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Now, you’d think an advertisement for Confess, Fletch would write itself. Something along the lines of, “From the director who brought you Superbad and Adventureland, and Jon Hamm, the co-star of the biggest movie of the year, comes … Fletch!” But, no, there’s been almost no marketing for Confess, Fletch at all. Which is surprising for a few reasons. But, mostly, because Fletch is a character that filmmakers have been trying to get back into theaters for over 30 years, and until now, failing. And, also, this is a movie that critics love, currently sitting at 85 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Yet, I still see an occasional tweet like, “Wait, there’s a new Fletch movie out?” (Look, this is my job and even I didn’t realize until right before this interview with Mottola that Confess, Fletch was actually in movie theaters and not only a digital download.) So, what gives?

As you’ll read ahead, Greg Mottola pulled off somewhat of a miracle to get Confess, Fletch even made. But even he doesn’t quite understand what’s going on right now with the lack of marketing. Even more frustrating, this was exactly the movie he wanted to make and the reviews are great … yet people don’t even seem to realize they can go to a movie theater right now and watch it. Anyway, he hopes you, somehow, get the word that it’s out there and, the people who have seen it seem to be enjoying it.

So what is going on here?

You didn’t notice the zero marketing?

Oh, I did notice the zero marketing. Coupled with all the positive reviews, I don’t understand.

It’s weird.

Yes, it is.

I’m not going to lie. It’s pretty weird. I’ll try and explain from my side of things, what’s going on: Basically, the project started with Jon Hamm coming to me and saying Miramax has the rights to all the books except the first one. Unbeknownst to Miramax, Jon, when he saw the first one back in the day, he went to read the book it was based on because he loved it so much and then found out, oh, there’s more than one. And he, according to him, stole them – whatever copies there were from a Walden Books at a mall. A shoplifter.

In the meantime, even before Jon had approached me, a writer, Zev Borow, had been hired to adapt Confess, Fletch, which Jon thought was the most interesting one to try and crack. So I said, I’m into it – then turned in a script that felt like a really, really great, funny script for Chevy Chase, but not for Jon. Zev loves the original Fletch and he really just, I think, wrote his fan fiction of the Fletch script. And while it had a lot of really good stuff in it, it didn’t really have the tone that Jon and I had been talking about. So I took over the script, and brought in characters and elements from the book, and tried to turn it more into this kind of comedy of manners – very talky, verbal comedy – as opposed to the more straightforward slapstick comedy and all the other things. I was very intentionally not putting in the things that I see a lot of in comedy today, which is a lot of pop culture references.

So, I finished a draft, and Bill Block at Miramax has been the champion of this project since the beginning. I don’t blame anything about the release of this movie on him. He’s tried everything he could try. Basically, he said, “Up to a certain amount of money, I can fully finance this film,” but it was the kind of amount of money that would mean 27 days of shooting, which seemed especially challenging. So we looked for partners on the movie, and everyone passed. Everyone said, “I don’t know that this kind of comedy works in this day and age.” They just had a kind of like, “Who’s Fletch? I don’t think anyone cares anymore.”

So, basically, what we did is John gave back 60 percent of his salary to the budget. I gave back some of my salary, not as much as Jon because he’s richer than me and I’ve got three kids. And we bought three more days of shooting. We got it up to 30 days in Boston and one day in Rome. And we said, fuck it, we’re insane, we’re dumb. We’re going to make this movie. And then Miramax really supported us, creatively. They didn’t fight us on people we wanted to cast.

It seems like you made the movie you wanted to make, too.

I really did make the movie I wanted to make. Basically, Bill Block was like, “If you can get in for this number, I’m going to let you guys do your thing.” So, we finished it and Bill shopped it around to a lot of different people, studios, and streamers … and nobody wanted it.

There’s so much stuff out there, yet no one would want the movie people have been trying to get made for 25 years?

It was depressing.

And now no one wants it. How is this possible?

It was really depressing. I was kind of like, yeah, I think we actually cracked it. I wanted it to feel a little more adult and a little more character dialogue driven, which is just something I love. And I see a lot of things that make me laugh, but often take place purely in comedy worlds. And I thought, well, let’s do the thing that movies institute, which is to straddle a genre…and try and find an interesting tone for it.

I spent a lot of time wondering, should I approach Chevy Chase to be in it? I spent time with Chevy, we did a table read. This is logically the time to ask the man to show up. And then talking about it with Jon, we just felt, ultimately, it just seemed like it was going to make it harder for it to be its own thing. If there are too many Easter eggs, if there are too many links? And I’m also personally a little tired of movies that rely too heavily on nostalgia. Plus, there wasn’t a great role for him. We didn’t want to just walk through the movie and distract everyone. If I wanted him to be in it, I wanted to give him something really good to do. And the only other challenge, which you may or may not know of, is that the beloved character of Flynn who’s in the novel? The rights were separated by the estate. Miramax would have had to pay more money for us to have included the Flynn character because he’s in a series of other books.

What a wild web you’ve got yourself involved in, just trying to make a nice Fletch movie.

I really feel like, yeah, it was really threading the needle, trying to make this thing work. And yeah, Jon and I were like, I think there’s an audience for this. And then we were told no, we don’t think so. We got a lot of, yeah, in a different time, a couple of years ago we would’ve bought this, but we’re making our own stuff and we don’t need it. And believe me, I’m glad Paramount’s doing something with the movie, because I really didn’t know what was going to happen. And I thought most likely we would go straight to streaming no matter what, because there are so few movies, like medium small comedies in theaters anyway.

Still, you’d think maybe a couple of commercials might help.

I have encountered millennials and younger who don’t know what Fletch is.

They didn’t know Maverick (from Top Gun) before this year either.

