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The 2023 VMAs are gearing up to be a night of epic portions. On Tuesday, August 22, the organizers announced a jam-packed lineup of featured performers, which initially included Lil Wayne, Demi Lovato, Stray Kids, and more, promising that the list was still growing. On Friday, September 8, it was revealed that Nicki Minaj would not only fill in as the night’s host but also perform.

But the announcements are far from over. On Saturday, September 9, in a post shared on the event’s official X (formerly Twitter) page, it was revealed that Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion will also be performing. “ THIS IS NOT A DRILL: @IAMCARDIB & @THEESTALLION ARE PERFORMING AT THE 2023 #VMAS ,” read the announcement. “Don’t miss their first-ever performance of ‘Bongos‘ – TUESDAY at 8p on @MTV.”

The duo’s Grammys performance of their smash single “WAP” set the internet ablaze, so this follow-up is sure to do the same.

Although Taylor Swift and SZA lead the pack with the most VMA nominations, Cardi and Megan are up for a few awards. Cardi B is nominated in the Best Hip-Hop category for her collaborative track, “Tomorrow 2,” featuring GloRilla. Megan Thee Stallion has been nominated for three awards, namely Best Direction (“Her” directed by Colin Tilley), Best Choreography (“Her” choreography by Sean Bankhead), and Best Art Direction (“Her” art direction by Niko Philipides).

The 2023 MTV VMAs will take place on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on MTV. To watch, tune in via MTV.com live stream or on Paramount+. Find more information here.

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

A week after stunning TCU on the road in a 45-42 shootout, Colorado returned to Boulder for the first home game of the Coach Prime era against longtime rivals Nebraska.

However, the explosive offense for the Buffaloes was kept in check early on by a stingy Huskers defense, as the two teams were scoreless through the first quarter. It was the Colorado defense that kickstarted things in the Buffs favor in the second quarter, as they pounced on a pair of Jeff Sims turnovers to set their offense up in plus territory. Shedeur Sanders was able to capitalize a bit, as Colorado’s offense put up 13 points in the second quarter to take a two score lead into halftime, but there was still some work to be done to open things up the way they had a week ago.

Among the focal points will probably be getting the ball to Travis Hunter, who only had two catches for 33 yards in the first half as Nebraska honed in on slowing down the two-way star. That said, his second catch yielded the highlight of the half, as he caught a pass over the middle and threw on the brakes, sending two Nebraska defenders crashing into each other on his way for a big gain.

There weren’t a lot of opportunities for Hunter to flash his athleticism on the offensive side of the ball, but this was a reminder of how much juice he has with the ball in his hands. Nebraska thought they had him bottled up just past the sticks, but that quick change of direction sent 33 to the deck, taking 4 out in the process and giving the Colorado faithful something to get loud about just before the half.

It’s not quite the diving interception from Week 1, but Hunter will hope to continue adding to his ever-growing highlight reel in the second half as the Buffs look to stretch out their halftime advantage.

Music festivals, as well as concerts, are becoming increasingly dangerous. In March, a stampede at GloRilla’s concert in Rochester, New York, resulted in two deaths and several injuries. On Monday, September 4, spectators stormed the gates of Electric Zoo 2023 to force their way into the festival. And on Thursday, September 7, Lil Baby’s It’s Only Us Tour stop in Memphis, Tennessee, was abruptly ended after gunshots rang out inside the FedEx Forum arena.

Fortunately, no one was killed in the incident. However, according to ABC News, one person was shot and critically wounded. Lil Baby isn’t a man of many words. Still, he did take to his official X (formerly Twitter) profile Friday, September 8, to issue a statement regarding the incident, writing, “Unfortunately, I couldn’t perform last night in Memphis. I’m going to make sure everybody gets a refund th,o .”

In the newly resurfaced video clip captured by an onlooker, as Lil Baby joined his 4PF (4 Pockets Full) signee Rylo Rodriguez onstage, a gunshot erupted. Immediately, Lil Baby’s security detail rushed him off of the stage.

Local authorities took to social media to share that they were investigating the incident. The shooter has not yet been identified.

According to HipHopDX, the shooting victim has since been revealed to be CEO Jizzle, the cousin of late rapper Young Dolph.

In late July the world lost a real one: Paul Reubens, the performer best known for the character of Pee-wee Herman, passed away. He was 70 years old. At the time, details about what caused his death were not made public. Now, over a month later, they have been.

As per People, Reubens’ immediate cause of death was acute hypoxic respiratory failure, which Healthline describes as “when your lungs cannot release enough oxygen into your blood.”

At the time of his passing, Reubens also had two types of cancer. The primary one was listed as myelogenous leukemia, which Mayo Clinic says is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. The second was metastatic lung cancer, which, according to WebMD, “spreads to the other lung or spreads to other parts of your body.”

