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Some of you may not know that Stephen A. Smith is … well, not a Swiftie, but he is certainly empathetic to Taylor Swift. As Smith has explained in the past, he attended The Eras Tour over the summer and was a big fan, calling it “the best concert I’ve ever been to in my life.”

Now, this was before Swift became a fixture at NFL games during her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, so it’s not like this was directly tied to Smith’s day job or anything. But not long after Smith said this on his podcast, Swift and Kelce’s relationship became public, which meant that Swift became a person that sports talking heads talked about a lot. And on Wednesday’s episode of First Take, Swift came up when Smith’s colleague Chris “Mad Dog” Russo — who previously expressed the belief that their relationship is all a PR stunt — said that Kelce is under pressure to perform in the NFL playoffs, in part because of the attention that he’s received for this.

“We’re gonna see nine million pictures of her in the booth, he was awful a couple of occasions this year — remember when he went to Argentina and came back, he dropped passes all over the place?” Russo said. “If you’re gonna live this culture life, and you’re gonna be a pop hero, and be on the cover of People magazine, you can’t have three catches for 26 yards in a loss in a playoff game.”

Anyway, he went on to yell about some more stuff because he gets paid to do that, but then, Stephen A. was given the floor to respond, and boy, did he respond.

“I have to take a moment to come to the defense of Taylor Swift,” Smith said. “Everybody’s sitting up there and acting like she’s some kind of impediment. Excuse me, she did her job! That Eras Tour? Off the chain. Generated billions. Now, there’s only one Beyonce to me, and Beyonce, all day, everyday, but Taylor Swift was phenomenal. I went to the concert, I see these kids, they absolutely love her. The concert was absolutely, positively, phenomenal, off the chain.

“She did her job,” Smith continued. “She’s going to support her dude, to show up at a football game, and the cameras are on her. That ain’t her fault! And by the way, she went to the games after the concerts. It’s not like she used the games to bump up the concerts, oh no! Those kids were going to her concerts whether the NFL was promoting her or not! Taylor Swift is that girl. Let’s show some respect. She probably is gonna have a positive impact on Travis Kelce’s performance, okay? I’m not trying to disrespect Taylor Swift.”

It is probably worth mentioning that, despite the argument that he’s been distracted or whatever, Kelce is second in the NFL among tight ends this season in receptions (93) and receiving yards (984), while he was tied for third among tight ends with five touchdowns. This was despite the fact that the Chiefs have struggled mightily to get consistent production from essentially anyone at wide receiver, meaning defenses could focus their efforts on slowing down the 34-year-old.

Kelce and the Chiefs will play host to the Miami Dolphins on Super Wild Card Weekend, with the game taking place on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. EST. Our assumption is that Stephen A. Smith will be watching intently.

It’s been 25 years since the first episode of The Sopranos was released. From there, the show spent six seasons (and one prequel film) establishing itself and its characters as icons, inspiring countless stories similarly focused on antiheroes, criminal lifestyles, the evasion of punishment, suburban rot, internal and external toxic masculinity, and most impactfully, existential dread.

I want to focus on that last one to make a point about the show’s continuing relevance.

There’s a scene at the end of the pilot episode of The Sopranos that plays like a horror movie. Tony Soprano’s (James Gandolfini) mother Livia (Nancy Marchand) and his Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) are in a car, his body uptight, upright, and forward in his seat, their discomfort obvious as he yells “these kids today!” and she shrieks for him to stop as he paints a picture of a world turned to chaos as it slips from their generation’s control. None of us wants to ever be this way, so unable to reckon with generational drift.

There’s another scene, this one with Tony where he’s in his therapist’s (Lorraine Bracco) office. The pilot spends a lot of time establishing that Tony is intimidated by the idea of therapy due to his work as a mobster, but it’s also rooted in his idea of what toughness is and his fears about self-discovery.

“Whatever happened to Gary Cooper?!” is a line that often gets cited when talking about the show, but the bit that immediately follows is incredibly important: “He (Cooper) wasn’t in touch with his feelings. He just did what he had to do. See what they didn’t know was that once they got Gary Cooper in touch with his feelings, they wouldn’t be able to shut him up.”

One last scene, this one with Christopher (Michael Imperioli), Tony’s eager young henchman and nephew who flirts with a mob war by acting impulsively, whacking a rival while being inspired by The Godfather and the romantic idea of sending messages to the family’s rivals. Christopher is a wrecking ball lacking precision and patience, powered by the idea that it’s time for his generation to take the reins, whether he’s earned it or not. Whether he’s ready or not.

