Category: Viral

St. Vincent may have just released her ’70s-inspired album Daddy’s Home, but that’s not the only release she’s been working on lately. She and Carrie Brownstein star in the upcoming mockumentary film The Nowhere Inn, and they’ve just released a teaser trailer featuring trippy visuals, cowboys, and an erotic Dakota Johnson cameo.

Directed by Bill Benz, St. Vincent described The Nowhere Inn on Twitter as a “bananas art film.” The story follows St. Vincent as she calls on Brownstein to film a documentary about the difference between her real-life and on-stage personas. It was originally released at Sundance Film Festival in 2020, but has been pushed back for an theatrical premiere on September 17, 2021.

The new film teaser features a snippet of St. Vincent’s talking head interview from the film. She begins by saying she planned on making a run-of-the-mill music documentary before things went “terribly wrong” during the filming process:

“It was supposed to be a music documentary; concert footage, interviews. I wanted people to know who I really am. One of the reasons why I wanted to make a documentary in the first place was because I would finally be in control of my narrative. A small part of me was starting to second guess myself. All I can say is that somewhere along the way, thing went terribly wrong.”

Watch The Nowhere Inn trailer above and see it premiere in theaters September 17.

As one of the most prominent faces of The Fast and The Furious films (and one half of “potentially the biggest love story” in all cinema, if you ask Vin Diesel), Michelle Rodriguez is the perfect choice for hosting a reality series where drivers from all different backgrounds show off their skills. So that’s exactly what Discovery did by tapping Rodriguez to star alongside rally car champion Wyatt Knox in Getaway Driver, a unique competition series that sounds pretty badass.

Here’s the official synopsis via Entertainment Weekly:

This 8-episode competition series features 24 elite drivers from drift champions to street racers to hotshot YouTubers who compete to prove they have the skill behind the wheel and the mental toughness to outrun and out-drive the competition in a massive nearly 60-acre compound filled with obstacles. Part Baby Driver, part Grand Theft Auto, the Getaway Drivers will put it all on the line — sacrificing their own cars for the opportunity to be the wheelman in a real-life car chase. The rules are simple… evade the pursuers and escape the compound to score some cold hard cash. These drivers already have the loot — but can they get away to keep it?

While Rodriguez is stoked to star in the new series, which she promises will “take it to the edge,” the actress will be breaking new ground in F9 after pushing for a meaningful scene with co-star Jordana Brewster after nine movies.

“Michelle was like, ‘Dude, we’ve never had a scene together. We’re always secondary with the guys. We don’t interact. We have a sisterhood. We need to explore this,’” Brewster told Insider. “Michelle’s always been very outspoken about not doing anything that isn’t true to character, and that means not placating the guys, that means not playing second fiddle to the guys.”

F9 drifts into theaters on June 25.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

We’re always looking for celebrities who turn heads without too much help from a stylist. We’re talking real, self-aware, un-faked steez — think more Andre 3000 and less Denim Timberlake. And there are few people who exude more “just being herself”-type style than Lena Waithe. Whether she’s rocking a suit, keeping it casual in some basic sweats, or wearing that latest pair of sneakers you weren’t able to cop in time, Waithe’s Instagram feed is dripping with fits so dope that following her is constant style inspiration.

And envy. Seriously, Waithe’s sneaker collection has so many gems it brings tears to the eyes of sneakerheads everywhere. As we slowly reenter public life and plan our first public outings in over a year, we’re going to need some direction from someone who it seems kept her signature style intact through the pandemic. So we hit up Waithe to get her style philosophy.

“Honestly, I would just say comfort first,” she tells us. “And I know people may be surprised by that because I think people think, ‘Oh, you tend to think about style first.’ No. Everything I think about when it comes to clothes is comfortability. I feel like I’m always looking for something that I can wear around the house, but that I also can wear to bed. That’s my thing. I feel like the clothes that I’m wearing, I can always go to a meeting in, but I can also sleep in, and that’s my philosophy.”

