Ed Sheeran is one of the most streamed artists of this era. Although Jay Z respectfully passed on laying down a guest verse on the singer’s Grammy Award-winning track “Shape Of You,” many artists would die to collaborate with him. Sheeran is a hit-making machine (with a few slated to be released after his death) and a media darling. However, in his latest interview with Rolling Stone, it doesn’t seem like that love is reciprocal.
When asked about the media, specifically music critics, in the age of streaming, his response was simple. “Why do you need to read a review? Listen to it. It’s freely available,” said Sheeran adding, “Make up your own mind. I would never read an album review and go, ‘I’m not gonna listen to that now.’”
To be fair that wasn’t the only spicy take he had during the sit-down. “I think there’s two genres. It’s good and bad,” he said. “And I don’t think kids believe in genres anymore, either.”
Sheeran added, “Now it’s just playlists, and kids are like, well, I like this song by this artist, and I like this song by that artist. And it might be a Skrillex song next to a Doja Cat song next to a Kendrick Lamar song.”
Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
There are kitten lovers…and then there are Ricky’s grandparents.
When Izzie Grass left her kitten, Ricky, with her parents for two weeks, she had no idea what was in store for her after she got him back. Not only had RIcky been well taken care of, but his adventures with his human grandparents were fully documented in a photobook created by Grass’ mother, which she titled “Ricky Goes to Gramma’s and Grampa’s.”
The photo album that reads like a children’s book first went viral when Grass shared it on TikTok in 2020. Now it has resurfaced again, and people are clamoring for more riveting Ricky content after reading about how the kitten “helped Gramma do the dishes” and how “Cousin Jasper and Charlie ate most of” the pancakes Gramma made for him.
“I would die for Ricky, Gramma, and Grampa,” wrote one commenter.
“This is GOLD. I want to see ‘Ricky Learns to Drive.'” wrote another.
“My parents didn’t even put this much effort into making scrapbooks for ME,” shared another.
Grass told Newsweek that her mom told her she made the book because “that’s what she does,” adding, “She is known for creating very sentimental gifts.”
Grass also shared that the book almost didn’t get made because Ricky almost didn’t make it as a kitten. He was brought to the veterinary clinic where Grass worked when he was 9 weeks old to be euthanized.
“The individuals who dropped him off reported that they found a kitten with broken legs and that was throwing up everything they tried to feed him,” she said. “I came back from my lunch early to care for this kitten and in the kennel was Ricky.”
As it turned out, Ricky had some birth defects and health problems that required specialized care, but he didn’t need to be euthanized. Grass took him home but needed a little time to prepare to give him the care he needed.
“My mom stepped up and offered to watch him for a couple weeks while I got a handle of my schedule,” Grass told Newsweek. “It was during this time that she created the book.”
The fact that Ricky had specialized care needs at the time makes Gramma’s photobook all the more endearing.
Now Ricky is now 3 years old and is doing remarkably well considering his health challenges as a kitten.
“He has made so much progress,” Grass told Newsweek. “His esophagus works significantly better, he has learned how to walk, climb and run, and he continues to help me raise other foster kittens. Ricky is very loved and lives the life he deserved to have.”
With a mom and grandparents like he has, it’s not a surprise. Find more videos of Ricky and the animals Grass fosters on her TikTok channel here.
Deadpool 3 has been shaping up slowly but surely. It was all the way back in September of last year that they added Hugh Jackman, who will dust off Wolverine after killing him off back in 2017. Some six months later and they’re still adding actors to the mix. The Crown’s Emma Corrin was tapped as a likely villain back in February. And on Tuesday, a mere two days after Succession’s final season kicked off, they added one of its many top shelf cast members.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Matthew Macfadyen, the show’s resident weaselly future divorcee Tom Wambsgams, is joining the much-anticipated threequel. Who he’ll play is unknown, but THR claims he’ll be a “third wheel” character for Ryan Reynolds’ title antihero and Jackman’s rage-filled mutant. Does that mean he’s another superhero? Or perhaps some meddling bureaucrat forced for whatever reason to tail around with them on whatever misadventure they’re getting into this time? Maybe he’ll play a fastidious dreamboat, as he did when he took on Fitzwilliam Darcy in the 2005 Pride & Prejudice.
