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Thanks to the recent Netflix doc The Tinder Swindler, Simon Leviev is a household name — and it’s not even his real name. The one born Shimon Yehuda Hayut is a longtime conman who was first nabbed in 2011 after cashing checks for a family for whom he was babysitting. His most famous exploits, however, involve fleecing women out of millions of dollars over Tinder. He’s back on the streets, though, and he’s found new ways to make dough.

As per TMZ, Leviev — who was only recently banned from dating apps due to the notoriety he accrued thanks to the aforementioned doc — has been offering his services to nightclubs for a hefty fee. What are his services, exactly? Well, he’s famous — or infamous, anyway. And clubs in Philadelphia, Boston, Germany, and Mexico are all after him to put in appearances.

Leviev doesn’t come cheap, however. He’s currently charging $20,000 an appearance. That fee does not include bottle service, which is on his list of demands. That item is on the cheaper side of the list; he’s also demanding, as per TMZ, “a private jet, suite at a 5-star hotel, black SUV car service and 2 full-time security guards. In other words, a man who’s been jailed for flimflam is coaxing nightclubs into forking over a fortune, all because he’s a criminal of note.

For now, however, Leviev can always scoop up some extra scratch via his Cameo account. Oh, and of course, he’s hocking NTFs.

The Tinder Swindler now streams on Netflix.

(Via TMZ)

Dua Lipa released her second album Future Nostalgia in 2020, which became her first Top 5 album, debuting at No. 4. It was also named the 10th most-successful album of 2020 by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), having sold 3.3 million copies worldwide. The album also spawned a pair of Top 2 singles with “Don’t Start Now” and “Levitating.” Unfortunately for Lipa, the latter is now the subject of a lawsuit.

According to TMZ, a Florida reggae band named Artikal Sound System filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Dua Lipa, claiming that “Levitating” is a rip-off of their 2017 track “Live Your Life.” Lipa’s label, Warner Records, along with others were also named in the lawsuit. Artikal Sound System is seeking the profits that they would have made from “Levitating” as well as other damages.

The lawsuit comes after Dua Lipa was announced as one of the performers at this year’s Osheaga and Firefly festivals. She also had a great moment with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show and confirmed that she has “a lot” of her next album recorded.

You can compare similarities between “Levitating” and “Live Your Life” by listening to the songs above.

Dua Lipa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

After nearly a month, “Bendergate” is at an end. In early February, Hulu had some good news and some bad. The good: Futurama, Matt Groening’s beloved sci-fi animated comedy, was being revived at the streamer. The bad: Not everyone was coming back. The lone hold-out was John DiMaggio, who voiced Bender, the alcoholic, pimpmobile-loving robot. But, as per The Hollywood Reporter, after weeks of negotiation, he’s finally on board.

DiMaggio’s main sticking point was that the entire cast, not just him, was about being underpaid for their efforts. “I don’t think that only I deserve to be paid more. I think the entire cast does,” he wrote in a statement in mid-February.

News that DiMaggio would not be returning and would likely be replaced drove social media into a frenzy. DiMaggio himself seemed to be as livid as everyone else. But now that nightmare is over. Details about what tipped the scales have not been made public, but DiMaggio — whose vocal work can also be heard on the likes of Kim Possible, Samurai Jack, Teen Titans, and more — seemed ecstatic in a statement he released on the matter.

“I’M BACK, BABY! So damn grateful for the love and support of fans and colleagues alike during this whole time (especially my wife, Kate), and I cannot wait to get back to work with my Futurama family … #Bendergate is officially over, so put it on the back of a shelf behind Xmas decorations, or maybe in that kitchen drawer with all of the other crap you put in there like old unusable crazy glue, or maybe even put it in a jar you save farts in. Whatever floats your boat, I don’t care, you get the picture. I’M BACK, BABY! BITE MY SHINY METAL ASS!”

The Futurama revival will include 20 new episodes, with production to begin later this year. It will join other Hulu animated revivals, among them Animaniacs, which came back in late 2020.