But how exactly does she manage to rock a pair of sweats without looking like someone who is… you know… just wearing sweats? Turns out that all comes down to attitude.

“If you’re a person that wears them a certain way then you can even wear sweats into a board meeting — if you play it correctly,” she notes. “Sometimes you just got to wear what you want and wear it with pride.”

In the event you can’t figure out what you want, Waithe’s fits are always tagged on her Instagram — which we appreciate.

Prince has long been known as an eclectic figure, but Sinead O’Connor — whose famed single “Nothing Compares 2 U” was written by Prince — does not have fond memories of the late artist’s eccentric ways. In fact, in her upcoming memoir Rememberings, she claims Prince “terrorized” her.

A new New York Times profile reveals that in her book (which is set for release in June), O’Connor paints Prince in a negative light and said following the success of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” he, among other things, chased her around a highway and hit her with a pillow containing a hard object:

“She writes that Prince summoned her to his macabre Hollywood mansion, chastised her for swearing in interviews, harangued his butler to serve her soup though she repeatedly refused it, and sweetly suggested a pillow fight, only to thump her with something hard he’d slipped into his pillowcase. When she escaped on foot in the middle of the night, she writes, he stalked her with his car, leapt out and chased her around the highway.”

She also said of him, “You’ve got to be crazy to be a musician, but there’s a difference between being crazy and being a violent abuser of women.” She went on to note that she feels a sense of ownership over “Nothing Compares 2 U,” saying, “As far as I’m concerned, it’s my song.”

Read the full New York Times profile here.

No one would want to be Jacob Chansley, a.k.a., the “QAnon Shaman,” these days. Of course, no one also made the guy dress up (for the January 6 insurrection) in the “Chewbacca Bikini” outfit and storm the Senate in session. Now, he’s still languishing in jail while his attorney keeps trying to dream up defenses that might possibly work. First, Albert Watkins attempted to gain leniency for his client by claiming that Trump “groomed” his followers to be rabid conspiracy theorists, and that must not have worked out well (spoiler alert: it did not, nor did it help that Chansley claimed that he saved the muffins) because Watkins’ latest defense is… hoo boy.

Watkins is attempting to persuade U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth to release the Shaman ahead of his trial, but the so-called “Trump defense” that Watkins aims to use is actually getting in the way. Still (and according to Talking Points Memo), Watkins is pushing forth while claiming that his client’s Asperger’s syndrome was exacerbated by Trump’s wielding of “propaganda,” and that allegedly spurred Chansley into Shaman mode. While speaking to TPM, Watkins threw out a a pretty brutal description for both Chansley and the rest of the mob. It’s not good, Bob:

“A lot of these defendants — and I’m going to use this colloquial term, perhaps disrespectfully — but they’re all f*cking short-bus people,” Watkins told TPM. “These are people with brain damage, they’re fucking retarded, they’re on the goddamn spectrum.

“But they’re our brothers, our sisters, our neighbors, our coworkers — they’re part of our country. These aren’t bad people, they don’t have prior criminal history. F*ck, they were subjected to four-plus years of goddamn propaganda the likes of which the world has not seen since f*cking Hitler.”

Again, not great! This approach, thus far, hasn’t worked for Watkins’ defense of the Shaman, given that Judge Lamberth reasoned that “even taking defendant’s claim at face value, it does not persuade the Court that defendant would not pose a danger to others if released.” Lamberth followed up by describing how Watkins’ argument actually goes a long way to prove that the Shaman cannot (or refuses to) think independently use reasonable judgment so as to avoid breaking the law again.

