Category: Worldwide

On one hand, the Daily Show guest host carousel is a fun way to see a mix of different comedic personas. On the other, it’s also a job interview of sorts, with each candidate bringing their own hopes and dreams to the process. For correspondents, maybe that means a chance to show with they can do at the desk. For some other hosts, it’s maybe about a return to their comedy roots.

This week’s host, Desus Nice, is a little different. For one, he told me that he doesn’t know that he’s a fit for the full-time job. That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t happily take it if offered (and he’s extremely excited about the opportunity to host the show), but it also creates this idea that he’s not approaching it like a candidate so much as he’s approaching it as a comic, fan of the show, and someone who just wants to absolutely crush this for crushing’s sake.

In the following conversation, we get into what Nice’s Daily Show week is gonna be, the question of expanding perceptions, people’s association of him with his former comedy partner and Desus & Mero co-host Kid Mero, not worrying about the people who aren’t into him, and how he’s New York even when living in LA part-time.

You mentioned being bi-coastal for a time for work and then you were out there during the strike. When you’re away from New York, do you still feel like you’re like a road team? Are you feeling comfortable in LA?

You know what? It really feels like I’m going away for college. I feel like Emily in Paris. It doesn’t feel real because one of the weirdest things is I’m in LA, but I still have my cable from New York City. So I don’t see any LA news. I’m just watching New York 1. So I’m sitting there in my living room watching Eric Adams just destroy the city and I have no idea what’s going on in LA. I know nothing about the weather, traffic, any events, nothing.

Everything that happens, I know about it. I’m calling my friends in New York like, “Oh, my God. It’s going to rain on Friday. Make sure you guys put the sandbag by your door because it might be another flood.” And they’re like, “How do you know about this before I do?” And I was like, “I miss home like that.” But then also being out in LA, I’ve been out there long enough that now I’m starting to pick up the vibes of LA, learning neighborhoods, learning restaurants, got a little crew of friends out there. It’s cool. It’s totally different than my New York experience. Actually, it’s a good experience. It gives you a lot to make jokes about and references. And then you can reference stuff like you can reference Glendale and Erewhon, Eagle Rock, all these very neat LA references that people were like, “Oh, wow. He’s really doing LA.”

So you’re at home watching, New York 1 in your Emily in Paris beret?

Yes, eating a baguette.

I’ve talked to a few people who’ve done the guest host thing. Roy Wood Jr. had a great take on the responsibility that comes with hosting. I’m curious how you view the responsibility of what you’re about to step into with that chair.

Well, first of all, shout out to Roy. Roy is a great guy. He hit me up as soon as the announcement came out, and he was texting me, he gave me advice, gave me his blessings. I’ve known him for a while, and he’s an amazing guy. He’s a comedian’s comedian. As far as hosting, this is just huge. This is a show I grew up watching. This is a show that is so diverse and so many different people watch it. There’s one point in time when this was how people got their news, people only watching The Daily Show. You can’t go on there and not do your homework. You can’t go in there and not know information or know what’s going on in the geopolitical world. At the same time you’re going up there, this is not something that they offer to just subpar people. You look at the list of people who are hosting, it’s Leslie Jones, Sarah Silverman. These are established people. So I’m just like, “Yo, I have to do this. I have to do my thing here.” But at the same time, it’s like the people who picked me for this was like, “No, you’re built for this and we can’t wait to see you on this.”

It’s super exciting and it’s just also, I haven’t been on TV in so long that I miss it. I’m just so hungry to get back in the studio and get back in front of the camera, and just even filming the man on the street stuff, just being back in the studio, and doing hair and makeup, and talking to the writers and doing the scripts. I miss that so much and that used to make me so happy during on my old shows. I’m just so happy to be back doing it, especially on The Daily Show. That’s wild. I was walking through the airport and this guy, I didn’t even know him, and he was like, “Yo, Desus. You better kill it on The Daily Show.” I was like, “Yo, people I don’t even know are rooting for me.” It’s an amazing feeling, man.

Obviously, the weight of the show is what the weight of the show is, but like you said, they picked you for this for a reason. Is this, The Daily Show with Desus Nice, or is this Desus Nice’s version of The Daily Show?

