Ready the monologue and cue that iconic “DUN DUN” — we now know who the first returning Law & Order cast member is going to be and are that much closer to the series’ big revival. After nearly 12 years away from the program, Anthony Anderson has officially confirmed he will be returning to the hit NBC legal drama to reprise his role as Detective Kevin Bernard, Variety reports. The Black-ish star joins Burn Notice alum Jeffrey Donovan and Hannibal’s Hugh Dancy as the third announced actor set in to star in the upcoming revival and has reportedly signed on for a one-season contractual commitment with no word on if he intends to stay beyond the show’s highly-anticipated season 21.
At the time of its abrupt cancellation back in 2010, Anderson was among one of the many main cast members on the celebrated police procedural. In addition to Anderson, Jeremy Sisto, S. Epatha Merkerson, Alana de la Garza, Sam Waterston, and Linus Roache were all also season 20 Law & Order mainstays, though over the course of the series’ whopping 20 seasons, several other cast members also rose to prominence and could return as dark horse fan favorites — such as Chris Noth. So far, there has been no word on whether or not any of these actors are set to return. However, the upcoming revival has secured some additional star power with Donovan and Dancy, who will be playing an NYPD detective and assistant district attorney respectively.
Announced back in September, the upcoming Law & Order revival picks up where the show’s season 20 left off after it was suddenly canceled. The Dick Wolf series is set to premiere on February 24, 2022, and will once again air on NBC at 7 PM CT each Thursday, with its popular offshoots — Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime — directly following.
My daughter and I were at the park last week — running, jumping, chasing ducks, and playing tag — when the unthinkable happened: when she was mocked and teased for the first time.
The very first time.
Of course, my initial reaction was full of hurt and sadness, anger and rage. I wanted to swoop in and hug my daughter. I wanted to swoop in and protect my daughter, and I wanted to go full on mama bear on the little twerp who thought it was okay to make fun of girls because she (and her friends) were just that: young women. Young ladies. Creatures of a different sex. But my mind told me I shouldn’t. My mind told me I need to sit back and calm down, and my mind forced me to check myself. It told me to stop and pause and leave my insecurities at the door. Because while I hate to see my daughter struggling — while I hate the fact that my sweet, innocent, kind-hearted, and free-spirited 4-year-old girl is already experiencing feelings of disappointment, rejection, judgement, and being let down — I know that, in order to grow, I must let her face these things. I know that I must let her feel these things, and I know that if I want her to become a well-rounded human being, I will have to let hurt. I will have to let her cry.
So I stepped back, stood by, and waited.
I tapped my foot, bit my nails, picked at the skin between my thumb and my forefinger, and waited.
And while my daughter didn’t run away, nor did she cry, she was visibly frustrated. She was upset and, well, she was annoyed. But just as I was getting ready to speak up, moments before I stepped forward to yell her name, she decided to say something. She decided to tell this boy he was being “mean” and “not nice.” And while my daughter, my 4-year-old little girl, handled herself well — while she handled herself with poise and confidence, self-respect and pride (well that, a low-blown swipe at his face) — I was still rattled because my gut told me I needed to do more.
Because inside, I yearned to do more.
Of course, I know this desire to “save her” and “help her” comes from my own painful childhood, i.e. I was a quiet girl. A shy girl, and a girl who ran from bullies, literally. I once ran through a row of bushes and hid behind a tree. And I always cowered. For years, I swallowed my voice and my words. But now? Now I want to scream. Now I want to yell. Now I want to advocate and intervene on her behalf. But I know that is not what she needs. I know that that is not what I need, and while I want to protect my daughter from the world — while I want to shield her from the hurt and sadness, from anger, fear, disappointment, and pain — I cannot because doing so would be a disservice.
I need to “help her help herself.”
Make no mistake: I know not everyone will agree with my parenting approach, i.e. I know it sounds distant and callous, cold and harsh but I’m not pushing her in front of traffic and seeing if she runs. I’m not dropping her off in the woods and seeing if she can find her way home, and I’m not “tossing her to the wolves” and then traipsing off in the other direction while she wallows in sorrow, in pain, or in despair. I am simply standing back and looking on. I am guiding her and advising her from the sidelines. Which, I assure you, is harder than you know.
But the “lessons” don’t end there. You see, we talk about these incidents long after they end. We talk about these encounters long after they end, and we talk everything and anything from what she could have done or said to her feelings, her thoughts, and (yes) asking for help. I explain to her that, sometimes, she can and should ask for help and remind her that there is no shame in doing so. Even Mommy’s and Daddy’s need guidance from time to time.
