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One of the great conspiracy theories in music history is that Tupac, who died in 1996 after being shot during a drive-by, is still alive somewhere. Now, Kamala Harris has added fuel to that fire with her pick for the best rapper alive.

The NAACP hosted a virtual convention over the weekend, and part of that was a conversation with the vice presidential candidate. During a lighter part of the chat, Harris was asked who is the best rapper alive, and she answered, “Tupac.” When reminded that Tupac is in fact not alive (officially, anyway), she responded with a laugh, “I know, I keep doing that.” She then continued with an apparent jab at Kanye West: “Who would I say? I mean, there’s so many. I mean, you know… there are some I would not mention right now because they should stay in their lane.”

Ultimately, it was a silly moment of no consequence, but that didn’t stop Twitter jokesters from taking Harris’ words as confirmation that Tupac is still alive. As one Twitter user put it, “either Kamala Harris is out-of-touch with modern hip-hop, or………… a sitting US Senator with SCI Security Clearance just let slip that Tupac is alive.”

Check out some other reactions below.

John Oliver’s first Last Week Tonight episode after wearing his award-worthy hoodie did not, unfortunately, dig into his dream goal for the year. There’s no time for that right now because Oliver’s feeling somber. He returned for all-new episodes following the death of Supreme Court Justice (and women’s rights advocate) Ruth Bader Ginsberg. As Oliver pointed out, this news is serious enough without Trump’s nominated replacement, Amy Coney Barrett, essentially being Ginsberg’s polar opposite.

The New York Times has published a primer on Barrett’s work on the bench thus far, but it’s important to note that she’s an arch conservative on most hot-button issues, including abortion. She would shift the balance of the court to far right that if anything Roe v. Wade-related landed in the Supreme Court’s hands, we could very well see the end of legal abortion in the U.S. As Oliver points out, Barrett is 48 years old, so she’s got several decades (Ginsberg died at 87 and kept working until the end) to hack away at that goal, so he’s feeling pretty “hopeless” about abortion rights and similar issues:

“So, our country isn’t so much center-right as Mitt Romney is center-wrong. Look, this has been a very dark week for lots of people. The Supreme Court is about to lurch to the right for the foreseeable future, and if things seem hopeless right now, it’s because, to be completely honest, they basically are.”

Oliver’s being realistic here. Barrett is a follower of Antonin Scalia and, on some issues, even more extreme right than her role model. On the subject of abortion, specifically, the issue goes even deeper than the medical act. Rather, it also has everything to do with the highest court of the land running counter to the views of a majority of Americans (the Pew Institute’s latest update puts 62% of Americans in favor of it remaining legal in the U.S.). Further, the overturning of Roe and, likely with it, the privacy implications involved with overturning Griswold v. Connecticut, could adversely impact generations to come.

In other words, Democrats could very well win the White House and flip the Senate this fall while the Supreme Court could still lean to the far right for decades. It’s a sobering thought and, well, a reason to not feel sorry for Lindsey Graham complaining on Fox News that people simply don’t like him.

Stewie is the most loquacious member of the Griffin family (which is to say, he would use words like “loquacious”), but only to us, the Family Guy viewers — to Peter, Lois, Chris, and Meg, he didn’t say his first word until Sunday’s season 19 premiere. In the episode, the aptly-titled “Stewie’s First Word,” the one-year-old screams “f*ck” during a crowded church service after learning that coffee service will not include Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies. “Hey, Stewie said his first word. And it was a swear,” Chris responds, helpfully.

“This episode showcases Stewie’s first word in the traditional sense that parents always document: the first word they understand,” executive producers Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin told TVLine. “Otherwise, yes, it’s Stewie’s 1,345,693th word.” Later in the episode, Brian asks, “I don’t get it, Stewie, you’ve been talking forever. Why did everyone suddenly understand you now?” Stewie responds, “I don’t know. I was feeling such intense emotion in the moment, and that one word somehow just burst through.” In other words, like time travel in a science-fiction movie, don’t ask questions; just accept it.

