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With the pandemic winding down, Jon Stewart is once again taking the fight for veterans’ healthcare directly to Congress. Flanked by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and a gathering of veterans and their families, Stewart called out Republican Congressman Mike Bost for reportedly planning to water down the Honoring Our PACT Act. Stewart has long championed the bill that will finally make veterans who have been exposed to “burn pits” eligible for VA benefits. According to Stewart, Bost would limit those benefits, and the late-night comedian was not having it.

Via Deadline:

“They are going to go on the floor tomorrow and there is going to be an amendment. And that amendment from ranking member Bost is going to say, ‘Hey, all these veteran service organizations and all these active military members have come together with Chairman Takano and Speaker Pelosi and the president of the United States, and they have designed a bill that will comprehensively address the urgent need in the veterans community. And ranking member Bost’s amendment is going to say, ‘Damn, that is good work, so why don’t we just switch that out, for five more years of healthcare. we good? … F— that. Not happening. They get what they deserve — comprehensive bill that addresses the urgent need in their community.”

Following Stewart’s remarks, a spokesman for Bost released the following statement: “Ranking Member Bost completely disagrees with Mr. Stewart’s false characterization of his efforts but appreciates, and shares, his passion for the men and women who have served.”

The Honoring Our PACT Act will be debated on Wednesday before going to the floor for a vote on Thursday. However, Stewart warned about the next obstacle: The Senate.

“They are excellent at killing things that are necessary, and we cannot allow it to happen,” Stewart said on the Capitol steps. “You cannot allow this feeling of unity and hope and finally being seen to dissipate.”

(Via Deadline)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has amassed a growing fandom thanks to his unwavering patriotism and fearlessness in the face of the current Russian invasion, qualities he clearly shares with his wife.

Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska took to social media this week to urge world leaders to speak up on behalf of her country, inspiring millions of fans with a message on how non-Ukrainians can help their cause. In a post on Instagram, Zelenska shared video messages from fellow First Ladies Diana Nausėdienė of Lithuania and Andra Levite of Latvia expressing support for the mothers and children suffering during the war. In a caption for the videos, Zelenska explained that numerous First Ladies had been phoning to ask how they can help before listing steps everyone can take to fight against Vladimir Putin and his violent power grab.

“The First Ladies are asking me these days how they can help Ukraine,” Zelenska begins. “My answer is – tell the truth to the world! Speak up! What is happening in Ukraine is not a “special military operation,” as Putin says, but a full-scale war, where the aggressor is the Russian Federation. Speak up! Ukrainian children have to live and study in bomb shelters, and hospitals have to treat their patients in basements. Despite the assurances of Russian propagandists and the Kremlin’s mouthpieces, there are already dozens of civilian victims in Ukraine. The aggressor covers it over, but the losses of the Russian military have already reached thousands of lives. Tell Russian mothers that their sons are not engaged in military exercises – they are dying trying to seize Ukraine. Call on Russians to protest! They are terrified by their leadership. But they must realize that this war is the beginning of the end for them as well. And it’s not just about the economy.”

The First Lady went on to promise that Ukraine would fight to the end, a sentiment her husband has expressed many times over the past week.

“Ukraine wants peace. But Ukraine will defend itself and will never capitulate,” she continued. “Ukraine does not need to be rescued. But we need support from the world for our army and civilians. Not just in words. Encourage compatriots to help Ukrainian women and organize state aid. Let the whole world know – it’s not a war ‘somewhere out there.’ This is a war in Europe and at the EU borders. Ukraine is defending against the force which tomorrow might invade your peaceful cities and towns. Don’t be quiet! Tell them that Putin is threatening to start a nuclear war, and if he does, there will be no safe place in the world anymore.”

Currently, Zelenska and her two children are in an undisclosed location as they have been targeted by the Russian military. Despite being offered assistance in evacuating, President Zelenskyy has refused to leave the country, telling world leaders that he “needs ammunition, not a ride.”

In another Instagram post on Friday, the First Lady addressed her current situation, expressing her belief in her fellow citizens and her hope that the world will unite on behalf of Ukraine and in opposition to Putin’s tyranny.

