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The Phoenix Suns took down the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, 120-107. It was a big win for Phoenix, as the team kept itself in contention for a wild card spot to move onto the knockout round in the In-Season Tournament — the Los Angeles Lakers clinched Group A last night, too, so Phoenix’s only path forward involves being the last team to make the knockouts among the Western Conference squads.

This was also the first regular season game that Blazers center Deandre Ayton played against his old team. Ayton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, spent the first five years of his career in Phoenix, and while there were some incredible highs during his tenure, there were plenty of strange moments that led to people questioning if he’d stay there long-term. That got answered over the summer when he was moved to Portland, and after the game, Suns standout Devin Booker gave his thoughts on his first regular season matchup with ayton.

“It’s fun,” Booker said. “It’s, I think, our first time in the regular season. I’m happy we came out with the win, he played extra hard tonight, I’ve seen that. And my challenge for him is to play like that every night.”

Ayton was moved to the Blazers in the three-team deal that saw Portland send Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. He scored 18 points with eight rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block in 31 minutes of work on Tuesday evening.

Partygoers at a California Taco Bell took the chain’s “live más” motto a little too literally.

Alana Bechiom filed a lawsuit against the restaurant after claiming that she was fired for tattling to human resources about a raucous holiday party. The New York Post reports that the alleged incident happened last December at a Taco Bell location in San Pedro, California, where Bechiom worked at the time.

Bechiom, who says she was invited to the party by her supervisor Lidia Ruiz, attended the gathering with her sister and her sister’s significant other. They were encouraged to bring food, so she made guacamole. When they arrived, they “discovered that Ruiz covered the windows of the restaurant with wrapping paper” and “also covered the cameras for the lobby in the inside of the restaurant,” according to the complaint.

Once drinks (boozy Baja Blast?) were served, things got wild:

The complaint accuses Ruiz of providing alcohol to the staffers — several of whom were “overserved,” it was alleged. At around midnight, Bechiom, who had been socializing outside the restaurant for a short while, “walked back into the restaurant” and witnessed a co-worker “having sex with his wife in front of everyone at the party,” it was alleged in the complaint. The co-worker’s wife was “bent over” and “kissing both Ruiz and another co-worker,” the complaint alleged. The co-worker was given the pseudonym “Adriana.”

Bechiom was “shocked, disgusted, and outraged by what she saw and ran outside,” the complaint alleges, but she had to go back inside to retrieve her guacamole bowl. “She saw Ruiz and ‘Adriana’ throwing up,” according to the Post. “One of them vomited in the trash while the other threw up in Bechiom’s guacamole bowl.” After reporting the party to HR days later, “Ruiz and the other co-workers involved in the alleged sex romp were fired.”

After their termination, “someone associated with” Ruiz and the co-workers “retaliated” against Bechiom by “smash[ing] out the back left window” of her car at her home in the middle of the night, it was alleged in the complaint. Bechiom is then alleged to have received numerous threatening text messages, including one from a female co-worker which read: “baby girl I wanna break your face [I don’t give a f*ck] about your car.”

Bechiom claims to have suffered from “actual, consequential, and incidental financial losses,” which is also how I feel after eating my third Crunchwrap Supreme of the week (god they’re good). The lawsuit does not specify how much she is seeking in damages.

Related: bring back the Beef Meximelt!

(Via the New York Post)

In any type of dramatic detective show, you have to have the one guy who’s all about the law and order of it all, juxtaposed with another guy who likes to go rogue and do things his own way. It’s a perfect formula! In the rapidly expanding Bosch universe​, the main character was always budding heads with Chief of Police Irvin Irving, who had to put up with a lot.

In Bosch, Irving was portrayed by Lance Reddick, who passed away earlier this year ahead of the John Wick 4 premiere. For Bosch: Legacy, the team wanted to bring Reddick back for a final round of grumbling Bosch’s name with or without an F-bomb, which has become a bit of a catchphrase for the Bosch universe.