Our aerial photography wasn’t quite as impressive. We did make the film for a number, and all in, it was a $20 million film. Enough money that Miramax obviously wanted to make it back, but there was a road they could have taken of going to selling rights around the world, and letting a smaller company distribute it. And it turned into this sort of hybrid token theatrical distribution with no real support. And on demand at the same time. And I don’t know yet, but I think on-demand is going okay, and then it will be on Showtime. So I really feel like this is a product of: nobody knows what works at the moment and they’re trying stuff out, but it is very weird for me.

In about a year everyone will have seen this movie. It’s getting word of mouth.

Yeah. My wife, she’s been keeping me from Twitter because she doesn’t want me to get obsessed, but she’s looking and she keeps sending me the nice ones. And she’s getting the same way as you’re saying. She’s like, “What the hell is going on?” Yeah, it makes me sad. It makes me sad about what we’re going to get to see in movie theaters. Because I have nothing against superhero movies, tent-pole films. They’re great. They’re fucking great. I just want the rest of the stuff we use to have, too. And that’s my frustration as a movie lover. And I love art house films probably more than anything. If I could get someone to give me money for one I wrote that I’d love to make, hopefully, I’ll get that distributed by an A24. But it’s just … it’s weird. It’s sort of the middle ground of Hollywood. When the blockbuster was sold out, you’d go to another screen at the multiplex and see this and go, “Oh, I’m glad I saw that.”

It’s really interesting to hear you talk about this because you always hear that they don’t make movies for this budget anymore. And it’s like, well, what if they did? And you’re kind of telling the experience of, okay, we did and here’s how it works and it’s not pleasant.

Yeah, it’s not. I really don’t have any issue with my distributor. I think they can’t see a way around how to make that profitable as a theatrical experience, without just spending more money to buy it to box office. That doesn’t make sense.

But there haven’t really been movies. So, Confess, Fletch coming out in mid-August would’ve been perfect with the campaign to be like, “Hey, from the director of Adventureland and Superbad, and one of the stars of the biggest movie of the year… now he’s Fletch!” I don’t understand why that’s so hard.

Yeah. I can’t really argue with that. It felt a little, at the various junctures we were trying to show in the script or the movie, it was kind of like, yeah, too late. The window for that is closed. And it was like, yeah, but the window for entertainment hasn’t closed. Is that not still a thing?

So what happens now?

Yeah. I don’t either. Bill Block, once again, he’s been really loyal to this. He’s actually hired me to write a sequel. Will it ever get made? I’m not sure.

Okay, that’s a positive sign that, at least in the early stages, he’s interested.

He loves the movie and he’s the one who said, from the beginning, people will want this. And then he was in the same boat as the rest of us. Why don’t they seem to agree with us?

With the positive reviews for this one, maybe the next one will get some promotion?

Yeah, I know. Or maybe it will end up on a streamer, but at least promoted on a streamer with publicity.

Which one are you writing next?

Fletch’s Fortune. And Fletch’s Fortune all takes place at a journalism conference, so I’ve got lots of ideas how to bring that into all the insane worlds of today.

Well, I’m glad you’re not the only one baffled by what’s going on here. I have no stake in this, and I’m like, what is going on here?

Well, so you’re the first person I talked to since it was “released.” I was told I bet you’re going to get questions about this, about how it got released. I’m like, yeah, I’m going to tell the truth.

You are test subject A on how to release a mid-budget, IP-driven movie in 2022, and it’s hard.

Yeah. Or how not to do it.

‘Confess, Fletch’ is currently in theaters and streaming via VOD. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

Sauvignon Blanc may not have been the first wine you ever tried but it’s likely one of your go-to grapes now – and it’s not really surprising as to why. Crisp, refreshing, and — let’s face it — extremely fun to say, this native French variety plays a massive role in a handful of regions’ white wine productions, from the Loire Valley to New Zealand and beyond. And really, what’s not to love? Known for its bright, fruit-driven flavor profiles laden with zippy acidity, Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect pick for pairing with fresh salads, cheeses, and a variety of happy hour snacks (yes, even those “hard to pair” vegetables everyone talks about).

However, in the world of affordable Sauvignon Blanc—and really affordable wine in general—not all wines are created equal. Many affordable wines, particularly those beneath the $12-$15 price point, are crafted using mass-produced winemaking techniques and subpar fruit, both of which seriously impact the final quality in the bottle. On the bright side, there are plenty of delicious, hidden value gems to be found.

Ready to up your game without breaking the bank? Dive into our list of the 10 best Sauvignon Blancs under $20 right now. All options below are available in retail shops across the United States, as well as via major online retailers (think Wine.com) for delivery. Your palate (and wallet) will thank us later.

10. Lapostolle Grand Selection Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 13%

Region: Rapel Valley, Chile

Average Price: $14

The Wine:

Never had a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc before? Truthfully, there aren’t a ton that we’d recommend, though Lapostolle is a pleasant exception. Founded in 1994 by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle (yes, of the same family behind Grand Marnier) and her husband, this pioneering estate has paved the way for organic, site-specific farming in Chile’s Apalta Valley.

Clearly, the founder’s family is no stranger to the fine wine and booze biz, though this South American venture is their first in the southern hemisphere.

Tasting Notes:

Two words: savory and citrus. A pale yellow-green in the glass, this highly aromatic wine bursts with flavors of lemon, grapefruit, and hints of savory spice (tarragon, oregano) and a touch of grass – the blend here is technically Sauvignon Blanc dominant at 85%, with Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris rounding out the last 15%.

Bottom Line:

In a sea of mass-produced Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, this value-driven bottle absolutely shines – and female winemaker Andrea León is a total badass.

