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Last year, Olivia Rodrigo‘s debut album Sour took her from Disney star to household name, racking up accolades, awards, and achievements that placed her firmly within the “superstar” category all while still a teen. Driven by the success of hit singles like “Drivers License,” “Deja Vu,” and “Good 4 U,” Sour was one of the most successful debut albums of the last handful of years, and fans are naturally impatiently curious to know when Olivia will follow it up.

It appears that Olivia’s been writing new songs since early this year, as she told Billboard in February. While she said she isn’t in a hurry to put them out, she did acknowledge how excited she was for her next release. “It’s really exciting to think about the next world that’s coming up for me,” she said. “I just love writing songs. I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself. [I want to] just sort of explore and have fun right now,” she said. She also told Elle magazine that the new album is “definitely not as sad as I was when I wrote Sour.”

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it’ll be anytime soon but the good news is that it appears she’s back in the studio with producer Dan Nigro, who produced the bulk of Sour, particularly fan favorites like “Traitor,” “Deja Vu,” and “Happier.” Rodrigo posted a photo of the two hanging out on her Instagram story on Tuesday, August 16, prompting a frenzy of speculation from fans. While there isn’t an official title or release date yet, you can bet they’ll be waiting with bated breath to see what she does next.

There has been a recent trend of celebrities angrily responding to criticism of their work online, which never really seems to work out in their favor. The latest celeb to jump on the trend is Amandla Stenberg, the star of A24’s new comedy slasher Bodies Bodies Bodies.

Stenberg intensely responded to a New York Times review of the film which called it a “95-minute advertisement for cleavage.” The actress didn’t like the phrasing of the review and decided to message the writer, Lena Wilson, on Instagram. “Your review was great,” Stenberg wrote in a DM that was shared on Wilson’s Twitter account. “Maybe if you had gotten your eyes off my tits you would’ve watched the movie!” This didn’t land well.

Wilson took to Twitter to share her response: “Hey, Amandla! Generally a big fan of your work, but this sure is something. Really wishing you well in your career and life. Have a nice night.” In order to clear the air and hopefully not cause more drama, Stenberg took to her Instagram to react, saying that she is “baffled” by people always commenting on her appearance and chest.

The actress says that she sent the message to be funny, and didn’t mean to cause drama, but she is “tired” of people talking about her chest. “The amount of commentary that I’ve received on my boobs is so extreme, and this has happened since I was a teenager.” Stenberg first rose to fame when she starred in The Hunger Games as a young tribute named Rue in 2012. “There seems to be a lot of unwarranted conversation around my chest that kind of baffles me.”

Stenberg finished the video by wishing Wilson the best, and saying that it’s important to hear criticism of her work. Bodies Bodies Bodies hit theaters last week, and also stars Maria Bakalova (breakout star from Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), Rachel Sennott, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Lee Pace, and Kim Kardashian’s ex, Pete Davidson.

Check out the full transcript of Stenberg’s video below:

I just thought I would get on here really quickly to say I’m receiving a lot of commentary on the internet for being a very naughty girl and sending a DM that I thought was hilarious. But basically, there is this film critic. Her name is Lena Wilson, and she writes for The New York Times, and she wrote a criticism of a movie that I just had come out called ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies,’ and she described in her review the movie as a ’95-minute advertisement for cleavage,’ which I thought was hilarious. I am proud that a piece of work that I was part of was described in such a renowned publication. That is a really unique experience that I get to have.

Alright, OK, listen, I thought it was hilarious. I thought because Lena is gay, I am also gay, I thought as gay people we would both find this comment funny. I was also curious to know what Lena would say to such a statement, but Lena decided to publish it and also say that I am homophobic for saying that. The intention of why I said that – and this is my experience as an actress – it’s quite surprising, I mean, it shouldn’t be surprising I guess at this point – the amount of commentary that I’ve received on my boobs is so extreme, and this has happened since I was a teenager.

