Following the shocking announcement that Warner Bros. Discovery was indefinitely shelving the Batgirl movie for the sole purpose of obtaining a tax write-off, the newly-merged studio found itself plagued with one bad headline after another for nearly the entire month of August. For a while, absolutely nothing looked safe (particularly for the DC Comics brand) as projects were cancelled and blockbusters were delayed.
However, things seem to be steadying. The Batman and Joker sequels are moving along, Harley Quinn was renewed, and the studio appears to be getting its house in order. As for whether WBD is concerned that it tarnished its reputation with Hollywood creatives after shelving Batgirl, not one bit.
During a recent appearance at the Bank of America Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference, WBD Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiedenfels gave the following answer when asked about the damaging headlines surrounding Batgirl: “Media likes to talk about media, I guess.”
According to Wiedenfels, WBD has a new team coming in that is fully invested in strengthening the DC Comics brand and leveraging it a better way than just dumping movies on HBO Max. Via Deadline:
“The focus is, on a go-forward basis here, we’re spending more than ever in the history of the two legacy companies on content. We will continue to make significant investments. We’ll make them differently and with a different financial rigor and a different focus on full utilization across all platforms, etc., but this is the lifeblood of the company and we’ll continue to be investing in it.”
In another sign that WBD is committed to giving DC blockbusters wide theatrical releases, the studio has been extremely hesitant to pull the plug on The Flash despite legal troubles surrounding star Ezra Miller. The film has reportedly been doing well with test audiences and could be a major hit that the studio needs to strengthen the DC Comics brand after the one-two punch of Zack Snyder followed by the pandemic. All WBD has to do is not cancel entire movies for the tax write-off. It seems easy enough, and yet, here we are.
For all the handwringing about the interpersonal strife between female rappers, the last few years have actually brought about a second golden era in terms of sisterhood and solidarity for women in hip-hop. There have been more collaborations between female rappers in recent years, as well as a general vibe of goodwill and team spirit — with some notable exceptions.
One of the drivers of this sea change has been Megan Thee Stallion, who has stopped her fans from encouraging beef and made efforts to reach out to her fellow female rapper contemporaries such as Cardi B, Latto, Rico Nasty, and more. Now, she’s reportedly reaching out to a rap legend to bridge the gap between generations as well. Earlier this week, Lil Kim posted a photo of Megan and herself sipping champagne on a plane, suggesting that a collaboration between the two might be in the works.
That suggestion was affirmed by DJ Funkmaster Flex, who reposted the shot on his own Instagram and teased that he would be playing the song exclusively on his show Thursday (today) at 7 pm ET. With Meg and Kim joining forces at the same time as Nicki Minaj and her “Super Freaky Girl” remix collaborators, it’s looking like it’ll be a “ladies’ night” in hip-hop once again.
Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The New York World Wine & Spirits Competition just dropped their list of “Best in Class” spirits. While we love a good vodka and tequila around these parts, but today we’re going to call out the 14 bourbons that not only won big medals but made it to the finals of the competition.
For context, the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition (NYWSC) is the East Coast division of The Tasting Alliance. That group oversees the famed San Francisco World Spirits Competition, The Tasting Alliance Beer Competition, Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, and the Singapore World Spirits Competition. The medals — bronze, silver, gold, and double gold (and eliminated) — are handed out by panels of judges tasting the pours double-blind. If a pour gets a double gold — that means all the judges unanimously and anonymously gave that pour a gold medal — then those judges decide whether or not that pour is good enough to go to the finals (or sweeps as they call it) for the “Best in Show” round. Those whiskeys that made it to the finals/sweeps are the bourbons I’m listing below.
Before we dive in, I was a head judge at this year’s competition. That means I’ve personally tasted each of these whiskeys (double-blind while judging them). Now that I know which whiskey was which, I can provide my own tasting notes with each of the best-in-class bourbon whiskeys from this year’s competition in New York. It’s also worth noting that these are all winners, there’s not a bad whiskey in the bunch.
Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
This is a masterfully sourced whiskey. The juice is a mix of 18 and eleven-year-old bourbon with a nine-year-old light whiskey (a high-proof whiskey aged in lightly toasted, uncharted barrels). That blend is then just touched with water before bottling without any fussing.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a rich sense of buttery toffee on the nose with plenty of cinnamon/nutmeg/allspice next to a hint of savory fig and some vanilla cream. The palate merges the spices into a lush eggnog vibe as hints of old cedar planks mix with a black peppercorn sharpness. The end mixes the spices into a buttery cookie with hints of singed cinnamon bark, old pine, and soft vanilla tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
This was solid all around. It felt like the perfect cool weather drinker thanks to all that wintry spice. That also means this would make a hell of a Manhattan.
