Have you embraced the power of Timothée Chalamet yet? It’s been a busy few years for the lad, and if you haven’t caught on, now is your time. Many of us thought that the Call Me By Your Name star would have his fifteen minutes and then land on some Netflix teenage romcom saga like so many before him, but we quickly learned that this dude isn’t going anywhere, mostly because he has now been shot into the Kardashian orbit.
Chris Pratt, who recently compared himself to the likes of Jesus, isn’t immune to Chalamet’s charm. Or maybe he just really wants to secure that Wonka cameo as Hugh Grant’s Oompa assistant. Whatever the reason, Pratt decided to post a photo with the caption calling Timmy “America’s tastiest snack.” Oreo could not be reached for comment.
Instagram/@PrattPrattPratt
Has Chalamet responded? You bet not. Will he? No, because it would clash with his Instagram aesthetic. So what is the purpose of this here post? Probably to prove to the youths, who have not been kind to Pratt, that he’s cool too! But is he?
Through intense detection skills (eyes) we can tell that Timmy here is still wearing his mask, meaning he probably didn’t stick around to talk to Pratt for too long (his iced coffee was barely touched) and just snapped a quick pic. With a cupcake (??). Or maybe he didn’t want to be noticed. But that didn’t stop Pratt, who often doesn’t care what people think, much like Jesus.
On the other hand, maybe Chalamet was trying to get on Pratt’s good side in order to appear in the Super Mario franchise, probably as Lumalee. They have the same hairstyle! Who knows!
Mark Zuckerberg has his share of critics. (Right now Elon Musk probably isn’t his biggest fan.) Joe Rogan isn’t one of them, at least when it comes to his foray into martial arts. Last time the Facebook/Meta top dog was on The Joe Rogan Experience, one thing they discussed was the former’s love of Jiu-Jitsu, the Japanese form of close combat. Cut to this past weekend and Zuck won his first such match. Color Rogan impressed!
On Wednesday’s show, Rogan was chatting with stand-ups Kim Congdon and Sara Weinshenk about Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, which he encouraged they take up. That got Rogan thinking about the Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce fan’s big win.
“Did you see Mark Zuckerberg won a gold medal in a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition?” Rogan asked the two. He then uttered the magic words, “Mark Zuckerberg is a f*cking savage.”
He kept gushing: “This dude has been training Jiu-Jitsu. This is what he did. He wore a Covid mask and he fucking put a hat on and he hid. He used an alias.”
Rogan then thought about what it must have been like to have gotten beat up by someone once portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg:
“Imagine you’re right about to compete in like maybe your first competition. ‘Well just give it a try. I mean, what’s the worst thing that could happen?’ Worst thing that could happen — you get strangled by a super-nerd in front of the whole world.”
Zuckerberg has been training in Jiu-Jitsu for the last few years. At last weekend’s competition, he nabbed both gold and silver medals, which he posted on both his Facebook and Instagram accounts.
So congrats to Mark Zuckerberg, not only for the win but also for impressing someone who thinks The Rock juices. You can watch Rogan’s clip in the video above.
After Tom Cruise was photographed next to Shakira during this past weekend’s Formula 1 Grand Prix in Miami, the internet went wild with rumors that the Mission: Impossible star is dating the recently single singer. And as footage of the two hanging out at the event bounced around TikTok, a source informed Page Six that romance is in the air.
“He is extremely interested in pursuing her,” the source said. “There is chemistry.”
The 46-year-old singer publicly broke things off with her soccer player boyfriend, Gerard Piqué, over allegations that he was having an affair. Now that she’s living in Miami, Shakira is reportedly open to dating the Top Gun: Maverick star:
“Shakira needs a soft pillow to fall on, and that could be Tom,” says our source — adding that Cruise has the benefit of being, “a nice-looking guy, and he is talented.”
The source also cracked, “And she isn’t taller than him.”
Page Six also reports that Cruise “was so taken by the pop diva that he allegedly sent her flowers.” However, it should be noted that, at the moment, a Cruise-Shakira pairing is nothing more than tabloid speculation based on two very famous people being at the same event at the same time. Formula 1 racing is trying to make a huge splash in America, so of course, the sport is rolling out the red carpet for celebrities.