“I will not have panic and tears. I will be calm and confident. My children are looking at me. I will be next to them. And next to my husband. And with you,” she wrote before sharing a photo of Ukraine’s national flag.

Is Big Thief the best band in the world right now? It’s very possible. On their new album, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, Adrianne Lenker has cemented herself as one of the best modern American songwriters. The double album offers up 20 tracks that show a band who continue to re-establish the levels of their creative peak. With “Simulation Swarm,” they’ve finally released a song that had previously popped up in their live shows and last night, they performed it for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

The livestreamed performance saw the band coming from a Bohemian basement studio. Sinking into the clip, it provides an opportunity to focus on each impeccable element that this tight unit is putting down. Lenker’s locked in vocals keep building as the song wears on, before her inventive guitar solo melds in symbiotically. James Krivchenia is perfect on the drums, while Buck Meek’s rhythm section is selflessly sublime. Lyrically, it might the most beautiful and complex song on the album. Lenker sings, “You believe, I believe too, that you are the river of light. Who I love, that I cling to, in the belly of the empty night,” and it’s pure bliss.

Along with Big Thief’s spring US tour dates that begin next month, they’ll also be playing a global livestream on March 17th from a snowy Northeastern US locale. Tickets are available here.

Watch Big Thief perform “Simulation Swarm” on Colbert above.

SNL has had some stinkers over the years, but the worst episode is generally considered to be the one hosted by Steven Seagal on April 20, 1991. “He didn’t want to go along with what the plan was that week. As a result, I think that was the first week that I heard talk about replacing the host and just doing a cast show,” former-cast member David Spade said in the SNL tell-all book, Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, while creator Lorne Michaels joked about Seagal’s inability to take a joke and work with the cast on the show itself.

In an interview with Howard Stern this week, Bob Odenkirk, an SNL writer at the time, discussed just how much of a “nightmare” it was working with the notorious creep. The Better Call Saul star pitched him on a Hans and Franz sketch, and “Seagal read it and he said, ‘If I do this sketch… I have to beat them up.’ It’s like a John Wayne thing, right? It’s the most ludicrous scenario, don’t worry, no one’s thinking anyone beat anyone up.”

That was Seagal’s attitude the entire week leading up to the episode. He kept saying, “I haven’t seen your show, I don’t know what you do here,” which is like someone walking into a McDonald’s and asking what kind of food do they serve. Odenkirk’s interview with Stern is worth watching if only to see how giddy he gets when describing the scene that Seagal wrote. I’m not sure he’s ever be happier, and he survived a heart attack.

Anyway, the real victim here: Michael Bolton, that episode’s musical guest.

It’s well-known Courteney Cox is in a relationship with Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid and that the two met through Ed Sheeran, as Sheeran is both Cox’s friend and a regular collaborator with McDaid. Now, Cox has told the full story of how she and McDaid came to be an item, and it turns out in involves a ton more famous people.

Guesting on Howard Stern’s SiriusXM show this morning (as Billboard notes), Cox recounted the tale, which began with Sheeran staying over at her place (as he regularly does) and wanting to have some guests over. Cox began, “Ed said, ‘Can I have some friends over this week?’ and I said, ‘Of course.’ He invited Johnny, Gary Lightbody, both of them from Snow Patrol, Taylor Swift… some great musicians and they all came over and I had a fun group anyway: Sacha Baron Cohen, Isla Fisher, Jennifer [Aniston] was there, it was just one of these fun weekends.”

She noted some guests stayed the night at her place and the next morning, Cox was disappointed when people were trading phone numbers but not with her. She said, “This is worse than not getting nominated [for an Emmy for Friends]… and I remember seeing Johnny and going, ‘Oh wow, he’s really intense.’ He’s got those eyes and he was playing the piano and I thought, ‘He’s really, really handsome.’”

