Category: Viral

While some media pundits are painting Liz Cheney as some sort of political hero after being ousted from her leadership position within the GOP for what Seth Meyers described as “the crime of not showing sufficient loyalty to Donald Trump,” he wasn’t about to let the Wyoming congresswoman off the hook that easily.

In Wednesday’s “A Closer Look” segment, Meyers spent ten minutes reminding viewers that while Cheney may have voted to impeach Trump in January, she was also an integral part in bringing Trump to the political forefront in the first place:

“Cheney helped lay the groundwork for Trumpism and the authoritarian Republican party that exists today. She defended illegal torture and lied about it; championed the Iraq War; and in one TV interview, pointedly refused to denounce the racist lie that President Obama wasn’t a United States citizen. A lie, of course, that was central to Donald Trump’s political rise.”

It was only by acknowledging the reality of the 2020 Presidential Election—and the fact that there was no voter fraud—that Cheney made herself a traitor to her own party. And while Meyers allowed that “living in reality” (as Cheney has been) “should be the bare minimum for holding public office… today’s GOP is so batsh*t crazy that simply living in reality is considered heresy.”

While Cheney vowed to keep fighting on, it will likely be all for naught if she remains on an island of one. Because, as Meyers so eloquently put it, “The GOP has calculated that it simply cannot move on from Donald Trump. No matter how unpopular and destructive to the country, they can’t succeed without him.”

As disturbing as that may sound, it echoes the Orwellian thinking that Lindsey Graham recently espoused during an appearance on Fox News in which he stated that:

“I’ve always liked Liz Cheney, but she’s determined we can’t grow with President Trump. I’ve determined we can’t grow without him. If you don’t get that as a Republican, you’re making the biggest mistake in the history of the Republican party. The reason our party is growing with minorities and with working men and women is because President Trump appears to be on the side of people working really hard.”

(It’s important to listen to the somewhat odd voice inflection Graham used when saying “appears to be” in the sentence above.)

But Meyers was there to bring reality back into the picture, stating:

“Donald Trump is not on the side of people working really hard. He’s on the side of people working really hard for him. And even then, he’s not even on their side enough to pay them. [And] Cheney is as responsible as anyone else in GOP leadership for Trump’s rise. This is not about heralding her as a hero because she isn’t one. It’s about the GOP’s hard turn against democracy.”

In other words: You reap what you sow.

You can watch the full clip above, including Meyers’s attempts to imitate Trump at both the 2:55 and 4:49 marks, above.

When you ask around about Dave Bautista — talking to people who have worked with him, specifically — it becomes clear that he’s a very thoughtful guy. After shooting wraps, he likes to buy gifts for his castmates. And not just any gifts, but really personal things. Often, people on the receiving end of Bautista’s gifts get lunchboxes. Oh, yes, Bautista loves lunchboxes and has, by all accounts, a pretty amazing collection. So what Bautista will do is find out what a person likes, then get them a lunchbox that corresponds to that. It really is a very thoughtful thing to do. (Also, note to the cast of Knives Out 2, you might want to clear some space for your new lunchbox.)

Also, even in interviews, which I get the impression Bautista does not like (then again, who would?), he’s incredibly thoughtful (there’s that word again) with his answers. I’m not sure he’s capable of lying. Or, at the very least, he’s a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeves and lets the chip fall where they may. He’s a realist and he knows his age and he knows if he wants to achieve his goals as an actor, he has to make his move now.

He’s currently starring in Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead (as a guy leading a team robbing a Las Vegas casino during a zombie apocalypse), which will be in theaters this weekend, then on Netflix the following week. Bautista chose Army of the Dead over his pal James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad for a couple of reasons. First, he’s the star of Army of the Dead. But maybe more importantly he wanted to start a relationship with Netflix. And that paid off with his recent casting in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out 2. And Bautista admits that probably doesn’t happen without Army of the Dead.

And then there’s Drax. Yes, Bautista tweeted the third Guardians movie would be his last because he’ll be 54. When I countered that Harrison Ford will be 80 when the next Indiana ones comes out, Bautista made it clear why that’s a different situation.

We have a mutual friend. When I told him I was talking to you today he said, “You’ve got to ask him about his lunchboxes!”

