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The Better Call Saul Lie Detector Test is a weekly recap of the major events of the final season, separated out by their apparent truthfulness at the time. This is not one of those recaps that gets into granular detail about things. It will miss the occasional callback or foreshadowing. But it will be fun. Sometimes, that’s what’s important.

Season 6, Episode 3: “Rock and Hard Place”

There was a way out for Nacho

When did you realize this was not going to end well for Nacho? Specifically, I mean, like this situation. Was it when he briefly escaped the Cousins by submerging himself in gross discarded oil? Was it when he called his dad in tears for a pained goodbye? Was it when he laid out the plan to Gus, or when Mike poured the drinks, or when everyone met out in the unforgiving desert to settle it all once and for all? Or did you think, even then, that he’d find a way to slither out of it all once again?

I was bouncing back and forth all episode. I figured bad times were coming for Nacho, soon to soon-ish, only because he was up against both the Salamancas and Gus and he didn’t really have an ally out there beyond Mike, who was only an ally in the sense that he helped Nacho go out on his own terms after beating his face in a bit so it looked real. This was never going to end well for him. It couldn’t have. It shouldn’t have, really. People get punished for their actions in this universe. The only character who made it out of Breaking Bad, really, was Jesse Pinkman, and even he only got away after living in a cage for a while to cook meth for Nazis. It was not, in any substantial way, ideal.

But still, sad. That phone call with his dad is going to stick with me for a while. Some of the characters on this show are bad dudes, with Gus being the primary example. Nacho always struck me as more of a decent dude who made bad decisions. That’s relatable. I can understand that, even if I don’t, like, support working for/with a violent drug cartel. I’m glad he went out his own way, I’m glad he got to tell some people off, and I’m glad he was probably able to protect his dad in the process, but mostly I’m just sad.

Words are important

I don’t have the stats in front of me and I’m not going to hunt them down on my own but I’d wager good money that this episode used fewer words than about 80-90 percent of all other episodes of scripted television. Including half-hour comedies. This sucker opened with nine full minutes — riveting minutes — without a single word. Think about that a little bit. The whole thing had a 45-minute runtime, the last few minutes of which featured the death of a prominent and sympathetic figure, and they just had no dialogue at all for the first 20 percent of the proceedings. That’s… it’s kind of incredible.

It helps that everyone involved here is very good at their jobs. The long opening shot at the beginning with the desert and the flower and the rain and the mysterious piece of glass, all of which seemed to be saying something, and then by the end of the episode very much did. There’s a confidence here. I feel like I’m in good hands watching the shows. These people know what they’re doing and if I give them space/time to do it, we’ll all be okay. That’s a cool feeling.

It also helps that the episode’s most loquacious character didn’t appear until the 18th minute of the commercial-free runtime. That’s a little hilarious. We’ll come back to this. The point is that I don’t know of another show that does more explaining with less actual telling. The degree of difficulty is high here. It’s all pretty cool.

Mike is having a lot of fun

Mike is a conundrum. On one hand, he’s an okay guy. He has a code. There’s honor in the way he does what he does. I think the show kind of wants us to like him, which is why they didn’t actually show him beating Nacho’s face like an old catcher’s mitt, and why Mike gave that speech — one sentence counts as a speech for Mike — about how anyone would have to go through him to get to Nacho’s dad. And yes, of course, the glass thing, which helped Nacho avoid a slow and painful death in the event things went sideways. Helpful. A nice gesture.

But also… not great. The “not my call” thing was weird, especially with it being right up against his vow to protect Nacho’s dad, like Mike is picking and choosing spots to stare down Gus. Which he is, I guess. He just seems to not be enjoying any of this at all (to the extent Mike enjoys anything), and it’s the only part of this that rings weird to me given that he’s still doing all of this once we get to Breaking Bad. On another show, one that isn’t a prequel, this would all be leaning toward Mike going half-Wick on his employers and the cartel. And yet, still, somehow, I love Mike. I cannot and will not explain this to you or anyone.

