Since The Beyoncé Bowl, fans have eagerly been awaking the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer’s next moves. Today (January 14), Beyoncé was scheduled to make an announcement regarding what’s next for her as teased in a cryptic promotional video. However, in a message upload onto her Instagram page (viewable here), Beyoncé revealed that the wait will continue on.
Out of respect for everyone effected by the wildfires across Los Angeles County, Beyoncé decided to nix the heavily theorized announcement.
On January 12, Beyoncé’s BeyGood Foundation revealed it made a $2.5 million donation toward LA Fires relief efforts, writing: “Los Angeles we stand with you. BeyGOOD is taking action by announcing the LA Fire Relief Fund with a donation of 2.5 million dollars. The fund is earmarked to aid families in the Altadena/Pasadena area who lost their homes, and to churches and community centers to address the immediate needs of those affected by the wildfires.”
Read Beyoncé’s full statement regarding her delayed announcement below.
The January 14th announcement will be postponed to a later date due to the devastation caused by the ongoing wildfires around areas of Los Angeles.
I continue to pray for healing and rebuilding for the families suffering from trauma and loss. We are so blessed to have brave first responders who continue to work tirelessly to protect the Los Angeles community.
To join our efforts in supporting those impacted, please visit @BeyGood.
Yesterday (January 13), during an interview with The Guardian, Björk seemingly explained why as she confessed to preferring residencies to tours.
“The nuts and bolts are more flexible,” she said. “Maybe being a woman, or a matriarch, or whatever, I try to make it more that people can actually have a life. I have gently fought, since my teenage years, this macho way of how people organize both films and tours.”
Björk went on to provide a rather consideration explanation for choosing residencies over tours. “‘Oh, let’s now work 18 hours a day, every single day, until everybody throws up,’” she sarcastically said. “I always wanted to coexist. You can have a personal life. You can have your kids. You can have your partners there. I’m not saying I’ve succeeded. But at least I’ve tried to create a world that is more open to things like that.”
In 2023, wrapped up her most recent global run, the Cornucopia Tour, which consisted of 45 shows. With a team traveling across North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia you can only imagine how physically exhausting that could be.
SZA’s admiration for Drew Barrymore is well documented. On her debut studio album, CTRL, she even named a song after the Charlie’s Angels actor. So, today (January 13) when the “Drive” singer made an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show viewers knew they were in for a touching treat, and they were not disappointed.
During their chat, an emotional SZA thanked Drew Barrymore for “giving here permission” to be herself. “I wrote you this letter that I never sent you,” she said. “When you’re a younger Black woman, there are not a lot of examples all the time, and one of the few lovely white women that I looked up to so much on television was you because you were so yourself.”
She continued: “You were quirky. Your smile wasn’t perfect. I have a slight speech impediment, and people laugh all the time. They’re like, ‘What is SZA saying?’ And it’s like a running joke.”
SZA closed the compliment fest by expressing her gratitude to Barrymore for the impact her presence had on her growing up. “I love the way you talk and like, just all the you-ness of you, your laugh, even in the movies and in real life,” she said. “It just reminds me of all the things about myself that make me nervous, but on you, it shines so brightly. You gave me permission to be myself… And be like, this is so cool…. All your old photo shoots, I look them up… I love you.”
Watch the clip of SZA’s appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show above.
Today (January 13), Vince Staples turned his brutal commentary toward developers looking to capitalize off of the Los Angeles County fires. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Staples claimed that he has already fielded a cash offer to purchase his land amid the ongoing disaster.
“White devil offered a [million] cash for the land,” he wrote. “He must’ve thought I was one of them other n****s.”
Based on Staples, post it is clear that he rejected the deal. Similar to Staples, users online were outraged by the developer’s alleged insensitive actions.
“Wow. This kinda sh*t is infuriating,” wrote one user.
Others expressed disgust over how quickly the supposed developer swooped in. Some even called out the unnamed individual for low balling Staples. “Only a milli[on]? For the LAND? [F*ck out here],” penned one user.
“Opportunistic developers are about to be all over there,” wrote another.
“Lol…damn. But [for real], I hope all those black homeowners in Altadena and other cities don’t sell their homes! The disparity is already crazy as is,” added another.
The Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings met on Monday night in the final game of Wild Card Weekend in Arizona, where the NFL moved the game due to the ongoing fires that have devastated Los Angeles county over the past week.
Despite the change to being a neutral site game, the Rams got off to a hot start taking a 10-0 lead on the Vikings in the first quarter. Minnesota would settle down a bit and got their first points on the board early in the second quarter to cut it to a touchdown deficit. On the ensuing Rams drive, the first controversial play of the game took place when Matthew Stafford got swarmed by Vikings defenders and the ball popped out and was returned for a touchdown.
