Following Johnny Depp losing his libel suit against The Sun, which ruled that the media outlet’s headline was “substantially true” when it called him a “wife beater,” the actor was immediately forced to resign from Fantastic Beasts 3. This chain of events caused his notoriously aggressive online fans to launch an effort to get Amber Heard fired from Aquaman 2 in retaliation. Despite the social media pile-on, in November 2020, Heard made it clear that the “paid campaigns” didn’t work “because they have no basis in reality,” and that she was set to film the Aquaman sequel.
Unfortunately, Heard’s confirmation that she was still in the Aquaman 2 cast didn’t stop the online campaign, and persistent rumors continued that she was set to be replact. Of course, those rumors proved to be baseless speculation as Clarke joined the cast of Marvel’s Secret Invasion, and Heard has since been spotted on the set of the Aquaman sequel, which is currently filming.
Now, Aquaman producer Peter Safran has cemented Heard’s job security even further by making it clear that the campaigns launched by Johnny Depp fans was never going to affect her role as Mera. Via Deadline:
“I don’t think we’re ever going to react to, honestly, pure fan pressure,” said Safran whose James Gunn The Suicide Squad movie hits theaters and HBO Max on Aug. 6.
“You gotta do what’s best for the movie,” continued Safran, “We felt that if it’s James Wan, and Jason Momoa, it should be Amber Heard. That’s really what it was.”
“One is not unaware of what is going on in the Twitter-verse, but that doesn’t mean you have to react to it or take it as gospel or accede to their wishes,” said Safran.
The next time you see #JusticeForJohnnyDepp trending, as it so randomly does, just know that Heard was correct the first time when she said it has no basis in reality.
In a better world, Florence Pugh would already be deeply installed in the MCU. Black Widow, in which she debuted her character, Yelena Belova, was supposed to kick off the summer 2020 movie season. Then forces conspired to bump it over a year. In fact, Marvel is only now filming the second thing she’s supposed to be in Hawkeye, the franchise’s next spin-off show, for Disney+. Back in December we learned Pugh would be among the show’s cast, and from a new social media post, it’s clear she’s more than anxious to get back in action.
The actress took to Instagram, re-posting a first look image from the show dropped by Entertainment Weekly. It shows star Jeremy Renner, reprising his bow-and-arrow sharp-shooting Avenger, as well as Hailee Steinfeld, who will play his protégée, Kate Bishop.
“I now want a bow and arrow,” Pugh wrote, adding, “Muchos love to @haileesteinfeld and @jeremyrenner, can’t wait to see you there.” She also mentioned the premiere date: Nov. 24.
Not that Pugh’s Yelena will just be chilling with Hawkeye and his mentee. The show finds her trying to hunt him down, blaming him for the death of her faux-sister, Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, in Avengers: Endgame. Meanwhile, back in the real world, Pugh’s on-screen not-quite-sibling just sued her employers at Disney over the way they released Black Widow. So maybe Pugh thought the MCU was in need of some good vibes.
More and more it feels like it’s Lin-Manuel Miranda’s vibrant, musical world and we’re all just living in it. Fresh off the success of HBO’s In The Heights, we now have a trailer for Sony and Netflix’s latest collaboration Vivo. The animated musical follows “one-of-a-kind kinkajou” Vivo (voiced by Miranda) as he leaves his Cuban home on a mission to deliver a love song his elderly owner Andrés wrote for the love of his life, Marta, before it’s too late. However, in true animated family film fashion, the journey is anything but short and sweet, and Vivo is faced with countless colorful personalities and just as many obstacles. Luckily for us, Miranda is also providing a handful of original songs for the film as well, making the perilous journey a lot more fun.
In addition to Miranda, Vivo features the vocal talents of Gloria Estefan, Buena Vista Social Club’s Juan De Marcos, Zoe Saldaña, Ynairaly Simo, Michael Rooker, Katie Lowes, Leslie David Baker, and more. The film is written by Quiara Alegría Hudes (In the Heights) with The Croods’ Kirk DeMicco and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2’s Brandon Jeffords co-directing, and Tony and Grammy winner Alex Lacamoire (The Greatest Showman) serving as its composer and executive music producer. The Netflix original exclusive hits the streaming service August 6, and promise to offer an “exhilarating story about gathering your courage, finding family in unlikely friends, and the belief that music can open you to new worlds.”