So, are Cruise and Shakira definitely dating? No. Could this all just be artfully constructed public relations? Sure. But it doesn’t mean they aren’t not dating. For now. Maybe. Or not! Here’s hoping Shakira likes fighter jets!
Apple TV+’s hit show Ted Lasso is notorious for its pop culture reference, from borrowing memes and viral news stories for storylines to the titular coach’s brainy rock-referencing inside jokes. But in the latest episode, streaming today, it’s sidekick Coach Beard who gets to take control of the pop culture discussion on the show — and he delivers a blazing hot take about classic rockers Joe Walsh and Jimmy Page that is sure to have the show’s fans ready to take the debate offscreen and online.
Minor spoilers for episode 9 are below.
When Ted has to forego a press conference for a parent-teacher conference, responsibility for dealing with a room full of journalists falls nominally to lovable grouch Roy Kent. However, in typical curmudgeonly fashion, Roy opts out, sending Beard in his place. This, predictably, has disastrous consequences, as team owner Rebecca learns upon walking into a press room in complete disarray. Rather than discussing the team’s strategy in their forthcoming match, Beard ends up loudly debating a controversial opinion with The Independent‘s new beat writer.
To sum it up: Beard is convinced that Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh is underrated in contrast to Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, who he calls overrated before indulging in some slightly more colorful language. Naturally, this causes quite the stir among the assembled Brits — as my colleague Brian Grubb put it in his recap, “Joe Walsh over Jimmy Page, in England, might get your home vandalized” — forcing Rebecca to try and salvage the situation. Unfortunately, her response to “best rock guitarist of all time” isn’t much better: “the guy from Cream” isn’t much of an answer, although Eric Clapton does have his supporters in the debate, even if his star has fallen in recent years.
The only downside to the whole fiasco is we don’t get every character’s take; I don’t know about you, but I could have sat through another 5-10 minutes of Ted, Trent, Higgins, Rebecca, and Roy sitting around and hashing out just who the greatest rock guitarist ever is, but alas: The football show had some football to show but at least we got a very funny bit out it.
Celebrity booze is nothing new. Sammy Hagar launched Cabo Wabo Tequila all the way back in 1996. Hell, Frank Sinatra and Jack Daniel’s were so synonymous since the 1940s that it may as well have been his brand — he certainly made that brand the international mainstay it still is today. Wine, beer, tequila, whiskey, whatever… famous people have always been inextricably linked to alcohol.
That said, there has been a pretty big uptick in the amount of celebrity-associated booze recently (I’m using “associated” here because it’s a wide and murky landscape with partial ownerships with huge conglomerates, endorsement deals, or one-off partnerships, and sometimes just barrel picks with long-standing brands alongside true passion projects). That surge is plainly due to the massive boom the whole spirits industry is going through currently. There’s money to be made, fan bases to hold onto, and tons of barrels to go around.
All of that means that it’s time to do another blind tasting of celebrity whiskeys! This time, I’m focusing on American whiskeys — bourbons, ryes, or a blend of whiskeys. That means A$AP Rocky’s Mercer + Prince or Nick Offermann’s Lagavulin releases aren’t included since they’re Canadian and Scottish respectively. There’s still plenty to talk about, don’t worry.
Our lineup up today is:
Blackened A Blend of Straight Whiskeys Finished in Black Brandy Casks (Metallica)
Three Chord Cask-Finished Bourbon & Corn Whiskey Finished in Honey & Toasted Barrels (Neil Giraldo)
Willett Distillery Kiamichi A Family Reunion Whiskey Straight Rye Whiskey (Kings of Leon)
Colonel E.H. Taylor Single Barrel Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey Chris Stapleton Barrel Pick
My wife was kind enough to organize the blind tasting for me and pour these whiskeys. After I tasted through, I ranked them according to a very simple criterion: What tasted best? It’s really that simple folks, so let’s dive right in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Nose: The nose is a classic bourbon with deep caramel sweetness and buttery vibes next to mild dark fruit, winter spice, and leatheriness with a hint of honey grits.
