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It’s tough to quantify whether today’s parents are stricter or more permissive than previous generations, but the overall sentiment seems to be that parents are more lenient than they were a few decades back.

A poll by YouGov found that younger Americans are more likely than their elders to have been raised by “not very strict” or “not at all strict” parents. Thirty-nine percent of under-30s say that their parents weren’t very strict or not strict at all, compared to only 15% of over-65s.

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Nicola Kraus, author of “The Nanny Diaries,” believes that it’s a natural outgrowth of the fact that we know a lot more about children than we did in the past.

“We are deeply aware that our children are cognizant, conscious humans in a way previous generations weren’t aware. Children were treated like pets or-worse-release-valves for their parents’ stresses and fears, then expected to magically transform into healthy, functional adults,” she writes.

But this change in parenting has encouraged other trends that many think are creating a greater number of entitled young adults who can’t fend for themselves. These days we have helicopter parents, bulldozer parents and dependent parents whose overinvolvement in their children’s lives renders them incapable of becoming fully integrated adults.

Reddit user u/qquackie asked the online forum “What parenting ‘trend’ do you strongly disagree with?” and got an overwhelming number of responses from people who think that today’s parents are raising entitled children.

Many of the responders think that parents are being too sensitive with their children and they don’t provide firm boundaries. They also think it’s a big problem for kids to think they’re the center of the universe.

Here are 21 of the most popular responses to the parenting question.

1. Pretending that not parenting is parenting

“I won’t tell my child to stop kicking your leg repeatedly because i don’t want to crush his spirit!’ — StoicDonkey

2. ​Denying your kid any negative experiences or emotions

“They are a normal part of being a person, teach them to handle negative emotions now before you send them out into a world they are not prepared to handle.” — IAmRules

3. Fake “gentle parenting”

“You hear and see so many parents letting their children do whatever they want, no matter how destructive, rude or hurtful their behaviours are. Parents find themselves beholden to the whims of their childrens’ emotions in the name of gentle parenting, instead of true gentle parenting where (so I hear) boundaries are set alongside validating emotions.” — candianuk

4. Not setting clear boundaries

“You are the adult, not the kid. Children benefit sooo much more from clear rules and consequences.” — NorthWeight3580

5. The “bulldozer” parent

“The parent who removes all obstacles/challenges from a child’s life so they don’t learn about perseverance, problem solving, failure (sometimes you can try hard and still not get the reward) and learning from mistakes – unless the goal is to develop a highly anxious person – then, being a bulldozer parent is great.” — spinefexmouse

6. Stage-mom syndrome

“Abusing the talents of your child just to boost your self image in society.” — sweettooth_92

7. Nonstop supervision

“Hovering over them at every turn. Whatever happened to tossing them in a play area in another room and letting them create, explore, and get the occasional bumps?” — ansibley

8. Not believing the teacher

“‘My kid never lies to me.’ Seriously. Parents absolutely should be their kid’s biggest supporter. But support sometimes means holding the kid responsible when they don’t do the right thing.” — jdith123

9. “No talking back!”

“If this also counts… Parents who punish their kids for speaking up or otherwise explaining something, saying that they’re ‘talking back.’ I honestly don’t get why most parents refuse to admit they’re not always right sometimes. Besides, what if their kid one day comes up to them and says another adult is touching them inappropriately?” — EntryRepresentative5

10. Helicopter parenting

“Kids need freedom to explore the world, get dirty, engage in free play. I am not advocating putting the child outside on a Saturday morning and telling them to come home when the street lights come on, but an age acceptable level of freedom.” — Cat_Astrophe_X

11. Pushing them too hard

“Pushing them too hard in sports, academics, etc. Like pushing til they need therapy or get injured, no free time, no downtime. FFS, they only get to be young & without excessive responsibilities once.” — Oh-Oh-Ophelia

12. Tablets in public

“Loud cartoons and games on tablets in public places.” — StarrCreationsLLC

13. Potty training too late

“Oh man, I’m a nanny and work in daycare. I can talk so much about this. One is late potty training. Waiting to potty train a child is more and more common. Which I generally agree with. Wait until they’re 2.5-3 and knock it out. Some take longer, some are probably ready earlier. Better than rushing it and causing issues. What this has turned into. Not potty training. I nanny a 4 year old that is still in pull ups. She is more than capable of using the potty. Our 4 year old classroom just installed a diaper genie because so many 4 year olds are starting preschool in diapers. My best friend who is a Kindergarten teacher had 2 kids start kindergarten in diapers. Luckily they’re potty trained now.” — cleaning-meaning