9. Domaine de la Chaise Touraine Sauvignon

ABV: 12.5%

Region: Loire Valley, France

Average Price: $17

The Wine:

Sauvignon Blanc lovers are likely no strangers to the Loire Valley. Home to some of the world’s most prestigious and age-worthy expressions of the grape (hello, Sancerre), this northwesterly French wine region is beloved by long-standing critics and novice consumers alike Domaine de la Chaise’s Touraine-based roots date back to 1850. Today, the estate is spearheaded by Christophe Davault, who manages the property’s 57 hectares of vines. The estate is best known for its affordable, vibrant wines that seriously deliver on the quality-to-price spectrum.

Tasting Notes:

Contrary to the grassy notes commonly found in Sauvignon Blanc, this fruit-driven expression from Domaine de la Chaise is all things passion fruit, apricot, white peach, and hints of apricot. Sip with white fish or poultry for a tasty dinnertime pairing.

Bottom Line:

While you’re not going to find Sancerre at the sub-$20 price point, looking to well-made expressions of Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley—specifically Touraine—offer a great alternative.

8. Mohua Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 13%

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand

Average Price: $12

The Wine:

New Zealand and Sauvignon Blanc go hand in hand. Based in Marlborough, Mohua was founded in 2009 and remains owned and operated by the same family today. All wines are produced on the country’s South Island from sustainably-farmed fruit. The project is named for New Zealand’s beloved Mohua bird, which is only found in remote areas of the country’s rainforests; the winery prides itself on its role in aiding the species’ conservation.

Tasting Notes:

If tropical and juicy AF is your vibe, then this affordable Sauvignon Blanc is for you. The wine is all things pineapple, dried mango, and guava, with hints of lemon-lime and grass streaking through on the finish.

Bottom Line:

New Zealand’s reputation for cheap, mass-produced Sauvignon Blanc isn’t entirely inaccurate – though the country is peppered with hidden gems (like this one from Mohua) that are worth seeking out.

7. Domaine de la Rochette Touraine Sauvignon

ABV: 12.5%

Region: Loire Valley, France

Average Price: $17

The Wine:

Located not too far from Domaine de la Chaise, the Domaine de la Rochette winery is a fourth-generation winery focused on sustainably-farmed wines from local Loire Valley varieties. Now spearheaded by Vincent Leclair, the estate comprises 50 hectares of vineyards and has completely eschewed the use of insecticides (some of the plots are organically farmed). The winery was one of the first twelve in the region to bottle under the recently added Chenonceaux appellation (established in 2011) and is known for its fresh, steel-vinified wines that overdeliver for the price point.

Tasting Notes:

Prefer your Sauvignon Blanc on the more herbaceous side of things? Then this ripe and floral-tinged expression from Touraine is for you. Expect flavors of tropical fruits, pithy citrus, and freshly cut grass to lead to a lingering, acid-forward finish.

Bottom Line:

Leclair explained to his distributor, David Bowler, that Sauvignon Blanc from Touraine can actually be more approachable than that of Sancerre, as the climate is warmer and yields are generally lower. We say taste and see for yourself!

6. Domaine Tariquet Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 12%

Region: South West, France

Average Price: $18

The Wine:

Domaine Tariquet is located in Gascony, otherwise known as the capital of Cognac and Armagnac. Founded in 1912, the estate has been in the Grassa family for over 20 years, who sustainably manage their vineyards and produce wines exclusively from estate-grown fruit. The winery’s ideal location benefits from an oceanic climate and well-draining soils, which provide an optimal home for cultivating Sauvignon Blanc. Additionally, the estate rarely bottles their wines over a 12% ABV mark, and closes all wines with easy–to-open screwcap closures.

Tasting Notes:

Herbal, herbal, herbal. This savory, food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc is perfect for those seeking a food-friendly, saline-tinged expression of the grape. Expect flavors of green apple, underripe melon, and a hint of crushed stones to lead to a briny, palate-cleansing finish.

Bottom Line:

France’s South West area is generally regarded for its Cognac and Armagnac productions, though its frequently overlooked wine scene is definitely worth discovering – especially if zesty Sauvignon Blanc or boisterous red blends are your vibe.

5. Where’s Linus Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 12%

Region: Lake County, California

Average Price: $16

The Wine:

Delicious, well-made natural wine for under $20? Sign us up. Founded by Iowa native Chris Christiansen, this Sebastopol-based project produces wines from sustainably-farmed fruit across northern California. Winemaking is minimal intervention, with only native yeasts and minimal SO2 used.

As an African American vintner, in addition to making world-class wine, Chris works tirelessly to promote inclusion and diversity throughout the wine industry. He also offers mentorship opportunities at his winery. Fun fact: Chris’ overarching brand, called Bodkin Wines, is named after a battle from the Hundred Years War.

Tasting Notes:

Honeyed and smooth is the name of the game here. Flavors of tropical fruits, guava, grilled peaches, and a hint of banana lead to a soft-yet-thirst-quneching finish.

Bottom Line:

Natural wine is a whole beast to break down, but in short, finding one of this quality at such a price point is a serious win-win. We wouldn’t be surprised if this wine jumps in price soon – justifiably so, given the juice inside the bottle.

4. MOMO Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 13%

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand

Average Price: $19

The Wine:

Born at the Serestin Estate in Marlborough, New Zealand, MOMO is all about making personality-forward wines that are bright, vibrant, and crafted with minimal intervention. Winemaker Tamra Kelly-Washington has been at the helm of production since 2018 and continues to carry on the tradition and sustainability-focused mentality of founder Michael Seresin.

All fruit at MOMO is cultivated under organic and biodynamic farming principles.

Tasting Notes:

Think of MOMO Sauvignon Blanc as the Goldilocks expression of the grape, it strikes the perfect balance between juicy, herbaceous, and fruit-forward. Exotic fruit flavors coupled with notes of kiwi, lemongrass, and savory herbs lead to a ripe and punchy finish.

In short, it’s just right.