In these three scenes, Sopranos creator David Chase tells you everything you need to know about the warring factions within the Soprano family. Three distinct eras – all connected by fear of irrelevancy – the moment is past, the moment is fading, the moment is never going to come. It’s a generational divide that resonates today, because 25 years on, while the times and details are different, the fears and feelings are the same.

I’m sure you identify with one of those phases when you look around at the world. When I first watched the show, I was a teenager and incredibly eager to be taken seriously. Now, I’m closer to Tony’s age and unsteady with it. I’m sometimes wistful for a less complicated and more stoic process that didn’t come with as many prompts to tussle with my emotions and choices. I’m also annoyed by being dragged by a younger generation and held down by an older one.

So much of the focus on The Sopranos is, naturally, on that middle stage with Tony as the show’s star. He’s fending off frustrations from underneath and challenges from above, he’s trying to keep a sense of order amidst chaos, even though he is, quite often, the source of the chaos.

In the pilot, Tony lays it all out when he first meets Dr. Melfi (the aforementioned therapist):

“It’s good to be in something from the ground floor. And I came too late for that, I know. But lately, I’m getting the feeling that I came in at the end. The best is over.”

Who can’t relate to those feelings?

Tony is never happier in the pilot than when he gets to take back some of his power, embracing the old-school mobster methods by gleefully running down a “degenerate gambler” with Christopher’s new Lexus. He grins ear to ear before busting the fleeing man’s leg and Christopher’s expensive toy, later making it clear that any talk about him not being as tough as the past generation is a lie.

The ducks that have chosen the Soprano family pool as their sanctuary also bring him immense joy, when they’re there, in view and safe. Not flying away, causing a full-blown panic attack. Again, you make the connection to worries about kids growing up and family falling apart – be it your actual family with aging relatives or how found families and friendships can come undone over time – and it’s another highly relatable moment when you divorce it from the notion of “whacking” members of that found family.

Tony finds solace in talking about his problems, upending the thought about Gary Cooper, though it’s all slow to come and hollow based on the lies he needs to tell. I love the moment with his wife, Carmella (Edie Falco), when he says that his life is out of balance and she tells him, “Our existence on this earth is a puzzle.” She’s not very reassuring, but why should she be? She’s got her own existential dread to deal with. We’re alone, together, in this world.

I keep throwing the word relatable around, which feels weird when looking at the whole board. Tony Soprano is a middle-aged, (upper) middle-class white man and criminal with decidedly backward social views. Sexist, homophobic, racist, violent, deceitful. The list of flaws could stretch the length of the NJ Turnpike. No one should look to him as a model, but this is what makes for compelling art: something that doesn’t just present characters and their flaws like a problem to be solved, but rather as something to experience while, at the same time, prompting questions about what we like, what we loathe, and what it all says about us.

If Tony Soprano is 70% monster then there’s still 30% left for us to connect to while realizing, of course, that we’re all a little monstrous. Hell, the final statement from the pilot highlights that point with Nick Lowe’s pained “The Beast In Me.”

I recognize that it is such a typical middle-stage thing to try and be the anti-Uncle Junior and Livia Soprano in the car, aiming to connect to the incoming alpha gen, saying, “No, this ancient thing is good. It should be a part of your culture too!” And yet that’s exactly what I’m doing with this article. But I swear it comes from a good place. It also comes from a place that doesn’t respect the idea of generational boundaries all that much.

Instinctively, we seem to push away the art of a prior era in search of new things because old things couldn’t possibly connect to now. But that’s not quite right. Art, books, poetry, and music have stretched across centuries to inspire anew and anew again, not belonging, specifically, to any era.

If time is a construct of man, cultural dividers are even more so. In a way, the awesome untapped potential of mass streaming and availability (with its obvious limits) makes this even more true because no one is dictating, specifically, when you can watch things or your access to them. As such, The Sopranos exists at the same time in the same space as anything freshly released. You only need a prompt to engage with it.

The Grammys are rapidly approaching, and with the award show comes an opportunity to not only honor the standout acts of the years, but to also acknowledge the ones we lost. Last year, a true legend, Tina Turner, passed, leaving behind an indelible legacy which still resonates today in the works of artists like Beyoncé.

Perhaps that’s why the Grammys have selected Beyoncé to honor Tina Turner with a performance at this year’s awards. Beyoncé had already previously paid tribute to the late Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll during her Renaissance Tour last year, singing Turner’s 1966 song “River Deep – Mountain High.”