I could literally be wearing a t-shirt, and just because of the size of my boobs, there will be some sort of sexualization or commentary on my chest. In this movie, I’m wearing a tank top, and I know that when I’m wearing a tank top, the result is there’s going to be some cleavage, because I have boobs. So I knew this comment was mostly directed towards me and I think Lena was trying to make a commentary about A24 sexualizing me, sexualizing my body, exploiting young women in order to sensationalize them in order to make their media more popular. I understand the angle. I can tell you that I wore this tank top in this movie because me and the costume designer thought that it fit the character well. And so I do get tired of people talking about my chest. It seems to be in Hollywood it’s not normal to have boobs that are above an A or a B cup. I’ve actually noticed this as my time as an actress. There seems to be a lot of unwarranted conversation around my chest that kind of baffles me. Anyways Lena, I thought your review was hilarious, I thought my DM was funny, I did not mean to harass you, I did not mean to wish you any harm. You are allowed to make criticisms of my work, and I am allowed to have my criticisms of your work, and that is A-OK with me. And I wish you the best. Anyways, thank you, guys. Thanks to anyone who has gone to see our 95-minute advertisement for cleavage.

(Via IndieWire)

Kanye West has been known for some unconventional rollouts in the past, but the way he insisted his latest Yeezy Gap collaboration be sold has even his staunchest fans flabbergasted. Kanye’s latest collection has his clothing clumped together in massive garbage bags on shop floors rather than hung or folded neatly on shelves. A now-viral tweet from a customer asserts that a sales associate explained, “Ye got mad when he saw they had it on hangers and this is how he wanted it. They won’t help you find ur size too, you just have to just dig through everything.”

Naturally, the question on everyone’s minds is: Why? However, it doesn’t appear that an answer is forthcoming. During a recent appearance on Fox & Friends, which normally loves to hate on rappers but seems to be making an exception for the Trump-supporting Kanye, the rebellious rapper said, “Look, man: I’m an innovator, and I’m not here to sit up and apologize about my ideas. That’s exactly what the media tries to do: Make us apologize for any idea that doesn’t fall under exactly the way they want us to think.” Not exactly an answer.

For what it’s worth, Kanye’s sometimes outrageous approach to doing things often flies in the face of tradition, but often becomes standard operating practice down the line. For instance, when he released The Life Of Pablo to streaming services only partially completed in 2016 and spent the next year or so tweaking things to his liking, he angered some fans who believed he was short-changing them. However, in recent months, stars like Lizzo and Beyonce updated their albums post-release to clean up some questionable language when fans protested. Since then, he’s innovated album releases further by putting out Donda 2 exclusively on his stem player device.

Could this spell the end of clothes hangers and dressed-up mannequins at retail? It probably depends on how well this strategy works out. As CNN points out, though, brick-and-mortar stores have been pretty consistently losing business in the face of online shopping, which is much more convenient. Ironically enough, when you buy clothes online, guess how they arrive. That’s right: In a bag.

Just like the Beastie Boys taught us, the internet is ready to fight for the right to party. Only in this case, it’s for Sanna Marin, the 36-year-old prime minister of Finland, who has been getting dragged by critics for committing the apparently cardinal sin of… dancing and have fun in her free time? After someone leaked a video of Marin at a private party, her detractors have been demanding everything from a drug test to a full-on resignation.

“This is the Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin. Some been saying she’s cool… maybe among other teenagers. But a responsible leader for a country in crisis? She is by far the most incompetent PM we ever had. Knows nothing,” Finnish talk show host Aleksi Valavuori tweeted. “Please take your leather jacket and resign. Thanks.”

“Just for the sake of the discussion in public, it would be wise if the Prime Minister @MarinSanna voluntarily went through a drug screening, the results of which would be made public by an independent body. The people are also allowed to expect this from their prime minister,” tweeted Finnish parliament member Mikko Kärnä.

However, Sanna is already pushing back on the “scandal” and defending her pretty normal actions from critics. Via Mediaite:

“I have danced, sung, celebrated, done legal things,” she said. “I have a family life, I have a work life and I have free time to spend with my friends,” she added. “Pretty much the same as many people my age.”

Naturally, the internet thinks it’s awesome that Marin is out living her life, and numerous people rushed to defend her on Twitter. In fact, several wished this was the only “scandal” happening in their own countries.