(Via THR)

When it comes to tipping etiquette, more often than not, we hear stories about celebrities going out to dinner and tipping like crap. There’s the football player who left a meager 75 cents on a $128 bill because he didn’t get enough refills on his water, or another who thought leaving 20 cents was a good way to “make a statement.” There are also stories about when Kendall Jenner didn’t tip on a round of drinks and Tiger Woods pulling back a $5 tip to a blackjack dealer when he realized he had already tipped (on a $10,000 bet!) But you know who doesn’t suck at tipping? Cardi B and Offset.

The hip-hop power couple apparently had a kick-ass meal at NYC’s Brooklyn Chop House. They left a massive $1,400 tip on a sizable $3,000 tab, which is generous, awesome, and exemplary to say the least.

https://www.instagram.com/brooklynchophouse/

Despite its name, the restaurant is in Lower Manhattan, in between the Financial District and Chinatown. Cardi and Offset treated their team to a dinner out which according to gossip site Page Six, included dumplings and dessert. A Black-owned establishment, the couple took a photo with owner Robert “Don Pooh” Cummins, who posted it on the restaurant’s Instagram account with the clever caption “Chopping it up with @iamcardib and @offsetyrn tonight at @brooklynchophouse thank you.” Wonder how many times he uses that same pun?

Big shouts to Cardi B and Offset. Supporting the hard-working industry is nothing short of cool and this is the way to do it.

Ever since they first invaded Ukraine last week, Russia has received massive pushback from amongst the world stage. (That is, except from a certain former U.S. president and a certain current Fox News host.) Sanctions have gone into effect. On a lesser note, Hollywood studios have pulled future films from the nation’s release calendar. And on Tuesday, the station RT — born as Russia Today, and piping Russian propaganda into millions of American households — was dealt a major blow.

As first reported by Axios, DirecTV — which, along with DISH, were the only American cable providers willing to carry the channel — formally cut ties, removing it from its service. A spokesperson for DirecTV told CNN that they were already considering yanking RT from their coffers, but the nation’s invasion of Ukraine sped up the process.

RT was removed in the midst of a commercial blizzard. Luckily, one enterprising Twitterer managed to preserve RT’s final moments on DirecTV.

Among the ads were one for Medicare and numerous promos for RT programs. One was The World According to Jesse, hosted by wrestler-turned-Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura. (“Question more!” he bellows in the ad for a station that has been widely derided for questionable news coverage.) Ventura, a registered Independent who was formerly a member of the Green and Reform parties, hooked up with RT back in 2015. According to The Washington Post, at the time he boasted that he was “working for the enemy of mainstream media now.”

Alas, only DISH subscribers will be able to watch his show. In related news, a spokesperson for that cable provider told CNN that they couldn’t comment on whether they, too, would be severing ties with RT, they supported Ukraine and were “closely monitoring the situation.” If Ventura is looking for someone to blame, perhaps he can finally turn on Vladimir Putin.

(Via Axios, CNN, and WaPo)

Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail has just announced his latest project, Metropolis, which will land at Apple TV+. Esmail will write and direct the series, based on the iconic sci-fi movie of the same name, directed by Fritz Lang.

The original Metropolis took place in the not-so-faraway future of the year 2026, where there is a major economic divide, with wealthy people living in swanky high-rise buildings, while the working class live below them literally and figuratively. (So, it’s not too far off, honestly.) Lang’s Metropolis was based on the novel (also of the same name, to keep it confusing) by German author Thea von Harbou.

There are no updates on the cast at this point, but perhaps Esmail can get Rami Malek back for a role after he won his Academy Award in 2019 for his portrayal of Freddy Mercury. The two have been reportedly working together on various projects since collaborating on Mr. Robot, though none of those projects have been released. Instead, Malek became a Bond villain.

Esmail created Mr. Robot in 2015, which was met with critical acclaim, and helped launch Malek’s career. The series ran for four seasons and concluded in 2019. Since then, Esmail directed Amazon Prime’s Homecoming starring Julia Roberts and Janelle Monae, and Briarpatch starring Rosario Dawson.

(Spoilers for Hulu’s The Dropout will be found below.)

The Dropout, Hulu’s latest “ripped from the headlines” biopic, is set to follow the meteoric rise of 20-something biotech entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes.