I think this is more The Daily Show with Desus Nice because it’s more scripted. I’m more off the cuff, just kind of freestyling off the top of my head. But sometimes you need actual numbers, you need a little more direction because you’ve seen some of the last shows I’ve done, they just be going everywhere. With The Daily Show, it’s like, “No, you have points to make, you have topics to discuss.” But I think shout out to the writers. Working with them, they get me and I get them. We’re kind of weaving a narrative that works on both levels. So hopefully, I can add my little je ne sais quoi to The Daily Show.

What are some of the drawbacks and benefits to being forever associated with a comedy partner, like with you and Mero?

I think one of the drawbacks is people tend to think of the group instead of the two individuals, because we’re both established comedians and we both bring different things to the table. Another thing is sometimes people don’t realize people grow and you have to accept the growth. So many people are forever going to compare you to the group versus the individual, so they won’t actually give you a chance to be an individual. They’re going to be like, “I want the old thing. I want the old thing.” It’s like, “The old thing isn’t there anymore. So this new thing, either accept it or not.” It kind of sucks, but that’s growth, and that’s life. Listen, a caterpillar has to go into a cocoon to become a butterfly. I don’t know what that means, but I read that in a book.

You’re a butterfly, absolutely. I agree.

Thank you.

Is this an opportunity for you to broaden the perception of you as an entertainer, as a comedic voice, as a powerful voice on culture? Was that part of the appeal of this also?

Yeah, absolutely, because if you look at my Tweets, I’m pretty smart. I’ve always talked on a high level. I’ve always talked on many diverse issues. I think recently, people, for some reason, have thought I’m stupid. People think all I know is, “You’re Yankee-fitted, chop cheese and Timberland Boots,” and it’s like, “No, I can talk about other things. I used to sell domain names internationally.” But this is kind of like Jay-Z said, “Allow me to reintroduce myself,” and it’s a chance for people who have never seen me to become introduced to the world of Desus, a very smart person who curses a lot.

For sure. I think anybody who’s paid attention knows that, but it’s going to be great to see you get a chance to blow up and talk about stuff on the international stage. Obviously, the subject matter on The Daily Show is a little bit different than stuff from the old show.

Has a little more meat on the bone. And then also, we got that good Viacom budget so we can actually show videos.

‘The Daily Show with Desus Nice’ airs this week, Monday through Thursday, on Comedy Central at 11PM ET

Power 105’s studios in New York City have been the site of plenty of drama related to The Breakfast Club, but last week, things got even wilder when the iHeartRadio station’s office was raided by federal agents who confiscated electronics as evidence in an investigation involving Breakfast Club co-host DJ Envy.

Unlike fellow DJ Drama, who once had his own studios raided by the feds, Envy’s case is not related to illegally obtained music or record industry pettiness. Instead, Envy is allegedly tied to a real estate Ponzi scheme that prosecutors claim “defrauded dozens of people of millions of dollars.” One arrest has been made so far: Cesar Pena, who occasionally appeared on The Breakfast Club under the moniker “Flipping NJ” and supposedly flipped properties in New Jersey with DJ Envy, was arrested for his role in the scheme. The complaint against him mentions “a well-known disc jockey and radio personality.”

According to Billboard, Pina bills himself as a real estate guru on social media, often posting photos with hip-hop stars like 50 Cent, Post Malone, and Snoop Dogg, and claims on his website that he owns 1,100 rental properties in Paterson, New Jersey. He appeared on The Breakfast Club as a guest of Envy’s and co-hosted a series of real estate seminars with him starting in 2018. In May of this year, though, he was accused on Instagram of using this celebrity to fool people into investing in properties with the intent of flipping them, and then keeping the profits for himself.

Those accusations turned into a spate of lawsuits filed against Pina from sources including record industry veteran Anthony Martini, who previously invested in the company behind controversial virtual rapper FN Meka. Martini’s lawsuit and another included DJ Envy for his role in promoting Pina’s companies on-air. Envy is named in nine of the twenty lawsuits against Pina.