Palate: The lush honey drives the palate toward clove and allspice layered into cherry fruit leather with a very faint hint of fresh spearmint sharpness.
Finish: The end stays pretty classic with a touch of maple syrup and nuttiness (kind of like a pecan waffle) with that dark fruit, spice, and caramel staying pretty present throughout.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a pretty standard but very nice bourbon. It feels classic from top to bottom.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a nice spiciness to the nose that leans into cedar and smudging sage with a hint of nasturtiums, creamy honey, and gingerbread cookies.
Palate: The mouthfeel is lush with a nice layering of corncake with honey, vanilla malt with a cherry on top, and bold winter spice barks and botanicals with a hint of burnt orange and red chili pepper.
Finish: The spice ramps up on the end with a good Kentucky hug (more a buzz than a burn) next to light white grits cut with butter, honey, and caramel with a hint of orchard fruit lurking behind it all.
Initial Thoughts:
This is nice and a bit different in a good way. There’s a lot of corn and I kind of dig it.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This nose is gorgeous with subtle notes of tart cherries tossed with flakes of salt next to dark plum jam laced with soft cinnamon, ground clove, and nutmeg, vanilla pound cake with poppy seeds, red and orange nasturtiums, floral honey, and salted cashews.
Palate: The taste is fruity but moves more toward pineapple cores, peach skins, and lemon pith next to a soft dry sweetgrass braid twisted up with wild sage and cedar bark with notes of pine-infused honey, old black tea leaves, and cinnamon sticks that have just been singed on the mid-palate.
Finish: The end is lush and beautifully layered with real sourdough rye crusts, honey-dipped Graham Crackers, dark chocolate-dipped sour cherries, and a hint of walnut bread with plenty of wintry spices and butter.
Initial Thoughts:
This is outstanding rye whiskey. This is the whiskey to beat.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dried dark fruits and a hint of vanilla wafers mingle with fig fruit leather, a touch of orchard wood, and a deep caramel on the nose.
Palate: The palate holds onto those notes while layering in dark berry tobacco with sharp winter spices, new leather, and a singed cotton candy next to a cedar box filled with that tobacco.
Finish: The finish lingers on your senses for a while and leaves the spice behind for that dark, almost savory fruit note with an echo of blackberry Hostess pies next to soft leather pouches that have held chewy tobacco for decades and a final hint of old porch wicker in the middle of summer.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a stone-cold classic bourbon with an exceptional flavor profile. This is special stuff.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is a wild nose that goes from Wether’s Originals to leather-bound books to drug store aftershave before hitting on classic cherry and vanilla bourbon vibes with a nice winter spice feel.
Palate: The palate is all about those soft winter spices with a light wood vibe that’s a little bit wicker and a little bit oak before veering back toward a cherry vanilla Coke taste.
Finish: The finish holds onto the spice and warms up considerably before veering headfirst into apple candy sweetness with a hint of caramel and cinnamon.
Initial Thoughts:
This is nice standard bourbon.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a nice and soft nose with classic bourbon notes of cherry, spice, vanilla, and oak with a nice hint of deeper cherry leather and vanilla cake.
Palate: The palate largely follows the nose with a stone-cold classic bourbon mix of soft cherry, lush vanilla, and mild spices tied to a slight oakiness.
Finish: The finish is light (this must be a pretty low-proof whiskey) with a short and sweet bourbon vibe.
Initial Thoughts:
This is very standard bourbon too, it’s got a nice feel to it.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose greets you with an old boot leather vibe next to salted caramel, ripe tart apples, sour cherry, and corn muffins with a hint of butter and salt.
Palate: The palate has a light graininess that leans into soft oatmeal raisin cookies with a hint of walnut and nutmeg and a drizzle of caramel sauce with clear vanilla tying it all together.
Finish: The end wraps those cookies in a soft leather sheet and adds in some cinnamon-apple tobacco with a very slightly thin finish.
Initial Thoughts:
Again, a good standard bourbon with a nice balance. Nothing less, nothing more.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a Digestive Biscuit with a hint of brown butter, brown sugar, and pecan leading to a moment of dried juniper next to floral citrus, fresh spearmint, and creamy toffee with a whisper of dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Palate: The palate is bright with a grapefruit soda vibe — more Fresca than Jarritos — as a moment of cumin dances with some suede, grape must, and a salty cracker next to old corn husks and buttery vanilla cookies.
