Category: Viral

Randomness begets randomness. McDonald’s should’ve known this when they decided, without warning or provocation, to make June Grimace’s birthday month and have us all join in on the celebration of its 52nd birthday with the new Grimace milkshake. Even though I like the Grimace shake, I recognize that nobody asked for it. And now McDonald’s has to deal with a trend that they never asked for — I’m talking about the Grimace Shake TikTok trend.

Where do I even begin to explain this? It’s… weird. TikTok trends are generally weird, but this one takes the shake (har har) in terms of weirdness. I don’t think TikTok has ever been this bizarre, and this is a platform that had people eating mysterious pink sauce made by a random influencer with little to no culinary experience!

The typical format is this: a person wholesomely wishes Grimace a happy birthday before taking a sip of the new shake followed by a hard cut to a scene in which a shaky camera follows a trail of purple goo to the drinker who now is splattered in purple goo. Bonus points for doing this set to ominous music.

So why is this happening, is it some sort of comment on the quality of the Grimace shake?

Not really. if you watch enough of the #Grimaceshake videos — which have collectively been viewed over 622 million times — you’ll quickly catch on that this trend is exploding in popularity right now because it’s f*cking hilarious, and it’s genuinely fascinating to see the different creative spins people put on the trend.

As far as we can tell, the first Grimace Shake video was posted by TikTok user @thefrazmaz on June 14th, who took influence from a similar video format that started around Burger King’s Spider-Verse burger. @thefrazmaz explains in a follow-up TikTok

“It’s an unnatural color, it’s unique and I saw a guy do it with the burger where he took a bite and the next scene was him in the hospital. So I was like, “okay, let’s do something similar.” Fair enough! In the last 24-hours the trend has completely snowballed as TikTok users try to one-up each other, with videos getting more and more bizarre in the process.

Here are some of our favorites, but we warned, if you have an aversion to milkshake-splattered bodies, this is going to be disturbing.

Can you believe people wanted to ban this app? If you see people around your city acting foolish with a bunch of Grimace shakes, now you know why.

Despite the fact that he’s on the hook for $5 million after his Cyber Symposium blew up in his face, Mike Lindell has a new event coming this summer that he guarantees will fill both sides of the aisle with hope. Although, the name of the event suggests otherwise.

While stopping by Steven Bannon‘s War Room podcast, Lindell touted his “Election Crime Bureau Summit” where he’ll reveal his top secret plan to save our country that no one’s been crazy enough to try. Until now.

“The plan will be revealed,” Lindell boasted. “And all this other stuff that people are talking about: ‘We gotta do this in the election. We gotta do that.’ This plan has never been done before. It’s never been even suggested before, and when you get up on August 18th, you’re gonna wake up and go, ‘This is the greatest thing ever!’ I don’t care if you’re a Democrat, Republican, or who you are, you’re gonna have so much hope.”

Considering the event is no doubt hinged on Lindell’s refusal to back down from pushing conspiracy theories that the 2020 presidential election was “stolen” from Donald Trump, the chances of Democrats being filled with hope are probably slim to none.

Also, when it comes to facts, Lindell has notoriously come up short. His election fraud data was proven to be a just a bunch of gibberish on a hard drive, so his plan to save America should be taken with a whole lot of salt.

(Via Ron Filipkowski on Twitter)

At long last, Sampha is back with new music of his own. While he’s made appearances on various hip-hop and R&B songs in recent years, notably by artists like Drake and Kendrick Lamar, today (June 28), Sampha has shared “Spirit 2.0,” his first solo single in six years.

On “Spirit 2.0,” Sampha delivers his signature melancholy vocals over a trippy, harpsichord-infused track.

“Waves will catch you / Light will catch you / Love will catch you / Spirit gon’ catch you,” he sings in the song’s chorus, reassuring the listener that whatever difficulties they’re facing will pass — even if those around you don’t know what exactly to say.

“It’s about the importance of connection to both myself and others, and the beauty and harsh realities of just existing,” said Sampha of the song in a statement. “It’s about acknowledging those moments when you need help – that requires real strength. I hope people can enjoy that feeling of someone being there for you, even if that person doesn’t have the answers. Just calling someone up without overthinking… letting go and just dancing.. wanting to see past the mundanity of things and appreciating the magic of it all, from birds’ nests to spaceships.”

You can listen to “Spirit 2.0” above.

