Gillis’ controversial remarks were made on his podcast, which to the surprise of no one, has not improved in the five years since Gillis was ousted at SNL. In fact, according to a new report from Seth Simons, Gillis has routinely featured two guests, Matt McCusker and Andrew Pacella, who have a documented history of denying the Holocaust. And their controversial views don’t stop there.
McCusker and Pacella have dedicated their podcasting career to exploring conspiracy theories, of which they subscribe to quite a few. They are Sandy Hook truthers, arguing in two separate episodes of Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast that the slaughter never happened. They are 9/11 truthers who believe, per Pacella, that “the Israelis” knew about the attacks in advance and may have orchestrated them “to take over our media and destroy our country.” They believe in Pizzagate, the conspiracy theory that inspired a gunman to fire three shots at Comet Ping Pong, a Washington, D.C., pizza shop. In 2021, Pacella and McCusker walked their listeners through a lengthy document that argues Comet Ping Pong owner James Alefantis—who they said may be “a bastard Rothschild”—trafficked and perhaps even murdered children.
While they’re clearly no strangers to every wacko conspiracy theory under the sun, denying the Holocaust appears to be McCusker and Pacella’s main wheelhouse on their WarMode podcast.
“Prove to me that it happened,” Pacella said on a March 2020 episode. “Show me, historians. Why are they lying, dude? Why are all these so-called survivors making up stories, then? It was a hallucination. OK, man. How about the actual footage of the showers, bro?”
As Simons argues for The Daily Beast, Gillis is about to boost his public profile by hosting SNL this weekend, which will undoubtedly lead people to his Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast where McCusker and Pacella are routine guests even after Gillis told them to pull back on their antisemitism. They did not.
If you appreciate a great bottle of tequila — savoring the flavor notes the way we like to — you’ve probably winced at hearing a house guest exclaim “Let’s take shots!” Especially when they see it after seeing your curated collection of high-quality bottles. Because while you might know what separates a great bottle from a good one, that doesn’t mean your friends do. Yes, the best bottles take us on a journey featuring flavors that bloom, shift, and change as they greet the palate but not everyone drinks tequila like that.
For some people, drinking is merely a means to get a nice head change, to celebrate a moment, or to toast to something big or small. And you can’t fault them for that without being a jerk.
In those situations, you don’t have to waste your best bottles, though. Every bar cart should have a high-end sipper, a great tequila for an elevated cocktail, and — the subject of this article — a great bottle for shots.
When I say “great,” I don’t mean in the same way your Fortaleza Winter Blend is a great bottle. In this case, I mean something cheap(ish!) but tasty enough that it doesn’t totally burn your esophagus or make you feel like you’re drinking jet fuel. To help you find those picks, we’re shouting out our favorite bottles for shots and ranking them. Let’s drink!
Nosotros is produced at one of the more crowded distilleries, NOM 1438, Destiladora del Valle de Tequila, and uses a mix of lowland and highland agave, giving it a nice mix of fruity, earthy and herbaceous flavors.
The tequila has taken home Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits competition.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bright green grass on the nose. There is a warm quality to this tequila that singes the nostrils a bit.
Palate: Celery and asparagus dominate with a hint of cool mint and herbs.
Finish: Surprisingly floral cut with a bit of citrus
The Bottom Line:
Very green-tasting and herbaceous but it lacks a kick. That’s a winner for a lot of shot-takers but we like a little more punch.
Tequila snobs are going to get all worked up I’m including this one and I get it. Casamigos is a celebrity tequila (even though Clooney and Gerber sold it 7 years ago) and isn’t additive-free, making it supremely smooth and easy to drink, and, well, that’s exactly why I’m including it.
When you’re taking shots you want a smooth experience, something that isn’t going to burn your throat and ideally something that will taste pleasing to the palate. Casamigos gives you that. It’s a people-pleaser tequila, it’s not for the tequila snob, it’s for the casual drinker.
. Tasting Notes:
Nose: The vanilla is present right on the nose but it’s mixed with a lot of earthiness as well, giving it a nice balance. I’m getting earth, fresh cut grass, roasted agave, and rich vanilla.