(Via Mediaite)

This article originally appeared on 02.08.22

One the more mysterious aspects of being human is our sense of intuition. This “sixth sense” isn’t something we can see or measure, but many people have experienced it in some form or fashion. Maybe it comes as a strong feeling that something isn’t right, or that we or someone else should or shouldn’t do something. It can be hard to read—not every feeling we get is truly our intuition—but there are plenty of examples of people trusting their instincts and being glad they did.

One such story has gone viral on TikTok. Jessica Higgs, a mom who works as an Instacart grocery delivery person, shared a story in an emotional video that illustrates the importance of listening to that inner voice when it prompts you to make sure someone is OK.

“I just want to start this off by saying if you see something, say something,” Higgs said.

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She explained how she had done an Instacart order the previous day for a daughter who was ordering for her older dad who couldn’t shop for himself. She said she was going the extra mile like she always does for her customers, and that the daughter told her to just drop the groceries on the porch and he’d get them. That’s what Higgs would usually do.

“I get there and something was telling me no, you gotta help this man out,” she said. “He came out, and I was like OK let me help you, and I got the groceries. You’re not supposed to go into someone’s house, but I used my judgment and I brought the groceries inside and put them down wherever he wanted me to put them down. You’re not supposed to, but I did. And you’re supposed to just take a picture and leave, and I could not just leave.”

@jessicahiggs3

@Instacart #28DaysOfEucerin #fyp

Higgs noticed that the man looked really sick and she was really concerned. A voice in her head said, “You gotta say something. You gotta say something, Jess.” Rather than mark the order as complete, she messaged the man’s daughter and told her that it was really unprofessional to say something like this, but she felt like her dad wasn’t doing well. “There’s a propane tank in there,” she told the woman. “I was in there maybe five feet and I got dizzy. There’s got to be a leak. He might not be doing good because of this leak.”

The woman said she would send her son over to check it out and Higgs left. The woman changed her tip from $14 to $100, which Higgs appreciated, but the message she sent her the next morning was a much greater reward for her going the extra mile.

“Thank you so much, once my son went to check on my dad it turned out it was definitely leaking,” she wrote. “You definitely saved my dad and my younger son’s life!!!”

Through tears, Higgs said, “I’m just an Instacart worker, but if you see something, say something. I did and I’m so happy I did.”

Higgs’ TikTok has been viewed more than 15 million times and has been shared widely on social media. It has also attracted the attention of big companies.

Royal Caribbean Cruises shared a TikTok video of its own praising Higgs for her heroic act and offering her and her family a seven-day cruise anywhere in the world. “Cause even heroes need a vacation,” the company wrote.

@royalcaribbean

Stitch with @jessicahiggs3 – cause even heroes need a vacation. Thanks @captaincruiseguy

Old Navy connected with her and arranged a shopping spree where she got to model several new outfits. People Magazine commented, “You’re literally a HERO! Good job trusting your instincts. 💕” Even TikTok itself wrote, “You are amazing ❤️thank you for sharing this with all of us.”

Lots of commenters also pointed out that she’s not “just an Instacart worker.” Her work is important, she’s providing a needed service and any job done in a spirit of helping others should not be minimized. If she hadn’t been there doing her job well, that man may not be here. Never underestimate the difference each of us can make by the simple act of looking out for one another, friend and stranger alike.

Higgs’ heartfelt story touched millions, and she’s being rightly rewarded for listening to her heart and going out of her way to help someone. Gotta love seeing good things come to people doing good. Well done, Jessica Higgs.

This article originally appeared on 05.11.22

Imagine retiring early and spending the rest of your life on a cruise ship visiting exotic locations, meeting interesting people and eating delectable food. It sounds fantastic, but surely it’s a billionaire’s fantasy, right?

Not according to Angelyn Burk, 53, and her husband Richard. They’re living their best life hopping from ship to ship for around $100 a night, depending on the cruise. “Cruise costs vary quite a bit, our goal is to average about $100 per night, for the couple, or less across and entire calendar year,” Richard told Upworthy.

The Burks have called cruise ships their home since May 2021 and have no plans to go back to their lives as landlubbers. Angelyn took her first cruise in 1992 and it changed her goals in life forever.