If that name doesn’t sound familiar, perhaps the company she created will ring a bell. Holmes, who dropped out of Stanford’s School of Engineering during her sophomore year, founded the consumer healthcare tech company called Theranos, which promised investors an at-home machine capable of analyzing and detecting abnormalities in a patient’s DNA with just a few drops of blood. Holmes would go on to receive backing from some of the biggest names in tech and beyond — think Rupert Murdoch, Betsy DeVos, former Secretary of State George Shultz, and Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper — but her sweeping claims about Theranos’ mysterious tech would eventually earn scrutiny from the media … and the U.S. government.

Before Hulu’s look at the doomed CEO drops on the streaming platform this month, refresh yourself on the unbelievable plot and characters of this real-life disaster story.

What Is The Dropout About?

Hulu’s limited series kicks off by focusing on Holmes’ early years. A driven and ambitious young woman, Holmes had a desire to change the world which is why she decided to attend Stanford. Her hope to have a career that mirrored her icon’s — Apple inventor Steve Jobs — pushed her to create Theranos, a company that promised to “democratize healthcare” by making it possible for patients to test their blood at home. The show, written by New Girl creator Elizabeth Merriwether and directed by Michael Showalter, follows Holmes as she goes from wide-eyed college co-ed to brilliant, in-over-her-head CEO of a multi-million dollar company. As investors begin to press her for proof that her machines work, Holmes makes some ethically reprehensible decisions, all in the name of progress.

Who Are The Main Characters Of The Dropout?

Elizabeth Holmes (played by Amanda Seyfried)

Amanda Seyfried transforms herself to play tech titan Elizabeth Holmes in Hulu’s limited series. The Mamma Mia star mimicks Holmes’ deep baritone — which may or may not have been fake — and, over the course of the show’s eight episodes, slowly morphs Holmes from a schlubby, stressed college student to a turtleneck donning power player. Seyfried leans into Holmes’ neurotic tendencies, amplifying how “other” she felt compared to her peers at school and her investors in the boardroom — mostly older men with decades more experience in running an actual company. Though she launches Theranos with good intentions, the pressure to succeed as a young, female CEO of a promising startup soon pushes Holmes to make decisions that are not only dangerous but criminal.

Sunny Balwani (played by Naveen Andrews)

Another major player in the rise (and fall) of Theranos is American businessman Sunny Balwani, played by Lost star Naveen Andrews in the Hulu biopic. Balwani had worked for companies like Microsoft and Lotus Software before founding his own software development business. He eventually sold it to a competitor, netting a multi-million dollar profit. When Holmes was a senior in high school, she met the 37-year-old entrepreneur and a short time later, the two began a romantic relationship. In the show, they bond over their shared love of Mandarin on an overseas trip as Balwani quickly becomes a mentor for the young undergrad. Andrews plays him as brash, uncompromising, and totally devoted to Holmes at the beginning of the series, but their relationship quickly changes when Seyfried’s character turns to him for help in duping her investors. As things slowly start to go sour between Holmes, her board members, and her employees, Balwani becomes even more paranoid, constantly accusing people of corporate espionage and tightly controlling Holmes’ every move.

Richard Fuisz (played by William H. Macy)

Richard Fuisz is one of the main antagonists in Holmes’ bid for tech glory. Played as a bitter, sensitive, narcissistic businessman by William H. Macy, Fuisz was a neighbor of the Holmes family for years before Elizabeth started her company. In the show, he fumes over the idea that she would start a medical tech business without asking him for advice — he built his fortune off of patenting all kinds of inventions, including medical devices, so that larger companies would have to pay him for their use. Whether that was his true motivation or not, Fuisz actively tries to thwart Holmes’ success, first by obtaining a patent for a mechanical process she’ll need to make her blood-testing machines work, then by connecting a disgruntled employee with the Wall Street Journal reporter who would later expose Theranos’ bad dealings.

Ian Gibbons (played by Stephen Fry)

Ian Gibbons was an experienced biochemist and the chief scientist of Theranos before the company went under. Another mentor to Holmes in those early days, Gibbons was constantly trying to maintain a high level of quality and accuracy in the machines that Theranos was building. Played by Stephen Fry, Gibbons was a staunch supporter of Holmes until he began to suspect she was cutting corners to keep up with the hype from investors. Sadly, Gibbons committed suicide before he was set to be deposed in the lawsuit Theranos filed against Fuisz.

When Will The Dropout Premiere?