Palate: On the palate, Casamigos leans vegetal and green with some hints of asparagus, and bright citrus. Those notes are counterbalanced by black pepper notes which give this tequila a subtle burn.
Finish: Black pepper on the finish and those famous vanilla notes.
The Bottom Line:
Casamigos is one of the best-selling tequila brands in the world, and that’s not because of Clooney. It’s because this tequila is easy to drink. A real people pleaser and a perfect tequila for taking shots.
This of Don Julio as a leveled-up version of Casamigos. It has that sweet people-pleasing character but is a bit more complex in its flavor profile. This tequila is made from agave cooked in stone brick ovens, is roller mill extracted, and fermented in stainless steel tanks at NOM 1449.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Warm and inviting roasted agave and vanilla. A deep breath will reveal notes of cinnamon.
Palate: Lush chocolate with a bit of spice, soft green tea bitterness, and crisp green pepper.
Finish: A lot of pepper on the finish, a mix of celery and citrus. There is a juicy quality to this that brings you in for more.
The Bottom Line:
Easy drinkability with a bit of spice and sweetness.
Tres Agaves is seriously overlooked, and I sort of get it. It doesn’t have the most beautiful label design, and at under $30 it could be easy to write this tequila off before you even try it. That would be a mistake, as this is a fantastic tequila in this price range.
This additive-free tequila is produced at NOM 1614, Tequilera Tap, using agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave. Once cooked the juices are extracted via a roller mill and bottled right after distillation.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A two-note hit of zesty orange peel and roasted agave.
Palate: Bright citrus with juicy pear flavors and a twist of sweet carmelized agave.
Finish: A nice subtle peppery burn. Not enough to be considered harsh but strong enough to feel.
The Bottom Line:
An affordable additive-free tequila that is heavy on the agave character.
Of all the tequilas in this ranking, Arette is the one I have the least experience drinking (I only got my hands on a bottle last month) but it continues to impress. Arette is an additive-free tequila produced at NOM 1107, Tequila Arette de Jalisco, and is made from agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave, is roller mill extracted, and fermented in stainless steel pots with copper coils.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A wet earthy quality leads the way before blooming into warm and comforting agave notes.
Palate: A bit salty with a mix of citrus and vegetal flavors. There is a very natural quality to this tequila with a nice green grass and wet soil flavor.
Finish: Spicy, earthy and dry.
The Bottom Line:
A surprisingly natural-tasting agave-forward blanco tequila in this price range. It doesn’t have a whole lot of depth, but everything here is pleasing. That’s the “shots” sweet spot.
Of all the expressions in the El Tequileño roster, the blanco would be my last choice. Not because it’s not good, but rather because I find it less complex and interesting than the repo or añejo. This makes it a great for shots.
El Tequileño is the only brand in production at NOM 1108, Jorge Salles Cuervo y Sucesores. The agave is cooked in a high-pressure autoclave, roller mill extracted, fermented in a cement tank, twice distilled, and bottled completely additive-free.
Nose: Roasted agave and citrus with just a bit of nostril-burning ethanol.
Palate: A nice juicy orange character mixed with caramelized agave and a hint of baking spices.
Finish: Smooth with a touch of vanilla and a strong burn.
For under $30, you’re getting a lot out of Cimarron’s reposado. This bottle is additive-free and made using estate-grown agave that is slow-cooked in an autoclave, roller mill extracted, and rested for three to six months in American white oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Spicy cinnamon, roasted agave, and just a bit of oak. There is a very mellow and pleasing quality to this inviting tequila.
Palate: The smell translates directly to the palate. Agave and cinnamon dominate with some caramel notes, a bit of brown sugar molasses, and some of that barrel.
Finish: Floral with a mix of vanilla and dry oak.
The Bottom Line:
Cimarron punches way above its weight. An affordable additive-free mellow reposado.
Suerte is produced at NOM 1530, Tequilera Simbolo, where it is the only brand in production. The agave is harvested from a single estate and cooked low and slow in stone ovens before being extracted via a tahona, fermented in open-air stainless steel tanks, and aged in American ex-bourbon barrels for seven months to reach the repo state.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The oak character wafts from the glass backed with caramelized agave and butterscotch candies.