Envy addressed the accusations, on The Breakfast Club, claiming to be a victim himself. “Cesar, if he took money, I wasn’t privy to it, nor did I even know,” he said. “But I do understand how people feel if they did give him money because I gave him a lot of money [and] I didn’t see a dollar of return. But for anybody to say that I was involved, that’s totally not true.” He’s also filed legal arguments to that effect, saying he was not involved in the deals that defrauded investors and that he’s lost $500,000 of his own in dealings with Pina. His lawyers also argue that just because he endorsed Pina shouldn’t make him liable. He also sued one of his accusers for defamation.

The upcoming Hunger Games prequel is set to finally hit theaters this fall, bringing audiences back to the dystopian world of Panem, vicious cops who look like knock-off stormtroopers, and, most importantly, the game that forces children to kill each other for sport. It’s also the same day that Trolls: Band Together hits theaters, so you have a very important choice to make.

The Hunger Games: Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes will take place many years before Katniss & Co. took on the Capitol and its power-hungry inhabitants. Fans will get a good old-fashioned origin story for the worst character in the series, the evil Coriolanus Snow. It sure sounds uplifting! Here’s everything you need to know for this very dark and probably depressing prequel. Again…Trolls will be in the theaters next to you when you need them.

Plot

The Hunger Games: Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes will take place 64 years before the events of The Hunger Games. Based on the prequel novel of the same name, the story will recount the rise of the villainous President Snow (played by Donald Sutherland in the initial series). Snow is now just a young gentleman who is looking to prove to his family that he has what it takes to lead. What is takes is apparently a lot of voilence. Here’s the official synopsis:

With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girls tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony. Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.

Cast

Leading off the cast is West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray and Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow, who later becomes the main antagonist in the Hunger Games series. The film stars Viola Davis as Dr. Volumnia Gaul, Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom, Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow, and Jason Schwartzman as Lucky Flickerman.

Release Date

The prequel hits theaters on November 17th, 2023. Also Trolls day.

Trailer

Check out the trailer below.

Men, Kim Kardashian wants to shape up your junk.

The reality TV mogul is expanding her SKIMS brand, adding a men’s line that she’s currently promoting via celebrity thirst traps. SKIMS Men is a comfort-based, performance-targeted underwear line that covers everything from boxers, briefs, and leggings, to tanks, tees, and socks. While Kardashian’s femme-focused products include her cult-favorite shapewear and athleisure lines, her men’s campaign looks to be geared towards athletes — or, at the very least, in-shape hunks who want to keep their large packages stable while lifting at the gym.

To that end, Kardashian has recruited some professional beefcakes to market her breathable gussets and male girdles. NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr., and NBA All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the faces (and bodies) of Kardashian’s latest business venture. The trio posed in a variety of SKIMS Men pieces, displaying all their assets while Kardashian and her team touted how the garments “aid in performance” and her new line is about to disrupt the world of men’s underwear — because apparently, that’s an industry that needs disrupting.

Kardashian seemed especially thrilled to score Neymar for the campaign (her son Saint is a soccer fan) saying, “To have an icon like Neymar Jr. be the face of our launch campaign, along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nick Bosa, I think speaks volumes to the way Skims has evolved into becoming a brand that can provide comfort for all audiences, not just women.”

Let us know when those boxer briefs save a life, then we’ll be impressed.

(Via US Weekly)

Pixar has been a presence in the Disney theme parks for years, from the Cars-themed Radiator Springs Racers and the iconic Pixar Pal-A-Round in Disney California Adventure to EPCOT’s Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Toy Story even has an entire land. Now, Disneyland guests can continue to feel like they’re in a Pixar movie even after they’ve left the park.

Disneyland Resort announced on Monday that the existing Paradise Pier Hotel will officially be turned into the Pixar Place Hotel on January 30, 2024. Highlights of the 15-story hotel include a giant Pixar Lamp in the lobby; artwork from Pixar Animation Studios artists in guest rooms; and a Finding Nemo-themed pool area, including the Crush’s Surfin’ Slide water slide (the pool is open now). Food options include coffee shop Sketch Pad Café, rooftop pool bar Small Bytes, and the Great Maple restaurant.

