GoneTrending

George Santos has been a U.S. representative for over a month now, and he doesn’t seem to being the most unpopular person in Congress. Before he was sworn in, he was the subject of an avalanche of accusations. After he was sworn in, the avalanche continued. It hasn’t stopped, with one strange/alarming claim after another, of him lying about, well, everything. If he thought his colleagues would warm to him for President Joe Biden’s second State of the Union speech, he was wrong.

First up was his run-in with Mitt Romney. Santos, who managed to snag an aisle seat for the big show, at one point walked over to the Utah senator and failed presidential candidate. Cameras caught the exchange, and though no audio has yet to be made public, it didn’t look good.

Of course, you didn’t have to be a master lip reader to catch some words. People caught Romney telling Santos something about him being “embarrassed.” Others thought Romney told him, “I wouldn’t be here.” A lot of people speculated on what was said.

Whatever the case, Santos walked away with Romney still appearing to mutter about him, with Santos saying something back.

Then there was his run-in with Biden himself. Santos perched himself along Biden’s path, ready to get a handshake from the president.

But video appeared to show Biden giving him a quick glance then moving on, potentially snubbing him.

Here’s a freeze frame of the apparent eye-lock.

Maybe Biden, a dog lover, doesn’t have time for people accused of multiple cases of dog-related fraud.

Or maybe Biden’s just no fan of Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark, which Santos allegedly claimed he produced.

The Grammys on Sunday night were packed with memorable moments. There was definitely some chaos, from Harry Styles’ performance not going as planned to Cardi B allegedly breaking up a fight between Quavo and Offset. But there was also an abundance of exciting, groundbreaking moments, like Kim Petras being the first openly trans woman to receive a Grammy and Beyonce breaking the record for most Grammys of all time.

It looks like it was an overall success, especially when it comes to how many watchers tuned in. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Grammys reached a three-year high for CBS. It brought in 12.55 million viewers, which is 31% higher than last year’s 9.59 million people. However, it unfortunately doesn’t compare to the number of viewers they received before the pandemic.

One of the unexpected turns of the night was when Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That” won Song of The Year — a category full of big hits. “I’m so surprised,” she said in an interview shortly after winning, “because there were just massively talented, great tunes that represented tremendous excitement of the public, both in sales and just No. 1 and big smashing hits, and my little record was, you know… I’m so glad to be nominated. I was very surprised, but holding up our end of the American roots and my generation, that was… made me very proud. So… I don’t know, I love it.”

The year 2019 was the 10th anniversary of Michael Jackson‘s death, and his estate shared a thoughtful statement about his impact: “A decade later, Michael Jackson is still with us, his influence embedded in dance, fashion, art and music of the moment. He is more important than ever.” Now, it looks like they’re selling part of his catalog in a massive deal.

Three sources told Variety that the estate is selling 50% of its interests in Jackson’s catalog for somewhere between $800 million and $900 million to Sony and a possible financial partner. The deal involves “Jackson’s publishing, recorded-music revenues, the MJ: The Musical Broadway show and the upcoming biopic Michael, and possibly more assets,” the publication clarified.

The estate also recently made a statement about the tragic death of Lisa Marie Presley. “We are saddened by the sudden tragic loss of Michael’s former wife, Lisa Marie Presley,” they said. “Michael cherished the special bond they enjoyed as apparent in the official video for ‘You Are Not Alone’, and was comforted by Lisa Marie’s generous love, concern and care during their times together.”

They continued, “Bringing these two special people together was a memorable moment resulting in a union full of genuine affection and care for each other. Our deepest sympathies remain with Lisa’s family. Our hearts are with Lisa Marie’s children, Riley, Harper and Finley, and her mother, Priscilla, in this difficult time.”

Streamers aren’t the only wing of the entertainment industry going through some stuff right now. So is late night TV. Trevor Noah up and left The Daily Show late last year, and so far the show has gone with temporary guest hosts. Then there’s The Late Late Show. James Corden is skedaddling from the CBS staple, which has been held up the 12:30am slot since 1995. Who will replace him? The answer: no one.