Palate: A strong emphasis on the caramel here backed with agave, some citrus, cinnamon, and a hint of earthy cracked black pepper.
Finish: Agave and oak, it echoes the nose surprisingly well with a slightly syrupy mouthfeel.
The Bottom Line:
This tequila leans sweet and spicy (think baking spices, not chili) but still has a prominent agave flavor.
Just before we take a deeper dive into Tapatio I want to say that this tequila came neck and neck with our number one choice. I consider them tied, and could’ve gone back and forth about which deserves the top spot but I’m putting my foot down and saying Tapatio comes in second because it has a licorice quality to it that I’m not completely into.
Produced at NOM 1129, La Alteña, Tapatio’s blanco is made from agave that is harvested at peak maturity and slow-cooked in masonry ovens. The juice is roller mill extracted and fermented in open-air wood vats for 72-96 hours before being distilled in copper pots.
Tapatio is completely additive-free.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The usual suspects are here: roasted agave and a hint of citrus, but those aromas are joined by a bit of wet grass and a twist of juicy key lime.
Palate: A bouquet of citrus notes, tang from tangerine, a bit of bitterness from grapefruit, and a juicy quality ala orange joined with the slightest hint of licorice.
Finish: Black pepper that lives on the palate long after you’ve swallowed. If you like a flavor that sticks around, Tapatio is going to give that to you.
The Bottom Line:
A lot of flavor and character to latch on to here, even while shooting. Surprisingly complex flavors that you don’t even have to savor to appreciate.
What I love about Tequila Ocho is its versatility. Yes, you can sip this unaged additive-free tequila and be taken on a journey of complex and deep flavors. But, the tequila is in the perfect price point to mix in a cocktail without fear of diluting that complexity and even shooting it doesn’t feel like a complete waste (though we recommend low-key sipping it while the rest of your friends knock it back).
Made from agave harvested between 7-10 years slow cooked in brick ovens for 48 hours. The cooked agave is rested for an additional 24 hours before being crushed by a roller mill. The resulting juice is fermented in wood vats and twice distilled in a copper pot.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A perfect mix between zesty orange peel character and warm roasted agave.
Palate: More zest on the palate coupled with earthy slightly floral black pepper and fresh herbs. There is a cilantro-like quality here, so if that’s not your thing, you might be better served by our number two pick.
Finish: More pepper on the aftertaste with a light hint of mint and a pleasing burning aftertaste.
The Bottom Line:
Zesty and agave forward with a nice peppery bite. The perfect shooter.
Adrianne Lenker’s forthcoming album, Bright Future, is due out next month. Ahead of its release, the Big Thief leader has shared a slew of singles from the project, including “Ruined.” Today (February 20), Lenker unveiled yet another song, “Fool.”
Just sharing the audio of the retrospective look at love wasn’t enough for Lenker. So, she tapped the creative expertise of her brother, Noah Lenker, to direct its official video. In the visual, Lenker and friends put their silly personalities on full display, re-imagining a cross-species and non-gendered Western film. The fantasy is fulfilled with dogs dressed in tutus and Lenker in her country’s best, making for an interesting viewing.
In a note posted to Lenker’s personal Instagram page, she discussed the inspiration behind the record. “‘Fool’ is a buoyant questioning of creaturey loopiness,” she wrote.
As for the creative process behind the track, producer Philip Weinrobe shared his perspective in a press release. “I feel like I can hear her laughing and smiling when I listen back to this song,” he said. “The joy is palpable. The fireplace was ripping, Oso was barking, and the vibe was just right. After we captured this one, I knew we were gonna make a special record.”
Watch Lenker’s new video for “Fool” above.
Bright Future is out 3/22 via 4AD. Find more information here.
Now, Netflix might have done the same for Loudermilk, the former Audience Network series that ran for three seasons and then presumably died with Audience Network. The very funny show about Ron Livingston’s recovering alcoholic/grumpy a-hole character has been hitting Nielsen charts since debuting in January on Netflix, even reaching their second highest TV slot (in terms of streaming minutes). So, that has of course produced whispers about whether the show will be resurrected and where that could happen. Yes, of course, one of the co-creators has a plot in mind, so let’s talk it out.