14. Kids on social media

“Creating social media channels for your children where they proceed to upload videos and photos of their kids. Perfect place for pedophiles.” — AJSK18

15. Too much structure

​”I guess the overall trend of prioritizing academics/extracurriculars and college admissions over everything else. Give your kids some chores and let them hang out with their friends outside of structured sports and musical activities!” — hausfrau224

16. Tablet addiction

“Constantly giving your kid(s) a tablet or cellphone to keep them busy because you can’t be bothered to actually be a parent or pay attention to them.” — ZRuneDemonX

17. Letting the kid make all the choices

“I believe kids should have reasonable choices, like what their snack is and the character that’s on their bedspread, but you can’t let your 3 year old decide when you’re allowed to leave your house. The world doesn’t work that way.” — cihojuda

18. Silence

“Saying ‘what goes on in this house, stays in this house.’ I know hundreds of victims of abuse, go through years of pain because of this phrase.” — Dixie_Maclant

19. Birthdays

“The social media trend that keeps upping the expectations for birthday parties and any celebration connected to a kid. When I was a kid, birthdays consisted of a handmade invitation made by me, a cake from the grocery store, food that my Mom cooked and then inviting some friends and family over for games. Today’s expectation is that every monthversary and half-birthday consist of a huge arch of balloons that will end up in the trash, a customized three-tier fondant cake, gift wrapping that color-coordinates with the themed party favors and of course, a very intentional outfit for the numerous photo ops that will take up most of the day. Anything for the ‘gram, right? Don’t even get me started on gender reveal announcements.” — littlebunsenburner

20. Parent, not friend

“Trying to be your kid’s ‘friend,’ not a parent. A parent is there to provide guidance and responsible behavior to model. Yes, sometimes making their actions have consequences and setting boundaries can be difficult and they’ll not be too happy with you. That’s part of the job. Ultimately I think that will result in a healthier relationship than being the “cool” permissive parent. I’ve seen results of that style of (not) parenting with very sad outcomes.” — DataPlenty

21. You’re not special

“Perpetuating the myth that one’s children are somehow special. With about 97% certainty, they are not. Teaching them that they are just sets them up for crushing disappointment down the road. It’s far better to raise kids to believe they are ordinary people with a few gifts, but also some flaws and weaknesses.” — AssistantToTheSensei

This article originally appeared on 2.20.23

Fear of flying—aerophobia, in technical terms—is an extremely common phobia, affecting around 25 million adults in the U.S. alone. Some people grit their teeth and white-knuckle their way through their fear, while others find themselves unable to get on an airplane at all because of it.

Such a fear is understandable, really. Hurtling through the sky at 500 miles per hour, tens of thousands of feet above the Earth’s surface, isn’t exactly the way humans were designed to get from place to place. (We may have evolved with the brain power and ingenuity to make it happen, but that doesn’t mean we automatically go along for the ride without our sense of self-preservation kicking in.)

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One of the triggers for people with aerophobia is turbulence—the occasional shaking and pitching of an aircraft when it hits certain conditions in the atmosphere. Even people who are comfortable flying can find turbulence disconcerting sometimes, especially when it creates a sudden dropping sensation. Turbulence is normal, but it doesn’t feel normal when you’re sitting in a chair 30,000 feet from solid ground. It feels chaotic and out of control.

Anna Paul, a popular TikTok star from Australia, has shared a helpful visual for people freaked out by turbulence in a video that has more than 19 million views.

Paul explains that a pilot shared the analogy of a plane flying through the air being like an object suspended in jello. There’s pressure on all sides, so even if the jello is shaken—and the object shaken along with it—the pressure suspends the object.

In other words, a plane is not going to suddenly drop down out of the sky due to turbulence, in the same way that an object won’t drop out of the middle of a bowl of jello.

Watch:

@anna..paull

Fear of flying tip ✈️❤️

The jello analogy is also used by aerophobia experts. Therapist Les Posen specializes in flying phobias, and he shows his clients a model airplane suspended in raspberry jello to illustrate the fact that turbulence won’t cause a plane to drop out of the sky. He even goes a step farther by having clients smell the jello, and then advises them to eat some raspberry candy or juice on the plane to remind themselves of the analogy, using their senses to calm their nerves.

