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Last week Katie Britt went from semi-obscure MAGA lawmaker to semi-household name. It wasn’t for a good reason. She was the poor Republican chosen to deliver the predictably chaotic rebuttal to Joe Biden’s fiery State of the Union speech, and her soliloquy — hammy and creepy in equal measure — became instant comedy fodder. Britt was so over-the-top that SNL tapped no less than Scarlett Johansson to play her in a devastating parody. Well, guess what? Britt liked it!

“I’ve got to be honest with you, a bingo card for 2024 for Katie Britt. I did not have this on it, right?” Britt told Ted Cruz on his podcast Wednesday, per Raw Story. “It certainly didn’t have Scarlett Johansson playing me … We were talking to the kids about all of it and they were like, ‘oh my gosh, mom.’ ….and I said, you know, look. It could have been worse. You have Black Widow. They bring in someone from the Avengers to play me in the cold open. I’m here for it.”

To Cruz, this was a win for Britt. “The thing that is the coolest is that you’re played by Scarlett Johansson. OK, Katie, look. To be candid, Scarlett Johansson is hot,” he told her. “And I am genuinely jealous because SNL has come after me a bunch of times, they don’t ever have Tom Cruise play me. How come you get a gorgeous movie star?”

Cruz lamented that, like Britt, he’s been played by a woman on SNL, not a man, though even that he didn’t mind. “They cast Aidy Bryant as me and she is funny,” he said. “They had her in like cornrows and sipping a margarita and it was hysterical.” He added, “I laughed. I thought it was awesome. And by the way, Aidy looks pretty good in the beard.”

So are Britt and Cruz good sports or are they just dense? It’s hard to tell, although they should probably keep that they watch SNL hush-hush lest the wannabe dictator who runs their party find out they watch his most hated show (that he also almost certainly watches).

In the sketch in question, Johansson nailed Britt’s tradwife energy and bad vibes. “You see, I’m not just a senator,” Johansson’s Britt said early on. “I’m a wife, a mother, and the craziest bitch in the Target parking lot.”

You can watch the Katie Britt sketch with the Katie Britt approval in the video below:

(Via Raw Story)

The NBA gave us a rematch of the 2023 Finals on Wednesday night as the Denver Nuggets traveled to South Beach to play the Miami Heat. It was a low-scoring game, but thanks to a game-high 25 points by Michael Porter Jr., Denver was able to leave Miami with a 100-88 win that moved them into sole possession of first place in the Western Conference.

Nikola Jokic had to deal with getting guarded by Bam Adebayo, and while he still had a nice night, Jokic wasn’t able to put up the sort of gaudy stats that we’re used to seeing out of him. The two-time NBA MVP had 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting with 14 rebounds, six assists, and four turnovers. In fairness, three of those turnovers came over the course of the game, while the fourth came because he was being a nice guy. As the final seconds were ticking down, Jokic put the ball down so he could show Adebayo some love. Once they went their separate ways, Adebayo picked up the basketball.

The catch: He did this before the clock hit zero, which means it went down in the box score as a steal for him and a turnover for Jokic.

This ended up being Adebayo’s only steal of the night, so if you were a bettor who had money on him recording over 0.5 steals against the Nuggets, congratulations on your win.

Jimmy Buffett died at 76 years old on September 1, 2023. The “Margaritaville” icon endured a four-year battle with Merkel cell carcinoma, described as “a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer” by The New York Times.

Buffett was a widely beloved figure, as evidenced by the lineup of the recently announced Keep The Party Going: A Tribute To Jimmy Buffett, featuring Paul McCartney, The Eagles, Jon Bon Jovi, Zac Brown, Jackson Browne, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Scotty Emerick, Jack Johnson, Caroline Jones, Mac McAnally, Jake Owen, Pitbull, Jake Shimabukuro, and The Coral Reefer Band. More “special guests” are yet to be announced.

The one-night-only concert is scheduled for Thursday, April 11, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California.

How Much Are Tickets For Keep The Party Going: A Tribute To Jimmy Buffett?

According to Ticketmaster, tickets are very pricey, ranging from $1,700 to $5,740.

Per a press release, American Express Cardmembers gained early access to a pre-sale on Wednesday, March 13, at 10 a.m. local time and will last until Thursday, March 14, at 10 p.m. local time. Other pre-sales hosted on Ticketmaster include the Artist Pre-sale, Venue Pre-sale, LNHS Pre-Sale, and Live Nation Pre-sale.

The general public sale will begin on Friday, March 15, at 10 a.m. PST.

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

DeMar DeRozan has established himself as one of the best clutch options in the NBA. When games are coming down to the wire for the Chicago Bulls, you know DeRozan is going to get the ball, cook a little bit, and usually, he’s going to score, because that is just what he does in these situations.

