How far will British tabloid media go? According to a new lawsuit filed by Elton John, Prince Harry, actor Elizabeth Hurley, and three others against the Publisher of The Daily Mail, they will go to, “Illicit means and manipulation,” and engage in “gross breaches of privacy.” It seems that not even The Rocket Man or The Royal Family can escape the wrath of bloodthirsty tabloid journalists who they allege hired private investigators to tap phone calls and place listening devices in cars and homes to dig up anything they can on major celebrities, the lawsuit alleges.
In a press release obtained by Deadline, the plaintiff group led by Elton John and Prince Harry say that they are, “The victims of abhorrent criminal activity.” It alleges that Associated Newspapers (the publisher of The Daily Mail and affiliate media properties) hired private eyes who impersonated people in order to obtain medical records and illegally access bank accounts.
“The alleged crimes represent the tip of the iceberg,” the press release states. “[The six] have banded together to uncover the truth and hold the journalists responsible fully accountable, many of whom still hold senior positions of authority and power today.”
Meanwhile, Associated Newspapers have issued a statement regarding the lawsuit, saying that it’s merely a ploy to bring up old claims of phone hacking that are unrelated to this particular suite. A spokesman said that they, “Utterly and unambiguously refute these preposterous smears which appear to be nothing more than a pre-planned and orchestrated attempt to drag the Mail titles into the phone hacking scandal concerning articles up to 30 years old. These unsubstantiated and highly defamatory claims – based on no credible evidence – appear to be simply a fishing expedition by claimants and their lawyers, some of whom have already pursued cases elsewhere.”
This boilerplate statement reads as if Elton John, Prince Harry, and company are trying to shake down The Daily Mail. Whether that’s more credible than British tabloids overstepping legal bounds in fishing for scoops may be for a court to decide.
We all know that Kevin Smith is a huge superhero buff, as noted by his daughter who was literally named after Harley Quinn. Smith has not only attempted to direct various superhero-adjacent movies, like an ill-fated Ben Affleck-led Superman movie, but he has also worked on various episodes of Supergirl and The Flash. The main point here is that this man knows comic book stuff. Which is why when he says he doesn’t want to direct a franchise movie, he really means it!
In a new interview with The Guardian, Smith explains that while he has a lot of love for Marvel and Star Wars properties, he would never direct an installment. “It’s a fool’s errand–you’re going to piss somebody off. Fandom is rabid and tribal. When I worked on Masters of the Universe, I took a lot of heat from people who felt like I had ruined their childhood. Going near a Marvel or a Star Wars would make me insanely reticent,” Smith explained. “They’ve got a billion people to make those movies, but nobody’s making Kevin Smith movies, so I might as well make them.” That’s true, not even Kevin Smith makes Kevin Smith movies sometimes!
Smith also admitted that he is better at writing and creating than actually translating them to screen. “I’m a way better talker than filmmaker. I would stop making films, but then I’d have nothing to recount,” he says. “Ironically, I make more money standing on stage talking about making movies than I do from actually making movies. I’ve backed into standup comedy, thanks to film-making. It’s like the universe is telling me: your movies are cute, but you’re best at talking.” Though he won’t be the next person to direct a Thor movie, at least he’s selling a ton of DVDs.
So we probably won’t get an MCU Smith crossover at any point in the near future. As far as DC is concerned…it doesn’t seem like Smith will be making a Batman movie anytime soon, either.
Catherine Called Birdy is a Newbury Medal-winning YA novel by Karen Cushman originally published in 1994, but it’s clear that Lena Dunham, writer and director of this movie version coming to Prime Video October 7th, understands how this story will be received in its 2022: as a sort of light comedy version of Game Of Thrones aimed at tween girls. Nobles plot, patriarchs preserve their glory, adults marry children, and many generally chafe at their positions, but for the most part, people are basically nice and no one gets their skull squashed gruesomely. It’s… kind of nice?
It feels slightly out of character for the Girls creator, whose show arguably started the ass-eating trend on premium television (for which The Staircase, White Lotus, and a handful of others owe a debt of gratitude) to do the wholesome version of anything, but Catherine Called Birdy does seem to suit Dunham in other ways. The title character, for instance, is a bratty rich girl.
