Category: Viral

Kal Penn and Freeform are teaming up in an effort to get America to “FF’ing Vote” and “Kick 2020 in the Ballots.”

As part of a new, non-partisan voter initiative to encourage young Americans to take part in the upcoming presidential election, Freeform will be dropping a series of PSAs both on-air and on YouTube. “This activation will encourage fans to share on social media what issues they want to kick in the ballots and tag a friend to continue inspiring each other, using the hashtags #Kick2020intheBallots and #FFingVote,” according to a press release from the network.

The #FFingVote campaign will also be buoyed by the launch of a six-part election series Kal Penn Approves This Message, which will culminate in a one-hour special on October 27. Much like the PSAs, Penn’s show will hopefully energize young voters as he tackles multiple issues that can be affected by the 2020 election.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Hosted by Kal Penn, the show is a smart, irreverent unscripted comedy series that explores issues relevant to Millennial and GenZ voters. Each episode will consist of comedic field pieces as well as a sit-down interview with Kal and a featured guest. With topics ranging from voting basics to voter empowerment, the economy to climate change, the series will break down key issues young voters are passionate about and arm them with the tools they need to make an impact and vote.

Kal Penn Approves This Message premieres September 22 on Freeform with new episodes available on Hulu the following day.

(Via Freeform)

Travis Scott is going all-out to promote his collaboration with McDonald’s, pulling up at a South Los Angeles McDonald’s location in his cherry-red Ferrari to sample his meal and causing a fan frenzy in the process. The McDonald’s in Downey, California is the burger chain’s oldest location still in existence, so it’s naturally the location Travis chose to make a public appearance, prompting fans to whip out their phones and mob his vehicle in the drive thru.

The oldest McDonald’s is a drive-up hamburger stand and was opened on August 18, 1953, making it the third restaurant opened by the original MacDonald family. It’s become something of a tourist attraction and is eligible for addition to the National Register of Historic Places, although its owner refused the addition in 1994. Travis’ McDonald’s collaboration includes a meal he inspired, as well as apparel he helped design.

In other, non-food-related collaborations, Travis recently appeared on Big Sean’s Detroit 2, providing a guest verse on “Lithuania.” He has also been tooling around with his predecessor, Kid Cudi, after releasing their first collaborative song, “The Scotts,” during another corporate-sponsored event — Travis’ virtual concert within Fortnite. On the solo front, Travis recently released the new track “The Plan,” which some believe to be the kickoff for his followup to Astroworld.

If nothing below suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.

Good news, the late-night talk shows are back after a weeklong hiatus:

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — Michael Strahan, Big Sean

Jimmy Kimmel Live — Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — Senator Bernie Sanders, Jon Batiste, and Nathaniel Rateliff

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Jane Fonda, Jorma Taccone

In case you need some laughs (and who doesn’t?), Netflix has dropped many comedy specials over the past few months, and here are the highlights:

Eric Andre: Legalize Everything — This New Orleans-filmed special shows Eric Andre once again busting through comedic boundaries while taking on the wars on sex, drugs, and… fart jokes? Alright. Seriously though, It’s the best comedy special of the year and highly relevant to the U.S. police-related discussion today.

Jim Jefferies: Intolerant — The Aussie comedian (who remains notorious for his gun-control opinion) pulls a 180 from where he was five years ago. He’s less focused on issues these days and grows incredibly banal at times, but he’s still uproariously funny. While reflecting upon the state of comedy today, he manages to dole out some hefty insight on life while telling an epic tale of the pursuit of lactose at all costs.

Pete Davidson: Alive From New York — From SNL to a ton of upcoming movies, Pete Davidson’s doing everything, and now, he’s got his very first Netflix original comedy special. Yes, he’s dropping all kinds of unfiltered anecdotes on everything from his SNL-related discomfort to his Louis C.K. beef and Ariana Grande relationship.

Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything — The Emmy and Grammy winning comedian brings his newest comedy special to the streaming giant. Look forward to anecdotes involving a full-scale Millennium Falcon replica and how home buying gets tied to the term “suicide squad.” Stick around for the post-credits bonus, in which Patton introduces another one-hour comedy special, Bob Rubin: Oddities & Rarities.

Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours To Kill — The legendary Jerry Seinfeld has dropped his second Netflix special. Expect him to keep mining everyday life to unveil comedy in the commonplace. Although the title of this special feels Bond-esque, Seinfeld doesn’t disappoint those expecting his trademarked sharp perceptions about everyday life.