The third Deadpool will be Macfadyen’s maiden voyage into the world of superhero movies, though it won’t be his first blockbuster. Back in 2011, he was Athos in Paul W.S. Anderson’s supersized The Three Musketeers. He also had a role in 2017’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. In any case, welcome to the world of capes and stuff.
De Los Apostoles/Beehive/Whitley Neill/Leopold’s/istock/Uproxx
To some, gin has a reputation for being a floral juniper bomb and not much else. People who love gin can’t get enough of it neat, on the rocks, or mixed into a classic gin and tonic, gin gimlet, or myriad other gin-based drinks. They love it for its botanical, floral, and earthy flavors. People who don’t like it think it tastes like someone poured a bowl of grandma’s potpourri into a neutral grain spirit and then shook it up and dumped it into a bottle.
While those rare few are entitled to their opinion, we feel bad for them because they’re missing out on some great, complex, flavorful gins.
Sure, juniper is the first (and sometimes dominant) flavor you’ll notice when you sip any gin. But, depending on the gin, there are seemingly countless other flavors like coriander, angelica root, orris root, licorice, orange peel, ginger, and even strange ingredients like sea kelp and Cascade hops.
The multi-layered, complex nature of a well-made gin got us thinking about the best sip we’ve ever had. And while we could regale you with random artisanal gins we’ve tried along the way, we figured we’d let someone else chime in. We asked a few well-known bartenders to tell us the single best sip of gin they’ve ever had. Keep reading to see what they said.
Whitley Neill Original Dry Gin
Whitley Neill
Amanda Swanson, USBG president of Philadelphia and bartender at Parc in Philadelphia
Whitley Neill Original Dry Gin. So, I am actually (mildly) allergic to juniper, so I very seldom taste gins at all, let alone side by side, but a taste that sticks out in my memory was when I tasted Whitley Neill’s dry gin that uses baobab was one of their botanicals.
Tasting Notes:
It was soft and approachable and made me wish I could take a few more sips. Other flavors include lemon peels, orange zest, juniper, and cardamon.
Ewing Young Mianda’s Oregon Summer Gin
Ewing Young
Augustina Elizabeth, bartender at SIM Golf in Portland, Oregon
Mianda’s Gin by Ewing Young Distillery in Oregon. This 84-proof, “western style gin” gets its bright, floral flavors from the addition of Italian juniper, Oregon-sourced hyssop, rosemary from the distillery’s farm, and even Cascade hops.
Tasting Notes:
This gin is floral with hints of orris root, cardamom, and juniper. It’s simply lovely. Perfect for sipping or mixing into your favorite drink.
The best sip of gin for me was the sip that opened my mind up to a completely different approach to spirits. It was the early 2000’s and I was in my early 20s still figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. At the not-so-glamorous bar I was working at as a server, we started carrying this new product called Hendrick’s. I didn’t think much of it because, at the time, I had always thought of gin as ‘an old timer’s spirit’ and something that I didn’t particularly care for. We did a tasting, and I was shocked at how different this was than any other gin I had tried before.
Tasting Notes:
The cucumber and rose petals were forward, as the juniper had a more subdued role in the spirit, compared to what I was used to. It was then that I realized that I should be more open to different varieties, brands, and flavor profiles of not only gin but all spirits.
Monkey 47 is an exquisite gin. I fell in love with it at first sip. It hails from Germany’s Black Forest, aged in earthenware casks, and is cut with the Black Forest’s famous water. 47 botanicals including honey pomelo and blackberry? Sign me up.
Tasting Notes:
A bold palate of flavors includes rosemary, juniper berries, spruce tips, and cracked black pepper, among many more aromas and flavors.
Leopold’s Summer Gin is hands down my favorite gin to enjoy over rocks. The wild fermentation and blend of botanicals that grow at their facility are fun to see and honestly, the taste speaks for itself.
