Super Bowl commercials can surprise and frustrate and amuse and entertain the masses. Sometimes, a commercial can do all three things at once, but these commercials also bring us more entertainment in the form of interviews. And with Seth Rogen appearing with Paul Rudd in a Lay’s Potato Chips spot, we’ve not only seen Rogen dragging trailers for commercials (someone had to do it) but also letting the Powers that Be know that people shouldn’t be expected to care about the Oscars.

Rogen and Rudd, obviously, go back to the aughts in terms of working together, including the Knocked Up days and even earlier. They’ve stayed friends, to the point where Rudd decided to pull a massage switcheroo on Rogen, who is not immune to feeling pretty confused about his friend’s ageless streak. As Rogen told Jimmy Kimmel (on a Valentine’s Day episode), it kinda weirds him out:

“It was a little alarming in some ways, honestly, because when I started working with Paul Rudd, he was older than I was. And now, I somehow passed him. You would assume I was his uncle. You would assume I was watching him or something. He looks so good, it’s shocking, and yeah, I showed up on set, and I was like, ‘Damn, what happened? How did I pass you? Did they freeze you?’ It was a little upsetting in a lot of ways.”

And because this discussion took place on Valentine’s Day, Rogen decided to let the world know that everyone has some pretty awful experiences in the romantic realm. That includes how he had his worst date ever that left him in tears. You can watch the clip above.

This year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show was a big one thanks to all the mostly-early-’00s hip-hop and R&B firepower involved (Kendrick Lamar was the only headlining performer whose first album came out in the 2010s). A non-hip-hop icon of that era, perhaps the biggest, was Britney Spears, and now she has shared her thoughts on the performance and how nostalgic Eminem’s appearance made her feel.

On Instagram yesterday, Spears wrote, “Wow [face screaming in fear emoji] !!! @Eminem last night at the Super Bowl … he should have had way more time … he was everything to me when I was younger and it was so weird in the first two seconds I saw him on stage last night I felt like I was 17 again !!! It’s honestly kinda scary how certain artists and music can do that … we are so lucky to live in a world [globe emoji] where music can give us hope … identity … acceptance …and love [hearts emoji]!!!”

Spears has famously popped up in Eminem lyrics on several occasions over the years, and not usually in a flattering or laudatory way. On “The Real Slim Shady,” Em raps, “You think I give a damn about a Grammy? / Half of you critics can’t even stomach me, let alone stand me / ‘But Slim, what if you win, wouldn’t it be weird?’ / Why, so you guys could just lie to get me here? / So you can sit me here next to Britney Spears?” He also said on “Ass Like That,” “I am Triumph, Britney Spears has shoulders like a man / And I can say that and you’ll laugh ’cause there’s a puppet on my hand.” On “Marshall Mathers,” he raps, “An anti-Backstreet and Ricky Martin / Whose instinct’s to kill *NSYNC, don’t get me started / These f*ckin’ brats can’t sing and Britney’s garbage.”

The Brooklyn Nets finally snapped their 10-game losing streak on Monday night, beating the Kings 109-85 at home behind 23 points from Seth Curry in his Nets debut.

It was obviously a welcome win for a Nets team that had looked miserable of late, and they’ve certainly looked more lively of late, even in their two losses prior to Monday’s win. It was hard not to note that shift came after the James Harden trade sent the disgruntled star to Philadelphia for Curry, Ben Simmons, and Andre Drummond, with plenty of reports of Harden’s displeasure with the situation in Brooklyn and, in particular, Kyrie Irving.

Seemingly every Net that has talked about the trade has felt it was a positive outcome, with Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin each echoing the same point that they’re just happy to move forward with guys who want to be on the team. After Monday’s win, Bruce Brown elaborated on the post-Harden trade shift that’s gone on in the Nets locker room, saying “everybody loves everybody” after the deadline — I now hope the Nets put a big E.L.E. poster up in the locker room like Jackie Moon.

There are plenty who think the on-court product will be better for the Nets after the trade, as Simmons provides a lot of the things they are lacking as a team and Curry fills the void left by Joe Harris’ injury incredibly well. However, even before they get everyone on the court and healthy, a weight seems to have been lifted off of the Nets shoulders and as a unit, they seem thrilled to get to move on and just play ball without the cloud of what the future holds hanging over them.

The same can be said about the Sixers, and it genuinely feels like a trade that everyone needed and everyone was thrilled to see go down as it did rather than dragging on further with the postseason looming.