The menu of the eatery features “Cajun Shrimp & Cheddar Biscuit Benedict, Soda Pop-Braised Baby Back Ribs, Charred Cauliflower Hummus, Maple Pecan-Crusted Salmon, Market Fish, a variety of inspired salads, and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Maple Bacon Doughnuts,” according to Disney. You’ll have to head to Tomorrowland for Pizza Planet.

It should be mandatory for all hotel rooms, whether they’re on a Disney property or not, to come with a WALL-E stuffed animal to hug. This is a good start. You can see photos of the reimagined Pixar Place Hotel below.

(Via Disney Parks)

The Philadelphia Eagles moved to 6-1 on the season with an emphatic win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but their performance in slowing down the high-octane Miami offense was still not enough to satiate GM Howie Roseman.

Roseman, who has been incredibly aggressive in trading for high-end veterans to bolster the Eagles roster, made his latest deal by calling up an old friend in the Tennessee Titans on Monday. After the success A.J. Brown has had in Philadelphia, Roseman figured he’d try out another former All-Pro on the Tennessee roster, agreeing to a deal that sends Tennessee a fifth round pick, sixth round pick, and safety Terrell Edmunds for safety Kevin Byard.

Acquiring Byard should add an upgrade in the back end of the secondary, with Byard twice earning All-Pro nods in 2017 and 2021. So far this season, he’s had 47 tackles in six games with Tennessee, with no pass breakups or interceptions yet, but he figures to bring another physical presence to the safety position, capable of aiding in stopping the run, while also having a history of getting to the football in the passing game with 27 interceptions in the last six seasons prior to this one.

The deal is the latest use of mid round picks to acquire veteran help by the Eagles, who have looked to balance their roster with young, high-end talent (like Jalen Carter) and veterans as they seek out their second Super Bowl title this decade.

I’m trying desperately to be respectful of the person speaking to me, but my husband keeps texting me.

First he sends me a selfie of him with Rafi*, then it’s an account of who stopped him on his way into the NICU.

Then he suggests I take a selfie with Jillian* so he can post them side-by-side on Facebook and boast that we finally have two babies.

People will ask if they’re twins, I’m sure. But they’re not twins. In fact, the babies aren’t even ours.

I take care of these babies because I’m what’s known as an “interim parent.”

The program I’m part of is rare; there are very few like it in the United States.

While the babies are in my care, the birth parents retain their legal rights as parents and are encouraged to visit their babies (if that’s something they would like).

If they weren’t in the care of interim moms like me, these tiny babies might wait in the hospital a few extra days while their adoptions are finalized — or they might enter the foster care system.

In New York, biological parents have 30 days after adoption proceedings begin to change their minds about their placement plan.

I became an interim parent when a local mom posted about it on our neighborhood Yahoo! group.

“That! THAT I can do!” I thought, as I looked at the computer screen.

I was thrilled. I felt incapable of doing other types of volunteer work, but I felt like I had finally found a community service that I could perform. So, my husband and I applied. And after months of doctor appointments, background checks, interviews, and letters of reference from close friends, we were accepted.

The hope with the interim boarding care program is that biological parents have time to gain clarity about their decisions without pressure.

It also helps adoptive parents feel secure in their status as parents.

The children don’t usually get the chance to be present when one of our babies goes home, so this was a special day. Roughly 30% of the babies I’ve cared for have returned to their biological parents after their stay with me, and the rest have been adopted. Many of the birth mothers I’ve known have pursued open adoptions, selecting and meeting their child’s forever families.

People often ask me what the experience of interim parenting is like, but there’s no rule: Each case is different.

Babies stay with us, on average, for a few weeks. But one baby stayed with us with five days, another for nine and a half weeks.

Whatever the scenario, my family and I are available to care for these babies until they go home … wherever “home” may be.

This work can be emotionally challenging, too. Some biological parents do not interact with us at all while they’re making big decisions, and some end up being very involved. Some text regularly, requesting photos and updates on the baby while the baby is in our care. Sometimes they schedule weekly visits with the babies. One birth mom became such a constant in our life that my son asked if we could bake her cookies.