Sam Jay: 3 In The Morning (Netflix standup special) — For her first hour-long comedy special with the streaming giant, SNL writer Sam Jay headed to Atlanta, Georgia to get witty, candid, and raw at The Masquerade club.

Marc Maron: End Times Fun — The long-time standup comic, GLOW star, and prolific podcaster unleashes his latest comedy special. Expect Maron’s thoughts on cell phones, vaccinations, and Tumeric. Oh, and he’s definitely talking about his ongoing beef with Marvel movie fans.

George Lopez: We’ll Do It For Half (Netflix stand-up special, Tuesday) — Somehow, this is Lopez’s first Netflix comedy special despite his storied stand-up roots. In one hour, Lopez dives into lessons that he’s learned from the Latino community, along with issues related to emotional support animals, gender reveal parties, and elevator etiquette.

Hannah Gadsby: Douglas (Netflix stand-up special) — The newest Netflix comedy special arrives today with Hannah Gadsby following up on Nanette with a second turn named after one of her dogs. Gadsby’s hope was that Douglas would “inspire comedy disobedience,” according to Netflix, and this LA-filmed special promises to upend all expectations.

Joe Exotic really is going right to the top with his request for a pardon for the crimes that currently have the Tiger King star in an Oklahoma prison. According to Mediate, Exotic’s legal team will submit a lengthy letter to the Trump administration outlining several reasons why he should receive a pardon from the president.

TMZ has more details on the reportedly 257-page request, which argues in part that Exotic should be pardoned because he’s claimed sexual abuse by prison staff. His legal team also added that he’d never tried to kill Carole Baskin, as the apparent murder-for-hire plot is what landed him in jail in the first place.

Exotic, who has run for office himself in his extremely colorful past, apparently asked the president to “be my hero” and even included his support for both Trump and his son in a potential run for president in 2024.

“I have been sexually assaulted by jail staff, beat up and tied in a chair to the point the skin came off my arms,” Exotic wrote in his letter to the president, before asking him to excuse his writing and spelling, explaining that his hands have been damaged from the abuse.

“Please be my hero…My hands are damaged from the abuse in jail so I’m sorry for the soppy (sic) writing and spelling,” he added. “Allow me to make you proud, to make America proud, to make the world proud. Be my hero please.” He also solidified his support for Trump and his family, adding “#TrumpJr.2024” to his 257-page case.

Among the hefty filings reportedly coming from Exotic’s legal team, led by Eric Love, are claims that he was convicted due to anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments and that what was identified as threats on Baskin’s life were “merely jokes” made “in bad taste.” There are also several statements from character references, including one from Exotic’s husband, Dillon Passage.

Will Smith had some exciting news for the creator of the gritty reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that caused a bidding war when Smith began shopping the series in early August.

After playing a few clips from the fan trailer that got the ball rolling on the hour-long project, Smith fired up a video chat with Bel-Air creator Morgan Cooper and let him in on a huge development: Peacock has picked up the show with a two-season order. The NBC-loaded streaming service beat out some heavy competition to land it, too, as both HBO Max and Netflix were reportedly looking to add the show to their streaming slate.

While the idea of a gritty and serious take on the classic sitcom might sound unusual, the concept energized Smith, who had resisted a Fresh Prince reboot for years and repeatedly told reporters it would happen “when hell freezes over.” But after seeing Cooper’s Bel-Air trailer on YouTube, Smith was on board and began championing the project, which will see Cooper in the role of showrunner with an assist from executive producer Chris Cooper (The Wire, The Man in the High Castle).

Here’s the official synopsis:

Set in modern-day America, BEL-AIR is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the 90’s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” that leans into the original premise: Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. With a reimagined vision, BEL-AIR will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases that were impossible to fully explore in a 30-minute sitcom format, while still delivering swagger and nods to the original show.

No pressure, but someone better be working on a haunting cover of the original theme song.

(Via Will Smith)

Two weeks ago, the NBA made an unprecedented move to stage a walkout right in the the middle of the postseason. After months of protests against racial injustice, yet another unarmed Black man, Jacob Blake, was shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, leading players around the league to reprioritize their efforts toward social change.

After two days of meetings between the players’ association and the board of governors, the league came up with a multifaceted plan to use its platform, its influence, and wealth to launch several initiatives, including a media campaign designed to educate the public on social cause and a plan to retrofit team-owned arenas as voting locations for the coming elections.