Bella Ramsay, who Dunham presumably noticed during Ramsay’s turn as pre-pubescent boss bitch Lyanna Mormont on Game Of Thrones, plays Catherine, the 14-year-old daughter of Lord Rollo of Stonebridge. The big conflicts are that Rollo (played by Andrew Scott, aka The Hot Priest from Fleabag) has a noble name and position, but is short on fundage. Meanwhile, his wife, Lady Aislinn (Billie Piper) keeps having stillbirths — all pretty typical aristocratic family drama for 1290. The rub is that Rollo needs to cash in the one asset he still has: a daughter of marriagable age with a noble name, in order to keep the family in silks and partridges.
Only Birdy, as you might’ve guessed, has no interest in fancy dresses, acting demure, or being a lady, let alone becoming the sex slave of some gross old rich man. In fact, Birdy is pretty naive where sex is concerned, understanding neither how babies are made nor the meaning of “virgin.”
Birdy is spoiled, melodramatic, needlessly bratty, and wildly privileged for her time, and yet, you kind of have to admit she kind of has a point with the whole not-wanting-to-be-a-glorified-underage-concubine thing. It’s a natural lane for Dunham, whose saving grace (as an artist, if not as a persona) has always been her ability to lean into whatever her harshest critics say about her. Girls deftly skewered entitled 20-somethings in New York, even if lots of people didn’t seem to understand that Hannah was a deliberate and knowing self-parody, not Dunham’s id.
Birdy doesn’t offer quite the same opportunity for self-critique, but Dunham at least seems to understand the character, allowing Birdy to be believably grating but in partly relatable ways, and not entirely repellent. Admittedly, I might have turned off Catherine Called Birdy in the first two minutes had I not been reviewing it, during Birdy’s over-the-top act-out of what she just heard about how babies are made (something involving a red-hot poker and seeds up the nose). Child actors are “a lot” in general, and child actors acting out what “a lot” looks like are even more than that. Luckily I soon came to understand that Birdy was just meant to be acting obnoxiously melodramatic in this first scene, and this wasn’t her baseline.
Acting, in fact, is most of what makes Catherine Called Birdy work, which it does, if just so. It kept me just interested enough to enjoy the genuinely great one-liners it drops every 10 minutes or so — like Birdy, surveying the relatively paltry Christmas banquet spread and lamenting, “When I was young, my father had a golden Jesus who pissed wine.”
Dunham’s sense of humor has a decidedly blue streak (I’d bet my paycheck that that line about the pissing Jesus wasn’t in the book) which some will surely declare unsuitable for YA audiences, but for me is much of what makes Catherine Called Birdy tolerable. I have stepchild approaching tween age and I can confidently say that I’d much rather he watch something with subversive humor and the occasional naughty word than the weirdly sanitized PG porn of “wholesome” programming from Nickelodeon, supposedly aimed at his demo. (I will drink poison if forced to watch more than five minutes of Henry Danger).
The kids on those shows all look like future fashion models, styled within an inch of their lives, wearing four layers of brand new clothes at all times, with giant mops of hair drenched in product and piled high in overwrought coifs. Birdy by contrast looks genuinely like an adolescent, shiny-faced and fairly horrified by the usual degradations of adulthood (as well as the particular ones of life in 1290).
This doesn’t make Catherine Called Birdy watchable in and of itself, it’s more the enjoyable performances from just-recognizable character actors, from Hot Priest’s winning, nuanced turn as Birdy’s father to Ralph Ineson from The Witch, to Walder Frey from Game Of Thrones (memorable face-haver David Bradley), to Birdy’s Scottish attendant Morwenna (Leslie Sharp), to the rich widow (Sophie Okonedo) who marries Birdy’s young uncle and becomes her unlikely mentor.
In her ongoing objective to gross out each successive suitor, Birdy finally meets her match in the person of Sir John Henry Murgaw, aka Shaggy Beard, played brilliantly by Paul Kaye (the Red Priest from Game of Thrones) who seems to be her only competition in grossness. Shaggy Beard is arguably the film’s most interesting character, a slovenly germophobe who wants to marry a child, yet genuinely seems to respect her anarchic spirit and general independence. Normalizing child marriage turns out to be a bridge too far even for Dunham, and timidity towards this taboo keeps Catherine Called Birdy from deepening the relationship between this unlikely pair (possibly for the best morally, if not artistically).
In the end, Catherine Called Birdy is content to be a sweet-natured, mildly entertaining extended Medieval sitcom. Which, like a teenager, is maybe not such a bad thing to be in the end.