After news of Reubens’ death was made public, tributes inevitably poured in, praising a performer who weirded Saturday morning children’s programming in the 1980s with the delightful Pee-wee’s Playhouse, as well as its three movies. Speaking of, Tim Burton, who directed him in his feature debut Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, wrote beautifully about his late friend.

“Shocked and saddened,” Burton wrote in an Instagram post. “I’ll never forget how Paul helped me at the beginning of my career. It would not have happened without his support. He was a great artist. I’ll miss him.”

(Via People)

On Saturday, several of members of Wu-Tang Clan, including Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, and more, threw their support behind one of the NCAA’s (National Collegiate Athletics Association) most discussed teams, the Colorado Buffaloes. In a video captured shared on social media by the team’s official social media team, the emcees declare their respect for the work that Deion Sanders, more affectionately known as Coach Prime, is doing with the University of Colorado — Boulder’s athletic department. The video was shared just ahead of the highly anticipated matchup versus Nebraska Cornhuskers.

College sports fans joined in on the excitement on X (formerly Twitter), reacting to the clip of the Wu-Tang Clan’s attendance at the Buffaloe’s Folsom Field.

“We’re literally witnessing the culture make a shift. The Prime Effect has ARRIVED,” wrote one person.

Another added, “The effect is effect-ing. Shoutout Raekwon The Chef .”

“Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nun To Mess With ,” penned another, referencing the group’s famous slogan.

The Wu-Tang Clan aren’t the only celebrities coming out to witness the Buffaloes play live or watching from the comfort of their homes. A ton of people tuned in to watch the team pull a massive upset over TCU Horn Frogs on September 2, and that’s just what Sanders wants.

Like many in Donald Trump’s orbit, Mike Lindell ain’t doing so hot these days. For nearly three years, The MyPillow guy has dumped untold millions down the drain chasing proof — any proof — that the 2020 election was stolen. He’s even admitted that he, the owner of a profitable bedwear company, is going broke. He should be mad at Trump, or maybe himself for buying his BS. Instead he’s mad at pillow critics.

As per The Daily Beast, video of a deposition Lindell did in March was made public, showing him being a decidedly unruly interviewee while fielding questions in regards to his pricy Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit. During it, Lindell was, in the words of Dominion exec Eric Coomer, ““vulgar, threatening, loud (and) disrespectful.” He was so hostile that the company filed a motion against him calling on him to be sanctioned.

“Mr. Lindell refused to provide a direct answer to virtually every question asked, instead opting to shout over Dr. Coomer’s counsel and then provide lengthy, meandering filibusters that each consumed substantial amounts of time and several pages of transcript,” the motion reads.

During the deposition, Lindell called Coomer and his lawyer “evil,” “criminals,” and “disgusting slime.” Arguably the strangest moment came when they presented him with a customer review calling MyPillow pillows “lumpy.” That’s when he really lost it.

“No, they’re not lumpy pillows,” Lindell raged. “When you say lumpy pillows, now you’re an asshole! You got that? You’re an asshole is what you are!”

He continued to rail, saying “Lumpy pillows? Kiss my ass. Put that in your book.” After vowing to simmer down, he hit them where it really hurts: “Obviously you don’t have a MyPillow, too. You don’t, do you?”

Lindell is facing lawsuits from both Coomer and Dominion itself for spreading byzantine — and, so far, unproven — conspiracy theories about their involvement in the election that went to Joe Biden. None of this has stopped his pursuit of the elusive — and almost certainly nonexistent — smoking gun proving that possibly the most hated politician in modern history somehow won re-election.

(Via The Daily Beast)

At this point, it is hard to tell whether people were more excited for SZA’s sophomore album, SOS, or the corresponding deluxe edition. After releasing her steamy video for the breakout single “Snooze,” starring Justin Bieber, Benny Blanco, Woody McClain, And Young Mazino, fans were on high alert.

But after months of rumors, SZA has finally shared more details about the forthcoming release. On Friday, September 8, during her SOS Album Celebration show at The Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York, she treated concertgoers to vital information about SOS Deluxe.

In a video captured by a fan, SZA says, “So, the deluxe is like a whole nother album. It’s called ‘Lana.’ It’s seven to ten songs, and it’ll be out this fall.” The album’s title is an abbreviation of her SZA’s first name, Solána. This Easter egg is a common occurrence in SZA’s work, especially in her shows and music videos.

In May, SZA took to her official X (formerly Twitter) profile to shut down claims from people sharing an unverified tracklist and release date for the album. Although nothing about her superstar career has been routine, reimagining the beloved album is bold considering the massive success generated from tracks such as “Kill Bill” and more.

It’s been a while since Alex Jones, arguably America’s most famous conspiracy theorist, has made news. The last time was back in May, when the Infowars guy fell for a fake AI Tucker Carlson who suggested they suck on each other’s nipples. But now he’s made a big comeback by going on Russian state TV, where he proceeded to trash America, almost cry, and almost vomit.

