GoneTrending

It’s conference tournament season and the NCAA Tournament starts next week, which can only mean one thing: Jim Nantz is back calling big time college basketball games. Well, it can mean a lot of things, but for the next few weeks, Nantz is hanging out in the booth for CBS alongside Grant Hill and Bill Raftery.

On Saturday, that meant Nantz was on the call for the Big Ten Tournament semifinal games. The first, Iowa’s win over Indiana, gave us an incredible moment when Hawkeyes guard Jordan Bohannon won the game with a deep three that he banked in right before time expired. The second, Michigan State vs. Purdue, gave us an equally incredible moment when Nantz had to do an ad read for the upcoming Halo series on Paramount+. Nantz has apparently never heard the Halo music before — if I had to guess why, it is because he has had other things to do for the last two-ish decades — and got really freaked out by it while he was reading the ad.

“Can the world’s most advanced super soldier save earth from The Covenant?” Nantz asked. “Find out in the new original series, Halo.”

Nantz then got out of his ad read voice and started editorializing a bit, telling the audience, “ya gotta see it, just listen to this music!”

For a moment, Nantz attempted to do the ad read again, but that damn music just had him in a bind.

“Streaming March 24, woah!” Nantz said. “Exclusively on Paramount+. Gonna have some nightmares tonight after that.”

Grant Hill laughed at this, presumably because Jim Nantz being concerned but also captivated by the Halo music is very funny.

Movie stars love teaming up with directors. De Niro and Scorsese. DiCaprio and Scorsese. Denzel and Spike Lee. Samuel L. Jackson and Tarantino. Now it appears another pair is forming. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ryan Reynolds, who has already worked with director Shawn Levy twice, is looking to do so a third time, and on one of the biggest threequels out there.

That film is Deadpool 3, Reynolds’ third go as Marvel’s most profane anti-superhero. As per THR, Levy — who directed Reynolds in both Free Guy and the new The Adam Project — is in talks to take over a series that has already shuffled through two directors, Tim Miller and David Leitch.

Should the Deadpool 3 gig go to him, it will be by far Levy’s bluest movie. He got started with more family-oriented fare, such as Big Fat Liar, Cheaper by the Dozen, and the Night at the Museum trilogy. Since Free Guy, his films have starred Reynolds, both blockbuster comedies with fantastical, high-concept premises. Does this mean Shawn Levy’s Deadpool 3 will show a softer Deadpool? Who knows!

The Adam Project premiered on Netflix Friday, and it was described by Uproxx as “like someone put Back To The Future, Frequency, and Guardians Of The Galaxy into a narrative blender.”

(Via THR)

The Big Ten Tournament semifinals had quite the first act on Saturday afternoon. The Iowa Hawkeyes took on the story of the tournament so far, the 9th-seeded Indiana Hoosiers, and for long portions of the game, it looked like Mike Woodson’s bunch was going to punch its ticket to the finals. With less than five minutes left in the second half, Indiana found itself up by eight.

But Iowa kept fighting, and thanks in large part to a monster effort by star forward Keegan Murray, were able to get the lead back with less than two minutes remaining and started to extend its lead. Still, Indiana always seemed to have a response when the high-powered Hawkeye offense put its foot on the gas, and tied things up at 77 thanks to a layup by Xavier Johnson.

Iowa didn’t call a timeout, instead opting to play things out. Their possession was a bit discombobulated, but the ball eventually got in the hands of veteran guard Jordan Bohannon, who hoisted up a prayer from near the midcourt logo. The bank must be open in Indianapolis on Saturday afternoons, because Bohannon went off the glass to give the Hawkeyes an 80-77 win.

Now, Iowa will wait to see if they’ll play Michigan State or Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament final on Sunday.

Hi there, happy, hopeful, helpful, heartwarming humans! And hello hurt, heartbroken humans who are handling helpless and hopeless feelings as well.

Here we are all together on this tiny rock floating through the vastness of space. Most of us are trying to figure out how to use our fleeting time on Earth to make this place a little bit better, while simultaneously being bewildered by those who insist on destruction and chaos.

It can be so easy to let our spirits get bogged down by it all, especially when narcissistic dictators suck all the air out of the room. But no matter what, there are always beacons of light we can turn to for hope—people doing things large and small to better the lives of those around them.

And in moments when those beacons of light and hope are hard to find? Well, we always have silly dog videos to fall back on for a momentary reprieve. What a time to be alive.