As per Deadline, CBS is likely going to deep-six the nearly 30-year-old show. Instead of a chat show, it will be replaced by a reboot of @midnight, the Comedy Central panel show that ran from 2013 to 2017 in which contestants compete in a series of improv games related to social media jokes, memes, and culture. The show will not bring back its original host, Chris Hardwick, but it will feature Stephen Colbert, who hosts its preceding program, The Late Show, as executive producer.

The Late Late Show began not as a comedy show but as a more serious affair, hosted by the very serious Tom Snyder. By 1999 it had morphed into another yukfest, hosted by Craig Kilborn. He was followed by Craig Ferguson (who’s also returning to late night TV), then Corden. And so the show ends with a man who was revealed to be rude to waitstaff at an NYC restaurant.

(Via Deadline)

Post Malone did not have the easiest time touring last year while promoting his new album Twelve Carat Toothache. The “Better Now” performer took too many tumbles at his concerts, first in St. Louis and then again in Atlanta. Luckily, there have been some good news to make up for those falls since, such as when he officiated a wedding between two fans onstage in Seattle.

Malone looks like he’s been having more fun doing gigs this year. In Sydney, Australia on Sunday, February 5 at the Accor Stadium, the rapper gave the crowd what they wanted: A shoey, which means he drank beer from a fan’s shoe. “How did we get here?” he said into the microphone while pouring a red solo cup into a sneaker. Video of it was caught by an audience member who posted it to TikTok. After chugging it, he can be seen bowing to the crowd.

Malone is often engaged in shenanigans. Last year Celtics guard Marcus Smart talked about playing the musician in beer pong: “Yeah, I played him. I won one game, but I went five in a row the last game! […] He’s really good. He kept telling me to call [Celtics President Of Basketball Operations] Brad [Stevens] for him, though. Every shot he made, he was like, ‘Call Brad, sign me up, give me the 10-day [contract]!’”

Kevin Durant will not play in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. Despite making it to Salt Lake City a little later this month as one of the frontcourt players selected out of the Eastern Conference, the knee injury that has kept Durant sidelined since January 12 will prevent him from suiting up in the game, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Durant suffered the injury against the Miami Heat when Ben Simmons blocked an attempted layup by Jimmy Butler and Butler fell into the Brooklyn Nets star’s right leg. While it was originally announced that Durant would miss at least two weeks due to the MCL sprain, he hasn’t played in approximately four weeks.

Earlier in the day, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the expectation is Durant — who has not been cleared for contact yet — will not return to the Nets’ lineup until after the break. Brooklyn’s first game back is on Feb. 24 against the Chicago Bulls.

This injury means that Durant continues his unfortunate streak of having to miss the All-Star Game due to knocks, as he has not been able to play in the game since 2019. While the NBA has not announced a replacement for Durant, Philadelphia 76ers star and All-Star reserve Joel Embiid came in fourth place in voting and would presumably be next in line to earn a starting nod.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got new music from Yves Tumor, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Tallest Man On Earth, and more.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Keep — Happy In Here

With the release of They Are Gutting A Body Of Water’s S and Knifeplay’s Animal Drowning, last year was a flourishing moment for shoegaze. It looks like that’s not over; Keep’s new album Happy In Here is a haunting, dreamy adventure full of intense guitar work and soaring vocals. The songs blend into one another with ease, bouncing back and forth between feeling introspective and invigorating.

Year Of The Knife — Dust To Dust

To kick off 2023, Year Of The Knife have unleashed a surprise EP, Dust to Dust. Though only clocking in at seven minutes with three songs, every second is so ferocious and brash. The roars are unrelenting and piercing against corrosive guitars, and there’s no shortage of satisfying breakdowns that’ll definitely prompt pits at future shows.

Black Belt Eagle Scout — “Spaces”

The Land, The Water, The Sky, the new album from Black Belt Eagle Scout, arrives in just a couple of days. There have been four singles so far, including the newest one, “Spaces.” It’s a serene, ruminative ballad that relies more on sounds than words, and it works because the atmosphere is immersive and powerful throughout.

Neutral Milk Hotel — “Where You’ll Find Me Now (Alternate Version)”

“Where You’ll Find Me Now” is a highlight off Neutral Milk Hotel’s oft-overlooked debut album On Avery Island. The original is slow and intimate, and this just-released alternative version of the track has more of a pep in its step. It comes from the band’s career-spanning boxset, which is sure to be a treat for fans who want more from the elusive group.