Bottom Line:

Seresin is one of the most highly regarded producers in all of New Zealand. Momo means “offspring” in the local Maori language, hence the name behind this second-label project from this top-notch New Zealand based winery. The wine is bright, zesty, and incredibly easy to drink.

3. Nautilus Estate Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 13%

Region: Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc

Average Price: $17

The Wine:

Based in—you guessed it, Marlborough, New Zealand—Nautilus has been pioneering the country’s quality-focused wine scene since 1985. At the time, only about 80 wineries existed in the country – a number which has since grown by nearly tenfold today. All fruit at Nautilus comes from sun-drenched vineyards on the country’s South Island, which are rooted in alluvial soils along the Wairau River.

Winemaker Clive Jones has been spearheading winemaking since 1998, with the country’s signature Sauvignon Blanc at the foundation of the winery’s production.

Tasting Notes:

Grapefruit, smoke, and fleshy stone fruit collide in this concentrated, mouth-watering wine from Nautilus. Unlike the expressions above, the smoky undertones found in this wine give it a savory push, which finishes long and strong thanks to the wine’s ample amounts of acidity.

Bottom Line:

Leave all of the “Bays” (Oyster, Cloudy, etc.) behind and stick with Nautilus’ Sauvignon Blanc. It’s way cheaper, tastier, and provides 1,000 times more quality for the price.

2. Francois Chidaine Touraine Blanc

ABV: 13%

Region: Loire Valley, France

Average Price: $16
The Wine:

Francois Chidaine is undeniably one of the most talented white wine producers in all of France. Although generally better known for his Chenin-based wines from Montlouis and Vouvray, this Loire-based vigneron’s Sauvignon Blanc is equally worth discovering. Chidaine’s Sauvignon Blanc comes from the low-yielding vines in Chissay-en-Touraine and Saint-Julien-de-Chédon, two villages located less than seven miles away from the estate’s home in Montlouis, as well as purchased fruit from other trusted growers.

Chidaine uses native yeasts for fermentation and fully embraces lees aging, which adds texture and weight to the wine’s body.

Tasting Notes:

Forget the grass. This Sauvignon Blanc is ripe, concentrated, and all about the fruit. Flavors of stone fruit, citrus, grapefruit rind, and crushed rocks lead to an impressively long and zingy finish. Sip it with goat cheese for an out-of-this-world pairing.

Bottom Line:

We said it before and we’ll say it again – you won’t find Sancerre for less than 20 bucks, though well-made wines from Touraine are a seriously value-driven alternative. Blind taste your Sancerre-loving friends on this entry-level bottle from Chidaine; we guarantee at least a few will be convinced.

1. Elizabeth Spencer Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 12%

Region: Mendocino, California

Average Price: $20

The Wine:

Elizabeth Spencer is the brainchild of Elizabeth Pressler and Spencer Graham, two California-based wine industry employees whose passion dates back to the early 90s. After enjoying wine together for a number of years, the pair finally began crafting their own bottles in 1998, founded the brand the following year, and started selling to the masses in 2000. Self-proclaimed “partners in life and partners in wine,” this dynamic duo produces pure and precise wines rooted in balance. Best of all, between the two of them, the pair has produced wines from every AVA in Napa Valley, rendering them experts in northern California viticulture.

Tasting Notes:

Vibrant, tangy, and unbelievably balanced – no wonder this wine scored our top spot! Expect flavors of grapefruit, gooseberry, peach skin, passionfruit, and a hint of white flowers to lead to a complex and satisfying finish. Fruit comes from three organically-farmed vineyard sites and is vinified entirely in steel so as to preserve freshness, then lees aged to add texture to the wine’s final body.

Bottom Line:

Elizabeth Spencer is nothing short of brilliant. Old vines, lees aging, and meticulous attention to vinification are just a few reasons that this wine garnered our number 1 spot.

Oh, and did we mention the actually-in-balance alcohol level? This is a true gem and an absolute diamond for the price.

Ever since Nintendo announced that Chris Pratt will voice Mario in a still-untitled Mario movie, fans of the video game franchise and/or Italian plumbers in general have been worried. Will Chris Pratt mimic the let’s a-go enthusiasm of Mario in the games, or will he sound like, well, Chris Pratt? Which is to say: Garfield.

The Parks and Recreation star claims that his Mario voice is “unlike anything you’ve ever heard,” while producer Chris Melandandri thinks the negative response to Pratt’s casting will “evaporate” once people heard it. We’ll find out soon enough: the Mario movie teaser trailer will premiere at New York Comic Con on October 6th.

You think the response to the original Sonic design was ugly? Just wait if Pratt’s Mario voice doesn’t go over well. Maybe he nails it, who knows, but it’s also not too late to cast Matt Berry… in every movie, actually, but let’s stick with the Mushroom Kingdom for now.

The Mario movie, which also stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and Charles Martinet (the one true Mario voice actor) in an undisclosed role, opens on April 7, 2023.

In July, Rico Nasty unveiled her explosive new album Las Ruinas to follow up her critically-acclaimed debut Nightmare Vacation which arrived in 2020. Las Ruinas arrived after she rolled out infectious singles like “Blow Me,” “Intrusive,” and “Black Punk,” which quickly built up the anticipation for the record. Today, she’s back to share the eerie music video for the track “Gotsta Get Paid.”

The chaotic video watches Nasty as she walks through different landscapes. At one point, she’s at the top of a cliff overlooking an unreal mountain range; at another, she’s dancing in the sunlit woods. It’s trippy and includes scenes with lots of fire and ice, which sums up the eclectic nature of her sound as she skids between hyperpop, hip-hop, and punk unpredictably.

Since releasing Las Ruinas, Nasty was on Megan Thee Stallion’s new album Traumazine for the song “Scary,” which came out last month when Megan dropped the LP with no warning. Shortly before Las Ruinas was unleashed, Nasty was also recruited by Fred Again for a remix of his track “Jungle.”