Finish: The end leans into the floral side of the citrus while adding in a hint of fresh ginger spice and apple cider cinnamon candies.
Initial Thoughts:
This is just interesting and refreshing. It’s not a bourbon or a rye but it’s really good.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a tannic old oakiness on the nose (this is older) with hints of pecan waffles covered in maple syrup with vanilla butter.
Palate: The taste is pure silk with salted caramel, vanilla cream, black licorice, marzipan, and a hint of cinnamon-pecan ice cream with a dusting of powdery chocolate in malt.
Finish: The end has a moment of warmth thanks to that cinnamon before lunging toward old porch wicker, cinnamon bark, star anise, pear tobacco, and old leather with a hint of potting soil.
Initial Thoughts:
This is lush and f*cking delicious.
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a slightly tannic nose (think old, red-wine-soaked oak) with woody vanilla, nutmeg, and a lush vibe.
Palate: The palate mixes up the sweet vanilla with sweet yet sharp spice, some dark chocolate, and a hint of orange zest.
Finish: The end combines everything into a lush finish that highlights old oak, soft nutmeg, and a soft orange-chocolate vibe with a hint of clove and anise.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a pretty good standard bourbon with a few bells and whistles but nothing extravagant.
Part 2 — The Celebrity Whiskey Ranking
Zach Johnston
10. Eric LeGrand Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 6
This whiskey — from former college football star Eric LeGrand (whose career was cut short due to a spinal injury while playing for Rutgers) — is made from classic Kentucky bourbon. The juice is distilled in Owensboro, Kentucky, and then batched and bottled in Bardstown (via the Bardstown Bourbon Company). The whiskey is classic corn, rye, and barley mash made with that iconic Kentucky limestone water.
This whiskey is a sourced Kentucky Bourbon that’s built for country music legend Alan Jackson. The juice is named after the color of Jackson’s iconic “silverbelly” hat. That juice is made in Owensboro, Kentucky, and then built from barrels that Jackson hand-selected with his daughter Mattie Jackson Selecman, who’s a certified sommelier by day.
Bottom Line:
This is another bourbon that works. It has a tad more depth than a regular $25 from a huge brand, but it still feels like a mixing whiskey more than anything else.
This is a celebrity-owned bourbon from UFC’s Bruce Buffer. The juice in the bottle is a blend of four to six-year-old bourbons from Kentucky that are touched with a little proofing water after blending.
Bottom Line:
This is a really easy-to-drink whiskey that offers a slightly more deep and distinct bourbon flavor profile. The overall vibe of this is just really solid mixing bourbon.
Bradshaw Bourbon is made by Green River Distilling Company in Owensboro, Kentucky. The bourbon (and now a rye) is a collab between former Super Bowl champ Terry Bradshaw and Silver Screen Bottling Company, which acts as a sort of bottling fixer between a celebrity and a distiller or barrel house. The juice is a two-year-old bourbon made with 70 percent corn, 21 percent rye, and nine percent malted barley. It’s proofed to a hefty 103.8.
Bottom Line:
This is where we bump up in quality a fair amount. This is still a cocktail bourbon but there is more here than just standard stuff. It’s also really nostalgic. I’ve tasted Wild Turkey and Old Crow from the 1980s and this bottle reminds me of them in a small way. Still, I’d make cocktails with this and pour it over some rocks as a table whiskey.
6. Three Chord Cask-Finished Bourbon & Corn Whiskey Finished in Honey & Toasted Barrels — Taste 2
This is from a wide-ranging whiskey brand created by Neil Giraldo (Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame guitarist and producer behind Pat Bantar and Rick Springfield’s biggest hits). The whiskey in this expression is hewn from a high-rye five-year-old MGP bourbon, a standard six-year-old MGP bourbon, and an eight-year-old Kentucky corn whiskey. Those barrels are batched and the whiskey is re-barrelled into toasted barrels from ISC and Speyside cooperages for three months. Then those barrels are batched and that whiskey is then re-barreled once more into Fern Valley Farms honey casks for one final month of mellowing.