I am often blown away by the biological parents’ gratitude.

Melody* was one of the most beautiful babies I’d ever cared for, and I met her parents a couple of times. When they came to take her home, it was as though she was the only one in the room. When they thanked me for taking care of her, my lip started to quiver.

I had also never met Jibraan’s dad, either, when I placed him in his arms the day they went home together. “From the bottom of my heart … I can’t tell you what you’ve done for me,” he said. I remember that he towered over me, the size of a linebacker, clenching his jaw to keep the tears from spilling down his cheeks.

When I wave goodbye to the social workers at the agency after introducing each baby to their forever family, I always wonder how long it will be before I get to hold another baby.

I don’t get attached to each baby, per se. But I get attached to having a baby, to taking care of a baby. I resent my empty arms, and I feel like I’ve lost my purpose. So each time I see the adoption agency’s phone number pop up on caller ID, my heart skips a beat.

When the voice on the other end says, “Hi, Ann … are you ready to take another baby?” my first thought is, “Baby! I’m getting a BABY!” That excitement lasts for at least 48 hours.

But even as the adrenaline calms down and the sleepless nights begin to take their toll, the experience of caring for each baby proves to be more than enough motivation for me to keep going.

The emotions that swell when my babies go home with any parent — their adoptive parents or their birth parents — are not just because of the emptiness I feel in my arms or even because of the happiness I have for my babies and their families.

The emotions I feel are because of the fullness in my heart and the gratitude I have for being a part of each of these babies’ stories, even if it’s just for a moment.

This article was written by Ann Lapin and originally appeared on 04.08.16

This one’s for the girls who know you don’t have to chose between sparkles and sports.

For too long, girls have been sent the message that they have to be either/or. You’re either a girly-girl or a tomboy. You’re either into sparkly princesses or sports practices. From the early days of childhood, we’re told in bold and subtle ways to squeeze ourselves into separate boxes.

But those boxes are bullspit, and most of us know it. Girls don’t have to choose between feeling beautiful and being badass. We can be both at the same time.

Perhaps that’s why a portrait shoot shared by HMP Couture Imagery showing girls dressed up in fancy dresses and sports equipment has gone insanely viral. The shoot is called “Because you can do it all,” and in just a few days it has already been shared 175,000+ times.

The woman who photographed the shoot says a comment from a fellow mom sparked the idea.

Heather Mitchell, the photographer from Alabama who runs HMP Couture Imagery, told Upworthy how the portrait shoot came about.

“My youngest daughter is 8 and she is trying softball this year for the first time,” said Mitchell. “We were at practice a few weeks ago and I was talking with the other moms. I was saying that I hoped Paislee learned to love the game because she was athletic. One of the moms told me that she was not athletic, that she was a girly-girl.”

“I couldn’t sleep that night,” Mitchell continued. “All I could think was, ‘Why does she have to choose?’ I played every sport my school offered and wore lipstick to every game. So the next day we went to the studio and created her shot.”

Mitchell says she only spent about three minutes shooting because she knew exactly what she wanted to create. After she posted the photos of Paislee to her personal Facebook page, she got a ton of requests from other parents for the same kind of shoot. After adding two days to the schedule, they sold out in an hour—and the requests just keep on coming.

Mitchell hopes that girls see these photos and realize that they don’t have to choose one identity.

The idea that crinoline and cleats can’t exist in the same mental space is silly, but common. Girls (and boys for that matter) can love pretty things and kick butt at sports. They don’t have to be one thing or the other.

“My parent taught me that I could be anything I wanted growing up,” Mitchell told Upworthy. “I didn’t realize till I was much older that everyone is not that blessed.”

These photos are an excellent reminder to questions our assumptions and not place unnecessary limits on anyone—and an empowering example for girls who don’t fit neatly into a socially constructed box.

“I hope that every little girl that sees this series can see that there is no box,” says Mitchell. “Whatever their dreams are they can achieve.”

This article originally appeared on 4.17.19

It’s the 21st century, and as a civilization, we’ve come a long way. No, there are no flying cars (yet), but we all carry tiny supercomputers in our pockets, can own drones, and can argue with strangers from all around the world as long as they have internet access.

