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In the middle of a heated election, liberal and conservative Americans are at odds over a lot of issues, but there’s one thing they can agree on, they’re sick of all the political acrimony.

A 2018 PBS poll found that nearly three-quarters of Americans — 74 percent — think the overall tone and level of civility in the nation’s capital have gotten worse since Trump was elected.

Seventy-nine percent are “are concerned or very concerned that the negative tone of national politics will prompt violence.”

Many believe that a big reason why Joe Biden has such a commanding lead in the polls is the nation is suffering from “Trump fatigue.”

“I have said this since he was elected,” a former GOP member of Congress told The Hill. “This exhaustion, this never-ending drama and chaos … I think a lot of people are yearning for some kind of normalcy.”

In a rare showing of civility just 14 days before the November 3 election, Republican Spencer Cox and Democrat Chris Peterson, rival candidates for Utah governor, created a joint campaign ads promising to respect the outcome of the presidential race.

The display was a rare instance of candidates coming together in the middle of an election.

“We can debate issues without degrading each other’s character,” Peterson says in one ad. “We can disagree without hating each other,” says Cox. “And win or lose, in Utah we work together,” says Peterson. “So let’s show the country there’s a better way,” says Cox.

In another ad, the duo pledge to accept the results of the election and to “commit to a peaceful transition of power.” Although they didn’t mention the president by name, it’s a clear repudiation of Trump’s campaign to challenge the legitimacy of the 2020 election.

“We’ve come together with a message more important than our differences,” Cox says in the ad. “That we will fully support the results of the presidential election,” adds Peterson. “So Utah can be an example to the nation,” added Cox.

Cox, Peterson call for Utah to support peaceful transition of power

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“The time-honored values of a peaceful transition of power and working with those with whom we differ are an integral part of what it means to be an American,” said Peterson in a joint statement with Cox. “It’s time to reforge a national commitment to decency and our democratic republic.”

The ad is clearly an attempt by both politicians to win points by presenting a positive face at a time when partisan rancor is particularly heated. But there is reason to be a little skeptical of both politicians motives.

Cox has a huge lead over Peterson in the highly Republican state and loses very little by showing his opponent in a positive light.

The ad was applauded by Utah Republican senator Mitt Romney, who recently admitted that he didn’t vote for President Trump. Romney has been a consistent anti-Trump voice in the senate after winning the seat in 2018.

While it’s right to be skeptical of this overt attempt by two politicians to show themselves as beacons of civility in a world gone mad, the important part is that the message has clearly been supported by the American people.

The ads have received tens of thousands of likes on Twitter and have attracted national attention.

If the polls are correct, we appear to be limping towards the final days of the most divisive presidency in recent American history. Cox and Peterson’s ad shows that Americans on both sides of the aisle have a real hunger for a greater sense of civility in our public discourse.

Let’s hope the message is heard loud and clear by leaders throughout the country and wen begin to heal after a viscous four years of partisan bickering.

Finneas got his big break thanks to his work with sister Billie Eilish, but he’s established a worthwhile solo career for himself as well. The latest fruit of that effort is “Can’t Wait To Be Dead,” a single that he released yesterday and shared a new video for today. The clip shows Finneas scrolling through a social media feed, with the shot sometimes focusing on his reflection, that shows the dominant topics of the year: protests, the election, and the coronavirus pandemic.

Finneas also hosted a livestream leading up to the video’s premiere, during which he played some songs and answered some questions. Towards the end, he also explained the idea behind the “Can’t Wait To Be Dead” video, saying, “When I write songs, I don’t like to write a song that feels like it’s only about one thing, even if it is, because I want every person that listens to it to be able to internalize it and have it translate it to whatever experience they’re going through is. That being said, I think music videos are a fun way to articulate exactly what the song means to you. To me, this song is just about my relationship with the internet, so that’s the premise of this video.”

He also noted that this will not be the last song he releases this year, so keep an eye out for more from Finneas over the next few months.

Watch the “Can’t Wait To Be Dead” video above.

Jack Harlow is continuing to celebrate his breakout year by turning his focus to another breakout star. Following a slew of collaborative singles, Harlow linked up with Miami Heat rookie Tyler Herro to address their outsider status in a new song.

For the video accompanying the single “Tyler Herro,” Harlow called on the basketball player to make a cameo. The visual follows Harlow on a day of press photos before he hits the court to shoot some hoops with Herro himself. “My dogs like to play Madden and 2K / But one they don’t do is play about me / My homeboy Tyler, he play in South Beach,” Harlow raps.

Harlow’s “Tyler Herro” video arrives following a big year for the rapper. Not only did Harlow’s song “What’s Poppin’” earn him a top ten slot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but the rapper was also named a part of this year’s XXL Freshman Class. “What’s Poppin’” also caught the attention of several other big-name musicians. Justin Bieber lent his own verse on an unofficial remix of Harlow’s breakout song and Joyner Lucas co-opted the beat to serve up his interpretation of the track in another remix.