So yes, while watching her flail and — at times — fall is sad, heartbreaking, and full of tears, I firmly believe it is one of those tough aspects of my job. Of my role as “mom.” Because, as my parent, my job isn’t to numb her feelings — or protect her from her feelings — it is to teach her how to acknowledge them, how to cope with them, and how to move through them.
I need to help her develop the resilience or self-confidence she needs to take with her through life.
Some days, nothing can stand between us and our Starbucks fix. That goes for pups too.
Starbucks offers canine guests a dog-friendly cup of whipped cream, otherwise known as a “puppuccino.” No caffeine is involved, but most dogs lap it up and become as addicted to them as you or I would to a pumpkin cold brew.
One impatient pup named BooBoo couldn’t wait to get his paws on the sweet treat, and his delightful drive-thru stunt has now gone viral.
The video, which has blown up on on TikTok, shows what looks to be some kind of black lab (a big black lab, at that) already halfway in the drive-thru window. Laughter, “uh-ohs” and a bunch of “ohmygods” can be heard as BooBoo stumbles, determined to get inside.
Finally, the barista’s hands can be seen hoisting BooBoo all the way through, until all we see is his wagging tail. Now that’s what I call customer service.
Though the video did spark a small debate about health code violations and pet responsibility, most of the commenters were charmed and had fun remarks:
“‘He said ‘y’all hiring? I work for free puppuccinos”
“BooBoo said, ‘I also need a side of pets and hugs with my puppuccino, please.”
“He’s like ‘what’s taking yo so long Cassandra, give me the damn puppuccino.”
“I am 100% OK with being stuck in the line if I get to see this.”
Even a barista commented: “if a dog did this to me when I worked the window, I would probably cry from overyjoy.
We’re all hoping that BooBoo enjoyed his “drink,” and completely empathize with his impatience. After all, everyone becomes an animal while waiting in the Starbucks line, don’t they?
Fox News recently debuted a three-part series on the capitol insurrection hosted by Tucker Carlson that pledged to tell the “true story behind” the January 6 attack. “Patriot Purge,” which aired on Fox Nation, Fox News’ subscription streaming service, claims the attack was a “false flag” operation instigated by left-wing activists and the government is using it to strip Trump supporters of their rights.
The special has been condemned for advancing conspiracy theories and many of its claims have been roundly debunked including an in-depth fact check by PolitiFact.
Carlson claims that the series is “rock-solid factually.”
In the series, Carlson makes the ridiculous and dangerous claim that Trump supporters are the government’s newest enemy.
“They’ve begun to fight a new enemy in a new war on terror,” Carlson says over footage of terrorism and torture from the post-9/11 era. “Not, you should understand, a metaphorical war, but an actual war. Soldiers and paramilitary law enforcement, guided by the world’s most powerful intelligence agencies, hunting down American citizens, purging them from society, and throwing some of them into solitary confinement.”
From u2066@stephenfhayesu2069 & u2066@JonahDispatch:u2069 Why We Are Leaving Fox Newshttps://thedispatch.com/p/why-we-are-leaving-fox-newsu00a0u2026
All of this was a step too far for Fox contributors Stephen Hayes and Jonah Goldberg, who announced that they’ve quit the news channel for good after the special’s release. The two announced their departure in an open letter published in “The Dispatch” entitled, “Why we are leaving Fox News.”
Hayes and Goldberg started “The Dispatch” two years ago to “do right as we see it, by providing engaged citizens fact-based reporting and commentary on politics, policy and culture—informed by conservative principles.”
The two made note that their problem was with Fox’s opinion show hosts, not the actual reporting done by its news team.
“Fox News still does real reporting, and there are still responsible conservatives providing valuable opinion and analysis. But the voices of the responses are being drowned out by the irresponsible,” Hayes and Goldberg wrote.
The pair called the “Patriot Purge” series “a collection of incoherent conspiracy-mongering, riddled with factual inaccuracies, half-truths, deceptive imagery, and damning omissions.” They claim that this type of misinformation is the exact reason why the January 6 attack happened in the first place.
. @JonahDispatch in the @latimes on leaving Fox Newshttps://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-11-22/jonah-goldberg-leaving-fox-news-tucker-carlsonu00a0u2026
“Over the past five years, some of Fox’s top opinion hosts amplified the false claims and bizarre narratives of Donald Trump or offered up their own in his service,” Hayes and Goldberg wrote. “In this sense, the release of Patriot Purge wasn’t an isolated incident, it was merely the most egregious example of a longstanding trend.”
Eventually, the two could no longer contribute to Fox News because it stood in stark contrast to their goals at “The Dispatch.”