Sure enough, the last one delivered, making fans of the showing all emotional over the posthumous cameo and cuss word.

Star Titus Welliver, who plays the titular detective Bosch, said that the relationship between Bosch and Irving was “complex,” which, yeah, there was a lot of cursing involved. Welliver told Collider “Well, I think the relationship between Irving and Bosch was a very complex one. Irving’s character was more of a political animal and he would not do a workaround necessarily, but there was the conflict in the Preston Borders case where Bosch discovered that evidence had been manipulated despite the fact that Borders was definitely guilty of these heinous crimes, It’s very difficult and I don’t know how we’ll attack that, him not being there any longer,” Welliver explained. “It’s a huge hole in our hearts.”

While Irving’s storyline was wrapped up when he left the police department in Bosch, executive producer Tom Bernardo says the team is grateful they got one more scene with him. “[O]ne of the great gifts we had was bringing [Lance] back for one more scene,” exec Bernardo told TVInsider “We had that devastating news hit, but we still have that last moment together. We’re thankful for it.”

(Via Collider)

WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent episode of Invincible Season 2 below.

Heading into its mid-season finale, Invincible Season 2 dropped a major bombshell with the return of Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons). His brutal turn in the Season 1 finale has cast a shadow over the life of Mark/Invincible (Steven Yeun), his mom Debbie (Sandra Oh), and the citizens of Chicago who are still rebuilding from the destructive beating Mark took from his dad.

In the final moments of Episode 3, Mark arrived on the planet Thraxan where he thought he was on mission to save the planet from a meteor strike. Instead, it was a ruse concocted by his dad, and it could have have dire implications.

Earlier in the episode, Allen the Alien (Seth Rogen) alerted the Coalition of Planets to Mark defying his father and refusing to join the Viltrumite Empire by conquering Earth. This development is the first weakness showed by the brutal, seemingly all-powerful race. Unfortunately, Allen is brutally beaten by a trio of Viltrumites after being betrayed by a mole on the galactic council.

If Mark is off-planet, Earth is wide-open for a Viltrumite takeover. More worringly, he’s now alone on a strange planet with his father, Omni-Man, who has shown he has no qualms smashing his own son into a pulp.

When Will ‘Invincible’ Season 2, Episode 4 Come Out?

Officially, Invincible Season 2 Episode 4 will premiere on Friday, November 24. However, Season 2 episodes of Invincible have started streaming the night before, which means Episode 4 will be available at 8 PM EST on Thanksgiving night, November 23.

You can watch a teaser for the mid-season finale below:

Invincible Season 2 is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Tuesday night was a good one for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team hammered the Utah Jazz, 131-99, in a group stage game during the In-Season Tournament, and as a result, the Lakers punched their ticket to the knockout round by going undefeated in Group A play.

LeBron James did not have to play a whole lot, but he still managed to put his fingerprints all over the game when he was on the floor. James had 17 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in 24 minutes of work, which is both a far cry from what he usually does and still awfully impressive for a guy who is a little more than a month away from turning 39 years old. His age comes up a lot nowadays, and after Tuesday’s game, James learned something unique about this particular game: He is older than Will Hardy, the head coach of the Jazz.

Learning this led to James making a noise, putting his head in his hand, and saying “oh my goodness” a few times.

“I’m not even mad,” James said. “That’s a good one, you got me on that one. That’s crazy.”

James is older than a few coaches, but Hardy, who is turns 36 in January, is the youngest coach in the league. The bad news for James is that if he keeps playing at a high level — which it sure seems like he can do for a few more years — this is going to keep happening.

If you are a Cobra Kai watcher and are eagerly awaiting the “biggest and baddest” Season 6, then you probably noticed the announcement about a new The Karate Kid movie starring Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan. That’s quite a development, truly. As every faithful dojo attendee knows, Macchio has portrayed Daniel “Daniel-san” LaRusso since the 1984 film that ignited a generations-spanning franchise, including five seasons (so far) of Cobra Kai on Netflix. Whereas Jackie Chan portrayed kung-fu master Mr. Han, who was Miyagi-esque in 2010’s The Karate Kid reboot, but no one could ever replace Mr. Miyagi, embodied by the late and great Pat Morita.