‘Catherine Called Birdy’ premieres October 7th on Prime Video. Vince Mancini is on Twitter. More reviews here.
On Wednesday evening, it was reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Marcus Thompson, and Anthony Slater that Draymond Green hit his Golden State Warriors teammate, Jordan Poole, during an altercation at practice. In the immediate aftermath, Green received internal discipline, which included being held out of Thursday’s practice, where Stephen Curry, head coach Steve Kerr, and president of basketball operations Bob Myers addressed the situation.
TMZ obtained video of that altercation at practice and released it Friday morning. The Warriors assuredly did not want this footage to reach the light of day and are now exploring “every legal course of action” to figure out how it was made public, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.
Reporting w/ @wojespn: The Golden State Warriors are taking “every legal course of action” to discover how video of Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole during a scuffle at practice on Wednesday was made public, sources told ESPN.
“They launched an investigation immediately,” Wojnarowski said. “They are not happy that that video got out of their practice facility and they’re trying to figure out where it came from and how it got out.
“You would imagine if it is somebody internally in that organization, there would be severe repercussions. It is not always easy, though, to find the root of a leak like that. They may or may not be able to. But certainly, that’s a priority for the Warriors now, is to figure out how that video got out and got on TMZ.”
This week, one of hip-hop’s longest-running feuds heated up when Sean “Diddy” Combs — aka Puff Daddy, aka Love — stopped by The Breakfast Club to issue a challenge to his detractors. “Anybody that thinks I owe them something, show me the receipt and you’ll get paid within 24 hours,” he said.
Well, it didn’t take long for the number-one former Bad Boy Records artist who says Diddy owes him money to respond. Mase, who released three albums under the Bad Boy banner and has maintained that Puff withheld royalties from him for decades, responded, calling Diddy’s outburst a case of sour grapes from Mase refusing to allow him to share the stage at Mase’s 3 Headed Monster Tour with Cam’ron and Jadakiss. He also insinuated that the “receipts” in question were located at Diddy’s mother Janice Combs’ house.
It’s all very dramatic, yet still old hat for these two, who have been arguing about this same subject for 20 years. So, how did the beef between Diddy and Mase start?
After Mase retired from music in 1999 to go into ministry, he returned twice — once in 2004 with the album Welcome Back, which was a disappointment compared to his fan-favorite debut Harlem World and its follow-up Double Up, and again in 2009, when he presented Diddy with documents during a live radio interview demanding to be released from his Bad Boy contract. While Diddy did sign the docs, it was later revealed that they only allowed Mase to appear on songs with other artists; he was otherwise still contractually obligated to Bad Boy Records.
In 2012, Mase told fans he was no longer under contract with Bad Boy, but since then, he’s been vocal about his issues with Puff, writing in a since-deleted Instagram post that Puff refused to sell him the publishing from his three albums, even though he offered $2 million against his original $20,000 advance from 1996. (This could be specious, as it’s been widely reported Mase actually signed for $250,000.) He also accused Puff of sabotaging his set at Lovers & Friends Festival .
Funnily enough, Mase himself was recently accused of malfeasance by another New York artist whose career he tried to help jumpstart, Fivio Foreign. While he denied Fivio’s accusation, it remains to be seen whether the incident has given him some newfound perspective on Diddy’s side of their feud. If it has, it certainly didn’t make him empathetic to his former employer’s position.
Cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and pumpkin-flavored everything are back across much of the country – whether we’re ready or not. And while fall may be more commonly associated with coziness and sweaters worn while sipping bourbon by the fire, it is also the perfect time for adventure travel in some of the US’s most epic National Parks.
I’ve traveled solo to 58 of the 63 currently designated “National Parks” over the last several years – many of the parks several times and in several different seasons. And I can confidently say that if you can get away for a National Park adventure in the fall, it is the absolute best time to see some of the most epic parks. Here’s why:
Visitation Numbers:
Emily Hart
Visitation to National Parks reached record levels over the last few years. With international travel at a standstill for a time, it turned the focus onto outdoor destinations within the United States. People who had never thought to visit a National Park, camp or hike on a vacation were now renting RVs in record numbers and heading off on their own great American road trips.
Now that more people are back in an office setting and students are back in school for the fall, visitation is starting to go down dramatically. The National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics site shows that October and November are great times to visit most parks if you want some solitude.