Tasting Notes:
As it’s not too juniper-forward, yet still contains those flavors. It’s definitely not only an easy gin for beginners, as I think one share will easily convert a newbie, as well as a gin that can still be enjoyed by seasoned drink lovers as well.
Beehive Jackrabbit Gin
Beehive
Kira Collings, bar manager at Hearth and Hill in Park City, Utah
Jackrabbit Gin from Utah’s local Beehive Distillery is the best sip of gin I’ve ever had. This gin is made on a small batch, small scale, hand macerated, bottled, and labeled here in Salt Lake City. It also integrates well into cocktails. I love making a lavender gin sour with it.
Tasting Notes:
This gin has classic juniper flavors along with local sage showing off the region’s flavors, with bursts of floral, especially rose.
Gray Whale Gin
Gray Whale
Alex Clark, lead bartender at Square 1682 in Philadelphia
The best sip of gin is Gray Whale gin. Created to pay tribute to the journey the gray whale makes up the Pacific coast. It’s made with ingredients found along this epic 12,000-mile journey.
Tasting Notes:
This gin is infused with botanicals from California and is very citrus-forward. The citrus aspect allows this gin to be smooth and complex at the same time. This product is in the same class as Hendrick’s and The Botanist.
Rabbit Hole Barrel Aged Gin
Rabbit Hole
Andrew Bone, food and beverage manager at Deveraux in Chicago
Rabbit Hole Barrel Aged Gin is aged in rye barrels and is a fun one to try. I recommend it for the whiskey fan that wants to venture out or for a gin lover trying to enjoy a proper old fashion, this does the trick.
Tasting Notes:
It has all the tasting notes of a London dry gin. Particularly lemongrass, but you’ll get a smoother finish from the wood.
Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru, hands down, is the best I’ve had. This London dry gin is infused with Spanish Fino lemons, mandarin oranges, and Navel oranges from Murica. It’s a citrus lover’s dream gin.
Tasting Notes:
It has the components of the original soft juniper undertones but with a masterfully balanced citrus that enhances its flavor profile. It’s truly remarkable.
Los Principe los Apostoles Mate Gin is my absolute favorite sip of Gin I have ever had. It is distilled in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and distilled with mate and eucalyptus as the two major botanicals aside from the juniper.
Tasting Notes:
It is bright and refreshing and is so good neat, on the rocks, or simply used as the base for a delicious gin and tonic or any other classic gin-based cocktail.
Wonderbird Spirits Gin No. 61
Wonderbird
Garth Poe, bar manager of Easy Bistro & Bar in Chattanooga, Tennessee
One of my favorite gins that I have tasted in recent years is Wonderbird Spirits Gin No. 61 from Oxford, Mississippi. This gin is a jasmine rice distillate and the texture of it is so velvety and fantastic.
Tasting Notes:
This is subtle gin with soft hints of juniper and tons of brightness. It’s a gin that you should definitely seek out. You’ll be glad you did.
Letherbee Gin
Letherbee Gin
Alex Barbatsis, head bartender at The Whistler in Chicago
We carry a Chicago-distilled gin called Letherbee that makes amazing martinis and cocktails in general. It’s one of my favorite sips of gin ever. It is non-chill filtered so it has a richer body than some other gins.
Tasting Notes:
When mixed in a drink, you get that slight louche/cloudy effect where you can actually see how rich the gin is. It’s also phenomenal in a gin and tonic.
Last spring brought good news for Adnan Syed, who was convicted in 2000 of a murder he always maintained he didn’t commit: His conviction was vacated after a new investigation turned up evidence that exposed the sloppiness of the original trial. But about half a year after Syed was set free, his conviction has been, perhaps briefly, reinstated.
As per The Washington Post, a Maryland appellate court on Tuesday ordered a do-over of the hearing that set Syed free. The panel ruled that the circuit court judge involved in the hearing had violated the rights of Young Lee, the brother of the victim, Hae Min Lee, that Syed had been convicted of killing.
Young Lee had argued that he was only given less than a day’s warning about the hearing, which didn’t give him enough time to attend. The appellate court panel has now ordered that the circuit court a “new, legally compliant, transparent hearing,” with Young Lee given enough time to make plans to attend in person.