“The tension between doing that work well and remaining loyal to Fox has tested us many times over the past few years,” they wrote. “But with the release of Patriot Purge, we felt we could no longer ‘do right as we see it’ and remain at Fox News. So we resigned.”
The decision by Hayes and Goldberg to distance themselves from the alternative world of conspiracies slowly enveloping mainstream conservatism is bold because it comes with real risk. Dozens of prominent conservatives have stood up against Trumpism over the past six years and for many, it’s led to them being thrown to the sidelines of conservative media.
Carlson, who once called Trump the “most repulsive person on the planet” decided to take the other road and his opportunism comes at the expense of his own country.
There’s no wrong time of year for gin. In the summer, when paired with tonic and lime, it’s an unstoppable force of refreshment. In the fall and the frigid winter months, a gin gimlet, Negroni, gin fizz, or a gin-based martini all offer crisp mini-vacations from the darker, aged spirits.
With all the gins available, we know there are bottles out there that deserve way more attention than they get. To that end, we asked the pros behind the bar to help us find the most undervalued bottles of gin on the market. Check out all of their answers below.
A gin I’ve raved about since the day I first tasted it, Terroir Gin from St. George. For those who enjoy a more unique gin, this Douglas Fir forward gin offers you essentially a taste of California. With its prominent woodsy taste, I’d happily pay up to $20 for this baby in a martini or on the rocks.
My favorite gin as of today is Pomp & Whimsy. I feel it’s currently under-valued since it can strike as a non-traditional gin for the hardcore gin fans. Pomp & Whimsy can make anyone fall in love with its versatility while making cocktails, its fragrance, and the little twist it can bring to traditional cocktails. It has unique intense scents of orange and cucumber. The mix of these two with the juniper and coriander makes it very refreshing and versatile.
To be honest you can’t really put a price on a great liquor, and especially on a liquor that has so many ways to be prepared. I would recommend Pomp & Whimsy for its elegance, capability of adapting to its mixer, and versatility. I’ve been a witness to all the things you can do with it, from making martinis, gin, and tonics to creating a unique cocktail using blue Curaçao and tequila. I still haven’t found a mix I’m not a fan of.
I feel that for the price, this is one of the best gins on the market. It has hints of juniper, coriander, and bitter orange but it’s still a super versatile gin that goes great with everything. It retails for around $26 and I would easily pay that price.
Drumshanbo is made from smoked tea, so it has an oil and smoky thing going on. Very unique and great for martinis or mixed into your favorite cocktail. I would easily pay $60.
Barr Hill Gin
Barr Hill
John Dal Canton, assistant general manager and beverage director at La Stella Cucina Verace in Dallas
Barr Hill Gin is finished with raw honey and provides a satin-like and rich mouthfeel without any noticeable sweetness. Todd Hardie is a man who loves his bees and his community, making his spirits as admirable as the culture and town they hail from.
This is a juniper and Douglas Fir tip forward gin with notes of beeswax and wildflowers. I would pay upwards of $80 for this gin.
The most under-valued bottle of gin is Death’s Door. It’s a relatively new gin with very interesting recipes. It has a creaminess laced with fennel and anise. I am willing to pay the price or more because I know what it takes to work with a product of this quality.
Seven Three Gentilly Gin
Seven Three
Nicholas Karel, director of bars, lounges, and beverages at Windsor Court in New Orleans
Seven Three Distilling Gentilly Gin is a local New Orleans gin. They use elderflower and local persimmon in their botanicals which afford the gin a truly unique and delicious character.
I would gladly pay upwards of $40 for this one.
Roku Gin
Suntory
Josh Ragheb, food and beverage director at Tower23 Hotel in San Diego
I am a huge fan of Japanese Whisky. So when my favorite makers started to dabble in other spirits, I just had to give them a try. Known for making some of the most sought-after Japanese whiskies, Suntory has been making spirits since 1899. Their first Gin was released in 1936 under the brand Hermes Gin.
Using botanicals not found in most gins, like sakura flower, yuzu, sansho pepper, and gyokura tea to name a few, Suntory has created a smooth and well-balanced gin that goes great in a cocktail or a glass by itself. It could easily be a $60 plus per bottle.
St. George Botanivore
St. George
Christopher Rodriguez, lead bartender at Lucy Restaurant & Bar in Yountville, California
I believe the most under-valued bottle of gin is St. George Botanivore. It is super unique. It has herbal citrus notes which elevate it from other juniper heavy gins and makes it perfect for a martini or a gin and tonic. It is priced at about $30. It is worth the buy, especially because it is hard to find in my area.