Plot
Created by Peter Farrelly (There’s Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber) and Bobby Mort (The Colbert Report), Loudermilk follows ex-music critic Sam Loudermilk, who hates the world and would likely feel even more anger-bear-ish in 2024. He’s sober and sarcastic as hell, but somehow, this show never wore out that mood’s “welcome” within three seasons. Instead, it’s a wholehearted little jaunt that revolves around spectacularly drawn characters.
Could the show truly return? Farrelly is all for it. There’s been zero confirmation thus far from any streaming service, but Farrelly recently told Deadline that he’s always had a fourth season story in his back pocket and “can easily pull the entire cast back together.” Oh, do tell:
“Loudermilk sells his book, finally, and now we cut back three-four years later, his book has come out. That takes a year. It’s a huge hit, and now Loudermilk’s on top of again. Loudermilk is back to being Loudermilk, and yet, he has to deal with these same guys, his group.”
“So, he’s got one foot in this celebrity world again, and he’s having lunch with Neil Young, and by the end, he has to rush back to see these guys, and it’s like how do you make that work? And it’s also the slippery slope of stardom, and it becomes Loudermilk meets Larry Sanders because you got real celebrities in there and real rock stars, and it really gets fun,” Farrelly explains.
Farrelly further suggested that he will start floating his ideas to various streaming services, but his “dream” destination is Netflix: “It’s got a home there.” He’s not joking.
Cast
There shall be no Loudermilk without Ron Livingston’s grump face. From there, ideally, any future seasons will include Laura Mennell (as neighbor/love girlfriend Allison Montgomery), Will Sasso (as roommate/sobriety sponsor Ben Burns), and Anja Savcic (as Claire Wilkes).
Release Date
No answer can feasibly exist here until Netflix gives a fourth season the greenlight. However, you can bet that Farrelly would pull things together fast when it happens. Let’s put 2025 in our collective mind’s eye.
Trailer
Oh, c’mon. Until a trailer materializes, you’ll have to make do with the first three seasons of the show, or watch this clip where Loudermilk can’t let a clichéd analogy pass without comment. Good for him.
It seems 2024 is going to even be a bigger deal for Nourished By Time, as he announced his upcoming EP, Catching Chickens. The first glimpse of the project is his new song, “Hand On Me,” which focuses on a relationship being destroyed by a lack of trust.
It also received a music video, which was directed by Josh Renaut. “The video is about being reminded that you’re an angel by other angels, featuring a surrealist commentary on celebrity culture,” Nourished By Time shared in a statement.
As for what fans can expect from other tracks on the EP, “Had Ya Called” finds himself struggling after a friendship grows apart, and “Hell Of A Ride” will focus on “the fall of the American empire and late-stage capitalism loneliness,” per a press release.
Throughout last year, Nourished By Time gained traction for his album, Erotic Probiotic 2, and his collaboration with Yaeji on her With A Hammer track, “Happy.”
Check out “Hand On Me” above. Continue scrolling to view the Catching Chickens cover art and tracklist.
Nourished By Time’s Catching Chickens EP Artwork
XL Recordings
Nourished By Time’s Catching Chickens EP Tracklist
1. “Hell Of A Ride”
2. “Hand On Me”
3. “Poison-Soaked”
4. “Had Ya Called”
5. “Romance In Me”
Catching Chickens is out 3/22 via XL Recordings. Find more information here.
Goldenvoice is a dominant force in the festival space, as they’re the company behind events like Coachella, Stagecoach, and a handful of other beloved fests. Now their empire continues to grow with today’s (February 20) news: Goldenvoice’s latest new fest is called No Values, and it’s a punk-focused event that’s set to go down on June 8 at Pomona, California’s Fairplex.
The biggest names on the poster are Misfits, Social Distortion, Iggy Pop, Turnstile, Bad Religion, and Sublime. Notably, the fest will also feature the return of Power Trip, following the death of singer Riley Gale in 2020. As the band announced on social media, they’ll be joined by Seth Gilmore, singer of the bands Fugitive and Skourge.
