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Matt Amodio’s Jeopardy! streak came to a sudden and shocking end on Monday, but that’s nothing to sneeze at: With 38 consecutive wins, he has the second longest run in the game show’s history, ahead of James Holzhauer’s 33 wins but way behind Ken Jennings’ 74. In that time — only nine days of shooting, by the way, in which he banged out five episodes a day — he amassed a whopping $1.5 million in winnings. What’s he going to do with it? The answer: probably not much.

The 30-year-old grad student was on CNN doing a kind of exit interview, during which he was inevitably asked about how his life will change with a new bounty of cash. But his answer wasn’t as interesting as one of his Jeopardy! questions. “Boring answer, but I’m going to say my goal is to not touch a penny any time soon,” Amodio replied.

Of course, he’ll probably have to earmark a good chunk of that to pay for Yale University, where he’s a PhD student in computer sciences. Grad school ain’t cheap! But he should still have enough left over to live semi-comfortably. And he’ll always have those Jeopardy! GOAT competitions to line his pockets.

Amodio was also asked about experiencing a record Jeopardy! run in the midst of the Mike Richards mishegoss, which saw him having burning through a number of hosts, including the show’s now-infamous former executive producer-turned-almost-permanent emcee. But his answer about that was kind of boring, too.

“I was surprised by how little that affected me, because there’s a whole crew. Jeopardy ism’t just one person, it’s a team,” Amodio said. “And sure, one host was changing all the time, but there was so much that was the same. It felt pretty consistent throughout this whole thing.”

As for who should be the late Alex Trebek’s permanent replacement, Amodio doesn’t have an answer for that either. He said Mayim Bialik, who’s been filling in while the producers find a new one, was “fantastic.” And he says Jennings, who he hasn’t worked with (yet), would also be “fantastic.” But, you know, sometimes, in this wackadoodle world we live in, boring is good.

(Via CNN)

The phrase “shower thought” began appearing in the public lexicon somewhere after the turn of the century. Know Your Meme traces it back to around 2004 and its first appearance on Urban Dictionary was in 2009 when Mr. Kageka submitted an entry for “showerthought,” defining it as “an idea, thought or concept” that comes during part of a “morning routine.”

They’re defined on Reddit’s popular “Shower Thoughts” forum as “miniature epiphanies you have that highlight the oddities within the familiar.”

These thoughts seem to seep into our consciousness when we’re doing a mundane task that doesn’t require too much thought but allows our mind to wander, like when we’re taking a shower or brushing our teeth.

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During these routine moments, the prefrontal cortex relaxes and your mind goes on autopilot, giving all of the bizarre brilliance we’ve subconsciously stored the chance to express itself.

For some of us, the thoughts come and go, we may smile a bit and then get on with our day. Others believe it’s their duty to share their shower thoughts with the world and they post them on Reddit.

Here are some of the more amusing recent entries:

“Somebody is probably mad at you for taking away their username,” —chizhi1234

“People that fake having a mental disorder clearly have one,” —UltimaBahamut93

“If you simply carry a mug with you, you’ll look like you belong anywhere,” —Peanutbuttered

“The generations in their older 20s and early 30s that vehemently hate TikTok is the beginning of millennials beginning to hate everything that young people do,” —crackshotslapshot

“Dryer lint is the average color of your clothes,” —Tragouls

A TokTokker by the name of @doublejynx has taken things a step further and recorded videos of himself coming up with shower thoughts every day for 365 days. In every video he shares a few of them, so he’s come up with more than a thousand over the course of the year.

His true brilliance is being able to have so many when it’s impossible to force yourself to have a shower thought. They come out of nowhere like a beautiful breeze or the sound of birds chirping.

Here are 18 of his best videos. Take a look at the entire post because there are some hidden gems in there.

“You might have made a decision that saved your life, without knowing it.”

“If he wanted to, Jeff Bezos could technically be Santa for a very large portion of the world.”

“If you add every number in existence, you’ll just get zero.”