As we engage with the push and pull of the positive and the negative, the uplifting and the disheartening, the integration and the disintegration happening in the world, let’s always make sure we’re making room for joy. We’ve seen time and again how important moments of beauty and simple pleasures are, even for people hiding out in war zones. These are things that not only help us get through whatever we’re going through, but they bring us together around our shared humanity as well.

These weekly roundups of delights from around the internet may not be life-changing, but hopefully, they can help uplift and inspire us all to see the good around us and to make our own little slice of the world, wherever we are, a little better.

A hotline where you can get life advice from kindergarteners? Yes, please. 

See on Instagram

The kindergarteners know where it’s at and their pure, wholesome wisdom will definitely make you smile. With the “Peptoc” hotline (named for the way the teacher’s 6-year-old son spelled “peptalk”) students of the Bay Area’s West Side Elementary school are making people smile with their words of encouragement. Read the full story here.

You don’t have to like basketball to smile at this incredible ending.

.@UKCoachLZ draws up the game-winning play for @KentuckyWBB nnSEC Inside: SEC WBB Tournament | 7 PM ETpic.twitter.com/rlay6rX6rH

— SEC Network (@SEC Network)
1646779578

I don’t even follow college basketball, but this video definitely made me smile. The Wildcats, who haven’t won a conference championship in 40 years, were the underdogs coming in. At one point they were down by 15 points to No. 1 ranked South Carolina, then pulled this out in the end. Amazing coaching and great teamwork.

Forager Alexis Nikole making wisteria syrup is just pure delight.

@alexisnikole

WISTERIA SYRUP 💜💗 #wisteria

All of Alexis Nikole’s foraging videos are delightful, but this week she was in Los Angeles and brought home some fresh wisteria blossoms to make syrup. She shares hilarious, educational videos about foraging on her TikTok channel and is definitely worth a follow. Learn more about her here.

Dogs rushing out to play—but wait for the crash at the end.

now this is cinemapic.twitter.com/PAcVTgeeQ2

— DGA Anderson (@DGA Anderson)
1646898587

I mean, watching the dogs run with the epic music is fun in and of itself. But the slo-mo crash is too hilarious (assuming the doggo is okay—I imagine it looked more dramatic than it actually was).

More and more people’s loved ones who’ve passed are being taken out for “one last wave.”

See on Instagram

The One Last Wave Project was begun by surfer Dan Fischer as a kind deed for people who have lost loved ones who loved the ocean. He offered to write the loved ones’ names on his surfboard to take the out for “one last wave,” and the response was so great, he now has multiple boards with thousands of names of people who have passed. Learn more about how the project originated and grew here.

This dog’s reaction to a lemon slice is hilarious.

He really doesn’t like lemons pic.twitter.com/grWxgO9CA8

— Antifa Recruiter (@Antifa Recruiter)
1646341525

So. Much. Drama. The growl. The head toss.The flopping back in disgust. Silly doggo.

Mom shares her son’s love of his ‘big hair.’

See on Instagram

Scroll through to see how excited and proud this kiddo was on his first day of preschool. Love to see hair love.

On a similar note, check out this heartwarming note from a daughter to her mom.

See on Instagram

Imagine if all kids grew up with such positive feelings about how they look. What a gift.

A beautiful moment of reconnection in a coffee shop. (Yay for healthcare workers.)

Having a bad morning, stopped for coffee. Woman next to me stared at my ID badge and started to cry. I did her liver transplant last year, she was so sick then. Today she had her hair did, makeup on, and looked FABULOUS. Unrecognizable. Gave me the BEST hug. nnI love this job

— Dinee Simpson MD, FACS (@Dinee Simpson MD, FACS)
1646755507

Imagine running into the doctor who helped save your life while you’re out getting coffee. Imagine being a doctor, running into the person whose life you helped save and seeing them thriving. Imagine being someone in that coffee shop witnessing that reunion. Just beautiful, all around.

Our moments of connection don’t have to be that life-altering to have an impact, though. Even giving a stranger a compliment or going out of our way to make someone’s day in some way can make more of a difference than we know. We can all share a smile. Pass along some encouragement. Be the reason someone feels a bit lighter and brighter today.

Hope this week’s list brought you some joy! Join us again next week for more.

Homelessness has been on the increase in America since 2016 and the numbers exploded in 2020. On a single night in January 2020, there were more than 580,000 individuals who were without a home.

There are many reasons for the increase in homelessness and one of the leading causes is a lack of affordable housing across the country. Housing prices have been on a steady increase and, according to PBS, we are about 7 million units short of affordable housing in the country.