The Oscars are about a month-and-a-half away and things are still up in the air. We know that after three years without a host (partially thanks to the Kevin Hart mishegoss), they’re bringing them back. In fact, the plan is to split the job across three people. Right now the tentative, not-quite-locked-down plan is to make those three hosts Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, and Wanda Sykes. But they weren’t the only ones courted. Indeed, the show almost went with three fan favorites but couldn’t due to scheduling conflicts.

Those three are no less than Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. Together, they’re the snooping trio on Only Murders in the Building, the Hulu show where one SNL alum, one longtime SNL frequent host, and a pop singer and actress who has incredible chemistry with them make a nuisance of themselves in their Dakota-esque Upper West Side apartment building.

The show’s a hit — and therein lies the problem. In a New York Times piece delving into the race of this year’s Oscars host (in a bit teased out by Film Updates), the three are among those cited as being courted by the show’s producers. Alas, they’re busy filming the show’s second season and can’t be bothered. Still, maybe next year.

Other names were dropped. Jon Hamm was in talks to play host, but he pulled out of negotiations over the weekend. Previous hosts were contacted, such as Chris Rock and [drum roll] Martin himself, presumably solo, before they realized they should nab Short and Gomez while they were at it.

In the meantime, the world will probably get Schumer, Hall, and Sykes, who will likely be formally announced on Tuesday morning.

(Via NYT and Film Updates)

Have you ever gone into an Airbnb and thought, “Hey this place is for sure haunted” but in a non-alarming way? You’re probably not alone. There are a lot of haunted hotels and bed and breakfasts in the world, which is basically the main plot of CBS’s new show Ghosts.

Based on the BBC series of the same name (which you can also stream on HBO Max) the show stars Rose McIver (from the CW series iZombie) and Utkarsh Ambudkar as young couple Sam and Jay, who inherit an old mansion which they decide to turn into a quaint bed and breakfast. The only thing is…the mansion is a fixer-upper. And when Sam, played by McIver, has a near-death experience, she starts seeing all of the ghosts living in the house. And since it’s in upstate New York, there are a lot. Some of them have ‘powers’ and some of them are just annoying, so it can be hard to keep track. Here is a character breakdown.

Captain Isaac Higgintoot, played by Brandon Scott Jones, is a closeted gay Revolutionary War officer who died on the grounds after the siege of Fort Ticonderoga (geographically, this makes sense!) He is often taking the role as a leader, even though nobody wants him to.

Then there is Pete Martino played by Richie Moriarty, a girl scout troop leader who died on the grounds in the summer of 1985 after being shot in the neck with an arrow by an untrained girl scout. Heety Woodstone, played by Rebecca Wisocky, is the lady of the manor, and original owner of the mansion and the grounds. Her cause of death is unknown, but she is the great-great-great-great grandmother to Sam.

Asher Grodman plays Trevor Lefkowitz, a young Wall Street trader who died without pants on sometime in the late nineties. Trevor actually possesses the ability to touch certain items in the real world. Sheila Carrasco plays Flower, a young woman who was attacked on the grounds by a bear while trying to find her way out of a cult. Then there is Alberta Haynes, played by Daniella Pinnock, a prohibition-era singer whose voice can be heard by “the livings” aka, not dead people.

The two oldest ghosts are a Viking named Thor, played by Devan Chandler, who can sometimes control the lighting in the house, and Sasappis, played by Roman Zaragoza, a Lenape Native American. Of course, no character breakdown would be complete without mentioning the group of ghosts who died of cholera that live in the basement.

There seem to be other ghosts living on the grounds, but these are the main ensemble of the spirits, who often have their own plots and storylines that involve them recounting their times as humans. While many of their deaths remain a mystery, viewers will be happy to know the series was renewed for a second season, so there will be more ghost puns to come. You can stream all episodes of season one now on Paramount+.

There’s a new book coming out about the making of Mad Max: Fury Road, the critical and commercial darling that revived a long dormant franchise and, in turns, made one of the most spectacular action extravaganzas in history. Vulture writer Kyle Buchanan dug up some good stories: how director George Miller at various points courted Margot Robbie, Rihanna, even Eminem; how Tom Hardy nabbed the lead by spitting on Armie Hammer (way before that seemed remotely kosher, of course).

Now here’s another: The actors who went on to become the two leads had such fantastic chemistry that it caused the casting director to crash her car.