That part of the story ends there, but in 2013, Cox had a screening of a movie she directed. There, she heard Fisher tell Cox’s Cougar Town co-star Christa Miller she should flirt with McDaid. Cox continued, “And I went, ‘whoa, whoa, whoa. Isla, what are you doing? If anybody’s gonna try to flirt with Johnny, what’s wrong with me?’”

So, Fisher went up to Sasha Baron Cohen (her husband) to tell him about Cox’s interest in McDaid. Then, Cohen approached McDaid and Lightbody and said, “Hey, Courteney wants to f*ck one of you from Snow Patrol and it’s not you, Gary.” On top of that, Harry Styles overheard the conversation and put pressure on McDaid. Cox noted of Styles, “‘If you don’t ask her out’… I think he threatened to do something crazy like… I don’t remember but it was pretty bad.”

Sure enough, McDaid called Cox the next day, they went on a date a week later, and they’re still together to this day.

Meanwhile, Cox was on Jimmy Kimmel Live! a couple days ago, where she gave her side of the story about Sheeran repeatedly buying her gimp masks, so check that out below.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

ESPN decided to try something a little different in its never-ending quest to find the best possible foil for Stephen A. Smith on First Take, enlisting the services of longtime radio and television hollerer (not a word but it applies here) Chris “Mad Dog” Russo one day a week. Mad Dog is a decorated veteran in the “yelling at others about sports” genre of entertainment, and is, in theory, the perfect person to go 12 rounds in a heavyweight bout with Smith.

It’s only been a few weeks, but so far, the duo have gone together like peanut butter and jelly. Our latest example of this came on Wednesday morning, when the pair were given a pretty general debate topic on the heels of the Golden State Warriors’ 129-114 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night — “Does Steph Curry have more to prove this season?” — and it turned into pure television gold.

“To me, he does,” Russo said.

“WHAT?” Smith asked with a tone of voice that appeared to mix disgust and intrigue about the road he was about to travel.

Russo then made his case for why he believes that Curry is not one of the 10-best players in NBA history — it more or less revolves around the championships Curry won, how he wasn’t the MVP in 2015 (while also noting injuries to Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving really hurt the Cleveland Cavaliers), and how Kevin Durant got them over the top in the other two.

“He’s fun to watch, he’s a wonderful shooter, unbelievable ball-handler, we all know he’s an all-time great,” Russo said. “But immortality is what I’m talking about, and right now, in my eyes, as a sports fan, when you tell me 30 years from now, ‘Well, is Stephen Curry an immortal?’ I look at championships, the big spots, and I say no.”

Smith responded with the same level of disgust that a person usually saves for when, like, their electric bill is way higher than they expected. The pair engage in the sort of parley that is only possible when two masters of a very specific craft go head-to-head before Mad Dog puts his foot on the gas.

“Let’s go through ’em!” he screams in an attempt to establish that Smith, in a First Take rarity, is not defining the terms of engagement in this particular battle.

“Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!” Smith says with the understanding that this is his show, and that someone is attempting to come onto it with an eye on defeating him. “We got MJ, we got LeBron…”

“I DO THE ASKIN’,” Russo interjects. “I’LL DO THE ASKIN’.”

Smith cedes ground, at which point Russo begins flying through names. In a series you need to win for your life, he proposes, would you take Curry or Larry Bird?

“Don’t even GO THERE!” he screams as Smith takes a moment to ponder. “Don’t even go there!”

After laughing and composing himself, Smith admits that he is not able to “go against a healthy Larry Bird.” Magic Johnson? Well, Smith tried to define the debate on his terms — Johnson is the greatest point guard, while Curry is the greatest shooter. But as Russo has made abundantly clear, we are in his world now.

“WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SHOOTING,” he says while clapping his hands and then pretending to shoot a basketball. “I’M TALKING ABOUT WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS. SERIES ON THE LINE, YOUR LIFE’S ON THE LINE. YOU WANT MAGIC, OR YOU WANT CURRY?”

Smith once again concedes that, yes, Russo has bested him. The conversation turns to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — this one is quick, as Smith says “of course” he’d take Abdul-Jabbar.

And then, we reach the apex of this conversation.