Twenty whole years ago (cry about it, fellow Millennials), School Of Rock entered our lives and delivered a version of Jack Black that seemed surprisingly safe to bring around your kids. This, from the guy who co-wrote the acoustic romance ballad “Fuck Her Gently.” Shedding that image to become the general audience box office star we now know him to be, Black was the heart of a very funny movie about kids learning their own power by learning to play music.

Back in February, Black announced that he would get the band back together. Not for a movie. Just for a friendly hangout reunion that would undoubtedly involve some jamming.

“All those kids — dig this — they were 10 years old when we made that movie and now they’re all, like, 30,” Black said at the time. “We’re gonna get together and have a 20-year anniversary. We like to jam. I’m looking forward to seeing all of the grownups from School of Rock.”

Turns out that makes a lot of sense because Black has kept in touch with a lot of the cast. Speaking with People, Miranda Cosgrove gushed about Black, saying that he’s maintained relationships with most of the kids from the cast over the years.

“I love him,” she said. “He just acts [as] the most normal, nice guy. He doesn’t seem like he thinks he’s Jack Black at all.”

She went on to say that Black is a huge reason she continued acting.

“I can honestly say one of the main reasons I love acting, and why I probably tried to keep doing it for so long, is because of what a great experience he made doing School of Rock,” Cosgrove said.

Looks like it’s time for an anniversary rewatch.

(via People)

As sports gambling has become legalized in the majority of states, sports leagues, players, and media outlets have begun enjoying the financial benefits of sportsbook sponsorships.

However, it is still against league rules for NFL players to bet on NFL games at any time, or to bet on any sports from a team facility or on a team road trip. While a fairly simple rule, it is one that not everyone has been able to follow (or, at least, was not totally aware of when they broke it). Last year, Calvin Ridley sat out the season after betting on NFL games while he was out injured with the Falcons. This summer, a new crop of players has been found to have placed bets in violation of league rules, and this week a “handful” of players will be hit with the same season-long suspension, including Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Earlier this summer when the probe into Rodgers and other players was opened, the corner released a statement acknowledging his mistake and taking full responsibility for violating the league’s rules.

Gambling controversies are not something leagues take lightly, as there is a heightened concern when it comes to anything that could damage the perceived integrity of the games. To this point, none of the bets found by players have been against their own team, which is of course when throwing a game comes into play, but the NFL set its rules to ensure players aren’t having gambling apps open in team facilities because it could raise suspicion of what else they could be doing.

What players are learning rapidly is that the sportsbooks themselves have very detailed information logs about when and where bets are placed, because they too need to maintain the public’s faith that the games happening are indeed on the up and up. While there are plenty who point to the league taking sportsbooks money only to punish players for using those products as hypocrisy, the rules are fairly cut and dry and are also understandable. That these bets are flagged is an indication that the system works pretty much as intended, and players will have to quickly learn that there’s not really a way to sneakily get around it.

Travis Scott’s next album, Utopia, seems like it’s on the way. Just yesterday, billboards popped up in Los Angeles that not only seemed tied to the rapper but also teased a July 21st release date. (Whether that’s for the full project or just a first single is TBD.)

Here are some other possible hints about Scott’s Utopia album.

Fans had first suspected that Scott revealed the name of the album all the way back in 2020, when he ended a note in a social media post with the phrase, “See you in Utopia.” (The emphasis on the capital U led to this speculation.)

However, after the Astroworld Festival tragedy in 2021, Scott was pretty quiet about any new updates until recently. Last year, he hinted at Utopia again during a Nike ad campaign.

For 2023, he’s been more active in teasing it now. In mid-May, he played a special showcase where he teased a collaboration with Bad Bunny — according to a fan on social media who shared part of the song playing. It’s unclear still if this will make the album yet or not.

Around that same time, Scott gave the Houston Astros the first apparent public preview of Utopia in full, during his appearance at their stadium.

“I had to come down and play Utopia for the boys in the locker room,” he told reporter Mark Berman. “I had to get them right for the game. Finished and mastered, Mark. You know how we do, Mark. from the clubhouse to the stu.”

Here’s hoping fans can get more details on the project next month.