While hocking a loogie on the future controversial star made a huge impression on Miller and company, Tom Hardy didn’t really land the role originated by Mel Gibson until they saw him with Charlize Theron, who went on to play the vengeful, one-armed Furiosa. The two wound up meeting up for a side-by-side video call audition with Miller. It went gangbusters. “Once we saw them, we just knew,” said casting director Ronna Kress. “It was an indescribable, perfect thing.”

But perhaps Kress wasn’t sure how well they gelled until she couldn’t help but get into an automobile accident.

“After the video call, Tom and Charlize and I were in the parking lot. I was looking at them, and they looked so unbelievable together — it was perfect; there was no question in my mind that we had done the right thing — and while I was waving good-bye to them, I backed my car into a pole and crashed the side of my car,” Kress told Buchanan. “Charlize ran up: ‘Oh my God, Ronna, are you okay?’ I said, ‘I’m fine. I was just staring at you guys!’ That’s how intense it was.”

And the rest was history. You can read the full excerpt from Buchanan’s Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of ‘Mad Max: Fury Road over at Vulture.

(Via IndieWire)

The 2022 NBA Trade Deadline provided all kinds of fireworks in early February, headlined by the swap of James Harden and Ben Simmons. With that deadline now the rearview mirror, the transaction game takes a backseat to the actual on-court action until the summer, but the Minnesota Timberwolves still made some noise with an oddly timed contract extension on Monday evening. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski brought word that veteran guard Patrick Beverley will be sticking around Minnesota for another season, with Beverley agreeing to add an extra year for $13 million.

Beverley is currently in the final season of a three-year, $40 million deal, earning $14.3 million for the 2021-22 season. This extension essentially replicates his annual salary from the last few years and, from the team side, Minnesota was not projected to have salary cap space, meaning that retaining Beverley does not come with explicit opportunity cost other than raw dollars and cents.

The 33-year-old Beverley has been a helpful piece for the Wolves, appearing in 38 games (34 starts) in his first season with the club and helping Minnesota to a +4.3 net rating when he’s on the floor. Beverley brings strong defense, veteran presence and the ability to handle the ball and shoot from the perimeter for Minnesota, and he partners well with Minnesota’s backcourt pieces. It is possible that the veteran, who has battled injury issues in recent seasons, could fall short of returning value on this deal, but the two sides seem to be enjoying the marriage and they’ve agreed to extend it.

Valentine’s Day is a holiday usually met with pretty mixed reviews. But if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that animals deserve all the love.

A compilation of all kinds of critters, big and small, being cute and cuddly is breaking the internet with over 5 million views. And when I say all kinds, I mean ALL kinds.

If you’ve always wanted to see a bear dancing for joy, watch this video. If you ever wondered if a black panther enjoys smooching, watch this video. If you secretly wish an alligator could sit on someone’s lap like a puppy, watch this video. (By the way, there’s real puppies in it too).

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Did I mention there’s an itty bitty baby dolphin? Yes, this is not a drill. Plus big dudes with tiny kittens! This video literally has everything your heart could desire.

@jokerhoney0 #pet #funnyvideos #animals #cute ♬ original sound – joker

No matter what animal pops up on the screen, there’s a prevalent theme that comes to mind as even the apex predators display affection: love is the most natural thing in the world, and a universal language that needs no words. It’s so much more than romance; love is that little tug that pulls us into one another, reminding us of how we are all connected through the heart.

Everyone, man and beast alike, needs it. And it can be found in something as simple as a hug. Or, in this case, a video of animals hugging. Even if you detest Valentine’s Day, love is something worth celebrating.

They call Donald Trump “Teflon Don” because he’s never suffered any serious blowback for his many misdeeds. But right now things aren’t looking so hot for him. The House Select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot, which he’s accused of fomenting, are in talks to chat with a key crony: his legally and financially plagued lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Then there are those two investigations into his organization, which have already uncovered “significant evidence” of fraud. Now things just got even worse.

As per The New York Times, Mazars USA, the accounting firm that has long served Trump and his business have cut ties with both. In a letter to the Trump Organization, the firm said they could no longer stand behind the financial statements they had prepared for him for 10 years, from 2011 to 2020. Those statements were based on information Trump and his team had provided for them, which they said they could no longer trust. As a result, all those statements, which Trump had used to secure loans, had been effectively retracted.

The statements prepare by Mazars USA are, incidentally, at the heart of the investigations being conducted by both the New York State attorney general’s office and the office of the Manhattan district attorney.

