GoneTrending

Fans across the globe who use Spotify to stream music are getting their long-awaited Spotify Wrapped annual drop today. The yearly promotion showcases a listener’s personal top five songs and musicians for the entire year. It also includes some other fun statistics, like how long (in minutes) you listened to music and your top artist, your top five genres, podcasts, and a “listening personality test.” Not only that, but it seems for 2022, the streaming service had some extra surprises in store for the most dedicated of fans.

Artists like Taylor Swift, Blackpink, Mitski, and more recorded videos that appear in the Your 2022 In Review section for a certain exclusive number of listeners.

Users have also spotted Katy Perry teasing new music through her video, Little Mix delivering a heartfelt holiday wish, as well as clips from WayV, Red Velvet, Niall Horan, J-Hope, Anne Marie, and more.

Others that have also recorded some, by appearing in my personal artist messages, include Maisie Peters and Gracie Abrams.

Because of this, it seems listeners who have an artist either in their top five musicians or songs will receive a video message — if the person recorded one. Bright Eyes did not, and I am disappointed but not surprised.

Continue scrolling for some additional Spotify Wrapped personalized video spots.

Kanye West has already taken a big hit to his net worth this year but it looks like things are going to get worse for him. Appearing on Tim Pool’s right-wing YouTube podcast Timcast IRL (alongside other delightful people like Nick Fuentes and Milos Yiannopoulos — note the sarcasm), Kanye claimed that the Internal Revenue Service has put a $75 million hold on his accounts — the ones that weren’t closed by JP Morgan, anyway — as he owed “a lot” of money in back taxes.

He said after questioning his accountants, he found out just how much “a lot” is: “They said, well, around $50 million.” While admitting that he’s “obviously not the most financially literate person on the planet,” he has begun asking the CFOs of his businesses for advice — although it’s not looking good, since one of his questions appeared to be whether not paying taxes is considered tax evasion. The answer is “yes,” Kanye. That’s literally the definition of it. There are whole books about this.

“So now I’m having — I get to actually learn how to run a company,” he said optimistically. “I get to learn how to count, really. “It’s like I didn’t even know where to put the money.” With at least some of it going to child support after his divorce from Kim Kardashian was finalized this week, it looks like Kanye’s fortunes have really turned.

The discussion ended early when the host asked him about the backlash from the antisemitic comments he’d made earlier this year. Kanye reportedly “walked off in a huff” when pressed about his thought process.

There are great bourbons hitting shelves just about every second right now. The run-up to Christmas and the wider gift-giving season is a great time if you’re looking to try something new and iconic in the bourbon world. That’s why it’s time for yet another brand-new bourbon blind taste test and ranking.

This time around, I’ve grabbed brand-new bourbons that have dropped in the last days and weeks — some of these are still on “pre-order” status because they’re so fresh. A few of these bottles dropped back in late September (at the distillery) but are hitting shelves around the country currently. The point is, these are the new-new bottles of bourbon in the game right now.

As for the ranking, I’m looking at taste above all else. Corn-fueled bourbon whiskey tends to lean towards the sweeter end of things when we’re talking about whiskey. But it’s really the balance of that fruity and buttery caramel sweetness against woody spices, earthiness, leatheriness, and deeper vanilla, dark chocolate, and even soft grainy vibes where the brown juice truly shines.

The lineup today is as follows:

• Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond Fall 2022 Edition Aged 19 Years
• Laws Whiskey House Intention Origins Series 2022 Release
• Barrell Bourbon New Year 2023
• Hidden Barn Small Batch, Series Two Batch #1
• Jeptha Creed Red, White & Blue
• BLACKENED x Wes Anderson Master of Whiskey Series
• Stellum Bourbon Hunter’s Moon
• RD One Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with French Oak

Let’s dive in and find you a great bottle to add to your bar cart or give as a gift!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months

• We Put A Whole Bunch Of Bourbons To A Giant Blind Test And Discovered Some Absolute Gems
• The Affordable Vs Expensive Blind Bourbon Bottle Battle
• We Blind Tasted Classic Bourbons And Were Shocked By The Winner
• The Best-Known Basic Bottles Of Bourbon, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• The Single Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States

Part 1: The Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

This has a classic bourbon nose with deep leather, oily vanilla pods, dark chocolate-covered cherries dusted with salt and nutmeg, and a mild sense of really fancy Almond Joy with this faintest whisper of singed marshmallow and smoldering apple wood. The palate leans into woody spices with black licorice and spearmint candy blending into mint chocolate chip ice cream and root beer spiked with cherry syrup topped with creamy vanilla and dusted with cinnamon, clove, and dark cacao powder. The end has a long and supple sense of those woody spices before delivering into soft Black Forest cake with a brandied cherry vibe and a hint of star anise-infused apple-berry cider.

Well, this is f*cking delicious. It’d take a monster bottle of bourbon to beat this.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

There’s a soft graininess that leads to sour cherries, old leather, a hint of honey, and a whisper of orange. The palate has a sense of cinnamon rolls with a crafty sweet graininess and subtle spice next to buttery grits and a twinge of black tea bitterness. The end leans into a little more of that honey with an oatmeal cookie vibe next to woody spice.