It would be really funny if they do just alter the whole timeline and have him kill Gus, though. I would respect it, if only for the shouting and chaos. It would ruin both shows, probably, and would be so weird, but I think that part of it would be fun. For me. Which is important.

Kim is getting out of this with her life and/or soul

Let’s check in with Kim Wexler:

• Advocating the riskiest alternative in their car-based flimflammery operation against Howard Hamlin
• Correcting the prosecutor who kept saying “Jimmy” by dropping a kind of smart-ass “He practices under the name Saul now”
• Explaining Saul’s option to him by saying he could be a friend to the cartel “or a rat”

Kim is loving this. Maybe too much. I said this last week mostly in jest but I’m going to say it a teeny bit more seriously now: There’s a little Walter White in her actions this season. She’s getting the same little twinkle in her eye when she’s planning evil stuff. I still don’t think she ends up dying, only because she’s never mentioned in Breaking Bad and the people who make this show would never leave that kind of loose string dangling, but I can see a few ways that she isn’t in New Mexico anymore. Or at least not practicing law.

Bad times are coming for Kim. I don’t know how bad yet, but they’re coming. It’s going to suck a lot.

I could watch an entire episode that’s nothing but Mike putting stuff together and/or taking stuff apart

I’m pretty sure on this one. I like watching him do this stuff. A part of me suspects I could watch 45 straight minutes of him taking apart a car and putting it back together in complete silence. That might be hyperbole, though. I might get bored as hell after about a half-hour. It might help if he had a partner who could occasionally respond to his grunts, just to break things up.

Let’s go with… oh, let’s say Sydney Sweeney. As herself. In Better Call Saul. Cranking on cars with Mike. This is a good idea.

(It is not a good idea.)

Nacho’s dad is probably okay

I need to be clear about two things here:

• I suspect Nacho’s dad will survive now, mostly because of Mike’s declaration, although Gus is so cold and brutal that I could see a scenario where he circles around Mike to do it anyway
• If anything happens to him, I will not get out of bed for a week

Please. I’m begging you. Leave him alone. I know what I signed up for here. I know most of these monsters are staring down a violent or sad end. I’m fine with that. Just let me have this one thing. I need it. Thank you

It would be good to know somebody like Huell

Yes, of course, I mean this in the “it would be nice to know a guy who is capable of lifting car keys off a valet and knows a key guy who can make a copy and a makeshift keyfob out of a disconnected cell phone keypad” way, because, like, you never know what kind of situations you’ll find yourself in as your life unfolds. Better to have this guy around just in case than finding yourself needing a guy like this with no one to call.

But, mostly, I mean you need someone in your life who will watch you plan out some elaborate and illegal car key ruse for as-yet-unclear purposes and will pull you aside and say, “Look, I’ll do this if you really want me to, it’s what I do, but… what the hell are you doing here, buddy?” Those people are worth their weight in gold. Even if it’s, like, a lot of gold. Huell is the best. Give him a spin-off next.

That guy at the garage was a pretty good dude

To recap:

• Saw a strange man hosing oil off of his entire body outside his garage
• Brought the strange man a towel
• Let him use the phone

Just a real solid dude here. I was terrified something bad was going to happen to him. Acts of kindness are rarely rewarded on this show. I hope he finds Nacho’s dad and they bond overrunning small businesses and they become best friends. Maybe they could vacation together. I don’t know. I’m just spitballing here.

It is wild that Saul Goodman is now like the fourth or fifth most intriguing character on the show that has his name in the title

Take a minute later and think about this one, after you think about the other stuff I said to think about. We have one of the most popular characters from an all-time great show, in a spinoff that has his name in the title, one that goes back in time to tell everyone how he became the flashy criminal lawyer we all saw and loved… and he straight-up did not appear in a pivotal final season episode for the first 18 minutes. I counted. That’s a little crazy, right?