“All they are seeking is what the law requires — a full evidentiary hearing in which they can meaningfully participate and one that makes public the relevant evidence,” said an attorney for the Lee family.
As such, Syed’s conviction has been at least temporarily reinstated until after the hearing. It’s not entirely clear what will happen next, but the panel said the legal teams will be given at least 60 days to prepare for a redo hearing.
Following the news, Syed’s attorney Rabia Chaudry wrote on social media that “we stand by the integrity of the evidence that exonerated Adnan and urge the Baltimore Police and States Attorney’s office to find the source of the DNA on the victims shoes and find Hae Min Lee’s actual killer.” She later added, “Give up’ is not in my lexicon.”
Syed was 17 when he was arrested for the murder of Hae Min Lee and convicted the following year. His representatives spent years battling for his release. His case became national news after it was covered on the podcast Serial, whose team of researchers poked many holes in the case against him. Amy Berg, who directed the HBO doc series The Case Against Adnan Syed, announced last year that she was making another episode covering his release.
If you’ve ever traveled or gone out to a party or bar with a group of friends, then you’ve probably experienced the phenomenon of the “friend-parent.” Now, this is a term I totally just made up, but I bet you recognize it. The friend-parent is the one that takes on the responsibility of corralling any stragglers, tossing out drinks that have been left unattended and generally making sure everyone stays safe.
A friend-parent was recently caught on video being an “airport dad” to his group of friends. Usually, you hear about women looking out for other women in a mother-hen sort of way, but this guy group just proved the friend-parent knows no gender. In a TikTok video from Johannes2o that currently has over 8.4 million views, a small group of guys are standing near each other with “POV: our friend is an airport dad” in text on the screen.
Before the crew heads into the airport, their friend collects everyone’s passports and boarding passes before checking his watch. He checks flight information one last time and then tries to have them all check in but they’re too early. The whole video is playing out to the tune of “Highway to the Danger Zone.”
At one point, the airport dad stands with his hands on his hips seemingly inspecting the plane from the large windows at the gate. If that’s not a dad move, I don’t know what is. One of the best moments that exemplifies “dad mode” is when the friend-parent realizes that one of the guys overpacked and he helps the friend repack while appearing stressed.
The guys had one job and it seems airport dad couldn’t trust them with that either. The overpacker will never live this down, and now weighing and measuring bags will likely become one of airport dad’s self-imposed pre-airport duties.
Over the last few years, a new Geraldo Rivera has emerged: one not afraid to break the Fox News party line and spout beliefs that make him sound like part of the resistance. He wasn’t afraid to call out Trump’s voter fraud BS. And he hasn’t been afraid to express concern over gun control following mass shootings. After the tragedy in Nashville, which has inspired the usual inaction from the GOP, he was no different.
As per Mediaite, Rivera was a guest on Tuesday’s installment of The Story, where he had it out with Brian Kilmeade, who was horrified that people are once more talking about restricting access to assault-style weapons after a bunch of people were senselessly murdered by them.
“Here we are again,” Kilmeade cried. “And within minutes, we’re hearing about, ‘The guns are the problem, assault weapons. Go to your corner and let’s play politics before we even knew the facts.’”
He went on: “For you to have seven guns and be that obviously unhinged and unbalanced and have these murderous capabilities and you’re gonna allow these people out and about, I really don’t think we should be debating gun laws.”
Rivera butted in to say he disagreed. “What about Tennessee, with the constitutional carry [law]. This person could legally assemble that arsenal of seven weapons, including two AR-15s and a sawed-off shotgun,” he said. “If the Second Amendment shines on this person accumulating that arsenal, then shame on the Second Amendment!”
Kilmeade then expressed concern over all the responsible gun owners who might have to forfeit assault-style weapons that can mow down many people in seconds. Rivera simply reminded him, “There’s been 130 mass shootings this year, Brian.”
Kilmeade then tried to blame the parents of the Nashville shooter, claiming it shouldn’t be the fault of “legal gun owners,” even though the latest shooter was a legal gun owner. But Rivera had another idea of who to blame.