The father/son team at 15 STARS is hitting it out of the park with their amazing sourced blends. This new release is a mix of 15, nine, and six-year-old bourbons from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. The marriage of whiskeys is just touched with water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one meanders through soft winter spices before hitting a vanilla wafer with a hint of nougat before getting into a woody bramble of orchard trees and firewood bark. The palate leads off with the woody edge before diving into holiday spices with a hint of raisin and date next to creamed vanilla butter and a touch of brown sugar. There’s a hint of apple/cherry pie filling before the woodiness takes over on the backend with a spicy tobacco edge with a hint of sweet cedar.
Bottom Line:
This has a nice complexity that leans woody but not overly so. Overall, this felt like a nice sipper that’d benefit from a few rocks.
Best Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon
Trail’s End 8-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Apple Brandy Barrels
This sourced eight-year-old Kentucky bourbon is sent out to Hood River, Oregon for a little tinkering. The juice is vatted and then re-barreled in Clear Creek apple brandy barrels for a final touch of aging.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a rush of falling dead leaves on the nose that leads to an old cafe cherry pie with a hint of lard crust next to RC Cola (kind of flat) and a whisper of dry sweetgrass. The palate has a sense of black tea cut with floral honey and a dash of oats before a hint of cardamon and nutmeg kick in. The end arrives with a woody spiciness and hint of barrel char next to espresso bean bitterness and a light whisper of cherry-infused honey tobacco wrapped around dry cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those local whiskeys (to Oregon mostly) that should get a lot more love. It’s unique yet very deeply nostalgic. It also feels like it’d made a killer Sazerac.
This whiskey is hewn from 90 30-gallon barrels of four-year-old bourbon that were transferred into 26 59-gallon Tawny Port casks for a final maturation of nearly two years. That juice was then bottled as-is after a touch of water was added.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this bursts with raspberry, blackberry, redcurrant, and blueberry all stewed with plenty of holiday spices and folded into a cobbler topped with dense buttery buttermilk biscuits. The palate leans into the spice with a focus on clove, nutmeg, and a very small whisper of anise as the berry turns more towards a fresh strawberry with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans chiming in on the mid-palate. That chocolate-bitter vibe drives towards a finish full of cinnamon-spiked dark chocolate tobacco leaves, stewed plums, and a dollop of floral honey.
Bottom Line:
This is one of my favorite pours in general. It’s delicious neat or on a rock or two. It also makes one of the best Manhattans money can buy.
The whisky in the bottle is the same Dickel Tennessee whiskey but pulled from barrels that leaned more into classic bourbon flavor notes instead of Dickel’s iconic Tennessee whisky notes. The barrels are a minimum of eight years old before they’re vatted. The juice is then cut down to a manageable 90-proof and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This nose is classic, with rich vanilla next to dry spicy tobacco leaves next to apple hand pies with sugar icing made with plenty of dark spices and butter. The palate has a bran vibe that hints at a white Necco Wafer with a ripe white peach fresh off the tree with a hint of ginger bite to it. The end circles back around to a vanilla wafer with nutmeg, orange zest, and a twinge of dark chocolate sauce leading to a dry and slightly molded wicker chair sitting in the sun.
Bottom Line:
This, to me, is the best value on the list. This is an accessible bourbon both in price and palate. This really is a hidden gem from Tennessee.
This sourced whiskey (from MGP of Indiana) is all about finding the best barrels and batching them to create something more. The juice in this small batch bourbon is rendered from MGP’s 21 percent and 36 percent rye bourbon mash bills. The barrels are between eight and 15 years old. Once vatted, the whiskey is just touched with water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
A rich buttery note comes through on the nose with a hint of salted corn next to savory figs with a hint of honey and freshly ground nutmeg mixed with some vanilla cream. The palate turns that butteriness into salted caramel with a hint of sticky toffee pudding with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg next to a thin line of charred oak underneath it all. The end dries out with a sense of old leather wrapped around an old and dry tobacco leaf with a twinge of raisin.
Bottom Line:
This is just a well-made whiskey. It’s easy sipping and, well, that’s it.