My pick would be The Botanist Islay Dry Gin. Despite having a multitude of different aromatics and botanicals, The Botanist remains very well-balanced in its flavor profile. It keeps a classic gin nose with juniper and citrus, a palatable mouthfeel with low burn and a bit of a coating texture, and a crisp, refreshing flavor — even on its own.
It’s never overpowering and mixes very well in cocktails. The best part is that it’s only $40.
Beefeater London Dry Gin
Beefeater
Steven Minor, corporate beverage director at 1 Hotels in Los Angeles
This is an absolute workhorse behind the bar and is revered by most in the industry as the most versatile well gin. It’s a classic London dry style gin with just the right amount of citrus and juniper notes allowing it to co-mingle with a plethora of flavors and work seamlessly in most classic gin cocktails.
Plus, I feel like I’ve been paying the same price for it over the past 15-20 years, give or take $5.
Pinnacle Gin
Pinnacle
Emily Lawson, bartender and founder of Pink House Alchemy in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Pinnacle Gin is a fantastic option for mixing and is very under-valued in my opinion. Its heavy juniper notes come through nicely and the more abrasive alcohol residuals merge well in a cocktail with other pairings. At its affordable price tag, you can’t beat it.
Sipsmith London Dry Gin
Sipsmith
Pascal Pinalt, director of restaurants and bars at The Confidante in Miami
I have one name for you. Sipsmith Gin is classic on the nose but distinctive on the palate. Sipsmith Gin unfolds in three waves. Juniper comes on early, with bright lemon curd, mandarin flesh, and citrus on the mid-palate. I would easily pay a lot more than $35 for this one.
Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin
Bombay Sapphire
Nick Baitzel, beverage director of restaurant group Sojourn Philly in Philadelphia
Bombay Sapphire is often overlooked, not as cheap as say a Beefeater and not as popular as Hendrick’s or Tanqueray. But, in my opinion, it should be enjoyed more often. The strong citrus flavors which come through more than juniper make it a more enjoyable gin to drink, as well as great for making balanced cocktails.
We are super lucky here in Colorado to have some excellent distilleries making fantastic gin. Spirit Hound Gin out of Lyons, Colorado is one of my favorites. For me, it leans away from classic London dry qualities and instead expresses more sweet spice flavors of anise, cinnamon, licorice, and nutmeg, which I think make it excellent in a martini, or any classic gin cocktail.
Nikka Coffey Gin
Nikka
Christopher Devern, lead bartender of Red Owl Tavern in Philadelphia
Japanese spirits have been growing in popularity. The quality, balance, and unique flavors set them aside and have been fun to taste and serve. Since discovering the Nikka Coffey Gin and making cocktails with it, I find that it is under-valued in the sense that not a lot of people request it or have it on their back bar. It introduces more citrus notes than you would find in London dry or American gin. When served as a martini, the gin has a silky mouthfeel with bright and zesty aromas.
I would say if you tasted this in a lineup with different cocktails, featuring different gins, you could pick this one out every time. For around $45 the flavors and qualities that make this gin stand out are valuable ones to me. It’s a unique gin that I think most people would enjoy and bartenders could have a lot of fun crafting cocktails around the taste of Nikka Coffey Gin. I’d be willing to pay $60 for this simply because it has characteristics I appreciate that no other gin that I’ve had does.
Klay Thompson’s return to the court for the Golden State Warriors after nearly two years away will be a big moment. The exact date for Thompson’s return is still to-be-determined, but the most recent reports indicate Thompson, now fully cleared for practice, could be back before Christmas.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Thompson went into details of scrimmages he’s been participating in behind closed doors with the likes of Leandro Barbosa and Zaza Pachulia (two ex-Warriors turned team employees) and current youngsters Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga and Juan Toscano-Anderson, among others.
“It’s so good having those guys back,” Thompson said. “I mean, we’ve got such a great history together. Leandro moves like he could still play. Zaza is just a smart player. He might be a little bit slower than he was, but he can set a mean screen and throw a great pass. Playing with Moses and [Kuminga] and Juan and all these other guys who are young and lively bodies is preparing me well.”
He said that Monday was the first time he had played with those teammates in any setting.
Important quote from Klay Thompson today: “I don’t fear getting hurt again.”
Thompson then went on to explain why he doesn’t fear getting hurt again despite suffering a torn ACL and ruptured Achilles over the last 24 months.
“I don’t fear getting hurt again because the last two times I did get hurt, it was such a freak accident you could say,” he explained. “And I hate to use the phrase ‘can’t wait’ because I love to be present in my life, but I cannot wait to play in front of our fans again. I really, really enjoy being a Warrior.”