The latest example of this came during Wednesday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers. With the Bulls down by two and only 2.4 seconds left on the clock, DeRozan got the ball in the corner and hit an absolutely disgusting fadeaway despite getting hounded by T.J. McConnell.

It was the latest thing in an absolutely crazy final few seconds between the two Central Division opponents. The Pacers led by one with about 10 seconds left when Coby White went up for a layup that Pascal Siakam chased down. He swatted the ball and it was recovered by a teammate, but unfortunately for Chicago, Siakam landed on White, which caused the team’s standout young guard to go to the locker room.

Aaron Nesmith got fouled and hit both free throws after this, and on the ensuing possession, DeRozan got sent to the line, where he made one and missed one. Chicago called a timeout and drew up a play for DeRozan, which couldn’t have gone much better.

Nashville’s biggest stars combined their powers to support Representative Gloria Johnson, who is pursuing the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate, with the newly released anthem “Tennessee Rise.” The social justice anthem was recorded by the Tennessee Freedom Singers with an impressive number of singers, as listed below:

• Allison Russell
• Amanda Shires
• Beth Nielsen Chapman
• Brandi Carlile
• Brittany Howard
• Brittney Spencer
• Brooke Eden
• Denitia
• Devon Gilfillian
• Elizabeth Cook
• Emmylou Harris
• Erin Rae
• Fancy Hagood
• Jaimee Harris
• Julie Williams
• Kam Franklin
• Katie Pruitt
• Kyshona Armstrong
• Langhorne Slim
• Lilly Winwood
• Lucie Silvas
• Maren Morris
• Mary Gauthier
• Meghan Linsey
• Meghan McCormick
• Mya Byrne
• MORGXN
• Paul McDonald
• Phillip-Michael Scales
• Ruby Amanfu
• Sam Ashworth
• Sara Van Buskirk
• Shelly Colvin
• Tre Burt And Wade Sapp

“‘Tennessee Rise’ is an anthem born out of resistance from the rise of extremist forces, the unwillingness to accept the rollback of protections for historically marginalized groups, and a determination to keep Tennessee a place of welcoming that so many have found solace in,” per a press release. “Inspired by the Tennessee Three and the wave of activism that followed this past year, ‘Tennessee Rise’ was formed from Grammy-winning artist Allison Russell’s deep love for the state — banding together some of Nashville’s best and brightest musicians for an essential fight for democracy.”

The statement continued, “The collaboration is a first of its kind in bringing such artists together to use music as a show of support for a political candidate in this state.”

For some context, Johnson and fellow Tennessee Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson were dubbed the “Tennessee Three” after protesting gun control on the House floor in March 2023, as per the Knoxville News Sentinel at the time. The protest came days after a fatal mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville. Johnson announced her 2024 Senate campaign last September.

According to an Instagram post from Russell, the song was recorded last December at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studios.

Watch the “Tennessee Rise” video above, and check out posts about it below.

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

Scottie Pippen went to an NBA game on Wednesday night. The Hall of Fame inductee made his way to Memphis to watch his son, Scotty Jr., suit up for the Grizzlies in their game against the Charlotte Hornets. And in the third quarter, the younger Pippen gave his old man something to celebrate when he threw down on an opponent.

Scotty Jr. got the ball in the corner with Tre Mann guarding him. There was no one from either team standing in the paint, so Pippen decided to turn on the jets, blow by Mann, and go up for a dunk. Despite a contest from Mann, he managed to throw down.

Unsurprisingly, the cameras made it a point to find Scottie in his seat. This let us see his reaction, which was basically what I imagine any dad does when they watch their son blow by a dude in an NBA game and then dunk on him.

As the announcers made it a point to say, Scottie did do this a whole lot during his career with the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, and Portland Trail Blazers. Scotty Jr., meanwhile, has been a nice find for a hobbled Grizzlies team this year, and if he keeps impressing with the opportunities he’s getting, maybe he’ll stick around beyond this season in Memphis.

Back in the summer of 2021, a lot of people agreed that then-Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers hosting Jeopardy! was a non-nonsensical idea. What a different a couple months makes. That fall the footballer revealed he holds a number of, shall we say, out-there beliefs. It’s probably not a compliment that wacko Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly considering him for his vice presidential candidate. And yet it somehow gets worse.

On Wednesday, CNN reporter Pamela Brown revealed that she’s one of at least two people who’ve claimed that Rodgers has “enthusiastically” shared conspiracy theories about the Sandy Hook school massacre of 2012. Here’s what allegedly went down:

Brown was covering the Kentucky Derby for CNN in 2013 when she was introduced to Rodgers, then with the Green Bay Packers, at a post-Derby party. Hearing that she was a journalist with CNN, Rodgers immediately began attacking the news media for covering up important stories. Rodgers brought up the tragic killing of 20 children and 6 adults by a gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School, claiming it was actually a government inside job and the media was intentionally ignoring it.