The Frank August Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
The first whiskey from Frank August is a sourced bourbon. The juice is made in Kentucky, where it’s also aged. The team at Frank August then takes roughly ten to 15 barrels per batch and builds this bourbon painstakingly to fit their desired flavor profile. The whiskey is then lightly proofed down to 100 proof before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is pure classic bourbon with hints of salted caramel with a twinge of soft grains next to spicy cherry syrup, a whisper of sour apple, and a touch of aged oak staves soaked in mulled wine. The palate moves on from the soft grains towards rum-soaked raisins with a warm winter spice matrix — cinnamon, ginger, clove, allspice — before a brown sugar/rock candy sweetness takes over on the mid-palate. The finish is long and sweet with a nice dose of sharp cinnamon and soft nutmeg that leads to a supple vanilla cream with a thin line of dry cedar and tobacco spice just touched with dark cherry on the very end.
Bottom Line:
Although only available in select (small) markets, this is slowly becoming the must-have bourbon release in the back half of 2022. The awards are coming in for both the juice and the bottle design (you can reuse the bottle as a decanter).
While Uncle Nearest is distilling their own juice these days, this is still the work of Master Blender Victoria Eady Butler with carefully sourced Tennessee whiskey barrels. In this case, Eady Bulter hand-selected the best-of-the-best from their inventory to create the perfect whiskey to exemplify the brand and Tennessee whiskey traditions.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lovely sense of sourdough old-fashioned doughnuts dusted in cinnamon on the nose with a hint of brown sugar, nutmeg, pecan, and cedar/tobacco with a warm edge. The palate layers those pecans into a waffle with plenty of butter and maple syrup next to dried sour cherries with old leather, dried corn cobs, and spiced cherry tobacco next to dry black dirt with a hint of sweetness to it. The end lessens the cherry and leads to peppery tobacco with a warm finish full of dry firewood, more of that woody maple syrup, and a dash of vanilla cream underneath it.
Bottom Line:
I really dig this. I’ve tried it again since the competition and it is great stuff. It also makes me really excited about what’s coming up next in this lineup. All of that said, you might want to pour this one over a single rock to cool it down and let the whiskey bloom a little.
Elmer T. Lee is another hugely popular release that’s very limited (and sought after). Where this differs from the other single barrels on this list is in the mash bill (this is a bit higher rye) and the placing of the barrel in the warehouse. It’s said that the barrels for Elmer T. Lee are stored where the master distiller himself used to store the barrels he kept for his own stash.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this is like a decadent breakfast of pancakes smothered in cinnamon butter, dripping with the best maple syrup, and topped with a hand-made scoop of vanilla ice cream. The palate holds onto the vanilla and spice but settles into more of floral honeyed sweetness with touches of cedar, old library book leather, and a hint of tobacco buzz. The end lingers for a while and leaves you with a dry pear tobacco warmth next to a cinnamon heat and maple bar sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This is, hands down, one of the most beloved single-barrel whiskeys on the market. If you can find one, buy one. You will not be disappointed.
The whiskey is basically one step away from being a Pappy single barrel. The juice is the same wheated bourbon distillate that’s loaded into the same barrels. The main difference is the flavor profile these single barrels hit because they’re all under eight years old (Pappy is 10 years and older). These barrels are picked for their “Weller” flavor profile and then the juice is cut down very slightly with that famously soft Kentucky limestone water.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a mix of fresh mint next to ripe red cherries with a vanilla backbone and a shaving of dry wood. The taste holds onto that vanilla while building towards eggnog spiciness with hints of dark chocolate, salted caramel corn balls, espresso bean bitterness, and this small flourish of white pepper. That powdery pepper lingers and warms as the sip slowly fades away, leaving you with those creamy eggnog spices, woody vanilla husks, and a mild tobacco buzz and warmth by way of a pine humidor.
Bottom Line:
This isn’t my favorite Weller (that’s the yearly BTAC release or the 12-year). My opinion aside, this is still world-class bourbon. If you can find this at closer to its MSRP ($60), then you’ll definitely be winning the bourbon hunting game!
These whiskeys for E.H. Taylor, Jr. are aged in the famed Warehouse C at Buffalo Trace from their mash bill no. 1. While the exact parameters of that bill are undisclosed, this is the same recipe as Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, and Stagg. In this case, the barrels are picked for their Taylor flavor profile and bottled one at a time with a slight touch of water to bring them down to bottled-in-bond proof.