This was perfectly fine. It’s a little crafty with all that grain — oatmeal cookies, grits, etc. — but has a nice balance overall.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

This is a classic bourbon on the nose with deep flavors of buttered buttermilk biscuits, salted caramel, singed marshmallow, Almond Joy, cherry cream soda, and a touch of Nutella and maple syrup. The palate leans into cherry root beer with a hint of vanilla cream soda next to eggnog spices and creaminess, old dried roses in older leatherbound books, and a whisper of red peppercorn cracked over some sweet pipe tobacco. The end has a candied chili pepper vibe next to burnt orange, marzipan, and creamy dark chocolate with a hint of walnut and cherry saltwater taffy.

This is another winner. It’s not quite as lush as the first pour but damn close.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear graininess on the nose with a bran muffin/vitamin store vibe next to some mild nuttiness, dark berries, and woody spice. The palate holds onto the graininess with a vanilla wafer with honey feel next to orange cream soda, a hint of grape, touches of pecan waffle, and black licorice Necco Wafers. The end has a light spiciness with nutmeg and cardamom next to more of those chalky wafers and bran muffins.

This was pretty good. It’s very crafty or at least Tennessee-influenced.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with hints of wicker, old leather, apple and pear cider, and a good dose of burnt orange and old oak. The palate has a salted caramel vibe that leads to pecan waffles with plenty of maple syrup and butter next to burnt orange tobacco leaves and a touch of holiday spices. The end leans into those woody holiday spices with a sense of caramel candies and allspice-spiked apple cider with a hint of old apple orchard wood and bark.

This was pretty nice overall. It’s balanced and well-built.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

There’s a good bit of fruit on the nose with pear skins, rum-raisin, and burnt orange next to dried-up old cinnamon sticks and tobacco leaves. The palate stews the pear with honey and wintry spices while a hint of dried chili flake leads to walnut cake and a very mild echo of old wet straw. The end is lush and full of oranges studded with cloves and allspice next to pear tobacco and old cedar humidors.

This was also a damn nice pour of whiskey. This ranking is going to be hard.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

Old porch wicker, boot leather, salted caramel candies, vanilla cakes, and a hint of dried mango rolled in salt lead the way on the nose. The palate leans into sharp yet sweet cinnamon with burnt orange and dried plums layering into a spiced fruit cake with a hint of sage and thyme. The end has a lightly dried rose vibe with some soft marzipan covered in dark chocolate and layered into an old fruit cake with candied and dried fruits, citrus, nuts, and plenty of dark winter spice.

This is a really tasty whiskey. I don’t know if it beats that first pour, but it’s close.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

That old porch wicker and boot leather lead on the nose with a hint of bespoke Almond Joy, dried rose petals, and allspice cherry cola. The palate has a lush creaminess tied to vanilla cake with a cherry compote next to eggnog spices and creaminess and a dash of woody winter spice with a pipe tobacco edge. The end has a rich toffee vibe that leads to almonds and raisins with a sense of spiced choco-cherry tobacco just kissed with orange oils.

This is another nice pour of whiskey. It’s a stone-cold classic.

Part 2: The Ranking

8. Laws Whiskey House Intention Origins Series 2022 Release — Taste 2

ABV: 59%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This whiskey starts off with Laws’ classic Four Grain Straight Bourbon made with 60% heritage corn, 20% heirloom wheat, 10% heirloom rye, and 10% heirloom malted barley. That juice then rests in barrels for three to 10 years before bottling at cask strength and no fussing, creating only 1,680 bottles.

Bottom Line:

This isn’t last by any measure besides this ranking. This is really good whiskey, especially if you’re looking for something a little more crafty (grain-forward). I’m not sold on that crafty vibe … yet … and that’s the only reason this is lower today. Otherwise, this is solidly made and very easy-to-drink whiskey.

7. Hidden Barn Small Batch, Series Two Batch #1 — Taste 4

ABV: 56%

Average Price: $75 (coming soon)

The Whiskey:

This new series from Master Blender Jackie Zykan combines only 10 barrels of whiskey. The mash is rye-heavy with 60 percent corn from Christian County Grain, 35 percent rye from Walnut Grove Farms, and five percent malted barley from Southfork Malt House all in Kentucky. After double pot distilling, the hot juice is left to rest for five to six years before Zykan blended this expression and bottled it uncut at batch strength.

Bottom Line:

This is good whiskey. It has that crafty (grain-forward) vibe that’s a bit less sweet and a bit drier. I kind of think Jackie Zykan is a huge fan of Nicole Austin (George Dickel’s Master Distiller down in Tennessee) based on this whiskey’s flavor profile. That’s not my favorite thing ever, but it’s certainly a solid and unique flavor profile in a well-balanced whiskey.

6. Jeptha Creed Red, White & Blue — Taste 5

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $75

The Whiskey:

This whiskey was released for Veteran’s Day this month. The mash is a mix of 25% Bloody Butcher corn, 25% heirloom white corn, 25% Bruce’s Blue corn, 20% malted rye, and 5% malted barley. That juice is aged for at least four years before blending, proofing, and bottling for this special once-per-year release.

Bottom Line:

This is pretty solid and classic bourbon. And that’s pretty much it. If you’re looking for a classic bottle that celebrates those who served this country (especially as a gift), then this is a great bottle to grab.