As per Newsweek, Jones was a guest on Full Contact, hosted by top propagandist Vladimir Solovyov. There he called America under Joe Biden an “occupied globalist country” run by “oligarchs” like “Klaus Schwab and Bill Gates.” He also claimed that the government is “arresting everybody” and that “our country is captured.”

To really class up the joint, Jones compared government officials to “hijackers who take over an airplane,” adding, “They’re flying the American airplane into the building—like 9/11—that is Russia. And so I’m trying to stop that.”

Jones also asserted that he’s facing “assassination” attempts, even going so far as to say, “This could be my last message.” About the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said, “we have to tell the truth about what’s happening in Ukraine, even if it gets us killed, because the globalists are insane, mentally [sic] degenerates.”

He also claimed that Tucker Carlson, already a Putin fanboy, is about to go “all in” for Russia over Ukraine. At one point he said, “The globalists want to eat Russia and they want to eat me. To understand their mindset, they’re cannibals.”

At one point Jones got so worked up that he started tearing up. At another, he started to gag repeatedly, looking off-screen for, presumably, a bucket.

Solovyov gushed about Jones, comparing him to Rush Limbaugh and calling him a “great knight in shining armor.” He also invited him to stay at his family home.

Does this mean Jones will be hightailing to Russia, to live where there’s no McDonald’s? Will Tucker join him? Stay tuned, apparently.

(Via Newsweek)

Who doesn’t love Martin Short? Some people, evidently. On Friday, Slate published a hit piece on the beloved performer, who’s currently enjoying a career renaissance thanks to the delightful Hulu comedy Only Murders in the Building. Entitled “Why We Keep Putting Up With Martin Short,” it argues that Short’s “over-the-top characters” — from Ed Grimley to Jiminy Glick to Building’s Oliver Putnam — are “unbelievably annoying.” Alas, it seems few agreed. Instead, many rushed to Short’s defense.

In an instantly ratio-ed piece, writer Dan Kois confidently asserts that he’s “not the only one” who’s allergic to the Canadian entertainer’s shtick:

I find Martin Short’s whole schtick exhausting, sweaty, and desperately unfunny. Throughout his evolution from sketch-comedy standout to uneasy movie star to twice-failed talk-show host to enthusiastic song-and-dance man, I’ve wrinkled my nose. Every time he dresses up in a silly outfit or says something outrageous or mugs for the audience, I want to shout at the screen: Why are you being like this? Only Murders in the Building has fun with this reputation, making Oliver Putnam a try-hard only in comparison to his staid friends Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Charles (Short’s longtime comedy partner Steve Martin)—a gentler version of Short, one who in Season 3 must tamp down his personality further to avoid a second heart attack. But even in this quasi-naturalist mode—directing actors, interviewing witnesses, or wooing Meryl Streep—you can always see the mischievous glint in his eye.

Kois’ piece probably got clicks. But instead of people agreeing with him, they did something better: It encouraged an outpouring of love. Confronted with the idea that someone who’s been a fixture of the entertainment industry for over four decades could inspire vitriol from anyone, people stopped taking Short for granted and offered proof of his genius.

People shared Jiminy Click clips.

SNL clips (like this one).

SCTV clips.

Clips from his movies.

Talk show appearances (like this one).

Assorted other media appearances.

They shared fun stories.

Interviews with him.

They made jokes at the article’s expense.

Others simply praised Martin Short.

You know you’ve made a dent in the world when social media is clogged with your work for hours and hours and hours. Hopefully Martin Short feels the opposite of hated right now.

It’s only been about a day since Olivia Rodrigo dropped her anticipated sophomore album, Guts. However, people are already dissecting the songs for easter eggs and meaning from Rodrigo’s personal life.

The song arguably causing the biggest debate is fittingly titled “The Grudge,” which finds Rodrigo reflecting on a moment in May where someone severely hurt her.

I hear your voice every time that I think I’m not enough,” she sings. “You built me up to watch me fall / You have everything and you still want more / I try to be tough, I try to be mean / But even after all this, you’re still everything to me / And I know you don’t care, I guess that that’s fine.”

Because of Rodrigo describing someone setting her up and still having to hear the voice of someone she presumably looked up to, many have suspected the song is about Taylor Swift.

For a while, there have been rumors that while Rodrigo looked up to Swift, it turned into a don’t-meet-your-heroes situation. Things apparently went south after Swift got partial credit for Rodrigo’s “Deja Vu” — given the similarities to her 2019 song, “Cruel Summer.”

They also haven’t interacted much since then, with Rodrigo being noticeably absent from going to any of The Eras Tour dates.

While we’ll likely never know for sure if Rodrigo’s “The Grudge” is about Swift, you can find some fan speculation below.