At the end of her video, Paul said there’s never been a plane crash from turbulence, but that’s not quite true. In 1966, a flight (BOAC 911) coming out of Tokyo broke apart in midair due to unexpected severe turbulence. However, that was a very long time ago. Monitoring of meteorological conditions has greatly advanced since then, as have the designs of modern aircraft and the skill of pilots, so experts will tell you that turbulence is not something to worry about.

If imagining air pressure as jello doesn’t really work for you, it may be helpful to have a visual of what turbulence actually is. For that, Captain Stuart Walker, who has been flying for 30 years, explains the four main types of turbulence, what causes them and what pilots do to avoid them or reduce their impact. He also explains what passengers can do to minimize their chances of feeling turbulence on a flight, such as sitting over the wings or toward the front of the plane and flying earlier in the day when temperatures are not as likely to cause air disturbances.

Whether you prefer hospital-food-based analogies or no-nonsense, scientific explanations, the bottom line is that turbulence feels far scarier than it actually is. A shaking plane is not going to drop from the sky, modern aircraft can withstand a great deal of movement midair and pilots are highly trained to handle turbulence.

And remember: Commercial airline travel really is the safest way to get to where you’re going, statistically speaking. So next time you fly, kick back, relax and imagine you’re suspended in jello, knowing you’re in capable hands when the turbulence starts.

This article originally appeared on 06.23.22

While millennials and Gen Zer’s often get lumped together as the “young group,” they are certainly not the same. (Although, it is kind of hard to tell with all the Y2K fashion floating around.)

But speaking as a millennial, we definitely have different approaches to life, a lot of which seems to come down to a sense of self-assuredness. That goes for shopping, socializing, self expression…and even going to the hair salon, apparently.

Alexis Rex (@rex.artistry), hairstylist and owner of Rex Artistry Salon in Maryland, gave a brilliant (and hilarious) demonstration of some key personality differences between her millennial clients and her Gen Z clients in a now viral TikTok video.

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First, Rex played her Millennial Customer.

Millennial Customer gently knocks on the door and immediately expresses her gratitude. “Hey girl! So good to see you! So excited!”

But at the same time, Millennial Customer wants in no way to be an inconvenience, so she immediately comes back with, “Where should I put my purse? It’s okay, I’m just going to shove it in my own personal space so it’s not in your way. At all.”

Never one to demand attention, Millennial Customer wants a very subtle hair color change. Really, “it shouldn’t even look like I got my hair done.” Not “super bold,” not “in your face.”

Then after flooding the hair stylist with compliments, Millennial Customer (ever wanting to be a good student) will ask a bunch of follow-up questions about how to maintain the style.

@rexartistry Millennial V Gen Z getting their hair done #hairstylist #hairstylisthumor ♬ original sound – Alexis Rex

Then, Rex played her Gen Z Customer.

Gen Z Customer bolts through the door with a “Hey queen!” like a hurricane (who has time to knock?!) and is ready to plop her stuff down anywhere. Unlike her millennial counterpart, Gen Z Customer is perfectly fine to take up space unapologetically and even show up with hair that “hasn’t been brushed in a month.”

Gen Z Customer also knows exactly what she wants, and it’s anything but subtle. “I wanna do like in-your-face, bold contrast…I wanna look like a different f**king person. Let’s do it.”

The confidence…it’s…palpable.

Gen Z Customer has a different approach to complementing her hairstylist: “Oh my god! F**king Queen! You did that! God I love you.”

No further questions. Gen Z Customer already knows her brand of hair care products, and it’s “Olaplex. All Olaplex.”

Rex’s post quickly racked up 8.6 million views, generating literally thousands of comments discussing how spot on her imitations were.

Millennials in particular chimed in, many of whom couldn’t help but applaud its accuracy of depicting how millennials seem to constantly be apologizing for simply existing.

“I’m a millennial and once I missed the armhole for a sec when putting the cape on. I was convinced I had ruined the appointment,” wrote one person.

Another added, ‘I’m sorry for my hair. I’m sorry my hair takes so long. I’m sorry I had to move my head, omg I’m sorry. You offered me a drink? I will say yes. And then sorry.”

Many were also quick to applaud how Gen Zer’s seemed to have no issues in this arena.