Tasting Notes:
Dried dark fruits and a hint of vanilla wafers mingle with fig fruit leather, a touch of orchard wood, and a deep caramel on the nose. The palate holds onto those notes while layering in dark berry tobacco with sharp winter spices, new leather, and a singed cotton candy next to a cedar box filled with that tobacco. The finish lingers on your senses a while and leaves the spice behind for that dark, almost savory fruit note with an echo of blackberry Hostess pies next to soft leather pouches that have held chewy tobacco for decades and a final hint of old porch wicker in the middle of summer.
Bottom Line:
This is another stone-cold classic bourbon. Luckily, these are a little more findable from the luxe Buffalo Trace lineups. You can also find pours of these in good whiskey bars for a fairly good price still.
Blanton’s Straight From the Barrel Single Barrel Bourbon
Blanton’s is “The Original Single Barrel” bourbon, and this expression is the purest form of that whiskey. The juice in this case is from the barrels that need no cutting with water and are perfect as-is, straight from the barrel. All the barrels will come from Warehouse H (where Elmer T. Lee stored his private stash of barrels back in the day) and arrive with varying proofs. The through-line is the excellent taste of that single, unadulterated barrel in each sip.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is full of very bespoke dark chocolate-covered salted hard caramel toffees encrusted with almonds and pecans — the kind you get from a chocolate shop that imports their goodies from somewhere like Belgium. The nutty toffee carries through into the taste as oily vanilla pods mingle with cedar boxes of dried tobacco leaves and a touch of floral honey. The end is very long and lingers in your senses, with a hot buzzing that subtly fades through all that sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent example of Blanton’s that’s a tad hotter than you might expect. It’s still nuanced and welcoming, you just need a single rock for this one.
Red Line Cask Strength Single Barrel Straight Bourbon
This whiskey from Red Line is sourced from hand-selected barrels from MGP of Indiana. The team at Red Line picked six-year-old barrels of MGP’s iconic high-rye bourbon mash of 75 percent corn, 21 percent rye, and only four percent malted barley. Those barrels were vatted and then bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lovely sweetness that arrives on the nose with a hint of burnt sugars and brown butter just starting to coalesce into caramel with a flake of salt and a sense of rum-raisin and an echo of charred oak. The palate leans into a light apple compote with a hint of plum and plenty of wintry spices next to vanilla and wicker before the warmth of the ABVs peak on the mid-palate. The end is soft and supple with a sense of spiced prune jam, old porch wicker, and allspice berries.
Bottom Line:
This is just a nice sipping whiskey. It’s easy and deep. You can’t ask for more.
Best Overall Bourbon
Southern Star Paragon Cask Strength Single Barrel Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This North Carolina bourbon is starting to make some serious waves. This very limited batch of single barrel bourbon is made from wheated bourbon mash bill with 70 percent corn, 16 percent wheat, and 14 percent malted barley. The juice was left for around four years before the barrel was hand-pocked and bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a sense of orange blossoms and apple orchard with a hint of pear and plum next to walnut shells, old honey bottles, and rich vanilla sauce with a hint of poppy seed. The palate has a touch of dark chocolate powder sweetness that melds with walnuts and honey to make a cluster before the brown spice kicks in with sharp cinnamon and a touch of root beer. The end leaves the spice and warmth behind for smooth vanilla walnut cake with a hint of apple-honey tobacco wrapped up with old cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This was freakin’ delicious. If you can get your hand on a bottle, buy two.
Recently, Ed Sheeran apparently asked The 1975 to open for him on tour. Matty Healy went ahead and turned down that offer, despite how massive it was financially. Now, he’s explained why.
“It’s difficult to be big and say — genuinely — that I have zero commercial ambition. There’s definitely a ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ kind of thing, which is where, listen, we’ve never known what to do and we’ve never tried to do anything. So the second we stop doing that, we’ll probably f*ck up. I tend to say no to stuff for money. I don’t know how you can write this up without it being rude or inappropriate, but I just got offered a four-month tour next year of stadiums with the biggest singer-songwriter in the world that would’ve made me money that I’ve never even seen or heard of in my life.”