As for why they picked “f*ck” as Stewie’s first word, Appel and Sulkin explained:

“This first word had to be Stewie’s first word. It’s in the Talmud.”

Another big change coming to Family Guy: the voice of Cleveland Brown. Arif Zahir will replace Mike Henry as Peter’s drinking buddy next season.

(Via TVLine and CinemaBlend)

While Mariah Carey rocks, it’d be tough to say that she “rocks” in the sense that she plays rock music. That doesn’t mean the pop star has never ventured into that guitar-driven territory, though, because she definitely has. Over the weekend, Carey revealed that while recording her 1995 album Daydream, she also recorded a grungy alternative-rock album alongside it.

Carey shared a video that features a snippet from her upcoming memoir, The Making of Mariah Carey, in which she details the album. She prefaced the snippet, “Fun fact: I did an alternative album while I was making Daydream. Just for laughs, but it got me through some dark days. Here’s a little of what I wrote about it in #TheMeaningOfMariahCarey. S/O to my friend Clarissa who performs the lead w/ me as a hidden layer #Chick #TMOMC”

In the book, she wrote:

“I’d bring my little alt-rock song to the band and hum a silly guitar riff. They would pick it up and we would record it immediately. It was irreverent, raw, and urgent, and the band got into it. I actually started to love some of the songs. I would fully commit to my character.

I was playing with the style of the breezy-grunge, punk-light white female singers who were popular at the time. You know the ones who seemed to be so carefree with their feelings and their image. They could be angry, angsty, and messy, with old shoes, wrinkled slips, and unruly eyebrows, while every move I made was so calculated and manicured.

I wanted to break free, let loose, and express my misery — but I also wanted to laugh. I totally looked forward to doing my alter-ego band sessions after Daydream each night.”

The video reveals the song playing in the 41-second video is called “Demented,” by Carey’s band, Chick. The video also shows artwork for an album called Someone’s Ugly Daughter.

It turns out this music has been under our noses this whole time. “Demented,” as well as another Chick song called “Malibu,” have been available on YouTube since 2009, although Carey hadn’t been publicly connected to the songs before now. Meanwhile, the full Someone’s Ugly Daughter album was actually released in 1995, although it’s hard to find these days. It’s not available on streaming services, and CDs are hard to come by: There is currently one available on Amazon for nearly $1,000, but that’s it.

Listen to Chick’s “Demented” and “Malibu” below, as well as a sampler of the whole Someone’s Ugly Daughter album.

At its best, whisk(e)y can be almost inscrutably complex while never losing touch with its simplest building blocks. While there are various styles and rules for each unique iteration of the spirit, whisk(e)y is essentially just an alcohol distillate made from fermented grains and aged in wood barrels. Like beer, it’s elegant in its directness but contains endless possible permutations.

The aging process, in particular, has benefitted from tremendous industry-wide creativity in recent years. After the initial barreling, many distilleries are now opting to finish their expressions in unique barrels. These include staves that once held sherry, rum, cognac, and even maple syrup. This additional level of maturation imparts unique and memorable flavors into the final product.

To find the best whiskeys finished in barrels beyond the standard first or second fill American Oak, we asked a handful of our favorite bartenders for help. Check their picks below.

The Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask

Mitchell Meredith, general manager of SOFF’s at JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa in Miami

The Balvenie 14 year is a complex Caribbean Rum cask finished scotch. The subtle peaty notes are rounded out by the vanilla notes of the Oak Barrel and the molasses notes in the rum. It’s a perfect expression for an old fashioned style cocktail — try it with the addition of chocolate bitters.

Redbreast Lustau

Carlos Lopez, bar manager at Stitsville Fish Bar in Miami

Redbreast Lustau brings the best of both countries’ products together — Irish whiskey and Spanish sherry. The sherry barrel imparts an extra sweetness that pairs well with the caramel and nutty flavors of the Redbreast.

Stranahan’s Sherry Cask

Jess Thorson, bartender at TORO Kitchen & Lounge at Viceroy Snowmass in Snowmass, Colorado

You have to go with Colorado’s Stranahan’s here. I really like their Sherry Cask. It has a rich flavor without being too sweet.