“Gen Z just fully owning the ability to take up space,” one person commented.

“As a millennial I love Gen Z so much. They’re so free to be themselves and so open,” wrote another.

While there may be differences between generations, we can all learn something from one another. And we all enjoy getting our hair did.

By the way, Rex didn’t leave out her Gen X or Boomer clients. She has plenty videos of her imitating them, as well as some nifty style predictions on her TikTok, found here.

This article originally appeared on 2.23.23

It’s officially May and while that means that summer is technically still more than a month away, that won’t stop us from getting a head start planning an epic summer. For us, that means a ton of road trips. And while we’re all about checking out a giant ball of twine, an Airbnb shaped like a potato, or Niagara Falls, we also want to enjoy at least a little beer along the way.

That’s why we’re planning to visit multiple breweries, brewpubs, and definitely a beer festival or three.

While we’ve mentioned our affinity for road-tripping to breweries and beer cities in the past, today we’re looking squarely at the beer festivals you’ll want to attend this summer. And lucky for you, there are a lot. If you really wanted to get wacky with it, you could begin in late May and hit up nine outstanding beer festivals before finishing your memorable summer at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Sure, you’d be crisscrossing and double back across the country from Florida to Alaska, but it would totally be worth it.

If you can’t swing that, maybe you can at least hit up one or two of these beer-fueled events. Keep scrolling to see them all.

Thread City Hop Fest – Willimantic, Connecticut (May 21st)

Craft beer fans will descend on Willimantic, Connecticut from 1-5 pm on May 21st to attend the Thread City Hop Fest. For only $45 ($55 on the day of), you can sample beer from more than 70 breweries in Connecticut, New England, the Northeast, and beyond. Besides the brews, fans can also enjoy live music and food. organized by Willimantic Brewing Company, proceeds of the tickets will go to local charities.

Why You Should Go:

So, not only are you enjoying some amazing beer, but you’re also helping some great causes. For travelers, Willimantic is only an hour and a half from Boston. Why not make it a trip to Boston, the beer festival, and maybe even stop in Cape Cod for the day?

For more information click here.

Great Alaska Craft Beer And Home Brew Festival – Haines, Alaska (May 27th)

You might not normally think about Alaska when you think of beer (although Alaskan Brewing Company makes some outstanding beers), but the Great Alaska Craft Beer And Home Brew Festival might change that. Alaska’s longest-running festival and home brewing contest, the event takes place on May 27th in Haines (less than 45 minutes from the US/Canadian border).

Why You Should Go:

The festival features tons of beer sampling, beer tasting events, great food, and even a 5K and 10K run. Also known as the “Adventure Capital of Alaska”, the area is home to giant mountains, beautiful rivers, and unrivaled scenery. Also, there will be beer.

For more information click here.

Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival – Paso Robles, California (June 3rd)

Firestone Walker is a big name in the craft beer world, so you know an event thrown by the Northern California staple is a big deal. Created as a way for craft brewers and drinkers to come together and enjoy some frosty IPAs, stouts, and everything in between, the event benefits the nonprofit Paso Robles Pioneer Day.

Why You Should Go:

The festival features more than fifty-five breweries in the North California town of Paso Robles. On top of Firestone Walker being located there, it’s an area well-known for its wineries and olive groves. After (or before) you’ve had your fill of beer, stop by one of the many wineries.

For more information click here.

Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival – Atlantic City, New Jersey (June 3rd-4th)

Atlantic City will be home to more than just gamblers and beachgoers the first weekend of June — that’s when the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival will take place. The event, which is presented by the Ocean Casino Resort, is held at Bader Field.

Why You Should Go:

Take the short trip from New York City or the surrounding area to enjoy more than 100 breweries, tons of food vendors, and music from Dropkick Murphy’s, 311, and more. Awesome musical acts and beer? What else are you doing that weekend?

For more information click here.

Vail Craft Beer Classic – Vail, Colorado (June 17th)

If you’re a skier, snowboarder, or outdoor enthusiast, you already know about the appeal of Vail, Colorado as a center for outdoor activities. On June 17th, it will also be the place to be for beer drinkers. Celebrating its seventh anniversary, the event features from than fifty breweries.

Why You Should Go:

Instead of simply being an event where you sample beer and then go home and regale your friends about all the beer you tried, you actually get to vote on the best beers out of hundreds of possibilities. The winning brewery gets a “Golden Tap Handle.” Add keg bowling, great food options, and live music and you have a great day.