Yeah, I’ve been collecting lunchboxes since 2003. Yeah, [our mutual friend] also gave me a lunchbox. He threatened me once, and I can’t remember what he threatened me about, but he threatened to shit in one of my lunchboxes.

What?

Yeah.

So isn’t one of the most valuable lunchboxes Superman fighting a robot? Do you have that one?

I do, yeah.

Wow.

Yeah, I have that one.

That’s very impressive.

Yeah, I have some that are actually really pretty rare and hard to get. I don’t have a huge collection. I’ve seen collectors with much bigger collections. A lot of people are really focused on international collections or very obscure lunchboxes, and I just kind of focus on what I like and what I remember as a kid: TV shows that I loved, superheroes, stuff like that. And a few that are kind of rare that are hard to get.

I have one lunchbox. I have The Fall Guy. It’s worth like seven dollars.

I think I have a The Fall Guy around here somewhere, but it’s pretty beat up. But I do have both original Six Million Dollar Man lunchboxes that are just pristine, brand new, tags and everything. When I wrapped on James Bond, I gave Sam Mendes a James Bond lunchbox and he just looked at me like I was ridiculous. He says, “Oh, I’m going to put that on my mantle, right next to my Oscar.”

Did that discourage you or encourage you to keep giving lunchbox gifts?

No, no. I don’t care. It’s kind of a gift of love from me. On Guardians 2, I gave everybody lunchboxes and I tried to find out what their favorite lunchboxes were or what their favorite cartoon shows were. I gave Zoe Saldana a Charlie’s Angles lunchbox.

See, I find this very thoughtful because you have to find out something about every person and then give them something just for them.

Yeah. I think so, but I don’t know, I’m biased.

I read your quote about why you did Army of the Dead versus Suicide Squad. And you mentioned creating ties with Netflix. With the news you’re going to be in Knives Out 2, does Knives Out 2 happen for you without you taking Army of the Dead?

Yeah, that’s a good question. I don’t know what the real answer to that is. There’s a part of me that would hope so, but I’ve made certain moves in my career that have been intentional, in the hopes that they would lead me someplace. Like when I switched agencies. I switched agencies, not because I had a bad agent, I loved my agent. We had a personal relationship and he was a real friend, but I felt that I had outgrown the agency I was with and I left about a year and a half too late and I missed a couple of projects. And I wanted to be at a bigger agency where I would be introduced to more filmmakers and be packaged into films and projects and have that take off. So my intention in building a relationship with Netflix was so I’d be in the mix. I’d be in the conversations with Netflix and I’d have kind of a home where I could go and pitch projects and they’d already be familiar with me, my work ethic, what I have to offer. So, I think, I hope that I would have gotten the part otherwise. I mean, even if I hadn’t been kind of already a family member at Netflix. But the truth is, probably not.

That’s interesting.

So, I’m kind of in the mix and I have other projects with them as well. Definitely, it was the right move. It still bothers me because I had to make that call to change. But still, I believe that it was the right move.

I only ask this because of your tweet the other day about you only want to play Drax in one more Guardians movie because you’re going to be 54. Your movie career started later than a lot of people’s movie careers start…

Right.

Do you feel more of an urgency? That you have to do the things you want to do and don’t have the time frame maybe someone who started acting when they were 20 has?

No, it’s more of a desperation. I constantly feel like I’m under a time crunch because I’m aging. And also, there’s going to be a point in my life where I just want to be home. I don’t want to be on the road anymore and I don’t want to be traveling anymore. I’ve kind of paid my dues out there on the road. But also, I’m fighting to stay in shape. It’s becoming harder and harder. And things like that, being in the entertainment business and aging, I mean, it’s a rough thing. You’re going to have 100 other, 1,000 other, 10,000 other actors and entertainers lined up right behind you to take your place. It’s how it is. It’s just being realistic. My journey has come full circle with Guardians. When James Gunn is done, I’m done. Drax will live on, but I’m going to be done.

Well, James did retweet your tweet and say there’s no Drax without you.

Right. Well, that’s a personal sentiment and that’s coming from a very good friend. And also, I think this will be it for him as well, so we’re kind of wrapping up this journey. But the character’s not going anywhere and they can revamp him and reboot him all day long, which I believe that they should. I would love to see it personally, as a fan. I would love to see them do Drax’s story justice because it’s such a great story. And I believe that if there’s somebody that can step in and put a whole different twist on it and play Drax, then it would just be a different look, but it’s a possibility and something I’d like to see personally as a fan.