5. BLACKENED x Wes Anderson Master of Whiskey Series — Taste 6

ABV: 58.1%

Average Price: $179

The Whiskey:

This new collaboration from Metallica’s whiskey finds Master Distillers Rob Dietrich of BLACKENED working with Wes Henderson, Co-Founder of Angel’s Envy, to create a new expression. The whiskey is a classic Kentucky bourbon aged for six years. Those barrels are vatted and then refilled into white port wine casks for a final rest. Finally, the port barrels are batched and the whiskey is bottled at cask strength.

Bottom Line:

This is a damn good whiskey. It’s citrus-forward, which was a little dominant — hence it’s slightly lower ranking. That vibe, though, makes this a great candidate for mixing up a simple and delicious old fashioned.

4. RD One Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with French Oak — Taste 8

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $75

The Whiskey:

This brand-new Lexington, Kentucky whiskey is a follow-up to the award and insider darling Old Wm. Tarr Bourbon, which this expression is replacing. The bourbon in play is finished in French oak, adding an extra layer of depth to the final product before batching, proofing, and bottling.

Bottom Line:

This was another stone-cold classic pour that really hit nicely today. Overall, I think this would make a decent on-the-rocks sipper or killer cocktail base, but I’m really leaning more toward the latter.

3. Stellum Bourbon Hunter’s Moon — Taste 7

ABV: 57.76%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This masterful blend from Barrell Craft Spirits celebrates the coming of winter with a high-rye bourbon blend. The batch is dailed in toward the flavors and vibes of the season with deep woodiness, spices, and dark fruits to help celebrate the season.

Bottom Line:

This was just delicious. On another day, this could have been number one. It’s deeply hewn and darkly engaging. I can really see this popping in a Manhattan or Sazerac cocktail or simply on the rocks with a dash of Angostura Bitters.

2. Barrell Bourbon New Year 2023 — Taste 3

ABV: 56.77%

Average Price: $95

The Whiskey:

Barrell’s New Year Bourbon is one of the most beloved releases of the year. This year’s batch is made from a grouping of five, six, seven, eight, and 10-year-old straight bourbon whiskeys distilled in Tennessee, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Wyoming, New York, Texas, and Maryland. Those whiskeys were batched in Kentucky and bottled as-is.

Bottom Line:

Delicious. I really like this neat, but a little water or a rock truly helps it bloom in the glass and takes you deeper into the fruits and creaminess. In a Manhattan, it’s perfect.

1. Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond Fall 2022 Edition Aged 19 Years — Taste 1

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $240

The Whiskey:

The latest decanter release from Heaven Hill’s Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond series was made back in September 2003. Those barrels rested on three floors of rickhouse F and one floor of rickhouse X on the main Heaven Hill campus until October of 2023. They were then batched and proofed down to 100-proof for bottling.

Bottom Line:

This is another perfect whiskey from the Old Fitz lineup. It’s deep, fun, and classic while taking you on a journey through your senses.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

There was just no beating that Old Fitzgerable Bottled-In-Bond Fall 2022 edition this time around. It’s too good.

That said, I’d recommend trying any of these whiskeys. They all offer something a little different. The craftier, more grain-forward stuff ranked lower, but that was only because of my mood and the graininess of them.

Still, if you want a slam-dunk bottle of bourbon, any of the top five will do.

We love TV. And we love movies. And we love buying gifts for people who love TV and movies, which is why we scoured the web, searching for the best deals so that we could pull together a line-up of absolute treasures in every price range that will impress even the toughest critics on your list. From tech-forward options like the sound bar to unique streaming subscriptions, film festival tickets, Stranger Things merch, and more — there’s something for every kind of entertainment fan here.

A Martin Scorsese Masterclass

Price: $190

Whether the person you’re shopping for is an aspiring filmmaker or a lifelong Marty Scorsese fan, this Masterclass subscription offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from one of cinema’s most prolific visionaries. Scorsese deconstructs his method over the course of 30 mini-lessons which add up to a total run time of just over four hours. From scriptwriting to developing his style, recalling his personal influences, and breaking down iconic scenes from his own work, everything you could ever want to learn from the legendary filmmaker is here, though probably not a rundown of his favorite Marvel movies.

Buy Here

Tár (Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture)

Price: $25.99

This concept album based on Cate Blanchett’s latest Oscar-worthy project is the gift to give if you want to prove your cinephilic prowess, featuring a collection of beautiful, moving, and powerful orchestral tracks curated and composed by Icelandic musician Hildur Guðnadóttir whose work you might recognize if you loved the sound of Todd Phillips Joker.

Buy Here

House of the Dragon: The Complete First Season

Price: $59.99

The wait for the second season of HBO’s House of The Dragon is rumored to be long — two years long in fact — but you can help the fantasy fan on your shopping list pass the time with this Blu-ray collectible box set. George R.R. Martin has promised that dozens of deleted scenes that couldn’t fit into the show’s streaming run-time can be found here, along with commentary from the cast and crew, deep dives into the creation of certain scenes, and an illustrated guide to House Targaryen narrated by the author himself. I think we can trust him on this one.

Buy Here

JBL Bar 5.1 Surround

Price: $599.95

While we can’t do much to help you see in the dark when it comes to certain scenes on certain shows that may have already been named on this list, we can definitely suggest amping up one of your other senses by adding a capable sound bar to your home entertainment setup. This JBL sound bar comes with a 10-inch wireless subwoofer and Bluetooth compatibility to make streaming from your phone or tablet easier. Seriously, with so many films going directly to streaming or hitting VOD after a limited theatrical run, you’re still going to get a lot out of trying to bring the theater experience home.