Watch the “Tyler Herro” video above.

Jack Harlow is an Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Rico Nasty’s road to Nightmare Vacation continues with “Don’t Like Me,” her latest single featuring Don Toliver and Gucci Mane. Over a radio-ready beat from BuddahBless, Rico and company explain all the reasons their haters can’t seem to find it in their hearts to let go. “They tryna find out what the vibe is like,” Rico gloats on her verse. “So when they mimic, I don’t wonder why.” Meanwhile, Toliver holds down the hook and Gucci provides his own verse running down all the reasons they have to flex.

When the pandemic pushed back the release of Nightmare Vacation, Rico used the additional time to work on new visuals and songs for the album, telling Uproxx that the coronavirus “might have inspired me to actually do what I always wanted to do with the album, which was make it very virtual.” So far, she’s released videos for “Popstar,” “iPhone,” and “Own It,” although she hasn’t shared any additional details about the album or its release yet. Rico also recently collaborated with a surprise entertainer: children’s TV mascot Hip Hop Harry, who joined Rico for a PSA encouraging fans to vote.

Listen to “Don’t Like Me” above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group./

We’re gathered here today to mourn the loss of Quibi, the $2 billion entertainment app that promised us quick-bite video content that could be streamed anywhere — except on your TV. Quibi, like all beautiful things, was doomed from the beginning. It banked on the promise of a world that existed pre-pandemic when we would take subways and buses and long car rides to work. A world where we’d eat lunch in what the Pilgrims called “cubicles,” and mindlessly stare at our smartphones, hoping to avoid talking about the upcoming election with our co-workers.

Quibi, due to the absence of commutes and various other reasons, is no longer. But one of its strangest, border-line offensive creations will live on in the hearts and minds of those it touched. Of those who found joy in its quirky comedy, empowerment in its subversive messaging, shameful interest in its constant dialogue about Rick & Morty creator Dan Harmon’s many kinks… we’re talking about that sex doll show, guys.

And honestly, why shouldn’t we be talking about sex doll sitcoms right now? The world is being ravaged by disease, Netflix canceled GLOW, and Prince William is just a hair’s breadth away from becoming KFC’s new mascot, tentatively dubbed Sir Thick Thighs. A comedy in which Anna Kendrick befriends a nihilistic, animated f*ck toy that becomes her problematic relationship therapist and life coach over the course of a 10-episode season really doesn’t seem that strange these days. Maybe that’s why, despite our best efforts, I came to love this weird science experiment, birthed from the enviably perverse brain of writer Cody Heller (you know, Dan Harmon’s girlfriend) and incubated at an upstart streaming platform with too much money and not enough direction.

Dummy couldn’t and wouldn’t have been made anywhere else, which might be the best compliment we can bestow here at Quibi’s graveside service because the show — which sees Kendrick playing Cody and Search Party’s Meredith Hagner voicing Barbara, the sex doll haunting her waking nightmare – is oddly charming and incredibly sharp.

Cody, like many on-the-cusp millennial women, is navigating an overpowering relationship with the nagging feeling that she just isn’t accomplishing anything with her life. Her boyfriend is a prolific TV writer, a god among sound-booth technicians and cartoon-loving criminals. She’s dragging her way through a script about a tooth-fairy posing as a stripper (or a stripper posing as a tooth fairy, we’re still not sure) and consuming excessive amounts of expired melatonin gummies.

But her interactions with Barbara, the sex doll her boyfriend has stuffed in his closet, aren’t the consequences of out-of-date drug use. It’s her own psyche using this once-inanimate object to dole out some harsh truths about her aimlessness and unhealthy codependence. Cody doesn’t realize that at first. Neither do we. But that’s the quiet genius of this show — that in the midst of giving her boyfriend’s sex doll a bubble bath, so she can clean out years’ worth of splooge buildup from her prosthetic vagina, we’re treated to cuttingly honest quotes like this:

Is it dramatic, ridiculously surreal, over-blown feminist propaganda? Yes, but it’s also the kind of side-splitting truth-telling that so many stand-up comics claim that “cancel culture” has robbed us of.

And yes, this show’s bizarre plot and insistence on reiterating Harmon’s foot fetish is laughable — you could come to it just for the comedy and leave satisfied — but it’s got weighty, dramatic moments too. Moments of brilliance really, where it stops relying on its inherent zaniness and leans into more important things. Like when Barbara is strung up naked in the back of a sex shop, so a technician can point out her various flaws — the aging of her face, the onset baldness, the worn-out p*ssy — while Cody, once indifferent if not outright hostile to this competitor for her boyfriend’s attention, looks on horrified. She’s treated as an object — again, an on-the-nose metaphor — but it’s Cody’s reaction to the experience, her realization that she internalized and regurgitated the same misogyny that’s so clearly on display by a pervert who jacks off into strangers’ sex dolls at his place of employment.