Tickets go on sale starting February 23 at 11 a.m. PT. GA tickets start at $199, while VIP goes for $399 (neither price includes fees, although all passes include free parking). Learn more at the No Values website.
Check out the full No Values lineup below.
No Values Festival 2024 Lineup
The Adicts
The Adolescents
Agent Orange
The Aquabats
Bad Religion
Black Flag
The Bronx
Ceremony
Cro-Mags
The Damned
The Dead Milkmen
The Dickies
The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Exploited
Fear
Fidlar
Fishbone
Hepcat
Iggy Pop
Jello Biafra (DJ Set)
The Jesus Lizard
Joyce Manor
L7
The Lawrence Arms
Misfits
Mourning Noise
MSPAINT
Power Trip
Scowl
The Selecter
Shattered Faith
The Skeletones
Social Distortion
Soul Glo
Steve Ignorant
Sublime
Suicidal Tendencies
T.S.O.L.
Turnstile
Untouchables
The Vandals
Viagra Boys
No Values Festival 2024 Lineup Poster
Goldenvoice
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
For Black clubgoers, attending a music festival or exploring nightlife will more than likely lead to a feeling of isolation from a lack of other Black attendees combined with the absence of Black music. If you’ve found yourself aimlessly pacing back and forth on a crowded, primarily-white dance floor wondering when you’ll hear a familiar artist, you’re not alone.
At Dweller, an annual electronic music festival in New York City, this isn’t an issue. Black DJs and producers are behind the turntables, the talent is curated by a Black woman, and you’ll have a moment to boogie on the utopic dance floor with fellow Black ravers until four in the morning.
For Frankie Decaiza Hutchinson, Dweller’s founder, booking Black artists at Bushwick techno club Bossa Nova Civic Club led her to co-founding Discwoman in 2014. The collective for women and nonbinary DJs and producers has recently transitioned into a talent agency, but the mission of Discwoman and Dweller remain the same: to welcome more of us into the room.
The purpose of Dweller’s six-day string of events is “to draw attention to [the] lack of spaces in dance music for Black folks, seeing as house and techno was pioneered by Black folks in Chicago and Detroit respectively,” Hutchinson said.
Since 2019, the festival has occurred during Black History Month to showcase Black artists throughout various clubs and venues in Brooklyn and Queens. House, techno, and other electronic dance genres like drum-n-bass, jungle, and disco have roots in Black American culture, and Dweller’s lineup reflects that with artists like R&B artist Liv.e, Bronx producer Kush Jones, and techno legend Robert Hood.
According to Dweller’s blog, their mission is to remain a “Black lighthouse” amid the “isolating whitewaters” of electronic music. “At this time, the authorities controlling this current seek to drown the voices and new structures that can reverse the flow of power back into our hands. We must be vigilant towards persisting as to not just speak for ourselves but redistribute resource, equity, and justice in a space that has long made its worth on the backs of the silenced.”
This year’s six-night run from February 20-25 begins with live performances in Queens at MoMA PS1, a contemporary art institution that frequently hosts community-driven events. And a weeknight isn’t stopping any of the fun. Activities begin on Wednesday night with an educational discussion at Ridgewood club and bar Nowadays on “themes of light, sight, sound, and echolocation as means of organized navigation” followed by an opening performance where it all began: Bossa Nova Civic Club.
Although the winter might keep some folks indoors, at least four of Dweller’s 21 events have sold out and are projected to host hundreds of attendees. From Park Slope’s Public Records to Bushwick’s Paragon, the dimly-lit dance floors are an ideal place to hear an extensive range of music, such as dubstep, jungle, and ghettotech.
But if you’re waiting until the weekend to booty bounce, you may end up at Nowadays during their nonstop party that lasts 24 hours. Whether you’re leaving a late work shift, celebrating after Sunday service, or looking to dance at an unconventional hour, the party will be there. According to Hutchinson, there’s no pressure to stay for the entire duration of the party, but “to get a healthy changeover of [the] crowd which curates a really vibrant fluid environment.”
If you’re not located in New York, you can somewhat enjoy the Dweller experience at home with “Radical Dreams, Underground Sounds,” a collection of 13 films curated by Dweller in collaboration with the Criterion Channel. The recommended feature films and shorts “explore Black musical technology and imagination, and salute the dance floor as a site of Black joy, protest, personal transformation, and ecstatic communal liberation.” For more information, check out their website.
