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It seems as though everyone knows who Prince was. His music crossed generations and had most of the world belting out tunes like “Raspberry Beret” and “1999,” but it turns out there was one celebrity that had to keep their hands off of his songs.

“Weird Al” Yankovic explained on “The Drew Barrymore Show” that there was only one musician that turned him down on making a parody of his songs. It was Prince. The man was serious about his music and even after his death there were supposedly more than 8,000 songs that were in his vault never having been released.

But one would think after the musician’s death in 2016 that Yankovic would simply ask his estate permission to parody one of the songs. It’s obvious that most of the songs are timeless gems that are easily recognizable and people still listen to fairly regularly. So why didn’t he? The answer may take you by surprise.

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Yankovic made a career out of doing parodies of popular songs, with his first big hit being a play on Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” except his was titled “Like a Surgeon.” The video questionably had a lion in the operating room of a surgeon, played by Yankovic, hoping not to get sued for malpractice. Yankovic famously did a parody of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It,” but his version was called “Eat It” and he stuffed his face with all kinds of sweets while he sang funny new lyrics.

The parody king could hit the top of the charts all over again with a Prince song but don’t hold your breath. “I had a lot of what I thought were good ideas and he never was into it,” Yankovic told Barrymore. When talking about asking the estate for permission, he said, “I don’t want to do that because I’ve always respected the artist’s wishes and Prince made his wishes pretty clear. I still respect that.”

What a cool thing for Yankovic to do when plenty of people likely would’ve taken the opportunity. Watch the exchange below.

Back in January, Babyface Ray unveiled a new album called Face. The singer took those songs to the road in May and June on a 21-date tour with Peezy, Baby Money, GT, LOS, and Natty. It looks like instead of riding the high of that release, he’s been grinding: He just announced another LP, this time called Mob, arriving next month.

Mob contains his previously released tracks “Nice Guy” as well as “Spend It,” his collaboration with Blxst and Nija. To prepare fans, he unleashed a trailer in which early listeners describe their feelings about the album. “Oh, this is a banger. This is a banger,” one person blurts. “It makes me lit. It makes me wanna get some money,” a kid explains.

Meanwhile, Babyface Ray has also been keeping in touch with the culture on TikTok, participating in the trend involving Soulja Boy’s “Pretty Boy Swag.” He was also featured on Nav’s new album Demons Protected By Angels earlier this year alongside Bryson Tiller, Don Toliver, Future, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Lil Uzi Vert, RealestK, and Travis Scott. Along with that, he was a guest on Maxo Kream’s Weight Of The World, for the song “Mixin Juices.”

Watch the trailer above. Check out the album artwork below.

Even a stopped clock is still right twice a day. Ted Cruz is funny far less often than that. Maybe once a year, if that, does Texas’ most notorious senator crack a good one. (Although he’s a goldmine for jokes about him.) And so props, alas, where it’s due, because on Tuesday he actually made a joke that hit.

Tuesday, November 22, was the 59th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy Jr., who was almost certainly killed by deranged veteran Lee Harvey Oswald. (Sorry, Oliver Stone and a large army of conspiracy theorists.) There’s an old, ridiculous claim — unearthed by Donald Trump during the 2016 race — that Cruz’s father, Rafael, was photographed alongside Oswald. So when someone on the anniversary casually asked if anyone has any memories of that fateful day, Cruz decided to have some fun with it.

“Only passed down through the family,” Cruz quipped on his Twitter feed.

It was a good joke! Even Cruz’s many critics thought so.

But was it actually funny? This is Ted Cruz, so of course it’s not so simple. Again, Trump is someone who spread that line, and indeed gave it new legs when he used it during the 2016 race. He kept saying it even after Cruz suspended his campaign. And what did Cruz do? Eventually come around to Trump’s side and become one of his biggest cheerleaders. He even voted to overturn the 2020 election results. This was after he falsely linked his dad with JFK’s killer and called his wife ugly. Once one realizes this, it’s clear this is a joke from the same guy whose yuks usually backfire creatively.

In short, even a Ted Cruz win is a loss. What a poor goof.

Since 2010, The Walking Dead has brought PG-13-level zombie mayhem to AMC. But although all things come to an end eventually, in today’s age nothing really dies, not even shows about the undead. This past Sunday, after 11 seasons, the main original show aired its final episode. But is that the end? Well, yes and no.

As per the fansite Undead Walking, The Walking Dead may have bid farewell with a long goodbye of 24 episodes in one season, but that doesn’t mean the end of its world. There are still five spinoffs that are either already deep into their run or are soon for this world. For the record, they are:

• Fear the Walking Dead, which premiered in 2015. Over the summer it wrapped its seventh season, and has recently begun filming its eighth
• Tales of the Walking Dead, which kicked off its first batch of episodes in late summer. As the title promises, each episode follows either new or established character. For instance, one delves into the backstory of Samantha Morton’s Alpha, leader of the Whispers, who wear walker skin to mask their humanity.
• The Walking Dead: Dead City, which is due in April of next year. Once known as Isle of the Dead, it follows Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Maggie and Negan as they head to good ol’ New York City…whose streets have been taken over by walkers, forcing residents to take up residence in tall buildings and zipline between them.
• The as-yet-untitled Daryl spinoff, which is due next year. This one obviously follows the show’s most iconic character, played by Norman Reedus.
• And the as-yet-untitled Rick and Michonne spinoff, which will begin filming early next year, and follows two other beloved characters, played by Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira.