Macchio and Chan will reprise their roles in a film from Sony Pictures that is set to premiere on December 13, 2024. That’s a quick turnaround, but this franchise seems to run a tight ship, and since Sony Pictures Entertainment produces Cobra Kai, a natural question is whether we will see any overlap there. This seems plausible, given that Cobra Kai is canon and has kept The Karate Kid fires burning for multiple generations, but will we see Hawk, Samantha, Miguel, Robby, Tori, or anyone else from the series make an appearance in the new film?

As of now, nothing has been confirmed on that note, but the film will be directed by Jonathan Entwistle (The End Of The F***ing World) and written by Rob Lieber (Peter Rabbit, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day). This will, of course, mean that new minds are bringing the franchise to life. It’s worth nothing that Macchio has always defended the ways of Miyagi and has been — as he detailed to us on multiple occasions — enormously hesitant to sign onto any project (including the 2010 reboot) that isn’t faithful to the original trilogy’s vision, it’s probably best to relax a bit and trust in Miyagi while waiting for the film.

With that said, Cobra Kai creators Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg are not involved in this movie. In fall 2022 (and before Macchio and Chan were confirmed to star), Hurwitz admitted that the project was a mystery to him, too. “The guys and I would love to make Karate Kid and Cobra Kai movies and hope to someday,” Hurwitz tweeted. “But this one isn’t from us or focused on the Cobra Kai cast. Don’t know much about it, but wish it well.”

Obviously, plenty of Hollywood time has passed since then, and again, back when Hurwitz made that statement, Macchio wasn’t (publicly) involved yet. Yes, he’s the original The Karate Kid, but he is also very much Cobra Kai, too. So if he’s involved, perhaps, just maybe, will we see anyone else make an appearance? It’s difficult to imagine that Johnny Lawrence wouldn’t at least make a cameo, even though that is strictly wishful thinking.

Work with me here, though. If Johnny gets involved (and he wants to be a better dad now that he has another kid on the way) it’s easy to imagine how Robby (Tanner Buchanan) could get pulled in, and before you know it, there could be a Hawk and a Stingray. Too much? Never.

In all seriousness, however, Sony hasn’t elaborated on further cast members and is currently inviting audition videos from the karate-kicking public at large. Yet it would be a missed opportunity, perhaps costing plenty of box-office dollars, if members of the Cobra Kai cast didn’t at least give a little face time. We’ll be waiting for further updates, and remember, Cobra Kai will never die.

Osheaga Festival unveiled the new headliners for the 2024 edition of their annual fest. Right now, Noah Kahan, Green Day, and SZA will be headlining each of the three days between August 2 to 4 at Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau.

While the rest of the lineup has yet to be revealed, it will still have a wide variety of popular artists, given the festival has been running for years with great selections of performers.

Right now, three-day passes for the 2024 festival are currently available. There are a few different tiers. General Admission starts at $284 and includes standard festival access. The Gold Casino Montreal ticket runs at $536 and includes premium viewing, fast-lane entry, and private bathrooms. Finally, the Platinum Ticket costs $1,167. This includes the same premium viewing, along with exclusive bars, a continental brunch, a backstage tour, a shuttle service, an on-site concierge, makeup artists, and many more exclusive perks.

For those heading to Osheaga in a group, there are also two pass options for that. The Gold Table package is $4,200 for 4 tickets, giving the group a private table on the premium viewing terrace. The Gold Booth is for six people at $7,440, being a similar setup, just giving the group a private couch.

More information about Osheaga 2024 can be found on their official website.