So what can the average person do about this human tragedy taking place in America’s streets? Some people who would like to help don’t feel comfortable giving money to homeless people, although experts in the field say that most of the time it is OK.

“If you don’t have money or time, or capacity to donate, I still think it’s nice to be respectful and say hello,” Diane O’Connell, a community lawyer for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, told the Chicago Tribune.

Actress Jennifer Garner, 49, shared a great idea on Instagram for those who would like to help homeless people but aren’t sure how to do so.

The actress posted a video where she filled zip-up plastic bags with everyday items that homeless people need.

See on Instagram

“Random act of kindness: gather these essentials in a quart sized ziploc bag and keep them in your car to give away when you see someone in need,” she captioned the post. “A pair of thick socks. Kleenex. Hand wipes. Disposable toothbrushes. Chapstick. A couple of granola bars. I forgot this time, but like to add feminine hygiene products, too. Add $5, $10, $20 and a smile.”

For those not comfortable giving money, they can put a gift card in the bag for a local restaurant. O’Connell says that one thing most homeless people desperately need is a hot meal.

“Simple, cheap foods like bagels and doughnuts aren’t that helpful,” O’Connell said. “People who are homeless can usually buy things like that for themselves.” Often what people experiencing homelessness need is a hot meal, she said, because that’s more difficult for them to buy.

Greendrop says that the items most commonly requested by homeless people are socks and undergarments. Homeless people are always walking and have a hard time accessing laundry facilities so their socks and undergarments are often dirty or falling apart.

Here are some other items that will help make homeless people more comfortable:

Shampoo and conditioner

Toothpaste

Hair brushes and toothbrushes

Soap

Lotions

Nail clippers

Feminine hygiene products

Reusable containers

Garner’s Ziploc bag tip is a great idea because it’s a simple way for people to lend a hand when they encounter someone on the streets. How many times have you been driving around, saw someone in need, but didn’t have any way to help? This way you can easily brighten someone’s day when you see them at a freeway on-ramp or in a parking lot without having to ask yourself whether you feel comfortable giving them money.

Despite being one of music’s biggest stars, Drake hasn’t done too many performances over the last couple of years. A big reason behind that is the pandemic, which wiped out numerous tours. Aside from the Larry Hoover benefit concert with Kanye West back in December, Drake’s last performances came during his 2019 Assassination Vacation Tour, which saw him bring his talents to the United Kingdom. Luckily, the Certified Lover Boy rapper is nearing a return to the stage thanks to an announcement he made during a recent radio broadcast.

Drake made an appearance on OVO Sound’s Sirius XM radio station Sound 42 to reveal his plans to host some shows in New York and Toronto in the near future. “I’m excited to let all my people know that we’re working on something really special for you guys,” he said on the show. “Putting together two shows, one in New York and a few in Toronto. They’re gonna be something different, something that I’ve never done before. Gonna be a highly interactive experience.” He added, “My brothers will be there, it’s gonna be great to see y’all, hopefully get a chance to speak with you, [and] hopefully learn a little more about each other. I’ll have the dates for that coming soon, I can’t wait.”

Drake will have plenty of music to perform at the performances, as he’s recently released his sixth album, Certified Lover Boy, which was the only rap album to go double Platinum in 2021.

You can listen to Drake’s announcement in the video above.

John Cleese has spent his career challenging taboos, often going to uncomfortable places to make people laugh and think. But lately he’s been having some issues. The Monty Python and Fawlty Towers alum is no fan of what some have dubbed “woke” and “cancel culture,” which he wants to explore in a documentary, even though its existence is debatable. He’s even been accused of transphobia. None of this has stopped him from spouting off with some controversial statements, and an appearance this weekend at a SXSW panel was no different.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Cleese appeared alongside fellow comics Jim Gaffigan, Dulcé Sloan and Ricky Velez on Friday for a panel entitled “John Cleese in Conversation.” It was supposed to be funny, but THR reports that the tone got uncomfortable when Cleese started talking about, among other things, slavery. It began when Sloan made a joke about colonization, prompting Cleese to take a defensive stance on the British Empire, saying his nation didn’t “start” colonization.

“We know, but ya’ll did it so well!” Sloan responded to laughs. “It’s the reason I’m here! I’m not supposed to be here!”
“We gave you free passage, too,” Cleese replied, drawing gasps and groans.

He then became more sincere. “History is a history of crime. It’s a history of people who were stronger beating up people who were weaker and it’s always been that. It’s deeply, deeply distasteful. But to pretend that one lot were worse than another – you do know the British have been slaves twice, right?”