Still, one cannot deny that it’s at least “unprecedented” to see “Trump defense” in open court, so there’s that. Further, TPM’s description of “a novel disease” called “Foxitis” is a nod toward another defendant’s approach to a leniency attempt. In the case of that defendant, Anthony Antonio, his lawyer, Joe Hurley, claimed that his lockdown-afflicted client did nothing but watch Fox News for hours on end. Hurley was also quick to point out that “Foxitis” isn’t technically a defense but did provide context on why Antonio fell under the Trump spell. Will it work? That seems unlikely, but in the meantime, maybe the QAnon Shaman “needs a new lawyer.”

(Via Talking Points Memo)

Before forming the Philadelphia outfit 2nd Grade with members of Remember Sports, Free Cake For Every Creature, and Friendship, Peter Gill was writing his own music at a feverish pace. While working a casual summer gig, the musician self-recorded a series a demos under the mixtape Wish You Were Here Tour. Now following the success of 2nd Grade’s Hit To Hit debut album, the band is re-recording their demos.

2nd Grade has announced their Wish You Were Here Tour (Revisited) project with an updated recording of the wistful track “Favorite Song.” Clocking in at just under two minutes, the “Favorite Song” rerecording ups the production quality and boasts skittering guitars and crashing symbols. In a statement about the reissue project, Gill said:

“It amazes me on just how many levels ‘Favorite Song’ works, for a sub-2 minute song that practically wrote itself. It’s a total celebration of listening to music, my absolute favorite thing to do in this world. It’s an attempt to tell both sides of a sad misunderstanding. It’s proof of the John Ashbery quote about how proper nouns are the most descriptive words in the English language. Not least of all, it’s a carefully crafted piece in the tradition of ‘April Come She Will’ that nonetheless rejects such a tidy narrative. The stories we tell ourselves through pop music often fail to square up with the facts of our predicaments, but sometimes they can make us feel a whole lot better.”

Listen to “Favorite Song” above.

Wish You Were Here Tour (Revisited) is out 6/25 via Double Double Whammy. Pre-order it here.

If you know anything about hip-hop at all, you’ll probably recognize the title of Joyner Lucas‘ new single “Zim Zimma” as the contorted, familiar catchphrase coined by Beenie Man on his 1998 hit “Who Am I” (repurposed from Missy Elliott’s 1997 debut single “The Rain [Supa Dupa Fly]“) in which Beenie wonders “Who’s got the keys to my Beema?” In Joyner’s case, it turns out to be none other than actor/rapper/fast-driving car enthusiast Mark Wahlberg. Like Lucas, Wahlberg hails from Massachusetts, so it’s no surprise that the two are acquainted.

Waving off Joyner’s initial concerns, Mark promises to teach him “how to drive this b*tch” before wrecking the car in a collision with a dirt pile. While Mark tries to downplay the damage, an exasperated Joyner leaves him to deal with the mess, strolling the streets of Beverly Hills to his “uncle George’s” house — who turns out to be comedian George Lopez. After some finagling, Joyner manages to borrow his Unc’s BMW — although he’s disappointed to discover it’s more “Beater” than “Beamer.” A final scene sees Joyner cruising in (or rather, on top of) a miniature version of the car for kids alongside yet another famous face: Diddy — aka “Love” — who mugs the camera as Lucas launches into a lightspeed display of multisyllabic lyricism.

“Zim Zimma” follows Lucas’ Lil Baby collaboration “Ramen & OJ” and similarly quirky, high-concept music video for “Will Smith.”

Watch Joyner Lucas’ “Zim Zimma” video above.

There’s a freshman crew of Republicans trying to make their mark on Capitol Hill by sparking insurrections and spreading insane conspiracy theories and throwing temper tantrums over metal detectors, but Representative Lauren Boebert is really trying to separate herself from the rest of the pack. In fact, she’s so confident in her ability to lead that she’s making some bold predictions when it comes to her future in Congress.

Boebert, who’s spent this year riling her fanbase, tweeting her support of the Jan. 6th mob, and voting against reauthorizing a national bone marrow donor registry, is now setting her sights higher. In an on-air interview with Newsmax host Benny Johnson, Boebert confidently stated her intention to one day become Speaker of the House — the third most powerful position in U.S. government. And look, we’re all for having goals, but it seems like the only thing that the representative from Colorado cares about is getting rid of the metal detectors on Capitol Hill, so she can tote her firearms into the people’s house.