Well, reading between the lines of what you were saying about taking Army of the Dead, it did feel like you were basically saying, “Look, Suicide Squad would have been fun, but it’s a supporting role, and if I’m going to make my move and be the star of a movie, I’ve got to be the star of a movie.”

Yeah, I mean, it’s hard to do. It is very hard to get out of your comfort zone. It’s hard to take a chance on yourself. It really is. It’s terrifying. You don’t really get ahead if you don’t. I mean, you can’t always play it safe. Sometimes you’ve got to take that risk. And it was a risk for me because I knew Suicide Squad was going to be successful. It’s going to be a huge movie.

Very true.

We all know it’s going to be a blockbuster. It’s already got a built-in fan base, the cast is incredible, director is incredible. But I really had to just kind of gamble on myself, which I made a habit of doing throughout my career. And sometimes it paid off and sometimes it hasn’t. But, still, I feel like I’ve gotten ahead because I’ve gambled on myself, I’ve believed in myself, and I’ve gone with my heart.

Speaking of gambling on yourself, your role in Blade Runner 2049 really hit me and it hit a lot of people. You put yourself out there with that one. It was a role that made people think, oh, he can do anything.

Well, I mean, I didn’t feel like I could do anything. That was the opportunity that I was looking for because I don’t get offered roles like that a lot. At that point, nobody was offering me roles like that. It was hard for people to see past my physicality and see that I actually wanted to… I used to tell people when I was just coming up, even after I got Drax, I was like I just really want to do some acting. I want to be a better actor. I want to do some drama. People would kind of giggle at me. My agent at that time, he really didn’t understand me, and it was kind of that small, little role in Blade Runner that just opened up some eyes and people started looking at me differently.

You conveyed so many different emotions in the screen time you had. There’s a lot going on with that character.

Thank you. Thank you. It did, it opened up a lot of doors for me and it afforded me the opportunity to build a relationship with Denis Villeneuve.

Oh, did it really? That role in particular got you more roles?

Yeah. And I think there are still some people, maybe not so many now, but I think there are still some people, at that time, who didn’t really know me. Who might not have even thought that I was capable of doing a job or playing a part. There’s a bad stigma that comes along with professional wrestling and I think sometimes people are worried about bringing that to their film set. They don’t know if I’m going to be an arrogant prick or I’m just going to be Mister Full-of-Testosterone and come in and just be kind of a dick on set.

Right. Or giving the Roddy Piper scream the whole time.

[Laughing] Yeah! I think there is some of that that just comes along with the background of professional wrestling. But I think I’ve shaken it at this point. I hope I have.

Though, I will point out, when you mentioned getting older, Harrison Ford is going to be 80 when the next Indiana Jones comes out. He’s somewhere laughing at you going, “Oh, 54. Yeah, okay, buddy.”

Yeah. But it’s fucking Harrison Ford!

Touche.

He’s Harrison Ford!

So with Knives Out 2, how does that work? Do they just come to you and go, “We want you,” or do you meet with Rian Johnson? How did that work out?

Yeah. It was both of those. It came to the attention of my agency. I think the first thing was the conversation with Rian and we got on really well. He knew I was super excited to meet him. And then we had a great conversation, really about everything else other than Knives Out. And then he said, “Man, you know, I’d really like to send you the script.” He sent me the script and I read it and I loved it. Then it was the conversation with my agent and I was like, “Man, I really want to be in this. I really want to be in it.” So they just started pursuing it and it was another conversation with Rian, and then they offered me the part.

So you read the whole script? Because last time we spoke you told me that you don’t like reading the whole script because you don’t want to be spoiled. And Knives Out 2 is maybe the most “spoiler” movie possible.

Yeah. I did read the script. And the reason I read it is because Rian wanted to talk to me about the script. So yeah, I read the full script so we could have an in-depth conversation about the full script. But typically I don’t, especially if I’m in a smaller part.

Are you sad you don’t get to see it all play out now?

Yeah! A little bit. A little bit. Yeah, I’m a fan and I love films and I loved the first Knives Out. I’m a fan and I don’t want the spoilers, man. I want to go to the movies and kind of be surprised. I guess that’s just who I am. I love films, man. I love films and I love television.