It’s not a complaint, though. Probably the opposite. Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan have built a world so littered with fascinating characters that they can just burn off an hour with their alleged main character doing not much more than a car shenanigan or two. Yes, there was the Lalo business with the suspicious prosecutor, but still. Mike, Kim, Nacho, Lalo, all of them have more intriguing stories right now. Some of that is because we don’t know where most of them end up yet. But a bigger part is that… I mean, it’s just a good show.

Better Call Saul. Good show. Heard it here first.

Pharrell Williams‘ Something In The Water festival will relocate from his hometown Virginia Beach, Virginia to Washington DC this June. This year will mark the second iteration of the festival, following its inaugural festival in 2019.

The festival takes place along Independence Avenue in DC on June 17-19, coinciding with Juneteenth. On the lineup is an eclectic selection of acts, including Lil Baby, Pusha T, Chloe x Halle, Tyler The Creator, Run The Jewels, Omar Apollo, Snoh Allegra, Ozuna, Dave Matthews Band, and more.

Williams opted not to return to Virginia Beach last year, due to “toxic energy” from the city’s mayor and local government. The fallout is a result of inaction following the shooting of Williams’ cousin, Donovon Lynch, by Virginia Beach police.

Williams said in a statement:

“Something in the Water is a Black solution (LOVE) for a systemic issue, and this year we are taking our celebration to a higher platform—the nation’s Capital during Juneteenth Weekend. We want to show the world that there is Something in the Water across the whole DMV and I want to continue to bring awareness to the greatness within these communities and invite large corporations to show up for the people. DC has always been a deep inspiration to me as a person and a musician. It is the land where Go-Go Music was birthed which has provided so much for our people. Our sponsors continue to go the extra mile to show that Something in the Water is so much more than a festival. The goodwill we generate is a defining trait of who we are. We will always have the hottest artists, but to pair that energy with these brands showing up for the community is what makes this festival a vehicle for change.”

General on-sale for the festival begins this Saturday, April 30. Past festival-goers will have access to an exclusive pre-sale beginning Wednesday. Virginia residents will have access to a “Virginia Locals Only” presale taking place Friday, April 29 beginning at 10 a.m. ET through 5 p.m. ET.

“If you’re celebrating music, if you’re celebrating Black excellence, if you’re drawing attention to the people who have dedicated their lives to knocking down barriers and uplifting our communities — then there is no better place to do that than in Washington, DC,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser in a statement “We are proud to be working with Pharrell to bring Something In The Water to DC for Juneteenth weekend. DC is open and we are ready to celebrate.”

Check out the full line-up below.

Some of the artists mentioned are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

When Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty was announced, there was a lot of fanfare and excitement over HBO’s dramatization of Jeff Pearlman’s book, Showtime, starring John C. Reilly. However, for the most part the show has gotten a fairly tepid response from basketball fans, in part due to it premiering in the midst of the NBA Playoffs, pitting the show about basketball up against real, live basketball when it airs live.

While it hasn’t registered as HBO may have hoped with basketball fans, one of the best things going for the show is how mad it has made everyone it is about. Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and just about every other former Laker has denounced the show’s depiction of the team, but no one has been madder about it than Jerry West. Seemingly every day there is a new quote from West ripping the show for making him into a cartoonishly angry man — and, in fairness, the first few episodes do really make him seem like an insane person — but even as his character on the show has grown and become more of a human being, West won’t let it go.

The latest comes from the Los Angeles Times, which reports West telling former editor Bill Dwyre that he wants to take the show’s creators to the Supreme Court (!!!) for their crimes of…belittling the Showtime Lakers?

“The series made us all [the Lakers] look like cartoon characters,” West told Dwyre. “They belittled something good. If I have to, I will take this all the way to the Supreme Court.”