Angel’s Envy Finished Rye

Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami

Angel’s Env Finished Rye has such a versatile flavor profile but performs well by itself. The rum finish is not overbearing but still stands out — delivering the rum-notes one would naturally expect.

Edradour Sauternes Cask

Jeremy Allen, bartender at MiniBar in Los Angeles

Glenfiddich has been doing an experimental series with different releases finished in different barrels, which was pretty successful. The Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask is also hit among bartenders.

For something more niche, I love Edradour Sauternes cask. It’s the perfect kiss of wine from the wood, it adds and lifts up the scotch, instead of covering it up, like some with a heavier hand.

Woodford Reserve Five Woods

Daniel Gamiño, assistant food and beverage manager at Banyan Tree Cabo Marques in Acapulco, Mexico

Woodford Reserve Five Woods, which is aged in five different barrels — various sherries and ports. The delicate results deliver flavors of red fruits, confit plums, dark chocolate, raisin, hazelnut, dark caramel, and coffee. It’s balanced and full-bodied.

This whiskey is a great pairing for steaks and aged meats.

Isaac Bowman Port Finished

Andy Printy, beverage director at Chao Baan in St. Louis

Isaac Bowman Port Finished is one of my favorites in this category. It’s all port wine on the nose and for just an instant on the palate. It almost immediately gives way to cloying baked fruit and pastry. The finish brings back more French oak and just the right amount of spice.

The Macallan Amber

Efren López Fernandez, bartender at Banyan Tree Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

In my opinion, Macallan Amber is a great bottle aged in more than just oak barrels. It’s because it has a lot of flavor of malt, caramel, and honey. Like all of The Macallan’s expressions, it’s finished in sherry butts from Jerez, Spain.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength

Zach Wilks, bartender at Anthony’s Chophouse in Carmel, Indiana

Angels Envy Cask Strength is unlike anything I’ve ever had. It’s so complex with great fruit notes along with butterscotch and toffee notes also. I love this bottle.

Hudson Whiskey Short Stack

Sebastien Derbomez, brand advocacy manager at William Grant & Sons

What about maple barrel?

I’ll challenge you to try Hudson Whiskey Short Stack. Short Stack is a toast to those late-night haunts in New York City, and the characters that inhabit them. Distilled from hearty New York rye, mellowed in American oak, then finished in Vermont maple syrup barrels. Bold rye spice is rounded by a subtle maple sweetness.

Consider this your new whiskey to impress your friends and family.

Jimmy Butler is headed to his first NBA Finals in his 10-year career after helping lead the Miami Heat to a six-game win over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Miami celebration after their Game 6, series-clinching win was brief, as they accepted their trophy on the court and quickly shifted attention to their next challenge: The Los Angeles Lakers. Miami has passed every test this postseason with flying colors, sweeping the Pacers, taking down the top-seeded Bucks in five, and then eliminating the Celtics in six, but they know the Lakers present a unique challenge, one that has been present just about every season for the last decade.

In his postgame interview, Jimmy Butler was asked about facing the Lakers and said they present the ultimate test — a LeBron James led team — something that every NBA player of this era has had to contend with if they wanted to win a championship.

Butler would also say that he knew the Heat would have to play a perfect series to beat the Lakers and that they’re up for the challenge and capable of doing so. For someone who spent most of his career in the Eastern Conference while James was at his peak, both with Miami and in Cleveland, Butler knows exactly how difficult it is to get past James in the postseason. At the same time, this is a Heat team that’s downed a top seed once already and enters the Finals with an immense amount of confidence.