“Our original plan was to stay in different countries for a month at a time and eventually retire to cruise ships as we got older,” Angelyn told 7 News. But a few years back, Angelyn crunched the numbers and realized they could start much sooner than expected.

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“We love to travel and we were searching for a way to continuously travel in our retirement that made financial sense,” she said. They looked into deals they could find through loyalty memberships and then factored in the potential sale price of their home and realized their dream was totally affordable.

The rough math makes sense. If the couple hits their goal of spending $100 per night to live on a cruise ship, that’s $36,500 a year. Currently, the average price of a home in Tukwila, Washington—where the couple has a house—is about $607,000. Let’s say you moved there today, put down 20% and financed the rest, the mortgage would cost you around $44,000 a year.

Plus, on a cruise ship, the couple doesn’t have to pay for groceries.

The Burks are able to live their dream because they’ve spent a lifetime being responsible. “We have been frugal all our lives to save and invest in order to achieve our goal,” she says. “We are not into materialistic things but experiences.”

Angelyn says that cruising takes the stress out of travel. “It is leisurely travel without the complications of booking hotels, restaurants, and transportation while staying within our budget,” she told 7 News. The couple travels lightly with just two suitcases between them and if they need anything, they just buy it on the ship or in the next port.

The one thing to consider before embarking on a never-ending cruise is COVID-19. The coronavirus is easily spread in close quarters and a cruise ship that recently docked in Seattle had 100 people on board who tested positive for the virus. The CDC recommends that people get vaccinated before going on a cruise and that immunocompromised people should consult with their physicians before traveling.

Richard told Upworthy that he believes COVID-19 safety is still very important and has had both his shots and a booster. “I would suggest wearing a mask at all times when out in public no matter whether on a ship, in a movie theater, at a restaurant or even meeting with friends inside or outside,” he said.

After leaving their jobs and the mainland behind, the Burks completed a 21-day cruise via the Panama canal. They look forward to a 50-day cruise around the Adriatic Sea, taking in the sights of Europe, as well as a 51-day cruise from Seattle to Sydney, Australia.

The Burks’ favorite destinations, no matter how they get there, are Italy, Canada, Iceland and the Bahamas, but their ultimate favorite is Singapore.

Looking to give it all up and go on a permanent vacation just like the Burks? Angelyn has some advice for those wanting to get started.

This article was updated on May 17, 2022, after a conversation with Richard Burk.

The hosts of our podcast, “Upworthy Weekly” had a pretty funny take on the story.

This article originally appeared on 01.28.22

Nothing can ever fully prepare you for being an adult. Once you leave childhood behind, the responsibilities, let-downs and setbacks come at you fast. It’s tiring and expensive, and there’s no easy-to-follow roadmap for happiness and success.

A Reddit user named u/Frequent-Pilot5243 asked the online forum, “What’s an adult problem nobody prepared you for?” and there were a lot of profound answers that get to the heart of the disappointing side of being an adult.

One theme that ran through many responses is the feeling of being set adrift. When you’re a kid, the world is laid out as a series of accomplishments. You learn to walk, you figure out how to use the bathroom, you start school, you finish school, maybe you go to college, and so on.

However, once we’re out of the school system and out from under our parents’ roofs, there is a vast, complicated world out there and it takes a long time to learn how it works. The tough thing is that if you don’t get a good head start, you can spend the rest of your life playing catch-up.

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Then, you hit middle age and realize that life is short and time is only moving faster.

Adulthood also blindsides a lot of people because we realize that many adults are simply children who grew older. The adult world is a lot more like high school than a teenager could ever imagine.

The Reddit thread may seem a bit depressing at first, but there are a lot of great lessons that younger people can take to heart. The posts will also make older people feel a lot better because they can totally relate.

Being an adult is hard, exhausting and expensive. But we’re all in this together and by sharing the lessons we’ve learned we can help lighten each other’s load just a bit.

Here are 21 of the most powerful responses to the question: “What is an adult problem nobody prepared you for?”

1. Lack of purpose

“Lack of purpose. All your young life you are given purpose of passing exams and learning, then all of a sudden you are thrown into the world and told to find your own meaning,” — Captain_Snow.

