Hours ahead of he and the team’s 2021-22 regular-season debut, Jonas Valanciunas agreed to a two-year, $30.1 million contract extension with the New Orleans Pelicans, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN.
New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas has agreed on a two-year extension worth $30.1 million, his agents Aaron Mintz, Mitch Nathan and Drew Morrison of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN.
Valanciunas is now committed to the Pelicans for $44.1M over the next three seasons.
New Orleans acquired Valanciunas this summer when they sent Steven Adams and the 10th pick of the 2021 NBA Draft to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Valanciunas and the 17th selection. The contract extension will keep him in the Big Easy through 2023-24 after he was initially slated to become a restricted free agent following this season. This also marks the second consecutive year the Pelicans have traded for a pending free agent center (Adams in 2020) and subsequently extended him prior to the start of the regular season.
Unlike the Adams extension, though, this looks to be a sound team-building decision. Valanciunas is a much better player, squarely in his prime at 29 years old and brings New Orleans a reliable interior scorer outside of Zion Williamson, which they’ve needed in recent seasons. While spacing beyond the arc is probably the ideal complement alongside Zion, someone who can create for himself, provide adequate drop coverage defensively in pick-and-rolls and owns the glass is quite beneficial too.
Valanciunas, who averaged 17.1 points on 63.6 percent true shooting last season, gives Brandon Ingram and Devonte’ Graham a viable pick-and-roll partner and can help buoy non-Zion minutes. He fits rather well on this team and now, he’ll be around for at least three years.
After being convicted of sex trafficking and racketeering in a New York court last month, R. Kelly’s local trial in Chicago has been set for August of 2022 according to Billboard. In that case, the singer stands accused of charges related to child pornography and obstruction of justice for alleged witness tampering and intimidation. Set to begin on August 1, the new trial is expected to last three to four weeks. R. Kelly will be defended in his second trial by his original attorneys Steve Greenberg and Michael Leonard after they abandoned the New York case before it went to trial.
Greenberg also noted during today’s scheduling hearing that the singer had been placed on suicide watch after being found guilty in New York, but was since cleared. Kelly’s sentencing case in that trial is set for May 4, 2022, and the singer faces up to life in prison. Statements made by Greenberg during the scheduling suggested that he would be “revamping” his legal team for an appeal once sentencing was complete. Kelly was present at the scheduling hearing via video call but Billboard notes that he was “unable to unmute himself to answer when asked by the judge to confirm the status of his legal team.”
When Ruby Rose announced her surprise departure from Batwoman, which essentially left the show without a star going into its second season, the actress and unnamed sources hinted that there was more to the story that was being told in public. In the almost 18 months since her departure, Rose has been amicable and supportive of the show as it cast Javica Leslie as her replacement, but now, the actress is breaking her silence on what really went down behind the scenes of The CW show.
In a new Instagram Story, Rose alleges that the Batwoman set was a dangerous working environment that left her injured and a production assistant paralyzed. She specifically accuses producers of instructing her to minimize her injuries to avoid production delays and she recalls one of the horrific injuries that she witnessed on set.
According to Rose, the behavioral issues on the set of Batwoman extend from managerial malpractice to cut corners that led to physical issues for crew members. Besides her own injuries — “the broken neck, “the broken rib split in two,” “the tumor,” and a “cut in the face so close to my eye in a stunt I could have been blind,” as she details in the story — Rose describes a situation in which a crew member’s “whole body” was burned. “We were given no therapy after witnessing his skin fall off his face but I was the only one who sent him flowers and cards,” she writes, “and then were told we had to do a sex scene without a minute to process.”
Rose also called out former co-star Dougray Scott, who she claims was verbally abusive on set and basically a menace who producers refused to rein in. “Dougray hurt a female stunt double he yelled like a little bitch at women and was a nightmare,” Rose wrote. “He left when he wanted and arrived when he wanted he abused women and in turn as a lead of a show i sent an email out asking for a no yelling policy, they declined.”
The New Orleans Pelicans will begin their regular season on Wednesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, and much like the Sixers, they’ll go into that game without the services of their former No. 1 overall pick. Zion Williamson underwent foot surgery during the offseason, and while the Pelicans stressed their belief that he would be able to start the year, that hasn’t come to fruition, and the big fella will watch the game from the sidelines as he rehabilitates.
