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James Earl Jones has one of the most recognizable voices in the entertainment industry and has for decades. Most of us probably heard that deep, resonant voice first as Darth Vader in “Star Wars,” or perhaps Mufasa in “The Lion King,” but just one or two words are enough to say, “Oh, that’s definitely James Earl Jones.”

Jones has been acting on stage and in film since the 1960s. He also has the distinction of being the first celebrity guest to be invited to “Sesame Street” during the show’s debut season in 1969.

According to Muppet Wiki, clips of Jones counting to 10 and reciting the alphabet were included in unbroadcast pilot episodes and also included in one of the first official television episodes. Funnily enough, Jones originally didn’t think the show would last, as he thought kids would be terrified of the muppets. Clearly, that turned out not to be the case.

Jones’ alphabet recitation served as a test for the “Sesame Street” pedagogical model, which was meant to inspire interaction from kids rather than just passive absorption. Though to the untrained eye, Jones’ slow recitation of the ABCs may seem either plodding or bizarrely hypnotic, there’s a purpose to the way it’s presented.

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As education researcher and Children’s Television Workshop consultant Gerald S. Lesser describes the video, “Mr. Jones’ recitation of the alphabet takes a full minute and a half. He stares compellingly at the camera. At the time the sequence was made, his head was shaved for his role of Jack Johnson in “The Great White Hope,” and it gleams in the close-up. His immense hollow voice booms the letter names ominously. His lip movements are so exaggerated that they can easily be read without the sounds.”

The letter is shown on the screen a second or so before Jones says the name of the letter, and there is a pause after he says each one. This pattern allows kids to say the name of the letter if they recognize it and then have the name reinforced by Jones. If kids don’t know it, they repeat it after him. For kids who are more visual or who have auditory processing issues, seeing the letter displayed and seeing Jones’ clear mouth movements as he slowly says each letter are helpful learning aids.

Lesser and other researchers coined the term “James Earl Jones effect” for how the learning process played out.

Jones’ alphabet segment may have helped prove the effectiveness of “Sesame Street”‘s educational model, but it’s also just mesmerizing to watch. When he gets to “J” and the facial expressions really kick in? Priceless.

Watch and enjoy:

Rootin’ tootin’ Lauren Boebert might not have a guaranteed path to reelection in her Colorado district. This pressure arrives not too long after the Rifle Republican lawmaker dealt with a lot of drama regarding her husband allegedly freaking their neighbors out and when her Shooter’s Grill restaurant lost its lease and had to close its doors. That joint grew infamous for Boebert’s encouragement of servers to carry guns on their person while doling out burgers, so it’s tied to her public image, but so is her combative nature, which recently reared its head in a congressional primary debate.

As ex-federal prosecutor Ron Filipkowski posted on Twitter, the below clip shows how Boebert kicked off that mid-September event (where she was challenged by Democratic opponent Adam Frisch) by growing contentious with the moderator.

Rolling Stone reported that the crowd booed Boebert as well. She reportedly spent plenty of time attacking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and in an odd twist, Boebert declared that the biggest weakness is D.C. “is that there’s not enough of me.”

As stated above, D.C. might have had enough of Boebert if her constituents lean the way that a new poll suggests. Axios reveals that the “little known” Frisch is right behind her and has effectively achieved a statistical tie with his opponent:

Boebert received support from 47% of likely voters, while Democrat Adam Frisch landed at 45% — making the race a statistical tie within the ±4.4 percentage point margin of error.

The survey, taken Sept. 29–Oct. 2 by Keating Research, a Democratic firm and one of the most accurate pollsters in Colorado, represents a 5-point swing toward Frisch. In July, Boebert held a 49%-42% advantage.

From there, Axios notes that Boebert’s district generally leans red, but unaffiliated voters (in general) tend to shy away from her right-wing, gun-loving, Christian-nationalist stances. Those midterms land on November 8, so we won’t have to wait long to find out who pulls off this close competition.