That’s all I have, but I’ll make sure to bring up to our mutual friend that he threatened to take a shit in your lunchbox.

Fucker. All right. It was a pleasure, man.

‘Army of the Dead’ will be in theaters May 14th, and hits Netflix on May 21st. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

The Daily Show’s Jordan Klepper was in the minority when he visited Phoenix and the scene of the current Arizona recount, a.k.a. the third Arizona recount. For one thing, he seemed to be one of the few individuals not carrying a gun, which made him stand out in a sea of MAGAs. Nor did Klepper seem convinced of the competency of the Cyber Ninjas, the company running the recount, which has zero experience with recounts.

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs chatted with Klepper and conceded that while “it’s comical to watch what is happening here in Arizona… I think that it’s also important to note that this is really dangerous to our democracy.”

Hobbs said that a number of Arizona voters are concerned about their ballots being in the hands of the Cyber Ninjas, a company run by a man who has regularly amplified conspiracy theories about 2020 voter fraud. Among the most prevalent of these theories? That a group of Chinese insurrectionists attempted to change the results of the election by submitting their own ballots… on bamboo paper. Which has led to a group of totally sane people having to use a UV light to look for bamboo in order to disprove this bizarre rumor.

“You can have some pretty far-fetched ideas on both sides, and what we’re doing is simply proving or disproving as many of those as we can,” Senate Audit Liaison Ken Bennett told Klepper.

While discussing the importance of a fair election with a man proudly brandishing a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum on his hip, he told Klepper that “There has been word that Antifa and BLM may be coming in, so they’re trying to be careful and secure the premises.” As for whether said Man With Gun had seen any signs of Antifa, he had not—but noted that there were whispers that they were infiltrating the carnival that was taking place next door to the recount. As in: an actual carnival. Antifa carnies? Yep! As Klepper noted, they were even mentioned in Cyber Ninjas’s “official documents outlining potential security threats.”

All of which begs the question: Which one is the real carnival?

Most people will look at a $500 price tag for a bottle of booze — yes, even whisk(e)y — and laugh. Even when you’re very wealthy, spending $300-$500 for a single bottle of Scotch whisky is a big ask. The liquid encased in glass can’t just represent a series of pours, it has to create experiences. Something special.

The ten bottles of very expensive Scotch whisky below are, at the very least, fitting of that “special” designation. They each come with a story, complex flavors, new layers of nuance, and a whole lot of craft. They’ll help you take your whisky journey to the next level — maybe even shoot you into the stratosphere.

If you do want to give one of these Scotch whiskies a shot, click on the price links.

Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year

ABV: 46.2%

Average Price: $320

The Whisky:

This is Ardbeg’s yearly release of special batches of 19-year-old peaty malt. The whisky is Ardbeg’s signature peated whisky that’s bottled during a “haar.” That’s a thick and briny foggy morning on Islay, which imparts that x-factor into the whisky as it goes into the bottle.

Tasting Notes:

You’re drawn in with a super subtle waft of soft smoke with hints of sour cream, fennel, and cold-smoked salmon on a pine cutting board that’s been washed in the sea. The palate holds onto that briny seaside vibe as it veers towards sea salt-laden dark bricks of fudge bespeckled with dried orange zest and lavender. The end circles back around to a sooty smoke that feels like a warm granite rock that’s been dipped in the sea and then rolled around in the dying embers of a fire.

Bottom Line:

I don’t even like heavily peated whisky and I love this. So, maybe I do like big peated whiskies now. That’s how good this stuff is — it will make you question what you thought you knew about your own palate.

Mortlach 18

ABV: 43.4%

Average Price: $330

The Whisky:

This Speyside distillery is the aficionado’s label. This Mortlach expression spent 18 long years aging in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry barrels before getting vatted, proofed down with that soft Speyside water, and bottled in a very art-deco decanter.

Tasting Notes:

You’re drawn in with this sense of a wicker holiday basket brimming with sweet apples and pears mingling with shelled nuts, dried fruits, and sweet toffee candies all wrapped up in golden cellophane. The palate holds onto those sweet, nutty, and buttery notes while it dips into marzipan, salted caramel, and cherry tobacco. That tobacco holds on as the finish slowly fades away, leaving you with a final note of dark chocolate and orange oils.