What will make this Finals so fascinating is that it’s a battle between the two best fourth quarter teams of this postseason. The Lakers and Heat have both had their lulls and struggles in the first three quarters of action, but the fourth quarter has brought out the best in them. It’s a testament to their leaders in Butler and James, and whoever can continue that trend will likely hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Back in 2014, Chris Rock debuted Top Five at the Toronto International Film Festival. He directed, wrote, and starred in the movie, which undeniably felt more personal than most of his previous roles. This was a comedy (with romantic elements) that included occasionally dramatic moments, but more importantly, it was a semi-autobiographical story about a stand-up comedian (Andre Allen) who was attempting to be a so-called serious actor (and it wasn’t going well for Mr. Allen). Rock’s film debuted to critical acclaim at TIFF, and a surprised Rock told Deadline that he’d had trouble getting the movie listed in the festival. This wasn’t a totally serious movie, but clearly, he was having a hard time being taken seriously. As a result, Rock felt gratified by the reception, and he suggested that perhaps more heavily dramatic moments were coming.

“As a comedian, if you’re going to do a drama you’ve got to really do a f*cking drama,” Rock declared at the time while discussing the difficulty of moving outside his comedic box. “Like, some sh*t has to happen for people to accept that you’re not making them laugh.” He further remarked that he’d love to be like Matt Damon, who can be funny or “just pop up in Interstellar and be great.” Yet to play a role like Andre Allen, Rock had to create it himself. Otherwise, he’s content to still be working as an entertainer, and yes, he has always been entertaining, even as a zebra in those blasted Madagascar movies.

Look, I loved Top Five. It wasn’t a perfect movie, but Rock infused wit with vulnerability and laced the film with sharp social commentary (while semi-unloading on himself). Many years after 1991’s New Jack City, in which Rock embodied a tragic drug addict named Pookie, I hoped that his launching of an unexpected “hot TIFF buy” was a stepping stone for him to tiptoe into deeper waters. Well, a lot has happened to Rock since Top Five, and he’s told everyone about it, as anyone who’s watched his 2018 Netflix stand-up special, Tamborine, can attest. That special, part of a national, sold-out tour, actually felt like a public self-therapy session. It felt seemed as if he was channeling his Top Five protagonist, albeit a more brutal version. He grew confessional, announcing his divorce and taking the blame for his infidelity and porn addiction.

Heavy stuff. Yet Rock kept his audience laughing throughout the set.

Fast forward a few more years, and Rock has circled away from comedy again. He’s about to debut in an unmistakably dramatic role with FX’s Fargo, in which he plays a 1950s crime boss named Loy Cannon. As he told Hollywood Reporter, it’s “the best role I’ve ever had.” Having screened the season, I can say that yes, that’s objectively correct. Even though I still prefer seeing Rock’s vulnerable (and emotional, if not outright dramatic) side in Top Five, he gives an understated yet menacing performance in Fargo‘s fourth season. What’s also very clear is that this is the first time in a long time that someone (who is not Chris Rock) hired Chris Rock to play something other than — let’s face it — straight-up-funny-voiced Chris Rock.

Since landing the Fargo gig, Rock created another “different” type of role for himself: producing and starring in a Saw reboot, which looks like a bloody and bleak take on buddy-cop tropes. Like Fargo, Spiral: From The Book Of Saw was intended for a spring 2020 release. So, we have to wait, but there’s more: Rock recently disclosed that he’s spending seven hours per week in therapy, digging through his childhood trauma and his recently diagnosed nonverbal learning disorder — meaning that he misses the 80-ish% of communication that is nonverbal (“And all I understand are the words”).

Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Rock wrote and pulled off Top Five (which, if you haven’t gathered, I think you should watch if you have not) and performed in the aforementioned New Jack City role (also very good) long before his diagnosis. He’s now getting a renewed taste of dramatic acting in Fargo, so there’s every reason to believe that he could go on to more roles of this caliber. (Or not! Look at whatever Adam Sandler is doing after Uncut Gems.) What I’m saying is this: there’s potential for Rock’s Fargo role to not be the last time he gets serious onscreen, especially if he’s working hard on understanding nonverbal cues. This endeavor will benefit him in his everyday personal life, yes, but it’s also a hell of a way to hone one’s acting skills.

