GoneTrending

The NBA’s 2023-24 regular season schedule is starting to come together, and as the league finalizes all 30 teams’ schedules, some of the biggest games on key dates are starting to come out via Shams Charania.

Earlier on Thursday, Charania reported that the opening night schedule will feature two big time Western Conference battles as the Lakers will be in Denver for the Nuggets’ ring night, followed by a Suns-Warriors showdown in the Bay. Later in the evening, Shams reported out the NBA’s five-game slate for Christmas Day, in which those same four teams will be involved along with a handful of others that are staples of the Christmas schedule.

The Knicks hosting the first game of Christmas is a classic when New York is at least a competitive team, and getting Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in the Garden is an easy choice. Then the Sixers will visit Miami for what should be a matchup of two of the East’s best (and potentially a showcase for a new Heat superteam featuring Damian Lillard). The midday game will be in Los Angeles, where the league will go to an old standby with the Celtics and Lakers squaring off. Then the Suns star quartet will play host to Luka Doncic and the Mavs in a budding rivalry in the West, followed by the Warriors visiting the defending champions in Denver to end the night.

The league now has to navigate life going up against the NFL on Christmas Day, and with the Niners hosting the Ravens in the nightcap, they sent the Warriors on the road but will have a bit of conflict in the first half with the 49ers game. The Eagles host the Giants in the midday game for the NFL, which likely contributes to the Sixers going on the road to Miami for an earlier window as a lead-in for that in Philly fans.

There are a lot of things that can go wrong while traveling. You must book the trip, get to the airport on time and have appropriate passports, visas, and vaccination papers. Add to that the problems that can come with renting cars, buying train tickets and dealing with your hotel arrangements.

When you finally arrive, you may have some uncomfortable situations that come from not knowing the language or local customs.

But all the troubles are worth it the moment when you and your traveling partner turn to each other and say, “We made it!” After all, if travel were easy, it wouldn’t be as much fun.

---

A Reddit user by the name of Medium-Decision6899 asked a revealing question to the Travel forum: “What is the dumbest travel mistake you’ve made?” The reactions were a mix of booking mistakes, airport errors and passport problems. Some were funny, while others were a reminder of things to avoid when traveling.

Here are 16 of our favorite responses to the prompt: “What is the dumbest travel mistake you’ve made?”

1. Long wait, buddy

“I booked a ticket to the Anne Frank museum tour and stood in line. Ticket was for the following year.” — Dickasaurous2000

2. Check your passport

“Not me but my husband. The night before our first trip to Barcelona he noticed his passport had expired. Hotels were nonrefundable at that point so I waved goodbye and did the trip solo.” — Trekker_Cynthia

3. Double-check before you book

“I once booked a month-long Airbnb for the wrong month.” — Bruce_e

4. Beer Blunder

“Mine was being an inexperienced 19-year-old traveler bringing lots of German beer to Liverpool in a duffel bag. About 10 or 12 bottles broke, and the bags on the conveyor belt were soaked in beer, and the people were angrily mumbling over it. Then mine came, the whole bottom was drenched, and eyes were all over me as I quietly snuck out.” — DoneTravelling

5. Delhi belly

“I ate a meal with raw vegetables at a gas station on the bus from Kathmandu to Delhi. Big mistake, was ill the remainder of the trip.” — Kaste

6. Don’t assume

“I booked a trip to Istanbul in December, assumed it would be warm because it was on the Mediterranean and in the Middle East, didn’t check the weather predictions, didn’t pack any warm clothes, and it was snowing when I arrived.” — ShinjukuAce

7. Lucky duck

“Recently went to Japan and must have been extremely jet lagged my first night because I threw my envelope of 40000 yen (like 280 USD) into the trash can in the bathroom of the floor of the hostel I was staying in. Was checking the bathroom as a last ditch effort, moved a few pieces of tissue and there it was untouched.” — Ducey89