Frankie Rose — “Sixteen Ways”

Frankie Rose are preparing for the release of their new album Love As Projection, and “Sixteen Ways” is a glimmering, memorable taste of what’s to come. the track is reminiscent of ’80s pop, bursting with fuzzy synthesizers and catchy melodies. The video feels vintage as well, feeling much like a fever dream.

Yves Tumor — “ Echolalia”

Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) is the title of Yves Tumor’s new album arriving in March. It was announced alongside the release of the pulsating single “Echolalia,” which has a sticky melody as they sing: “You look so magical / I don’t know how to act when I’m on my own / The way I’m thinking, is this unnatural?”

Geese — “Cowboy Nudes”

It’s probably easy to guess that Geese’s new song titled “Cowboy Nudes” is a bit unhinged. Sonically, it’ll never lose the listener’s attention, packed with vivacious vocals and a buoyant rhythm. The lyrics are as entertaining, not lacking in humor: “I’ve got eyes for anything moving / Fell in love with a tumbleweed.”

The Tallest Man On Earth — “Every Little Heart”

“Every Little Heart” by The Tallest Man On Earth is a gentle, thoughtful ballad that feels more profound with each line: “I’m going to see the world / Through every little heart I know / I’m going to see the world / Through every little heart I know,” Kristian Matsson sings over mesmerizing chords.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra — “Layla”

Unknown Mortal Orchestra just announced that they’ll be unleashing their new double album V in March. To give fans a preview, they shared “Layla,” a groovy track about wanting change: “My old man’s gun / Still in the glove compartment / How many dollars you wanna earn? / How many times ’til you’re gonna learn?”

@ — “Letters”

The music of @ is quite unconventional and unpredictable. Their new single “Letters,” though, packs more emotion than it does surprises. “It’s about reconnection after personal growth,” the explained in a statement. “It’s also about the relief of being able to experience the world more lightly after a serious depression.” And it moves with this bright sense of weightlessness.

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

Donald Trump’s kids are nothing if not loyal, especially the oldest three. (Tiffany mostly keeps quiet, and who knows what young, tall Barron thinks of him.) Whether he feels the same way is up in the air. Some who know him claim he does not. Michael Cohen — the former president’s former lawyer, who went to jail for him and has since been relentlessly warning people he’s not to be trusted — has claimed he would never save his kids from jail time. Now a new book is confirming how little he cares for his children.

As per Raw Story, there’s yet another new Trump tell-all. It’s called People vs. Donald Trump: An Inside Account, and it’s by New York District Attorney Mark Pomerantz. One passage relates a conversation between Trump, then-bookkeeper Allen Weisselberg and Cohen. (As Cohen once did, Weisselberg is going to the slammer for Trump.) During their discussion, Trump was talking about his net worth would be, which he kept inflating.

“At one point his growing net worth number became so inflated,” Pomerantz writes, “that Weisselberg warned him that he was creating a large potential estate tax liability—upon his death, the tax authorities could demand taxes commensurate with his inflated net worth. According to Cohen, Trump responded by telling Weisselberg that ‘I don’t care, I’ll be dead, and the kids will have to fend for themselves.’”

So much for fatherly love. It’s not clear how large Trump’s wealth is anyway these days. What’s more, Ivanka has been clearly worried her father’s antics, such as helping foment an attempted insurgency, will harm her own brand, making it difficult to create her own wealth. Then again, she and her husband are unimaginably rich. Maybe one day they’ll have to give out loans to Don Jr. when people stop watching his lunatic video rants.

(Via Raw Story)

Movie theaters are still climbing back to where they were before a little once-in-a-century public health crisis began. Lots of people are even seeing non-blockbusters about normal people again (at least if they star Tom Hanks). Still, Regal is shuttering a bunch of theaters. AMC Theatres, meanwhile, is trying out a new pricing plan, where you could pay more or less depending on where you sit. It’s already drawn criticism, including from one of the stars of one of the biggest franchises of the last quarter century.