The show will drop its first three episodes on Hulu on March 3rd with episodes airing weekly after that. The series has planned for eight episodes to tackle Holmes’ life, the creation of Theranos, and, presumably, her arrest and conviction on charges of criminal fraud during a trial that happened earlier this year.

As conflict escalates between Russia and Ukraine, both of its leaders become figureheads for two opposing core values: dominance and democracy.

While Putin demonstrates the shadow side of using egoic will and force, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy symbolizes the heart-led, more natural power of compassion. The comedian-turned-politician is becoming a household name for bringing moments of light during an otherwise dark time.

One moment in particular is going viral: a photo of Zelenskyy, face covered in paint, laughing with his family. The photo is already uplifting, but it’s the caption that takes it all home.

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The text reads: “During his inaugural address in 2019, Zelensky told lawmakers: ‘I do not want my picture in your offices: the President is not an icon, an idol or a portrait. Hang your kids’ photos instead, and look at them each time you are making a decision.'”

See on Instagram

This is a leader who understands humanity.

In that same speech (reposted by The Recount), Zelenskyy shared how his 6-year-old helped him realize how “every one of us is the president now.”

He continued: “every one of us bears responsibility for Ukraine which we will leave to our children. Each of us, in our places, can do something for the development of Ukraine…This is our shared dream, but we have shared pains…Those who lost their own homes and those who in turn, opened the doors of their homes, sharing this pain…Those who didn’t manage to find their place at home but found earnings in a foreign country. Those who, fighting poverty, had to lose their dignity. But we will overcome all of this, for each of us is a Ukrainian. We have to be united, and only then are we strong.”

Zelenskyy and Putin each represent two paths at a crossroads. Which way will we go? Toward power at all costs? Or toward peace for future generations? This is a choice we must all make. And we must choose wisely.

Have you ever wanted a t-shirt for your face? Do you even know what that means? Neither do we, but Scarlett Johnasson really wants you to try it. The Black Widow actress just launched The Outset, a line of “vegan, minimalist and clean” products, which are supposed to be the most basic form of skincare (with costs starting at $28).

“We always talk about this brand being like the white T-shirt of skincare,” Johansson told The Hollywood Reporter, equating her line to a simple but important staple. “It’s not about resurfacing or reinventing your skin, it’s really about preserving the skin that you have for the future.”

The actress admitted she was new to the whole “owning a business” aspect of it all, which is why she worked with Katie Foster Lengyel, who has worked with other beauty brands in the past. “I never understood the background of how brands come to be. I just didn’t feel like I had a place at the table, because it was this whole new venture,” Johansson added. “I think over time I just felt more confident that it was something that I had a perspective on. And felt like it was worth pursuing this dream.”

Johansson created a line of six simple, fragrance-free products: a cleanser, prep serum, day cream, night cream, fine line cream, and a lip treatment which range from $28 to $54. The products are available now on The Outset’s website (which is currently down, so you can follow their Instagram in the meantime) and will soon hit Sephora later in April.

“Ukraine is game to you?”

That’s pretty much the same (incredible) vibe we’re seeing from the Ukraine resistance over the past week or so. From President Volodymyr Zelenskyy standing his ground and declining to be evacuated by the U.S. to his emotional EU speech that prompted a standing ovation to the molotov-cocktail grandma who declared, “Let those Russian sh*ts come here,” it’s clear that Ukrainians are not to be f*cked with, at least, not lightly.

Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to push his troops toward targets in the Ukraine, of course, which means that he never watched this classic Seinfeld clip that’s currently making the social media rounds.

Ah yes, the sight of Cosmo Kramer declaring that Ukraine is “weak,” “feeble,” and a sitting duck,” and “we’re playing a game here, pal,” all while a fellow subway passenger, a Ukrainian man, ain’t having it.

“How bout I take your little board and smash it!” is exactly what Kramer (and Newman) deserved at that moment in time. Naturally, people are enjoying looking back while joking about how Seinfeld predicted global affairs, decades into the future, but hey, the late 1990s followed a few years after Ukraine officially held itself out as independent of Russia, so of course, Kramer was behind the times. And yeah, Seinfeld may have been ahead of its time in this way. Whatever the case, people are enjoying how those board-game pieces flew all over the place.

Perhaps Putin’s game will be shaken up in the same manner.