Bottom Line:
This was really nice and stood out with a deep profile. It was a little on the hot side, so I’d recommend adding some water or a big ice cube. Likewise, that heat would play well in a cocktail too.
5. Blackened A Blend of Straight Whiskeys Finished in Black Brandy Casks — Taste 1
This is the flagship whiskey that was created by Master Distiller Dave Pickerell (America’s whiskey Johnny Appleseed) for and with Metallica. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of bourbon and ryes. Once batched, that whiskey is finished in black brandy casks that are bombarded with very loud Metallica playing in the rickhouse.
Bottom Line:
I like to think the vibration of the sound waves adds to the aging process. There’s science there. But that’s almost inconsequential because this whiskey tastes good. It’s not mind-blowing but it gets the job done as an easy table whiskey for on the rocks pours and cocktails.
4. Balcones ZZ Top Tres Hombres Texas Whisky 2022 Edition — Taste 8
ZZ Top worked directly with Master Distiller Jared Himstedt (over Zoom) to blend three Balcones whiskies together. The blend is one part Balcone’s signature Blue Corn Whisky, one part Texas Single Malt, and one part Texas Rye. The idea behind the blends was to build the sip from a bold and oily base towards a fruity mid-palate that ends up nice and spicy.
Bottom Line:
This was the funkiest whiskey on the panel. It was also a pretty nice sipper with a great and varied profile. This isn’t for everybody but that’s why it’s enticing. I’d drink this over a rock when I’m looking for something completely unique and tasty.
3. Heaven’s Door Decade Series Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years — Taste 9
This is the first release in the new series of Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Tennessee whiskeys. The juice is a 10-year-old straight bourbon that was made in Tennessee but wasn’t charcoal filtered before or after aging. The sourced barrels were blended and just proofed down before bottling without any other fussing.
Bottom Line:
Look, these top three are basically tied for first place. This was simply delicious. It was so vibrant and classic while taking you on a journey.
2. Colonel E.H. Taylor Single Barrel Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey Chris Stapleton Barrel Pick — Taste 4
That whiskey was hand-picked by Chris Stapleton for his charity work. The whiskey in the bottle is a 12-year-old E.H. Taylor that Stapleton picked last year. It was then cut down very slightly to bottled-in-bond proof, or 100-proof, with that famously soft Kentucky limestone water.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty much the perfect Kentucky bourbon. While getting your hands on this exact bottle is hard, you can find E.H. Taylor Single Barrel for a price and it’ll be very close to this.
1. Willett Distillery Kiamichi A Family Reunion Whiskey Straight Rye Whiskey — Taste 3
This whiskey from the new Kings of Leon’s collaboration is their entry point to the trio of bottles released this year. The juice is a 12-barrel blend a mix of two Willett rye mash bills that were aged in both char 5 oak (a very heavy alligator char) and 24-month cured oak from Hoffmeister Cooperage. Those extremely rare barrels were then batched and just kissed with water and then bottled in only 2,780 bottles.
Bottom Line:
This is still one of the best ryes I’ve tasted in a long time. It’s so nuanced and delicious while never once feeling overwrought or inaccessible. I adore this whiskey.
Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the Celebrity Whiskeys
Zach Johnston
Brasstacks, folks, the top three whiskeys are the ones you want to chase down, and they’re the whiskeys that are going to be the most pain in the ass to find. Sorry about that but… thems the breaks. The good news is that the rest of the whiskeys on this list are pretty easy to find.
I’d focus on numbers five through seven the most as they’ll be widely available in a lot of regional markets. Plus, they’re super solid all around. That said, you really can’t go wrong with any whiskey on this list. Even the bottom three are still perfectly good standard bourbons.
If, like many people, you came to really know and love Hannah Waddingham from her role on “Ted Lasso,” you might be surprised to learn that she is not only a gifted actress but a talented singer. (Well, those few times on the show when her character, Rebecca, busted out a few notes might have been a clear indicator.)