Ending of Some Reservation Systems:
Emily Hart
While visitation stats from this summer in some parks were slightly down across some of the more popular parks from last summer, often that was the result of crowd control measures that were put in place. We’re talking about reservation systems for parks themselves and campgrounds that in the past had been first come first serve.
Reservation systems have been integral to parks that were overcrowded, underfunded, understaffed, and overused. But as the leaves start to fall – so do the crowds. With students headed back to school and summer Fridays ending, there isn’t the same urgent need for reservations at many of the parks. While there are still some in place, several reservation systems have either stopped being required or are more easily attainable and at less notice than in the summer season.
This creates a much easier experience traveling to parks in the fall, as the added stress of securing a reservation is no longer at the forefront.
Fall Colors:
Emily Hart
“Leaf Peeping” is an odd phrase that has somehow snuck its way back into our National vocabulary as each fall comes back around. The act of simply looking at the changing leaves – beautiful in its simplicity and something many of us look forward to traveling to see. National Parks might not be most people’s first thought when planning a leaf-peeping adventure, but seeing some of our nation’s most prized and revered spaces change under the golden blanket of fall foliage is truly a sight to see. You can have a completely different experience in many parks in a July visit compared to an October – just in what you can see from your car window.
Fall is a perfect time to visit nearly any National Park on your list, but these might be the most epic.
Grand Teton National Park outside of Jackson Wyoming is a dream in any season but is a stand-out in the fall. While parts of the park close down in late September (campgrounds, rafting, and boat tours) this also means that the crowds are much more manageable between late September and the beginning of ski season in Jackson.
While Wyoming is probably not your first thought for changing fall foliage – it has no shortage. The golden aspens contrasted with the jutting mountain peaks, ample wildlife, and still waters make you feel like you’ve been transported into a postcard.
Campgrounds are closed for the season in late September, but luckily Grand Teton is very accessible from Jackson Wyoming (there is even a commercial airport within the park itself).
If You Dare:
Hike Cascade Canyon! During the summer months there is a shuttle across Jenny Lake that shaves about 2.5 miles off the hike, but with boating closed for the season you’re in for the full 9.1 miles if you want to see some of the most incredible scenery you can imagine.
Acadia is one of the rare National Parks that is known as a “fall park” – but despite its popularity, it would be a crime to leave it off this list. Known for its incredible array of fall colors, this one is undoubtedly a bucket list trip. With peak foliage forecasted for the last half of October, there is still time to plan a trip to this northeastern wonder.
What to Do:
Hiking at Acadia is the best way to see the park, and luckily many of the popular trails are on the shorter side. I recommend Beehive Loop Trail (if you’re not afraid of heights and exposure), Jordan Pond Path (with a detour to South Bubble), and Ocean Path Trail. Also, be sure to drive out to the iconic Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse – but be prepared to wait for parking – for a sunrise or sunset. If you want a quieter experience, head to the Schoodic Peninsula area of the park. It is much less crowded and just as beautiful.
Where to Stay:
Bar Harbor is extremely accessible to the park – there are even free L.L. Bean-sponsored Island Explorer buses that shuttle back and forth between the city and many areas within the park. The city is quintessentially New England, with quaint bed and breakfasts interspersed with short-term rentals and luxury hotels.
If You Dare:
Take a hike on the daunting Precipice Trail. While only 3.2 miles round-trip, this hike is noted as one of the most physically and mentally challenging within the park system. The trail ascends to the summit of Champlain Mountain via open cliff faces and iron rung ladders. The park service doesn’t recommend this hike for children, those with a fear of heights, or anyone in wet weather. If you’re still interested, take a shot at it – just know once you start you can’t come back down the same way – it’s too dangerous. But you’ll be rewarded with amazing views on completion.
Utah probably isn’t atop many travelers’ fall foliage bucket lists, but trust me when I say it should be vying for a spot. Utah is surprisingly lush and becomes completely otherworldly in the fall season. Like most – if not all – National Parks, the crowds have severely decreased from peaks in the summer and the weather has as well, from over 100-degree days in the summer to much more manageable average highs in the 60s and 70s.
Zion has also discontinued most permitting this season – save for Angel’s Landing – making a trip now less about planning and logistics and more about enjoyment.