In other words, there’s a chance that The Walking Dead will never die, at least as a franchise.

SZA is back and better than ever. After saying her album would come out during the summer — and then letting the months pass — she finally announced that S.O.S., as it’s called, is arriving next month. Now she’s taking to social media to respond to a fan about a less expected matter.

A fan on Instagram posted a screenshot of a tweet from @ThePopTingz that stated there’s a rumor of SZA having recorded a remix for The Weeknd’s “Die For You.” The caption of the picture read: “Sza I know you don’t like rumors, can you clarify this for us?? #sza #theweeknd.” The singer replied in the comments, writing, “Lmao it’s super old but it does exist . I should re record it.”

To top it off, The Weeknd himself quote-tweeted @PopCrave’s tweet about the interaction, writing, “yes please.”

So far, SZA has released the single “Shirt” along with a music video featuring Atlanta actor Lakieth Stanfield. There are also rumors of a SZA remix of Lizzo’s “Special” after SZA made a surprise appearance at Lizzo’s show at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on November 19. Lizzo also got more people talking about it by posting a TikTok with SZA of them lip-syncing to what sounds like the remix. The video was captioned, “Guess what B*TCH?!”

For the last few weeks, the already beleaguered crypto world has suffered yet another hit: the once-prosperous, Larry David- and Tom Brady-approved exchange FTX has collapsed in spectacular fashion. All crypto eyes are on its young, schlubby head honcho, Sam Bankman-Fried, who may be responsible for substantial missing assets, and has been doing wild things like giving perhaps overly frank interviews. (At least Jim Cramer still believes in him.) If you thought this has all the makings of a movie or a limited series, well, looks like you were right.

As the news of the FTX debacle broke, so did word that bestselling (and absurdly lucky) journalist Michael Lewis (Moneyball, The Blind Side, The Big Short) had been trailing Bankman-Fried for the last six months. Sounds like he has another hit on his hands, as well as another Hollywood payday: As per Deadline, streamers have been duking it out for the as-yet-unwritten book’s rights. And it sounds like the winner is Apple.

The wild story of Bankman-Friend — as well as his equally out-there associates, some of whom shared a Bahamas home and even dated each other — has the makings of one of those truth-is-stranger-than-fiction Hulu shows, like The Dropout or Pam & Tommy. But Deadline is reporting that it will probably be a movie. If so, that will follow the trajectory of Lewis’ previous books, three of which became money- and award-gobbling films.

In the meantime, the latest wacko revelation out of the Bankman-Fried story? As per Insider, the fallen CEO allegedly owns a $100 million stake in another dodgy tech empire: Twitter dot com.

(Via Deadline)

Ben Simmons missed the entire 2021-22 season with injury and, while he was off the floor, the Philadelphia 76ers traded him to the Brooklyn Nets in a deal centered on James Harden. With that in mind, Simmons has not played a game at Wells Fargo Center since June 2021 when the Sixers fell to the Atlanta Hawks in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. On Tuesday, that changed with Simmons returning to Philadelphia in an opposing uniform for the first time, and he was greeted with boos from the crowd.

Simmons seemed to be in good spirits before the game, telling TNT’s Stephanie Ready that he “had the same feelings toward the crowd” when he was with the Sixers. Philadelphia will also be without several key pieces, including Harden and Joel Embiid due to injury. There was an uptick in police presence, though, with the local officials taking no chances in what could’ve been an antagonistic atmosphere.

On the floor, Simmons is off to a slow start this season, though he has shown strides in the last handful of games. That includes three straight games with double figures in scoring, headlined by 22 points, eight rebounds, and five assists on Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies. It will be interesting to see how he responds to the return to Philadelphia but, after the first time, perhaps it will become more “normal” in time given the close proximity between Atlantic Division rivals.

If there’s one thing people around the world associate with Māori culture, it’s the haka. We’ve seen the traditional dancing and chanting before international sports matchups and in viral videos from wedding parties to tiny toddlers.

Haka originated as a way to prepare warriors for battle, but it has also been performed as a custom when groups came together in peace. Today, in addition to symbolizing a challenge to a sports opponent, haka is used to honor people and show the importance of an occasion.

In New Zealand, it’s not uncommon to see haka performed at airports, as people send off or welcome home loved ones. But one airport haka has people feeling particularly moved.

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In a video shared by @curlyheadnikau on TikTok, a young man who is heading off to the U.S. for school, having received a basketball scholarship to Utah, stands opposite a group of young men who honor him with the haka. “Send off for the big cuzzy,” reads the caption.