Bottom Line:

There’s a pang in your heart when you drink this. It’s that sort of pain of realizing you’ve found one of your favorite whiskies (in any category) of all time that is just out of reach price-wise to be your favorite bottle. Still, that makes this an amazing celebratory bottle to have on your shelf for when you really need something beautiful in a glass.

The Macallan Sherry Oak Cask 18 Year

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $350

The Whisky:

This version of Macallan is all about the sherry oak aging. The whiskies are aged in hand-selected sherry-seasoned barrels for 18 years before they’re vatted, proofed, and bottled into this classic expression.

Tasting Notes:

You’re greeted with this mix of ginger candies, vanilla beans, and cinnamon sticks with a touch of sultanas and dates. The palate builds on the spice with handfuls of clove, nutmeg, and allspice as cedar kindling mingles with a bright orange zest. That zest drives the finish as the ginger, dried fruit, and spice return, leaving you with this sense of spicy and sweet holiday candies.

Bottom Line:

If you love Macallan, you’re going to love this. The flavors are ultra-refined with a smoothness that few other whiskies possess. This is one of those “smooth” whiskies that you can use as an example of what “smooth” means when describing whisky. It’s really that easy drinking.

Chivas Regal 25

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $362

The Whisky:

This expression from Chivas is what the brand used to be back in the early 1900s before Prohibition struck everything down in the U.S. The 25-year-old blend was the high-water mark whisky of that era. Then it was gone. In 2007, Chivas decided to bring the iconic bottle of blended whisky back and we’re all better for it.

Tasting Notes:

The nose draws you in with orange-flavored marzipan, hints of dried fruits, and a subtle flourish of ripe peach skins with a malty underbelly. The palate holds onto that orange-marzipan vibe as layers of rich and dark chocolate arrive with silken vanilla and fruity/sweet woods. The finish on this one is long, bringing along a sense of creamy vanilla next to that sweet-yet-bright almond paste with orange oils.

Bottom Line:

This feels like the holidays in a glass. The vibe is very much like sneaking one too many sweets at Christmas. A nostalgia-activating, silken gem.

Highland Park 21

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $370

The Whisky:

This special release from 2019 is also sort of like a Scotch small batch. The whisky is a marrying of whiskies aged in nine first-fill sherry casks, eight bourbon casks, and nine refill barrels. Those whiskies are then vatted and brought down to proof on the windswept Orkney Islands.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear sense of grilled tropical fruits drizzled with sweet and thick balsamic next to hints of shelled nuts and fresh ginger. The ginger spice persists as saffron-stewed pears mingle with vanilla husks, raisins, and pecans baked into pancake syrup. The end lingers for a while and warms towards the spicier end of the ginger as an earthy, almost mossy, peaty smoke dances through your senses.

Bottom Line:

This feels like it bridges the world of sweet and smoky scotch. The smoke is there, for sure, but it’s an accent for the fruitier and nuttier aspects of the sip. That makes this the perfect dram for anyone looking for the best of both worlds.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare Port Ellen

ABV: 43.8%

Average Price: $375

The Whisky:

This rare limited release from Johnnie Walker has a backbone from a “ghost” — or permanently closed — distillery, the famed Port Ellen. There’s more. The blend also includes juice from two other shuttered distilleries, Carsebridge and Caledonian. That means this blend is not going to be seen again, ever. If you need more convincing, the whisky also has Mortlach, Oban, Blair Athol, Cragganmore, and Dailuaine whiskies layered in there, too.

Tasting Notes:

This has a vibe of oaty soda bread smeared with salted farm-churned butter with a hint of lemon curd, orange oils, and smoked pear. The taste moves the smoke away from the fruit and towards lavender as wet tea leaves mingle with vanilla-heavy cream soda and sea spray. The peatiness kicks up a subtle notch, bringing this vibe of a thick paper bag that once held BBQ charcoal next to more smoked pears, plums, and ginger.

Bottom Line:

This is smokier than a lot of Johnnie Walkers out there thanks to that Port Ellen foundation. Still, this is so unique and full of whiskies we’ll never see again … it feels like you have to try it at least once.