“You can still see for a short time after being beheaded.”

“Every decision you’ve ever had led you to me.”

“There is a small percentage of rain that is made up of your tears.”

“You could be wearing the clothes you die in.”

“Why are there sidewalks in the movie Cars?”

“Your reflection is always slightly younger than you.”

“Everything you do could be the last time you do it.”

“You are traveling at least 1,000 miles per hour right now.”

“Every human in history has looked at the same sun you have.”

“What would happen if the atoms of a person somehow rejoined in the same exact way after they died?”

“Greek mythology was the Marvel Cinematic Universe of the ancient times.”

“There’s a waterfall of poo in every skyscraper.”

“Ghosts aren’t very effective against blind people.”

“We’ve woken up thousands of times and are still not used to it.”

“The older you get, the less people will attend your funeral.”

America is divided over a lot of political issues these days and it’s playing out on people’s lawns and flagpoles. Americans used to stay away from signaling their political beliefs from their homes unless it was a lawn sign near Election Day, but that’s changed a lot over the past five years.

In progressive neighborhoods, you’ll often see people with “We Believe” signs on their yards that show the homeowner supports liberal values such as equality, gay rights and Black Lives Matter. You’ll also see the occasional Pride flag to support LGBTQ rights.

In more conservative neighborhoods, you’ll find a wide variety of massive flags flying from people’s homes.

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There is the Thin Blue Line flag.

These flags support police officers and started popping up after the rash of police shootings of unarmed Black people a few years back. On the one hand, they support law enforcement, but they also appear to be part of the backlash against the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Thin Blue Line flag.via Wikimedia Commons

There are also the thin blue, red and green line flags. These support cops, firefighters and the military all at the same time. Now, the funny thing is that the more colors people add to these flags, the closer they resemble LGBT Pride flags. Soon, we’re bound to come full circle.

The thin red, blue, and green line flag.via Amazon

Getting closer by the day.

LGBTQ flag. via Wikimedia Commons

There are also the big-ass Trump flags that either say, “Trump 2020,” “Trump 2024” or “Trump Won.”

“Trump Won” flag.via Amazon

The Gadsden Flag or the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag either means you’re a Libertarian or a Republican who likes guns even more than the average Republican.

The Gadsden flag.via Wikimedia Commons

Some Libertarians are moving away from the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag for the more inclusive, peace-loving “Don’t Tread on Anyone” flag. Because a true Libertarian believes in everyone’s personal freedom.

Don’t Tread on Anyone flag.via Proud Libertarain

There’s a new trend in conservative flags that should cause some alarm, and that’s the black flag. The black flag has been a symbol of anarchists throughout history but, in America, it has been a call to violence. During the Civil War, it was flown by Confederates to convey the opposite meaning of the white flag, which means surrender.

According to The Sun, Confederates would fly the black flag to communicate that “the unit would not give in nor surrender and that enemy combatants would be killed.”

That’s not a very kind message to send to one’s neighbors. Who wants to live next-door to anyone who proudly professes they are on the brink of murder? Why would anyone in a quiet suburban neighborhood need to tell anyone their back is against the wall and they can’t take it anymore?

What is happening in these neighborhoods or in America right now that has pushed them over the edge?

Is it the infrastructure bill? The tax cut for parents? The drop in the unemployment rate?

There are a lot of scary videos on TikTok of people hoisting the black flag to show that they’re ready to pop off at any minute and will take “no quarter.”

This guy in a quiet suburban nieghborhood is “not giving in” anymore.

This guy says America has gone “downhill” and to combat this, he’s showing his neighbors he’s ready to resort to violence.

This guy put out a cute little garden black flag to show he takes no prisoners.

Throwing up a huge black flag on your home doesn’t make you look tough, it shows that you have become irrationally afraid of people with different political beliefs and are on the brink of losing control. Your flag isn’t alerting your neighbors to the country’s impending doom, it’s actually a big red flag that shows you no longer believe in the spirit of American pluralism and feel the strange need to show everyone on the block.