Buy Here

Stranger Things x Butcher Billy Posters

Price: $25 each

The power of Stranger Things was reinforced this summer as we all fell in love with Kate Bush’s music all over again and cheered on as … spoilers. Still. Anyway, Netflix has shown a continuing commitment to giving fans what they want when it comes to licensing a bunch of cool toys and collectibles around the show, and these prints from Brazillian pop art illustrator Butcher Billy are the latest cool addition. Each piece visually recaps one of the season’s nine episodes in vivid, imaginative detail. Pick a favorite for the fan on your list — we love chapter four’s “Dear Billy” — get it framed, and enjoy getting credit from your family and friends for not going the easy route and just buying a Hellfire Club t-shirt.

Buy Here

The Silmarillion: Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien

Price: $39

Speaking of TV shows everyone was watching in 2022, Amazon Prime’s Rings of Power series managed to transport us all back to Middle Earth while giving us new characters and storylines (and price tags) to marvel at. Whether the person on your shopping list is a Tolkien fan, or a newcomer to his fantasy verse by way of Amazon’s newest hit, this illustrated edition of Tolkien’s The Silmarillion is a must-buy. Not only does it feature stunning artwork done by Tolkien himself, but it also maps out the backstory that fueled the premise for The Rings of Power. This is the gift for TV fans who like to do their homework once they’ve finished streaming their favorite show.

Buy Here

Sundance Film Festival 2023 Tickets

Price: $150 – $750

Film festivals aren’t just for industry insiders and professional critics, they’re for fans too. The Sundance Film Festival is one of the most prestigious, filmmaker-beloved events on the circuit and it also happens to be one of the easiest for everyday cinephiles to attend. Beginning in January of this year, fans can purchase tickets for the online portion of the festival which allow attendees to stream multiple feature selections and award-winners (depending on which package you buy). But, if you really want to impress the person on your to-buy-for list, you might want to shell out for an in-person experience where they can enjoy the snow-covered atmosphere of the festival and rub shoulders with A-listers while taking in some of the best films of the year.

Buy Here

Homesick x Star Wars Collection

Price: $132

Homesick is the candle company that has somehow managed to distill the most niche of scents into wick form. If you’ve smelled any of their state-specific scents, you know they nail that olfactory nostalgia every time. Which is why their latest Star Wars collab is so exciting. Now, you can enjoy streaming Disney+’s latest spin-off, Andor, while burning one of these babies for an immersive, 4D experience. Because really, can you appreciate Cassian Andor leading a revolution against the Galactic Empire without knowing exactly what it smells like on the Death Star?

Buy Here

Movie Screenplays

Price: Varies

For movie fans who like to dive deep into the art of filmmaking (but who maybe aren’t in that $200 Marty Scorsese experience bracket), a physical copy of the screenplay of their favorite film is not just a great collectible, it’s a thoughtful gift that shows you truly get them and pay attention to their tastes. But while you can buy paperback screenplays for hundreds of different films on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, if you really want to impress, go with a classy, beautiful gift that looks great on a coffee table like one of the scripts from A24’s meticulously-bound hardcover collection.

Buy Here

Bridgerton Season Two (Netflix Series Soundtrack)

Price: $39.99

Soundtracks have become a big selling point when it comes to a show’s popularity. A good score isn’t just vital for a series’ plot, it’s a way for fans to draw deeper connections with their favorite characters, storylines, and seasons. All that is to say, the vinyl disc set for the second season of Netflix’s streaming behemoth, Bridgerton, is the gift that keeps on giving. Curated by composer Kris Bowers, this vinyl contains full versions of the best orchestral covers that popped up during Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma’s slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers arc. We’re talking string covers of Alanis Morissette ’90s classics, stripped-down versions of Harry Styles chart-toppers, and a scene-stealing ode to a Madonna hit.

Buy Here

The Mandalorian and The Child (Deluxe) Collectible Set

Price: $315

We’re big fans of Hasbro’s Star Wars Black line, which are about 1/10th price of the Hot Toys figurine you see here. But if you’re looking to really blow someone away with a premium Star Wars collectible, you can’t go wrong with this museum-caliber deluxe piece, 1/6 scale of Baby Yoda (aka The Child, aka Grogu) and Mando. Sure, the price is a budget buster, but can you put a price on giving someone the jewel of their collection and all the pressure it’s going to put on them to go ALL IN when it comes time to get you something in return?

Buy Here

Streaming Subscription

Price: Varies

Mark this down as one of the more thoughtful gifts you can give to the entertainment lover in your life. It’s almost impossible to keep up with all of the different streaming services available right now and, chances are, the person you’re buying for is only subscribed to a few choice platforms. If you know of a big streamer they have yet to buy into — think Hulu, HBO Max, Apple TV+, or AMC+ — then just gift that. But, if you’re fairly certain they’ve got the basics covered, level up their streaming game by introducing them to a service like the Criterion Collection or MUBI Go. These streamers boast curated film line-ups that are fit for a connoisseur and offer some serious perks for their members.