She has an extensive musical theatre background, with one of her most notable performances being The Lady of the Lake in “Spamalot,” a role she originated and which won her an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Still, even the biggest Waddingham fans who have been following her career since day one were not prepared for her night of co-hosting 2023’s Eurovision, an annual international song competition that features music mainly from European countries.
From her stunning rainbow dress that perfectly mimicked the stage lights to flawlessly presenting in French, Waddingham completely stole the show.
Just a little teeny tiny message for all residents of Europe: a vote for the UK on Saturday is a vote for Hannah Waddingham to host again next year. Just saying 👀🦄 #Eurovision2023pic.twitter.com/RzDYa3ePPk
But without a doubt, the most epic moment of the night came when Waddingham was being taught how to “rock out” by co-host and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina. In just 90 seconds, she not only showed off some impressive air guitar skills but also unleashed an unbelievably high-pitched note that would even make Axl Rose swoon.
Check it out below:
hannah waddingham not only flexing her insane air guitar skills but her unreal singing voice 😭 pic.twitter.com/EzJDuHM4nF
Needless to say, Twitter was all aflutter about it.
“Hannah Waddingham not only flexing her insane air guitar skills but her unreal singing voice.”
“This is Hannah Waddingham’s world. We’re just living in it..”
“Just when I think I couldn’t love her more…”
“Hannah is so badass. Thank you Ted Lasso for introducing her to us yanks. On a sidenote, my daughter dressed as Ted Lasso for Halloween two years ago when she was 17. Both Jason and Hannah liked the picture of her that I tweeted out. She was over the moon for a month.”
“Hannah Waddingham, restoring peace between the realms.”
“I loved her hosting, effortless, easy to watch and very engaging. She’s got charm and brings the fun. Well done Hannah!”
Yeah…Waddingham technically might have not been competing, but I think we can all agree she pretty much won the whole damn thing.
Sons Of Anarchy rode for seven seasons, and Mayans M.C. will call it quits after round five, as announced earlier this year. Star J.D. Pardo went on record to clarify, “We are not being canceled. We could stay at FX. This is creative.” He added, “Not an easy decision, but it is made.” I do not foresee bright pastures ahead for EZ Reyes, however, given that he recently greenlit more club chaos, which righteously pissed off Alvarez. And in this trailer, EZ is forging ahead with war against the Sons while claiming that he’s “just getting started.”
Then there’s the trailer’s play on the “one last job” trope, which is fantastic. It doesn’t appear, however, that Clayton Cardenas’ Angel (who only wants a nut farm) has climbed on board with EZ’s arguably authoritarian vibe, so that should only add to the friction. And we obviously won’t be seeing Richard Cabral’s Coco this season, which still makes me sad, man. However, Danny Pino remains on the scene as Miguel after making his directorial debut last season. Do you want a new synopsis? You got it.
Once a golden boy with the American Dream in his grasp, EZ has now risen to lead his brother Angel (Clayton Cardenas) and the Santo Padre M.C. in a bloody war against their rival Sons of Anarchy. Defending the California territory and patch begins to claim lives within the club and causes strain between EZ and Angel — as one brother devotes himself to the club and the other to family. Felipe (Edward James Olmos) attempts to heal these fractured bonds for the future of the Reyes family.
Yep, it’s going to be time for “one last ride” on May 24.
Janelle Monáe’s figure has become a center of attention lately (especially since she stopped dressing “like the Monopoly Man.”) The latest example of that is with the teaser video she shared for the upcoming single “Lipstick Lover” yesterday (May 9). The clip starts with her singing and playing guitar before transitioning to a clip of her emerging from a pool wearing a wet, white t-shirt, which left little (if anything) to the imagination. The revealing video certainly had people talking and it’s trending on Twitter today (May 10).
As for how Monáe achieved the body that she has, she actually answered that question recently.
Last week, Monáe turned heads at the Met Gala with a look that People described, “On fashion’s biggest event Monday, the Grammy-nominated artist, 37, showed up in a larger-than-life tweed coat in black and white and a button-up dress in honor of the night’s ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’ theme. However, while impressive in size, the pieces were taken off in a performative way to unveil the circular mesh dress and skin-baring two-piece underneath.”