Comedian Whitmer Thomas has been garnering attention for his 2020 comedy special, The Golden One, and now he’s announced a December tour that will feature some new material as well. The Golden One was produced by Bo Burnham (who has enjoyed some pandemic-related success of his own with Inside), Chris Storer, and A24, and came out in February of last year.

But as the special racked up rave reviews and continued resonating, Thomas continued working on new material and songs, building off pre-existing clips like “Partied To Death,” which you can also watch above. All the music from the show was actually released as an album which was titled Songs From The Golden One.

The short tour, dubbed The Collage Of Crap Mini Tour 2021, begins December 1 in Los Angeles and finishes up December 15 in Chicago. In an interview with our own Jason Tabrys last year, Thomas talked about how the blend of music and comedy helps him confront some of the darker subject matter he deals with. “I think it’s easier for me to write about it in music, but I feel more comfortable talking about it in comedy,” he said. “If there’s a joke or if there’s a larger funny thing, then it’s easier for me to talk about grief and stuff like that. Trauma.”

Check out the full tour dates on the poster below.

Sunflower Bean splashed onto the scene, fresh of their teenage years with 2016’s stunning debut Human Ceremony. They proved they were no fluke on 2018’s dashing and reflective Twentytwo In Blue and then again on the 2019 King Of The Dudes EP. The New York City trio of Julia Cumming, Nick Kivlen and Jake Faber have now released their first music of 2021 in the retro-minded “Baby Don’t Cry” and announced over a dozen tour dates.

The song is produced by Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Jacob Portrait and recorded partly at the famed Electric Lady and the band’s own studio. There’s a distinct callback to 50’s doo-wop trios on the song, but with a decidedly modern take that sees both Faber’s drums and a drum machine driving the rhythm. Cumming’s vocals have the same gravitational pull she showcased on Yves Tumor’s track “Strawberry Privilege” last year, and Kivlen’s jangly guitar, which has become a hallmark of the group, round out the welcome return. The band commented on how focusing on the present informed the track:

“So many things in our lives are disposable. Content and news is consumed and discarded leaving us unfulfilled. ‘Baby Don’t Cry’ is about enjoying the real. The things right in front of us that give us meaning and how sometimes, even sad songs can give you that warm feeling of hope.”

Check out Sunflower Bean’s upcoming tour dates below and visit their website for pre-sale and general ticketing info.

12/9/21 — Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Showcase Lounge
12/10/21 — Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom
12/11/21 — Portsmouth, NH @ 3S Artspace
3/4/22 — Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
3/5/22 — Millersville, PA @ Phantom Power
3/6/22 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe
3/8/22 — Columbus, OH @ A&R Music Bar
3/10/22 — Indianapolis, IN @ HI-FI
3/11/22 — Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
3/12/22 — St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
3/19/22 — Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
3/20/22 — Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
3/21/22 — Durham, NC @ Motorco

Last week, Black Panther star Letitia Wright found herself being widely criticized after a Hollywood Reporter report claimed the actress was spreading anti-vaccination views on the set of the sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. More specifically, Wright was accused of sharing misinformation similar to a video she had previously shared on social media that caused her to delete all of her accounts following a wave of backlash. The controversial video (via EW) spread misinformation about not only the COVID vaccine but contained “doubts regarding climate change, accusations of China spreading COVID-19, and transphobic comments.”

However, on Tuesday, Wright quietly returned to Instagram where she posted a heavily religious-themed response, in which she denied spreading anti-vaccination views on the Black Panther 2 set:

It saddens me to have to address the reports published by The Hollywood Reporter on October 6th 2021. The report spoke about my conduct on the set of black Panther 2. I honestly assert that this was completely untrue.

Anyone who knows me or has worked with me, knows that I work incredibly hard at my craft & my main focus is always to do work that’s impactful and inspiring. That has been & will continue to be my only focus.