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

In the year 2023, the Dick Wolf universe is stronger than ever, thanks to the power of Mariska Hargitay. The franchise currently has multiple titles on air, with more in the works, and as long as weird real-life crimes are being committed, there will be ample storylines for years to come. So where do you start?!

The upcoming seasons of Law and Order and its various other shows will head back to your TV in early 2024. In addition to the Law & Order titles, Wolf’s other shows of the Chicago variety– Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD— are also getting new episodes, if you’re more of a Midwest type of person. Here’s what you need to know.

When Does ‘Law & Order’ Season 23 Come Out?

The 23rd season of Law & Order will return for another round of crimes on January 18th at 8 pm on NBC. After first being canceled in 2010, the series was revitalized in 2022, bringing real cases “ripped from the headlines” and pasted over some beautiful actors’ faces. The cast consists of Mehcad Brooks, Hugh Dancy, and OG star Sam Waterston.

When Does ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Season 25 Come Out?

The fun doesn’t stop there! The very special 25th season of Law & Order: SVU will air on Thursday, January 18th, right after the flagship show returns. The series brings back fan-favorite stars Mariska Hargitay and Ice-T as they continue to assist in solving crimes across New York City.

When Does ‘Law & Order: Organized Crime’ Season 4 Come Out?

Would you look at that, the fourth season of the newbie on the block Law & Order: Organized Crime will head to the small screen on the same day: January 18th. Organized Crime will air after its long-running older siblings. Christopher Meloni returns as Elliot Stabler, the jacked detective who takes crime into his own very muscular hands. TV is back, baby!

(Via Variety)

Issa Rae’s City Girls-inspired musical dramedy, Rap Sh!t, has returned for a second season of Miami-based indie rap shenanigans on Max. With its return comes another season soundtrack packed with the underground hip-hop and R&B talent that makes the show’s tale of a burgeoning buddy rap duo sing.

As with Rae’s prior hit show, Insecure, the soundtrack not only lends the narrative its authenticity but also propels the story forward as songs written for its stars Mia and Shawna (portrayed by Kamillion and Aida Osman, respectively) reflect their struggles and triumphs, while songs inspired by show’s events set the tone for their quest through Miami’s nightlife in search of their big break.

While the last season’s soundtrack highlighted songs from rising rap stars like Dreezy, Jean Deaux, Tokyo Jetz, and more, this season brings even more emerging voices to the foreground, like Cam & China, Connie Diiamond, and Guapdad 4000 (and many, many more, including breakout sensation Sexyy Red). They, along with Raedio VP Sarah Bromberg and the label’s General Manager Xtina Prince, gave Uproxx some insight into how the show highlights the future of music — and how the music makes the show another Issa Rae hit in its own right.

What is the core theme of this season narratively and how does the soundtrack/song tie into that theme?

Sarah Bromberg – Raedio VP, Music Supervision & Library: The season taps into the artist’s struggle to succeed and all of the outside factors that can influence a breaking artist when they are on that journey to become established. In creating music for the show, especially for the soundtrack, we brought in both artists that have reached that established place and those that are still on the journey there. In that way, some of the pairings on the soundtrack are almost a reflection of the story told this season.

Xtina Prince – Raedio General Manager: This season is full of drama. Drama with family, Drama with ego, Drama with competition, Drama in relationships. This season was hard. It has light and funny moments that create a balance but it is definitely serious. Records like “He Can’t Reach,” that talk about moving on from a relationship with your pride and self-respect and the airy and sinister production on tracks like “On Site” and “Want No Beef” were the perfect backdrops to the moments of intensity and struggle reflected in this season.

What are the challenges and advantages of writing/producing a song intended for television/narrative rather than radio/playlist/stage?

Connie Diiamond: When it comes to television there’s usually a narrative/topic they need you to stick to. When I’m creating dolo, I can do and say what I want. Overall it’s still a great experience and it pushes me to be greater than what I already am.