Hurkle-durkle might be the silliest word ever, but it could be the missing step in your self-care.
Hurkle-durkling simply means to linger in bed long past the time when you “should” already be up. It’s a Scottish term dating back to the 1800s—-originally having more to do with sitting in a crouching position either for warmth or secrecy, but eventually taking on a more relaxed and positive connotation.
It’s a word that only the biggest etymology enthusiast would know, had it not been plucked from obscurity thanks to TikTok.
The viral trend seems to have started with actress Kira Kosarin sharing it as her “word of the day,” joking that “I do be hurkling, and I do be durkling and once I’ve hurkled my last durkle in a given morning I will get up, but I’m a big fan of a hurkle-durkle.”
One woman hailing from Scotland even joked, “[The Scottish] knew it was so critical to well-being they made a whole term about it. So no I’m not being lazy or wasting my life. I’m practicing an ancestral right of passage. I’m connecting with my culture and heritage.”
At this point you might be thinking, wait, isn’t this just bed-rotting?
Bed-rotting, another TikTok trend about lying in bed, and hurkle-durkling are similar, but have very different contexts. Bed-rotting has more to do with symptoms of burnout and fatigue, whereas hurkle-durkling is a bit more hygge, if you will. It’s seen as a pleasurable activity meant to promote rest for overall well being. Plus a hurkle-durkle has an end in sight, whereas bedrotting can take up an entire weekend, or longer.
And now matter how silly hurkle-durkle sounds, it could be seriously good for us. Research has shown that sleeping in, even a couple days a week, reduce the chances of a heart attack or stroke by 63%, especially for folks who get less than 6 hours of sleep through the rest of the week. (So, everyone, basically). Not only that, but getting those few extra minutes of shut-eye from hitting the snooze can help increase alertness and boost our mood.
In fact, Kristin Wilson, a licensed professional counselor and chief experience officer, told Yahoo Life that perhaps so many people are leaning into silly, catchy terms like hurkle-durkle because they make rest and self-care, activities many Americans “are hesitant to celebrate and fully embrace,” more accessible.
“Sometimes our bodies just need a break, and we don’t want to feel guilty about taking time to rest,” she explained. “Giving this behavior a clever social media name can make it feel more socially acceptable and when it trends and becomes popular, it normalizes the need for relaxation within the community of followers.”
So with that, show yourself some love with a little hurkle-durkle. It’s fun to say, and oh so important to do.
Even though it’s 2023 and schools are much more concerned with protecting children from bullying than in the past, parents still have to be aware that kids will be kids, and having a child with a funny name is bound to cause them trouble.
A mother on Reddit is concerned that her future children will have the unfortunate last name of “Butt,” so she asked people on the namenerds forum to help her convince her husband to name their child something different.
(Note: We’re assuming that the person who wrote the post is a woman because their husband is interested in perpetuating the family name, and if it were a same-sex relationship, a husband probably wouldn’t automatically make that assumption.)
“My husband’s last name is Butt. Can someone please help me illuminate to him why this last name is less than ideal,” she asked the forum. “I totally get we can’t shield kids from everything and I understand the whole family ties thing, but c’mon. Am I being unreasonable by suggesting our future kid either take my name, a hybrid, or a new one altogether?”
The posters on the forum overwhelmingly supported her.
“I can see hubby being a bit of a stickler because he wants to keep the family name, but I find it a bit baffling that he doesn’t get why it would be a concern,” Babelight wrote. “If you have to club him over the head with it, indicate that for children/young persons hearing the name, they would equate it to someone’s last name being ‘Pooh,’ ‘Vaginah’ or ‘Peenis/Peniss.’”
Other posters noted that her opinion is just as valid as her husband’s when naming their child.
“You are absolutely not being unreasonable. Your husband’s last name is objectively pretty awful, and of course, you don’t want your child to have it. Also, even if it wasn’t that bad, you would be still entitled to at least suggest that your child takes your last name since you are also going to be their parent,” SwordfishBrilliant 40 wrote. “Also, he needs to think about his child, let’s be honest, their life is going to be a lot easier with a ‘normal’/not bad’ last name.”