It’s a kind of wake-up call, one that leads Cody to make Barbara her new roommate and writing partner after her boyfriend tosses her in a dumpster, and a homeless man nearly has her recycled to save the aquatic animals. Do you know how many dolphins die each year from ingesting the silicone sex dolls are made of? Us either.

They brainstorm new spec scripts, they go on girl’s trips, they survive gas station robberies, they try to seduce their 14-year-old neighbor, and, eventually, they have sex. It’s all strange, uncomfortable, cringe-inducing comedy, but it’s elevated by its truth. We’ve all watched plenty of grossly funny, boundary-pushing comedy shows in the past — shows usually helmed and starring men doing truly awful things, making offensive jokes, mining humor from disgusting material — and we’ve enjoyed some of them. But few disguise their bawdiness as anything more than toe-the-line jokes meant to spark attention-grabbing outrage (or at least, clickable viral headlines).

Dummy feels different. It’s still gross and crude and full of genitals — Barbara likes wearing her old pink taco around her neck, like a medallion — but it’s got heart. It’s a look at female friendships we haven’t seen before on TV, one that uses their microaggressions and blatant bullying to highlight how, when they’re great, they can be the most powerful motivator and reassuring force in a woman’s life. And when they’re not, they can feel like your boyfriend’s beloved sex doll tearing down your self-esteem and suggesting you get a forehead enlargement.

It’s a show I’m surprisingly devastated to see go — not just because Kendrick and Hagner deliver some truly mesmerizing comedic timing playing two women who both love and hate each other — but because it felt like it was just finding its feet… maybe not. Maybe Cody Heller only intended for the show to run for one season. After all, how much material is there to mine once you’ve banged your boyfriend’s sex doll and brought her to a TV pilot meeting? If that’s the case, we’re glad Quibi’s ending, and Dummy can serve as its contribution and atonement in equal measure.

But if not, if there’s more there, I’d like to make it known: I’ll follow this sex doll anywhere.

Since her breakout role in The Wolf of Wall Street, Margot Robbie has played a figure skater, Tarzan’s girlfriend, a comic book villain, the freaking queen of England, the voice of a bunny, herself in a bathtub, and a famous actress. First off: the range! But also, I appreciate how she appears to pick her roles based on a child’s answer to “what do you want to do when you grow up?” Because I’m pretty sure when I was asked that question as a youngster, I replied, “An outlaw.” (To be fair, this was right after I read Holes.)

In Dreamland, which was filmed in 2017 but is finally getting released next month, Robbie is a bank robber on the run who encounters a Texas good ol’ boy, played by Finn Cole, who’s torn between claiming a bounty for turning her in and his feelings for her.

Here’s the official plot synopsis.

Eugene Evans dreams of escaping his small Texas town when he discovers a wounded, fugitive bank robber Allison Wells hiding closer than he could ever imagine. Torn between claiming the bounty for her capture and his growing attraction to the seductive criminal, nothing is as it seems, and Eugene must make a decision that will forever affect the lives of everyone he’s ever loved.

Directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Dreamland, which also stars Garrett Hedlund, Travis Fimmel, Kerry Condon, and Lola Kirke, premieres on digital on November 17.

Whiskey had a representation problem long before acclaimed whisky writer and educator Becky Paskin called out Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible for its sexist lingo. The historically male-dominated space has largely treated whiskey as a boy’s club, regardless of that idea’s veracity. In the process, female and non-binary producers and consumers have been cast aside or ignored.

The controversy that swirled last month was a harbinger of change. The old way is shifting and the lens that we view whiskey through is (finally) widening. The dialogue about sexism and inclusivity in whiskey may be uncomfortable for some, but it’s a necessary first step — driving progress and adding awareness. To keep the conversation going, we opened the floor to key women in whiskey media, promotion, and production. Diageo Reserve U.K.’s Global Brand Ambassador Jenna Ba, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey’s Brand Ambassador Sailor Guevara, whisky journalist, educator, and co-founder of Our Whisky Becky Paskin, and Consulting Master Distiller Marianne Eaves all chimed in with their thoughts about the critical issues facing their industry.

Their answers are deeply insightful and offer plenty of hope for the future.

…

Before we get into ways the whiskey industry needs to change, what is the industry getting right in our current climate?

Jenna:

Liquid diversity in the global whisky industry is fantastic right now. Whisky is being made for every type of consumer, distilled all over the world, designed to be mixed in every way, and with flavor combinations that are better than ever. I’m a total advocate for the globalization of whisky. From Denmark to India, from Australia to Mexico, we’re seeing unique people produce it, present it, and enjoy it. This brings excitement, innovation, and includes everyone in the tapestry of the whisky world.

We are especially seeing this in scotch, which has been previously focused on tradition and heritage. It is beautiful to see how whisky fans are united by wonderful liquids produced there, no matter their cultural fabric. As I like to say, passion doesn’t need a passport.

Sailor:

I would say, for the most part, I have seen the whiskey industry begin to create spaces for women in leadership roles. In the past ten years, I have been so incredibly shocked by the number of women in leadership positions in distilleries and brands. I say “shocked” because this was not the case when I entered this industry — I think we are beginning to get that right. Brands are finally speaking out publicly against racism.