I will continue to hold onto Gods hands, and onto the scripture of Isaiah 54:17.

As for why Wright is personally responding to press reports, she reportedly parted ways with her publicity team after her first anti-vaccination controversy exploded in December 2020.

You can see Wright’s full Instagram post below:

(Via Letitia Wright on Instagram)

It’s a safe bet that Charlie Kaufman has one of the bleakest minds to ever infiltrate Hollywood. But the screenwriter, director, and novelist — last year’s 700-paged Antkind is even more bonkers than you think — has somehow never sold out. That’s to say, he’s never sullied himself with comic book fare or IP reboots. Then again, we never got to see his Gilligan’s Island.

This comes from James Gunn, fellow Hollywood weirdo, albeit one who’s more of the Troma gore variety. The Marvel/DC guy claims that in the late ‘90s, around the time Kaufman had his first screenwriting hit with Being John Malkovich, he pitched his own deranged take on the ‘60s classic about shipwrecked survivors forever stranded after a three-hour tour gone awry.

Kaufman’s Gilligan’s Island was, of course, far from faithful to the source. Gunn says his version found the islanders “starving & desperate.” Instead of making radios out of coconuts, they “started killing & eating each other.” Improbably, Warner Bros. was into it. Alas, Sherwood Schwartz, the show’s creator (and also the brains behind The Brady Bunch), was not.

The years passed, and Gunn, having had his own monster hit with the first Guardians of the Galaxy, tried to revive Kaufman’s Gilligan’s Island. This time, Gunn claims, the estate of the now-late Schwartz wasn’t having it either. “Anyway,” Gunn said, “if the Schwartz estate changes their mind, I’m here.”

Let’s not mince words: The estate of the late creator of The Brady Bunch should let James Gunn help Charlie Kaufman realize his dream of a Gilligan’s Island in which (presumably) Gilligan and the Skipper fight over the remains of the Professor, only to both be eaten by wholesome farm girl Mary Ann. It’s the dark reboot humanity deserves after the last several trying years.

(Via James Gunn on Twitter)

Dopesick: Season 1 (Hulu series) — Michael Keaton (who is still the greatest Batman in history, so don’t mess with him in any role) finally comes to TV beyond cameo mode. Here, he takes on Big Pharma as a physician whose patients are dying off amid an opioid epidemic, and Rosario Dawson portrays one of the heroes who want to take the makers of Oxycontin down. The title of the source material (Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America, the book by Beth Macy) tells you a lot, but this trailer promises an intense ride, and the cast includes Michael Stuhlbarg and Kaitlyn Dever, who’s all over TV now and making Justified‘s Loretta proud here.

Just Beyond: Season 1 (Disney+ series) — This horror-comedy anthology bases itself on R.L. Stine’s BOOM! Studios comic book series of the same name. Expect plenty of supernatural journeys (with a personally affecting touch) through alternate dimensions with witches, aliens, and ghosts onboard.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (CW, 8:00pm) — Season 7 sees the Legends stranded in 1920s Texas after they defeated the alien intrusion. Astra attempts to fix circumstances with her powers.

Batwoman (CW, 9:00pm) — Season 3 arrives with Batwoman fending off Gotham’s threats while Batwing assists, and Luke can’t get used to his suit.

The Wonder Years (ABC, 8:30pm) — This reimagining adopts a different perspective (from the Fred Savage-starring original show) with the focus on an African-American family and their home base in 1960s Montgomery, Alabama. Don Cheadle narrates the usual tween ordeals and also the experience of being part of a Southern Black family. This week, “Take Your Son to Work Day” means that Dean goes to work both Bill and Lillian with very different results.

American Horror Story: Double Feature (FXX, 10:00pm) — The White House receives an unexpected visitor, who’s got a horrific plan in mind.

Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens (Comedy Central, 10:00pm) — Awkwafina’s semi-autobiographical series is deep into its second season, in which she gazes into the future with starry eyes. This week, Nora’s adjusting to New Mexico when she receives a letter from home that makes her question everything.