Check out the video for “Gotsta Get Paid” above.

Rico Nasty is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Iggy Azalea, who recently reneged on her retirement plans, has become one of rap’s more active Twitter personalities, calling out haters for body-shaming her one day and shooting down false rumors the next. However, she doesn’t take herself so seriously that she can’t have a laugh at some of her legitimate stumbles — all she asks for is a little accuracy in the memes taking aim at them.

Earlier this week, a hip-hop fan page resurfaced a meme about Iggy’s infamous 2013 Sway In The Morning freestyle, which still gets her ridiculed online from time to time. At the time, Iggy was under fire for accusations of cultural appropriation — remember when that was a thing? — due to her Southern American rap accent clashing with her Australian origins, but she also made some missteps when she went to perform her rhymes in live venues. The result was a plethora of memes making fun of her being “unable” to rap, including the video posted on Twitter.

“Never forget when John from Tennessee violated Iggy Azalea’s freestyle,” read the caption, as the video inserts a caller’s blunt review: “That sh*t was trash!” yells “John from Tennessee.” “Get the f*ck off the airwaves!” However, Iggy saw the tweet and had some thoughts of her own. While she admitted that the lackluster freestyle was indeed “trash,” she reminded the original poster (and anyone following) that the video itself is edited, noting, “John from Tennessee has never called me.” So, where did the call come from? “The call was to Lil Debbie if anyone’s curious about who John called or where this originated,” she informed. So, the case appears to be “right sentiment, wrong white girl.”

Lil Debbie herself chimed in, apparently unhappy that Iggy added that tidbit to reiterate the caller’s point: “Yea he called in for me but you’re right he could’ve called in for that verse you spit,” she sniped. For what it’s worth, it doesn’t seem like either of them is dwelling on the call; while Iggy said it doesn’t bother her because “it never happened,” both women have continued with their careers and seem to be doing alright with the fanbases that they have cultivated, even if their viral hit days appear to be (mostly) behind them.

In the United States, we enjoy the right to peacefully assemble and protest under the First Amendment. In Russia, however, there’s no such thing. That’s why outspoken Putin critic Alexei Nalvany has been poisoned and imprisoned for years under Putin’s regime, and it’s related to how the Kremlin recently brought down the hammer on local (St. Petersburg-area) officials, who wanted to overthrow the Russian president over his imperialistic Ukraine war that’s sending Russia down the tubes. Yet after Putin announced his call-up of 300,000 reservists (since so many of his troops have either been killed or self-injured in Ukraine), citizens didn’t take this news sitting down.

Protesters flocked to the streets in Moscow, St. Petersberg, and many smaller cities. Law enforcement arrested them in droves, and some of them reportedly received even worse news upon arrival at police stations. As one woman relayed to The Moscow Times, she and her husband were arrested following their participation in an anti-war protest, and in the process, she observed how the detained men received draft papers from a recruiting officer on the scene:

“There was a military recruiting officer who gave the detained men draft notifications,” she told The Moscow Times.

“When the first person was asked to go to a separate room, we did not understand what was going on — but when he returned with a draft slip, we just started crying.”

The move is tantamount to a death sentence, given how ill-prepared Russia’s initial troops were for battle in Ukraine. The situation has only grown worse, with apparent video footage showing called-up reservists lined up to fly away from their homes.

There’s no possible way that these men are trained up for war, and as it turns out, a decent chunk of them don’t want to fight for Putin’s cause. As one Russian sergeant told The Guardian, he received the call and immediately decided to leave the country. He leaves his wife (who will soon give birth) behind, and he purchased a one-way ticket to a southern border city. From there, he planned to drive into Kazakhstan within hours. “I have no idea when I’ll step foot in Russia again,” he declared, given that he’d face jail for evading the call-up. Still, he preferred to take that risk rather than “letting Putin turn me into a killer in a war that I want no part in.”

(Via The Moscow Times & The Guardian)

As one of the world’s largest sports brands, Nike is in a unique position to play a significant role in creating a more sustainable world. Nike has taken on this monumental responsibility by relentlessly pursuing its waste-reducing Move to Zero policy. The company’s ultimate goal is zero carbon and zero waste, all in an effort to help protect the future of sport.

“Athletes around the world are telling us that climate change is impacting them and their ability to perform at their best,” Seana Hannah, VP Sustainable Innovation, NIKE, Inc., said in a statement shared with Upworthy. “As part of our commitment to serve the athletes by offering more sustainable options and meeting our bold, science-based impact targets, we’re introducing a material innovation that can be adapted to different lifestyle and performance purposes.”

Over five years of research went into the development of Nike Forward and the company believes the positive environmental effects will be well worth the wait.

The all-new Nike Forward platform is the brand’s latest advancement in over 30 years of sustainability-minded innovations, and the most significant Nike apparel innovation since Dri-Fit.The proprietary technology is based on engineering innovations that deliver big results.

In short, Nike hacked existing needle punching machinery to connect multiple thin layers by entangling them together to make a new, uncompromising performance-ready textile.

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The total of Forward’s innovations reduces carbon output by an average of 75% compared to traditional Nike fleece. This is achieved using 70% recycled content by weight, solution-dyed fibers rather than traditional dye methods and the lower material basis weight of Forward. In plain language, the process is much simpler than traditional knit or woven processes, drastically reducing the number of resources needed to create the material.

But Forward isn’t just about reducing environmental impact during the manufacturing process. For the launch pieces, the brand also considered the end of its garments’ lives by removing metal zippers and aglets so they’re easier to recycle.

“Sustainability sits at the foundation of Nike’s business, and we believe circularity is the future of sustainability, “John Donahoe, CEO, NIKE, Inc. said in a statement.

The sustainability of the Forward platform has the potential to significantly reduce the company’s carbon footprint for years to come. In keeping with Nike’s goals, Forward looks to “make the world better for athletes” while also being a superior product that “makes athletes better.”