What to Do:
Take a hike! The Narrows – the famed hike within the Virgin River – will be a little chillier this time of year, but much less crowded. This is also the perfect time to rent a bike or e-bike to explore the park roads and bike trails.
Where to Stay:
Campgrounds in Zion are open throughout the fall season if you want to sleep under the stars. Otherwise, there are ample accommodations nearby – your best bet is finding something in Springdale, which offers free bus service to the entrance of the park.
If You Dare:
Hike the social media famous Angel’s Landing trail. Known for its steep drop-offs, chain section, and huge exposure, this isn’t for the faint of heart. While only 4.4 miles round-trip, it is very narrow, steep, and classified as hard. If you’re up for the challenge, you’ll still need a permit – which is a pretty straightforward system here.
Yosemite is awe-inspiring in any season, but fall might just take the cake. With fewer crowds, changing of the leaves, and crisp weather, this is a trip to add to your bucket list. With towering granite cliffs surrounding you in the valley, Yosemite is what you probably think of when you think of a National Park. It is epic and legendary – which is why the park has instituted reservation systems for entrance over the past few years.
Luckily for fall travelers, the reservation system ended on September 30, so now is the perfect time to get your valley fix.
What to Do:
Where to Stay:
There are several options for lodging when you visit Yosemite. Some campgrounds in the park are open throughout October – with reservations required through October 11 and first come first serve after at Hodgdon Meadow and Wawona campgrounds. Camp 4 will require reservations throughout the month. If fall camping isn’t your thing there are plenty of lodges, bed and breakfasts, short-term rentals, and traditional hotels and motels in the area. I love staying at Sierra Sky Ranch in Oakhurst when I am in the area during the colder months.
If You Dare:
Channel your inner Alex Honnold and take on a guided rock-climbing adventure. Offered by several outfitters in the valley, there is no better way to see the foliage on the valley floor.
New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia is the newest of the 63 parks to have simply the “National Park” designation. While visitation numbers are still slowly creeping up as a result, a visit sooner than later will give you the best experience in this park that still feels undiscovered. I have visited in both the busier summer season and in the fall, and can confidently say a fall visit should be on any National Park lovers list. The rolling hills of West Virginia truly shine when the leaves are changing, the weather is still temperate, and world-class rafting is at its peak.
What to Do:
New River Gorge has several distinct areas within the park, as it follows the path of the river. I recommend driving down the Fayette Station Road that winds below the New River Gorge Bridge to take in the vastness of the gorge while being surrounded by fall foliage. For a short hike with a great payoff head to Long Point Trail – be sure to stop by Arrowhead Bike Farm for a brew and taco which is nearly next door to the trailhead.
Where to Stay:
I recommend staying in Fayetteville or Hinton. Fayetteville has all of the traditional lodging options along with several camp-like adventure outfitter companies with cabins and camping. I stayed in a cabin at River Expeditions on my last trip and recommend it. Hinton is quieter – and home to the Autumn Colors Express Train rides in late October. There you can find quaint bed and breakfasts and short-term rentals with a more laid-back, quaint vibe.
If You Dare:
Go whitewater rafting! From April to October, you can book guided (and intense) whitewater rafting trips on the New River within the National Park itself. With Class I – IV rapids, it is heart-pumping to say the least. If you really want to adventure head to the nearby Gauley River within the Gauley River National Recreation Area for “Gauley Season” – six weekends in September and October when the Summersville Lake Dam is released and adventure seekers from around the world descend on the Gauley to ride Class 5 rapids.
It’s spooky season and with that generally comes more candy than anyone could comfortably eat in one sitting. There are some candies that people think should never leave the factory—more than 25,000 people responded to a question on Reddit, “What is the worst candy?” And let me be the first to tell you that people had some big feelings.
Candy is something that most people enjoy, but preferences vary widely. Some people love black licorice and think it’s the best-tasting candy out there, while others would gag at the smell of it. So, it makes sense that a list of candy that people hate is bound to be subjective based on people’s differing tastes. But there are some candies that rise to the top of the throw it in the trash and light it on fire list, so stick around to find out what candy to avoid this year, in no particular order.
1. Crunch bars are no longer a favorite
Yeah, Crunch is the candy bar from your childhood that used to cut your tongue or roof of your mouth because you insisted on sucking the chocolate off of the rice crispy bits. It seems that the formula was changed a few years ago for no good reason, according to the people on Reddit. One person described the change as a “crime against humanity,” while another who excitedly bought one after years of being unable to find them described the candy as “chocolate lies.”