Mazars USA have been cutting ties with Trump and his business since last spring, when work on his statements was transitioned to a new accounting firm. However, the new letter — which, again, renders past statements they’ve prepared retroactively null and void — not only makes the split public, but suggests they find the information Trump and team provided to be fishy.

Part of the investigations includes claims that the Trump Organization knowingly inflated the value of certain assets, including Trump’s own Trump Tower penthouse in Manhattan. Trump Organization CFO Allen H. Weisselberg, who was indicted last summer over a separate matter, even acknowledged that they had done so. New York State Attorney General Letitia James is looking at a number of properties, which together, James said, suggests that “Mr. Trump’s net worth was higher than it otherwise would have appeared.”

(Via NYT)

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Saweetie, Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, and more.

Some of hip-hop’s heaviest hitters returned to the spotlight this week, with Pusha T dropping his new single “Diet Coke” and 21 Savage joining the late King Von on “Don’t Play That.” Then, on Friday, Nicki Minaj followed up her previous week’s single with another Lil Baby collaboration “Bussin,” Mozzy and Roddy Ricch put on for the “Real Ones,” NLE Choppa concluded his “Shotta Flow” series with “Shotta Flow 6,” and Future pre-emptively trashed Valentine’s Day with “Worst Day.”

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending February 11, 2021.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Cousin Stizz — Just For You

The Boston rapper returns with his first full-length since 2019’s Trying to Find My Next Thrill and remains as consistent as ever. In addition, Just For You is his first project since leaving RCA and truly shows his creative mindset, free of external influence or a need to craft “hits.” At 13 tracks and featuring no guests, this project might be the truest to his character.

Juicy J & Wiz Khalifa — Stoner’s Night

Juicy J and Wiz Khalifa have an extensive history of making each other’s tracks better, so why shouldn’t they team up to craft a hedonistic joint album? The duo’s chemistry remains as magnetic as ever and they use the opportunity to highlight both the foundation and future of Memphis rap with guest spots from Big30 and Project Pat.

Snoop Dogg — BODR

Snoop finally fulfilled his dream of acquiring ownership of the Death Row brand (with the catalog not far behind), so it makes sense that he would drop a full project on the label to commemorate the occasion. Back On Death Row is a typically exuberant showcase of Snoop’s influence and love for the art form, tagging in peers (Nate Dogg, Nas), contemporaries (The Game, T.I.), and newcomers (October Landon) alike.

$NOT — Ethereal

After shocking Florida rap fans awake with his take on the thrash fusion style popularized in his home state, $NOT looks to expand his palette on his second album, layering in classic boom-bap (assisted by Joey Badass) and softer sounds that perfectly evoke the album’s title.

Singles/Videos

Big Moochie Grape — “In Dolph We Trust”

Long Live Young Dolph, the tribute album from the late Memphis hero’s label Paper Route Empire, has legs.

Cardo — “Van Gogh” Feat. JID & Lil Yachty

Cardo may be better known for the smooth production with which he outfits characters like Curren$y, LE$, and Larry June, but he digs into a rougher sound for this ATL collaboration.

Carl Lamarre — “For The Family”

Journalist Carl Lamarre is taking a somewhat of a circuitous route to Billboard acclaim; the magazine’s longtime editor flexes his pen in a new fashion, following in the footsteps of peers such as Genius’ Rob Markman.

Don Q — “What Up”

The Bronx native continues to roll out singles from his album Double Or Nothing, keeping the Highbridge flag flying as A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie prepares his own project.

Mibbs — “Transit”

Rap fans who were around for the first wave of blog-certified rappers surely remember Pac Div. Mibbs goes solo to promote his upcoming LP, House & Garden.

Nana — “Bet It Back”

South Central native Nana got off to a strong start in 2021, and his first single of 2022 shows no signs of rust.

Saweetie — “Closer” Feat. HER

The Bay Area native catches all kinds of hell on Twitter, but each time she returns she offers something we haven’t seen from her, which tells me that she’s striving to improve with every new release. That’s worth applauding, especially when that work ethic produces stone-cold bops like this.

Trae Tha Truth — “Sky Scraper” Feat. Louie Ray

The Houston veteran released his latest project, Truth Season, this week preceded by a video for this chilling standout.

Wynne — “Mary’s Lambo”

Portland’s own bares all in the latest video from her 2021 EP Do My Own Stunts.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.