Stafford was insistent he was throwing the ball, and the review showed him fully bent over and kind of option-pitching the ball straight into the ground in front of him.
While the officials ruled it an incompletion upon review, not everyone was convinced that should’ve been given as a pass, with even Peyton and Eli Manning, who are always pro-quarterback, not buying that it should’ve counted as a pass over on the Manningcast (video here).
Eli: I think Stafford’s saying he threw it. I don’t know, that’s not a throw right? I don’t think you can say…
Peyton: He didn’t…Uh-uh. Uh-uh. Uh-uh.
Eli: I don’t think you can say that’s a throw when you’re head’s down and that.
Bill Belichick knew right away that it’d get overturned, later explaining to the Manning brothers that there isn’t a single rule in the NFL that benefits the defense. The Mannings had some fun pointing out how it wasn’t even good form for an option pitch, as Stafford didn’t even get the thumb extended, and learned that the definition of an attempted pass was even more gratuitous than they imagined. That took a potential Vikings game-tying touchdown off the board, and while it was definitely an attempt at getting rid of the football by Stafford, calling it a “pass attempt” seems extremely generous.
Today (January 13), the lineup for Just Like Heaven 2025 was revealed by a Reddit user, and it features an onstage reunion of Rilo Kiley. On Saturday, May 10, Rilo Kiley will join fellow headliners Vampire Weekend, Empire Of The Sun, Bloc Party, and TV On The Radio for this year’s installment of the music festival set to be held at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl.
Although organizers of Just Like Heaven 2025 haven’t confirmed the now-viral billboard, fans online are ready to grab tickets once they do. “OH F*CK OH F*CK OH F*CK RILO KILEY IS BACK OH F*CK,” wrote one user.
“Spending every red cent to get out to a Rilo Kiley reunion show. Oh my god I’ve been waiting for this for so many years,” added another.
“Blake [Sennett] and Jenny [Lewis] in the same room in 2025 is kinda crazy but like cannot complain,” chimed one user.
“Rilo Kiley reunion? that paycheck must have been huge,” joked another.
Back in 2023, Jenny Lewis made it clear that she would be open to reconnecting with her bandmates. “I’m open to it, for sure,” she responded. “It just has to be the right alchemy and the right timing. I think we owe it to each other to play those songs again, because that’s the magic of being in a band. It’s just the four people in a room and the energy that creates.”
Now, according to the billboard spotted in California, the time has come.
Marvel Studios has been though some stuff, and long story short, they have been regrouping in an effort to regain that MCU mojo without depending on the power of Deadpool. Part of that effort will unfold on Disney+ with Daredevil: Born Again, featuring The Punisher, and at the movies with Captain America: Brave New World. Those projects will reintroduce Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) to audiences after some time away, and Marvel is also hoping to recapture the ensemble magic that arguably concluded with 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
That effort will take place in Thunderbolts*, which looks like it could harness the MCU’s best reluctant buddy comedy vibe since both Deadpool & Wolverine and Captain America: Civil War‘s backseat scene. Let’s comb through the clues on what to expect from the meeting of former supervillains.
Cast
Leading the cast (and hailing from an assortment of other Marvel movies/TV shows) are Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova/the new Black Widow, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost, Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster, and Julia Louis Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (you can “call her ‘Val’”).
New to this live-action game: Lewis Pullman as Robert “Bob” Reynolds/The Sentry.
Plot
An initially threadbare description promised only that “Marvel Studios and a crew of indie veterans who sold out present ‘Thunderbolts*,’ an irreverent team-up featuring depressed assassin Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) alongside the MCU’s least anticipated band of misfits.” On its face, this sounds like the MCU’s version of The Suicide Squad with Valentina in the Amanda Waller-type role, but surely, Marvel Studios wouldn’t pull a DCEU rehash in their comeback phase (the jury remains out until the movie is also out).
An ultra-long trailer (really a 3+ minute D23 Brazil special video) answered plenty of questions, including why the asterisk appears in the film’s title. “We are the THUNDERBOLTS*!” was the cry from Red Guardian, and naturally, neither Bucky nor Yelena nor anybody else in the group was jazzed, so, their real group name is still up for debate. The trailer also (vitally) revealed that Bucky keeps his famous arm clean by running it through dishwasher, and he raced through the desert to both help the ex-villain group escape from their pursuers, but he also sent their vehicle sailing, too.