Forward’s multiple thin-layer construction makes for warm and lightweight garments, and the flexibility of the platform will allow Nike to create a custom experience for athletes where materials can be adjusted to meet their unique needs.

via Nike

The first Forward garment that athletes across the world will be able to experience is an iconic grey hoodie, as Nike calls it, “the uniform of sport and style around the globe.” The Forward hoodie is manufactured using zero water in the dyeing and finishing processes. The company believes it’s a rare product where sustainability doesn’t come with sacrifices in comfort, style, or performance.

The hoodie is just the start of the Forward movement for Nike. “Today, it’s a hoodie. Tomorrow, it could be anything,” Aaron Heiser, VP of global apparel product merchandising, said in a video produced by Nike.

The hoodie will help introduce the world to Nike’s latest revolution that it hopes will make an impact that will be felt for years to come.

For Nike, it’s just the latest advancement in the brand’s culture of innovation that underscores its commitment to taking action in creating a better world.

“We believe this platform has the potential to reset the way we think about material and apparel,” Aaron Heiser, Nike’s VP of global apparel product merchandising, said in a statement. “This is the biggest Nike apparel innovation since Dri-Fit 30 years ago and has huge potential to transform the industry in the way that Air and Flyknit did for Nike footwear.”

Nike Forward releases globally on September 22, 2022. Shop the collection at nike.com/nikeforward.

This article originally appeared on 01.22.21

Having lived in small towns and large cities in the Pacific Northwest, Southwest, and Midwest, and after spending a year traveling around the U.S. with my family, I’ve seen first-hand that Americans have much more in common than not. I’ve also gotten to experience some of the cultural differences, subtle and not-so-subtle, real and not-so-real, that exist in various parts of the country.

Some of those differences are being discussed in a viral thread on Twitter. Self-described “West coaster” Jordan Green kicked it off with an observation about East coasters being kind and West coasters being nice, which then prompted people to share their own social experiences in various regions around the country.

Green wrote:

Niceness is saying “I’m so sorry you’re cold,” while kindness may be “Ugh, you’ve said that five times, here’s a sw… https://t.co/HjUDcAr9v9

— Jordan K. Green (@Jordan K. Green)
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“When I describe East Coast vs West Coast culture to my friends I often say ‘The East Coast is kind but not nice, the West Coast is nice but not kind,’ and East Coasters immediately get it. West Coasters get mad.

Niceness is saying ‘I’m so sorry you’re cold,’ while kindness may be ‘Ugh, you’ve said that five times, here’s a sweater!’ Kindness is addressing the need, regardless of tone.

I’m a West Coaster through and through—born and raised in San Francisco, moved to Portland for college, and now live in Seattle. We’re nice, but we’re not kind. We’ll listen to your rant politely, smile, and then never speak to you again. We hit mute in real life. ALOT.

So often, we West Coasters think that showing *sympathy* or feeling *empathy* is an act of kindness. Sadly, it’s really just a nice act. Kindness is making sure the baby has a hat. (s/o to breenewsome and BlackAmazon)

When you translate this to institutions or policy, you’ll see alot of nice words being used, & West Coast liberals/radicals are really good at *sounding* nice. But I’ve seen organizers & activists from other places get frustrated because nothing happens after ALOT of talk.

When you translate this to institutions or policy, you’ll see alot of nice words being used, & West Coast liberals/… https://t.co/lfjUVV3N1M

— Jordan K. Green (@Jordan K. Green)
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Nothing happens after the pronoun check-ins and the icebreakers. It’s rare we make sure that people’s immediate needs are addressed. There’s no kindness. You have people show up to meetings hungry, or needing rides home, and watching those with means freeze when asked to help.

As we begin to ‘get back a sense of normalcy’ or ‘re-calibrate’ to what people in Blue States™ think is Right™ and Just™, I want us to keep in mind the difference between Niceness and Kindness. If something sounds nice, doesn’t mean that it’s kind.”

Of course, there are genuinely kind and surface nice people everywhere you go, so no one should take these observations as a personal affront to them individually. Generalizations that lead to stereotypes are inherently problematic, and broad strokes like “East coast” and “West coast” are also somewhat meaningless, so they should taken with a grain of salt as well.

In reality, a small town in South Carolina is probably more culturally similar to a small town in Eastern Oregon than it is to New York City, and there are some strong differences between various subregions as well. A more specific cultural comparison, such as “big cities on the West coast vs. big cities in the Northeast” might be more accurate as far as generalizations go, but regardless, many people related to Green’s observations based on their own experiences.

To kick things off, a slew of responses poured in from people describing how New Yorkers can be cold on the surface while simultaneously reaching out their hand to help you.

@SikePiazza @jordonaut Stand at a flight of stairs in the NYC subway with a stroller. Someone will grab the other e… https://t.co/SJw7v44JNO

— Mr. Whipple (@Mr. Whipple)
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Several people explained that the hustle required to afford the expense of living in New York explains why people skip the niceties. It’s about valuing people’s time; wasting it with nice words is ruder than just quickly helping out and then moving on.

@mcgowankat @MikeDeAngelo @SikePiazza @jordonaut Yeah, this is the kind of thing people who have’t spent time in NY… https://t.co/BBYMUJM2n6

— Alex Pagliuca (@Alex Pagliuca)
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@jordonaut In the South, politeness takes the form of “I will talk to you and inquire as to your day; I will give m… https://t.co/SQIZ6l6m1d

— Ray Radlein (@Ray Radlein)
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Many people chimed in with agreement with the original post (even some Canadians confirming that their East/West differences aligned with ours).

