Category: Viral

Brendan Fraser made headlines with his new starring role in “The Whale” and my teenage girl heart could not be happier. There’s just something about seeing Fraser back on the big screen and in the spotlight that is really bringing about warm fuzzy feelings. Maybe it’s the nostalgia from childhood or maybe its watching a well deserved comeback unfold. Either way, this is wonderful news.

In “The Whale,” directed by acclaimed auteur Darren Aronofsky and based on a play of the same name, Fraser will be playing a man that struggles with obesity and is having difficulty connecting with his teenage daughter.

Fraser is understandably getting a lot of attention for his transformation into a 600-pound man in the movie which is remarkable to see. But to get to where he is now is also nothing short of remarkable. Fraser has gone through so much over the years to include publicly naming the person he alleges sexually harassed him, which contributed to him stepping back from Hollywood for years. Since making his return to the spotlight, Fraser has had a few instances of getting choked up when hearing from fans. It’s probably the most pure moments people have seen in a while when it comes to Hollywood actors and fan interactions.

Fraser was once a household name, starting in 1992 with “Encino Man” and “School Ties.” In fact, I’d wager to guess that a good majority of millennials grew up watching him on their televisions as the blue eyed goofy heart throb. His wide eyes made for hilarious facial expressions when he played in movies like “George of the Jungle.” Over the past several years he’s slowly been reentering the spot light and is currently staring in the series “Doom Patrol” on HBO Max.

In 2004 Fraser abruptly and quietly left the world of acting for nearly two decades only appearing in a small selection of films and series where it was speculated that something was going on with the actor. Eventually, his fans found out what caused him to walk away and appear so disconnected from the person we had all grown to love. He experienced a messy divorce, the death of his mother, physical ailments resulting from years of abusing his body to achieve a chiseled physique, and a sexual assault that left him distraught.

u201cBrendan Fraser gets emotional after hearing that the Internet is rooting for his comeback ud83dude2du201d

— Culture Crave ud83cudf7f (@Culture Crave ud83cudf7f)
1628691477

But it was his reaction in an interview from 2021 when he heard that the collective internet was rooting for him that made people gush over him even more. In the interview he was talking about working with the likes of Scorsese and the nerves of being back on set with such big names before the interviewer dropped the news about his cheering squad. It didn’t take long to find that fans of Fraser will get their wish soon.

In addition to staring in “The Whale,” Fraser is in another upcoming film. This one directed by Martin Scorsese, which is the film he expresses nerves about in the interview, “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Recently Fraser attended a meet and greet where he was signing what appears to be a figurine box when the fan hit him with an emotion inducing comment, “thank you for making my childhood awesome.” Again you see Fraser try hold his emotions together as he fist bumps the fan.

Fans are thrilled to see Fraser back on the big screen. One commenter on Twitter, Andrew, simply wrote, “OSCAR OSCAR OSCAR OSCAR OSCAR” under Variety’s announcement of the film. Tiktok user Foxybecky444 wrote, “
I truly, to my core, I HOPE he KNOWS how loved and adored he is. This man is a PURE TREASURE.” Fraser is a true feel good comeback story and I hope he has continued success on his upward rise.

As if Disneyland wasn’t magical enough, the parks have been working to be more inclusive of all of their guests and recently a girl named Zoe Tapley got to experience it herself. Zoe is deaf and when her family was visiting Disneyland recently she was doing her rounds meeting the characters, when the woman dressed as Ana from Frozen began using American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate. The special moment was caught on camera by Zoe’s mom Jeanette Tapley who shared it to her TikTok page where it has racked up over two million views and over 450,000 likes.

This trip was Zoe’s second trip to Disneyland but according to her mom, this was the first time she has had an interaction with a character that knew ASL. When asked what Zoe’s reaction was to the encounter, Tapley told Upworthy, “Zoe was in shock. She was so excited to be chatting with a Princess without my husband or I having to jump in and assist her. She just kept saying, “Wow!!!” We all just cried because it was so special and surprising!” But this isn’t Disney’s first rodeo with including ASL for their characters. In 2016 a video went viral of Captain America using ASL to communicate with a guest.