I think brands are going to be forced to look into themselves and realize that they are a part of the problem if they have minorities inside their brands and in leadership positions in their brands. It’s a start, so I am hopeful.

Becky:

For the most part the whisky industry is making great strides toward marketing whisky as inclusive and a drink that can be enjoyed by anyone. Representation in advertising campaigns is improving, with brands such as Johnnie Walker, Haig Club, The Glenlivet, and Jack Daniels leading the way.

Marianne:

I am seeing more awareness, at least at the surface level, sometimes a little deeper, in the current climate. I am seeing more women being highlighted and stories being told. People are committing to not just opening the door for more women to come in but also seeking out women and asking them to tell their stories. I think this isn’t commonplace in the industry.

I had the tremendous fortune of having people asking me to tell my story and it makes a huge difference. For a woman behind the stills who is doing everything herself, there’s very little time to self-promote.

Women are clearly the minority within the whiskey space. Why do you think this is the case?

Jenna:

Women have always been part of whisky, whether it is scotch, bourbon, or Irish whiskey. They have been a leading force in liquid development and beyond, and we need to tell their stories. We keep walking on paths created by legendary women, seeking inspiration from the likes of Elizabeth Cumming who distilled at Cardhu in the 1820s until well into her old age. In our time, there are three incredible women making waves at the Roe & Co. Distillery in Dublin, Ireland. Hayley Millner (Brand Manager), Lorna Hemy (Master Distiller), and Caroline Martin (Master Blender). Their skills have come together to craft a wonderful Irish expression in Roe & Co. and an inclusive, welcoming space in the distillery itself.

The Johnnie Walker blending team is full of inspiring women, most of whom are scientists who are working every day to create new blends in never-seen-before flavor profiles. If I look to the very top of Diageo, 55 percent of our board are women setting a great tone for the organization. The future of women in this industry is simple: Let’s together share stories, celebrate success, and encourage an open, vibrant whisky community around the world.

Sailor:

I believe this is a symptom of what the world looked like and still looks like in many cases. I also believe it was a space where men didn’t want women. Women weren’t invited to be whiskey drinkers, so why would women be invited to work in the industry or have any ownership in the industry? Whiskey has been seen as a man’s drink, it’s been marketed (and still is) to men and thought to be drunk only by men.

Becky:

Although women have always been involved in the creation of whisky and have enjoyed drinking it for centuries, whisky has historically been heavily marketed exclusively toward men. During the 1950s-1980s a lot of whisky marketing heavily sexualized and objectified women, promoting whisky as a “boy’s club” drink enjoyed in dimly-lit libraries under clouds of smoke. Some brands’ misguided attempts to appeal to women have been to advertise whisky as “mellow” or “so soft even a woman would enjoy it.” That perception has taken root, and even today many women simply don’t consider whisky as a drink they would enjoy.

Marianne:

Some of it is conditioning. Some of it is access. I think some of it is just the nature of how our industry evolves. Whiskey matures slowly and apparently so do the heritage and traditions in our industry. When I made the move from Brown-Forman to Castle & Key there were so many people — mostly consumers (both women and men) — that were very publicly questioning my “right” and ability to hold the title. Also, within the industry there was resistance from one of the big distillery interest organizations, that suggested I wasn’t “allowed” to take the title because it wasn’t handed to me by one of the old white men that had been “knighted” as a master distiller decades before. However, there were other master distillers that really embraced me and encouraged me, and that was what I chose to focus on.

Even if you haven’t faced challenges personally, what are some hurdles you’ve heard about your peers having to overcome as women in whiskey?

Jenna:

I consider hurdles to be life experience. I enjoy climbing mountains, and if that was easy, I probably wouldn’t get so much satisfaction from it. I tend to think the same about all other obstacles. I have experienced being cut off on panels, been asked inappropriate or unnecessarily complex lines of questioning, and not been taken seriously. I choose to learn from frustration. I don’t have all the answers, but I do have the drive to find them out and share my knowledge even further.

I find change can be driven through interaction. Recently I met a man at a friend’s home who said he would offer me a drink, but it was whisky. I laughed, we chatted, and by the end of the conversation, he was keen to discover Lagavulin and impatient to find out more about Port Ellen. By opening our minds and having honest conversations, we drive diversity.

Sailor:

Oh, I have faced probably most of the challenges that can be faced by women in this industry. I have been told I was not considered for roles in the industry because I was a woman. I have been sexually harassed with lewd comments and butt-grabbing at events in the past. I have been belittled by men and mansplained countless times while leading tastings or events. I walked away from the industry twice after hitting my head on the glass ceiling one too many times. There was a time when you didn’t see female faces in any brands if you were young and wanting to enter the whiskey business.

I look back on some of the experiences I have had and think, “wow, I can only imagine what it was like for the trailblazing women before me!”