Foot injuries are always concerns, particularly with players as big and explosive as Williamson. And according to a new piece by Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, there are elevated concerns within the Pelicans’ organization as Williamson’s weight has gotten above 300 pounds during points this offseason.
He’s since reached north of 300 pounds this offseason, sources said, again fueling concerns among New Orleans staffers similar to the months leading up to his rookie debut. When he joined the Pelicans’ recent preseason trip to Minnesota, several league personnel on hand were struck by his heavier appearance than his listed playing weight last season of 284 pounds. “I know Zion at 280, and he was not 280,” said one observer.
“These are the injuries you have to be the most concerned about, a foot injury for a guy with noted weight issues,” said one Western Conference executive.
There is no timetable for when Williamson will be able to make his debut this season, but it is expected he will get updated scans on his foot in the next week or so.
As someone who went from an underground rapper to one of today’s biggest pop stars, Lizzo has had to deal with living in the public eye. And while the paparazzi definitely have a reputation of being harassing, aggressive, and invasive, Lizzo says the average smart phone user is just as bad. The singer compared toxic paparazzi to social media today, saying the prevalence of camera phones has made the average person just as destructive as the paparazzi.
In a recent TikTok, Lizzo spoke about her experience being constantly captured on camera. She urged fans to look in the mirror and hold themselves to the same moral standard they try to enforce on celebrities:
“The media definitely is still out of line. I saw a lot of comments on that post talking about, ‘Oh my god, the paparazzi in the ‘90s were so terrible. They ruined people’s lives.’ You do realize this is called social media for a reason, right? Everybody has a phone and everybody has a camera on it. From my personal experience, I see more camera phones than I see paparazzi.
And it’s not just celebrities. Anybody can catch that smoke now. Anybody at any time can be filmed or photographed without their permission and put on the internet to be ridiculed, harassed, and bullied. A lot of people are driven to self harm, anxiety, depression. I see a lot of people posting their ‘hot takes,’ their opinions on the internet, their cruel jokes, just for likes and engagement and clout. A lot of people holding others to a high moral standard that they themselves don’t even live to. We are the media now, look around. Let’s be better to each other than they were back then. Let’s do better than they did in the ‘90s.”
Following a messy public battle that’s already resulted in one employee being fired, Netflix has softened its stance on the ongoing employee revolt over the streaming service’s handling of the Dave Chappelle controversy. The comedian’s latest special, The Closer, has been heavily criticized for its transphobic and homophobic messaging, which has sparked an employee walkout on Wednesday October 20.
At issue is Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos‘ repeated defense of Chappelle’s special, which he argued does not cause “real-world harm.” Notably, the employees organizing the walkout do not want Netflix to remove the special, but instead, for the company to enact specific efforts towards ensuring more inclusive voices are involved in decision-making processes. The group also wants warning labels placed ahead of content similar to Chappelle’s special.
After firing the organizer of the walkout for allegedly leaking internal documents to the press, Netflix issued a statement supporting the walkout that’s scheduled for today. Via Variety:
“We value our trans colleagues and allies, and understand the deep hurt that’s been caused. We respect the decision of any employee who chooses to walk out, and recognize we have much more work to do both within Netflix and in our content.”
In addition to supporting the walkout, Sarandos conceded on Tuesday that he “screwed up” with his defense of Chappelle. “I should have first and foremost acknowledged in those emails that a group of our employees were in pain, and they were really feeling hurt from a business decision that we made,” Sarandos told The Hollywood Reporter. “Instead of acknowledging that first, I went right into some rationales. And so first of all, I’d say those emails lacked humanity, in which I like to and I do generally communicate with our teams.”
Sarandos also acknowledged that he was wrong to say that content can’t have real-life consequences, but he defended Netflix’s decision to air Chappelle’s special. He said the company always tells employees upfront that “some of the content on Netflix you’re not going to like.”
At long last, director Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi pièce de résistance Dune is here. Following its red carpet premiere last month, the first entry in the potential saga has already been called everything from an “epic masterpiece” to a “boring disappointment,” meaning the best way to judge it is simply by watching it yourself. Luckily for all of you who have been waiting literal yearsto finally do so, the wait it almost over — if you’re streaming it on HBO Max, that is.