After Johnson quizzed Boebert on her concealed-carry status like he was the Perez Hilton of a 2nd Amendment gossip blog, Boebert revealed she was open-carrying in her own office and served as her own security while on Capitol Hill.

“I am in my office so I don’t have to conceal anything in here,” she joked, earning a strangely enthusiastic “Yes!” from a giggling Johnson. “In the Congressional complex, I am my own security all throughout the complex until I get into Pelosi’s house — it’s certainly not the people’s house — right there in the House chambers where we have to go through the metal detectors.”

Boebert was referring to the newly installed equipment meant to keep representatives safe following the terrifying attacks on Jan. 6th, an insurrection that Boebert encouraged on social media. Those metal detectors have really triggered Boebert and a handful of other Republicans on Capitol Hill, which might be why the Congresswoman seems so focused on them, even as she later told Johnson of her plan to one day be House Speaker.

“Maybe one day when I’m Speaker of the House my first action will be to take those metal detectors and use them for target practice,” she said before Johnson broke out in a fit of maniacal laughter.

Of course, Twitter had plenty to say about Boebert’s 30-year plan for herself. Fellow Republican Matt Gaetz, who’s currently under investigation for sex trafficking crimes, threw his support behind Boebert:

But that glowing endorsement was offset by Boebert’s social media critics, who just wanted to help her define that thin line between ambition and delusion.

Keep dreaming, Boebert.

Chicken sandwiches are inarguably the biggest thing in fast food right now. And yet… Carl’s Jr/ Hardee’s — a chain that actually goes through all the effort of hand-breading their chicken tenders — has been slumming it for years with one of the worst chicken sandos in the game. For a place that makes something as great as the Western Bacon Cheeseburger and Waffle-style Fries, and, we’ll say it again, some damn good chicken tenders, it’s puzzling that Carl’s Jr. waited until this week in 2021 to reformulate their chicken sandwich into something that is actually edible.

Okay, rant over. Now the good news: Carl’s Jr went HAM and didn’t just drop one new chicken sandwich, but three:

• The Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich

• The Hand-breaded Chicken and Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

• The Hand-breaded Chicken Biscuit.

Unfortunately for west coasters, that chicken biscuit sandwich is exclusive to Hardee’s. But the new hand-breaded and waffle sandwich is being offered nationwide at all Carl’s Jr./Hardee locations. This week, we tried those latter two sandwiches and have some thoughts! We won’t spoil our verdict for you just yet — but the fact is that we’re probably going to have to revamp our Best Chicken Sandwiches ranking to give Carl’s Jr its proper spot.

Let’s get into the good and bad of these sandwiches!

Carl’s Jr Hand-Breaded Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

Price: $4.49

Chicken and waffles have a beautiful thing going. You’ve got the savory salt and crunch of hot, fried chicken mingling with the sweetness and soft texture of syrup-covered waffles. Together, they bathe the palate in sweet and salty goodness. It’s the food version of a scoop of salted caramel ice cream. On paper, it sounds weird, but in practice? It’s a party for the mouth.

As a big chicken and waffle head, I’m a little torn on this sandwich. On one hand, the flavor is there. Carl’s Jr knocked it out of the park with their new fried chicken breast filet, which tastes just like their excellent hand-breaded tenders. It’s crunchy with notes of garlic powder, white pepper, and a dash of onion with subtle hints of smokey paprika with a thick juicy filet of chicken inside that didn’t taste dry or overcooked.