Buy Here

The Fill-In Filmography

Price: $198

This massive mapping of cinema’s best offerings is the perfect gift for movie lovers who like to model their binge-watching habits after SAT prep. You can customize the list of films and genres based on your preferences (and class things up a notch by getting the poster framed) but the result is still the same: an exhaustively thorough guide to the best films in movie history that, once completed, will challenge even the most knowledgeable of film fanatics.

Buy Here

Cocktails of the Movies: An Illustrated Guide to Cinematic Mixology

Price: $14.95

The only thing better than enjoying a great film from the comfort of your own home is doing so with a themed cocktail in hand. That’s where this handy recipe guide comes in. Not only does this book break down the recipes for iconic on-screen libations like The Big Lebowski’s White Russian, but it also educates fans on the history of the drink and details its place within the movie it belongs to. It’s the perfect movie-night companion, whether you’re watching solo or entertaining a few guests.

Buy Here

Ted Lasso AFC Richmond Personalized Jersey

Price: 69.95

It’s World Cup season, so of course we had to suggest a bit of Ted Lasso merch. And while choosing between cozy puffer jackets, cutesy tea mugs, and Jason Sudeikis’ trademark visor was difficult, in the end, this replica jersey won out. Why? Because it’s fully customizable and it makes you feel like a futbol fan worthy of taking to the pitch with the AFC Richmond Greyhounds whenever you put it on.

Buy Here

Gourmet Popcorn Giftbox

Price: $48.95

Store-bought bags of popcorn are a little too basic when it comes to gift-giving. Instead, deliver this gourmet selection of artisanally made snacks to their door stop knowing you’ll dazzle their tastebuds with unique flavors — blueberry scone, anyone? — while leaving them hungry for more.

Buy Here

Avatar Funko Pop

Price: $12.90

This adorable Funko Pop is the more affordable option for those wanting to gift a collectible figurine without breaking the bank. Bonus: the latest series is modeled after James Cameron’s next installment in the franchise which is set to drop just a couple weeks before Christmas. So, as soon as fans start clamoring for these little guys, you’ll be able to surprise the person on your list with one — convincing them of your gifting prowess and your psychic abilities.

Buy Here

AMC Stubs A-List Gift Membership

Price: $284.99

As Nicole Kidman once said, “Heartbreak feels good in a place like this.” She was talking about an AMC movie theater hence why this top-tier membership to the chain of cinemas is an unbeatable gift. With it, you can make free online reservations to up to three in-theater showings per week (Dolby Cinema and IMAX included) plus money back on food and drink purchases. Make Nicole proud.

Buy Here

As the Republican Party continues to turn on Donald Trump, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has finally issued remarks on the former president’s controversial dinner with known white supremacist Nick Fuentes. (A dinner that may or may not have been a setup, depending on how far you trust Fuentes and provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.) In an odd statement considering the GOP’s well-documented history of voter suppression, Back the Blue mentality, and its very public turn towards “anti-wokeness,” McConnell denounced white supremacy without directly mentioning Trump or Fuentes.

“First, let me just say that there is no room in the Republican Party for anti-Semitism or white supremacy,” McConnell told reporters. “And anyone meeting with people advocating that point of view, in my judgment, are highly unlikely to ever be elected president of the United States.”

Naturally, Trump wasted no time firing back at McConnell in a statement to Fox News:

“Mitch is a loser for our nation and for the Republican Party who would not have been re-elected in Kentucky without my endorsement, which he begged me for because he was going down,” Trump said. “His well-financed opponent had $93 million ready to spend when I drove him from two points down to 21 points up in a matter of days.”

Despite taking a stance against Trump, McConnell’s words rang hollow on Twitter where his remarks were roundly criticized as hypocritical. Not only does the Republican Party have a history of discriminatory policies that accelerated during the Trump years, but McConnell recently voted against the Respect For Marriage Act, which will protect interracial as well as same-sex marriage. McConnell’s vote is particularly egregious considering he’s literally in an interracial marriage.

You can see McConnell getting dragged below:

(Via Acyn on Twitter)

Welcome to Uproxx’s inaugural Golden Bag Awards — where we shout out and roast all the best and worst fast food to drop this year. While fast food hasn’t had a Popeyes Chicken Sandwich-sized moment since 2019, this year was far from boring for hardcore fast foodies. From food hacks to new menu items to the return of some fan-favorite classics, 2022 brought all sorts of innovation to the fast food space and we’re here to shout it out and celebrate it.

To really grab our attention, fast food needs to be three things — convenient, delicious, and exciting. That last one isn’t always easy in a space that is primarily dominated by burgers and sandwiches. Yet the big brands continue to surprise us by dropping subtle remixes and new flavor combinations.

Most of the food we’re going to be talking about in this article is still readily available but since this is a year-end list there are going to be a few entries on limited-time items that you sadly won’t be able to get your hands on anymore. Hopefully, by expressing our enthusiasm we’ll be able to bring some of these limited items back to menus in 2023. Please, by all means, feel free to bug the sh*t out of these brands on Twitter until they bring ’em back. It worked for Wendy’s Spicy Nuggets and Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza!

Here is the best and worst of fast food in 2022.

Best New Burger: Wendy’s — Italian Mozzarella Burger

Why It Deserves The Award:

Unlike most award shows, we’re starting our list with the big guns! Our award for the best new burger in fast food goes to Wendy’s Italian Mozzarella Burger, which dropped in the middle of this month. While its lack of lettuce looks admittedly unappetizing, this burger brings together the perfect combination of flavors that manages to taste just like a burger but also like one you haven’t ever tried.