Did we mention that Vail is an outdoors lover’s dream? Not a bad spot to hike or bike off those carbs.

For more information click here.

Vermont Brewers Festival – Burlington, Vermont (July 21st and 22nd)

In the hierarchy of brewing, it’s hard to beat the overall quality of the craft beer coming out of Vermont. If you don’t simply want to drive to Vermont and look at cows and eat Ben and Jerry’s ice cream while only stopping at one or two breweries, you’re probably better off checking out the Vermont Brewers Festival.

Why You Should Go:

Located in Burlington on the edge of Lake Champlain, you can peep the Adirondack Mountains while you sip beers from more than 30 breweries from Vermont and the surrounding states. Maybe, after a few beers, you’ll spot the legendary Lake Champlain monster lovingly called “Champy”.

For more information click here.

Florida Brewers Conference – Orlando, Florida (July 24th-26th)

Professional and home brewers as well as beer fans will descend on Orlando on July 24th-the 26th to attend the Florida Brewers Conference, a place for workshops, networking, and a lot of beer drinking. More than 300 brewers are expected to attend this weekend-long event.

Why You Should Go:

Those attending will be able to attend various events including a keynote speaker as well as sample countless beers and get a complimentary sampling glass. One of the highlights of the weekend is sensory training in terms of brewing. You’ll learn how to find brewing errors, off-flavors from packaging errors, and more. Afterward, you can stop by the Magic Kingdom.

For more information click here.

Mammoth Festival Of Beers And Bluesapalooza – Mammoth Lake, California (August 3rd-6th)

What could be better than a beer festival in an idyllic mountain/lake town? A beer festival that’s also a blues and food festival featuring the likes of Robert Randolph Band, Larkin Poe, Kenny Wayne Shepard Band, and many more.

Why You Should Go:

Add to that, there will be more than 80 breweries featuring IPAs, lagers, pale ales, and any other style you’ll crave while you listen to some amazing music. Did we mention it’s all taking place in a picturesque Northern California resort lake town.

For more information click here.

Oak Park Micro Brew Review – Oak Park, Illinois (August 19th)

Celebrating its sixteenth anniversary, Oak Park Micro Brew Review is one of the longest-running beer festivals in the Chicagoland area. Unlike some events where a stadium or civic center is the site, the streets of downtown Oak Park are closed and filled with musical venues, mouth-watering food, and more than sixty breweries sampling delicious, frosty brews (as well as hard cider and hard seltzer).

Why You Should Go:

Chicago is a great destination for a summer vacation already. You can take in a Cubs or White Sox game, enjoy the nightlife and restaurants of the “Second City” and then take in a beer festival in nearby Oak Park.

For more information click here.

The Great American Beer Festival 2023– Denver, Colorado (September 21st-23rd)

No summer beer festival tour is complete without the epic grand finale that is the Great American Beer Festival. Not only is this the event where we learn which beers are the best of the best with judges sampling and determining gold, silver, and bronze medals in every beer style imaginable, it’s also a place to sample more than 500 breweries and over 2,000 beers.

Every other beer festival is dwarfed by this one. It’s a great way to end your summer.

Why You Should Go:

The Great American Beer Festival is the premiere event for beer fans. More than simply a beer festival, it’s the place to see what’s trending in the beer world, learn which beers are award-worthy for the year, all while sampling more exceptional beers than you can possibly imagine.

For more information click here.

Back in April, Jamie Foxx suffered a “medical complication” that required the actor to be hospitalized. At the time, his daughter Corinne Foxx said the actor was “on his way to recovery,” but then weeks went by with little in the way of updates. In early May, it was reported that the actor was still hospitalized and that he’ll be replaced by Nick Cannon as the host of Beat Shazam.

That report kicked off a whirlwind of rumors about Foxx’s health, which reached a crescendo this week as speculation ran wild on social media that the actor is on his deathbed. Fortunately, that’s not the case. Foxx’s daughter took to Instagram on Friday to set the record straight with a very surprising update.

Via TMZ:

“Update from the family: Sad to see how the media runs wild. My Dad has been out of the hospital for weeks, recuperating. In fact, he was playing pickleball yesterday! Thanks for everyone’s prayers and support!”