After Zack Snyder devotees successfully lobbied HBO Max for a Justice League redo, fandoms certainly have felt emboldened to ask for the same (and more). Such was the case when Netflix — which has infamously resurrected series like Lucifer and Manifest — decided to cancel Warrior Nun after two seasons. The show was a pleasant enough endeavor, and I appreciated that the first season was not only more than warrior-ing and nunn-ing but included a more complex-than-usual spin on the coming-of-age theme.

The show generated an enthused fandom, although it apparently wasn’t a big enough hit for Netflix, which has been tightening its wallet in recent years. This can break viewers’ hearts, which I understand because I’m that person who couldn’t resist bugging Darren Star about the cliffhanger ending of Models Inc. while the poor guy only expected to discuss Emily In Paris.

Still, those Warrior Nun fans were even more devoted, also tweeting at critics who reviewed the first season but not the show’s second outing. They also, for some reason, asked Kelly Clarkson to help save the adaptation of Ben Dunn’s manga-style Warrior Nun Areala comic.

Now, something has happened, although the details aren’t crystal clear. Warrior Nun creator Simon Barry teased good news on Twitter, where he revealed that “because of your combined voices, passion and amazing efforts,” Warrior Nun “will return,” although he didn’t say where it’s happening.

So, is this happening on Netflix or another streaming service? Barry did not elaborate, but nonetheless, the fandom is pumped. Congrats to them.

When it comes to tequila-based cocktails, sometimes it feels like the margarita gets all the love. And while we enjoy tequila, lime juice, and triple as much as anyone, we have another fresh, summery tequila cocktail that we might love even more. We’re talking, of course, about the paloma.

When made using a bare-bones recipe, it’s one of the easiest, freshest, most thirst-quenching cocktails there is. Here’s how Uproxx’s Zach Johnston laid it out when we named it our “Offcial Cocktail of Summer 2019”:

Two-ounces blanco Tequila
Six-ounces grapefruit soda (Squirt, Fresca, or Jarritos Toronja)
Ice
Salt
Lime wedges
Highball glass (or a red cup, you do you)

Take your highball and fill it with ice. Add in the tequila, sprinkle in a good pinch of salt, squeeze in half a lime’s juice and drop in the wedge, top with grapefruit soda. Done.

The basic recipe is tequila, lime (or lime juice), and grapefruit soda. But like its cousin the marg, the paloma is a highly adaptable cocktail. To find some of these, we asked a handful of well-known bartenders to tell us about their takes on the classic. Keep scrolling to see their recipes, then start mixing for a perfect summer highball!

Cantaloupe Paloma

elNico at the Penny Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Mezcal (Robitschek uses Los 7 Misterios Doba Yej)
• .75 oz. jasmine-infused agave syrup
• .75 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1.5 oz, cantaloupe juice
• 5 oz. club soda

Preparation:

Combine all of the ingredients except the club soda in a tin, add ice, and shake vigorously. Add .5 ounces of club soda into the tin and pour the cocktail into a highball with ice and a salt rim.

This was inspired by a trip to Spain for last year’s 50 best bars. I had a delicious dish salad with cantaloupe and jamon iberico that was surprisingly fresh and delicious. When I got back home I started playing with mezcal and cantaloupe, creating the paloma. – Leo Robitschek vice president of food and beverage at Sydell Group

El Cantinero

Little Rascal Greenpoint in Brooklyn, New York

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Tromba Blanco or Pierde Almas Mezcal
• 1 oz. grapefruit cordial
• .75 oz. fresh kime
• Dash of ghost pepper tincture
• Garnish: Grated pink peppercorn, charred rosemary

Preparation:

Add all ingredients to a shaker tin and shake. Serve on ice in a rocks glass, top with grated pink peppercorn and charred rosemary.

As a sort of riff on a Spicy Paloma, the El Cantinero has the classic balance of sweet and sour, agave and acidity accented with grapefruit cordial, infused with star anise and white peppercorn. We also incorporate Aperol to round out the bittersweet citrus notes and add the ghost pepper tincture to give it a degree of spice to the discretion of the individual guest. – Keith Larry, beverage director at Little Rascal Greenpoint in Brooklyn, New York

Spicy Mezcal Paloma

Los Charros Cantina in Branford, Connecticut

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. serrano infused Guel mezcal
• 1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice, plus extra for the rim
• .5 oz. agave nectar
• Splash of Fever Tree grapefruit soda
• Tajin (optional)
• Fresh grapefruit and sliced jalapeno (for garnish)

Preparation:

Mix the first five ingredients in a cocktail mixer and stir. Add lime juice to a small plate. Dip the rim of the glass into the juice, then onto another plate with Tajin to create a salt rim. Pour the cocktail into a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with fresh grapefruit and a slice of jalapeno.