As she walked the red carpet, one reporter asked Monáe how she’s reached her current shape. She responded, “Jamaican food and… sex.”
Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.
Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. Last week, we told you the sneaker season was about to get insane and we weren’t messing around, this week’s SNX is so jam-packed that we actually had to leave some lesser sneakers on the cutting room floor to keep this list a nice tight 10. Compare that to the start of the year when we struggled to even highlight five sneakers.
This week, Dunk fans are being spoiled with both low-top SB Dunks, high-top and classy Dunks, and a Jarritos collaboration that had the whole internet buzzing this morning (if you’re wondering why Jarritos was trending, it wasn’t because of the soda, it was because of the shoes).
But it’s not just a week for Dunk fans, Converse is teaming up with FRGMT, we’re getting two dope spring-centric Jordan colorways, and New Balance is rolling out a handful of designs in their iconic grey colorways. There is a lot to talk about so let’s just get into it! Here are the 10 best sneaker drops of the week.
The SB Dunk Desert Ochre and Midnight Navy combine the classic SB Dunk silhouette with dip-dye style for a dual-toned stylish skate sneaker. Featuring a textile upper with suede overlays, this sneaker is built to withstand abuse and designed to hold up no matter how aggressive your skating style is.
To round out the design, the tongue features a hidden pocket on the underside which Nike says you can use to stash “whatever you want” but come on, we know you’re stashing weed. It reminds us of the Styles P stash pocket on Uproxx’s Fresh Pair:
The Nike SB Dunk Low Desert Ochre and Midnight Navy is out now. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
If you’re into the more classic high-top Dunk look (more court style than street style) this Dunk celebrating San Francisco’s Chinatown is going to check all your boxes. Featuring an icy bay-inspired outsole, this sneaker is built from premium leather, with suede details, and a hairy suede wrap-around swoosh.
The heel sports a Gold Mountain graphic, a reference to the stories of ‘Gam San (Gold Mountains)’ that first attracted Chinese immigrants to the city during the gold rush. It’s legit one of the dopest high-top Dunks we’ve ever seen.
The Nike Dunk High Gold Mountain is out now for a retail price of $135. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
The Dunk love continues with this team-up with the amazing Mexican soda brand, Jarritos. Featuring a color scheme directly inspired by the brand’s label, this SB Dunk sports a tearaway canvas overlay that bleeds orange atop a leather upper with a contrasting green swoosh and matching outsole. Rounding out the design is an embroidered Jarritos jug logo at the outer heel.
This week New Balance has teamed up with the brand that helped push them into the spotlight for the ’20s era of sneakers, Aimé Leon Dore, for a new take on the classic Basketball Oxfords. Featuring a Canvas build with hairy suede overlays and a matching suede ’N’ logo, the ALD P550 sports a co-branded insert, an ALD branded tongue, and rides on a rubber cupsole.
The design is draped in two colorways, a brown rendition, and an off-white, and comes packaged with three different lace sets for a customizable look.
The New Balance x ALD P550 Basketball Oxfords is out now for a retail price of $130. Pick up a pair at Aimé Leon Dore or your favorite aftermarket site.
Converse is once again teaming up with Hiroshi Fujiwara’s FRGMT brand for a new bold take on the Converse Weapon. The design appears to be Fujiwara’s take on a classic basketball sneaker colorway, with a simple color-block white and blue design with black accents. Still, there is a certain FRGMT-like sheen to this design, it looks minimal yet somehow elevated.
The devil is in the details, the biggest change-up we spotted was in the redesigned midsole which has a slightly tapered shape to it courtesy of the outsole wrap that rises mid-foot. Another seemingly effortless yet dope design from Fujiwara.
The Converse x FRGMT Weapon is set to drop on May 11th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Bright and cheery summer-centric color tones and Jordan silhouettes don’t always mix, but when they do, they’re dope AF. Case in point, the Women’s exclusive, the Yellow Snakeskin Jordan 11s. Featuring bright snakeskin-textured mudguard and a matching translucent yellow sole, this sneaker sports a crisp white leather upper and full leather build over classic Nike Air cushioning.