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Nicole Holofcener, Victoria Beckham, Holly Humberstone

In case you missed these streaming picks from last Wednesday:

Bad Sport: Season 1 (Netflix series) — Sports and crime intersect in this show, which dives into personal accounts from athletes, coaches, and law enforcement. Expect to see the 2002 figure skating scandal (out of Salt Lake City), a weed-smuggling scandal surrounding an Indycar driver, a horse hitman committing insurance fraud, a basketball point-shaving scheme, and more bad boys who fell from grace.

Among The Stars: Season 1 (Disney+ series) — This show takes space fans behind the a vital NASA mission of fixing the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), a tool that hopes to reveal the universe’s origins, although the job comes with a $2 billion price tag.

You have to hand it to Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis for building one of the most rewarding, truly independent acts of the past decade. Dupuis is much more than just an artist with her band and solo project Sad13, but also an accomplished author, label owner and industry activist who has always championed marginalized voices. Now as her flagship Speedy Ortiz project approaches ten years of age, the jam-packed The Death of Speedy Ortiz & Cop Kicker…Forever double album of her first recordings is due out next month.

The package features the newly remastered titular LP and EP where Dupuis recorded all of the instruments herself ten years ago, as well as previously unreleased bonus tracks plus unearthed photos and journal scans from the band’s beginnings. In the new liner notes written by Dupuis, she shared some thoughts on the release:

“I can’t claim Speedy as a solo project anymore—I love working with the friends and bandmates who have played and recorded with me over the years—and I’m glad I now have Sad13 as an outlet for my home-produced concoctions. But I’m so proud of these 22 solo songs, which I put a lot of heart and time and sweat into in both 2011 and 2021, and it feels right to honor them by finally re-releasing them with Carpark (who I’ve worked with for pretty darn close to a decade, too) in a more widely listenable way. Happy 10th birthday, Speedy Ortiz, and thanks to everyone who’s been following along. Me at 23 and me at 32 love you very much.”

And along with the announcement, comes the self-directed video for the new version of “Cutco.” A well-documented fan of teen horror flicks, Dupuis applied a Blair With Project treatment to the clip, which you can watch above. The Death of Speedy Ortiz & Cop Kicker…Forever is out digitally on November 12th and physically as a double LP on January 28th via Carpark Records. Check out the album art and tracklist below and pre-order it here.

1. “Hexxy Sadie”
2. “Cutco”
3. “Phish Phood”
4. “Kinda Blew”
5. “Ken Ohki”
6. “Speedy Ortiz”
7. “Hurricane Speedy”
8. “Thank You”
9. “Frankenweenie”
10. “Blondie”
11. “Ka-Prow!”
12. “Necronomicon”
13. “Teething”
14. “Doomsday”
15. “All Red”
16. “Let’s Get Evicted”
17. “Open Sesame”
18. “Bill Sauce”
19. “Summon It”
20. “Deady”
21. “Meat of Contract”
22. “Son Of”

The cult favorite Swedish post-punk band Makthaverskan announced their fourth album, För Allting will be out next month, kicking off the news with the shimmering lead single, “This Time.” Considering this is their first new music since 2017’s III — their third album — the band’s devoted fan base were thrilled to get new music. And this time around, the band has moved into more of an atmospheric, melodic direction. The album’s second single, “Closer,” doubles down on that shift. Check it out above.

According to a press release, the band started recording music just before lockdown last year. They purposefully wanted to shift their sound away from the first three albums:

“When we started the songwriting process for this album, I think we all were pretty determined to take the music in a new direction. Not necessarily that we would sound ‘different,’ but to work on the songs using somewhat different methods than before. For our previous albums we have written the songs in our rehearsal space and pretty much recorded them the way they were. For this album we intended the songs to be finalized in the studio in a different and left some more room to work with.”

The method seems to be working well, as both new singles are epic. För Allting will be out 11/12 via Run For Cover Records. Pre-order it here.