Having a last name like Butt opens a child up to being bullied, which can lead to feelings of rejection, exclusion, isolation, diminished self-esteem and long-term mental health struggles, including depression and anxiety.
“I knew a kid named Zack Butt. Teased relentlessly. At every age,” Kwam26 confirmed.
There is also the practical problem of living in a digital world where algorithms often filter out names deemed offensive. This issue is known as the “Scunthorpe problem.” Back in the late ‘90s, people from the town of Scunthorpe in the UK couldn’t sign up on AOL because a filter blocked out the name due to the offensive term that sits in the middle of it.
The husband is proud of his family heritage and, possibly, of having learned to live with a name that would make most people chuckle. But it’s also understandable that his wife has a real problem bringing a child up in this world with a name that will make them the butt of jokes throughout their lives.
One wonders why this wasn’t discussed before the couple got married.
Going to the gym can be a daunting prospect for a lot of people. It shouldn’t be—the whole point of going to the gym is to exercise, which is something that should universally be applauded—but sometimes it can feel like there’s pressure to be at a certain fitness level or have a certain physique before stepping foot in the door.
For people who are heavier, gym culture can be especially intimidating. Unfortunately, not everyone remembers to practice kindness and fatphobia appears to remain a fairly tolerated prejudice. That shouldn’t stop people with big bodies from enjoying all that fitness centers have to offer, but all too often, it does.
It hasn’t stopped a woman named Steph from working out regularly at her gym, albeit with some trepidation. As she shared in a hugely viral TikTok, she’s experienced some unkind behavior at the gym that made her nervous when a man approached her recently. But her description of the encounter ultimately demonstrated how powerful a few positive words can be.
In a video made from her car just after leaving the gym, Steph explained that a “hardcore” gym-goer who is “super tough” and covered in tattoos had came up to talk to her. Her initial response was to be afraid of what he was going to say to her, based on previous experience. She shared in the video how hard it’s been to stay steady with her workouts, especially with medications she’s on making her body hold onto weight, but she’s been working hard to be consistent. She steeled herself for whatever he might say.
She didn’t expect it to be this: “I’ve seen you in here every week, almost every day. I’ve seen you in here every week—and I’m proud of you.” Nor did she expect that such simple words of encouragement could make such a huge impact.
People had a lot to say about the interchange and Steph’s emotional response to it.
“People do not realize, how one person can change everything,” wrote one commenter.
“Girl you are CRUSHING IT,” wrote another. “That man you encountered is what real men do. Encourage. Support. Be human! It isn’t hard! ❤️”
“No one knows your story, your struggles. You’re doing the dang thing and that takes courage and strength. You. Keep. Going. I’m proud of you too!” shared another.
More and more words of encouragement flooded Steph’s comment section, and people on Upworthy’s Instagram page weighed in as well.
“I’m a fitness coach and this made me cry 😢 just having someone say they are proud of you can move mountains for so many of us who didn’t/ don’t get the praise growing up,” wrote one person.
“Who knows? He may be going through something too and saw a determined, consistent, fellow traveler,” wrote another. “You share your Truth so powerfully. You may not know how many people will see this and be encouraged by your honesty. I’m in awe that you show up for YOURSELF every day. And as for the rude and ill-mannered? Well they struggle too—just to be decent kind human beings. Some people have not been shown Empathy and therefore do not know how to use that muscle. You are beautiful, smart, articulate, wise and a woman who knows where she’s headed. Keep walking, head up knowing there are many many more who do empathize, who see you and are on your side❤️”
“It’s amazing to think about how this man’s single act of kindness, spread through you to affect us all in a positive way,” shared another. “This made all of our days, and I’m crying tears of joy while I write this. Please thank him from all of us the next time you see him, if you’re comfortable with that. And thank you for sharing! ❤️”
Indeed, thanks to both Steph and the hardcore, tattooed gym bro for being wonderful examples for us all. We never know what a small act of kindness or a few words of encouragement will do to make someone’s life significantly better, but it’s always worth trying.
This article originally appeared on 9.5.23
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