“How about the gun store salesperson,” Rivera saud. “If you’re going to the shop and you’re buying an AR-15 and then the next day another AR-15, then the sawn-off shotgun, then the pistols. At some point, there is a responsibility. These are not cartons of milk you’re selling. These are weapons of destruction.”
Rivera added, “We need to wake up as a nation.”
So kudos, once again, to Geraldo Rivera for being brave enough to praise gun control on Fox News. Of course every now and then he still spouts nonsense, as if to make sure he keeps getting invited back.
Damian Lillard’s 2022-23 campaign appears to be over. According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, the team has made the decision to shut Lillard down with seven games left in the remainder of the year as he deals with a calf injury.
With injury-plagued Portland Trail Blazers out of the playoff picture, superstar guard Damian Lillard will be held out the remainder of the season, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
Lillard has, per usual, been excellent this season, as he was named an All-Star and has put forth a strong case to make an All-NBA team for the seventh time in his career. After playing in only 29 games last year due to injuries, Lillard bounced back in a big way, averaging a career-high 32.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 36.3 minutes per game while connection on 46.3 percent of his attempts from the field and 37.1 percent of his tries from behind the three-point line.
The decision comes as the Blazers are on the verge of being eliminated from play-in contention. The team is currently 32-43, which puts them in 13th place in the Western Conference. As of Tuesday, Portland sits five games back of the Oklahoma City Thunder, which currently have the 10-seed and the final spot in the play-in. While the team is not mathematically eliminated from having a shot to make it to the playoffs, Tuesday’s news makes it even more likely that the team will miss out for the second year in a row.
Even though you’ve probably seen John Wick Chapter 4in theaters three or four times by now (you’re only human) you might be looking for a way to enjoy Keanu Reeves in your own home. While a lot of movies have been experimenting with simultaneous theatrical and streaming releases, John Wick Chapter 4 is a good, old-fashioned action movie in the sense that you have to actually go to the theater to watch it. It’s so retro!
Unlike some of last year’s big blockbusters, John Wick comes from Lionsgate, so it probably won’t end up on HBO Max. If you’d like to eventually stream the fourth installment in the Wick-verse, then you’ll have to subscribe to Starz, which currently costs $20 for six months. After streaming there exclusively, the movie will eventually make its way onto Peacock, where the rest of the franchise is available for streaming.
As for when you’ll be able to watch, it’s up for debate. Wick just crashed into theaters last week, so it will probably be some time until it’s available online. For reference, The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent didn’t head to streaming until six months after its theatrical release.
If the timeline is the same, we will get John Wick Chapter 4 on Starz just in time for your annual autumnal rewatch of John Wick sometime in September. It’s always Wick season!
There was a time, if you can believe it, where there were multiple monster-of-the-week shows out there dominating television, and X-Files was one of those rare shows that could portray complex interpersonal relationships while also very seriously investigating a life-size parasitic worm. The other show to do this was Buffy, obviously.
Even though we now have some hit shows revolving around giant dragons and undead fungi-infected humans (not zombies), there is one key demographic not getting enough TV air time lately: aliens and anything in the “other” category of weird creepy threats. Luckily, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler may have seen the gap in the critter market and is reportedly working on a new reboot of The X-Files.
The X-Files creator Chris Carter spoke to Gloria Macranko to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the series on the On The Coast podcast, when he let it slip that there is a fresh take on the series coming from Coogler. “I just spoke to a young man, Ryan Coogler, who is going to remount The X-Files with a diverse cast,” Carter said.
While he didn’t give any more info, Coogler has been on a hot streak lately. In the past year alone, Coogler co-wrote and directed both Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Creed III. He recently began venturing into television with the upcoming MCU series Ironheart.
The X-Files ran for nine seasons from 1993 to 2002 before getting two more seasons in 2017 and 2018, on top of the two theatrical releases. Despite whatever new treatment the show gets, Carter is happy about the legacy of the show. “It was special. It was an amazing time,” Carter said of the iconic series. “We made really good television, and we made a lot of it.” Now would be a perfect time to make even more of it, jsut for old times’ sake!
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