@jeanettetapley

When Princess Anna can sign and have a full conversation with my deaf child. 🥹 Zoe has never been able to chat with a princess without Jesse or myself interpreting. This was magical. Thank you Princess Anna for making our trip so special! #deafchildren #asl #americansignlanguage #BigInkEnergy #fyp #feelgood #inclusionmatters @Disney Parks @Disneyland California

Disneyland has been working on becoming more inclusive of their deaf and hard of hearing guests since 2010 and it’s pretty evident that they are starting to see the fruits of their labor. Tapley said, “Disneyland actually has some great services for hearing impaired and early in that trip we went and watched a show that had interpreters. It is based off a schedule that is found on Disney’s website,” She continued, “you don’t realize how un deaf friendly theme parks are until you are wandering around with your deaf child. With Zoe we just try to make her aware of her surrounding and have check in spots.”

Tapley explains that the more deaf friendly a place like Disney can be the better. When you aren’t hard of hearing or deaf and aren’t exposed to the population, you may not realize how difficult it can be to navigate places like an amusement park. It takes places listening to different communities and people of differing abilities to know what is helpful over harmful. Tapley told Upworthy, “When deaf friends can come in and feel safe and included wow! What a gift! I think it would make for a more popular travel destination and it would make Disney stand apart!”

The entire interaction left the family feeling pretty good, including the little notes Zoe has been getting from fans of the video. “We are just so thankful. Zoe has loved reading notes from people, she feels seen and loved and it’s been really fun to know that she is not alone. We are SO incredible thankful to Princess Ana for loving our family like this. We are forever bonded and I believe that she will be Zoe’s favorite princess for all of time,” Tapley said.

This sure is a moment to remember. Hopefully in the future more kids like Zoe get to meet their favorite character who can communicate with them as they do with other guests.

It’s been a few months since Young Thug, Gunna, and 26 other members of the Young Stoner Life (YSL) record label were hit with numerous charges as a part of a 56-count Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) case. Young Thug, in June, was denied bond. Judge Ural Glanville said there are claims about the rapper, real name Jeffery William, being “a danger to the community.”

This was sad news for the “Go Crazy” performer’s fans. However, his sister posted an optimistic Instagram story today: “Jus leftd from seeing my brother Jeff y’all he good & we have exciting news.”

It was announced last month that Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions and Rolling Stone Films are working together on a documentary series and podcast about Young Thug, so it’s possible that the exciting news has to do with this. The companies described it as a tale set against “the larger Atlanta hip-hop boom, and the ongoing RICO case against YSL that accuses Young Thug and 27 other alleged collaborators of crimes ranging from racketeering to murder […] The result will be a wild, enthralling story of music, money, crime and hip-hop on trial.”

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

The biggest story in the golf world this year has been the emergence of the Saudi-backed, Greg Norman-helmed LIV Golf and its efforts to pry some of the biggest names in the sport away from the PGA Tour.

So far, the bottomless pockets of the Saudi government’s sovereign wealth fund have been able to lure some significant players, most notably Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau (among current stars) and Phil Mickelson (among names casual golf fans are aware of). However, they have also been rebuffed by a number of young stars, like Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, and others, who have stuck with the PGA Tour over the promise of guaranteed purses (but uncertainty about their ability to play in the biggest events in the world, the majors, in the future).

Those stars aren’t the only big names to turn down LIV Golf‘s big money, as Charles Barkley listened to overtures to pry him away from TNT to do broadcasts but ultimately said no. Tiger Woods, the biggest name in golf, has also spoken strongly against LIV Golf, ripping guys who left for the money during his pre-tournament presser at this year’s Open Championship. He put his money where his mouth is too, as Greg Norman confirmed in an interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson that LIV Golf offered Woods well over half a billion to join and he turned them down.

Woods, who recently became an “official” billionaire per Forbes, has plenty of money and, unlike Mickelson, doesn’t have a number of outstanding gambling debts he needs to pay off right now. As such, it’s an easy PR win for him (which he needs) to turn down the LIV money and stand up for the Tour, ensuring he continues to rake in money from sponsors, and speak out against LIV which has become quite the lightning rod in and beyond the golf world.

As for Norman, I’m not sure why you’d confirm these details, as it’s not exactly a great look for the tour to have offered that much to Tiger and still get turned down — and really only helps Tiger to confirm the figure. I guess it shows how much money they have to throw around, but that wasn’t really in doubt.

