Bryce, are here too. We learned to write songs and make records together. Hearing Matt sing with Taylor and the entire band perform on “Coney Island” — things have come full circle.
And there are so many other friends who have made very significant contributions to this record (more later in them later).”

Ok guys, so why not just do one more eh? Lockdown trilogy? I’ll be here, safely quarantining at home, saving up to buy that third vinyl.

HER has kept fans patiently waiting for her upcoming official debut album, which will hopefully arrive at some point in the early months of 2021. As the wait continues, the Cali-born singer takes a break from the upcoming body of work to provide an angelic contribution to Disney’s upcoming Safety film with “Hold Us Together.” The song is a shooting effort that sees HER offering praise and love towards a figure in her life that is her protector. She labels them as her “light” and her “guide” as a choir of singers stand behind her to elevate her proclamations.

Safety is a biographical-sports drama that is based on the life of Ray McElrathbey, a young man who dreams of making it to the NFL, but must achieve that goal while fighting through various obstacles in his life. The film is available now on Disney+. As for HER, the single is her seventh of the year, joining “Damage” and “Comfortable” which are the two best-performing songs out of the 2020 releases. She also took her talents to Saturday Night Live last month where she delivered silky-smooth performances of “Damage” and “Hold On.”

Annother hihglight moment for HER this year came when she became the first Black female artist to receive her own signature Fender guitar.

Listen to “Hold Us Together” above.