Gone is the mayo, special sauce, or ketchup, instead replaced with a layer of bright and herbal marinara sauce which pairs perfectly with the herbed garlic knot bun and fried chunk of mozzarella cheese. Couple the flavors of a freshly dipped mozzarella cheese stick with Wendy’s savory and salty burger patty and you have one of the most decadently delicious burgers of the year.

The Bottom Line:

It takes the best of mozzarella cheese sticks and a cheeseburger and marries them together.

Find your nearest Wendy’s here.

Best New Fried Chicken Sandwich: Shake Shack — Hot One’s Chicken Sandwich

Why It Deserves The Award:

In 2019, Popeyes launched the best chicken sandwich in all of fast food but it’s 2022 now and Popeyes’ chicken sandwich, as delicious as it is, doesn’t have sh*t on the Shake Shack Hot One’s Chicken Sandwich. Made in collaboration with Sean Evans’ Hot Ones, everything about this sandwich is an improvement over what Popeyes has to offer. The chicken filet is significantly juicier and more tender, with a better ratio of meat to breading and the sandwich is topped with bacon and jack cheese, and slathered with a Hot Ones enhanced ShakeSauce that brings the heat.

So it’s meatier, more flavorful, and spicier than Popeyes’ sandwich — what more can you ask for? The flavors are wonderfully layered here, with sweet and tangy notes with a smokey aftertaste that begs you to take another bite. It didn’t have the big cultural moment that Popeyes had — probably because Shake Shack isn’t as nationwide — but it’s a clear improvement over the old GOAT.

The Bottom Line:

An improvement over Popeyes’ amazing chicken sandwich on every level. And I didn’t even need to mention how much better the potato bun is over the Popeyes brioche!

Find your nearest Shake Shack here.

Best New Fry Order: Taco Bell — 7-Layer Nacho Fries

Why It Deserves The Award:

At Uproxx, we love fries (who doesn’t?) so any time a fast food brand decides to remix their fries, we’re there to see if they’ve made the right move. An easy way to improve the world’s greatest side dish is to treat it as a meal in itself, and Taco Bell did just that with this year’s 7-Layer Nacho Fries. Featuring layers of beef, black beans, tomatoes, cheese, guacamole, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, and chipotle sauce over a bed of crispy fries seasoned with paprika, chili powder, garlic, and onion powder, and salt, the 7-Layer nacho fries provide a medley of shifting flavors that never gets boring.

Each bite is equal parts zesty, salty, tangy, buttery, spicy, and savory. Our only complaint is that Taco Bell isn’t generous enough with the layers. Hell, we’d take five layers if Taco Bell would just serve them with a heavier hand.

The Bottom Line:

Taco Bell takes its already delicious Nacho Fries and makes them taste even better by actually making them like, you know, nachos.

Find your nearest Taco Bell here.

Worst Celebrity Meal: Papa John’s — Shaq-A-Roni Pizza

Why It Deserves The Award:

Given the success of McDonald’s Travis Scott and BTS meals, celebrity-branded meals are just something we have to deal with in fast food now. I mentioned in the intro to this piece that great new fast food needs to be exciting but, sadly, and celebrity meals challenge that very idea. They are never innovative (aside from Megan Thee Stallion’s Hottie Sauce Chicken Sandwich from Popeyes). In fact, most of the celebrity-branded dishes out there are simple remixes of what is already on the menu.

Papa John’s Shaq-A-Roni barely counts as a remix though. This is the most low-effort menu item in all of fast food. Ever.

The Shaq-A-Roni is simply a big pepperoni pizza. That’s it. It’s built on dough stretched 16 inches and topped with Papa John’s marinara sauce, extra cheese, and extra pepperonis. Sure, it’s delicious, it’s a f*cking pepperoni pizza, but that’s all it is. It has nothing to do with Shaq aside from his name being attached to it, and they could’ve done so much with the Shaq branding. They could’ve loaded this stuff up with meats and veggies, they could’ve stretched it even wider, they could’ve made the box look like a rattling rim after a missed free throw… SOMETHING. But they simply chose to not.

The Bottom Line:

If you ever needed proof that celebrity meals were the worst thing to happen to fast food, the Shaq-A-Roni fits the bill.

Find your nearest Papa John’s here.

Biggest Swing And A Miss: El Pollo Loco — The Birria Menu

Why It Deserves The Award:

Bless El Pollo Loco, they really tried. Birria tacos are now a sensation in America, it seems like people can’t get enough of this gooey savory consommé-dipped spin on tacos, the trend is so pervasive that even El Pollo Loco jumped on the bandwagon adding a whole birria-section to their menu which consists of tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. Sadly, it’s the most watered-down version of birria I’ve ever tasted.

What makes birria so amazing is that the food is often dipped in the earthy spicy broth before it’s actually fried, this presents a flavor that is savory, juicy, and straight-up luscious. El Pollo Loco just gives you a side of birria broth for you to dip your feed in after it’s already cooked and calls it a day — it doesn’t match the experience of real actual birria. Like I said, birria is all the rage in America right now with new birria spots opening up in cities nationwide on a monthly basis. Do yourself a favor and try one of these places before hitting up El Pollo Loco.