Beyoncé is not only a great choice because of the obvious Turner influences that run through her electrifying stage shows, but also because she is the most-awarded artist in Grammys history, bar none. Although many agree she was snubbed at the 2023 show for Album of the Year, she still surpassed every other name in the show’s history with her wins for Best Dance/Electronica Album, Best Dance Recording for “Break My Soul,” Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Plastic Off The Sofa,” and Best R&B Song for “Cuff It”

This year’s awards are scheduled for Sunday, February 4 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the Crypto.com Arena (aka Staples Center) in Los Angeles, California. Trevor Noah will once again host, and even more icons will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards, including the Clark Sisters, N.W.A., and Donna Summer.

It seems, in all honesty, absurd that a man with a face like James Marsden has not achieved a God-like status amongst celebrities because he has been out-acting everyone since he first showed off those piercing laser eyes in X-Men. It’s taken a few decades of dramas, a handful of musicals, and one bunny buddy comedy, but Marsden is finally receiving the attention he deserves. And it was all because he was summoned for Jury Duty.

Marsden starred in the surprisingly hit “hoax” comedy Jury Duty in which everyone in the courtroom was an actor besides the unsuspecting construction worker Ronald Gladden. Marsden received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and while he lost to Matthew Macfadyen, he is always a winner…to his mom.

The actor shared a screenshot (caught by People) of a text his mother sent him on the night of the Golden Globes which read:

My favorite moment of tonight was when they had your picture up with the other 5 nominees. Just like I’ve seen all my life of different nominee pics all together like that. And I saying to myself-my son is one of the 6 chosen and there he is up there on the tv screen next to the other nominees. MY son did that. I can’t quit smiling.

Marsden captioned the photo with a heart and said “My mom I love you.” And there’s always next year! Who knows, Marsden might get even more recognition this year when he stars in the highly anticipated film Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story.

(Via People)

It’s only been a few days since Halle Bailey and DDG announced the birth of their son, Halo, but they are already introducing him to the world of social media. Yesterday (January 9), the new parents launched an Instagram for him, and fans instantly flocked to follow it.

The account, @therealbabyhalo, has over 38,000 followers as of this post. “My stylist & dada @ddg run this page.. the flyest baby alive,” the bio reads.

However, for those who might have been expecting to see what Halo looked like, it might not happen for a while. In the first post on Halo’s Instagram, they blurred out the baby’s face for privacy reasons. All that can be seen is that he is rocking a black Nike onesie.

“Went all black nike tech today for doctor check ups… nun too crazy,” the caption reads.

This has left those interested a bit confused by the purpose. “What’s tha point in makin ah instagram for a baby who’s face yall don’t wanna show?” one user commented.

“Creating a page but don’t wanna show the face is wild,” another wrote with laughing emojis. “We supposed to like the baby feet?!?”

Others took a different approach and appreciated DDG for having fun with being a new father.

Check out Halo’s first post below.

Hangout Festival is returning to Gulf Shores, Alabama this May for its breezy 13th iteration. The festival will take place over the course of three days (May 17 to 19) and feature an eclectic line-up of pop, rock, hip-hop, and R&B performers.

Scheduled to perform are Lana Del Rey, Zach Bryan, Koe Wetzel, Sexyy Red, Reneé Rapp, and more. And of course, with such a promising lineup, fans are dying to get their hands on tickets.

How to buy tickets for the 2024 Hangout Festival

Fans can purchase tickets from the festival’s official website beginning Friday, January 12 at 11 a.m. CST.

Ticket options include three-day general admission tickets, beginning at $299; GA Plus, beginning at $519; three-day VIP, starting at $1,299; and three-day $2,299. According to a press release, “all ticket types can be bundled into 4-packs and paired with shuttle passes or event merchandise for a discount, if added at the time of initial purchase. The Hangout team is also standing by to accommodate large groups looking to build custom vacation or staycation lodging packages for fans near and far.”

Though these tickets may cost you a pretty penny, Hangout has some economical options available. Fans can set layaway plans with a down payment of 20 percent. The festival has also partnered with Klarna to help guests set up other flexible payment plans.

You can see the lineup for Hangout Festival 2024 below.

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

Killers of the Flower Moon is finally coming to Apple TV+ this week. What about other Apple’s other likely Oscar contender?