(Via Axios)

The second matchup between the presumed top-2 picks in the 2023 NBA Draft will not be as enthralling of a showdown as their first. Victor Wembanyama of Metropolitans 92 and Scoot Henderson of the G League Ignite team went head-to-head on Thursday afternoon in Nevada, but during the first quarter of action, Henderson went down with an injury that led to him getting ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Henderson got switched onto Wembanyama after the big man came off of the screen and the pair bumped knees with one another. While Wembanyama hit the deck, Henderson was visibly uncomfortable after the incident which led to him drawing a foul.

Henderson left the game right after this happened, and while he was able to return to the bench to watch the rest of the festivities, the Ignite eventually determined that he would not be able to return to the game after hurting his knee.

During their first matchup on Tuesday night, Henderson, a 6’2 guard from Georgia, showed why he is viewed as one of the most promising backcourt prospects in recent memory. While Wembanyama is believed to be the clear-cut frontrunner to go No. 1 overall in 2023, Henderson went for 28 points on 11-for-21 shooting with nine assists, five rebounds, two steals, and two turnovers in a win.

Ariana Grande and Christina Aguilera have a ton of fans; Between them, they have seven No. 1 albums, eleven No. 1 singles, 35 Grammy nominations (with seven wins), and millions of albums sold. Music lovers might be surprised to hear, though, that among their fans is a 53-year-old man named Shawn Crahan. Crahan is also known as Clown, and he co-founded Slipknot, the long-running metal band that doesn’t have much to do with pop music, back in 1995, and is the group’s only remaining original member.

In a recent interview with The Independent, the drummer was asked about what music he’s listening to and he responded, “That’s always a loaded question. My hardcore fans are gonna hate me for what I say. Well, not hate me, but they’re gonna be upset: I’m listening to a lot of Ariana Grande, some Christina Aguilera. I have a real love of pop.”

While Slipknot doesn’t really have any ties to the world of pop music, they frequently achieve pop-like levels of success. Their past three albums topped the US charts, while the ones before those managed peaks at Nos. 2, 3, and 51. They also frequently top the US rock charts with songs like “Wait And Bleed,” “Spit It Out,” and “Duality.” Furthermore, they picked up a Grammy in 2006, when “Before I Forget” won Best Metal Performance.

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

Making good on a campaign promise, President Joe Biden has announced that he will be pardoning all federal charges for simple marijuana possession, and he’s urging governors across the country to do the same. Biden announced the sweeping move on Twitter where he also announced his intentions to no longer consider weed the same schedule of drug as heroin.

“As I’ve said before, no one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” Biden said on Thursday. “Today, I’m taking steps to end our failed approach.”

The president, who has been on a hot streak following a recent trip to Florida, laid out his plan for rectifying America’s erroneous treatment of marijuana offenders:

First: I’m pardoning all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession. There are thousands of people who were previously convicted of simple possession who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities as a result. My pardon will remove this burden.

Second: I’m calling on governors to pardon simple state marijuana possession offenses. Just as no one should be in a federal prison solely for possessing marijuana, no one should be in a local jail or state prison for that reason, either.

Third: We classify marijuana at the same level as heroin – and more serious than fentanyl. It makes no sense. I’m asking @SecBecerra and the Attorney General to initiate the process of reviewing how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.

Biden ended his remarks by noting the racial disparity in how marijuana crimes were prosecuted, which will end on his watch. “Sending people to jail for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives – for conduct that is legal in many states,” Biden said. “That’s before you address the clear racial disparities around prosecution and conviction. Today, we begin to right these wrongs.”

Following the announcement, Twitter exploded with reactions to the sweeping pardon, which not for nothing, backed up the president’s claim that “Nobody f*cks with a Biden.”

You can see reactions to Biden’s pardon for marijuana possession below:

Of course, this monumental decision now begs a very important question:

(Via President Biden on Twitter)

Compton rapper The Game is known for making some eyebrow-raising comments but in the latest episode of Fresh Pair, he says something that might very well flip rap fans’ wigs entirely. While discussing his debut album The Documentary, Game insisted, “Dr. Dre didn’t do any beats” on it. When Just Blaze pushes back, Game elaborates that while Dr. Dre “oversaw” the making of the album “because he’s a mastermind when it comes to that,” he doubles down on his insistence that Dre didn’t make the beats.