The Bottom Line:

If you’ve never had birria don’t let El Pollo Loco’s version be your first experience.

Find your nearest El Pollo Loco here.

Best Returning Menu Item: Taco Bell — Enchirito

Why It Deserves The Award:

This year a fan-vote Taco Bell brought back the Enchirito, which was first introduced all the way back in the ‘70s and hasn’t been on Taco Bell’s menu since 2013. The Enchirto features seasoned beef, beans, and onions wrapped in a flour tortilla and doused in Taco Bell’s red sauce and layers of melted cheddar cheese. It is quite simply Taco Bell’s version of the wet burrito and it works!

It’s savory, beefy, and umami-rich with a strong tomato-forward sauce that features a hint of spice on the back end. Taco Bell’s menu consists of a bunch of the same foods in different form factors, but the Enchirto actually comes across as something different than what the rest of the menu offers.

Yes, I’m fully aware that the Mexican Pizza also rejoined the Taco Bell menu this year but the Enchirito is better in every way. Both are examples of Taco Bell taking feedback from its fans and actually listening, which is why the chain stays winning.

The Bottom Line:

Wonderfully beefy and savory. Even better than the Mexican Pizza.

Find your nearest Taco Bell here.

Best Menu Expansion: Pizza Hut — Oven Baked Pastas

Why It Deserves The Award:

Nobody asked Pizza Hut to start offering pasta but they did, and surprisingly, it’s pretty damn good. Is it going to compare to your favorite mom-and-pop Italian spot? Not a chance, but it adds some needed variety to the menu.

The best of the oven-baked pastas is the Chicken Alfredo, which features a bed of penne smothered in tasty garlic-forward creamy Alfredo sauce with a sprinkle of oregano and some tender baked white meat chicken. Pizza Hut sprinkles some parmesan cheese on top of this dish and overall it’s a bit more cheesy than it is saucy, but for a quick oven-baked pasta from a national pizza joint, it gets the job done.

The Bottom Line:

A menu innovation that no one asked for that manages to exceed expectations.

Find your nearest Pizza Hut here.

Dumbest Menu Expansion: McDonald’s — Hacked Menu

Why It Deserves The Award:

McDonald’s is one of the biggest fast food brands in the world and as a result, anytime they do anything new, they do the bare minimum while trying to please the most people. Case in point, the Official Hacked Menu, a series of hacked dishes that absolutely failed to deliver. The idea is amazing, McDonald’s allowing fans to order fan-favorite menu hacks by name shows a brand that pays attention to the habits of their customer base. But the fact that McDonald’s made you self-assemble the hacks was downright insulting.

The Official Hacked Menu featured the Crunchy Double, a cheeseburger with nuggets inside of it, the Hashbrown McMuffin, a McMuffin with a hash brown in it, and the infamous Land, Air & Sea Burger, a combination of a Big Mac, chicken sandwich, and fish filet sandwich. McDonald’s could’ve easily stacked this for you, but instead, they just sold the food as individual items and forced you to build it yourself. As a result, the presentation suffers, and you’re left with all sorts of excess waste from the various food containers.

McDonald’s could’ve saved us some time and been more responsible stewards to the environment had they just assembled the stuff for us.

The Bottom Line:

A good idea gone wrong.

Find your nearest McDonald’s here.

Most Surprising New Menu Item: Burger King — Ghost Pepper Whopper

Why It Deserves The Award:

Burger King consistently ranks at or near the bottom of our various fast food rankings. The chain is so consistently bad I often wonder how it’s still even in business — so when Burger King unveiled the Ghost Pepper Whopper as part of the Halloween season, I was surprised to find that not only was it delicious, but it improved upon the brand’s flagship burger.

The Ghost Pepper Whopper features a quarter-pound hamburger patty topped with ghost pepper cheese, bacon, queso sauce, and the greatest ingredient of all, crispy fried jalapeños. It’s incredibly spicy, smokey, and meaty with a shifting flavor palette that tickles and waters the taste buds. It’s incredible. Turns out that all Burger King was missing all this time was heat!

The Bottom Line:

It takes the Whopper, a burger that tastes like burnt meat, and makes it spicy, savory, and delicious.

Find your nearest Burger King here.

Best Overall Brand: Chipotle

Why It Deserves The Award:

Chipotle gets a lot of well-deserved criticism for being a pale imitation of Mexican food. With its fully customizable menu, it can come across as bland and flavorless. But this year, the fast-casual chain consistently pumped out brand-new protein options that seriously elevated the menu.

Guajillo Steak, Pollo Asado, Smoked Brisket, Plant-Based Chorizo — Chipotle managed to keep its menu exciting throughout the entire year and no other fast food brand can lay claim to that feat. My personal favorite was the Guajillo steak which featured a wonderfully earthy roasted garlic flavor that started off sweet, shifted into something spicy, and ended with a fresh pepper cilantro finish.

Frustratingly, Chipotle only offered these protein options for a very limited time, but if they treat 2023 the same way they treated this year, we’re in for a hell of a delicious ride.

The Bottom Line:

Chipotle made a name for itself with fresh ingredients rather than innovation, but in 2022 they constantly f*cked with the menu in the most delicious way. We’re excited to see what the brand has in store for 2023.