Currently, the Warriors are 15-2 with the best record in the Western Conference. With Stephen Curry playing at an MVP level, Golden State looks like a legitimate title contender without Thompson having played yet.
Friday saw the releases of Saba’s “Stop That,” Morray and Benny The Butcher’s “Never Fail,” Freddie Gibbs and Jadakiss’ “Black Illuminati,” and Isaiah Rashad’s “Homies Begged” deluxe edition of The House Is Burning, along with the releases listed below.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending November 19, 2021.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Dee Watkins — Problem Child 3
Dee Watkins
It’s been fun to watch Florida upstart Dee Watkins slowly grinding his way into the mainstream. While he hasn’t quite broken through (yet), he continues to demonstrate that he has all the tools to become a certified hitmaker with the right push.
French Montana — They Got Amnesia
French Montana
Speaking of certified hitmakers, French Montana is back to remind listeners of all the dingers he’s knocked out of the park after suffering through a few weeks of obnoxious (but funny) memes. While he once again relies on the help of guest stars like Doja Cat and Saweetie and Fivio Foreign, he holds up a sizable portion of the tracklist himself.
Pap Chanel — Pretty And Paid 2.0
Pap Chanel
The Future-certified rising star out of Atlanta returns with the second installment of her self-titled mixtape series (P.A.P. = “pretty and paid,” get it?). While some of us maintain that a name change would probably behoove her, one thing that doesn’t need adjustment is her talon-tipped flow.
Snoop Dogg — The Algorithm
Snoop Dogg
Released in celebration of Snoop’s new position as creative consultant at Def Jam, this project functions as more of a Snoop-curated label compilation to showcase both the history of the label and its current roster of rising stars (including Benny the Butcher!) via collaborations with the Doggfather himself.
Various Artists — Bruised (Soundtrack From and Inspired by the Netflix Film)
Warner Records
While Halle Berry soaks up punches in her Netflix directorial debut, the all-female cast of the film’s groundbreaking soundtrack dishes out punchlines, as Baby Tate, Cardi B, Saweetie, and more flex their lyrical muscles and prove that the future is female — and the future is here.
Singles/Videos
Cool Kids — “All Or Nothing” Feat. Larry June
When you think about it, there probably wouldn’t be a lane for laid-back rappers like Larry June had the Cool Kids not paved the way, so it’s only right for the two pioneering acts to link up on this, the latest in the Midwestern duo’s comeback trail.
Cousin Stizz — “Lethal Weapon”
The Massachusetts menace makes his official return, showing that he hasn’t lost a single step since dropping his last album, Trying to Find My Next Thrill, in 2019.
Kali — “MMM MMM Remix” Feat. ATL Jacob, Latto & Moneybagg Yo
Already a TikTok favorite, Kali aims for crossover appeal, adding Latto and Moneybagg Yo for a delirious deluge of saucy sh*t talk.
Kodie Shane — “Let’s Not Fall In Love” Feat. Jacquees
It’s been a minute since we last heard from the Atlanta standout, who returns with a melodic, pop-centric duet featuring her hometown’s self-declared king of R&B.
Nana — “Real Real” Feat. Kent Jamz
South Central’s own continues to demonstrate his talent as a superb storyteller, helped along by a smooth beat and chorus, provided by LA hook maestro Kent Jamz.
Sally Sossa — “Eternity”
The Texan rapper’s buzz continues to build, and here, she shows a bit of versatility, switching up from the precise flow she’s been known for to try out some melodies. The results may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but she’s still in the stage of her career where trying things out can only be a plus down the line.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Friendsgiving is a way less stressful experience than Thanksgiving. Who knew that swapping out all your crazy, conspiracy-obsessed cousins and uncles — you know, the people you have to love and accept — for a group of people that you actually like to be around would lead to a good dinner party? What genius might have predicted it?
But one major edge that the family Thanksgiving has over Friendsgiving is that there’s a higher chance at least someone in your family knows how to cook, and they’re probably bringing their best efforts to the (potentially judgy) family table. Friendsgiving, while full of great company, is a mixed bag when it comes to the food.
Comedy legend Eric Wareheim wants to change that. To help make the food at your Friendsgiving as epically delicious as your grandma’s best mashed potato recipe (just potatoes, sour cream, salt, pepper, that’s all it takes), Wareheim teamed up with Messenger for an episode on the platform’s Watch Together series. On How We Friendsgiving: Level Up Friendsgiving With Eric Wareheim, would-be home cooks will be treated to Wareheim goofing around in the kitchen while he shows off his serious cooking chops.