Becky:

Never have I heard a man being asked, “What’s it like to be a man in whisky?” but it’s something women are asked all the time. It leads to many women feeling as though they need to prove their credentials and knowledge. As editor of Scotchwhisky.com, I banned our contributors from asking that question or focusing on gender at all. People working in any industry should be credited for their talent, skill, and passion, not praised for being marginalized.

Marianne:

Something that all women in production leadership roles face is people’s assumptions of what their role probably is — secretary, sales, marketing, or gift shop — and therefore not being taken seriously as a distiller or given the respect they have earned. I learned pretty early in my career that I need to own my accomplishments, not just to benefit my own career trajectory, but to provide a new experience for people. This seems so strange to even say, but have you ever had someone pull back their hand and yelp when you give them a firm handshake? Well, this gentleman even went to the extent to elevate the energy in his voice and say, “YOU HURT ME, I THOUGHT YOU WERE A LADY!”

Well, I normally get compliments on having a nice handshake. It’s hard to describe how an interaction like that makes you feel. So, women have to walk this fine line. On one side you say, “Heck with it” and be you and take no prisoners. But we all know what the repercussions of that approach can be. Or you try and push through these uncomfortable, awkward moments when men and women try to put you back into a traditional box.

Part of my nature, as an introvert, is to watch people and listen closely which, in my early career, allowed me to navigate rooms filled with people who would look right past you. They never even made eye contact with women, because women never held important roles. I hope that things are changing. I believe that slowly they are.

There’s been a lot of talk about sexism and inclusivity within the whiskey world. What does inclusivity look like to you?

Jenna:

Inclusivity is about making your own kind of music, dancing in your own special way. It is about placing value on diversity, about being conscious of your own biases and the myriad of great ideas we might be missing because of them. Ultimately, inclusivity is not just handing a pen to put a signature somewhere, but giving people the power to write their own letters. I am super proud of my colleague Eboni Major, Master Blender at Bulleit, who recently launched Blender’s Select, an innovative product that is designed specifically by her palate and from her experiences.

As someone used to dealing with racism, xenophobia, and sexism, I can’t highlight enough how fundamental intersectionality is to inclusivity. Women are not a homogenous group. There are so many identity intersections in the struggles and opportunities they face, just as in taste. From single grain scotch, Haig Club, to the high peat Octomore, don’t expect us to like one and not the other one.

Sailor:

Yes, and this talk is long overdue. I am thrilled to see women like Becky Paskin bringing this discussion to the forefront because it’s been happening for years but not in such a spotlight. To me, I see many glimpses of inclusivity now, and I am thrilled. I work for a whiskey brand with an all-female executive team and my founder and CEO is a Black woman as well. I can name ten female distillers that are visible and leading the charge off the top of my head. I can name female master blenders and directors of whiskey production for major brands and craft alike. I can host whiskey tastings and the room can be 95-percent female. I have hosted events in the past year where the room was 90-percent Black attendees. It’s so exciting! I couldn’t have imagined this ten years ago.

Let me be clear though, it’s just a spark. Change throughout needs to happen. We need people of color in ownership and leadership roles. We need equity in our industry and that means actually looking at who the consumer is and marketing to everyone who enjoys whiskey, regardless of gender and skin color. Brands have to begin this work right now.

Becky:

Equal opportunities and pay for everyone within the workplace, regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation. Inclusivity also means never judging a person on their choice of drink. If a young woman (of legal drinking age) orders a neat scotch or a pint of stout, that should not be a surprise, and certainly doesn’t invite sexual comments of any kind.

Marianne:

Where I believe our industry is now in its maturation: Master Distiller Alex Castle, Master Distiller Molly Troupe, Master Distiller Christine Riggleman and her daughter Master Distiller Lauren Riggleman Weller, President Brit Kulsveen, Mollie Lewis, Master Distiller Nicole Austin, Head Distiller Lisa Wicker, and the list goes on, are making paths for more women to come in. We can’t rely on men to change what opportunities in this industry look like ahead, which is one reason I left Castle & Key.

I want to be a part of making real opportunities for growth and raising inclusivity in the industry.

How do we as an industry change the misconception or idea that whiskey is a “man’s drink?”

Jenna:

Firstly, whisky should be embraced without misconception. This means we must address our own uncertainties and fears. Secondly, most men in whisk(e)y are our allies. Let’s share the stories of how everyone around the world interacts with flavor in their own unique way. My favorite Johnnie Walker Highball is a twist on a West African drink called Bissap (made with sorrel/hibiscus), and one of my favorite ways to enjoy Lagavulin whisky is with ice cream. It’s unexpected but wonderful.

Sailor:

We continue hiring women. We continue educating women. We continue creating safety for women in our industry. We need brands to change their entire thought process and look at the world because, everywhere I look, I see whiskey women and people of color who are passionate and avid whiskey drinkers. People like you need to continue to write about it in our voice, the voice of a Black woman. People like me need to continue to be out there holding space for women and minorities. We need to be intentional about what brands stand for and hold brands accountable for outdated marketing.