Sloan then changed the subject, but Cleese circled. “[People] get competitive about this business of being oppressed,” Cleese said. “We were oppressed, the English, by the Romans for 400 [years], from about 0 to 400.”

He then appeared to joke about reparations, an idea floated in America in reference to slavery. “I want reparations from Italy,” Cleese told the crowd. “… and then the Normans came over in 1066 … they were horrible people from France and they came and colonized us for 30 years – we need reparations there too, I’m afraid.”

After Cleese seemed to try and shock the crowd, beginning to make a joke about Jewish people, Sloan stood up and confiscating his microphone. She eventually returned it, which allowed him to muse about one of the most troubling subjects of our era.

“Well, the thing is, I’m going to be dead soon,” Cleese told the crowd. “That’s why I’m in favor of global warming – I don’t want to be cold ever again.”

In response, moderator Dan Pasternack cracked, “Where you’re going you won’t be!”

The panel ended with Sloan and Cleese hugging it out. All in all, these are far from the most shocking things Cleese has said recently, much less in the distant past. But it sure kicked off SXSW in strange fashion.

(Via THR)

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Dallas Cowboys were considering releasing standout receiver Amari Cooper, who had $20 million coming his way on March 20. It tuns out they won’t need to do that, because according to multiple reports, the Cowboys have found a team that is willing to take on Cooper in a trade.

According to multiple media reports, the Cleveland Browns — which have had quite the hole at wide receive, especially since the team moved on since Odell Beckham — have worked out a deal to bring Cooper to northeast Ohio.

Adam Schefter of ESPN and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network added the cost that the Browns will pay to acquire Cooper.

Cleveland will also, per Rapoport, take on Cooper’s entire contract.

A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Cooper started his career with the Oakland Raiders before getting traded to the Cowboys in 2018. He was quite productive for Dallas, but between his gigantic salary — he signed a $100 million extension with the team in 2020 — and the emergence of players like CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, his production slipped last year, catching 68 balls for 865 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns.

Now, Cooper will head to Cleveland, which appears slated to keep Baker Mayfield around as their starting quarterback during the final year of his rookie contract.

The entertainment world was hit with sad news today. It was revealed that singer and actress Traci Braxton passed away following a battle with esophageal cancer. The unfortunate news arrives after Traci spent the last year battling the cancer prior to her death. Her husband Kevin Surratt shared the news with TMZ and the publication was told that Traci spent her last moments with her sisters, mom, and friends. One of her sisters, singer Toni Braxton, shared a statement about Traci’s death.

“It is with the utmost regret that we inform you of the passing of our sister, Traci,” Toni wrote. “Needless to say, she was a bright light, a wonderful daughter, an amazing sister, a loving mother, wife, grandmother and a respected performer. We will miss her dearly.”

Traci Braxton appeared on the family’s reality TV show Braxton Family Values, but as an actress, she was best known for her role in the 2018 film Sinners Wanted. She also appeared in 2009’s There’s A Stranger In My House and was set to be seen in the upcoming film Chaaw which comes out in May. Traci also had some success as a singer. Her 2014 song “Last Call” rose to No. 16 on the Billboard singles chart. The track could be found on her 2014 debut album Crash & Burn. In 2018, she released her sophomore album On Earth.

You can view Toni’s tribute post to Traci above.

The Boys, everyone’s favorite renegade superhero show, won’t be returning to Amazon until July 8, but the Season 3 teaser promises some big additions — and, of course, more bloody messes.

The biggest addition is Jensen Ackles, the Supernatural alum who plays Soldier Boy, an unambiguous send-up of Captain America. In Garth Ennis’ and Darick Robertson’s comics, he’s a patriotic and clean as a whistle, refusing to swear much less take part in the super raunchy “Herogasm” orgies that we’ll be seeing this season. Of course, he’s not that pure. He doesn’t seem to mind that he’s in one seriously gory universe, where characters implode, as they often do in the two-minute ad.

The other big get are the new superpowers granted to Karl Urban’s Billy Butcher. He’ll now have super strength but, perhaps more importantly, he can also shoot lasers out of his eyeballs. There’s also The Walking Dead’s Laurie Holden as Crimson Countess, a Scarlet Witch-y superhero who joins the gang at Vought. All of this is rolled into one chaotic, bloody teaser, which promises both new thrills and more of the same. Whatever the case, Barack Obama will probably love it.

You can watch the teaser for The Boys Season 3 in the video above.