2. Wax lips and vampire teeth
The collective jury seems to be out on if you’re actually supposed to eat those things, but I distinctly remember being told they were gum and they kind of tasted like maybe they could be—if you didn’t know what gum tasted like. Whether you were supposed to eat them or not, chewing on them tastes, well, like wax.
3. Any object with fake M&Ms inside
I’m not sure you see so much of this around Halloween, but you definitely see it around Christmas. Clear plastic candy cane tubes filled with fake M&Ms that one person said “taste like chocolate lentils” and ended the statement with expletives. It’s safe to say that they have some strong feelings.
4. Whatever those orange and black wrapped candies are
No one knows what they’re called but the hatred was unifying. Is it peanut butter flavored or flavored like molasses? There was some disagreement there, but the consensus was that nobody liked them and they should immediately be thrown into the sun. If you buy those candies to give out to your trick or treaters, just know that you’ll have a bunch of 8-year-olds figuring out how to string together swear words just to cuss you out in their heads.
5. Jujubes are not for actual teeth
According to one commenter, Jujubes are the generic much harder and less tasty version of Dots, and I can see that. Someone else had a theory about them being invented by dentists to drum up more business, but seriously, those things could yank out a tooth while anyone tried to chew them. They’re brutal but if you’re looking to make your jaw line look like it was getting in reps at the gym, then these are the candies for you.
6. The actual devil in candy form, Good & Plenty
Oh, there are plenty, and I mean plenty, but they certainly aren’t good. The thought of those purple and white coated candies makes some people want to rip out their taste buds. A few Reddit users came up with other names for the candy nightmares are made of. One person said they should be called “bad and too much,” while another user preferred the name “awful and abundant.” Someone else describes the taste as “NyQuil flavored chews” and that’s a pretty accurate description.
7. The corn that everyone loves to hate, Candy Corn
You knew it was coming. Candy Corn is probably the most controversial holiday candy next to Peeps. People either love or hate them, there is no in between. But the gathered thoughts of commenters under this particular entry is that Candy Corn deserves its own special place at the bottom of a burning trash pile. Poor Candy Corn, I love you, maybe that’s enough to soothe the sting from the collective distain.
8. This oldie, teaching kids bad habits, Candy Cigarettes
Yes, they still make these and they’re still just as chalky and gross as ever. Who thought “I know what will be a great candy— cigarettes!” and had enough eyes on it to approve the product for advertisement and consumption by children. One of the commenters joked that they were still struggling with their candy cigarette habit and had to turn to candy patches to help with their addiction.
9. While not a Halloween candy per se, Circus Peanuts kept popping up
What is it about these orange peanuts that gets people in a tizzy? One person actually described them as “biting into foam” and now I feel like I need to try some again to accurately assess if this is in fact true. The comments under Circus Peanuts were just filled with one-word reactions like “gross” and “nasty” so it seems pretty safe to assume not many people are fans of these orange foamy peanuts.
10. Dots and the stupid paper they come on
Dots are cute in theory but when you try to eat those little suckers you get a mouth full of paper that rips off along with the candy. There really isn’t any separating the candy from the paper no matter how carefully you try. The only sure method of getting paper-free candy is to pull the candy off and lick the stuck-on paper until it dissolves. Eh, I guess you’re still getting the paper that way, just in a less offensive way.
Of course, there may be things on this list that you absolutely love. I’m just the messenger. Take it up with the thousands of people who think you’re wrong. Just kidding … taste is subjective. Enjoy whatever candy you want this Halloween and remember to pass out the good stuff for the trick or treaters.
Sometimes you’re minding your business cruising the internet streets when you come across a random video that likely lives rent-free in someone’s head. Well, this gem of a video shows the late Regis Philbin doing an interview with David Letterman on the “Late Show,” except Philbin comes out fully made over as the lovable swamp ogre, Shrek. The episode is from 2009 and it’s still unexpectedly hilarious.
If you ever watched mid-morning television when you were home sick as a kid, then you probably know Regis Philbin from co-hosting “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.” The star constantly had Kathie Lee and their guests laughing with his daily antics, and after Kathie Lee passed her co-host duties to Kelly Ripa, Philbin’s humor didn’t stop. The fact that he showed up to an appearance on a talk show dressed head-to-toe as Shrek should’ve surprised no one. But Letterman appeared confused before recognizing the voice of the ogre standing before him.