“You want [Bill] Russell, or you want Curry?” Russo asks, perhaps unaware of how things are about to turn. Smith takes a moment or two to think, and if we have learned one thing amid all of this, it is that Russo only needs a shred of daylight to pounce.

“Aw, come on, he won 11 championships in 13 years!” Russo proclaims as a gigantic smile comes across his face.

What he perhaps didn’t expect was that Smith would, likewise, start smiling. After several rounds of getting tagged by haymakers, it stands to reason that Smith’s smile stems from a place of understanding how to dodge them and respond with a combination of his own.

“Wait a minute, he’s never averaged 18.5 points in his career,” Smith says as the smile on Russo’s face turns to shock.

“IT’S BILL. RUSSELL.” Russo screams.

“Listen, listen, listen, listen,” Smith says, his hands forming a “T” to signify a timeout. “Listen, he’s the ultimate champion. You see, he’s trying to get me to be disrespectful to the ultimate champion, I’m not gonna do that. What I’m saying to you is, Bill Russell never averaged more than 18.5 points per game in his career, but he was an elite rebounder and defender. My argument to you is, if you give me all the offense in the world, why am I worried about defense? I’m not worried about defense! So guess what, I might not do that! If you’re gonna ask the question that way, what do I need. That’s what I’m askin’!”

A back-and-forth engages as Russo explains that he had problems with his headset and he cannot hear what Smith just said, a claim that Smith dismisses entirely. Russo proceeds to wrap up his argument, saying Curry cannot be put ahead of Bird, Johnson, “the three centers,” Jordan, James, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant. It was at this point he unveiled one more trick buried up his sleeve.

“You want me to go to Nowitzki!?” Russo asked.

“YES!” a flabbergasted Smith responded. “Don’t go to Nowitzki and them! Don’t go to Nowitzki and them!

“But he does,” Smith continues, “have me on those veterans.” The segment then ends. It is unclear exactly why this debate played out this way, or why it was held on March 2, 2022, but I am very glad it did.

A new festival celebrating women in music, food, and comedy will launch this summer in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. Versa Festival boasts a line-up of women artists, chefs, and comedians across five different stages over the course of two days. Festivities kick off Saturday, June 11th and continue into Sunday, June 12th.

In the musical line-up are Ellie Goulding, Kim Petras, Young MA, Big Freedia, Liz Phair, and Kali Uchis. Meanwhile, delivering laughs are Chelsea Handler, Ilana Glazer, Aida Rodriguez, and Sydnee Washington. Chefs will be announced at a later date, however, the line-up and dishes are set to be curated by Top Chef judge Gail Simmons.

“Versa is a one-of-a-kind live experience that will bring people together for a purpose – to remind women of their value and their voice,” said Shelley Phillips, Executive Producer and Partner of Four Leaf Productions, in a statement. “It’s exciting to build something that offers people a chance to have a good time and fight the good fight, all at once.”

In addition to music, comedy, and food, Versa Festival will also feature lectures from the likes of Gloria Steinem and Alok Vaid-Menon. A Versa Ball, inspired by ballroom culture, hosted by ballroom icon Leggoh JohVera, will also take place at the festival on a to be announced date.

Tickets are available for purchase here. Check out the line-up poster below.

When Michael Porter Jr. was sidelined with a back injury that derailed his 2021-22 season, the Denver Nuggets looked to be in significant trouble. The presence of reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic provided a high floor for the Nuggets but, with Jamal Murray already out in recovery from knee surgery, Denver’s previous intrigue as a title contender seemed to be waning. However, the Nuggets are playing some of the NBA’s best basketball as the calendar flips to March, and the latest injury provides real optimism that Denver could be back in the mix at the highest levels.

Denver closed February on the league’s longest winning streak, prevailing in the last six games, and the latest intel points to the potential that both Murray and Porter could be back for the playoffs. It has to be stressed that nothing is official for either player and, even if both can return to the floor, it isn’t a guarantee that either Murray or Porter will be the same player immediately that they were at their absolute peak. With that said, Jokic’s brilliant play this season gives the Nuggets a puncher’s chance against anyone, and Denver is on an extended run of high-level performance without the team’s No. 2 and No. 3 options.