While Dune releases in theaters nationally Friday, October 22, if you just can’t wait to get watching and have a subscription to HBO Max, it turns out you can start watching the film Thursday, October 21 starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT. According to HBO Max, the early release is part of a “special preview” for Dune, and coincides with all the early showings of the film that will be playing in select theaters on October 21.
Dune will be available in theaters and on HBO Max, only on the ad-free plan streaming in the US for 31 days from its theatrical release. A special preview begins on HBO Max October 21 at 6 pm ET.
However, there is a catch to watching Dune via HBO Max — well, other than Villeneuve being disappointed in your preferred viewing method. Dune will only be available on the streaming service for “31 days from its theatrical release,” meaning by late November the only way you can watch the movie will be by purchasing a ticket and heading to your local theater. While this is sure to please Villeneuve, it’s definitely something folks still understandably hesitant about visiting theaters should consider.
Regardless of how you watch Dune, the sci-fi spectacle based on the book by Frank Herbert However and featuring a star-studded cast of Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, and a very big worm will be waiting for you this weekend.
A process server tried to serve Dr. Dre divorce papers at the worst imaginable time — at his grandmother’s funeral — according to a report from TMZ. TMZ’s sources say that Dre was at the cemetery in Los Angeles when he was approached, although sources differ on exactly when it happened. Dre’s people say the producer was standing next to the casket at the burial site, while Nicole Young’s say Dre was served in the parking lot after the funeral — which is decidedly less tacky, but still pretty tacky.
Dre reportedly wouldn’t take the documents by hand as a result, prompting the server to either leave them at the gravesite or in the parking lot, depending on which source you ask. According to TMZ, the papers contained the judge’s final orders regarding the payment for Nicole’s lawyer fees. The two parties had apparently disagreed on just how much Dre owed, with Dre’s side saying the $325,433 he paid already should have paid the balance in full. However, the judge apparently agreed with Nicole’s side — that Dre owed $1,550,000.
For the better part of two decades, Liverpool outfit Clinic have been pumping out some of the coolest, most inventive alternative music available. Now, the band is gearing up to release their ninth studio ablum, Fantasy Island. Chock full if literary references, Fantasy Island is comprised of twelve tracks that explore time, music, and entertainment atop funky bass tracks and drum machines.
To celebrate the new album, Ade Blackburn sat down to talk Echo And The Bunnymen, wearing scrubs on stage, and more in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Fun, exotic, subversive and danceable.
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
As something unique that wasn’t just following the trends of the day or based on money making
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
San Francisco.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
Richard Brautigan, his humour and childlike observations have always been a big inspiration.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
In Crosby, Liverpool at Marsh’s bakers, which has sadly closed down. They were the best bakers on Merseyside and made delicious pizzas.
What album do you know every word to?
Probably none. The closest would be Wings — Band On The Run. That was my dad’s favourite album and I grew up with that on heavy rotation
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
Echo and The Bunnymen’s 1984 Crystal Day concert in Liverpool. It was a really inventive one-off gig, with a full day of weirder events.
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
We always wear scrubs so they’re the best but we do have a range of accessories. This time we’ve got some nice tropical additions to the outfits.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
I don’t have a personal Twitter or Instagram account. If I did I’d follow the San Francisco group The Residents. I’m sure they’ve got a good take on social media.
What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?
Randy and the Metrosquad – Trouble at the Cup, a shambolic yet tremendous performance from a gig in L.A.
What’s the last thing you Googled?
The moons of Saturn. My son is heavily into the solar system.
What album makes for the perfect gift?
Pebbles Vol. 3, it’s got everything. Sci-fi sound effects, primitive rock ‘n’ roll and unhinged song structures. And a disturbingly memorable sleeve
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
The Tally Ho Inn, it was in the mid-west and had an unnerving Psycho feel to it. Much better than the standard travel stops!
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
I haven’t got any tattoos. I’m not sure about committing to something that can date so easily.
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
Eyesore and The Jinx, Prison Behaviour and Vanishing Twin
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
My family taking me seriously when I said I wanted to write music.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Enjoy yourself but don’t join a band. Things aren’t always what they seem!
What’s the last show you went to?
Star Spangled Banana in Liverpool, they’re a great band led by the legendary Bob Parker, formerly of The Mel-O-Tones and The Walking Seeds.