8. When all else fails, bribe

“I once traveled to an African country and forgot my mandatory vaccination book. I had to bribe the lady in the office with 50 bucks, which she did hide in her boobs and here I go across the border!” — notskeleto

9. A tale of two Sydneys

“Sydney, Australia, and Sydney, Nova Scotia are not close to each other. I have no idea why I didn’t question why the ticket was so affordable!” — egd-f

10. The maritime rub

“Took a cruise in the Mediterranean. I signed up for International coverage, but didn’t realize that didn’t include maritime roaming, or that maritime roaming was even a thing… was in for a painful surprise the next morning. Fortunately, it was just the first day but the charges were over $250 and I was able to negotiate the cost down when I returned.” — dotthemcqueen

11. Now, that’s dumb

“Packing a passport in the check-in bag.” — riceingonthecake

12. Now, that’s smart

“I mentally earmark a few hundred dollars per trip for ‘mistakes’ since I plan my own trips. No one is perfect, and expecting to make a few errors helps me deal with it when it happens.” — Maddbadger

13.​ Wrong island

“Booked a car while traveling to Kauai, this was when rental cars were low so felt lucky to have one. The day before realized it was for a completely different island in which the airport name sounded similar.” — Whistle-KNower59

14. Wrong country

“Booked a flight to San Jose, CA. Went to check in and they asked me for my passport. Turns out I had booked a flight to San Jose, Costa Rica. I was traveling with my partner, an adult child, and a cello, the cello needs its own ticket. So that was stupid x 4.” — ketkate​

15. Overbooking

“Continuing to try and visit too many places in a short amount of time. I do this all the time. I tell myself I won’t next time. Perhaps not the dumbest but when you repeatedly do the same thing, it’s pretty dumb.” — Blindemboss

16. Buzz kill

“Took my son (5yo) to a toy store before going to the airport. forgot to pat him down so he set off security with a pair of fake handcuffs, a giant nickel, a huge metal eyeball, and a joy buzzer. Scared the hell out of him when he got searched. They confiscated the handcuffs and the joy buzzer.” — Dinodigger67

Dominic Fike is baring all. Not only on his second studio album, Sunburn, or in the revealing interviews he’s given during the rollout, but also, onstage. Fans at Fike’s Los Angeles concert last night (August 9) got quite a show, as he briefly (no pun intended) undressed on stage, as he was switching outfits.

In a clip captured by fans, Fike is seen removing his shirt and pants, stripping down to nothing but his skivvies and socks.

Fike later shared the clip to his Instagram story, captioning the video “Thanks la I’ll be back home soon.”

This summer has proven to be a breakthrough season for Fike. In addition to his tour, he released Sunburn in July, and also contributed to the Barbie soundtrack.

In an interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe, Fike admitted that while he’s garnered much of a large following — particularly since his role on HBO’s Euphoria — he’s a little bit uncomfortable with fame.

“…if it were up to just me, you would never see me on [social media],” said Fike. “I mean, I would use it just for drunk posts at 3:00 AM, ‘f*cking killed this boy in Smash.’ Like dumb sh*t. Because I never think to make a post about a song that I released, that’s just not in my DNA. I don’t know. I’m never like, ‘Oh, got to post about this sh*t that I made last night.’”

You can see a clip from the LA show above.

It really is nice when family members reunite on screen. In this case, it’s Adam Sandler and his on-screen wife, Idina Menzel, joining forces again after their love story met a tragic end at the conclusion of Uncut Gems. The two star in You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah, an upcoming teen-angst comedy that also just so happens to star Sandler’s two teen daughters. It seems like comedy is the family business here.

Sandler’s daughter, Sunny, stars in the lead role as Stacy, while his eldest daughter, Sadie, also appears as his on-screen daughter. The movie follows Stacy, an energetic teen who wishes for the best Bat Mitzvah ever (with Dua Lipa!), only to be betrayed by her BFF right before the coming-of-age event. Of course.