The Nuggets are 21-9 since Christmas, posting a +6.4 net rating over that 30-game sample. The endpoints are arbitrary but, in short, Denver sports top-10 rankings on both offense and defense over the course of more than two months. Jokic is, by any definition, a top-tier MVP candidate, and he has arguably been better this season than last season. At this point, his on-off splits are the stuff of legend, with the Nuggets out-scoring opponents by 10.0 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor and losing by 8.6 points per 100 possessions when he sits. Regardless, Jokic’s statistical profile is outlandish, both in box-score numbers and advanced metrics, and he is carrying an obscene workload.

Beyond that, there is credit to be doled out to players like Monte Morris, who is filling in admirably for Murray, as well as Will Barton, Aaron Gordon and others. Jeff Green has given the Nuggets quality minutes in a depth role and, knock on wood, the team’s key pieces have remained healthy aside from Porter and Murray. There is perhaps reason for skepticism that the Nuggets are truly contenders right now based on the team’s place in the standings as they battle for the No. 5 seed, rather than home-court advantage. With that said, Denver was widely viewed as at least a peripheral contender at full strength, and the Nuggets have been (much) better than anticipated when accounting for the pair of high-profile absences.

Where does Denver stack up in this week’s DIME power rankings? Let’s explore the space.

1. Phoenix Suns (49-12, Last week — 1st)

The Suns are on a two-game losing streak, and nothing is assured in the absence of Chris Paul. Phoenix remains in a comfortable position at the top of the heap, though, and the Suns will need to compile more losses to be in any danger of a drop. Devin Booker entering health and safety protocols makes the immediate road tricky, and their stranglehold on the West’s best record may not be quite as tight.

2. Memphis Grizzlies (43-20, Last week — 3rd)

Ja Morant erupted for 52 points in a memorable performance on Monday. That isn’t the reason Memphis is No. 2 in the pecking order now, but it certainly helps. The Grizzlies are 34-10 in the last 44 games and a Thursday showdown in Boston will be quite interesting to watch on a national scale.

3. Miami Heat (41-21, Last week — 4th)

The Heat are 9-1 in the last 10 games and perfect since the All-Star break. That leads to a two-game lead in the East, and there is a lot to be said for that. Miami may not be this good, but this is a team with a top-five net rating and a playoff-ready roster.

4. Philadelphia 76ers (37-23, Last week — 7th)

It is a tiny sample, but the Sixers are 2-0 with James Harden on the roster. Both wins came in dominant fashion (+22.2 net rating), and Joel Embiid continues to dominate. Philadelphia’s success may not be linear, but the early returns with Harden in the mix are positive, and he has a track record of getting on board and up to speed quickly.

5. Golden State Warriors (43-19, Last week — 2nd)

After fighting it off for a while, the Warriors had to drop this week. They blew a massive lead to Dallas before losing to Minnesota on Tuesday, and Golden State is 2-6 in the last eight games. Draymond Green’s status is the most important factor but, without him, they’ve been fairly ordinary.

6. Denver Nuggets (36-25, Last week — 10th)

As discussed above, the Nuggets are rolling. Denver also has the next four games at home, including matchups with Oklahoma City and Houston to keep it going.

7. Utah Jazz (38-22, Last week — 9th)

Utah has the No. 2 net rating in the NBA, trailing only Phoenix. The Jazz also beat the Suns this week, even if one should acknowledge that Chris Paul might’ve helped Phoenix. Quin Snyder’s team is 8-1 in the last nine games and, really, the Jazz have been the team they were supposed to be when healthy. For example, Utah is 32-14 when Rudy Gobert takes the floor this season.

8. Boston Celtics (37-27, Last week — 5th)

Boston gets dinged for a bizarre 21-point loss to Indiana this week but, if you glance at the numbers, that was kind of a “no way” game when seeing what the Pacers shot from the perimeter. The Celtics then overcame a 17-point deficit to beat the Hawks on Tuesday, and Boston’s defense turned up the heat in the second half, even without Jaylen Brown. The Celtics continue to play at a high level, and they are within just three games of the No. 2 seed.