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
Carry On Abroad, it probably hasn’t aged well but still a nice slice of ’70s nostalgia, warts and all!
What would you cook if Obama were coming to your house for dinner?
Fish fingers, chips and peas.
Fantasy Island is out 10/22 via Domino Records. Pre-order it here.
Good news Hulu fans: The streamer is offering plenty of binge-watching options to keep you cozy on the couch as the weather turns colder this month.
Padma Lakshmi brings back her cooking show for a special holiday edition this November while Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult battle it out for the throne in the second season of Hulu’s original comedy The Great. Add to that a handful of blockbuster favorites like Inception, Fargo, and the entire Matrix trilogy, and really, there’s no excuse not to spend all your free time in front of the TV this month.
Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) Hulu this November.
Taste The Nation: Holiday Edition (Hulu original series streaming 11/4)
Padma Lakshmi drops four new episodes of her revolutionary culinary show in time for the holidays this month. Lakshmi uses these extra installments to explore the American food traditions of Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), and Seollal (Lunar New Year).
The Great: Season 2 (Hulu original series streaming 11/19)
Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult return for season two of this period dramedy that takes plenty of liberties with history while telling the story of Catherine the Great. This time around, a very pregnant Catherine (Fanning) has assumed the throne while Peter (Hoult) tries to find his place in this new hierarchy. Gillian Anderson guests as Catherine’s mom who arrives to advise her daughter to give up her plans of ruling Russia while Catherine’s allies begin to challenge her noble ideals for how the empire should be run.
Everything coming to Hulu in November:
Avail. 11/1 The Informant: Fear and Faith in the Heartland: Original Documentary Film (Hulu Original) 10,000 BC (2008) A Christmas Wedding Tail (2011) A Nanny For Christmas (2010) All the Right Moves (1983) Apache Uprising (1965) The Babysitter (1995) The Beach (2000) Beatriz at Dinner (2017) Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (2011) Black Dynamite (2009) Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan (2006) Boys Don’t Cry (1999) Boyz N’ The Hood (1991) Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984) Breaking News in Yuba County (2021) Buffalo Bill and The Indians (1976) China Moon (1994) Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009) The Comedian (2017) Conspiracy Theory (1997) Cutter’s Way (1981) Dark Angel (1990) Dark Shadows (2012) Doc (1971) Dr. Phibes Rises Again! (1972) Elektra (2005) Enter the Ninja (1981) Eye for An Eye (1996) Eye of the Needle (1981) Fargo (1996) The Fifth Element (1997) The Fighter (2010) Flesh and Bone (1993) The Fly (1986) How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980) The Hunted (2003) I Escaped From Devil’s Island (1973) I, Tonya (2017) In Secret (2014) Inception (2010) Killers (2010) King Arthur (2004) The Legend of Zorro (2005) Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) London Mitchell’s Christmas (2018) Love Potion No. 9 (1992) Maggie (2015) The Matrix (1999) The Matrix Reloaded (2003) The Matrix Revolutions (2003) Michael Clayton (2007) Minority Report (2002) The Mistle-Tones (2012) Modern Girls (1986) Moneyball (2011) Monuments (2020) Never Been Kissed (1999) Once Upon a Time in the West (1969) The Outsider (1980) Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) The Prestige (2006) The Quiet Man (1952) Real Men (1987) Resident Evil (2002) Revenge of the Ninja (1983) Rush Hour (1998) Rush Hour 2 (2001) Rush Hour 3 (2007) The Shootist (1976) Single White Female (1992) Six Days, Seven Nights (1998) Sleepless in Seattle (1993) Soapdish (1991) The Soloist (2009) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) Texas Chainsaw Massacre II (1986) That Thing You Do! (1996) Troll 2 (1991) True Grit (1969) Universal Soldier (1992) Vampire in Brooklyn (1995) The War of the Worlds (1953) XXX (2002) XXX: State Of The Union (2005) Yes Man (2008)
Avail. 11/2 Prospect (2018)