Listen, I understand why Jerry West is mad, but it’s hard to stress how much worse he makes it when he offers up quotes like this. This is a show that seems to have a fairly modest following and, in time, figured to get swallowed up by whatever was the next big thing. This isn’t a The Last Dance situation where it was a cultural moment and would create lasting memes we’d be referencing years later, but every time West gets mad and makes a headline about the show, it only makes more people want to tune in to see why exactly this man is so mad.

My advice to West is this, just let it go as hard as it may be. You’re only going to make people buy into the caricature more by getting extremely mad about being shown as a guy who gets extremely mad all the time.

Given how popular Japanese Breakfast has become over the years, a lot of descriptors have been used to discuss Michelle Zauner’s output. Now, she’s faced with another: “music for bottoms,” as one of her friends described her songs.

In an Insider feature, the interviewer noted how “considerate” Zauner’s Coachella crowd was and she responded, “A lot of times, when our tour managers have security meetings at venues, they’re always like, ‘Don’t worry. You’ll be really bored tonight. There’s nothing.’ They’re very sweet and polite.”

The interviewer continued, “Do you think that’s a testament to the type of music you make?” Zauner answered, “My friend calls us ‘music for bottoms [laughs].’ I don’t know. I mean, we just make sensitive, emotional music, so it attracts a certain type of person. I’m a very earnest person, and I think a lot of our fans are very earnest as well.”

Elsewhere, she also spoke about Japanese Breakfast getting a Best New Artist nomination at the 2022 Grammys despite having been active since 2013. She said, “I was just delighted, and then when everyone was like, ‘She’s not a new artist,’ I was like, ‘Shut up. Everyone just be quiet. Let’s just roll with this.’ Because the opportunity to be nominated in a major category and get to actually sit in the main ceremony was such a privilege that I don’t know if I’m ever going to have again. Definitely no complaints about being recognized as a ‘new artist.’”

Check out the full interview here.

As you’re aware by now, Elon Musk bought a new toy this week: a $44 billion social media platform called Twitter. Elon Musk flexed that wallet, and after a few road bumps, the platform appears to be his unless there’s a regulatory snag, which seems unlikely to happen, although it should be noted that helming Twitter’s arguably as much of a responsibility as those Tesla autopilot crashes. Regardless of outside issues, The View ladies are not impressed by this Twitter development.

They’re particularly taking umbrage with how Musk’s statement pointed towards his reason for the season-purchase: “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.” He is very excited about this concept:

So, everything goes, and does that include potentially unchecked harassment? Elon loves to troll and rile up people into bad crypto investments, and Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and the rest aren’t here for it. In particular, Hostin (starting at the 0:50 minute mark below) pointed out that Twitter’s very much “not the real world.” And she believes that the “free speech” claim from Musk is actually geared towards a certain community:

“What’s interesting to me about Twitter is only 22 percent of adults are on Twitter in the world,” Hostin declared. “And that’s from a 2019 Pew study. And so Twitter is not the real world. And in fact, on Twitter it is predominantly straight white men. So when Elon Musk says, ‘Wow, this is about free speech,’ it seems to me that it’s about free speech of straight white men.”

Well, that’s a decent point. People also do tend to stay inside their own Twitter bubbles and forget that there’s a larger timeline, but hey, there could be a positive happening here, too. Maybe Ice-T, who’s being cool as always on the issue, will maybe he’ll get the edit button that he’s always wanted.

While I taste a fair amount of whiskey in my day-to-day work, I also taste a lot of tequila, mezcal, vodka, gin, flavored gin, brandies, ready-to-drink cocktails, etc., just to keep my palate and knowledge base up to date. Out of all of those, it’s probably a good reposado tequila — just kissed by ex-bourbon and/or ex-wine casks — that grabs my attention the most. While it’s never a bad time to talk reposado tequila, Cinco De Mayo is also just around the corner.