The movie also stars Saturday Night Live’s Sarah Sherman, Luis Guzmán, Ido Mosseri, and Samantha Lorraine. Here is Netflix’s official description:

Stacy and Lydia are BFFs who’ve always dreamed about having epic bat mitzvahs. But things start to go comically awry when a popular boy and middle school drama threatens their friendship and their rite of passage.

The movie lands on Netflix on August 25h. Check out the trailer above.

Beyoncé is bringing her critically-acclaimed Renaissance World Tour to Atlanta, Georgia for a three-night run. Beginning Friday (August 11), Beyoncé will take the stage at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to perform her Renaissance album in full, as well as some of her biggest hits.

Of course, parking is expected to be a bit of a hassle at a Beyoncé concert, however, Mercedes-Benz Stadium has taken to their social media accounts to share some helpful instructions on when, how, and where to part.

According to a post from Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s official Instagram account, the parking lots will open at 1 p.m. Concertgoers can use Waze to guide them to their pre-paid parking lots.

The doors to the stadium will open at 5:30 for VIP ticketholders, however, guests are encouraged to arrive early, in anticipation for heavy traffic on the day of the concert.

Buying a ticket does not guarantee parking, and attendees are encouraged to pre-purchase parking ahead of the show.

While parking and rideshare options are available for concertgoers, the stadium recommends ticketholders to utilize the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, known as the MARTA.

“MARTA is the fastest and easiest way to get to MBS,” reads the Instagram post.

It is also worth noting that Mercedes-Benz stadium is a 100% mobile ticketing venue, and only the purchased or fully-transferred ticket will be accepted — no screenshots.

Once again, Netflix is bringing a real-life drug story to the small screen, this time with Painkiller, the latest drama from Narcos showrunner Eric Newman (yes, he is the son of Randy Newman, the man who soundtracked your childhood).

Matthew Broderick and Uzo Aduba lead the series, which follows the rise of the opioid epidemic in America after the introduction of OxyContin. So it’s a little bit like Netflix’s take on Dopesick, but without Michael Keaton.

Newman told The Hollywood Reporter that he wasn’t concerned about multiple stories on the opioid crisis due to its relevance in his own personal life. “Danny Strong did a great job of getting Dopesick out there, but this is a story that needs to be told as many times as possible, as loudly as possible,” he explained, adding, “[The opioid crisis] is not over. My stepbrother died a month ago from opioid abuse at 47. He’d struggled with it for 20 years, and the real tragedy is that no one was surprised.”

Here is everything you need to know about the series.

Plot

The series is loosely based on Barry Meier’s nonfiction book Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America’s Opioid Epidemic, which chronicled the rise of the highly addictive drug OxyContin. Here is the official description from Netflix:

Painkiller, a fictionalized telling of real events, explores some of the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America, highlighting the stories of perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin

Cast

The cast is led by Uzo Aduba as Edie, an investigator for the US Attorney looking into the opioid epidemic. Matthew Broderick stars as the real-life Richard Sackler, president of OxyCotin developer Purdue Pharma. Sam Anderson, Taylor Kitsch, Carolina Bartczak, Tyler Ritter, John Ales, Ana Cruz Kayne, and West Duchovny (daughter of our good pal David) also star.

Release Date

The six-episode series drops on August 10th.

Trailer

Due to the ongoing fires in Maui, there has been a public panic about the island’s beloved Banyan tree, which has been damaged in the flames. While the tree remains standing, the people in the town of Lahaina are devastated by the scorched tree, which holds historical significance.

The 150-year-old tree is thought to be the largest of its kind in the U.S. The majestic tree was a staple to the community and its people, towering more than 60 feet that often served as a meeting place on the island. The tree also housed hundreds of mynah birds, who are known to sing throughout the branches of the 16 (!!) separate trunks. It’s no wonder the potential loss of the tree has become such an enormous weight on the locals, who refer to the plant as the “heartbeat” of Lahaina.