Find your nearest Chipotle here.

‘Twas music lovers’ favorite time of the year! Music streaming platform Spotify has rolled out their annual Spotify Wrapped lists. The lists generated by user-specific data points help paint a clearer picture as to what artists, albums, and song truly dominated the year.

Despite not securing a spot in the top five most streamed artists on the platform, Harry Styles’ hit single “As It Was” rested comfortably in the No. 1 spot for most streamed global songs. This should came as no surprise for fans of the British heartthrob, given the fact the song featured on his sophomore album, Harry’s House, spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart.

Coming in at No. 2 was “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals. The song, originally released in 2020, spread like wildfire online. The public’s obsession with the track resulted in the UK group’s dethroning of The Weeknd’s previously held record for longest-charting song in Hot 100 history.

Australian melodic rapper The Kid Laroi grabbed the third slot for most-streamed song for his Justin Bieber-assisted single, “Stay.” Thanks to a push from TikTok users, the song rose to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a few weeks.

Rounding out the last two spots is Latin music phenomenon Bad Bunny. The Puerto Rico native’s fourth studio album, Un Verano Sin Ti, was a global success, with songs “Me Porto Bonito” featuring Chencho Corleon and “Tití Me Preguntó” locking in spots four and five, respectively.

If you have Spotify account, you can generate a #SpotifyWrapped list based on your streaming history. Click here to learn more.

Spotify has just revealed the streaming platform’s biggest songs of the year. While a catchy beat and a hypnotic melody are usually what draws people in, the lyrics are what make a long-lasting impact.

Such is the case for Spotify’s Songs With the Most Shared Lyrics Globally, in which many higher-ranking songs were released before 2022. Coming in at No. 5 is Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know,” which came out in 2004. A version of the song went viral on TikTok earlier this year in a trend where the user sends a message to their younger selves.

Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of her debut album, Born To Die, Lana Del Rey came in at No. 4, with her breakthrough hit, “Summertime Sadness.”

Coming in at No. 3 is “I Love You So,” by The Walters. This 2014 indie jam also went viral on TikTok, in which users shared how they interpreted a particular line — “‘but I love you so, please let me go.”

The second song with the most globally shared lyrics was Conan Gray‘s “Heather,” whose namesake became a viral term on TikTok in which users would describe a beautiful woman.

Glass Animal’s “Heat Waves” was the most lyrically alluded-to song of 2022, two years after its official release. Because sometimes, all we think about is this great song, which proved to be the longest-charting song in Hot 100 history.

Some of the artists mentioned are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

A common criticism of Avatar in the 13 years since it came out is that it left no cultural impact, even though it’s the highest-grossing movie of all-time, and there’s Pandora: The World of Avatar at Disney World, to say nothing of the famously dedicated fans. And yet, the debate rages on. James Cameron is aware of the discourse — but he wants everyone to hold their judgement until after Avatar: The Way of Water comes out.

“There’s skepticism in the marketplace around, ‘Oh, did it ever make any real cultural impact?’ Can anybody even remember the characters’ names?’” Mr. Get the F*ck Out of My Office told the Hollywood Reporter. Jake and Neytiri are no Luke and Leia, but Cameron makes the point that Avatar is only one movie into the franchise; A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi were all released between 1977 and 1983, or less than half the time between Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water.

“When you have extraordinary success, you come back within the next three years. That’s just how the industry works. You come back to the well, and you build that cultural impact over time. Marvel had maybe 26 movies to build out a universe, with the characters cross-pollinating,” he continued (that’s the nicest thing he’s ever said about the MCU). “So it’s an irrelevant argument. We’ll see what happens after this film.”

Avatar: The Way of Water opens on December 16. Do not be the guy who says “that left no cultural impact” right as you leave the theater.

(Via the Hollywood Reporter)

There was definitely a significant moment in time in the early 2010s that was dominated by YA misadventures, both in books and on the screen. After the world collectively moved on from vampires and werewolves, the next wave of popular tropes arrived: brooding teenage boys in dystopian sci-fi movies. And what a time it was!

Before Theo James was nonchalantly bearing all in front of Aubrey Plaza, he was acting alongside Shailene Woodley in the Divergent series, a popular book franchise turned movie series. James played Woodley’s love interest for three of the films, though after a slight box office flop, the planned fourth film was axed. Even though they never got to finish out the series, James was not mad about it!

Speaking with Vanity Fair, James said that it’s hard to be attached to certain projects for so long, as it often leaves actors to become typecast as their most popular role. “You do a certain type of film and you sign contracts where you are beholden to those roles for a certain period of time and people see you in a certain light that you have to wrestle your way out of,” James explained. “That is a hundred percent the case with actors — and it was definitely the case with me.” The Divergent series was a moderate hit, though it never took off the way The Hunger Games and other popular franchises did.

Even though the final film was scrapped, James had trouble breaking out of that love interest box over the next few years. “I felt I didn’t have the fluidity to move in the directions that I wanted. You’re very much in a certain type of role — and those roles can be pretty f*****g boring.”

After all of the “boring” roles (sorry to The Time Traveler’s Wife), James was eventually cast as the much too overconfident Cameron in season two of The White Lotus, who doesn’t mind getting aggressively naked all of the time. And if that’s the type of role that James wants, then it will be the type he gets!

(Via IndieWire)