2. No bed time

“You can stay up as late as you want. But you shouldn’t,” — geek-fit

3. Friendships

“Where did all my friends go?” — I_Love_Small_Breasts

Most of them are at the same place as you are … Probably wondering the same thing,” — Blackdraon003

4. Bodily changes

“I’m closer to fifty than forty, would have been nice to be better prepared for some of the ways your body starts to change at this point that don’t normally get talked about. For instance your teeth will start to shift from general aging of your gums,” — dayburner.

5. People don’t change

“Didnt know that other adults have the emotional intelligence of teenagers and its almost impossible to deal with logically,” — Super-Progress-6386

6. Money

“$5K is a lot to owe, but not a lot to have,” — Upper-Job5130

7. Our parents age, too

“Handling the decline and death of your parents,” – Agave666

8. Free time

“Not having a lot of free-time or time by myself,” — detective_kiara

9. No goals

“Not having a pre-defined goal once I was out of college. Growing up my goals were set for me: get through elementary school! then middle school! Then high school, and get into college and get a degree, then get a job, and then…? Vague “advance in your career, buy a house, find a spouse, have a kid or multiple, then retire.” At 22 I had no idea how to break that down more granularly,” — FreehandBirdlime

10. Constant upkeep

“Life is all about maintenance. Your body, your house, your relationships, everything requires constant never ending maintenance,” — IHateEditedBGMusic

11. Exhaustion

“Being able to do so many things because I’m an adult but too tired to do any of them,” — London82

12. Loneliness

“Being an adult feels extremely lonely,” — Bluebloop0

13. Dinner

“Having to make dinner every. Fucking. Day,” — EndlesslyUnfinished

14. Time changes

“The more life you’ve lived, the faster time seems to go,” — FadedQuill

15. You’re responsibile, even if you didn’t mean it

“You are held to account for bad behaviour for which you are negligent even if you had no intention to cause harm. As a lawyer, I see this all the time. People don’t think they’re responsible for mistakes. You are,” — grishamlaw

16. Work is like high school

“The intricacies of workplace politics,” — Steve_Lobsen writes. “

“When you’re in school, you think that you won’t have to deal with gossiping and bullying once you leave school. Unfortunately, that is not true,” — lady_laughs_too_much

17. Nowhere to turn

“How easy it is to feel stuck in a bad situation (job, relationship, etc) just because the cost and effort of getting out can seem daunting. And sometimes you just have to accept a figurative bowl full of shit because you can’t afford to blow up your life,” — movieguy95453

18. The happiness question

“Figuring out what makes you happy. Everyone keeps trying to get you to do things you’re good at, or that makes you money, but never to pursue what you enjoy,” — eternalwanderer5

19. Constant cleaning

“The kitchen is always dirty. You’ll clean it at least three times every day,” — cewnc

20. Life costs money

“One adult problem nobody prepared me for is how expensive everything is. I always thought that as an adult I would be able to afford the things I wanted, but it turns out that’s not always the case! I’ve had to learn how to budget and save up for the things I want, and it’s been a difficult process,” — Dull_Dog_8126

21. Keeping above water

“All of it together. I was relatively warned about how high rent is, car bills and repairs, how buying healthy food is expensive as hell but important for your health, how to exercise and save what you can, my parents did their best to fill in my knowledge about taxes and healthcare and insurance that my schooling missed, about driving and cleaning a household, about setting boundaries at work but working hard and getting ahead if you can, about charity and what it means to take care of a pet and others, about being a good partner if you were lucky enough to have one, about how dark and messed up the world is when you just read the news and what all that means to me and my community… I was reasonably warned about all of it.

“No one could have ever prepared me for how hard doing all of it at the same time and keeping your head above that water would actually be,” — ThatNoNameWriter

UPROXX Sessions is back with another new performance from dark pop New Jersey artist Danny Maisonneuve, aka Sub Urban. With his debut single “Cradles” amassing over half a billion streams on Spotify and TikTok virality, the 22-year-old singer-songwriter is a pop-punk fan favorite and multi-hyphenate known for writing and producing his projects.