The Washington Post reports that the tree was planted in 1873 to mark the 50th anniversary of the first Protestant mission in Lahaina. The tree has kept its unique shape due to residents hanging water-filled jars on specific aerial roots. Over the years, residents have gathered for various town events, like Halloween parades and farmer’s markets.

Though the tree was a coveted landmark on the island, Kaniela Ing, a former member of Hawaii’s House of Representatives, tweeted that it’s just another alarming effect of the current climate emergency.

The fires have currently claimed 36 lives and destroyed hundreds of homes and buildings. As of Thursday, the fire is reportedly 80% contained, and President Biden declared it a “major disaster.”

(Via USA Today, The Washington Post)

Last season was a rare year of stability for ESPN’s NBA studio coverage, as Mike Greenberg, Stephen A. Smith, Jalen Rose, and Michael Wilbon returned for a second season together as the NBA Countdown panel for pregame and halftime coverage.

However, this summer saw more change at ESPN, with Countdown among the shows getting another makeover. With layoffs ending Jalen Rose’s 15-year tenure with the network, we knew the analysts would be changing some, but we also got word this week that Malika Andrews would be taking over hosting duties from Mike Greenberg, who will focus on his other duties at the network. On Thursday, word broke from Andrew Marchand of the New York Post that at least one of the new faces on Countdown will be an outside hire, with former Warriors GM Bob Myers reportedly nearing a deal with the network to join the show.

Myers chose not to sign a new contract with the Warriors this summer after a decade in the Bay, building the roster that won four championships, and he will now provide a unique front office perspective to the show. Now, how much that helps the show on a day-to-day basis as they breakdown games remains to be seen, as does how his personality shines on TV (he did host a podcast last year), but he will have some interesting insight to the team-building process that we don’t often get from executives who were at the highest level of the front office.

One would expect Myers won’t be the only new face joining Andrew on the Countdown desk as ESPN overhauls its NBA coverage for the 2023-24 season. Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson are also out as the lead broadcast analysts, with Doc Rivers and Doris Burke stepping into the lead booth with Mike Breen next year.

The flagship location of Jay-Z‘s nightclub, the 40/40 Club, has officially shut its doors, according to a report from Vibe.

A representative from the 40/40 Club told the publication that the esteemed nightclub ended its run at the end of July.

The 40/40 Club originally opened in Manhattan’s Flatiron District in 2003, and became a favorite of New York’s celebrities and elite. The club — which housed a sports bar, lounge, and restaurant — also opened locations in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Atlanta. According to the representative, a new 40/40 Club location will open in New York sometime next year.

Unfortunately, the 40/40 club isn’t the only venture of Jay-Z’s that recently took a hit. Earlier this week, it was reported that Made In America festival, which was founded by Jay-Z, had been cancelled “[d]ue to severe circumstances outside of production.” Lizzo and SZA were set to headline the festival, however, fans are suspecting that the festival was cancelled due to a recent lawsuit filed against the “About Damn Time” singer.

In the meantime, fans of Jay-Z can check out The Book Of Hov an exhibition highlighting Hov’s humble beginnings which led to a remarkable career in hip-hop. The exhibition is currently running in Jay-Z’s hometown at the Brooklyn Public Library.

There are a lot of things that can go wrong while traveling. You must book the trip, get to the airport on time and have appropriate passports, visas, and vaccination papers. Add to that the problems that can come with renting cars, buying train tickets and dealing with your hotel arrangements.

When you finally arrive, you may have some uncomfortable situations that come from not knowing the language or local customs.

But all the troubles are worth it the moment when you and your traveling partner turn to each other and say, “We made it!” After all, if travel were easy, it wouldn’t be as much fun.

---

A Reddit user by the name of Medium-Decision6899 asked a revealing question to the Travel forum: “What is the dumbest travel mistake you’ve made?” The reactions were a mix of booking mistakes, airport errors and passport problems. Some were funny, while others were a reminder of things to avoid when traveling.