BenRiach The Twenty Five Speyside Four Cask Matured

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $400

The Whisky:

This is a very special mix of BenRiach whiskies. The juices are peated and unpeated whiskies that spend 25 years in sherry casks, bourbon barrels, virgin oak casks, and Madeira casks before their brought together. The end result is proofed with Speyside water and bottled as is.

Tasting Notes:

There’s this feeling of hazelnut by way of a shot of espresso that merges with smoked stone fruits and dark chocolate on the nose. The taste then drives towards a rich eggnog creaminess and spiciness with more smoked stone fruits, salted honey-roasted almonds, and a woody apple tobacco chewiness. The end doesn’t overstay its welcome and leaves you with that tobacco chew and plenty of subtly smoked fruit.

Bottom Line:

You could argue that you’re not paying for one 25-year-old whisky with this bottle but four 25-year-old whiskies. That’s 100 years of whisky maturation in one bottle of booze. We’ll just leave you with that thought.

The Glenlivet XXV

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $456

The Whisky:

This masterpiece from Glenlivet is their iconic whisky that’s left to mature for 25 years. That whisky is then finished in an Olorosso sherry cask for that final chef’s kiss of perfection before going in the bottle at an incredibly accessible 86 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Imagine the best, most bespoke dark chocolate-covered raisins from a ridiculously expensive chocolate shop and you’ll be on the right track. Those sweets are the foundation for burnt orange peels, Almond Roca candies, and sweet caramel malts with zero edges. The finish is so long that you might still be thinking about it on your death bed thanks to an orange/spice/nutty matrix of silky whisky smoothness.

Bottom Line:

If we were going to spend nearly $500 on a bottle of whisky, this is probably the one we’d pull that trigger on. It’s really that good.

The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch No. 6

ABV: 50.4%

Average Price: $480

The Whisky:

These special limited editions from Balvenie are all about highlighting very special barrels in small batches. In this case, the batch was drawn from 21 carefully chosen barrels to highlight the best of the best from the distillery. The whiskies were aged in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-sherry that already held whisky. Those whiskies were then vatted in Tun 1509 where they rested and mingled for three more months before bottling as is.

Tasting Notes:

This draws you in with a flourish of floral summer honey notes next to bright orange oils, wet brown sugar, and a touch of freshly squeezed ginger juice. Those orange oils turn candied orange as a dose of super high-quality maple syrup (that feels like it was just boiled after being pulled from the tree) ties everything together. A dusting of dark holiday spices cuts through the sweetness as a salted caramel maltiness ushers in the long-winded finish.

Bottom Line:

Once these bottles are gone, they’re gone. These drops are pretty much the best example of what small batching special barrels of scotch can achieve, making the high price all the more palatable.

Tomatin Single Malt 30

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $499

The Whisky:

This Highland whisky spent 30 years aging in ex-bourbon and sherry casks. If you score a bottle that was released last year, that means that that juice went into those barrels in 1990. That, in turn, means that the grains for that juice were grown in 1989. Michael Keaton was Batman in 1989. The Cosby Show, Roseanne, and Cheers were the top-rated T.V. shows. Janet Jackson’s Miss You Much was the longest-running number-one single that year.

This is all to say, that you’d be drinking a whiskey from a different time entirely.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a sense of wildflowers and honey up front that leads towards a very soft and almost wet leather with a hint of creamy milk chocolate. The taste veers towards bright and almost acidic tropical fruits in a rich vanilla pudding with plenty of cinnamon spice and a touch of candied ginger. The floral-honey vibe returns and melds with the spicy vanilla pudding as an oatmeal raisin cookie butteriness and sugariness lingers on your senses.

Bottom Line:

This is worth grabbing just to taste something that was made in the 1980s. Back before the whisky boom, whisky was made a lot more slowly (and deliberately) and that’s what you’re paying for in this bottle.

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After the Trail Blazers beat the Jazz and the Mavericks beat the Grizzlies, the Lakers needed a win over the Rockets to avoid being locked into the play-in with two games to go in the season. Under normal circumstances, that wouldn’t have been an issue against a depleted, 8-man Houston side, but the Lakers came in shorthanded as well, with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Dennis Schröder, Alex Caruso, and Marc Gasol all out for banner night at Staples Center.