Today, the alternative electronic pop artist joins UPROXX Sessions to perform “Bandit,” from his debut album Hive. His live rendition of Hive’s second track is ominous, paired with his signature whisper-tone and fiddly dance moves. Decked out in relaxed plaid suiting, fitting for a Tim Burton production and with lyrics like “swimming through sand, the desert’s candid, the dunes will rule,” Sub Urban brings listeners into a mysterious and folk-ridden universe.

Watch Sub Urban perform “Bandit” 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.

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

Costco’s pizza is a classic at this point. The superstore has been serving pizza by the slice and carry-out since 1989. While they’ve discontinued their Supreme pie in a lot of markets, their Cheese and Pepperoni slices and pies are still hugely popular. In fact, if you tally the numbers, Costco is one of the biggest pizza chains in the country (seriously) with around 700 stores nationwide. People like and maybe even love their Costco carry-out.

But how does it stand up against iconic delivery pies that you don’t need to trek to Costco to pick up? That’s what we’re trying to find out.

For this tasting (it’s not exactly “blind” because it’s immediately obvious at first sight which pie is which), I’m stacking Costco’s classic pepperoni against a large pepperoni from Domino’s and the same from Papa John’s. All the pies are large with standard crusts, cheese, and sauce. Any extras would be an unfair advantage against the Costco pie. While I’d like to add a Brooklyn crust from Domino’s, it’d just be too different from the others to not completely stand out (and likely win).

For the adjudicating, I’m tasting each slice and judging based on crust (doughy, crispy, well-seasoned?), sauce (too bland, too sweet, good spice?), cheese (too gooey, too plasticky, good flavor?), and pepperoni (good spice, not too greasy, nice texture?) with an overall grade for cohesiveness. If that sounds complicated, it isn’t, this is pizza, not rocket science.

The pizza in play:

• Costco Pepperoni Pizza
• Domino’s Large Pepperoni Pizza (Hand-tossed crust)
• Papa John’s Large Pepperoni Pizza (Original crust)

Let’s see how these delivery pies stand up to Costco’s carry-out!

Part 1: The Tasting/Ranking

3. Papa John’s Large Pepperoni Pizza (Original crust) — Taste 3

Price: $15.69 + $4.75 delivery fee (!) + tax and tip

Size and Slices: 14″, 8 slices

The Pizza

Papa John’s rises their dough for three days in a cold walk-in. The crust is rolled out before saucing with (a lot of) Papa John’s own tinned tomato sauce. The white cheese mix is likely some combination of low-moisture mozzarella, provolone, and fontina or asiago (they don’t really say much). The pepperoni is standard stuff. The pie is baked at 483°F for exactly 7.5 minutes.

Blind Tasting Notes:

The crust was pretty bland. It really felt like those frozen pie crusts you get at the grocery store with a slight plastic vibe. It was also the densest crust by far that was mostly chewy and barely crispy at the rim. The sauce was a lot but somehow the most flavorless (maybe that’s why they use so much?). There was a hint of sweet and tinniness but little else. Maybe there was the idea of tomato in there after a bite or two. The cheese was very plasticky and sort of clumped more than it pulled. It was just plain. The pepperoni was fine, crispy, etc., but that was sort of besides the point in the end.

This is a big “meh…” with a full rotation shoulder shrug from me.

Bottom Line

This wasn’t worth the $4.75 delivery fee much less the $15 price tag! Seriously, this was the most expensive by far and not even close to the other two. Hard pass.

Find your nearest Papa John’s here.

2. Costco Pepperoni Pizza — Taste 1

Price: $9.95 + tax

Size and Slices: 18″, 12 slices

The Pizza

This is a made-to-order pie. The crust is raised for over 24 hours (overnight). The whole thing is measured out by computer for exactness from pie to pie with nearly two pounds of cheese (mozzarella, provolone, and ten-month-aged shredded parmesan), 60 slices of pepperoni, and a tinned pizza sauce. The pie is cooked in about six minutes via a conveyor belt oven.