What’s particularly notable in this haka video is that all of the participants appear to be youth—no obvious elders among them—which sends a strong signal of a culture being successfully passed down from one generation to the next.

Watch:

@curlyheadnikau

send off for the big cuzzy good luck over in the us 💯 @tuhi2x #fyp #nz #haka #foryou #us #foryou

Upworthy posted the video on our Instagram page, and people are sharing how moved they are by it.

“I love how they transform from modern teens to timeless warriors, in spirit with their ancestors. So incredibly moving and significant,” wrote one person.

“The release of emotion in Haka makes me cry!” wrote another. “So beautiful, healthy and moving.”

“It’s so moving to see non-toxic demonstrations of strong masculinity. This is how it’s done,” shared a third.

Several people shared this sentiment:

“I can never watch this incredible ritual without tearing up. This is pure magic!!!!”

Seeing these guys in their T-shirts and Nikes put their all into the haka is so powerful. Knowing how many indigenous cultures have had their traditions stripped away, with many being lost altogether, makes this video all the more moving.

The New Zealand tourism website shares a bit about the origins of the haka:

“The Māori legend describing the origin of the haka paints it as a celebration of life. The story goes that Tama-nui-te-ra, the sun god, and his wife Hine-Raumati, who embodies summer, had a son named Tane-rore. On hot summer days, Tane-rore would dance for his mother, causing the air to quiver. This light, rapid movement was the foundation of all haka.”

The Māori people have inhabited the islands of New Zealand for more than 700 years, their ancestors having arrived by boat from Polynesia around 1300 A.D. The population declined following British colonization and hit a low point in the early 20th century, but thanks to the influence of key Māori leaders, the country changed. Today, the Māori people play a significant role in New Zealand society and government.

With young people like this carrying on the traditions of their ancestors, this beautiful nation’s cultural diversity will be preserved for generations to come.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s been over three long, long years since Martin Scorsese said something shocking: that he doesn’t care for Marvel movies and was not pleased that they had all but driven every other type of film from the major studios. The legendary filmmaker’s comments opened the floodgates, not only to other directors saying similar — and sometimes much angrier — things, but also to Marvel staffers indignantly pushing back. And they’re still doing it!

Quentin Tarantino has been doing press for his new film criticism book Cinema Speculation, and in the midst he’s been inevitably spouting out some of his eccentric hot takes. In turn, he became the latest auteur to take on Hollywood’s most profitable genre. Bemoaning the “Marvel-ization of Hollywood,” he argued that the actors playing superheroes (or villains) are “not movie stars.” It’s not that they’re not famous, but that it’s really “these franchise characters that become a star,” not the actors playing them. “Captain America is the star. Or Thor is the star.”

Well, one of the Marvel stars/actors did not like that.

“If the only gatekeepers to movie stardom came from Tarantino and Scorsese, I would never have had the opportunity to lead a $400 million plus movie,” wrote Simu Liu, who became a name after last year’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. “I am in awe of their filmmaking genius. They are transcendent auteurs. But they don’t get to point their nose at me or anyone.”

He added, “No movie studio is or ever will be perfect. But I’m proud to work with one that has made sustained efforts to improve diversity onscreen by creating heroes that empower and inspire people of all communities everywhere.” He finally concluded, “I loved the ‘Golden Age’ too.. but it was white as hell.”

It’s worth noting that both Scorsese and Tarantino have made diverse films. Scorsese has even made an entire film about the Dalai Lama, and on the Disney dollar: 1997’s Kundun. That’s to say nothing about his long history of film preservation, which has yielded, among other things, multiple box sets for world cinema obscurities. Tarantino’s films are for the most part multicultural, sometimes casting Asian stars. Some even address race head-on.

It’s also worth pointing out that Marvel’s diversity is a relatively new thing. Their first solo film about a female superhero only came out three years ago, some 20 films into the MCU. Shang-Chi, the first with an Asian-American lead, was their 25th film.

Anyway, it’s the holidays. Maybe the Marvel people and the Scorsese/Tarantino factions should take a time out and break bread together.

Camila Cabello has had a lot going on this year — from releasing the infectious, massive hit song “Bam Bam” to getting booed at the UEFA Champions League Final. Luckily, the singer is also great at laughing off the negative things with entertaining TikToks, which she’s done again today.

The internet has been having a fun week with Cabello’s recent cover of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” in which her pronunciation of the word “Christmas” is rather unique. Some people have translated it as “quismoiss,” and the memes have been plentiful.

In a new TikTok, Cabello plays herself and her vocal coach, who’s trying to help her with the pronunciation of the word but eventually gives up.

This year, Cabello also unveiled her new album Familia. “Wowzer! Familia is finally out,” Cabello said about the LP in a TikTok, adding that “this album means so much to me.“ She said, “The journey to making it completely changed (me) and, not to be dramatic, saved my life. Y’know, I started this album at a really shitty mental health point and the process of making it, and being vulnerable and being honest about my experiences and leaning on other people changed my life.”