He then goes a step further, declaring, “I’ve never had a Dre beat in my career.” While there are those who’d dispute this assertion, Game clarifies, “I’ve never had a song with Dre on it and Dre been in my video. Snoop has a ton. Em has a ton. I don’t have none.”

Although Game’s assertion seems to be contradicted by the credits in his discography, his point seems to hinge on Dre’s well-known penchant for employing co-producers on many of the songs he’s credited for producing — which could offer a broad range of possibilities for his actual contributions to those songs. This isn’t the first time Game has downplayed Dre’s involvement in his career, either. During his appearance on Drink Champs earlier this year, he maintained that Kanye West did more for him than Dre did, despite his naming albums after the superproducer and frequently shouting him out in hs lyrics. And while is comments may remain as confusing to fans today as they were then, now we have a bit more context for why he feels that way.

Watch the full episode of Uproxx’s new show Fresh Pair above.

Even though Joe Pera has been busy with gardening and James Bond rehearsals, he still takes the time to give the fans what they want, and for that, he is a real gift. The comedian took to Instagram to weigh in on the highly controversial and popular debate: is the dude from The Bear stronger than Goku? Pera does not think so.

Pera begins the heartfelt video with an apology for not getting it out sooner, due to his excessive amounts of errands like growing tomatoes and not being a murderer. Then he lists his undisputable reasoning as to why Goku, an anime character, is stronger than Carmy, played by Jeremy Allen White.

“The Bear can cook fast in a t-shirt, however, Goku can do multiple levels of Super Saiyan, not to mention Kaio Ken,” Pera earnestly explains. “And he has even recently mastered Ultra Instinct, which is outrageously strong. The Bear cannot even do Super Saiyan. Not even close. Point Goku” This is true, but can Goku make an Italian beef hoagie?

As Pera lists his reasoning, it becomes clear that maybe, just maybe…Goku is actually stronger than the celibate Chicago sandwich maker. “Another way to figure their strength is by the enemies they defeated,” Pera continues. “Bear has dealt with some inner conflict, however, Goku has defeated, well, to name a few: Cell, Frieza, Golden Frieza, Buu, Broly, Jiren, and even gave Lord Beerus a good run for his money,” he added. “Have to go with Goku again, however, I am just a fan, not an expert.”

Even though he is not an expert, he makes some compelling arguments as to why this animated character is better than a fictional chef. He’s always right! It’s time people started listening! Check out the well-researched video above.

When we talked about alcohol that is iconically American, we tend to talk about bourbon and craft beer and then, to a drastically lesser degree, applejack and rye whiskey. Sometimes hard cider gets lost in the shuffle, even though it’s one of the most historical alcoholic beverages in the United States.

“Hard cider was in existence pre-prohibition, it is truly a historical beverage,” says Bridget Blacklock, CCO at Vermont Cider Company. “It has been around forever; it has been documented from the earliest days since the founding of America.”

In the early 1990s, Woodchuck reinvigorated the hard cider category in the United States. A decade ago, many of the big brewers saw the popularity of cider increase and decided to enter the space.

“Today’s hard ciders have evolved and changed to be less sweet,” Blacklock says. “Which has been great for reaching new drinkers as well.”

It helps that hard cider is also a great fall drink.

“Though we have waived away many seasonal traditions related to food in the last several years, a lot of people still associate cider with the fall apple harvest and perhaps even with the freedom and carefree joy of childhood,” says Darian Everding, talent and product development manager at London Underground in Ames, Iowa.

We couldn’t agree more. That’s why today we decided to list and rank eight hard ciders perfect for fall. Each of these picks offers a gateway between beer and cider — keep scrolling to see them all.

8) Downeast Cider Donut

ABV: 5.2%

Average Price: $12.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Cider:

What’s more fall-like than cider paired with cider donuts? Well, how about a hard cider crafted to mimic the flavor of a glazed donut? A pressed cider base and a kick of sweetness make this an autumnal treat.