What ensued was a wild game that produced powerful Summer League vibes, with Kelly Olynyk having a big night with 24 points, eight assists, and six rebounds for Houston, along with 24 points from Armani Brooks and a 20-11 night from Kenyon Martin Jr. Their performance pushed the Lakers down to the final possession, as L.A. needed some late game heroics from Kyle Kuzma to avoid a dismal loss that would’ve locked them into the 7-seed.

Kuzma, who had 19 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists off the bench, got the ball up top after Houston bottled up Talen Horton-Tucker (who led L.A. with 23 points and 10 assists), and proceeded to make a smooth take to the basket for a go-ahead bucket with 6.9 seconds to play.

The Rockets went to Olynyk on their final possession, but the veteran big man had the ball poked away by Wes Matthews in the high post and Houston never got a shot up at a win, with Horton-Tucker splitting his late free throws to give the Lakers a 124-122 win.

With the win, the Lakers kept their hopes of avoiding the play-in alive and managed to do so without rushing back LeBron or having to play AD on a back-to-back. They will now have two days off before playing the Pacers on Saturday night, and will know if they have a shot at catching Portland and/or Dallas by the time that game tips off. The Blazers play the Suns on Thursday night, with Portland able to secure a playoff spot with a win as Phoenix is still looking to lock down the 2-seed and possibly chase down Utah for the 1-seed out West. On Friday, the Mavs host the Raptors, where a win will likewise set them in the playoffs and should both Portland and Dallas win, the Lakers will know they are in the play-in by the time the Pacers game rolls around.

They still are expected to have LeBron back for that game to get him a tune-up prior to the play-in or playoffs, but how much they play he and AD on Saturday could be determined by whether they still have a 6-seed to play for.

The Brooklyn Nets picked up their 46th win of the season on Wednesday night, beating the Spurs in comfortable fashion in a 128-116 victory to all but secure the 2-seed in the East. A win over a play-in team isn’t major news for a squad like the Nets, but Wednesday’s game was an important one as it saw the return of James Harden after missing 20 games with a hamstring strain.

As has seemingly been the case every time one of the Nets’ stars returns from an absence, Harden and the team as a whole didn’t miss a beat, as he came off the bench to score 18 points, dish out 11 assists, and pull down seven rebounds in 26 minutes on the court. Brooklyn is still waiting to get all of their stars together, as Kyrie Irving missed the Spurs game with a facial contusion, but seeing Harden looking like his normal self was a welcome sight for the Nets and their fans.

After the game, Harden was asked if he was surprised to be able to find his rhythm so quickly after a 20-game absence and offered a tremendous response.

“Not really. Not to brag or anything, but I’m, like, really good at this game,” Harden said. “I study the game, very unselfish. I take the game and I play it the right way every single night. So, I don’t try to do anything I can’t do or doesn’t benefit my team. That mindset right there keeps me in a really good place.”

It is an objective truth that James Harden is really good at basketball, so he definitely isn’t lying when he says that and what he’s talking about — staying within himself and playing his game — is a really good message to young players. It’s something all the Nets stars do and is part of why they are so successful in returning after absences, as Harden and KD and Kyrie all know themselves, their games, and how they need to play to help the team. They aren’t pressing to do too much after missing time and aren’t asked to do that in the way some stars are, and it’s part of the luxury of having three superstars but, even when others are out, they know how to excel without needing to try to expand their games beyond what they’re best at. It helps to have some of the best offensive games of any player in the league, because the comfort zone for someone like Harden is so big, but it’s a message that should resonate with guys even in smaller roles to be the best version of who you are at the moment. That will help yourself and your team more than trying to do too much, and the Nets are a good example of a team that does that well.

Early today, Republicans in the House of Representatives voice-voted to remove Rep. Liz Cheney from her leadership position, inspiring “Cowards” and “Cult of Cowards” to trend on Twitter for much of the day. Her crime: acknowledging reality, apparently — refusing to bend the knee to Trump and repeatedly calling him out for his lies about the 2020 election being stolen and pinning blame on squarely on him for the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6th.

Tonight, Sean Hannity went after Cheney in a rambling diatribe, accusing her of harboring “psychotic rage” at Donald Trump while also chastising her for the sin of granting an interview to MSNBC. Hannity also went out of his way to explain that Cheney was not “canceled” — no, conservatives would never do that. Rather, she was “fired,” according to Hannity.