When Letterman introduced Philbin and asked how he was doing, the then daytime talk show host explained that he made a mistake coming dressed as Shrek because he had to spend more than two hours getting ready. Two hours in costume and makeup for him to come on stage for less than five minutes. Philbin then laments that he had to spend another two hours sitting in the green room waiting for his turn to come up. That seems like some serious dedication to a silly prank but the audience and Letterman got a kick out of it. Check out the hilarious exchange below.
Pairing oysters with whiskey is one of my favorite pastimes. I used to sit on a beach next to an oyster garden with a bottle of Jim Beam white label and shuck oysters while swigging straight from the bottle with my grandfather on one side and my best friend on the other. If I close my eyes, I can still see the grey skies of a cool Pacific Northwest day and smell the swaying firs.
The best part was dashing a little whiskey right on the oysters and then shooting it from the shell. It’s a divine way to both eat oysters and drink whiskey. I still do that to this day (though I have moved on from Jim Beam these days), even when I’m ordering oysters at a restaurant or raw bar. I’ll always get a glass of whiskey on the side and pour a little bit over the oyster instead of lemon juice, cocktail sauce, or a mignonette. It’s just better with the whiskey, adding a nice spiciness that also blends wonderfully with a nice and creamy raw oyster.
Below, I’m revealing five whiskeys I think are perfect for splashing on an oyster and shooting. These are my go-tos, with a new addition added at the end that I just came across last month. Don’t worry, I tested it with some fresh oysters over the weekend and it immediately popped on the palate. So let’s dive in and pair some great whisk(e)y with some great oysters.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
This is one of the most awarded single malts ever. The juice is matured in ex-bourbon casks in Talisker’s warehouse which is literally feet away from the sea. The subtly peated malts take on a real seaside feel as those years tick past, creating a whisky that will not disappoint.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with this soft sense of pitted orchard fruits next to a thin line of beach campfire smoke far off in the distance with a hint of minerality and bright spiced malts. The palate has a hint of an oyster shell that leads to dried pears and apricot with a hint of warmth and spice malt next to dry sweetgrass. The end is full of lightly smoked plums with a hint of cardamom and cinnamon next to sea salt and a final whiff of that beach campfire way down the beach somewhere.
With An Oyster:
This is the ultimate oyster/whisky pairing combo. It works so well together it almost feels like the whisky was specifically designed for it.
All that aside, the soft beach campfire smoke really adds to the taste experience of a fresh and briny oyster, tying the whole thing together. The hint of spice and fruit also provide a nice counterpoint to the creamier texture of the oyster.
This single barrel rye is the rye you can measure most others against (especially at this price point). The well-crafted juice goes into the barrel at lower proof so that once it’s aged it won’t need a ton of water to proof it down. Once it hits the right age, it is small batched, 21 barrels at a time, and cold-filtered with Michter’s bespoke filtering process before a final proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Peppery rye and a hint of citrus open this one up in the nose with a good dose of old leather, sharp winter spice, and a hint of smoked plums. There’s a nice run of creamy toffee that leads to spicy black pepper and a hint of ancho chili pepper with a mix of cumin and cardamom that leads to a fleeting sense of dried mint. The woody end carries the sip towards a warm, spicy finish that’s layered with chili-spiked tobacco, old wicker, and a sense of orchard wood bark.
With An Oyster:
The pepperiness and mild chili spice really amp up an oyster’s flavor profile. If you like dashing a little Tabasco or cracking some black pepper over your raw oysters, try this instead. The spice is there in the whiskey and will shine with your next oyster shot.
Jefferson’s Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks
This release from Jefferson’s leans on masterfully selected barrel picks. The sourced juice is picked from single barrels of cognac-finished rye whiskey (from Indiana) and bottled with a touch of proofing water down in Kentucky.
Tasting Notes:
Soft old leather and meaty raisins with a good dose of sharp cinnamon cut with floral and fresh honey with a mild creaminess. The palate is plummy and full of lush vanilla with a plum pudding vibe next to a hint of orange studded with cloves while soft nutmeg smoothes everything out. The end brings the fresh honey back and laces it with rich and almost burnt orange oils next to a mix of old cedar bark and dry cinnamon wrapped in dry tobacco.