Beyond that, teams and individual players have led efforts of their own, and the Boston Celtics announced on Tuesday the creation of a major, decade-long commitment to fight inequality in America. The Celtics Shamrock Foundation, along with the team’s investor group, are launching a massive, 10-year, $25 million program that will combat systemic inequality. Jaylen Brown, who has been among the NBA’s leading voices on the issue of social justice since entering the league, was among those that issued a statement with the announcement.

Via NBA.com:

“Our goal is to have a direct impact now,” said Celtics forward Jaylen Brown. “We don’t need to pacify the situation with empty gestures. We need to hold ourselves, the Celtics organization, and the city of Boston accountable. Monetary commitment is a great first step, but we need to commit to this process by creating a balance of short and long-term change. The time is now.”

The six pillars of the program will focus on equality in education, economic opportunity and empowerment, equality in healthcare, criminal justice and law enforcement, breaking down barriers and building bridges between communities, and voting an civic engagement.

We can expect to see more programs like this in the near future as the league and its players are leveraging their stardom and their wealth in a way we haven’t seen before.

(NBA.com)

Paula Walker, 56, and her husband, Joe, 73, are commemorating their 40th wedding anniversary with an unexpected gift from their past — Paula’s long-lost wedding ring.

The couple who lives in Plymouth, England, were married on August 28th, 1980. Three years into their marriage, Paula was playing catch with their son in the yard when her cherished 18-karat wedding ring flew off her finger and vanished into the shrubbery.

“My house backs onto woodland and I thought possibly that the ring flew in there. I thought it was gone forever,” Paul said according to Good News Network.

The couple paid a metal detector to try to retrieve the ring. But they searched for two days and nothing came up. Paula had to settle and buy a new ring, but she never forgot about the old one.

The missing ring became a running joke in the family. Whenever someone went outside to mow the lawn or do a bit of gardening, a family member would always say to look out for the ring.

“Over the years—whenever we’ve been in the garden or out there—I’ve always said ‘have a look for the ring,’ but we never found it,” Paula said.

via The California Sun

But things changed when the couple hired a landscaping crew to tidy up the garden for their 40th wedding anniversary. Paula told the Man of All Seasons landscaping crew that the ring was lost somewhere in the garden, but didn’t have much hope that it’d be found because it had been so long.

“We had a gardening company come in and landscape our garden and I told them about the ring and the whole story,” said Paula.

While digging up the garden, the landscapers struck gold.

“They called me out into the garden a while later saying they had a surprise for me and then handed me my wedding ring,” she exclaimed. “It was in the garden where I was standing and where I had been playing ball with my son all those years ago.”

via The California Sun

It’s amazing that she could have looked in the same place probably dozens of times over the years and never found the ring.

“I was so shocked but incredibly grateful,” Paula said. It’s wonderful to have it back.”

The couple has lived in the house since 1977, if they would have moved, they probably never would have found the missing ring.

Paula said that having her original wedding ring back was the best anniversary gift she could have ever received.

“Not only did they do an amazing job on the garden, they’re also treasure hunters,” Paula said of the landscapers. “It really made my day, my 40 years really.”

The Walkers amazing story is another great reminder that no matter how hopeless a situation can be, to never give up hope. They never forgot about their lost ring and it was a big reason why they finally got it back.

I wrote an article a few weeks ago about the tragic murder of a 5-year-old boy, Cannon Hinnant, and how it was being politicized to attack the Black Lives Matter movement. In one of many angry messages I received, a reader wrote “When is the last time you saw a BLM protest that wasn’t violent?”

I was stunned. Was this person serious?

From what I had seen, the vast majority of BLM protests were peaceful. But of course I had no actual data to back that up—until now.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) is a non-governmental non-profit organization that has been tracking incidents of conflict around the world since at least 2014. Since May, they have tracked the more than 10,000 protests that have taken place in the U.S., 73% of which specifically cite Black Lives Matter as part of the basis for the protest.

In the more than 7,750 BLM protests that have taken place from May through the end of August, 93% included no acts of violence. More than 9 out of 10 protests, totally peaceful.

But that doesn’t even tell the whole story, because not all of the violence that has broken out at protests has even come from BLM protestors. Naturally, some rioting we’ve seen is a result of anger over injustice being channeled into destruction of property or lashing out violently. But some violence at BLM protests has come from outside the BLM movement entirely.

For example, one of the instigators of riots during the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis following his killing was found to be a white supremacist. Law enforcement also determined that white supremacists were also responsible for the violence at BLM protests in Richmond, Virginia in June.

In fact there are a handful of extremist groups from both the far-right and far-left who have taken advantage of the protests to either frame the BLM movement as violent or to stoke their own fantasies of violent unrest. I’d never heard of the Boogaloo movement until the BLM protests began and some Boogaloo Bois saw it as a great opportunity to get the civil war they’ve been itching for to begin.