Since Sebastian Stan has been doing plenty of Globes-related interviews lately (after winning for A Different Man), he has naturally been fielding Thunderbolts* questions. While he is largely sworn to MCU secrecy, Stan did reveal to Deadline that this movie is “it’s own thing” (but “like The Breakfast Club“) and that this film will have very little CGI, especially in the stunt realm:
“I don’t feel you can compare it to any previous Marvel movie, and that’s because of the group of characters in this film and these actors. I couldn’t have had a better time than I did with David Harbour, Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I mean, every single one of these people are funny, they’re generous, and so I think a lot of that chemistry did make it into the movie… It’s a little bit like The Breakfast Club. It has its own vibe, and it’s funny, and it’s real, and we did actual real stunts, like when you’re watching a truck blow up, it’s a truck blown up. It’s not CGI.”
The humor does shine through in the trailer, in which Yelena gives John Walker hell for being Captain America “for like two seconds.” Then there’s “Bob,” which is short for Robert Reynolds/The Sentry, a role first occupied by Steven Yeun but picked up by Lewis Pullman. This dangerous dude can wield nearly unlimited power of “a million exploding suns,” and his dark side (the Void) has led Bob down the path of murder, even as the Sentry fights for good. Whether or not Thunderbolts* dives into that character’s Marvel legacy remains a mystery for now because this will already be a jam-packed movie.
Last month, The Weeknd treated Los Angeles fans to his upcoming era during Spotify’s Billions Club Live. Sadly, his onstage follow-up has been scrapped. Today (January 13), on Instagram, The Weeknd announced his decision to cancel his Rose Bowl concert in the wake of the LA Fires. In addition, Hurry Up Tomorrow has been postponed.
“Out of respect and concern for the people of Los Angeles County, I am canceling the Rose Bowl concert originally scheduled for January 25th,” he wrote. “This city has always been a profound source of inspiration for me, and my thoughts are with everyone impact during this difficult time. In light of this, I have also decided to push the release of my album to January 31st.”
He closed: “My focus remains on supporting the recovery of these communities and aiding its incredible people as they rebuild.”
In the refunded details, patrons are told anyone who secured their tickets by way of Ticketmaster, monies will be “issued automatically.” On the other hand, if tickets were purchased through a third-party reseller, such as StubHub, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, etc., you are encouraged to contact the platform’s customer service department.
After wildfires ravaged much of north Los Angeles County over the past week, one of the area’s most prominent artists is giving back. Doja Cat, who hails from the Tarzana neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley, teamed up with the American Red Cross to design a limited-edition merch collection benefitting the organization’s wildfire relief efforts.
In an Instagram post announcing the collection, Doja wrote, “Please help me and @americanredcross support my beautiful state of California. 100% of proceeds go to American Red Cross to support the people of California affected by the wildfires.” Fashion designer Pini worked with Doja on the collection, which features sketches of Doja riding the outline of California like a surfboard and embracing it. The collection consists of T-shirts featuring both designs in both white and black, as well as hoodies. The surfboard print adorns the back of a light blue hoodie, while a black hoodie sports the embrace design. A poster of the embrace design is available, as well.
Doja Cat was one of the artists affected by the fires, as well — a number that includes both Jhené Aiko and Madlib. While she hasn’t yet revealed whether her own home was affected, Malibu’s Harbor Studios, where she recorded her critically acclaimed 2023 album Scarlet, was burned down. “Harbor was taken from so many artists who cared so deeply about Harbor,” she wrote in a post. “It was a place of musical freedom… a sanctuary in the most literal sense of the word.”
Red CrossRed Cross
You can find out more about Doja Cat’s Red Cross collaboration here.
Last week was kind of a bust. What was on offer was a shuffling of recent flavors from the past months, so we were happy to see much more variety this time around. For those that love the tried and true classics, you’ve got that in the Milk Chocolate Chip and Original Sugar Cookie, and for the adventurous folks, Crumbl is really delivering on combination flavors, mixing vanilla and chocolate, or chocolate and peanut butter.
For those into more focused flavors, Crumbl has that too, with a triple vanilla cookie, and another cookie that brings to mind some of the best flavors and smells of breakfast classics. It truly feels like a week for every type of dessert-fiend, so this time around we’re going to suggest hitting that six-pack box.
If there was ever a week to do that so far this year, this is the week! Let’s dive in.
8. Spiced Apple White Chip
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
This would’ve been a great cookie for fall, but here in the doldrums of winter, it’s just not hitting the same. The Spiced Apple White Chip features a cinnamon cookie base with hints of warm apple tone, it has a sort of apple pie-like flavor. It’s a good base to build upon, but Crumbl doesn’t do anything interesting here, instead all they add is the occasional chunk of white chocolate.
This cookie had so much potential, just imagine for a second an apple pie base topped with a layer of caramel and a slice of crispy and juicy green apple. That would’ve made for a worthwhile cookie, but spending nearly $5 on this? It feels like a waste.
The Bottom Line:
It comes across as incomplete. These flavors are great, but Crumbl doesn’t do anything interesting with them.