With An Oyster:
This choice is so lush. The soft fruitiness and clove really pop with an oyster. That little bit of citrus on the end also blends nicely with the liquor of an oyster, combining bright with umami for a great balance.
This is a quintessential Islay peaty whisky. The juice is aged in a combo of Pedro Ximénez, charred virgin oak, and ex-bourbon casks before being married and rested again in Ardbeg’s bespoke oak “Gathering Vat,” allowing the whiskies to really meld into a cohesive pour.
Tasting Notes:
Slow-smoked peaches mingle with soft cherrywood and a bundle of smoky savory herbs — sage, rosemary, ramps — on the nose. The palate is soft and buttery with a sweet burnt toffee vibe next to nutmeg, walnut, Earl Grey, and maybe a touch of woody maple syrup. The end takes its time and meanders through salted black licorice, wild florals, more singed savory herbs, and a hint of black-pepper-covered brisket fat that’s been heavily smoked over sea-soaked driftwood.
With An Oyster:
Admittedly, if you’re not into peat, this isn’t going to be for you. I used to be like that too, until this very whisky slowly turned me to the dark (and earthy) side.
With an oyster, the savory herbal vibe really kicks up and pairs perfectly with a big meaty oyster with a creamy feel. The wildflowers and black pepper smoked fat just perfectly vibe with the seawater liquor and sharp crispness of a good oyster. This is easily one of my favorite pairings when I’m in the mood for a smoky oyster experience (especially if the oysters are smoked too).
Kirkland Signature Single Barrel by Barton 1792 Master Distillers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This Costco release is sourced from Sazerac’s other Kentucky distillery, Barton 1792 Distillery down in Bardstown, Kentucky. The whiskey in the bottle is very likely the same distillate/barrels as 1792 Full Proof. However, this is proofed down a tiny bit below that at 120 proof instead of 125 proof, adding some nuance to this release.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is pure classic bourbon with rich vanilla, salted caramels, sweet oak staves, winter spices, and a hint of Almond Joy. The palate leans into sour red wine spiced with woody winter spices and cut with brown sugar before a sense of corn husks, creamy eggnog with plenty of nutmeg, and cherry/chocolate tobacco leaves kick in. The end has a nice warmth, kind of like a spicy ancho-dark hot chocolate flaked with salt and rolling around next to cherry tobacco.
With An Oyster:
This is my latest addition to the oyster/whiskey shelf. This whiskey is a great value and replaced my nostalgic need for Jim Beam with something that simply tastes better, especially with an oyster.
The sour red wine vibe and barky spices really help the oyster shine. Interestingly, the chili-chocolate vibe adds a nice dimension to the soft and silky oyster liquor and meaty body with a sense of spice and light bitterness countering the umami and sea spray saltiness. It’s a great mix of flavors that all compliment each other as your throw back a oyster or two.
Last night in Los Angeles, Yeah Yeah Yeahs played the last of their mere three scheduled shows in the US this year. The band’s first album in nearly a decade, Cool It Down, came out last Friday and it’s been a welcome return for the New York trio of Karen O, Nick Zinner, and Brian Chase. Following a headlining performance last month at Chicago’s Riot Fest and then a sold out appearance at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium, Yeah Yeah Yeahs took to the stage at the glorious Hollywood Bowl with openers Japanese Breakfast and The Linda Lindas.
There’s nary a performer out there quite like singer Karen O and the elation of a long layoff was on full display at the Bowl. The Linda Lindas showed their feisty, youthful bravado to open the evening, before Japanese Breakfast crushed once again on the heels of last year’s smash Jubilee. But it was a moment during the Yeah Yeah Yeahs encore that made for an especially ecstatic moment and a triumph for the rise of Asian-American women in indie rock.
To begin their two-song encore, Karen O welcomed back up Japanese Breakfast and The Linda Lindas on stage to sing a glowing, rowdy, celebratory cover of Kim Wilde’s 1981 bop, “Kids In America.” And this was more than just a “grab the mic and everybody sing” on-stage cover. There must’ve been six guitarists on stage and damn near a dozen vocalists. It was a sweet moment to not only culminate a rare set of live shows from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but also to celebrate the influx of AAPI women in rock and roll.
Watch a clip of the performance above.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
| solo travel (@emilyventures)