When Brown questioned him on the evidence to show this very real shooting was staged, Rodgers began sharing various theories that have been disproven numerous times. Such conspiracy theories were also later at the center of lawsuits brought by victims’ families when they sued conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on the matter.

Kennedy isn’t expected to reveal his veep candidate until later this month, but even the idea that Rodgers would abandon his newish gig with the New York Jets — a gig that already didn’t begin so well, though that wasn’t his fault — is reportedly not sitting well with his current employers.

(Via CNN)

It’s been the week of Zayn Malik — a sentence that hasn’t been said since at least 2021. Last Wednesday, March 6, the former One Direction member shared an album teaser on his Instagram. The following day, he posted a snippet of his next single and confirmed it would be released on Friday, March 15. Earlier this week, Malik announced the song’s title as “What I Am.”

It all led up to today, March 13, when Malik announced Room Under The Stairs, his first album since January 2021’s Nobody Is Listening. Malik confirmed the release date will be May 17, and the album will be available to pre-order on Friday, March 15.

Last June, Billboard reported Malik had signed a record deal with Mercury Records, so Room Under The Stairs will be his first release since securing a new label home.

In the album teaser from last week, Zayn contextualized the forthcoming album, saying, “I think the intention behind this album fully is for the listener to get, you know, more insight on me personally as a human being — my ambitions, my fears — and for them to have a connection with that. And that’s why it’s so raw. You know, it’s just me writing this. I didn’t want anybody else to be in between me and the music, and the music and the people listening to it.”

This February 28 Rolling Stone report confirmed that Malik co-produced Room Under The Stairs with nine-time Grammy winner Dave Cobb (Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Lady Gaga).

“In working with Cobb — one of Nashville’s most accomplished and in-demand producers — Malik will explore new sonic territory and lean into pairing his unmistakable vocals with live instrumentation,” Rolling Stone shared. “The soulful singer-songwriter had spent several years writing the album at his home in rural Pennsylvania before enlisting Cobb’s help as a co-producer.”

Just short of a year after it was rumored that she’d debut in AEW, Mercedes Moné is officially All Elite.

Last year, Moné debuted her post-Sasha Banks persona as part of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 17 — Mercedes Moné — from the Tokyo Dome when she became a free agent. She then showed up at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 17, and wrestled four times in NJPW before ultimately suffering a leg injury toward the end of May and missing the rest of the year.

History repeated itself this year, as rumors swirled that Moné was in talks about a return to WWE, but money reportedly remained an issue before her eventual debut in AEW. Recovered from what she said could have been a career-ending injury, Moné is back in wrestling and ready to reshape the women’s division in AEW.

Wednesday night’s Big Business is yet another step forward for AEW in building what Founder and CEO Tony Khan told Uproxx is the “strongest our women’s roster has ever been.” Former champions Thunder Rosa and Kris Statlander have returned from injury. Toni Storm is blossoming as champion in a really engaging storyline next to Mariah May and Deonna Purrazzo. Athena has been crushing it in Ring of Honor and she could very well be added to the mix. And Moné’s debut rounds out what will be an increasingly strong roster.

Ariana Grande dropped Eternal Sunshine last week. Now Dua Lipa has announced her similarly themed third studio album, Radical Optimism. Enter the Spider-Man meme. Lipa’s announcement came on Wednesday afternoon, March 13. Radical Optimism is due out May 3 via Warner Music UK.

So, why that title?

Here’s The Meaning Behind Dua Lipa’s New Album Title Radical Optimism

“A couple years ago, a friend introduced me to the term ‘Radical Optimism,’” Lipa said in a statement. “It’s a concept that resonated with me, and I became more curious as I started to play with it and weave it into my life. It struck me — the idea of going through chaos gracefully and feeling like you can weather any storm. At the same time, I found myself looking through the music history of psychedelia, trip-hop, and Britpop. It has always felt so confidently optimistic to me, and that honesty and attitude is a feeling I took into my recording sessions.”

Lipa also shared an album teaser on YouTube. The 81-second video captures behind-the-scenes footage of the album-making process with her collaborators: Carolie Ailin, Kevin Parker, Danny L. Harle, and Tobias Jesso Jr. At one point, Lipa says, “You know what the world needs is, like, the idea of being endlessly happy.” Elsewhere, she explains, “Every song does have that kind of, like, through the struggle, you kind of make it something optimistic.”

Then we briefly go underwater with Lipa before she revisits her acceptance speech when Future Nostalgia won Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2021 Grammys. “I said something just in the midst of panic, being like, ‘Yeah, the world just needs happiness,’” Lipa recalls. A clip of Lipa’s speech takes over, showing her past self saying, “Happiness is so important. Happiness is something that we all deserve.” Lipa adds, “Radical optimism is always something that was on top of my mind.”

Watch the teaser below.

Radical Optimism is out 5/3 via Warner Records UK. Find more information here.

Dua Lipa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.