@candaceforpdx @jordonaut I used to travel to the West Coast a lot for work. Everyone was “nice,” but they had no s… https://t.co/XCL1ctXPqw

— celeste (@celeste)
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“No sense of urgency” is definitely a West coast vibe, but is generally viewed a positive out here. And “inconveniencing everyone around them” might be a subjective observation. Maybe.

Plenty of people with bicoastal experience weighed in with their stories of how their experiences lined up with the basic premise of the thread, though.

@jordonaut I am blunt, I cuss, I call shit like I see it, and if you need it I’ll give you the shirt off my back, a… https://t.co/e65qSQmZgZ

— Spider (@Spider)
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@KLDoorC @jordonaut This. I’m from Pgh and talking to my friend in Seattle.. She lives by herself and needed some… https://t.co/goTpXS6iEU

— Erin (@Erin)
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Though certainly not universally true, the tendency for West coasters to be more hands-off might extend back to the frontier days. The pioneer and gold rush mindset was necessarily individualistic and self-sufficient. In my experience, West coasters assume you don’t need help unless you directly ask for it. But people don’t ask because of the individualistic and self-sufficient thing, so automatic helpfulness just hasn’t become part of the dominant culture.

Things got even more interesting once the South and Midwest entered the chat.

@jamieleefinch @jordonaut @yumcoconutmilk Moving from the Midwest to the south my experience tells me this is true.… https://t.co/poN4yvEDzo

— Schotz (@Schotz)
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But the takes on warm/nice/kind thing varied quite a bit.

@jamieleefinch @jordonaut @yumcoconutmilk Midwest is warm/kind of you are or LOOK like you’re “from around here.”… https://t.co/7HLvTO391a

— Kate Pardon (@Kate Pardon)
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@alexschiff @zsr5 @jordonaut I moved to Michigan after spending my whole life on the East Coast. It took me MONTHS… https://t.co/fosthutYdJ

— Ellen Gelerman (@Ellen Gelerman)
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One thing that seems quite clear if you read through the various responses to the thread is that specific states and cities seem to have their own cultures that don’t break down as simply as East/West/Midwest/South. There’s an entire book about how the U.S. can actually be subdivided into 11 different regions that are almost like nations unto themselves. Even this map from 1940 included 34 different cultural regions in the U.S.

Cultural Regions in the United States, 1940. https://t.co/RGGBgP5OzO https://t.co/GQVz5VkjVH

— OnlMaps (@OnlMaps)
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And don’t even get a Californian started on the differences between Northern CA, Southern CA, and the Central Valley. “Culture” can even be narrowed down even to specific neighborhoods, and people’s experiences and perceptions vary for all kinds of reasons, so once again, generalizations only go so far before they fall flat.

If you’re curious about what the data says about all of this, a cursory search of surveys about which states are the kindest brings up a fairly mixed bag, but people seem to find Minnesota quite friendly. A Wallethub ranking of charitability by state based on 19 factors including volunteerism also placed Minnesota at number one, followed by Utah, Maryland, Oregon, and Ohio. Pretty hard to make a regional generalization with those states.

Then again, there’s the whole “Minnesota nice” thing, which brings us full circle back to the original thread.

@SejalShahWrites I’m from Minnesota, where we have a whole theme of how “Minnesota Nice” means only on the surface.

— Kristin Boldon (@Kristin Boldon)
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So many elements go into the culture of a place, from population density to the history of settlement to the individual personalities of the people who make someplace their home. And nothing is set in stone—the atmosphere of a place can change over time, as anyone who’s visited a city a decade or two apart can attest.

One thing that’s true, no matter where we live, is that we play a role in molding the culture of our immediate surroundings. If we want where we live to be friendlier, we can be friendlier ourselves. If we want to see people help one another, we can serve as that example. We might stand out, but we also might inspire others who yearn for the same thing.

“Be the change” might seem a bit cliche, but it truly is the key to shifting or world in the way we want it to go, no matter what part of the country—or the world—we live in.

Dating has certainly evolved over the years—we’ve gone from courtship being purely a financial arrangement (not that this trend has ever truly died) to knights jousting for a lady’s favor, to casual hookups … and now, romance is primarily found through an app more than anything else.

Technology used for meeting that special someone has become so advanced that you can base your search entirely upon specific interests. Like … oddly specific interests. Think a fellow cat person would be the purrfect match? There’s an app for that. Wish to “love long and prosper” with a fellow Trekkie? There’s an app for that too.

No matter the changes, one thing remains the same—dating is awkward. It’s got all the unspoken formalities of a job interview, disguised as innocent fun. The balance between playing it too cool and too eager is hard to find even for the smoothest among us, and usually results in total embarrassment. Even if we aren’t the ones committing those embarrassing acts ourselves, we are often the reluctant witness to them.

Terrible dates might not always be fun in the moment, but they can be just as important as the good ones. They can teach us a lot about ourselves and what qualities we want in a partner. And at the very least, they can teach us to embrace social clumsiness with a sense of humor.

Jimmy Fallon recently asked his “Tonight Show” audience on Twitter to share a “funny or embarrassing first date story” for his ever popular #Hashtags segment. The best part—some of these awful first dates ended in marriage. There’s hope for us all.

Below, find 15 stories that are truly the the best of the worst. How do some of your first dates compare?