This year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition ranked 87 reposado tequilas (aged between two months and a year; older than “blanco/silver/plata,” but younger than “añejo”). I was lucky enough to be on two judging panels with 12 of those 87. In the end, only five bottles took home a coveted double gold medal (you can check out the full results here). A double gold means every member of that judging panel anonymously gave that bottle a gold medal, creating a unanimous “double gold” for the expression. That means these five bottles wowed, from the first nose to the last sip.

For this list, I’m adding my tasting notes to those five reposados as I’ve actually tried all of these in the last year or so. Other than that, I can assure you that all of these reposado tequilas are going to hit a sweet spot for you, depending on which flavor profile you’re into. Let’s dive in and find a great reposado tequila just in time for Cinco De Mayo!

Cierto Tequila Private Collection Reposado

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $99

The Tequila:

This tequila — from NOM 1149 (Tequileña, S.A. distillery) in Tequila, Mexico — is made from 100 percent Weber agave cooked in an autoclave (pressurized chamber). The juice from the agave is extracted by a roller mill and then fermented in open stainless tanks with local spring water. That mash is then twice-distilled in copper pot stills before aging in a combination of used French and American oak.

Tasting Notes:

That “roasted” agave really breaks through on the nose with a touch of grilled pineapple in brown butter, a hint of vanilla, a touch of espresso bean, and a sweet note of caramel sauce. The palate largely delivers on the butter, caramel, and tropical fruits as the agave takes on a greenish mid-palate, leading towards a black pepper spiciness. That pepperiness drives the finish towards a sweetgrass note and a little more of that grilled pineapple with a dusting of clove.

Bottom Line:

This is a nicely complex tequila, not overly so. It’s not challenging you but is providing an easy-drinking flavor profile. Overall, I’d mix a tequila old fashioned with this or just sip it over some rocks.

Cincoro Reposado Tequila

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $114

The Tequila:

Hailing from NOM 1438, Destiladora del Valle de Tequila in Tequila, Mexico (the home to dozens of tequila brands), this tequila has a little more nuance. The agave piñas are roasted in both old stone ovens and autoclave. The mash ferments in open-air stainless tanks before the standard double distillation in copper pot stills. The juice is then aged in used whiskey barrels for an undisclosed amount of time.

Tasting Notes:

This is a bourbon lover’s tequila with a nose brimming with vanilla beans, caramel apples, floral agave, and a nice bitter chocolate edge with a black potting soil whisper. The palate largely delivers on the nose with more vanilla and dark chocolate (now touched by cinnamon and clove) with a more robust roasted agave vibe leading to dry grass and porch wicker. The finish has tiny flourishes of pancake syrup and black pepper with a touch of sweet oak on the very end.

Bottom Line:

This is a pretty damn fine sipper, especially if you’re looking for a bridge from bourbon whiskey to aged tequila. Pour this over a rock or two and you’re set.

Don Nacho Extra Premium Reposado Tequila

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $42

The Tequila:

This “premium” tequila is made in the southern “Los Altos” region of Jalisco at the Fabrica de Tequila Don Nacho distillery (NOM 1508), which only makes this and one other small brand of tequila. The juice is made from piñas cooked in old stone ovens and then fermented with local spring water in open stainless tanks. After the usual distillation, that hot juice is loaded into both used and new American white oak barrels for a short maturation.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a hint of dry cedar on the nose that leads to this mix of dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, old vanilla extract bottles, and a hint of that slow-roasted agave with a very thin sliver of ashiness. The palate has a cream soda vibe with the agave taking on a sweeter edge next to a creamy caramel on the mid-palate. The finish leans away from the sweetness towards a peppery dark chocolate bar with hints of winter spices and peach pits.

Bottom Line:

I tried this the last time I was in Tequila mostly because its name means “Sir Nacho.” Also, this is a pretty good sipper for this price point, with plenty of rocks. Really, this feels like a great cocktail base.