If you thought the actor and author just played a food obsessive on Master Of None, you probably don’t follow his Instagram which looks more like what you’d find on a modern chef’s page than a comedian’s. In addition to his food porn-filled IG, Wareheim just dropped his first cookbook, FOODHEIM: A Culinary Adventure which chronicles his deep love and passion for food and the stories that live on through family recipes.
This week, we hit up Wareheim over Zoom and asked him to share the keys to throwing the perfect Friendsgiving.
How did a Friendsgiving show come about?
Messenger reached out because they needed a formal expert on Friendsgiving, and as everyone knows, I am the formal expert. I just released a cookbook called FOODHEIM and, in the book, it has a lot of chapters on how to do parties with your friends. I think that’s such an important part of life, maybe you’re not with your family, maybe you just have your friends together.
How do you execute that?
Try new things. It’s not just about the turkey and the mashed potatoes. We did a kind of Eric Wareheim Friendsgiving which is kind of an Italian American thing. Using lots of recipes from my book like Nonna sauce, which is grandma’s gravy and meatballs and we did my famous garlic bread. It’s just cool because you can watch it together with your friends which I think is a cool concept, that’s just part of the holidays, bringing people together.
I wanted to talk to you about your book FOODHEIM and your overall journey with food, what made you want to embark on writing a cookbook?
I started a wine business maybe seven years ago because I’m truly an avid foodie and wine person. I switched my Instagram to just a food blog because that’s what I was interested in. I was still directing and making comedy and stuff but I kind of made this big creative pivot into that food space, and I hang out with tons of chefs, it’s just people I like to be around — freaks.
I feel like comedians and chefs are from the same freakish world. I traveled the world, had all these recipes, all this inspiration from my family, so I wanted to put it down and a big part of the book is like what I said, how do you bring your friends together, how do you do things like Friendsgiving, and do it in a fun way?
As you were writing FOODHEIM did you take inspiration from any other cookbooks? What were the influences behind what you were doing with yours?
I wrote it for the Eric ten years ago, when I was just starting cooking. It has all the kitchen utensils you need when you start out, how to execute, how to sear steaks properly at a high temperature, it teaches you all the things you’re afraid of when you’re a beginner cook. Thinking things like “I don’t think I can make homemade pasta” but it’s actually very easy. I studied tons of pizza books and Julia Child’s stuff, all the classics, Thomas Keller. This Salvador Dali cookbook he put out in the 1970s is a huge inspiration visually because it’s very abstract and cool and decadent and one of the chapters is called “Bliss Mode Party,” which is crazy art food and stuff.
It’s everything I love put into one book.
You mentioned being around other chefs, one of the most obvious similarities between comedians and chefs is that both parties travel a lot more than the average person, do you have a favorite food destination?
Wow, I have so many but if I had to say one I’d say Japan. That’s one I haven’t been to in a while because of lockdown scenarios. It was one of the first food cities that really changed me because you dive so deep into a different culture and it’s the first time you understand, “Oh sushi is this art, it’s very different” I grew up in Philadelphia where the sushi scene wasn’t that big. You realize how important the food is to the people and how soulful it is and how deep it is. That’s something I put into the book too, every chapter is like “here is this pasta and here is why it’s so important, “ or “here is my grandma’s recipe, and this has been in her family for hundreds of years,” it’s a very powerful thing that I wanted to translate.
Same with this Friendsgiving, I would also say Philadelphia is one of my favorite food cities. I grew up there, it’s very Italian American, you would smell meatballs cooking every Sunday. That’s why I wanted to put it on my Watch Together show.
Can you take us through one of your secret sauce recipes featured in the book?
The Smashburger is such an easy secret sauce. It’s literally equal parts mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise. I use specific things like kewpie mayonnaise which has a little bit of sweetness, I use Sir Kensington’s Ketchup which I just think is a really great flavor, a little mustard powder, and a little splash of Sriracha just for a little kick. It’s almost like a Russian Dressing in a way, and I put some relish in there. It’s a big acid kick, you need that to balance out all the fat and cheese.
One of the proudest sauces I’ve developed is this sauce I use in a Parisian chicken recipe. I do a very creamy mushroom sauce that you dip French fries into. It’s something I had when I was in Paris and I just figured it out with the help of some of my chef friends. How to make this sauce from the pan drippings and a little bit of flour. There is some traditional stuff and some new school sauces that I get into. And of course, the Nonna sauce is a red sauce, I just figured out a way to cook the garlic really slow and low to really extract the flavor into the oil and that’s what I show in the Friendsgiving video.