“The movie theater is and always has been a sacred democratic space for all,” Elijah Wood tweeted Monday. “This new initiative by AMC Theatres would essentially penalize people for lower income and reward for higher income.”

The initiative, called Sightline, breaks down like this: Seats in the middle, called “Premium Sightline,” go for slightly more than normal seats, called “Standard Sightline.” There’s also “Value Sightline,” which are a bit cheaper and include, as per an AMC statement, “seats in the front row of the auditorium, as well as select ADA seats in each auditorium, and are available at a lower price than standard sightline seats.”

In other words, whereas in the past everyone was equal — and the crappy seats only went to those who showed up late — the wealthier can now separate themselves from those with less money.

We’ll see how it goes or if they keep it up. In the meantime, that beloved Nicole Kidman intro ain’t going anywhere — for now.

(Via Deadline)

AMC Theaters, America’s largest movie theater chain, announced on Feb 6 that it will be adopting different ticket prices based on seat location.

Moviegoers will have three tiers to choose from based on sightline of the movie screen—Preferred Sightline, set in the middle at the highest price point, Value Sightline, set in the front of the auditorium at the lowest price, and Standard Sightline, which is basically everything else (including the back seats, which are perhaps the most commonly picked) set at the traditional cost of a ticket.

In other words…heartbreak will feel more expensive in a place like this…or less, depending on where you sit…

The company’s announcement was met with both criticism and approval. While some feel the move follows a well-established business model, others have found it to be taking away a valued aspect of the moviegoing experience.

“Lord of the Rings” actor Elijah Wood took to social media to condemn the decision, saying that it would negatively affect those with lower incomes.

“The movie theater is and always has been a sacred democratic space for all,” Wood wrote. “This new initiative by AMC Theatres would essentially penalize people for lower income and reward for higher income.”

The movie theater is and always has been a sacred democratic space for all and this new initiative by @AMCTheatres would essentially penalize people for lower income and reward for higher income.

— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) February 6, 2023

TV and film critic John Rocha was a bit more pointed in his statement, calling the new ticket pricing “classist.”

“Poor people, you sit in the poor section and you rich folks please move the velvet ropes around the middle section to find your seats,” he added.

Still, according to Eliot Hamlisch, EVP and CMO of AMC Theaters, the new approach “closely aligns to that of many other entertainment venues, offering experienced-based pricing and another way for moviegoers to find value at the movies.” It’s much like the model of paying more or less at a concert, sports game, or theaters showing plays, depending on where you sit.

“We know there are some moviegoers who prioritize their specific seat and others who prioritize value moviegoing. Sightline at AMC accommodates both sentiments to help ensure that our guests have more control over their experience so that every trip to an AMC is a great one,” he wrote in a statement.

And yet, in the aftermath of COVID-19, it’s a risky move for an already shaky industry, some experts say. According to The Hollywood Reporter, box office numbers have made progress, but still pale in comparison to 2019, hitting $7.5 billion in 2021.

The outlet also shared that even certain Hollywood studio executives considered the pricing as potentially “too complicated” for customers. This is a precarious experiment as streaming services continue to be movie theaters’ biggest competitor.

On the bright side: despite the divisive backlash that AMC’s price change caused, the great unifier in all this was the plethora of funny memes:

guessing Nicole Kidman’s revised AMC Theaters monologue verbiage pic.twitter.com/U7WdNSapds

— Katie Baker (@katiebcomedy) February 6, 2023

Me looking up at the Nicole Kidman ad because I can only afford the value seats https://t.co/2J4Jun2RMW pic.twitter.com/Tvt14qcca8

— Ol’ Oval Head Lookin Ass (@MoonManTI) February 6, 2023

When someone is in your reserved seat with AMC’s new ticket seat pricespic.twitter.com/J1d2iBHRjP

— BLURAYANGEL 🦇 (@blurayangel) February 6, 2023

Me watching Barbie this summer at AMC https://t.co/GBdCBqMqJN pic.twitter.com/c6dHma6Ize

— soapy🧃 (@soapyhadid) February 6, 2023

Excluding members of AMC’s A-List membership, who will still be able to choose any seat at no additional charge, customers might have already seen this change. The new pricing structure has already begun rolling out across the country and will be implemented at all locations by the end of 2023.