Hotel California Reposado Tequila

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45

The Tequila:

This Los Altos tequila — from Hacienda Capellania or NOM 1545 — follows a very similar path to most tequila. Weber agave, autoclave extraction, stainless fermentation, and local water. This time, the juice is twice-distilled in stainless steel stills and then aged in former bourbon barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Roasted agave with a grassy edge meets black peppercorns with a hint of citrus as that vanilla from the bourbon barrels smooths everything out on the nose. The taste has a slight winter cake vibe with plenty of dark spice, a touch of dried fruit, and a rich caramel sauce that’s cut with plenty of that bourbon vanilla. The finish has a hint of burnt sugar next to a dry oak with a very, very mild note of smoke at the very end.

Bottom Line:

This feels like the tequila that fits exactly where it is. It’s an easy-drinking tequila for a fairly good price (in a ridiculously eye-catching bottle). I’d still more likely use it for a cocktail, but I can 100 percent see drinking this over a few rocks with a twist of lime any day.

Lobos 1707 Reposado Tequila

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $51

The Tequila:

Rounding out this list of great tequilas, Lobos 1707 also comes from the southern Los Altos region of Jalisco (NOM 1460, Compañia Tequilera de Arandas distillery). The front end of the tequila-making process is pretty much the same — Weber, autoclave, ex-bourbon barrels, etc. — with the finishing on this one standing out. After six months in bourbon barrels, this is aged in Pedro Ximinez sherry casks for a final rest.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a hint of sour cherry on the nose alongside a base of roasted agave, winter spices, and a hint of old oak barrels from a dusty cellar. The palate marries that agave and oak into an earthy note that’s part dry moss and part dry firewood with the agave lurking in the background. The mid-palate to finish has the cottage cheese vibe with pineapple and black pepper making appearances before a dry grassiness and oakiness round out the finish.

Bottom Line:

This is certainly the funkiest tequila on the list. I dig it when these get a little lactic (sour cherry/cottage cheese) but can see that being off-putting for some. That said, this makes a great tequila sour with an egg white or just a tequila soda with a good dose of lime.

Pop media followers are likely familiar with all the drama the Kardashian family gets up to, but today, one member of the family revealed just how wild things have gotten when the cameras aren’t rolling. The tale in question includes two unofficial family members, rappers Blac Chyna and Tyga, who dated Rob Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, respectively, in 2016. Now, Chyna is suing the Kardashians for $100 million in damages for emailing E! network executives about Chyna’s relationship with Rob and possibly having the couple’s planned spin-off show axed, costing Chyna potential profits.

While the family denies putting Rob & Chyna on the chopping block, they admit to contacting the network about the relationship, which they described as “toxic.” Now that the trial has begun, they’re talking about just how toxic it got. Kylie Jenner, who testified today, explained why the family was so concerned, describing Blac Chyna as violent toward not only Rob but other members of the family as well — including Tyga, who she’d previously dated. Jenner said that Tyga showed her a six-inch scar on his arm, which he said was caused by a knife attack by Chyna, with whom he shares a child.

It isn’t the first time Chyna was accused of erratic behavior. In December 2021, she was accused of holding a woman hostage at her hotel in Sacramento, while a viral video of Chyna yelling at airport travelers to get vaccinated was also attributed to drugs.

In a move comparable to Jared Leto, Will Smith is allegedly on a “spiritual tour” instead of owning up to his actions at the Oscars. According to People, Smith arrived at a private airport in India this weekend, where he traveled “for spiritual purposes, to practice yoga and meditation.”

While Smith has apologized in a statement on March 27th, he allegedly has yet to reach out to Chris Rock personally to apologize for the whole thing that we all know about and don’t have to discuss further (also known as The Slap).

According to Page Six, Smith’s Hollywood peers aren’t thrilled with his choices, since he has yet to personally apologize to Rock. “Will’s ‘spiritual journey’ to India for yoga and meditation seems cynical and ridiculous, given that he hasn’t apologized personally to the one person he assaulted in front of millions.” Rock has remained relatively quiet since the ordeal, continuing his stand-up comedy tour, but not mentioning the slap.