Messenger
Do you have tips for amateur at-home chefs?
First of all buy the book, haha! Second of all watch my Messenger video because I show you how fun it is to cook. My whole philosophy is, buy organic stuff, spend the money on the good stuff. Find your farmer’s market, find the organic produce shop, and get good chicken and meats. There is a huge difference between your grocery store chicken and chicken that’s raised ethically. Every recipe I have, your cooking will be so much easier if you’re starting with good product.
Also, get one good knife. You can get one for like $35 dollars, honor it, wash it after every use, don’t let it rust, don’t put it in the dishwasher. Also one good pan, like a 12-inch steel pan, try to learn to cook without the nonstick because that is so important to getting proper browning and getting the Maillard reaction on all your proteins.
I’m an online video person, I get caught up in them, watching videos of cooking. That’s why I wanted to do something with Messenger so you could watch my recipes with friends, not to keep coming back to the Messenger thing, but it’s true. It’s how I learned throughout the pandemic, I watched so many videos and you find a couple of people you like, my favorite is J. Kenji López-Alt, he’s legit.
You just find the people where you’re like “okay I trust you, I made one of your recipes and it worked,” so I just trust him, and I watch all of his stuff and then I make a list, like “oh I gotta make those carnitas someday,” that’s just my process. I find it fun, my whole vibe is, I’m a comedian and I make silly stuff but I also make really good food, so no matter who you are with a few tips you can do it.
Can you run us through your go-to Thanksgiving specialty?
Lately, I’ve been doing Friendsgiving because my family can’t come out to LA, so I literally do what I love the most which are pizza, meatballs, Nonna’s sauces and I developed this garlic bread for the Watch Together show and it’s so good. It’s a combination of olive oil and butter and roasted garlic, it’s just overload. I love traditional Thanksgiving food but it’s fun to change it up, especially when you live in a warm area like LA, you can really do anything.
I also use to do Momofuko brussels sprouts. Which are like roasted brussels sprouts with fish sauce and chilis and a lot of cilantro and mint. It’s a weird flavor profile to mix with traditional Thanksgiving, but people would just freak out for it because it’s so vibrant and not like grandma’s gravy, it’s a little crazy.
So how do we ensure the perfect Friendsgiving?
It’s really setting up everything in advance. I make a little playlist. Tonight I’m having a pizza party and I made a playlist that’s what I’m thinking about right now, and I think about what wines I want to pair with whatever food I’m doing, you just take a little time to figure out how to make it a little special so when your friends leave they’re like “oh shit that was really nice.”
This year I bought these little to-go containers and I’m going to make little leftovers for people with King’s Hawaiian rolls and kewpie mayo, so they can take home a little and have a sandwich the next day. Friendsgiving is all about giving back to your friends and going over the top and making them feel loved. The older I get the more I care about that stuff because when friends do that to you it’s like “oh shit they love me.” Going the extra mile is the short answer to all of that — life is short, give back to the people that love you and that’s it.
Could you build out your ideal Thanksgiving plate?
We’d go back to Japan, it would be a couple of pieces of chutoro from a restaurant called Sawada, it would also have a fried chicken thigh from Willie Mae’s in New Orleans, … and that’s it. To me that’s the perfect thing, a little sushi, and a little fried chicken. That’s also my final meal if I had to pick one. That would be ideal, but I’m also just so in love with pizza and pasta, I make that every Sunday pretty much. My wife and I just make meatballs and Nonna sauce, and it just fills up your kitchen, and you watch a rerun of Sopranos and life is good.
Tune in to Watch Together via Messenger and Instagram here.
Fox News recently debuted a three-part series on the capitol insurrection hosted by Tucker Carlson that pledged to tell the “true story behind” the January 6 attack. “Patriot Purge,” which aired on Fox Nation, Fox News’ subscription streaming service, claims the attack was a “false flag” operation instigated by left-wing activists and the government is using it to strip Trump supporters of their rights.
The special has been condemned for advancing conspiracy theories and many of its claims have been roundly debunked including an in-depth fact check by PolitiFact.
Carlson claims that the series is “rock-solid factually.”
In the series, Carlson makes the ridiculous and dangerous claim that Trump supporters are the government’s newest enemy.
“They’ve begun to fight a new enemy in a new war on terror,” Carlson says over footage of terrorism and torture from the post-9/11 era. “Not, you should understand, a metaphorical war, but an actual war. Soldiers and paramilitary law enforcement, guided by the world’s most powerful intelligence agencies, hunting down American citizens, purging them from society, and throwing some of them into solitary confinement.”