The interviewer guessed he was talking about Sheeran and Healy confirmed, continuing, “Yeah. And I got offered to be main support and do whatever I want. Think about the money you think I’m getting offered — it’s not just offered, it’s what he can afford because of what he makes for shows — and then just triple it. It’s insane. The thing that’s stopped me just doing that is because — I don’t care. It’s not worth it. Not because I don’t like Ed Sheeran. I think he’s, in a lot of ways, a genius, and he does what he does better than anybody else. But opening up for somebody and not just being real, that’s the kind of stuff I think about.”
Say what you want about the unnecessary drama that some rap podcasts have a tendency to spark, but every so often, they also give fans fun peeks behind the curtains and even confirm long-held beliefs about their favorite artists and their music. Today, in the latest episode of one such insightful podcast, Paul Pod hosted by longtime Eminem manager Paul Rosenberg, Eminem himself validated a rumor about a planned sequel to his 2009 album Relapse, which spawned the No. 1 single “Crack A Bottle.”
The rumor was fueled by Eminem himself in a 2010 Billboard interview in which he said, “The new tracks started to sound very different than the tracks I originally intended to be on Relapse 2, but I still want the other stuff to be heard.” Unfortunately for the fans holding out hope that the album would eventually see the light of day on some Lost Tapes tip, Em also torpedoed that fantasy.
As he said on the podcast, “There’s probably enough to make another Relapse. There are a lot of songs that did not leak out from Relapse.” He’s referring to a pair of songs that leaked in 2019 and did not paint the pre-sobriety Em in the best light. And although fans urged him to put out that sequel project, he admitted, “They’re terrible songs, and if they didn’t even make the album on Relapse, and I feel how I feel about Relapse, then that should say something. There’s no Relapse 2.” Given he later returned to form with 2010’s Recovery, it’s probably best for all involved that those songs remain in the vault. Check out the podcast episode below.
Tasteless doesn’t even begin to describe a Manassas Virginia Country Club’s attempt at commemorating 9/11 with a special themed Patriot Day Seafood menu that included menu options like the Remeber-tini, Pentagon Pie, and 2977 Chowder. If you’re scratching your head at that last one, 2977 is a reference to the number of people who died during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, because that’s how families want their family members to be remembered… as chowder.
Virginia country club thought it was a good idea to have a 9/11 themed menu for this Sunday, September 11. The “2977 Chowder” appears to be a reference to the number of people killed. (Via @ProducerSass) pic.twitter.com/0vXYDWbSD6
The menu, which also included Freedom Flounder and Flight 93 Redirect (Hot Crab Dip with Crostini), belongs to The Clubhouse at Aquia Harbour and almost immediately received backlash from people who were justifiably angry at this poor attempt to commemorate 9/11. The menu has since been removed, and according to ABC News, the country club’s manager George White has posted an apology on Facebook that states:
“I apologize for those I offended with the 9/11 seafood Sunday post… My intention was to bring attention to that horrific day 21 years ago, to honor those who lost so much as well as those who gave everything that day. We will have a new theme tomorrow.”
A simple scan of the Aquia Harbour Facebook page reveals post after post of similarly tacky menus — though nowhere near as offensive — for each day of the week but this one will probably go down as the biggest swing and a miss the clubhouse has ever experienced. While the post is now gone (replaced with a football-themed menu, how American), the original lives on via social media, where people have expressed their disapproval.
Check out some of the baffled responses below.
Holy shit this is classless. Like I get it was 21 years ago but still. https://t.co/HpU8tDZsAZ
So I’m not going to retweet the picture of the menu of the Virginia country club that thought it was a good idea to have a 9/11 themed menu for this Sunday, September 11. Really bad idea.
This will go down as probably the worst reaction to the menu, it’s even more offense than the menu itself.
The words “crispy oven baked” and “first responder” being together on a literal 9/11 memorial food menu has me in a different dimension https://t.co/Ck0uT9eti2
re: that 9/11 themed seafood menu, it’s important to remember that while people are upset about it, they probably would’ve been equally upset if there was no 9/11 theming. they just think it was tacky
According to the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, CM Punk suffered a torn tricep in the main event of All Out against Jon Moxley and has been suspended for his role in an alleged altercation with the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega after the event. Meltzer adds that Punk’s injury puts him on the shelf for what is likely a 6-8 month recovery and Punk will join the Bucks, Omega, and others in suspension “pending the outcome of an independent investigation.”
The news comes a day after Tony Khan vacated both the AEW world heavyweight championship and the AEW trios belts.
