Category: Viral

Perhaps you’ve heard of Taylor Swift’s cat, Olivia Benson, before? She’s a Scottish Fold cat and actually one of Swift’s three felines. But Olivia Benson (named after a Law & Order: SVU character) is the one that appeared in Swift’s videos for “Me” and “Blank Space.” No shade to Swift’s other two cats, Meredith Gray and Benjamin Button, but Olivia Benson was recently claimed to be the third richest pet in the world, with an alleged net worth of $97 million, per AllAboutCats.com.

But how the heck does a cat get tabbed with a net worth of nearly $100 million? Besides making cameos in her mom’s music videos, Olivia Benson has also appeared alongside Taylor Swift in commercials for brands like Diet Coke and AT&T, so that seems likely to factor into the figure. But considering that the only two pets higher up on this “Ultimate Pet Rich List” than Olivia Benson are a $500 million German shepherd named Gunther VI who flips mansions formerly owned by Madonna and a $100 million feline influencer named Nala Cat who owns a premium cat food line, I suppose that just makes Taylor Swift’s cat a glorified nepo baby?

And of course, Swifties have some thoughts on this report and are trying to figure out ways of how they can get in on the action as well.

Judging by his physique, Chris Hemsworth already appears to be a person who pushes himself to the limit. The guy convincingly plays Thor, the Norse god of thunder, for the love.

But even Hemsworth, with his bulging biceps and sleek six-pack, is bound by the laws of human nature, which include pesky limitations like fear and aging. Now that he’s in his 40s, the Australian actor, husband and father of three wants to maximize his time on Earth. So in a six-part series on Disney+, he pushed himself to the brink in six different challenges to “discover how to live better for longer.”

The titles of each episode—”Stress Proof,” “Shock,” “Fasting,” “Strength,” “Memory” and “Acceptance”—offer a glimpse of what kinds of challenges he undertook in his quest for optimal existence.

The series trailer shows some of what Hemsworth endured in these challenges, from doing a polar swim in the Arctic to walking a plank on top of a high rise to climbing a rope to a cable car dangling over a deep ravine.

What the series descriptions and trailer don’t show is how many of the real-life examples of people who have mastered what he’s trying to do are women.

I watched the series expecting that it would be well done and interesting, as most National Geographic specials are, but I kind of figured it would be a big testosterone fest. And it easily could have been created that way.

Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the people Hemsworth met with to learn about how to prepare himself for each challenge were largely women who had already mastered what he was attempting. And the best part was, it was never pointed out directly. There was no big “female power” pronouncement, no indication that women were going to serve as his mentors for much of the series. But the featuring of women was noticeable and notable.

For instance, in the first episode, “Stress Proof,” Hemsworth takes on the challenge of walking across a crane jutting out from the top of a high-rise building. Despite his daring feats on screen, Hemsworth has a fear of heights, so this challenge was particularly stressful.

To explore how to manage the stress of the crane walk, Hemsworth shared the impressive abilities of Faith Dickey, a mountain climber and highlining champion who walks across slacklines hung between cliffs. She shared how she learned to make stress her friend and channel it, as well as how she utilizes self-talk to make it across a narrow strip of fabric suspended hundreds of feet above the ground.

She even once did it in heels:

Following the Dickey example, Hemsworth met with a group of firefighters at a training facility in New South Wales to learn how to control his breath and heart rate under duress. He was teamed up with 16-year veteran firefighter Tara Lal to enter a burning building in full gear and attempt to “rescue” dummies from the inferno. Firefighting is a highly male-dominated career field, yet they chose a woman to be Hemsworth’s mentor. Love it.

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In addition to the specific skill mentors, the psychologist who helped Hemsworth through his preparation for the stress walk was also a woman, Dr. Modupe Akinola.

Each episode featured women who shared their wisdom and experience with Hemsworth, from all around the world. A Finnish woman who cuts holes in the ice and swims under it. A British American freediver who can hold her breath underwater for six minutes. The Indigenous women and girls who run through the rocky mountainsides of Sierra Tarahumara, Mexico. The 85-year-old weight-training African American woman who could inspire anyone to exercise. And the list goes on and on.

The diversity of people of all ages and ethnicities highlighted in the series, as well as the high proportion of awesome women, creates a far more well-rounded exploration of better and longer living than the “Chris Hemsworth does these six hard things, look at him go” entertainment one might expect based on the trailer. The understated representation is well done and very much appreciated.

Latin music’s stars are mourning the loss of Elena Huelva, who was a Spanish influencer that was battling cancer. Yesterday (January 3), Sebastián Yatra, Aitana, and Alejandro Sanz shared their condolences for the passing of the inspiring social media personality.

Huelva amassed a strong social media following after chronicling her battle with cancer. According to the New York Post, she was diagnosed in 2016 with Ewing sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer. Huelva didn’t let her diagnosis slow her down and she often enjoyed going to concerts and appearing on red carpets. A hashtag that she commonly used in her posts was #MisGanasGanan, which roughly translates to “My will is winning” in English.