9. Milwaukee Bucks (37-25, Last week — 8th)

Kyrie Irving did play (and play well), but there isn’t much of an excuse for the Bucks losing to the current version of the Nets at home. That accounts for the minor drop in the pecking order here, and Milwaukee did throttle Charlotte on Monday to get back on track. Defensively, though, the Bucks haven’t been dominant lately and they need to find the top gear soon.

10. Dallas Mavericks (37-25, Last week — 11th)

Dallas is 21-7 in the last 28 games and, since MLK Day, Luka Doncic has been dominating. He is averaging 32-10-9 over a 19-game sample, and combined with a stingy defense, the Mavericks are playing quite well. Sunday’s road win over Golden State speaks for itself, but the Mavs also managed to pull one out of the fire in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

11. Chicago Bulls (39-23, Last week — 6th)

Chicago was artificially high in the rankings last week as a result of a winning streak against bad teams. This is a harsh market correction given that the Bulls just lost to the Grizzlies and Heat, both of which are outstanding. Broadly speaking, Chicago’s defense isn’t playing at nearly the same level that it was early in the year, and that caps the ceiling, even if DeMar DeRozan is out of his mind.

12. Minnesota Timberwolves (34-29, Last week — 14th)

Minnesota has wins over Memphis, Cleveland and Golden State since the All-Star break. Of course, the Wolves were blasted by the Sixers in the middle of that run, but it’s an overall positive nonetheless.

13. Toronto Raptors (34-27, Last week — 12th)

After losing four of five, the Raptors got right with a back-to-back sweep over Brooklyn. As we’ll touch on later, beating the current Nets isn’t a huge accomplishment, but Toronto needed those wins. They also have a three-game cushion over Brooklyn for the important No. 7 spot in the East.

14. Cleveland Cavaliers (36-25, Last week — 13th)

Cleveland hasn’t been the same team lately, largely due to injury-related issues. The Cavs are 1-4 in the last five and, while this was already the case, Cleveland is now the most frequent answer for “which team at the top of the East do you want to play in the first round?”

15. L.A. Clippers (33-31, Last week — 17th)

In a bizarre scheduling quirk, the Clippers have played three of their last four games against Houston. That will pad the win column under any circumstances, and it did so here with a four-game winning streak. I’m not sure we learned anything about L.A., but the wins count.

16. Brooklyn Nets (32-31, Last week — 16th)

March is here, and we still don’t know much about the Nets. Kevin Durant hasn’t played since Jan. 15, and Brooklyn is 5-16 since then. Ben Simmons is still ramping up and seems further away than anticipated, and Kyrie Irving still can’t play at home. It’s a holding pattern still.

17. Atlanta Hawks (29-32, Last week — 15th)

The Hawks just can’t get it going. Atlanta led by 17 points in Boston on Tuesday, only to give it all back and lose another competitive game. On the bright side, the Hawks are 12-7 in the last 19 games and six of the seven losses are against quality opponents. Unfortunately, the Hawks dug a sizable hole with a slow start, and they can’t keep losing tight ones, even against good teams.

18. New Orleans Pelicans (25-36, Last week — 22nd)

CJ McCollum is averaging 28-6-6 since joining the Pelicans, and he is riding a 63 percent true shooting clip. That almost has to regress to some degree, but he’s been a difference-maker. New Orleans is 22-20 since a 3-16 start and a very solid 23-24 when Brandon Ingram is in uniform. They are also trying to win right now, and that is evident.

19. San Antonio Spurs (24-38, Last week — 20th)

San Antonio beat Washington in double overtime and then hung with Miami all the way to the buzzer before losing respectably in Memphis. That was on-brand for the season in San Antonio, with the Spurs now 14 games under .500 but still out-scoring opponents through 62 games. Wild stuff.