The incident looms over Punk’s return to AEW mere weeks ago for his first two matches since winning the AEW world championship over Adam “Hangman” Page at Double or Nothing in June. At that point, he was forced to relinquish the belt after suffering a foot injury. Moxley stepped in to his place to run the show as the “interim” champion, winning a tournament that culminated at Forbidden Door and eventually beating Punk for the undisputed belt. This injury brings both of Punk’s title reigns to a little under a week total.
After the All Out main event, Punk hit the post-show press conference and immediately launch into a tirade against the EVPs of the show amid allegations he was responsible for sending former friend Colt Cabana to Ring of Honor. Punk and his longtime friend Ace Steel then allegedly brawled with the Bucks and Omega backstage.
In the aftermath of the alleged explosive altercation on Sunday night backstage at All Out, Omega, Nick and Matt Jackson, Pat Buck, Christopher Daniels, Michael Nakazawa, and Brandon Cutler have all been suspended, according to Justin Barrasso from Sports Illustrated.
On Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite, Death Triangle defeated Best Friends and Orange Cassidy to claim the vacant trios championship. The episode also featured Bryan Danielson defeated Hangman Page in the first round of the AEW Grand Slam Tournament of Champions, which will also involve Sammy Guevara vs. Darby Allin on Friday, Chris Jericho against Danielson next Wednesday, and Jon Moxley facing off against the winner of Allin-Guevara.
That tournament will culminate in two weeks on Dynamite and answers the immediate questions about how AEW will proceed, but there are still plenty of questions about the incident and the future of those involved with the promotion.
Joy Behar apparently has no problem with Olivia Wilde and Harry Styles getting together while filming the now scandal-ridden film, Don’t Worry Darling. The ladies of The View tackled the seemingly endless parade of headlines surrounding Wilde’s second directorial outing. When the conversation veered toward rumors that Styles was reportedly paid more than co-star Florence Pugh (which Wilde has refuted), Behar took it as an opportunity to defend the on-set romance.
“First of all, the director does not decide the salaries, the producer decides the salaries,” Behar said. “She may not have anything — she may have nothing to do with that. Number two: sleeping with your co-star. That’s been going on with men since silent movies.”
After some pushing from co-host Sunny Hostin, Behar admitted that maybe actor-director relationships are a bad idea, but it’s hard to deny human nature. She’s also not about to judge anyone for it.
“I mean, people meet each other at work,” Behar said. “And I don’t know if there’s a big power play there. If they want to hook up, I don’t think it’s my business.”
Behar’s comments arrive on the heels of Wilde attempting to steer the conversation away from “baseless rumors” and refocus attention towards the hard work of the cast and crew for Don’t Worry Darling. In a new interview with Vanity Fair, she shot down accusations that she hooked up with Styles while still with Jason Sudeikis.
The complete horsesh*t idea that I left Jason for Harry is completely inaccurate,” Wilde said. “Our relationship was over long before I met Harry. Like any relationship that ends, it doesn’t end overnight. Unfortunately, Jason and I had a very bumpy road, and we officially dissolved the relationship towards the beginning of the pandemic.”
Everyone likes to be comfortable but it’s a serious problem when that complacency slips into training. One surefire way to see diminishing returns with your workouts, or fall into a rut, is to do the same old exercises over and over again. The fundamental bodyweight exercises we all know — push-ups, pull-ups, squats, or lunges — are fundamental for a reason. They are great movements that address a number of muscles at the same time and they can be performed pretty much anywhere. But as effective as these exercises are, they can only take you so far.
They say that variety is the spice of life and this is also very true for a life of fitness. Not only that, but it is crucial to building a well-rounded and complete physique. But that doesn’t mean you have to entirely throw away your favorite bodyweight routine. In fact, you can achieve a great deal just by modifying those more traditional movements to target different muscle groups. So in that pursuit here are a few variations on both upper and lower body exercises that you can pull off with little to no equipment needed.
The traditional push-up is an exercise that works the pectoral muscles, shoulders, and anterior deltoids. By doing this triangle variation you add difficulty, adjust the part of the chest that’s targeted, and it also becomes one of the best tricep movements out there.
How To:
Get into a plank position, starting by lying face-down on the ground and placing the palms of your hands directly under your chest. The forefingers and thumbs together to form a triangle or diamond shape. Elbows should be close to your torso and pointing backward. Engage your core, thighs, and glutes as you push yourself away from the ground until your arms are almost extended. Bring yourself back down towards the starting position, with the back of your hands touching your inner chest before beginning the next rep.