Over the weekend, U.S. forces, under orders from President Joe Biden, took out Ayman al-Zawahiri, who succeeded Osama bin Laden as head of the terrorist organization Al Qaeda after he was killed by Obama-led forces in 2011. Zawahiri had long been a high-profile target, and after he was discovered sheltering in downtown Kabul, military forces crafted “a precise tailored airstrike,” taking him out via a drone attack that resulted in zero civilian casualties. As such, Biden did what his predecessor didn’t do — or had very little interest in doing.

Raw Story dug up an an NBC News article from 2020, in which intelligence officials claimed Trump never made Zawahiri a priority, partly because he could never recognize his name. Instead officials told reporters he was more interested in bin Laden’s son, in part because, unlike with Zawahiri, he could remember his name.

“He would say, ‘I’ve never heard of any of these people. What about Hamza bin Laden?’” a former official told NBC News.

A Pentagon official added, “That was the only name he knew.”

Hamza bin Laden was not believed to be involved in any attacks, but military forces under Trump carried out an air strike on him anyway, taking him out in 2018 (although his fate wasn’t confirmed till the following year).

Trump did plan successful assassinations of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Yemeni al Qaeda chief Qasim al-Rimi. But it would take the man who beat him in the 2020 election to re-prioritize — and ultimately take out — Al Qaeda’s leader.

On Monday, Biden delivered a speech while isolating from COVID in which he said “justice has been delivered.” He added that “no matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the United States will find you and take you out.”

(Via Raw Story and NBC News)

Rage Against The Machine’s long-awaited tour has been making headlines, but not for great reasons—Tom Morello was tackled by security and singer Zack De La Rocha injured his leg and had to sit on a monitor while performing. However, there is finally some good news: Guy Fieri is apparently a superfan of the band and has been attending a bunch of their shows.

The one and only Mayor of Flavortown has been documenting his fun experiences at the rock band’s concerts all over his social media. He was at the Cleveland show on July 27, the Pittsburgh show on July 29, and fans caught him on the Jumbotron in Raleigh last night.

The “Killing In The Name” group has also been making headlines for speaking up about the overturning of Roe V. Wade. In May, they shared a statement, “Rage Against The Machine stands in support of reproductive justice and will continue to fight against any attempts to restrict or control reproductive freedoms. Criminalizing access to abortion will only add to the suffering disproportionately felt by poor, BIPOC and undocumented communities. The constant rightward shift of both major parties should alarm us all — a wake up call that we desperately need to organize radical people power against a warfare state that continues its assault on people’s lives.”

RM, a beloved member of BTS, loves to vlog for his fans. In his latest vlog, he gives a shoutout to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin while traveling Europe.

“I’m going to head to Art Basel,” the singer said, translated to English by YouTube. “I’ll be sure to have fun…I think a lot of people might be curious why I’m in Switzerland in the first place.” He added, “It’s the world’s best art fair. It has the longest history as well, so it has history and culture…So I made time to come all the way here for that, since I love art.”

The following day, he went to Rhein, Germany’s Vitra Design Museum. “I have breaking news for you guys,” he said to the camera. “Coldplay’s Chris Martin made a chair and it’s displayed in the Vitra Design Museum. If you see this Chris, give me a call! You’re amazing.”

Last year, BTS and Coldplay collaborated for “My Universe.” Martin said in an interview, “When we started, it was like, ‘You’re a white indie band and this is urban radio and this is alternative radio,’ and basically old-fashioned racist statements,” Chris Martin said. “Of course, we fit in a box at the beginning, and then right now in 2021, everyone’s doing everything. […] So why would you want to stay in one box?”

Watch RM’s vlog above.

Rock ‘n’ roll and Republicans have never really gotten along, unless you’re counting Ted Nugent or late period Eric Clapton. It’s not for lack of trying. Donald Trump and the MAGA-verse love playing rock classics at their rallies and functions, which tends to piss off the artists who recorded them. One of them is Dee Snider, lead vocalist of metal band Twisted Sister, whose iconic anti-authority anthem “We’re Not Going to Take It” has been reclaimed by the far right as some rallying cry. Thing is, Snider is definitely not a Republican and has no problem telling far right fans where to go.

Snider’s latest sparring partner is Kari Lake, a gubernatorial candidate in Arizona, hardcore MAGA type, and cheerleader for the Big Lie. Lake has been playing “We’re Not Going to Take It” at her rallies, which enraged Snider — but not enough that he would break one of his cardinal rules.