Here are 16 of our favorite responses to the prompt: “What is the dumbest travel mistake you’ve made?”

1. Long wait, buddy

“I booked a ticket to the Anne Frank museum tour and stood in line. Ticket was for the following year.” — Dickasaurous2000

2. Check your passport

“Not me but my husband. The night before our first trip to Barcelona he noticed his passport had expired. Hotels were nonrefundable at that point so I waved goodbye and did the trip solo.” — Trekker_Cynthia

3. Double-check before you book

“I once booked a month-long Airbnb for the wrong month.” — Bruce_e

4. Beer Blunder

“Mine was being an inexperienced 19-year-old traveler bringing lots of German beer to Liverpool in a duffel bag. About 10 or 12 bottles broke, and the bags on the conveyor belt were soaked in beer, and the people were angrily mumbling over it. Then mine came, the whole bottom was drenched, and eyes were all over me as I quietly snuck out.” — DoneTravelling

5. Delhi belly

“I ate a meal with raw vegetables at a gas station on the bus from Kathmandu to Delhi. Big mistake, was ill the remainder of the trip.” — Kaste

6. Don’t assume

“I booked a trip to Istanbul in December, assumed it would be warm because it was on the Mediterranean and in the Middle East, didn’t check the weather predictions, didn’t pack any warm clothes, and it was snowing when I arrived.” — ShinjukuAce

7. Lucky duck

“Recently went to Japan and must have been extremely jet lagged my first night because I threw my envelope of 40000 yen (like 280 USD) into the trash can in the bathroom of the floor of the hostel I was staying in. Was checking the bathroom as a last ditch effort, moved a few pieces of tissue and there it was untouched.” — Ducey89

8. When all else fails, bribe

“I once traveled to an African country and forgot my mandatory vaccination book. I had to bribe the lady in the office with 50 bucks, which she did hide in her boobs and here I go across the border!” — notskeleto

9. A tale of two Sydneys

“Sydney, Australia, and Sydney, Nova Scotia are not close to each other. I have no idea why I didn’t question why the ticket was so affordable!” — egd-f

10. The maritime rub

“Took a cruise in the Mediterranean. I signed up for International coverage, but didn’t realize that didn’t include maritime roaming, or that maritime roaming was even a thing… was in for a painful surprise the next morning. Fortunately, it was just the first day but the charges were over $250 and I was able to negotiate the cost down when I returned.” — dotthemcqueen

11. Now, that’s dumb

“Packing a passport in the check-in bag.” — riceingonthecake

12. Now, that’s smart

“I mentally earmark a few hundred dollars per trip for ‘mistakes’ since I plan my own trips. No one is perfect, and expecting to make a few errors helps me deal with it when it happens.” — Maddbadger

13.​ Wrong island

“Booked a car while traveling to Kauai, this was when rental cars were low so felt lucky to have one. The day before realized it was for a completely different island in which the airport name sounded similar.” — Whistle-KNower59

14. Wrong country

“Booked a flight to San Jose, CA. Went to check in and they asked me for my passport. Turns out I had booked a flight to San Jose, Costa Rica. I was traveling with my partner, an adult child, and a cello, the cello needs its own ticket. So that was stupid x 4.” — ketkate​

15. Overbooking

“Continuing to try and visit too many places in a short amount of time. I do this all the time. I tell myself I won’t next time. Perhaps not the dumbest but when you repeatedly do the same thing, it’s pretty dumb.” — Blindemboss

16. Buzz kill

“Took my son (5yo) to a toy store before going to the airport. forgot to pat him down so he set off security with a pair of fake handcuffs, a giant nickel, a huge metal eyeball, and a joy buzzer. Scared the hell out of him when he got searched. They confiscated the handcuffs and the joy buzzer.” — Dinodigger67