20. Charlotte Hornets (30-33, Last week — 21st)

Having Charlotte in the top 20 is a nod toward a talented roster, but injuries and ineffectiveness remove a lot of optimism. The Hornets are 2-11 in the last 13, and a blowout win over Toronto this week is the reason Charlotte stays ahead of teams like Washington.

21. Portland Trail Blazers (25-36, Last week — 18th)

The post-break reality smacked Portland in the face. The Blazers won four in a row in mid-February, defying logic of a team that is shifting to rebuild mode, but Portland just lost two games by a combined 69 points at home. The losses came to quality opponents, but that was a swift reminder of where this roster is right now.

22. Washington Wizards (28-33, Last week — 23rd)

It is almost unthinkable that the Wizards could be within one game of the play-in, but they are. Washington just finished a 1-2 week that wasn’t exactly impressive, but they held serve against Detroit on Tuesday, and the Wizards are… just lurking there.

23. Los Angeles Lakers (27-34, Last week — 19th)

Enough ink has been spilled on the Lakers recently but, in a word, yikes. Shaq openly discussed the potential that the Lakers have quit on Tuesday and, despite a valiant comeback effort, Los Angeles lost again. They are 3-10 in the last 13 games and 0-3 since the break, with each loss coming at home.

24. Sacramento Kings (23-40, Last week — 25th)

It’s not as if the Kings were good this week, losing the first two games after the break, but a lopsided win over OKC allows Sacramento to rise. That has more to do with what the Knicks did (see below) than anything, but De’Aaron Fox has at least 20 points in every game since returning on Feb. 8. It’s good to see him finding his groove again.

25. New York Knicks (25-36, Last week — 24th)

Woof. The Knicks are on a five-game losing skid and, since MLK Day, New York is 3-15 with a -6.8 net rating. That is dreadful, of course, and it is easy to forget the Knicks were one of the more positive stories in the league last season. A lot has changed in a short period of time.

26. Oklahoma City Thunder (19-42, Last week — 26th)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed almost a full month with injury, but he has shined since returning. Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 32 points or more in each game since the All-Star break, including a 36-8-5-3-2 effort in a win over Indiana. Oklahoma City’s defense is also strong, but keeping SGA going, at least long-term, is vital.

27. Indiana Pacers (21-42, Last week — 27th)

In an effort to be positive, the Pacers thrashed the Celtics this week and hit 17 threes in that basketball game. Tyrese Haliburton is also playing well and, when Indiana’s key players are actually available, they can be competitive. The Pacers can also rack up the losses they need for draft reasons. It’s a win-win.

28. Orlando Magic (15-47, Last week — 29th)

Markelle Fultz returned to action on Monday for the first time in more than a calendar year. His presence won’t fix everything in Orlando, but the Magic have quietly won two in a row, even if both victories came at home against bad teams. The Magic still have more intriguing (and future-facing) talent than most teams near the bottom, and getting Jonathan Isaac back would be the next logical step.

29. Detroit Pistons (15-47, Last week — 28th)

The Pistons have technically won three of the last five! They almost beat Washington on Tuesday! There should really be a five-spot break in the rankings between Detroit and Houston right now, but it’s true that the Pistons have the NBA’s worst net rating (-9.5) for the full season.

30. Houston Rockets (15-46, Last week — 30th)

It probably shouldn’t be this bad in Houston, but it is. The Rockets have lost 1o in a row and 14 of the last 15. They are allowing more than 1.2 points per possession in those 15 games, and the growing pains can be felt across the league.

HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones recently wrapped up its fantastic second season, so you know what that means? That’s right: it’s bloopers time, folks.

Here are a few highlights from The Righteous Gemstones season two blooper reel:

-Danny McBride using “f*ck you” as a placeholder insult of the actual line

-John Goodman making this face

-Adam DeVine struggling to remember the names of his muscle men God Squad

-McBride losing it after asking Joe Jonas about his “favorite stuff” that he’s done

-Edi Patterson making an orgasmic noise that no word in the English language can possibly describe

-Walton Goggins nearly throwing out his shoulder after flipping the bird

-Patterson saying, “Eat this, that’s the leader’s jizz because we got both boners because we know about boners” while pantomiming giving her on-screen brother a handjob

-McBride, Patterson, Tim Baltz, and Cassidy Freeman puking on each other with hoses

The Righteous Gemstones: good show.