“While I abhor what this ignoramus @KariLake stands for and the she deplorables (yup, Hillary Clinton had it right) she represents,” he tweeted Thursday. “I can NOT legally or morally stop her from using or singing my song. I wrote it for everyone…cherry picking who uses it is censorship.”

But what Snider could do is devote his feed to trashing Lake. And so he has, for days on end. On Sunday, after her official campaign account tweeted out the lyrics to the song, Snider pointed to the very first line: “We’ve got the right to choose it.” This is a PRO-CHOICE anthem you or co-opting. It was NEVER intended for you fascist morons!” he tweeted.

Lake’s campaign account then tried to own the very person who wrote the song they love so much. “Remember when you were anti-establishment?” they posted, alongside a picture of Snider testifying in 1985 at a Senate hearing, where he came out against parental warnings on albums. “Now you’d be sitting next to Tipper Gore.”

But Snider had a comeback.

“Remember when you didn’t read my testimony?” Snider snapped back. “I stand for what I have always stood for. Anti right wing, anti fascist, anti asshole. Pretty much your candidate in a nutshell.”

Lake has attempted to become a MAGA star (despite having trashed Trump in old Facebook posts), but so far she’s only succeeded in making people feel bad for Meghan McCain and scolding Fox News’ Bret Baier when he tried to understand why she’d turned on a longtime drag queen friend. Anyway, it sure must suck to be despised by your favorite musicians.

(Via The Daily Beast)

Donald Trump is surrounded by scandal, enraging everyone from the Justice Department to families of 9/11 victims. But he’s still the presumptive Republican nominee for president in 2024, even if Fox News appears to be done with him. He’s a kingmaker, or at least he still thinks he is. But when it comes to endorsing a candidate for Missouri’s open Senate seat, he made a curious choice.

Trump’s had two Erics to choose from. There’s Eric Schmitt, the state’s sitting attorney general, who, like Trump, doesn’t think too kindly about Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Then there’s Eric Greitens, the state’s former governor, who resigned in disgrace, and came under fire for an ad in which he hunts down “RINOs,” or Republicans who are insufficiently Trumpy.

Which Eric would he pick? On Monday, he made his decision. And it appears to be…both of them?

“We need a person who will not back down to the Radical Left Lunatics who are destroying our Country,” Trump tweeted, as per The Kansas City Star. “I trust the Great People of Missouri, on this one, to make up their own minds, much as they did when they gave me landslide victories in the 2016 and 2020 Elections, and I am therefore proud to announce that ERIC has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”

Was it a typo? Or could Trump really not make a decision between two dodgy candidates? Or did he mean another Eric, like perhaps fellow mask skeptic (and onetime rock god) Eric Clapton? (Or one of his sons.) Whatever the case, it’s yet another outside-the-box move from a guy who may have buried his first ex-wife on a golf course so as to catch a tax break.

(Via Kansas City Star)

In 1965 Bruce Lee sat down for what at first appeared to be an interview but starts looking more like an audition. Either way, the video has resurfaced in time to give the world a little bit of a reprieve from all of the recent events. For years Bruce Lee made a name for himself with his kung fu moves with his signature near jet black hair above his brows like a curtain. But in 1965 he was acting in Hong Kong having yet to cross over to American films.

In the clip Lee gets into the difference between the styles of martial arts and explains why kung fu is his favorite style by comparing it to water. Yeah, water. He says that kung fu is the ancestor of karate and jujitsu but kung fu is more fluid. It’s hard to imagine how hitting someone or kicking the air at with the force of a lightning strike could be like water. But Lee explains it beautifully saying, “Because water is the softest substance in the world but yet it can penetrate the hardest rock, or anything, granite, you name it.” He goes on to say “water also is insubstantial. By that I mean you cannot grasp nor hold it. You cannot punch it and hurt it.”

According to the late actor and kung fu master, everyone that practices the art wants to be “soft like water and flexible and adapt itself to its opponent.” The interview wasn’t all philosophy and metaphors. Towards the end of the interview Lee is asked to demonstrate his unimaginable talent on a trepidatious volunteer that comically flinched every time Lee’s fist or foot came mere inches from his face. Honestly, while it was funny, any sane person would flinch if the Bruce Lee’s fist was flying towards your face with so much force that your hair flies backwards. Valid reaction.

Lee was one of the best at his craft in Hollywood and I’d wager to guess, around the globe. While he is no longer here, his legacy lives on through his films and this gem of an interview.