1. “After a nice dinner, she invited me to her house. On the way up, inside the elevator, I decided to push the button to stop between floors and give her a kiss… She had a phobia of closed spaces and she smacked my face as a reflex, two punches after we were kissing and laughing.” – @PanqueAlgarvio

2. “His jeans were so tight he couldn’t sit down. Stood at a bar stool the whole time.” – @onlyintheozarks

3. “Waiting 4 my date when an older couple asked me for a ride. my date came up and said sure! We drove them home & they asked us to come in. Date said “sure”. I pulled him back & asked why he wanted to hang w/strangers. He said ‘sh@t! YOU DON’T KNOW THEM!?’ We bolted!” – @natashaham75

4. “Before the date, we had been chatting about books we liked and I talked about a great book I just read. We went on the date. I loaned her the book. She ghosted me.” – @thenextbarstool

5. “The worst first date I ever had was when my date locked his keys in the car and I had a curfew so he had to break his car window out to get me home on time. Didn’t think I’d ever see him again but we wound up married.” – @csleblan

6. “First date movie ‘Basic Instinct’ not realizing how suggestive it was. We just thought it was a mystery thriller! We left the movie discussing how each character could have actually murdered someone. We’re married now.” – @Southrnbell_Amy

7. “First date with my ex husband was a double date with his parents. The preview for ‘Speed Racer’ came on, and she leaned over me to say to her son, ‘You know what your dad’s nickname in the bedroom is?’” – @theostoria

8. “A friend asked me on a double date as a blind date with his date’s friend. I went to the bathroom and came back just in time to hear my date say to her friend, ‘why do I get the ugly one?’ I said good night to all three and headed home, leaving her w/the bill.” – @StevenTrustum

9. “He loved cheese. I was subjected to a 2 hour conversation/lecture about cheese, and why cottage cheese is not cheese!” – @Optimist_Eeyore

10. “He took me to an Asian fish market. We walked around looking at live & dead fish for a while. I don’t like seeing dead animals & I don’t eat seafood. Then we sat on a curb & he pulled out a ziplock bag of pineapple for us to share. I don’t like pineapple.” – @markayhali

11. “My cousin set up a first date for me with a family friend. During a break from dinner, Mr. Man follows me into the ladies’ room, comes up close and says in a low voice, ‘I shave my butt.’ Can’t remember what I said in response but the evening ended abruptly.” – @carli_zarzana

12. “I once took out my high school crush to a sports bar and ordered the spiciest wings there in an attempt to impress her. Not only was she not impressed. The next morning I woke up with heartburn.” –@Dmonster38

13. “My date showed up with his bestie and girlfriend, and they talked through dinner about people I don’t know. Walking to the car, he gave me a wedgie because he thought he hadn’t been paying enough attention to me.” – @surrealDazey

14. “I was taking my date home and was pulled over by the police for speeding. When the cop came to my car, she jumped out and told him she had to get home. She walked home and I never heard from her again. I’m not sure who’s #WorstFirstDate it was mine or hers!” – @eastriverbear

15. “After an evening of dancing with a first date, leaving the dance hall, I had to take a quick pee break. Rushing out to the parking lot, I see a lady, I grab her and swoop her around, and plant a big wet kiss on the lips. She was another guy’s wife. Oops!” – @seadogskamore

This article originally appeared on 04.06.22

A retired merchant navy engineer in England has found a treasure that would have made his country’s most popular folk hero proud. Graham Harrison, a 64-year-old metal detector enthusiast, discovered a gold signet ring that once belonged to the Sheriff of Nottingham.

The discovery was made on a farm in Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire, 26.9 miles from Sherwood Forest. The forest is known worldwide for being the mythological home of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men. A central road that traversed the forest was notorious in Medieval times for being an easy place for bandits to rob travelers going to and from London.

Today, the forest is a designated National Nature Reserve. It contains ancient oaks that date back thousands of years, making it an important conservation area.

“It was the first big dig after lockdown on a glorious day. We were searching two fields. Other detectorists kept finding hammered coins but I’d found nothing,” Harrison said according to the Daily Mail. “Then I suddenly got a signal. I dug up a clod of earth but couldn’t see anything. I kept breaking up the clod and, on the last break, a gold ring was shining at me. I broke out into a gold dance.”

Gold Ring that Belonged to Real Sheriff of Nottingham.nnRead more: https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/sheriff-nottingham-0016568u00a0u2026pic.twitter.com/K7rhf2E62O

— Ancient Origins (@Ancient Origins)
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Harrison sent the ring to the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme to have it authenticated. After doing some research they found that it was once owned by Sir Matthew Jenison, who was the Sheriff of Nottingham between 1683 and 1684.

The first accounts of Robin Hood, then known as Robyn Hode, first appear in the 12th century, a few hundred years before Sir Matthew served as sheriff.

But there’s no doubt that the archer and leader of Merry Men would have been delighted to know that an everyday guy came into possession of the Sheriff of Nottingham’s ring.

Sir Matthew was knighted in 1683 and acted as a commissioner to examine decaying trees in Sherwood Forest. He was later elected to Parliament in 1701. However, a series of lawsuits over shady land dealings would eventually be his ruin and he’d die in prison in 1734.

The gold signet ring bears the coat of arms of the Jenison family, who were known for getting rich off a treasure trove of valuables left for safekeeping during the English Civil War. The valuables were never claimed, so the Jenisons took them for themselves.

Harrison decided that he would sell the ring to someone who appreciates its importance.

“There can’t be many people who’ve found anything like that. I’m only selling it because it’s been stuck in a drawer,” Harrison said. “I hope it will go to someone who will appreciate its historical value.” It was sold at auction by Hansons Auctions for £8,500 ($11,115).

March Historica & Coin Auction. 24 March u2014 25 March. The Sheriff of Nottinghamu2019s gold signet ring #Historica #Auction @HansonHistoricannCheck out HansonsAuctions’s video! #TikTok https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLmGN476/u00a0pic.twitter.com/cbdwbWrqdH

— Hansons (@Hansons)
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WOW! The final moments as the Sheriff of#Nottingham ring goes under the hammer… @HansonHistorica @HansonsAuctionsn@[email protected]/NLssFdaksL

— Hansons (@Hansons)
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Let’s hope that the man who sold the ring does what Robin Hood would have done with a piece of jewelry that adorned the hand of a nobleman whose family came into money by taking other people’s loot. Surely, he’d take the proceeds from the auction and give them to the poor.