And yet women are still having to ask their partners to help out around the house. What gives?

Recently, Blogger Constance Hall went on a highly-relatable rant about spouses assuming responsibility for housework, and women everywhere are all, “🙌 🙌 🙌 .”

Recently while bitching about the fact that I do absolutely everything around my house with a bunch of friends all singing “preach Queen”, someone said to me “if you want help you need to be specific… ask for it. People need lists, they aren’t mind readers.”

So I tried that, asking.. specifics..

“Can you take the bin out?”

“Can you get up with the kids? I’m just a little tired after doing it on my own for 329 years”

“Can you go to woolies? I’ve done 3 loads of washing and made breaky, lunch, picked up all the kids school books, dealt with the floating shit in the pond.”

And yeah, she was right… shit got done.But I was exhausted, just keeping the balls in the air.. remembering what needs to be asked to be done, constant nagging..And do you know what happened the minute I stopped asking…?

NOTHING.Again.

And so I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not your job to ask for help, it’s not my job to write fucking lists.

We have enough god dam jobs and teaching someone how to consider me and my ridiculous work load is not one of them.Just do it.Just think about each other, what it takes to run the god dam house.

Is one of you working while the other puts up their feet? Is one of you hanging out with mates while the other peels the thirtieth piece of fruit for the day? Is one of you carrying the weight?

Because when the nagging stops, when the asking dies down, when there are no more lists….All your left with is silent resentment. And that my friends is relationship cancer..It’s not up to anyone else to teach you consideration.

That’s your job.Just do the fucking dishes without being asked once in a while mother fuckers.

Hall’s post touches on the concept of emotional labor, which can be defined as “the process of managing feelings and expressions to fulfill the emotional requirements of a job.”

In other words, although Hall’s partner may be the one carrying out the tasks she assigns him, it is still Hall’s job to be the “manager” of the household, and keep track of what things need to get done. And anyone who runs a household knows that juggling and keeping track of chores is just as exhausting as executing them.

At time of publication, Hall’s post was shared nearly 100,000 times. That’s a lot of frustrated ladies!

When your girl Far Kew sends you the perfect present. You will find this and more cunty cups on her facebook page 👌🏽
Posted by Constance Hall on Thursday, November 30, 2017

Women in the comments section seemed to overwhelmingly agree with Hall’s post.

Let’s all learn to share the load…laundry and otherwise.

This article originally appeared on 08.27.18

Pam has a little brother, who recently learned that he is actually her half-brother.

Of course, half-siblings are still very much siblings, but Pam’s brother doesn’t quite grasp the concept yet and seems upset about having to part with 50% of his sister.

So when she came home recently, she found this letter he’d written. It will make you cry, so have off-brand tissues on hand:

OMG.

As if this letter isn’t enough to turn your heart into a soft pile of oatmeal, he also left her some of her (presumably) favorite snacks, like Chips Ahoy and Takis (excellent choices!).

Pam, being a human with a soul, was deeply moved and tweeted out a photo of her little brother’s letter:

My little brother found out Iu2019m not his fully sister and I came home to this.. Iu2019m crying..pic.twitter.com/DAC0yUUBt4

— ua9c1Pamua9c2 (@ua9c1Pamua9c2)
1532413776

It quickly went viral. And now the whole internet is now welling up with tears.

pic.twitter.com/8EP4hcS2oq

— LUNA (@lilialunav) July 25, 2018

And others are sharing their own sibling stories:

These are so, so sweet.

I was introducing my kids to my new wife and stepson. When I explained that she was their new Stepmom, My Stepson (5) said to my kids Mom “Well if my Mom is going to be their Stepmom, you’re going to be my new Stepmom!”

— Disco Stu (@wharrrgarrbl) August 28, 2021

When I found out my oldest brother wasn’t my full brother I said and I quote “I thought he was different. But I like him more anyway”

— Liy (@Its_Montana_) July 25, 2018

Don’t say we didn’t warn you about the tissues.

Remember this next time you get into a fight with your sibling. Half or whole, doesn’t matter. Love/hate is love/hate!

This article originally appeared on 11.04.22