Extra Credit:
Since this exercise requires your hands to be free, you can add difficulty by wearing a weighted vest like this one from 5.11 Tactical.
Instead of: Pull-Up — AROUND THE WORLD
Why:
The traditional pull-up is one of the best upper body workouts around, especially great for the shoulders, back, and arms. By doing this “around the world” variation you are strengthening the bicep in a greater way, by putting your full body weight on one arm at a time.
How To:
Grab onto the pull-up bar with a wide overhand grip outside of your shoulders. The starting position is called an active hang, with your feet off the ground and body extended. From this position pull your body weight up towards your right hand until the bar is at your chin, then keeping your body elevated slide over to your left hand. Bring your weight back down in a controlled manner, then repeat the movement but starting with your left hand.
Extra Credit:
Since this exercise requires your hands to be free, you can add difficulty by wearing a weighted vest like this one from 5.11 Tactical.
Instead of: Squat — PISTOL SQUAT
Why:
The traditional squat is one of the best ways to train your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Since your whole body is going in a fluid motion it is also great for your mobility and balance. Before moving onto this movement, the single-leg squat has the same principles but doesn’t require your leg to be parallel to the ground, making it more manageable. But by doing this pistol squat variation you will be building up strength, mobility, and especially your balance.
How To:
Begin by standing with your feet together under your shoulders. Extend your arms out in a straight line in front of you. Once you are set, lift your right leg up off the ground, keeping it in a straight line in front of you like your arms, and begin to lower your body with your weight on your left leg. Do this in a slow and controlled manner, keeping your core engaged and balanced. Continue to lower until your left leg is parallel to the ground, then slowly stand back up. Repeat for the other side.
Extra Credit:
Since this exercise requires your hands to be free, you can add difficulty by wearing a weighted vest like this one from 5.11 Tactical.
Instead of: Lunge — FORWARD LUNGE WITH ROTATION
Why:
The traditional lunge is another great exercise for the lower body, including the quads and glutes, that also promotes mobility to a greater extent than squats. This variation with an extra rotation adds an additional challenge to the balance and focus while loading your bodyweight onto each leg for a longer duration.
Not only that but it also addresses the obliques in a substantial way.
How To:
Begin with your feet hip-width apart and your arms extended in a straight line in front of you. Step forward with your left foot and drop slowly into a lunge position where your left thigh is parallel with the ground. Once there rotate your arms and torso over your left leg while keeping your posture straight. Rotate back to face forward and then step back into the starting position in a controlled manner. Repeat for the other side.
Extra Credit:
For those looking to take this exercise to the next level, try holding a sandbag or dumbbell during the entire movement, like the ones from Rogue.
Earlier today (September 8), Queen Elizabeth II died at 96 years old. Given how long the Queen had maintained a public presence, her passing prompted many reactions on social media, including from the music community.
Elton John, who Elizabeth knighted in 1998, wrote on social media today, “Along with the rest of the nation, I am deeply saddened to hear the news of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s passing. She was an inspiring presence to be around and led the country through some of our greatest and darkest moments with grace, decency and a genuine caring warmth. Queen Elizabeth has been a huge part of my life from childhood to this day, and I will miss her dearly.”
Duran Duran offered a lengthy post, writing, “Her Majesty the Queen has presided over the UK for longer than any other British monarch. She dedicated her life to the people and set an extraordinary example to the world throughout her reign. She’s seen changes that are beyond what any of us can imagine. She has faced challenges that she has risen to time and again. Her life has been remarkable in so many ways. We will all miss her and are grateful for the incredible service she gave to the people of Great Britain and the countries of the Commonwealth. We send our deepest condolence to the royal family. Her death brings to an end a long and unique chapter in the history of the United Kingdom and the world.”
Ozzy Osbourne also chimed in, “I mourn with my country the passing of our greatest Queen. With a heavy heart I say it is devastating the thought of England without Queen Elizabeth II.”
I mourn with my country the passing of our greatest Queen. With a heavy heart I say it is devastating the thought of England without Queen Elizabeth II pic.twitter.com/JZYXGRz2hb
Sad to hear of The Queen passing. I remember the street celebrations when she was crowned Queen. Always a staple of growing up in England. GSTQ- RIP pic.twitter.com/TEROdsZvGk
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