Blind Tasting Notes:

The crust is very chewy but does have a decent crumb and balance of bready flavor. The sauce is sweet but not sugary sweet. There’s a hint of tomato umami with a dash of onion and garlic spice/sweetness in the sauce. Overall, the sauce is okay. The cheese is very chewy and a tad plasticky. It’s nice but doesn’t really have a good pull and feels more clumpy than stringy. Still, the flavor is there, if not the texture. The pepperoni is nice, crispy on the edges with a soft interior. There’s a nice chili/peppery/smoky spiciness with a hint of onion and dried chili.

The overall slice is very cohesive and not nearly as soupy as the cheese pizza from Costco.

Bottom Line

There’s a good balance to these slices. The cheese is the only real downer on the slice with the crust feeling real albeit a little too chewy and barely crispy at the rim.

Find your nearest Costco here.

1. Domino’s Large Pepperoni Pizza (Hand-tossed crust) — Taste 2

Price: $12.99 + tax and tip

Size and Slices: 14″, 8 slices

The Pizza

Domino’s Hand-Tossed crusts rise for three days in a walk-in cooler before they’re, you guessed it, hand-tossed for baking. Those pies are covered in Domino’s own red sauce, a mix of white cheeses (mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and white cheddar), and handfuls of pepperoni. The pies are baked in a fast conveyor belt oven in about four minutes (or less).

Blind Tasting Notes:

The crust is immediately better. It has a nice chew to it with a great crumb. This feels like real bread that’s properly airy. Plus, the rim crust is well-seasoned with garlic butter, and that puts this pizza over the top immediately. The sauce is not too sweet and not too… well, anything. There’s a hint of spice and it’s well seasoned, but that tomato bite is very hard to find. It’s okay but very, “meh.” The cheese, on the other hand, is very tasty, has a great pull/stretch, and stays stringy for the whole slice. It feels sort of classic. The pepperoni is definitely spicier with a nice crispy edge and soft middle. There’s a good level of fat but it’s not greasy.

This is a really good, simple slice.

Bottom Line

That garlic seasoning on the crust put this over the top. It’s like a little nibble of garlic bread at the end of your slice. Genius? Overall, this was just better but was lacking in the sauce department. Still, that’s only one major fault.

Find your nearest Domino’s here.

Part 2: Final Thoughts

Papa John’s ended up being $25 all-in compared to Domino’s $20 and Costco’s $12.14 (after tax). Costco 100% wins the best value by far. It’s a perfectly good pizza with okay crust and mediocre-to-fine cheese. The rest is perfectly good for what it is.

Yes, the Domino’s slice was better overall, but we’re talking $2.50/slice after tax and tip for delivery. A slice from the Costco pie is only $1.01. Basically, you’re paying $1.49 for delivery. Economics aside, the slices aren’t that much different. Yes, the Domino’s slice is better overall but it’s not nearly as big a gap between Costco and Domino’s as Papa John’s and everything else.

Ideally, I’d take Domino’s crust and cheese with Costco’s sauce and pepp and bake that a little bit longer like the Costco pie. That’s the sweet spot.

Blondshell is a quickly rising act who has been demanding attention with sprawling songs like this new one, “Sepsis.” “I’m going back to him / I know my therapist’s pissed,” she sings, opening the track with her signature acerbic charm, “We both know he’s a dick / At least it’s the obvious kind.”

Against warped, reverb-drenched guitars, Sabrina Teitelbaum’s deadpan vocals are spellbinding as she grapples with self-destructive tendencies and disillusionment. It proves that she can keep up the momentum after the great tracks “Kiss City” and “Olympus.” The build-up is cathartic and explosive, similar to Porridge Radio’s, who she’ll be touring with this fall.

“In the thick of COVID, I became obsessed with Hole’s song ‘Doll Parts’ and it inspired me to write something cathartic and pissed,” Teitelbaum said of the track. “I wrote ‘Sepsis’ as a way of getting anger out — anger towards people who have treated me as if I didn’t deserve very much care and anger towards myself for accepting that treatment. I wanted to create some accountability with this song and also sing about the counterproductive nature of trying to outrun loneliness. Most importantly I wanted to give myself permission to be as dramatic as possible and say aloud that I’m afraid bad feelings might actually kill me.”

Listen to “Sepsis” above.