Directed by Ridley Scott, Napoleon is a (loosely) historical epic starring Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte and Vanessa Kirby as the French emperor’s wife, Joséphine. The film — Scott and Phoenix’s first time working together since Best Picture winner Gladiator — is available now on premium video-on-demand and for digital purchase, but there’s no Apple TV+ debut yet.

It took Killers of the Flower Moon three months to get there; following that same timeline would have Napoleon on the streamer in February.

Here’s more:

Napoleon is a spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix. Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed.

You can watch the trailer for Napoleon, which also stars Tahar Rahim, Mark Bonnar, Rupert Everett, and Youssef Kerkour, below.

Sin Lil Nas X usually talks with his tongue in his cheek, it might be hard for some to understand when the rapper is joking and when he’s being genuine. For instance, yesterday (January 9), he shared what appeared to be a letter from Liberty University, accepting him into their Biblical Studies program. But, is that actually true?

Will Lil Nas X study Biblical Studies at Liberty University?

It doesn’t look likely, no.

Since that tweet was shared on X (formerly Twitter), a community note about who signed the supposed letter has been added, which reads, “This is an altered image. Jerry Falwell, the former president of Liberty University, passed away in 2007. The current President of Liberty University is Dondi E. Costin.” The note also links to an official page from Liberty that confirms Falwell’s passing.

Furthermore, Jerry Falwell Jr., who took over as the university’s president after his father’s passing, addressed Nas’s tweet, writing on X, “This is the real Jerry Falwell, Pres of Liberty University 2007-2020, and that is my signature. I know this is a joke but I wouldn’t have hesitated to sign that letter for you to enroll. Don’t believe all the lies that have been told the last 3 yrs! No judgment at LU, only grace!”

So, the letter was fabricated, and Nas likely won’t be studying at Liberty University any time soon.

With the Ted prequel series arriving this week, star Max Burkholder weighed in on the burning question on everyone’s mind: Who would win in a fight? Seth MacFarlane‘s foul-mouthed teddy bear, or the sweet and lovable Paddington. While you can probably see where this is going, Burkholder gave each opponent a fighting chance. Briefly.

“Ted! Ted 100%!” Burkholder told The Hollywood Handle. “Yeah, I mean, Paddington is a physical bear, he’s got claws and teeth but Ted would like just shoot him with a gun like, it’s not even close.”

Would Ted really shoot Paddington with a gun? The MacFarlane-voiced bear is packing heat in the trailer for the new Peacock series, but he’s also not the best shot or able to hold a gun without falling over. Plus, all the drugs, which in hindsight, makes Ted a wild card, so this probably wasn’t the best road to go down. Anyway…

Here’s the official synopsis for Ted:

In this comedic prequel event series to the Ted films, it’s 1993, and Ted the bear’s (Seth MacFarlane) moment of fame has passed. He’s now living back home in Framingham, Massachusetts with his best friend, 16-year-old John Bennett (Max Burkholder), along with John’s parents, Matty and Susan (Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach) and cousin Blaire (Giorgia Whigham). Ted may be a lousy influence on John, but at the end of the day, he’s a loyal pal who’s always willing to go out on a limb for friendship.

Ted Season 1 premieres January 11 on Peacock.

(Via The Hollywood Handle)

The Seattle Seahawks will join a very active coaching carousel this offseason in the NFL, as rather shocking word broke on Wednesday that longtime head coach Pete Carroll is stepping down from his role as coach in 2024.

Carroll has been the coach in Seattle for 14 years, making him one of the longest tenured head coaches in the league, winning one Super Bowl in 2013 and compiling a 137-89-1 record over his time with the Seahawks. The 72-year-old will stay with the franchise in an advisory role, but the team will now make a coaching change and join the Falcons, Raiders, Titans, Panthers, Commanders, and Chargers as teams searching for a new head coach — with the Patriots potentially joining the fray.

The Seahawks are certainly an intriguing destination for coaching candidates, as there’s clearly a willingness to give coaches space and time, as Carroll’s teams have had ups and downs in recent years and been able to work through them. It also raises questions about what their long-term plans are at quarterback, with Geno Smith facing a 2024 guarantee date on his contract of February 16, and if they’re looking to reset their timeline with a new coach, he could be an intriguing option for the many teams looking for quarterback help.

In any case, Seattle will be making a coaching change for the first time in 15 years, and we’ll find out exactly what direction they want to go in as a franchise. It didn’t take long for current Cowboys defensive coordinator and former Seahawks DC Dan Quinn to be named as one of the top candidates for the job.