On January 1, Huelva said goodbye in a heartbreaking video posted to her Instagram account. She revealed that her health was deteriorating. “Things are not going well,” Huelva said while holding back her tears. “They found more disease in my windpipe, which is very dangerous, as you know, because that’s where we breathe.”

Huelva left her followers with one last inspiring message before passing away on Tuesday at age 20. “[I want to] make it clear that I’ve already won. I know that my life was not in vain, because I fought and got what I wanted,” she said. Huelva understood that her story has raised awareness for her disease.

Yatra expressed his condolences on Twitter. “We will miss you Elena,” the Colombian pop star wrote. “Fly high. THANK YOU for what you left us.” Spanish pop icon Sanz also was moved by Huelva’s story. “Thank you Elena for leaving your mark,” he wrote. “A master class on how to make the most of our time. We’ll miss you very much. A huge hug to the family.”

Spanish singer Aitana shared a few of her photos with Huelva in a heartfelt post on Instagram. “My girl, your will always won,” she wrote. “Elena, what an example of strength you always gave us all. A new star shines in the sky, more than any other. I love you.”

Just when you thought the Republican party couldn’t find as bigly a liar as Donald Trump, along comes George Santos (if that really is his name). The newly elected Republican congressman from New York has lied about seemingly everything about his life and career, from his educational and work background to being Jewish and his mom dying on 9/11. He even lied about being sworn into congress yesterday! And Jimmy Kimmel cannot get enough.

On Tuesday night, Kimmel couldn’t wait to talk about the GOP’s newest serial fabulist, and his bizarre “first” day in congress. After spouting off the many lies that Santos has so far been caught in, Kimmel explained:

He basically catfished an entire congressional district. But despite all that, he did not resign. He showed up to his first day of work in Washington today where no one — not one of the many scoundrels wriggling around the House — wanted to sit with him… Imagine being so toxic, not even Matt Gaetz wants to sit next to you?

Instead, like the weird wedding guest you’re obligated to invite but sit at the kiddie table, Santos sat there in the midst of all the SOTH madness — beside a couple of actual children — yawning, playing with his phone, and, as Kimmel noted, “picking his nose and wiping it on his hand like a sweaty kid in middle school.” We only wish he was joking.

You can watch the full clip — and the painfully awkward footage of Santos — above, beginning around the 4:25 mark.

After (barely) surviving a terrifying snow plow accident, Jeremy Renner is receiving tons of love from his Marvel co-stars after he posted a video from his hospital bed thanking everyone for their support. According to the latest reports, the actor was attempting to help one of his family members move a car that was stranded in the snow. After freeing the car, Renner exited the plow to talk with the family member, and that’s when disaster struck. The plow reportedly rolled forward crushing Renner’s leg and put him in the ICU with “blunt chest trauma and orthopedic injuries.”

Luckily, Renner didn’t suffer fatal injuries and after firing off a brief Instagram video showing his appreciation for all the “kinds words,” his Avengers co-star assembled in the comments to wish him a speedy recovery. Via Variety:

“Speedy recovery buddy,” replied Chris Hemsworth, who is one of the six original Avengers actors along with Renner. “Sending love your way!”

Chris Evans, another original Avenger star, wrote, “Tough as nails. Love you buddy.”

“Continued prayers your way brutha,” Chris Pratt added. Pratt leads Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise.

Renner also received some love from the Russo Brothers and Taika Waititi. Even Thanos got in on the act. “Close but no cigar,” Josh Brolin wrote in the comments. “You’re blessed. Quick recovery, brother.”

According to Variety, Renner received well wishes from non-Marvel stars, too. Kate Hudson, Isla Fisher, Penelope Cruz, Jimmy Fallon, Heidi Klum, Vanessa Hudgens, Orlando Bloom and others flocked into the comments to send their love.

(Via Variety)

Ellie Goulding recently cleared the air about some long-held fan rumors that she cheated on her speculated ex-boyfriend Ed Sheeran. In 2013, the two were spotted at the MTV Video Music Awards holding hands — although he denied they were dating.

However, the discussion happened following the release of Sheeran’s 2014 song, “Don’t,” which includes the lyric, “It’s not like we were both on tour / We were staying on the same f*cking hotel floor.” Many thought it hinted at another musician who cheated on Sheeran.

Considering his affiliation with Goulding, it started to be reported that she cheated on him with Niall Horan. Sheeran went on to do an interview with Entertainment Weekly, where he denied it was about them but noted that the rumors were already widespread.

“I never let it slip. What happened was one of the newspapers in England just printed that it was confirmed when it never was,” he said. “We got in touch, and they took the story down. But obviously the damage had already been done by that point because every other newspaper picked up on it. So I never actually confirmed it.”

Now, the rumors have re-emerged. Nearly ten years later, Goulding dropped a TikTok where she jams out to Harry Styles. Considering the One Direction affiliation of it all, fans had some thoughts about the song choice.

“can’t believe u cheated on ed with niall but slay fr,” a commenter wrote.

“False!!!! But also slay,” Goulding replied, setting the record straight.