We took the classic paloma and made it spicy, using mezcal tequila. We use Guel Mezcal, which is infused with serrano peppers, which have an earthy, grassy taste that complement the smokiness of the mezcal. Using freshly squeezed grapefruit and lime juice with a touch of agave gives the cocktail a freshness that meshes well with the serrano-infused tequila. The touch of Fever Tree grapefruit soda gives it a little sparkle. – Nancy Wood, beverage director at Los Charros Cantina in Branford, Connecticut

Pom-aloma

American Social Bar & Kitchen in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Corazon Reposado
• 1 oz. PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
• .75 oz. Monin Agave
• .5 oz. lime juice
• 2 oz. Q Grapefruit Soda

Preparation:

Build in a mixing tin: tequila, PAMA, agave, and lime juice. Add ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice. Top with grapefruit soda.

After trying several different flavor combos, it hit us. Why not use a tequila-based liqueur which is PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur? The next step was to find the right Grapefruit soda. We tried several different options and landed on Q because of its tartness and its ability to balance out the sweetness of the PAMA perfectly as well as its ability to hold its carbonation while mixing. The result was tequila-forward, slightly sweet, bubbly pomegranate, with a tart grapefruit finish. – Jose Gill, senior bar manager at American Social Bar & Kitchen in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Palomino

Gansevoort Meatpacking in New York City

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Maestro Dobel Diamante Tequila
• 1 oz. Del Maguey Puebla Mezcal
• 1 oz. guava puree
• .5 oz. agave
• .5 oz. lime juice

Preparations:

Shake then strain into a highball glass with fresh ice. Top off London essence grapefruit soda. Garnish with fresh grapefruit slice inside the glass

The Palomino is a spin on your classic Paloma. It has all the same components as the original, just an elevated version. This cocktail uses Maestro Dobel Diamante tequila, one of the smoothest Cristalino tequilas in the world. We chose to use Maestro Dobel Diamante tequila because the blend of Extra Añejo, Añejo, and Reposado results in a great mix of caramel, maple flavor, and nutty vanilla notes. Mixed with one of my favorite mezcals; Del Maguey Vida Puebla to add a hint of smokiness then fresh guava pure to give it a sweet yet sour taste. The fruity aromatics, a hint of green herbs, poblano peppers, and savory notes of roasted agave really balance out the drink. Finally you top it off with London essence grapefruit rosemary soda to create the perfect summer delight. – Donny Largotta, beverage director, Gansevoort Meatpacking

Acre Paloma

Acre Resort in San José del Cabo, Mexico

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Patrón Silver tequila
• .5 oz. Aperol
• 1.5 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
• 1 0z. fresh lime juice
• Fresca floater

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients to an ice-filled glass with Maldon salt on the rim. Stir it all together. Top with a Fresca floater.

We chose these ingredients for their great balance, a white tequila with personality and consistent flavor, Aperol Liqueur, provides a slightly bitter touch, combined with the freshness of grapefruit and lemon juices Creates a very refreshing finish, ideal for a drink with Tequila, but not the traditional Margarita. – Oscar Aranda, beverage director at ACRE Resort in San José del Cabo, Mexico

Palomaesque

Barrio in San Francisco

Ingredients:

• .5 oz. mezcal
• 1.5 oz. cocchi Americano
• 1 oz. grapefruit
• .5 oz. lime
• .5 oz. honey or agave
• 1 pinch of salt

Preparation:

Shake and double strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. Top with soda water. Garnish with a grapefruit wheel.