I would like to see all ads for the next several years feature just women and minorities.

Becky:

Through equal representation in marketing. Women currently account for 35 percent of whisky drinkers in the US, yet are rarely seen in whisky marketing. Brands control whisky’s image. Their marketing influences how the media writes about it, how scriptwriters convey whisky drinkers in film and TV, how bars serve it, and ultimately how we as consumers perceive it. It all starts with the brands. They have the power to bring about change by accepting their target demographics are no longer just middle-aged white men.

Marianne:

I think brands that don’t have the opportunity to have a woman at the forefront of their brand, should be conscious of their marketing. When you start a bourbon brand all the smart advisors say the market is men. So, most new brands also fall into the trap of the current mindset that it’s a man’s drink. But do they know that women are the ones doing most of the buying? You are marketing to women, who are expected to do everything, keep the household up along with their own career, and supporting the family and their partners. We have to do better and depict women as more than just the sexy prize.

Ultimately, what would you like to see change when it comes to evolving for the better in the whiskey space?

Jenna:

I’d love to see more diverse conversations, and people from different cultures owning, distilling, blending, representing, and enjoying whisky. More access for people to have the chance to interact with the liquid in their own way, free of judgment.

In “Field of Dreams,” the cornfield voice said, “If you build it, they will come.” We should act similarly, “If we open it, they will come.” Uncork that special bottle and share it with your friends, the liquid doesn’t care about their backgrounds and preferences.

Sailor:

Ultimately, we have to remove the fear that we may lose our positions, our jobs, our places if we speak out against something that is wrong. I cannot live in that fear any longer. I don’t know if it’s my age, my tenure in the industry, or the current climate socially, but I am done being afraid. At this point, I can lose nothing. It’s more important that women who are entering the industry or who want to attend a whiskey event or grab a bottle off the shelf or work behind the bar have a better, safer, and more inclusive experience than I did.

That’s what I am passionate about now. I want to see a landslide of change in my lifetime in the industry I am so in love with and I’ll fight to be even the tiniest part of that change. I am grateful to the women before me, next to me, and I am excited to meet the women after me.

Becky:

Firstly, whisky producers need to listen. After years of staying silent, female consumers and women in the industry are now speaking out and companies have a responsibility to take this issue seriously. The global whisky industry needs to work collaboratively, admit there is a problem and find practical solutions together. Individual brands have done fantastic work in equally representing their audiences, but it will take a cooperative approach to make meaningful change. As consumers, we can call out sexism when we see it, using instances as an opportunity to educate. Changing the whole world’s perception of who whisky drinkers are won’t happen overnight, but we can step by step bring about change together.

Marianne:

Let’s get rid of the “well, it’s always been this way” attitude. Let’s also move past “everyone’s entitled to free speech.” Well, they are, however when you’re promoting the industry or a brand you have a responsibility. Perpetuating the notions that women are “toys” whether it’s directly targeting a real person or not, hurts us. I think the whole country slid back when the ballots were counted in 2016. People knowingly voted a man into the most powerful office in our country who treats women as things and is celebrated for it. I think this has supercharged the notion that men can do or say whatever they want to women if they don’t stay in line and act nice.

Well, I suppose I could go on that rant forever. I don’t want to bring politics into whiskey, but this is about character and suppression.

I have had so many men reach out to me and thank me for being a strong role model for their daughters. I want men to start seeing all women with the same respect, and perhaps that’s the core of it. When you walk into a room and see a woman and a man standing together, stop to check your gut assumption that the man is in charge and the young woman is his assistant or his daughter. Like the women I listed before, she is just as likely to be making the product and running everything.

The Weeknd has put a ton of effort into the visual aspects of his latest album, After Hours. Now he’s back with another clip, this time for “Too Late,” and it takes the After Hours cinematic universe in an unexpected new direction.

The video starts with an aerial shot of a car being driven by two bandaged women, who are excitedly talking about their latest plastic surgeries. They then come upon The Weeknd’s disembodied head in the middle of the road. One of them exclaims, “Oh my god: He is so hot,” and they bring the head with them. They spend time with it in the pool and watching TV. They then hire a chiseled male dancer, who they behead with the intent of giving The Weeknd’s head a new body, which works and leads to some three-way sexual activity.

In an interview this year, The Weeknd discussed the relationship between his After Hours singles and their videos, saying, “Sometimes it feels like the music is more the soundtrack for it, the [musical] score. ‘Heartless’ feels very tied in, this person who’s heartless, and he’s like ‘F*ck love,’ but you can see there’s a sadness to it. I’m obviously telling a story in the singles, but the bigger story is this album.”

Watch the “Too Late” video above, and revisit our review of After Hours here.

When Trump entered the Oval Office on his first day as president, he was greeted by a note from his predecessor. In his letter, Obama congratulated Trump on “a remarkable run,” offered a few bits of sage advice, wished him well, and told him that he and Michelle “stand ready to help in any ways which we can.” It was a distinguished letter from a statesman, and a beautiful example of the peaceful and supportive transfer of power that has marked every election in modern history.