“And by the way, for the record, you were not canceled, you were removed from leadership because you put your selfish agenda ahead of the party’s agenda and the caucus fired you from your leadership position for your failure to lead the agenda,” Hannity explained. “You will likely be canceled, but it will be the people of Wyoming that cancel you, but that’s not till election day. You have plenty of time to soak in all the love from Democrats and your new friends in the media that were so kind and so loving to you and your family and your dad and your mom, just wonderful people.”

We look forward to the inevitable Donald Trump press release praising Hannity for his borderline incoherent rant.

Snoop Dogg is undoubtedly a legend in the hip-hop world. His work dates back to the 1990s and to this day, the Long Beach rapper continues to release new music for his fanbase to enjoy. His most recent effort came back in April with From The Streets 2 Tha Suites, a ten-track album he released to celebrate the month’s weed-themed 4/20 holiday. Fast forward to the present and the rapper just revealed that he’s working on an anthology series about his life. In a recent interview with Yahoo Entertainment, the rapper spoke about the project and detailed what fans can expect.

“I think what makes the most sense to me is the Snoop Dogg anthology, the life story of Snoop Dogg where it starts with my mother and father meeting each other before I was even born, to me being born, to me growing through the ‘70s and ‘80s and the ‘90s,” he said. “Me being the ‘Black Forest Gump,’ so to speak, seeing me in all of these highlighted moments in American history. We’re developing that, putting it together as we speak, just trying to take my time and put the right information out.” Snoop also made sure to say that he’s in no rush to release the anthology series to the public.

“I want to take my time and make sure that I’ve put together the right infrastructure of how I became me—you know, the people that inspire me, my upbringing, my mother, my father, my friends, community influences, inspirations that shaped and molded me,” he said. “I don’t see it being a biopic because I can’t give all of this great information and entertainment in two hours. But if I give it to you in an anthology, you’re likely to get six or seven seasons of this.”

The six guaranteed playoff spots in the Eastern Conference are officially accounted for after the Atlanta Hawks beat the Washington Wizards and the Boston Celtics lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. The Hawks win secured their first playoff berth since 2016-17, while the Celtics loss locked the New York Knicks into the playoffs for the first time since 2012-13.

Boston is now officially in the play-in tournament along with the Hornets and Pacers. The Wizards still need one more win or a loss from the Bulls to clinch their spot in the play-in next week, and once that happens all 10 spots will be accounted for.

Now, there is still some seeding drama to unfold, as the Hawks are currently in 4th but are just a half-game ahead of the Knicks and Heat, meaning the matchup for the 4-5 game is still very much to be determined. Making that game is going to be something those teams very much want to happen, as the 6-seed is likely going to face the 3-seed Milwaukee Bucks, who are now 1.5 games behind the Nets after Brooklyn’s win over San Antonio.

In the play-in, no one is locked into a seed yet, as the Celtics are just 1.5 games up on Indiana and Charlotte, who are tied for the 8-seed with the Hornets owning the tiebreaker. Making the 7-8 matchup is of incredible importance for the play-in as it requires just one win to make the playoffs rather than two from the 9-10 matchup.

The NFL held its 2021 schedule release on Wednesday night, as teams got to unveil their 17-game schedules which, as always, involved fun videos from their social media accounts to unveil their upcoming slate of games.

For some, like the Chiefs, this meant going back to old footage to craft a clever video to reveal their full schedule — pulling Reid saying “a good football team” for Washington was an especially nice touch.

Others put a lot more time, money, and effort into producing their schedule release video, and it should come as no surprise that Jerry Jones and the Cowboys tried to one-up everyone with their video. Dallas pulled in Post Malone to help with a wild video that involves him delivering the schedule to Jerry Jones and the two celebrating by playing beer pong, Post putting a giant Cowboys logo necklace on Jerry, and then the two making it rain schedules on Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.

I like how much Zeke sold his part by jumping up and down trying to catch the mini schedules Post Malone and Jerry Jones were raining down on to him, and I guess when you’re the Cowboys you have the ability to spend whatever it cost to get Post Malone to do this. That Jerry put himself front and center is also unsurprising, and the funniest part is that the schedule just kind of flashes up there at the very end.