But the waffle section of the sandwich leaves a little to be desired. What makes chicken and waffles so great is that you can control how much of the saltiness you let intermingle with the sweetness. Maybe you just want syrup touching the chicken skin, but not any of the meat — so you eat with the aim of achieving that effect. A sando takes away that level of control. The waffle “bun” (I’ll get to that in a second) and chicken are brushed with Maple Butter Glaze (which is definitely a corn syrup-based sauce, not actual maple syrup) and it’s just way too sweet and tends to overpower the chicken, giving the whole sandwich an overly sweet taste.

My other big gripe is with the waffle. It’s not really a waffle! Carl’s Jr calls it a “Belgian waffle bun,” but it doesn’t have the texture or crunch-to-softness ratio that you expect from a Belgian. Instead, it’s just kind of mushy — creating an unpleasant mouthfeel that gets worse the longer it gets soaked by the syrup. (The Hardee’s Hand-Breaded Chicken Biscuit is served sauce-less, so it sounds like an improvement over the waffle.)

This is almost delicious and certainly an exciting entry into the world of fast-food chicken sandwiches. But it needs some definite tweaking before it blows any minds or inspires the kind of passion the Popeyes sandwich did.

The Bottom Line

Ditch the sauce and you’ve got yourself a delicious chicken and waffle sandwich that’ll satiate your need for sweet-meets-savory. Even asking to go light on the sauce makes this more balanced. But if you have a joint that serves the real thing nearby, you’re better served to put your money there, even if it’s three times the price.

Carl’s Jr. Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich

This brings us to the Carl’s Jr. Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich. I wish… I had more to say about this sandwich but it’s pretty standard as far as chicken sandwiches go. The chicken here is the same, crispy and crunchy with a well-seasoned garlic powder and white pepper-heavy batter that reveals a thick juicy filet of white meat chicken inside served on a soft and spongey potato bun with four surprisingly crispy thick pickles and mayo on the top and bottom bun.

It’s basically a sandwich that stands on the stage at the chicken sandwich awards show to say “Carl’s Jr’s got something to say!”

Everything about this sandwich works. The pickles aren’t sad and soggy. A potato bun is always appreciated. The cried chicken is on point. The mayo… okay, the may take it or leave it — if you don’t like mayo it’s not going to severely impact this sandwich to order it sauceless (or with BBQ, do BBQ).

Carl’s Jr isn’t slumming it anymore with their chicken sandwich it easily blows McDonald’s new chicken sandwich line-up out of the water. Is it a top 5 chicken sandwich? No way. But definitely a top 10.

Optimistically speaking, this is proof that Carl’s Jr knows how to make a good chicken sandwich and we’re excited to see how they spin-off this recipe into more exciting territory. Adding bacon and cheese or mixing up a spicy version would certainly inspire a bit more hype than the stock chicken sandwich will, but if you’re a big Carl’s Jr/ Hardee’s fan you can finally rest easy knowing that a great chicken sandwich is to be had on the menu, and it isn’t shaped like a giant fried star!

The Bottom Line

A solid attempt at a standard fried chicken sandwich. It won’t inspire long lines and a black market like Popeyes’ sandwich, but it’s a welcome and delicious addition to the Carl’s Jr menu.

The new hand-breaded chicken sandwiches are available now at Carl’s Jr and Hardee’s locations nationwide.

The New York Times reports that actor Charles Grodin, who probably appeared in a movie you love (The Heartbreak Kid, Midnight Run, The Great Muppet Caper, Beethoven), died from bone marrow cancer on Tuesday. He was 86 years old.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Grodin made his film debut in Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It was an uncredited part, but before long, he was a classic “that guy!” actor, someone who maybe wasn’t the leading man, but you were always happy to see him. Outside of the four films listed above, Grodin also appeared in Rosemary’s Baby, Heaven Can Wait, Ishtar, So I Married an Axe Murderer, and Clifford, a demented comedy that you should absolutely watch.

Grodin was also a late-night fixture, “making 36 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and 17 on Late Night With David Letterman,” according to the Times. He also had his own late-night show. Here he is being effortlessly charismatic.

(Via the New York Times)