Since then, Obama has largely stayed above the fray and out of the spotlight, allowing President Trump a chance to do the job without interference. Even when his friend and former vice president Joe Biden announced his run for president, Obama held back on a formal endorsement, letting the political process run its course. At the Democratic National Convention, we saw a shift, as the former president finally let the public hear his frank assessment of Trump’s job performance from his experienced point-of-view.

But at a drive-in rally in Philadelphia yesterday, Obama rolled up his sleeves, took off the gloves, and gave real voice to the frustrations half of America has felt for the past four years. And phew—it was gloriously cathartic.

While those who admire Obama admire him for always going high, going high doesn’t mean overlooking the obvious. There comes a time and place for laying out the bare truth, no matter how ugly it is. Obama stepped back and gave Trump the time and space to do the job, but now that his term is nearing its end, the time for truth-telling has come.

President Barack Obama Speech at Drive-In Rally in Pennsylvania | Joe Biden for President

www.youtube.com

The whole speech is worth watching, especially after the standard pleas to get out the vote. I recommend starting at the 3:20 mark. Here are some highlights:

“I never thought Donald Trump would embrace my vision or continue my policies but I did hope for the sake of the country that he might show some interest in taking the job seriously, but it hasn’t happened. He hasn’t shown any interest in doing the work or helping anybody but himself and his friends or treating the presidency like a reality show that he can use to get attention. And by the way, even then his TV ratings are down. So you know that upsets him.

But the thing is, this is not a reality show, this is reality. And the rest of us have had to live with the consequences of him proving himself incapable of taking the job seriously. At least 220,000 Americans have died. More than 100,000 small businesses have closed. Millions of jobs are gone. Our proud reputation around the world is in tatters.”

On Trump’s secret Chinese bank account and taxes and how Fox News would have reacted if that were him:

“We know that he continues to do business with China because he’s got a secret Chinese bank account. How is that possible? How is that possible? A secret Chinese bank account. Listen, can you imagine if I had had a secret Chinese bank account when I was running for reelection. You think Fox News might have been a little concerned about that? They would’ve called me Beijing Berry. It is not a great idea to have a president who owes a bunch of money to people overseas. That’s not a good idea.

I mean, of the taxes Donald Trump pays, he may be sending more to foreign governments than he pays in the United States. His first year in the White House he only paid $750 in federal income tax. Listen, my first job was at a Baskin Robbins when I was 15 years old. I think I’m might have paid more taxes that year working at a dispensing ice cream. How is that possible?”

On responsibility, tweeting, and making things up:

“I get that this president wants full credit for the economy he inherited and zero blame for the pandemic that he ignored. But you know what? The job doesn’t work that way. Tweeting at the television doesn’t fix things. Making stuff up doesn’t make people’s lives better. You’ve got to have a plan. You’ve got to put in the work. And along with the experience to get things done, Joe Biden has concrete plans and policies that will turn our vision of a better, fairer, stronger country into a reality.”

On the pandemic response:

“We literally left this White House a pandemic playbook that would have shown them how to respond before the virus reached our shores. They probably used it to, I don’t know, prop up a wobbly table somewhere. We don’t know where that playbook went. Eight months into this pandemic, cases are rising again across this country. Donald Trump isn’t suddenly going to protect all of us. He can’t even take the basic steps to protect himself…

This pandemic would have been challenging for any president but this idea that somehow this White House has done anything but completely screw this up. It’s just not true. I’ll give you a very specific example. Korea identified it’s first case at the same time that the United States did. At the same time, their per capita death toll is just 1.3% of what ours is. In Canada, it’s just 39% of what ours is. Other countries are still struggling with the pandemic but they’re not doing as bad as we are because they’ve got a government that’s actually been paying attention.

And that means lives lost. And that means an economy that doesn’t work. And just yesterday, when asked if he’d do anything differently, Trump said, ‘Not much.’ Really? Not much? Nothing you can think of that could have helped some people keep their loved ones alive? So, Joe’s not going to screw up testing. He’s not going to call scientists idiots. He’s not going to host a super spreader event at the White House.”

On Trump’s economic record and Biden’s economic plan:

“Donald Trump likes to claim he built this economy but America created 1.5 million more jobs in the last three years of the Obama-Biden administration than in the first three years of the Trump-Pence administration. How you figure that? And that was before he could blame the pandemic. Now, he did inherit the longest streak of job growth in American history but just like everything else he inherited, he messed it up. The economic damage he inflicted by botching the pandemic response means he will be the first president since Herbert Hoover to actually lose jobs.

Joe’s got a plan to create 10 million good clean energy jobs as part of a historic $2 trillion investment to fight climate change, to secure environmental justice. And he’ll pay for it by rolling back that tax cut for billionaires. And Joe sees this moment not just as a chance to get back to where we were but to finally make long overdue changes so that our economy actually makes life a little easier for everybody, the waitress trying to raise her kid on her own, the student trying to figure out how to pay for next semester’s classes, the shift worker who’s always on the edge of getting laid off, the cancer survivor who’s worried about her preexisting conditions, protections being taken away.”