The Nike Women’s Air Jordan 11 Yellow Snakeskin is set to drop on May 11th at 7:00 AM PST. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like Flight Club.
Nike is a master of balance, the same week they give us the bright and sunny Snakeskin 11, they’re also going to keep things classic like this retro re-release of the Air Jordan 4 Thunder. This classic colorway combines a stealthy black build with contrasting Tour Yellow accents at the lacewings, undercage, and midsole.
It might not be as fun or fresh as the 11 Snakeskin, but it’s a tried and true classic that every Jordan head should have in their wardrobe at least once.
The Nike Air Jordan 4 Thunder is set to drop on May 13th at 7:00 AM PST. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
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New Balance Made in USA 998 Marblehead with Vintage Indigo
Friday is ‘grey day’ at New Balance and to celebrate the brand’s flagship colorway New Balance is dropping over five grey-toned kicks. They’re all great, but there isn’t room for every pair so we’re here to shout out the best of the bunch, starting with this 998.
Featuring Made in USA build quality, this 998 sports a pigskin hairy suede and mesh upper over an ABZROB midsole in a colorway New Balance is calling “Marblehead with vintage indigo.” Give us whatever they’re smoking.
The New Balance Made in USA 998 Marblehead with Vintage Indigo is set to drop on May 12th at 7:00 AM PST. Pick up a pair at the New Balance webstore.
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New Balance Made in USA 990v6 Marblehead with Vintage Indigo
It was a safe bet that New Balance would drop a new 990 on Grey Day but we’re surprised the brand went with the v6 model rather than the more popular v1 or v3. We’re not complaining, we love to see it! The v6 features a FuelCeel foam and ENCAP midsole combination for a lightweight and supportive step. Rounding out the design are reflective accents throughout, a TPU back tap, and a pigskin and mesh build.
The New Balance Made in USA 990v6 Marblehead with Vintage Indigo is set to drop on May 12th at 7:00 AM PST. Pick up a pair at the New Balance webstore.
New Balance isn’t a brand known for its skatewear, which is why we’re shouting out this week’s dope Jamie Foy 306 signature pro model. The sneaker sports a suede and mesh upper with that classic skate shoe rubber underlay, mesh panels for breathability, and a closed-cell polyurethane insert that is designed to provide extra impact protection. The toe section is also reinforced and the heel features a taper that leads to weight reduction.
The design might be incredibly understated but it has all the smart functionality serious skaters need.
The New Balance Numeric Jamie For 306 is set to drop on May 12th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $94.99. Pick up a pair via the New Balance webstore.
Earlier this year when Jeremy Renner was struck by a snowplow, the actor narrowly survived, though he did come away with over 30 broken bones.
Renner has been updating fans with his progress in physical therapy, while his fellow co-stars have been sending love and support via Instagram comments. Scarlett Johanson, who is not one to use social media due to the fact that she is a “delicate flower,” showed love in her own way, by wrangling up some of the Avengers gang for a hospital visit earlier this year.
“I was honestly so f—ing happy to see him,” Johansson recently told Variety. “I didn’t know if I was ever going to see him again. He’s a very spiritual person in general and a very soulful person, and you can see that in his work. It comes through. He has such depth to him. I just was so happy to see that he is full of life and light, and he’s also hilarious. We laughed a lot.” This must have been a lot different than Renner’s time on House when the titular doc played rock music for Renner’s character in order to induce a seizure. But that’s for the best.
Johansson also revealed that Chris Evans flew over to LA with her to visit Renner in the hospital. “Leave it to Jeremy to take something this potentially tragic and turn it into something so inspiring,” he recalled. Even though the ordeal was inspiring, Johansson recalled it being a very emotional moment for her. She and Renner had starred alongside each other as Avengers for almost a decade. “I was very upset,” Johansson explained. “On the Avengers text chain, we’re like, ‘Okay, you beat us all. That’s it. You won.’ That’s like real superhero stuff. It’s unbelievable.”
Even though the duo likely won’t star alongside each other as Hawkeye and Black Widow again, it’s nice that they are able to keep in touch via the original Avengers group chat. Maybe one day Paul Rudd will be invited. But probably not, based on his previous actions.
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