From u2066@stephenfhayesu2069 & u2066@JonahDispatch:u2069 Why We Are Leaving Fox Newshttps://thedispatch.com/p/why-we-are-leaving-fox-newsu00a0u2026
All of this was a step too far for Fox contributors Stephen Hayes and Jonah Goldberg, who announced that they’ve quit the news channel for good after the special’s release. The two announced their departure in an open letter published in “The Dispatch” entitled, “Why we are leaving Fox News.”
Hayes and Goldberg started “The Dispatch” two years ago to “do right as we see it, by providing engaged citizens fact-based reporting and commentary on politics, policy and culture—informed by conservative principles.”
The two made note that their problem was with Fox’s opinion show hosts, not the actual reporting done by its news team.
“Fox News still does real reporting, and there are still responsible conservatives providing valuable opinion and analysis. But the voices of the responses are being drowned out by the irresponsible,” Hayes and Goldberg wrote.
The pair called the “Patriot Purge” series “a collection of incoherent conspiracy-mongering, riddled with factual inaccuracies, half-truths, deceptive imagery, and damning omissions.” They claim that this type of misinformation is the exact reason why the January 6 attack happened in the first place.
. @JonahDispatch in the @latimes on leaving Fox Newshttps://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-11-22/jonah-goldberg-leaving-fox-news-tucker-carlsonu00a0u2026
“Over the past five years, some of Fox’s top opinion hosts amplified the false claims and bizarre narratives of Donald Trump or offered up their own in his service,” Hayes and Goldberg wrote. “In this sense, the release of Patriot Purge wasn’t an isolated incident, it was merely the most egregious example of a longstanding trend.”
Eventually, the two could no longer contribute to Fox News because it stood in stark contrast to their goals at “The Dispatch.”
“The tension between doing that work well and remaining loyal to Fox has tested us many times over the past few years,” they wrote. “But with the release of Patriot Purge, we felt we could no longer ‘do right as we see it’ and remain at Fox News. So we resigned.”
The decision by Hayes and Goldberg to distance themselves from the alternative world of conspiracies slowly enveloping mainstream conservatism is bold because it comes with real risk. Dozens of prominent conservatives have stood up against Trumpism over the past six years and for many, it’s led to them being thrown to the sidelines of conservative media.
Carlson, who once called Trump the “most repulsive person on the planet” decided to take the other road and his opportunism comes at the expense of his own country.
The subpoenas are flying out of the House Select Committee that’s investigating January 6, and although Steve Bannon is out on bail after arrest on contempt charges, that won’t stop the avalanche. Michael Cohen is predicting that the Trump siblings will be on the list at some point, but on a less hypothetical and more concrete note, Roger Stone and Alex Jones received brand spanking new legal documents on Monday. The Republican operative with a Nixon tattoo also recently received lawsuit papers during a live radio interview, and let’s just say that their legal representation will be busy.
As for Jones, the notorious conspiracy theorist and InfoWars host (who also assisted in organizing the “Stop The Steal” rally held by Trump immediately before the insurrection) made it clear that he isn’t going down easily. In fact, he will plead the Fifth Amendment because, in his words, “I’m not an idiot!” Here’s the rest of his rationale, in which he argues that simply because he’s taking the Fifth, people shouldn’t assume the worst. Via Mediaite, he believes that the committee will accuse him of lying no matter what and go from there, so he’s trying to shut them down:
“They will claim I lie about something to the committee, which isn’t even true. I wouldn’t lie….. I’m probably going to declare the 5th. Not because I’ve done anything wrong, but because these people are political criminals that have an axe to grind and have been bragging everywhere they want to put me in prison, okay? I don’t intend on spending the rest of my life in prison.”
Alex Jones today says he “doesn’t want to spend the rest of my life in prison,” so he will plead the 5th before the J6 Select Committee. pic.twitter.com/jxPjECVT4w
Well, the Fifth Amendment does protect the right against self-incrimination, so Jones can plead whichever way he wants, but those dominoes might still eventually fall against him. He’s worried about accusations of lying, and insists that he would not lie. Will Congress believe him?
Jones hasn’t had a fantastic month. He was recently found civilly liable in defamation suits brought by families of Sandy Hook victims after years of claiming that the tragedy was a “false flag” attack. And with this January 6 business, there could very well be criminal repercussions, too. Time to eat a massive bowl of chili while you can, man. Not because of anything, you know, in particular. It’s just always a decent idea.
The New York Times is also reporting that more subpoenas, including for Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, are also on the loose. It’s like an Oprah holiday special up in there.
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