Tasting Notes:

A nose of ripe apples, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla greets your nostrils before your first sip. The palate is sweet, almost dessert-like with a tart apple base propped up with cinnamon and sugar. It’s not over-the-top sweet but might be a little indulgent for some drinkers.

Bottom Line:

This hard cider is exactly as it seems. It’s supposed to taste like a sugar, sweet, cinnamon cider donut and that’s exactly what it tastes like.

7) Austin Eastciders Original

ABV: 5%

Average Price: $10.99 for a six-pack

The Cider:

Austin Eastciders is a big name in the cider game. Its flagship flavor is made with pressed dessert apples from the US and bittersweet apples from Europe. It’s known for its tart, crisp, fairly dry flavor profile.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is all crisp apples. Almost like the apple juice you remember from your childhood with a little earthiness added in. The palate is almost sparkling wine-like with fruit esters, tart apples, and a very crisp, dry finish. It’s almost too dry and bitter, unless that’s fully the vibe you like.

Bottom Line:

While this hard cider might appeal to fans of very dry pilsners, it’s definitely not a first-day hard cider for most. You’ll likely want to start with something slightly sweeter.

6) Jack’s Hard Cider Dry Hopped

ABV: 5.5%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Cider:

One of the reasons hard ciders are so great for beer fans is the fact that many cideries are actually adding hops to their ciders. This is the case with Jack’s Hard Cider Dry Hopped, a hard cider that’s dry-hopped throughout the fermentation process.

Tasting Notes:

A surprising nose of tart apples and floral, fragrant hops is the first thing you notice with this hard cider. The palate continues this trend with wet grass, tart apples, slight citrus, and more floral, slightly bitter hops. The hops are a little heavy-handed, and this won’t be for everyone.

Bottom Line:

If you enjoy bold hops and tart cider, this is a great choice for you. If you want something a little more subtle, look elsewhere.

5) Ship Bottom Cider Donut Hard Cider

ABV: 5.5%

Average Price: $13.99 for a six-pack

The Cider:

Cinnamon, sugar, and surprisingly cardamom are added to pressed Pennsylvania apples. This naturally gluten-free 5.5% ABV hard cider was created to taste just like a classic cider donut.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is loaded with aromas of cinnamon, wintry spices, and caramel apples. Drinking it only heightens the experience. The apple is tart and refreshing with slight acidity and the cinnamon, sugar, and cardamom deliver a warming, fall-centric flavor profile.

Bottom Line:

While still a fairly sweet, spiced cider, Ship Bottom Cider Donut is surprisingly well-balanced for sugar and spiced hard cider. That being said, it might veer too far in that direction for hardcore beer fans.

4) 1911 Honeycrisp

ABV: 6.9%

Average Price: $12 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Cider:

If you’re a pilsner fan and you want to try a hard cider, look no further than 1911 Honeycrisp. This award-winning hard cider is made with 100% estate-grown, pressed Honeycrisp apples. They’re known for their crisp, sweet flavor.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find candy apples, honey, and an earthy herbal quality. While subtle, the aromas draw you in. The palate is semi-sweet, but not acidic or bitter with crisp, sweet apple juice, more honey, and light citrus. This is a subtly sweet, refreshing hard cider.

Bottom Line:

While some hard ciders are either overly dry and acidic and others are over-the-top sweet, 1911 Honeycrisp is perfectly situated right in the middle.

3) Incline Hopped Cider

ABV: 6.5%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Cider:

Incline Cider’s flagship offering is its Hopped Cider. It starts with a pressed hard cider that’s “lightly” dry-hopped with Galaxy, Citra, and Cascade hops. It’s known for its complex, balanced flavor profile.

Tasting Notes:

Right away, you notice hops on the nose. It smells more like a beer than a hard cider at first. When you take a moment to breathe it in, you’ll notice some tart apple mixed in there as well. The palate is also hop-centric with a lightly tart, subtly acidic profile with slightly sour, crisp, honey-fruity flavors and floral, piney, slightly bitter hops.