Considering Goulding is gearing up for her new album and Sheeran has a full family, it seems clear there are no hard feelings between them.

Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The nepo baby conversation may have died off in the press, but thanks to television personality Kelly Osbourne, it may be revived on social media. While her famous musician father may regret moving back to the United Kingdom, her talk show host mother, Sharon, has wasted no time finding her footing in British media by accidentally announcing the birth of her daughter’s son with Slipnot’s turntablist Sid Wilson.

During the broadcast of The Talk UK, her mother was discussing a story about modern grandparents’ involvement in their grandchildren’s lives. The Emmy Award-winning anchor let it slip that Kelly had, in fact, already given birth to her first child, saying, “[They’re doing] so great.” This isn’t the first time Kelly’s parents have slipped the beans about her growing family. In October 2022, the former reality star reluctantly confirmed she was indeed having a boy after her father mistakenly told the press before she could.

Metal fans quickly began fantasizing about the potential musical abilities Kelly and Wilson’s son would have given that he is the grandson of the genre’s most impactful band, Black Sabbath founder Ozzy Osbourne, as well as the son of a Slipknot member.

Kelly has responded to fans wanting to know more about the baby in her Instagram Story, writing, “I am not ready to share him with the world,” adding, “It’s no one’s place but mine to share any information about on my baby,” as a clap back to her mother.

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

Recently, Finneas revealed that he and his sister Billie Eilish are in songwriting mode for the latter’s upcoming third album. As good work takes time, it may be awhile before we hear what they’ve come up with. In the meantime, Eilish took to TikTok to share a brief cover of a Ben Folds deep cut.

In the video clip, Eilish is seen at at the piano, singing a few lines from Folds’ song, “Still,” which was originally released in 2006 as part of Dreamworks’ soundtrack for the animated movie Over The Hedge.

“I must give the impression that I have the answers for everything,” Eilish sings in the clip. “You were so disappointed to see me unravel so easily / It’s only change, it’s only everything I know/ It’s only change, and I’m only changing.”

Eilish was only around five years old when Over The Hedge came out. In a recent interview with Vogue, Eilish revealed that she often misses the days when she was younger, before she became a household name, saying, “I look back at who I was, when fewer eyes were on me. I grieve that. I strive to be that kid again.”

Check out the clip of Eilish singing “Still” above.

“Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus was the first single from the band’s first album. It’s also by far their biggest song, with over 433 million streams on Spotify (and a prime placement on the Loser soundtrack, alongside Eiffel 65, Everclear, and Blink-182). The dirtbag anthem is still so omnipresent, 23 years after it came out (and forever ruined pop punk?), that model, author, and podcast host Emily Ratajkowski used it to caption an Instagram post of photos from when she was a teenager.

If only we all looked that good during our teenage dirtbag phase (we all had a dirtbag friend in a Black Sabbath shirt, though).

Ratajkowski discussed her high school years in a 2021 interview with philosopher Amia Srinivasan. “I experienced what the double-edged sword was like — wearing something tight to school and then realizing that the popular girls weren’t paying attention to me because the boys were paying attention to me, while also feeling my vice principal snapping my bra strap,” she said. “So much of what women experience is this feeling of, “I’m the one seducing, I’m the one who’s getting this attention, so I have the power.” But it wasn’t until I got older that I was able to look at these experiences that have stuck with me and think about control, and through thinking about control, think about power.”

Now, please enjoy the achingly 2000 music video for “Teenage Dirtbag.”

Would you be considered human if you haven’t locked yourself out of your house at least once? One mom on TikTok found herself in quite the predicament with only her toddler to “mission impossible” his way to unlocking the house door to let his mom, @gesikaaaaaa, inside. The video starts with the camera pointed at a rosy-cheeked toddler on a snow-covered porch.

The boy looks to be no older than 2 or 3 but he’s an expert at following directions … sort of. It’s all still pretty new to him and, as anyone who’s ever interacted with a toddler knows, multistep directions are not the way to go. They tend to hear one thing only and even then are apt to be distracted by a stray piece of lint and not be able to finish the task.

Everything is new to a toddler and it doesn’t take much to distract them. And just about anything can be a toy. So when this mom helped her son through an open window in an effort to guide him through the process of unlocking the door, classic toddler cuteness ensued.

The desperate mom explains in the video that she left one window unlocked and you can see immediately that there’s no way an adult could fit through the small space without injury. So instead she uses her toddler to do it and once he’s inside the house his instructions are to get a chair … he finds a bowl. His mom tells him, “Focus. Focus. Grab the chair and take it to the door.”

What do you know? That sweet boy did just as he was told. Until he found a rock. Mom quickly refocuses the boy and the chair is back on the move, then he finds the fireplace tongs and takes a break to play with the fireside tools stand. Eventually the little guy succeeds in his mission but the journey there was the cutest maze of side quests you’ll ever see.

Watch him rescue his mom below:

@gesikaaaaaa

Thank god for tiny humans #bne #lockedout #tinyhuman #mamashelper #breakingin #DoTheSmartThings #toddlercomedy #kidtok