The ordeal has caused a ripple effect across Hollywood, causing a divide between the millionaires of Hollywood, with some firmly on Smith’s side, and others upset with his actions. Meanwhile, the best actors in Hollywood don’t care at all. In his statement, Smith said his actions were “shocking, painful and inexcusable.”

Smith has since resigned from the Academy, and he has been banned from The Oscars for the next decade.

Prior to Game 4, Kevin Durant had struggled mightily in the Nets first round series against the Celtics, averaging 22 points per game on 36.5 percent shooting as the Nets fell behind 3-0. While he went out swinging to end the sweep, scoring 39 points in a tight Game 4 loss, his early effort raised questions for some about his ability to be the Guy to lead a championship team.

Among the most prominent of those was Charles Barkley, who pointed out how different it is to be leading the charge as opposed to being a “bus rider,” insinuating that Durant’s two titles in Golden State were more from jumping on a super team than him taking them to a different level. That got a number of responses, including some funny ones from proud championship bus riders like Channing Frye and Brendan Haywood.

On Tuesday, Durant decided it was time to respond to Barkley with a few photos he posted to his Instagram story reminding everyone of the time Barkley tried to be a bus rider himself, but fell short of a title anyways.

Barkley has gone after KD for forming super teams in the past and his efforts in Houston to team up with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler (and later Scottie Pippen) certainly seem to fly in the face of his staunch anti-super team stance. In this case, he went after Durant’s legacy, which got him yelled at by Kenny Smith on Monday night, who pointed out it had been three rough games for KD and he wasn’t willing to reassess his place in history off of that sample.

The point Barkley seems to be trying to make is that he’s grown tired of hearing about Durant being the best player in the world, as he noted that title belongs to Giannis despite Kenny never saying anything to the contrary, when he’s fallen flat in this series and allowed the Celtics to frustrate him into so many mistakes and poor shooting nights. That is a fair argument, but as can happen with the Inside the NBA crew, sometimes the effort to make a point ends up in a shouting match and taking shots at someone’s legacy, which KD seems to have taken issue with understandably.

Is Chris Pratt the Best Chris? No, Chris Pine is. But is he the worst? It depends on who you ask. He played the funniest character on one of the funniest sitcoms of the 2010s, and he’s terrific in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies as that doofus Star-Lord. But there have been frequent calls to recast him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for his association with the “infamously anti-LGBTQ” Hillsong Church, including this week when a side-by-side photo of Pratt and Patrick Wilson went viral on Twitter. “Marvel. Hear me out. Just… replace him,” the tweet reads. Like his wife and other MCU stars before him, Guardians director and writer James Gunn came to Pratt’s defense.

“For what? Because of your made-up, utterly-false beliefs about him? For something that someone else told you about him that’s not true? Chris Pratt would never be replaced as Star-Lord but, if he ever was, we would all be going with him,” Gunn tweeted in response to the Pratt/Wilson photo. He added, “He isn’t. I know the church he currently goes to. Do you? (The answer is you don’t, but you heard from someone who heard from someone who heard from someone where he goes to church, so decided, ‘yeah, okay, I’ll believe this terrible thing I heard online about this celebrity!’).”

Pratt previously defended the “cult-y” church after actor Elliott Page tweeted that “if you are a famous actor and you belong to an organization that hates a certain group of people, don’t be surprised if someone simply wonders why it’s not addressed. Being anti LGBTQ is wrong, there aren’t two sides. The damage it causes is severe. Full stop.” The Jurassic World star commented that “nothing could be further from the truth. I go to a church that opens its doors to absolutely everyone.” Pratt added that “everyone is entitled to love who they want free from the judgment of their fellow man,” but did not directly address Hillsong’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights.

(Via James Gunn on Twitter)