Bottom Line:

Hoppy, slightly sweet, tart, and acidic. This hard cider had everything a beer drinker could crave. Try this instead of a classic European pilsner this fall.

2) Abandoned Hard Cider Hopped

ABV: 6%

Average Price: $16.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Cider:

This is a unique hard cider for a variety of reasons. For one, it’s dry-hopped with whole cone New York State-grown hops, but it’s also aged for up to a year. The result is a hoppy, complex, flavorful hard cider that has to be imbibed to be believed.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find aromas of honey, ripe melons, lemon zest, crisp apples, and floral, earthy hops. The palate is surprisingly fruity with caramel apples, honeysuckle, citrus, and floral, piney hops. It’s sweet, herbal, complex, and unforgettable.

Bottom Line:

Aged and dry-hopped, this sounds more like your favorite beer than a hard cider. If you can find some Abandoned Hard Cider Hopped, grab as much as you can.

1) Citizen Cider The Lake Hopper

ABV: 6.2%

Average Price: $12.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Cider:

This 6.2% ABV hard cider from Burlington, Vermont’s Citizen Cider is naturally gluten-free, is made from apples pressed at the cidery’s Flynn Ave Press House, has no sugar added, and is dry-hopped with 100% Cascade hops. The result is a tart, crisp, citrus, and pine-filled cider experience.

Tasting Notes:

Complex aromas of ripe apple, citrus zest, honey, and floral, herbal hops greet your nose before your first sip. On the palate, you’ll notice hints of honey, tart apples, lemon peel, wet grass, and floral, earthy, slightly piney, bitter hops. It’s slightly acidic, tart, and refreshing.

Bottom Line:

There are a surprising number of “hopped” hard ciders on the market. Many are perfect for beer drinkers hoping to branch out into cider. Citizen Cider The Lake Hopper with its floral, citrus Cascade hops flavor is one of the best.

California rapper Kalan.FrFr is in his winning season. Last year he secured a deal with Roc Nation, a big feat in itself, but his success doesn’t stop there. His project TwoFr 2 and his more recent album 222 have seen major success amassing millions of streams. Oh, and we can’t forget a set at Made In America and his “TwoFr Tour,” bolstered by appearances from fellow Cali rapper Blxst, 1Take Jay, Mario, Rubi Rose, and 808 Mafia.

The rapper who once admitted “I smoked weed with Jay-Z,” pulled up to the bathroom set to perform his “Breeze.” The track from Kalan.FrFr’s most recent album is cinematic, painting a picture of West coast living with the opening lyrics “Ayy, light breeze (Light breeze) / Sunroof back, yeah, A/C (Woah, woah).” Kalan himself performs in massive sunglasses and a Marni tee, further signaling a lifestyle of the rich and famous.

Watch Kalan.FrFr perform “Breeze” for UPROXX Sessions above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Bobby Shmurda is getting his career back on track. After being released from prison in February of 2021 after six years, the rapper has not only released his first EP, Bodboy, since being a free man, he’s also about to go on tour with Rowdy Rebel this year. The now fully independent artist just gave a revealing interview to XXL, where he was candid about not being on the Epic Records roster anymore and also saying that he “probably would have killed somebody” had he not be in prison.

When asked about whether he thought his prison stint held him back, Shmurda stated that it actually did exactly the opposite.

“I feel like sh*t has set me forward,” he said. “If I didn’t go to jail, I probably would have killed somebody or did some crazy sh*t and been locked up for life. I was a bugout before. I had some situations that I thank God never came up that guns was pulled. All types of situations outside of clubs and shit. Before I was Bobby Shmurda. And lucky that I had certain people with me to restrain me to do whatever that I could have lost my life at certain points. That whole situation, it shows growth.”

He was very reflective in his response and elaborated further in how he’s focused on making business moves now. Some of his supposed ventures include trying to build a security company, a clinic, apps, a clothing brand and then added, “I got a weed business jumping off with the EP.”

You can read the whole interview at XXL here.