And then there’s the violence coming from law enforcement. According to the ACLED, BLM demonstrations have been more likely to be met with force than other types of demonstrations, despite being largely peaceful:

“Overall, ACLED data indicate that government forces soon took a heavy-handed approach to the growing protest movement. In demonstrations where authorities are present, they use force more often than not. Data show that they have disproportionately used force while intervening in demonstrations associated with the BLM movement, relative to other types of demonstrations.

Despite the fact that demonstrations associated with the BLM movement have been overwhelmingly peaceful, more than 9% — or nearly one in 10 — have been met with government intervention, compared to 3% of all other demonstrations. This also marks a general increase in intervention rates relative to this time last year. In July 2019, authorities intervened in under 2% of all demonstrations — fewer than 30 events — relative to July 2020, when they intervened in 9% of all demonstrations — or over 170 events.”

It’s also important to note that the 7% of protests that have involved violence haven’t all involved burning down buildings or killing people. There are varying manifestations of violence, and while we would all hope that protests would remain peaceful, it’s unsurprising that a small percentage will end up with some conflict. We are talking about human beings, after all. As a species, we have a long and bloody history of violence that we haven’t exactly evolved out of yet.

Regardless, the notion that the Black Lives Matter movement is inherently violent is false. The notion that BLM protests have been largely violent is false. That doesn’t mean we should just ignore violence altogether, but there are people who benefit greatly from pushing the idea that BLM is violent, and we have to challenge that. Don’t let some media outlets’ hyperfocus on headline-grabbing riots—or the sensationalist human tendency to share and talk about those stories—push you away from the movement for racial justice. Peaceful, powerful protests abound—that’s where we should place our focus.

In the time between getting nominated for Best Film and Best Director at the Independent Spirit Awards and shooting a freaking Marvel movie, Chloé Zhao hit the road with Frances McDormand and made a possible Oscar contender. No biggie.

Nomadland is the latest feature from Zhao, who was tapped to direct Eternals, the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, following the breakthrough success of The Rider, a story of masculinity in crisis. She cast two-time Oscar winner McDormand as Fern, a 60-something factory worker who travels through the American West in a van to find a job. Searchlight Pictures submitted Nomadland to all the major film festivals this fall — Venice, Telluride, Toronto, and New York — which means distributor Searchlight Pictures expects big things next February on Oscar night. And if Zhao and/or McDormand do win, I hope they share this delightful story from the Hollywood Reporter.

Three months after she accepted the Oscar for best actress in a gold-hued gown, Frances McDormand was spending the night in an Econoline van in Chloé Zhao’s driveway in Ojai, regretting her decision to eat barbecue for dinner… That night in Zhao’s driveway, they had met up to figure out some practicalities of shooting in the confined space, where McDormand was going to sleep for character research. As her stomach rumbled, Zhao gently reminded the actor, “You wanted spicy chicken wings…”

McDormand continues. “And so, I literally experienced the worst, not maybe the worst thing, but a not-very-pleasant thing that could happen,” McDormand says. “I took a dump in the 5-gallon bucket. But it also was really great because we filmed some stuff.”

Now that’s method acting. Nomadland (watch the teaser trailer above) is scheduled to come out on December 4, followed by Eternals on February 12, 2021.

Chloe and Halle Bailey of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle have had an immensely busy year thus far. Just a few months ago, the sister pair released their sizzling sophomore album, Ungodly Hour, and have since found clever ways to stage at-home performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the 2020 MTV VMAs pre-show. The two even tapped Doja Cat and Mulatto to lend verses on a revved-up remix of their hit “Do It.” But that’s not all they have in store for this year. Halle recently revealed she has begun recording the soundtrack to Disney’s upcoming live-action reboot of The Little Mermaid after she landed the lead role as Ariel.

While the pandemic has surely halted some production, that hasn’t stopped Halle from working on the upcoming film’s soundtrack. A recent interview with Cosmopolitan confirmed Halle is already in the soundtrack’s recording process. “Whenever individual opportunities come, it’s exciting because when one of us wins, the other one does too,” Halle said about the upcoming project.

Last year, The Little Mermaid‘s director Rob Marshall confirmed Halle’s casting and said, “After an extensive search, it was abundantly clear that Halle possesses that rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence, and substance — plus a glorious singing voice — all intrinsic qualities necessary to play this iconic role.”

Read the full interview here.