One of my favorite cocktails on earth is the Palomaesque. It was created by former colleague and incredible bartender, Scott Baird. Interesting and complex while still extremely refreshing and delicious, I love it. The hint of smoke from the mezcal adds depth, while the fortified wine binds it all together. The small pinch of salt gives it viscosity and balances the crisp citrus. – Michael Carlisi, beverage director at Barrio in San Francisco

Za’atar Paloma

Crossroads Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Alto’s Plata
• 1 oz. Za’atar simple syrup
• .5 o.z lime juice
• 1 oz. grapefruit juice

Preparation:

Shake all the ingredients and strain into glass, add ice. Garnish with ½ moon grapefruit, lime wheel

This summer, Percheron debuted a brand new Mediterranean menu, so we wanted to offer refreshing cocktails that complemented the bites. Using za’atar brings in those umami savory notes which work with the grapefruit to create a bittersweet and tangy flavor for this effervescent cocktail. – Cat Flynn, director of food and beverage at Crossroads Hotel

Yaya y Paloma

Branja in Miami

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. infused Arak
• 0.5 oz. St. Germain
• 1 oz. grapefruit juice
• .5 oz. lime juice
• .25 oz. ginger juice
• .25 oz. simple syrup
• 3 sage leaves
• Half an orange wheel
• Ice

Preparation:

Add three sage leaves ripped in half to your shaker. Next add the simple syrup, ginger juice, lime juice, St. Germain, and Arak. Top with ice. Shake well. Double-strain your shaken cocktail over fresh ice. Garnish with half of an orange wheel.

Zesty and refreshing, this drink is a unique twist on a classic paloma. It’s made with fresh ginger juice, and to add a Middle Eastern flare, Elite Arak infused with raisins, plus grapefruit juice, sage for an herbal element, and St. Germain. – Tom Aviv, MasterChef Israel winner and restaurateur

Yuzu Paloma

Joia Beach in Miami

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Villa One Resposado
• 1 oz. Pamplemousse liquor
• .5 oz .agave
• .75 oz. Yuzu Juice
• Splash of grapefruit soda

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients to a shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into an ice-filled glass and top with a splash of grapefruit soda.

Enjoy a twist on a classic Paloma with Joia Beach’s Yuzu Paloma. Made with Amaras Reposado Mezcal, pamplemousse, grapefruit soda, and yuzu, this Paloma will satisfy your cravings and get your taste buds tingling. – Martin Gutierrez, bar manager at Joia Beach in Miami

There’s really no pithy, clever way to break this news so we’re just going to say it: Tim Burton is dating Monica Bellucci.

Yes, that Tim Burton. The Tim Burton responsible for Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and a slew of other iconic films on which suburban coth kids have built their personalities. And yes, that Monica Bellucci. The Monica Bellucci who played both a Bond girl and a bride of Dracula, the Italian actress and model repeatedly dubbed one of the most beautiful women in the world. Apparently, rumors have been swirling regarding the pair’s secret romance for some time. In 2021, Bellucci presented Burton with a lifetime achievement award at the Lumière Film Festival in France. Months later, the two would be snapped kissing outside a Paris hotel and touring Madrid in matching outfits — all black, of course.

But it’s only now, thanks to an Elle France profile, that Bellucci is confirming their relationship. In discussing her role in Burton’s upcoming Beetlejuice sequel, the actress had this to say about the prolific director:

“What I can say … I’m glad I met the man, first of all,” she began. “It’s one of those encounters that rarely happens in life … I know the man, I love him, and now I’m going to meet the director, another adventure begins.”

Bellucci also shared what she loves about her new beau’s artistic sensibilities saying, “I love this dream world where the monsters are kind, like we can turn our darker aspects into something bright, forgiving. Tim Burton’s films talk about that a lot.”

So, yeah. We’re not sure what this news adds to your day other than pure shock value and maybe the hopeful notion that being weird and sensitive and a bit of a genius is actually all it takes to get the girl? Good for you, Tim.

(Via People)

Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour has been eventful, to say the least. Fans were arrested, Blue Ivy stole the show, and Lizzo got her entire life, all while Bey narrowly avoided wardrobe malfunctions and raised inflation rates in Sweden. US fans who weren’t able to travel to Europe for the first part of the tour have been anxiously awaiting Beyoncé’s return to the States, but in the meantime, she’s got something to hold them over: An exclusive, limited-edition merch drop with Amazon Music.

The collection — or at least, the first part of it, judging from that “1.0” in the tweet above — includes a sweatshirt, pants, and two t-shirts emblazoned with the now iconic image of Beyoncé astride a glistening horse from the cover of the album. The sweatpants simply feature the name of the tour down the side, but they sure do look cozy (they might just get more utility as workout gear than the last Ivy Park drop). I fully expect to see this drop sell out sooner rather than later, so get it while the gettin’ is good. Both t-shirts are $40, the sweatshirt is $80, and the pants are $75, so now may be the time to factor those prices into your budget for the tour.