Avail. 11/3 Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots: Complete Season 8 (OWN)
Avail. 11/4 Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi: Holiday Edition (Hulu Original) Playing God (2021)
Avail. 11/5 Animaniacs: Complete Season 2 (Hulu Original) Being Blago: Complete Season 1 (ABC News)
Avail. 11/7 Pain & Gain (2013)
Avail. 11/8 Emperor (2012)
Avail. 11/11 Madagascar: A Little Wild: Complete Season 5 (Hulu Original) 3212 Un-Redacted: Original Documentary Film (ABC News)
Avail. 11/14 Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Avail. 11/15 12 Dog Days Till Christmas (2014) A Christmas Kiss II (2014) A Christmas Switch (2018) A Christmas Tree Miracle (2013) A Cinderella Christmas (2016) A Dogwalker’s Christmas Tale (2015) A Puppy For Christmas (2016) Angels In The Snow (2015) Back To Christmas (2014) The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021) Christmas Belle (2013) The Christmas Calendar (2017) Christmas In The Heartland (2018) Christmas With the Andersons (2016) Deadpool (2016) Deadpool 2 (2018) Girlfriends of Christmas Past (2014) Holly’s Holiday (2012) The March Sisters at Christmas (2012) Married by Christmas (2016) My Dad is Scrooge (2014) My Santa (2013) Naughty & Nice (2014) Rock N’ Roll Christmas (2019) Rodeo & Juliet (2015) Second Chance Christmas (2017) The Secret of the Nutcracker (2007) The Truth About Christmas (2018) Winter Wedding (2017)
Avail. 11/16 The Master (2012)
Avail. 11/17 Marvel’s Hit Monkey: Complete Season 1 (Hulu Original) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)
Avail. 11/18 The Curse of Von Dutch: Original Docuseries (Hulu Original) Mandibles (2021)
Avail. 11/19 The Great: Complete Season 2 (Hulu Original)
Avail. 11/22 Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)
Avail. 11/23 Holly Hobbie: Complete Season 3 (Hulu Original) Ape Star (2021)
Avail. 11/25 Ride the Eagle (2021)
Avail. 11/26 Madagascar: A Little Wild Holiday Goose Chase (2021) (Hulu Original)
Pig (2021)
Avail. 11/28 Real Housewives of New Jersey: Complete Season 11 (Bravo)
Avail. 11/29 All Light, Everywhere (2021)
Avail. 11/30 Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
Everything leaving Hulu in November:
Leaving 11/3 The Program (1993) Unfaithful (2002)
Leaving 11/8 Angels & Demons (2009) The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Leaving 11/9 Transporter 3 (2008)
Leaving 11/14 The Mountain Between Us (2017)
Leaving 11/17 The Cup (2012)
Leaving 11/30 The Baby-Sitters Club (1995) Black Dynamite (2009) Blue Chips (1994) Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984) Buffalo Bill and The Indians (1976) Chasing Papi (2003) China Moon (1994) Cold Creek Manor (2003) Crazy Heart (2009) Crimson Tide (1995) Cutter’s Way (1981) Dark Angel (1990) Doc (1971) Dr. Phibes Rises Again! (1972) Edward Scissorhands (1990) Enter the Ninja (1981) Eye of the Needle (1981) Fargo (1996) The Fifth Element (1997) Free Willy (1993) Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995) Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997) Free Willy: Escape From Pirate’s Cove (2010) The Glass House (2001) Hitman: Agent 47 (2015) How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980) I Escaped From Devil’s Island (1973) Last Chance Harvey (2008) The Legend of Zorro (2005) The Love Letter (1999) Magic Mike (2012) Minority Report (2002) Modern Girls (1986) Much Ado About Nothing (2013) My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997) Neil Young: Heart of Gold (2006) Office Space (1999) Once Upon a Time in the West (1969) The Possession (2012) The Prestige (2006) Priest (2011) Queen of the Damned (2002) Real Men (1987) Resident Evil (2002) Revenge of the Ninja (1983) Sabrina (1995) Single White Female (1992) Sleepless in Seattle (1993) The Soloist (2009) Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) Stephen King’s It (1990) Sucker Punch (2011) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) Switchback (1997) Tears Of The Sun (2003) Texas Chainsaw Massacre II (1986) That Thing You Do! (1996) The Time Machine (2002) Toy Soldiers (1991) Troll 2 (1991) Universal Soldier (1992) The Untouchables (1987) The Vatican Tapes (2015) Volcano (1997) Wayne’s World 2 (1993) The Wrestler (2008) The X-Files (1998) XXX (2002) XXX: State Of The Union (2005)
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