As for when it’s coming back for season three, first off, don’t be greedy. Season two just ended. Give them some time, OK? But if you must know, don’t expect another three-year gap like the break between seasons one and two (unless Baby Billy’s COVID cure actually causes COVID). Based on McBride’s previous HBO shows, Eastbound and Down and Vice Principals, season three should (hopefully!) premiere in 2023 or 2024.

Bandcamp, the artist-friendly music marketplace and content community, has been sold to North Carolina-based Epic Games. Epic is most notably behind the wildly popular game Fortnite, as well as the widely used game development environment Unreal Engine. You can go ahead and file this as a most surprising advancement in the independent music sphere. Terms of the deal with Epic have not been disclosed.

In a statement posted to the Bandcamp blog, CEO Ethan Diamond assured that “Bandcamp will keep operating as a standalone marketplace and music community, and I will continue to lead our team,” and that business should operate pretty much as usual for artists who sell their music and merchandise on the platform. To date, Bandcamp has issued close to $1 billion in payments to artists and labels and the Oakland-based company has been an integral disruptor in a music industry increasingly dominated by music streaming and major labels. Artists net an average of 82 percent of revenue from each sale, which represents a handsome sum compared to the tiny fractions of a penny that they claim via Spotify and other streaming platforms.

Diamond elaborated that “…Behind the scenes we’re working with Epic to expand internationally and push development forward across Bandcamp, from basics like our album pages, mobile apps, merch tools, payment system, and search and discovery features, to newer initiatives like our vinyl pressing and live streaming services.” He also said Epic was the right partner for this new venture because, “We share a vision of building the most open, artist-friendly ecosystem in the world, and together we’ll be able to create even more opportunities for artists to be compensated fairly for their work.”

To some, it may be a bit disconcerting that a company like Bandcamp — who have presented themselves as nothing short of fiercely independent — are selling out to a major player in the digital space, but this is the nature of the beast in 2022. You can only grow so much as a purely independent company and ultimately, you need more resources to scale up. While Bandcamp is promising to continue to provide a fair grounds for artists to sell their music, where you stand on either line in the sand of this sale is entirely up to you and your values.

Read CEO Ethan Diamond’s statement in full below:

“I’m excited to announce that Bandcamp is joining Epic Games, who you may know as the makers of Fortnite and Unreal Engine, and champions for a fair and open Internet.

Bandcamp will keep operating as a standalone marketplace and music community, and I will continue to lead our team. The products and services you depend on aren’t going anywhere, we’ll continue to build Bandcamp around our artists-first revenue model (where artists net an average of 82% of every sale), you’ll still have the same control over how you offer your music, Bandcamp Fridays will continue as planned, and the Daily will keep highlighting the diverse, amazing music on the site. However, behind the scenes we’re working with Epic to expand internationally and push development forward across Bandcamp, from basics like our album pages, mobile apps, merch tools, payment system, and search and discovery features, to newer initiatives like our vinyl pressing and live streaming services.

Since our founding in 2008, we’ve been motivated by the pursuit of our mission, which is to help spread the healing power of music by building a community where artists thrive through the direct support of their fans. That simple idea has worked well, with payments to artists and labels closing in on $1 billion USD. And while over the years we’ve heard from other companies who wanted us to join them, we’ve always felt that doing so would only be exciting if they strongly believed in our mission, were aligned with our values, and not only wanted to see Bandcamp continue, but also wanted to provide the resources to bring a lot more benefit to the artists, labels, and fans who use the site. Epic ticks all those boxes. We share a vision of building the most open, artist-friendly ecosystem in the world, and together we’ll be able to create even more opportunities for artists to be compensated fairly for their work.

Whether you joined Bandcamp recently or have been with us since the beginning 14 years ago, thank you for being a part of this incredible community, and we look forward to serving you for many years to come!

Ethan Diamond
Bandcamp co-founder and CEO.”