On conspiracy theories and crazy uncles and how character matters:

“With Joe and Kamala at the helm, you’re not going to have to think about the crazy things they said every day. And that’s worth a lot. You’re not going to have to argue about them every day. It just won’t be so exhausting. You might be able to have a Thanksgiving dinner without having an argument. You’ll be able to go about your lives knowing that the president is not going to retweet conspiracy theories about secret cabals running the world or that Navy Seals didn’t actually kill bin Laden. Think about that. The president of the United States retweeted that. Imagine. What? What?! We’re not going to have a president that goes out of his way to insult anybody who doesn’t support him or threaten them with jail. That’s not normal presidential behavior.

We wouldn’t tolerate it from a high school principal. We wouldn’t tolerate it from a coach. We wouldn’t tolerate it from a co-worker. We wouldn’t tolerate it in our own family, except for maybe crazy uncle somewhere. I mean, why would we expect and accept this from the President of the United States? And why are folks making excuses for that? ‘Oh, well, that’s just him.’ No. No. There are consequences to these actions. They embolden other people to be cruel and divisive and racist, and it frays the fabric of our society, and it affects how our children see things. And it affects the ways that our families get along. It affects how the world looks at America. That behavior matters. Character matters.”

On the unqualified people Trump has appointed to run government agencies:

“The Environmental Protection Agency that’s supposed to protect our air and our water is right now run by an energy lobbyist that gives polluters free reign to dump unlimited poison into our air and water. The Labor Department that’s supposed to protect workers and their rights, right now it’s run by a corporate lobbyist who’s declared war on workers, guts protections to keep essential folks safe during a pandemic, makes it easier for big corporations to shortchange them on their wages. The Interior Department, that’s supposed to protect our public lands and wild spaces, our wildlife and our wilderness. And right now that’s run by an oil lobbyist who’s determined to sell them to the highest bidder.

You’ve got the Education Department that’s supposed to give every kid a chance, and that’s run by a billionaire who guts rules designed to protect students from getting ripped off by for profit colleges and stiffs arm students looking for loan relief in the middle of an economic collapse. I mean, the person who runs Medicaid right now is doing their best to kick people off of Medicaid instead of sign them up for Medicaid. Come on.”

There’s so much in here that speaks to how tens of millions of Americans have been feeling, and hearing it from no-drama Obama is refreshing. But Obama didn’t just lay out the ugly truth about Trump. Much of his speech was spent explaining why Joe Biden would be—will be—the president American needs. He highlighted some of Biden’s policy proposals and plans, but the heart of his endorsement is about who Joe Biden is:

“Joe’s no stranger to here. He’s a native son. Scrappy kid from Scranton. You know him and he knows you. But let me, let me tell you how I came to know him and how I came to love him. Twelve years ago, when I chose Joe Biden as my vice presidential running mate, I didn’t know Joe all that well. We had served in the Senate together, but we weren’t super close. He and I came from different places. We came from different generations.

But I came to admire Joe as a man who has learned early on to treat everybody he meets with dignity and respect, living by the words his parents taught him, no one’s better than you Joe, but you’re better than nobody. And that empathy, that decency, that belief that everybody counts, that’s who Joe is. That’s who he’ll be.

And I can tell you the presidency doesn’t change who you are, it reveals who you are. And Joe has shown himself to be a friend of working people. For eight years, Joe was the last one in the room when I faced a big decision. He made me a better president and he’s got the character and experience to make us a better country.”

Obama earned the right to retire from the limelight after eight years leading the nation, and he may have hoped to retreat from the political fray after his two terms. But his voice is appreciated by many Americans, and his reason, intelligence, and compassionate leadership is needed now more than ever. Bringing that, along with some raw honesty, to the campaign trail is sure to be a boon for Joe Biden.

After releasing his second studio album Trapped On Cleveland 3 in August, YSL Records rapper Lil Keed brings a slippery performance of the album’s lead single “Fox 5” to UPROXX Sessions. It’s an unadorned performance but to be honest, any extras would only distract from the magnetic energy Keed gives off throughout, justifying the electric buzz that’s surrounded him since he received Drake’s blessing at his tour stop in LA last year.

Like the rest of Young Thug’s signees, Keed hails from Atlanta and takes plenty of inspiration from his label bossman’s unique flow. He and his brother Lil Gotit were signed to YSL Records early, although Keed truly started to build his buzz with 2019’s Long Live Mexico mixtape. He contended for the 10th spot on XXL‘s 2019 Freshman Class cover, finally earning that achievement on this year’s list, shortly after releasing the video for “Fox 5” featuring Gunna.

Watch Lil Keed’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “Fox 5” above.

Trapped On Cleveland 3 is out now via 300 Entertainment / Young Stoner Stoner Life Records. Get it here.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s new performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too..

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