I’m trying to armchair-psychology anyone. I’m simply suspecting, after watching Rock’s surprisingly restrained performance (a rarity for him, no matter how you paint it) in Fargo, that Chris Rock has really caught the acting bug now. If that’s the case, may we all reap the benefits of such a career transition. He could very well break people’s hearts again like he did as the doomed, desperately-addicted Pookie. He’s not tied into any future Fargo seasons, so who knows where he’ll go from here. I hope he mixes it up. In other words, watch out because it could happen.

Underneath it all, Rock will remain bitingly funny. He’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but no one can deny that he’s done everything to mine laughs on the big screen, including a nude sky-fall in Kevin Smith’s Dogma. Even doing voice work, no one can accuse him of being less than enthusiastic with his effort. Speaking of which, one of the funniest (and most accurate) things that Chris Rock has ever done is to freely call himself (and his Hollywood peers) out at the 2012 Oscars for accepting so much money for standing in a booth and uttering a few lines, which he called “the easiest job in the world.” He’s ready for more, and Fargo‘s fourth season is here to that effect.

FX’s ‘Fargo’ returns for Season 4 on Sunday, September 27.

Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals was, fittingly, both teams throwing haymakers in the form of various runs throughout the game.

It started with Miami jumping out to a sizable lead, only for the Celtics to cut it to two at the half. The Heat would again jump in front in the third quarter, only for the Celtics to erase that lead with a 22-8 run that saw them go in front by as many as six. From there, however, it was all Miami, who went on a 26-6 run of their own in the fourth quarter to take a lead they would, this time, not relinquish.

The end result was a 125-113 win for the Heat, who punch their ticket to the NBA Finals to face an old friend in LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Here are our takeaways from an excellent Game 6 that sets us up with a very intriguing Finals matchup.

1. Bam Adebayo needs to impose his will

The Heat have gotten to the Finals by way of a varied approach to who will lead them offensively on any given night. Sometimes that’s Jimmy Butler, who started off hot in this one but was pretty quiet in the second half. Sometimes it’s Goran Dragic, who wasn’t even in the closing lineup for Miami in Game 6. Sometimes it’s Tyler Herro, the hero of Game 4. In this one, it was Bam Adebayo, who dominated on both ends and was the catalyst for their fourth quarter run.

Adebayo finished the game with 32 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists on 11-for-15 shooting (10-for-11 from the free throw line), as he simply dominated the Boston frontcourt and made seemingly every big play when the Heat needed it. As they shift their attention to the NBA Finals, Adebayo’s presence is going to need to be massive, given that Anthony Davis and a very big Lakers frontcourt are waiting. Adebayo is more than capable of putting forth this kind of performance regularly, but the Heat should make a point of involving him early and often because drawing attention inside to him can further open up opportunities for their shooters on the perimeter. How he fares against Davis and the Lakers frontcourt will be a key factor in the Finals, and his final showing in the conference finals more than proved he’s capable of dominating.

2. The Celtics had their opportunities

Boston had ample opportunity in this one as their offense seemed to figure out the Miami zone, but they just could not make enough of the good looks they created at the rim — or hit enough threes, as they were just 15-for-46 from deep. Boston will look back at this as a series they let slip away, from the late leads Miami erased in the first two games to a Game 6 that they took a 96-90 fourth quarter lead in. Instead, it’s a disappointing end to what was a tremendous season, with plenty to work out in the offseason.

Jayson Tatum still needs to find a bit more offensive consistency, as there were too many stretches in this series where his impact was minimal, if he’s to be their leading man. He was 9-for-26 from the field for 24 points in Game 6, playing well but, like many of his teammates, simply couldn’t find the net efficiently enough given the looks he and others created. Jaylen Brown led the way with 26 points, but likewise has some growth to show in impacting the game offensively on a nightly basis — something you could say about Kemba Walker as well.

There’s plenty of good to look back on for the Celtics this offseason, but the ending certainly stings. They’re well positioned to continue being a contender in the East, but the front office will surely be thinking of ways to upgrade the roster, particularly in the frontcourt, and their young star duo still has some work to do — but work they seem more than willing to put in.