Cam & China: One of the challenges we come across is writing lyrics outside of ourselves as artists and seeing things in perspectives within the task we have at hand without sounding cheesy. Since we own being authentic artists ourselves, we take pride in spilling that into everything we do no matter the circumstances.

With that being said, one of the great advantages of writing for anything/anyone outside of ourselves is creating our own imaginary character and putting our all into assuring it feels real and loving what we’ve accomplished and sometimes wanting it for ourselves lol. We appreciate these tasks because not only do they challenge us, but they also better us as artists.

Guapdad 4000: They often don’t use the whole song; it’s very specific so each section needs to completely articulate the energy or mood of the scene. This, of course, contrasts with making something for radio, or the playlist, or stage, because there are a lot less controlled elements. Both are challenging and fun to me either way.

Which Rap Sh!t character do you relate to the most and how are you alike/different from them?

Cam & China: We relate to Shawna the most. We know how it feels for your family to resent you for rapping and having a lot to lose. We also know how it feels to get turned down or humiliated for standing up for yourself and calling out people’s bluffs, especially the ones in higher power that people try to overlook because of it. We also relate to how driven she is for her career and how she likes to play the back.

Guapdad 4000: Some days I am Shawna standing on my feelings, some days I am Mia trying to stand on business, so I switch off as they make mistakes and develop. Fortunately, I am pretty much never Reina Reign.

Connie Diiamond: Definitely KaMillion, that’s my girl on and off camera. I resonate more with her because I know her struggle in real life. It’s very similar to the script. Just a creative tryna make it. I love her, I love the show, and I love Issa Rae for shining the light on the girlies.

The show is oddly true to life in how it depicts the music industry. Which of your own experiences would make a good episode?

Guapdad 4000: Oh nothing much in my life to write an episode about. I’ve only dealt with small things such as poverty, traumatic brushes with death and jail, tragic losses of houses and loved ones, severe combination type ADHD — that might actually be autism — manic episodes followed by my famous season-long mental breakdowns, and not to mention my career working backwards and the constant battle that is being an independent artist. So you know… I clearly don’t have much to talk about.

Connie Diiamond: My experience would be the entire signing process for me. From creating a freestyle, going viral, & then having the CEO of a major label having an interest in signing me. I think that’s every artist’s dream. To genuinely make a statement and then being rewarded with the recognition of a major label.

Cam & China: Being told what to look like, what sells, and what to wear to be successful, or how we should dumb it down and rap sexier, all while taking away from our authentic self and ignoring what we can do with music. People hear music differently once they see what you look like but if you have an ear for talent, or just a dope ass artist all around and relatable? Nothing else matters.

Rap Sh!t season 2 is now streaming on Max. Rap Sh!t: The Mixtape (From The Max Original Series, S2) is out now via Raedio, LLC and Def Jam Recordings.

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

Coldplay fans in Malaysia are excited to see the British hitmakers perform at the country’s Bukit Jalil stadium tonight (November 22). But ahead of the show, the stadium has implemented a new “kill switch” policy. According to NME, organizers can activate the kill switch if Coldplay “misbehaves.”

The switch will apparently end the show instantaneously if the band makes controversial comments or actions.

Malaysian communications minister Fahmi Fadzil explained to The Straits Times that if activated, the “kill switch” will cut power to instruments, lights, and sound equipment. The potential use of the kill switch comes as part of an agreement with Live Nation.

Fahmi noted, though, that he does not anticipate anything wild happening during the Coldplay concert.

“The prime minister has also said the band you know, is very supportive of Palestine,” he said. “So, we are upbeat about the concert today.”

The kill switch comes after The 1975 lead vocalist Matty Healy criticized Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ laws and kissed a male bandmate on stage during a festival performance at Good Vibes festival back in July. After this, the remainder of Good Vibes festival was canceled and The 1975 has since been banned from performing in Malaysia.

A week before tonight’s show, Live Nation Malaysia issued a statement urging fans and performers to “be mindful of the local culture and sensitivities in Malaysia.”

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