7. Strawberry Cheesecake
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
The thing that makes Crumbl cheesecakes worthwhile is that you often get rarer flavor combinations that you don’t normally see at the market like the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake or the salted caramel. But Strawberry Cheesecake? They’re everywhere, and Crumbl’s version offers nothing new or groundbreaking.
Admittedly, this cheesecake tastes great. It has a wonderful combination of tangy flavors and intense sweetness, and the strawberry jam is bright, flavorful, and refreshing. But it doesn’t come across as special enough to rank any higher, and it’s certainly not Crumbl’s best cheesecake.
The Bottom Line:
If you absolutely love cheesecake, sure, go for it, but for this same price you could probably buy an entire cheesecake from your local market and it would taste just as good.
6. Milk Chocolate Chip
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
A near-perfect chocolate chip cookie. Sure you could argue that like the Strawberry Cheesecake, this doesn’t bring anything new to the concept of a chocolate chip cookie, but unlike the cheesecake, this cookie is so damn good that it makes up for it. This just may be the best chocolate chip cookie you ever eat.
It has a classic brown sugar, butter, and milk chocolate blend of flavors. It’s sweet, indulgent, and best enjoyed warm.
The Bottom Line:
A tasty, chocolate-filled sweet, and chewy chocolate chip cookie. A must-try if this is your first time at Crumbl.
5. The Original Pink Sugar
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Don’t write off this cookie as a simple sugar cookie. It’s not. It’s the best sugar cookie I’ve ever had. Instead of a bland, white sugar base, this cookie features an almond cookie foundation with a thick smear of pink almond frosting. That double almond flavor is hard to resist once you’ve experienced it.
That’s why so many people buy a box of these and freeze them. They are seriously addicting, so beware.
The Bottom Line:
Not your average sugar cookie! This almond-flavored cookie could quite possibly be one of Crumbl’s greatest cookies. It’s just not our favorite.
4. Waffle
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
When I first saw — and smelled — this one I wrote it off as a novelty. That was a mistake. This cookie is pretty damn good. The base is soft and chewy with a strong maple flavor and waffle-grid cuts (which make it easy to break apart and share), topped with a scoop of sweet and tangy buttercream and a heavy drizzle of maple syrup.
It lacks the toasty quality of a real waffle, but what you get in its place is more gooey chew. So if your favorite part of a waffle is the inside, this cookie delivers a whole lot of that.
The Bottom Line:
Gimmicky, sure, but this is a gooey, delicious, maple-flavored cookie that tastes perfect alongside this cold winter weather.
3. Nilla Bean Cupcake
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
I feel incredibly basic for ranking a simple vanilla cookie this high, but what can I say? I love vanilla. This cookie features a soft and cake vanilla base topped with a thick layer of ultra-sweet vanilla cream cheese frosting and finished with vanilla sprinkles.
All of the vanilla-tasting notes are here, it’s incredibly sweet, wonderfully creamy and decadent, and highly floral, offering a mix of natural and artificial vanilla flavors. It may just be my favorite vanilla cookie of all time.
The Bottom Line:
It’s a vanilla cookie. If you love vanilla, you’ll love this. If you don’t, this isn’t going to change your mind. It may just be my favorite vanilla cookie of all time.
2. S’mores Cake
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
It’s been a minute since I’ve awarded any of Crumbl’s cakes the top spot, and the S’mores Cake came so, so close. This cake features two tiers, one of rich devil’s food cake, and another of sweet yellow cake sandwiched together by a thick layer of airy, sweet, marshmallow buttercream and topped with another layer of marshmallow butter cream with a drizzle of milk chocolate and some sweet and earthy graham cracker streusel.
The cake is a real treat for the senses, it’s sweet and moist, but highly textural.
If our number one pick wasn’t so damn good, this one would’ve taken the — pardon the pun — cake.
The Bottom Line:
A fantastic, moist and textural cake with shifting flavors. If you’re the type who can’t decide between vanilla and chocolate, this one gives you the best of both worlds.
1. Peanut Butter Brownie
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
If you follow our Crumbl Cookie report, you’ve no doubt caught on that I think most of Crumbl’s peanut butter cookies are weak. Generally, I don’t find the peanut butter cookies made by the brand to be noteworthy in any way and as a result, they usually rank somewhere near the back end of the list.
What makes this particular peanut butter cookie different is that it strikes that perfect balance between peanut butter and chocolate flavors, offering something that is complex and nuanced, as well as rich, decadent and indulgent.
A toasty peanut butter cookie base is encased in a dark chocolate cookie, giving two flavors in one, echoed with a mix of milk chocolate and peanut butter for the topping.
Folks, what we’ve got here is Crumbl’s all-time greatest peanut butter cookie, hands down.
The Bottom Line:
It’s a double dose of both peanut butter and chocolate that is impossible to deny.
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