3. The Heat keep getting role players to step up

Miami can lean on Goran Dragic, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo to provide a baseline of competitiveness every night, but what’s been incredible to watch this postseason has been how their role players have stepped up when their number has been called. Herro’s Game 4 is the most prolific example, but Duncan Robinson continues to do what’s asked of him — mostly shoot threes, but sometimes doing more. Jae Crowder has cooled off but his scalding shooting performance against the Bucks was hugely important, and on Sunday night it was Andre Iguodala who caught fire with a perfect 5-for-5 night, including 4-for-4 from three-point range, to give Miami a shooting lift off the bench.

Iguodala’s offensive contributions are always a bonus, but then again you could say the same about Crowder when he joined this Heat team and for Miami to get here they have needed those contributions. The Lakers series figures to bring Kelly Olynyk back into the fold, and his shooting has the opportunity to be a pivot point, as does the stress presented by Herro and Robinson running around the perimeter. We know Miami’s three All-Star caliber players are going to be important and have to find ways to matchup with the Lakers superstar duo, but Miami’s role players can out-duel the Lakers role guys and that is where this Finals could get very interesting.

The NBA Finals are set. In a matchup that no one saw coming — well, at least half of it, anyway — the Los Angeles Lakers emerged as the champions of the Western Conference, while the Miami Heat came out on top of the Eastern Conference. It’s a fascinating stylistic matchup, one that has the added subplot of LeBron James taking on the team he dramatically left in free agency back in 2014.

That, though, is in the past, and right now, the two teams have their collective eyes on winning the Larry O’Brien trophy. Picking up four wins in this series is going to be really, really hard, and thanks to the Heat taking care of business on Sunday evening in Game 6 against the Boston Celtics, we now know how the Finals schedule will look. (All times EST)

Game 1: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 9 p.m.
Game 2: Friday, Oct. 2, 9 p.m.
Game 3: Sunday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 9 p.m.
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 9, 9 p.m.
Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m.
Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 13, 9 p.m.

Of course, while it is everyone here at Dime’s strong preference that this series ends up being seven absolutely fantastic games, those final three tilts on the schedule will only be played if necessary. As for how you can watch, all games will be broadcast on ABC. The two teams played twice this season — once in November, once in December — with the Lakers picking up a pair of wins.

The coronavirus pandemic may have almost entirely shut down the movie industry, but only in America, whose leaders have struggled (or, in some cases, not struggled enough) to contain its spread. Good thing James Cameron was making his many Avatar sequels half a world away, off in far-flung New Zealand, which was able to get its numbers down to zero before just about everyone. And lo and behold, they did such a good job that Cameron and team are “100 percent complete” shooting Avatar 2, and “95 percent” done with Avatar 3.

As per Entertainment Weekly, the Oscar-winning filmmaker broke the news during a Zoom call with frequent star Arnold Schwarzenegger, as they spoke ahead of the 2020 Austrian World Summit.

“COVID hit us like it hit everybody,” Camerons said. “We lost about four and a half months of production.” He’d already announced that they pushed the release date back a year, to December 2022. “Now that doesn’t mean I have an extra year to finish the film because the day we deliver Avatar 2 we’ll just start working on finishing Avatar 3.”

He added, “So where we are right now, I’m down in New Zealand shooting. We’re shooting the remainder of the live-action. We’ve got about 10 percent left to go. We’re 100 percent complete on Avatar 2 and we’re sort of 95 percent complete on Avatar 3.”

While Hollywood productions have been put on hold and even numerous theatrical releases have been repeatedly delayed — and will no doubt continue to do so considering Tenet’s comparatively paltry box office numbers mid-COVID — Team Avatar Sequels have been dropping photos from the set, featuring stars like Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana, Kate Winslet, and Cliff Curtis hard at work.

Of course, just because principal photography is done doesn’t mean you’ll be seeing it anytime soon. There’s a ton of effects work to be done, and Cameron has to deliver on next level tech that will advance the art in ways that will keep audiences coming back for a ream of sequels over the next handful of years. And just to remind you, when Avatar 2 does drop in two years and change, it will have been 13 years since the last time you feasted your 3-D eyes on Pandora, and maybe the last time you heard about “unobtanium.”

(Via EW)