Corinne ended the Instagram Story with a promise of future updates. “We have an exciting work announcement coming next week too!” she wrote.

Setting aside the online rumors, Corinne’s update jibes with what the family has been saying all along: Foxx is in recovery. It also corroborates Kevin Hart’s update from last week when he shared that the actor is “getting better.”

“Everybody’s prayers, everybody’s love, energy — all that stuff is seen and felt,” Hart said and Foxx later confirmed with an Instagram post.

(Via TMZ)

It’s Janelle Monáe’s world, and we all live in it. Jason Isbell is just glad to be along for the ride. After several clips of Monáe flashing their bare breast to the crowd went viral (as did her “Lipstick Lover” visual), social media was flooded with varying opinions. While some begged for more, others weren’t pleased with the musician. However, Isbell is confused by the backlash over Monáe’s NSFW video.

He tweeted, “Wait, there are people who don’t like Janelle’s video? Seriously I don’t know wtf you people want if it isn’t that,” adding, “There are some things we all just agree it’s awesome so we can go about our business. Like gold, diamonds, Outkast, and this video.”

Isbell isn’t the only musician impressed by the video. Cardi B uploaded (and quickly deleted) a sexual meme to give her stamp of approval.

Over the last few weeks, the musician has let it all hang out as they count down the days to the release of their forthcoming album, The Age Of Pleasure. But, eventually, the musician decided to lean into their freedom of expression nixing their designer duds at the 2023 Met Gala for a string bikini which she then wore as she danced atop a New York bar.

Monáe doesn’t care about the backlash, writing on Twitter, “Titties out for the next 15 years.” The entertainer has had quite the about-face since the “Float” singer threatened to withhold future releases after a fan joked about the Monáe former conservative black-and-white wardrobe.

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

Buffalo Trace is one of the most beloved distilleries in America. It’s also one of the most award-winning. Iconic names like Colonel E.H. Taylor, Blanton’s, Elmer T. Lee, Stagg, and Pappy Van Winkle all help that love (and hype) spread throughout the whiskey-drinking world. But as with any distillery worth its salt, there’s so much more than big names and awards to BT. Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley has been tinkering with an Experimental Collection of spirits for years now and he just dropped a brand new one.

Below, I’ll be reviewing the 26th edition of Wheatley’s Experimental Collection — a peated bourbon. Peated whiskey is traditionally a very Scottish thing but people have been playing around with peated malted barley in bourbon a little bit recently. Kings County Distillery and J. Riddle both have peated bourbons and even WhistlePig is getting in on the smoke game with their SmokeStock Whiskey.

Still, this is a very niche style of bourbon that’s in its infancy. That makes it fascinating to try. Check my review below.

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Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection Straight Bourbon Whiskey Made With Peated Malt

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $46 (.375ml bottle or half bottle)

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is made from an experimental mash bill of high-rye bourbon that replaces the classic malted barley with peated malted barley. That’s barley that’s kilned (dried to stop germination) with peat as a heat source, which imbues smoke (phenols if you want to get all sciencey about it) into the barley grains. The whiskey was distilled and barreled back in November 2012 in only six barrels. Those barrels were stored on low floors of warehouses C and D for 10 years. Over that time, 65% of that whiskey evaporated.

Finally, the whiskey was batched and proofed down before bottling before a run through a chill filter.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a mild sense of old cigar smoke in a leathery old library with a layer of vanilla pods, dark chocolate-covered marzipan, and rich and butter toffee next to deeply stewed stone fruits with a dash of woody spice.

Palate: The palate is silken and lush with a sense of gomme syrup (it’s almost velvety) that gives way to brown butter vanilla malt over salted toffee and smoky campfire burnt marshmallow with a faint whisper of smoked prune and cherry.

Finish: The end leans into the campfire smokiness as the vanilla, fruit, and marzipan fade out, leaving you with a sense of burnt sugars and vanilla tobacco pouches next to a lingering sense of burning sage, cinnamon bark, and allspice leaves that just inch into ashy bitterness.

Bottom Line:

The end of this really starts getting ashy and that can be a big turn-off for some people. I dig it in that it takes classic Kentucky bourbon and adds a whole new dimension in a subtle way that gently builds to boldness. The profile eases you into the peated smokiness.

Still, this is a really unique bourbon and feels like you really need a baseline to enjoy it. If you already dig the peat monsters of Islay and the sugar bombs of Kentucky, then this is so going to be your jam. If you’re coming in cold, this could be a very hard experience to get your head around.

Ranking:

88/100 — this is a solid B+. Overall, I enjoyed it but it also feels like there’s more to draw from this idea — it deserves further exploration.

Availability:

This is a whole hornet’s nest of an issue. This is highly allocated. Even the press release states that it’ll be available in “extremely limited quantities.” That means that the likelihood of you finding this at MSRP and not marked up to the hilt is “extremely” low to nil. Right now, retailers, bars, and restaurants are receiving their allocation. My best advice is to hit your favorite and best whiskey bar to see if they snagged one and try it there. Otherwise, you’re going to have to be a very good customer of a very good liquor store to score one of these.

And if that’s not the case, you’re going to have to pay a lot to buy one (think anything from $500 to $1,000 per bottle).

There’s a lot to sort through with Janelle Monáe’s upcoming album, The Age Of Pleasure. It’s been the talk of the music world for the past few days for multiple reasons, whether it’s the wet t-shirt teaser video, the revealing “Lipstick Lover” video, and Monáe’s NSFW flashing video (the music’s good, too, by the way).

What has so far flown relatively under the radar is the album art, which features a topless Monáe swimming underwater. Previously shared versions of the cover made use of pixellation to censor Monáe’s nipples, but today (May 12), they took to social media to share the more revealing, uncensored version. The censored version is below, but Monaé’s tweet with the uncensored, NSFW version can be found here.

In follow-up tweets, she also shared the names of the people behind the photo. She credits herself and Chuck Lightning for creative direction, Mason Rose as the photographer, Briana Garrido for production, and Joe R Perez and Free Marseille for art direction and design.

The Age Of Pleasure is out 6/9 via Wondaland Arts Society/Atlantic Records. Find more information here.

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

Kelly Clarkson has been a beloved celebrity since winning American Idol in 2002. Her fame increased with the rise of The Kelly Clarkson Show, on which she performs many covers, from The Weeknd’s “Take My Breath” to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License.” However, things behind the scenes aren’t as peachy as they seem.

In a new Rolling Stone article, employees both present and former told the publication that they are “overworked, underpaid, and that working at the show was traumatizing to their mental health,” according to writer Krystie Lee Yandoli.

A former employee said, “NBC is protecting the show because it’s their new money maker, but Kelly has no clue how unhappy her staff is.” Another former employee added, “I remember going up on the roof of the stage to cry, being like, ‘Oh, my gosh, what am I doing? Why am I putting myself through this?’”

One former employee described the show’s executive producer Alex Duda as a “monster,” saying, “I have a friend who’s an executive producer who warned me about taking this job, because apparently she has done this on every show she’s worked on.”

According to one current employee and 10 former employees, Clarkson is unaware of the toxic environment of the show, not realizing the struggles of lower-level staffers who have other jobs as babysitters, dog walkers, and Uber Eats drivers. A former employee clarified, “Kelly is fantastic. She is a person who never treats anyone with anything but dignity and is incredibly appreciative. I would be shocked if she knew. I’d be floored if she knew the staff wasn’t getting paid for two weeks of Christmas hiatus. The Kelly that I interacted with and that everyone knows would probably be pretty aghast to learn that.”

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

In March, Coca-Cola® and Warner Music Group’s WMX teamed up to introduce the Coca-Cola® Transformation Team, a talent search inspired by Coca-Cola® Move, the brand’s latest innovation that celebrates “the transformational power of music.” The entry period has since come and gone and three worthy artists were chosen: San Cha, Eduardo Marìa, and Kallitechnis.

The three were given quite the opportunity: an insightful roundtable discussion with Steve-O Carless, president of A&R for Warner Records. He sums up his philosophy, “An an artist, you want to be up to speed with how the business is forever transforming, ever evolving. When something doesn’t fit, I’ve learned you create it. I call it ‘taking the stairs,’ as opposed to waiting for the elevator.”

He also notes, “I find it disappointing when I see artists use old thinking, of what they think the record business is, to kind of set their goals. That’s a huge mistake.”

Those are both nice big-picture thoughts, but during the conversation, he got more granular as well, giving the three Coca-Cola® Transformation Team artists more specific and actionable ideas to consider. Overall, all parties involved had interesting things to say and the difference of perspectives presented strong learning opportunities, so check out the video above.

Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.