The last time rap fans heard from Houston rapper Maxo Kream was 2019, when he dropped his critically-acclaimed second album Brandon Banks, which I called a “masterful character study” in my review. Since then, he’s taken something of a hiatus as he mourned the death of his brother and regrouped for his eventual comeback. That comeback arrives today with the release of “Local Joker,” Maxo’s first solo single since early 2020, and its sentimental music video.
In the song, Maxo recounts his Houston upbringing, telling tall tales of his days doing knucklehead activities in the hood and taking stock of his experiences’ effect on the person he is today. In a press release announcing the new song, he provided a quote explaining his mindset in recording and sharing it. “‘Local Joker’ explains where I’m at in my life right now,’” he said. ” love Houston, I’m from Houston. My merch is Houston-focused. My music has a strong Houston influence — everything is Houston, it’s local. You can catch me in any part of Houston with the local jokers – but at the same time, I’m not a local joker because I’ve grown and expanded the territory that I touch. But home will always be home- and that’s Houston, Alief, fasho.”
Watch the “Local Joker” video above and stay tuned for more from the return of Maxo Kream.
Today marks the premiere of Watch The Sound With Mark Ronson, a new Apple+ documentary series. In it, Ronson and guests explore groundbreaking technologies that have impacted the music industry, and each episode ends with Ronson creating a song based on the techniques discussed in the episode. Alongside the show, those songs have been released on their own via the Watch The Sound soundtrack. That’s out now, and it features contributions from Paul McCartney, DJ Premier, Wale, Jónsi, Diana Gordon, Gary Numan, King Princess, Santigold, and Kathleen Hanna.
Ronson recently told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe of the show, “It is my dream TV show. After a lot of hours and hours of brainstorming and rambling and talking around it, we were just like, ‘Let’s do six episodes, six subjects — reverb, distortion, synth, sampling, drum machines, and Auto-Tune — and talk about how they revolutionized music and talk to the people who did your favorite stuff on them.’”
He also said of recording with McCartney, “He was going to put acoustic guitar down on [‘Alligator’ from McCartney’s 2013 album New], and he was like, ‘It sounds like an acoustic guitar, but I want it to sound like a record, as if you just put the needle down.’ […] That quote has stayed with me more than anything. That quote from Paul McCartney was almost the ethos of Watch The Sound as a show. […] In music, the most important thing is always going to be the song, the vocal, the performance. But then you go to that next level where you talk about arrangements, sonics, the kick, the snare, the 808. And that’s the thing that makes the difference between a really good song and an iconic recording, something we remember forever. Like, when the needle goes down on track one, you’re like, “Oh, sh*t.” So that quote from Paul definitely, even though I hadn’t thought about it before, is kind of like the symbolic fortune cookie statement of the show.”
Ready for the weekend? Of course, you are. Here’s our weekly dose of good vibes to help you shed the stresses of the workweek and put yourself in a great frame of mind.
These 10 stories made us happy this week because they feature amazing creativity, generosity, and one super-cute fish.
1. Diver befriends a fish with the cutest smile
Hawaiian underwater photographer Yuki Nakano befriended a friendly porcupine fish and now they hang out regularly.
2. Denver police are handing out gift certificates to auto parts stores instead of ‘fix-it’ tickets
Police in Denver, Colorado have a new program designed to improve public safety as well as the relationship between the police and those they serve. Instead of issuing tickets, officers will now have the option to hand out $25 gift cards in situations where people are pulled over for minor “fix-it” violations.
3. Stunned wildlife lover set up a camera in a bird box and it got 41 million views
43-year-old John Chadwick started live-streaming footage of birds with their chicks so his family could watch their progress before they flew the nest. But just weeks after uploading the videos to YouTube, he racked up millions of views from around the world. “It’s gone a little bit bonkers,” John said. “I only wanted to show my neighbors, friends, nieces, and nephews what the birds were up to. I had no idea the films would attract such interest.”
UK wildlife fan sets up camera inside bird box- attracting 41 MILLION fans worldwide! | SWNS
4. Dad with impaired mobility can walk his newborn after crafty teens built him a ‘wheestroll’
Jeremy King, 37, of Germantown, Maryland has experienced difficulty with his balance after having surgery for a brain tumor. To help him take his newborn on a walk, a group of students at Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland built him a “wheelstroll,” a car seat attachment that connects to his wheelchair.
5. American gymnast Suni Lee made history, winning gold in the all-around
Suni Lee, 18, a Team USA member from Minnesota, became the Olympic all-around gymnastics champion on Thursday. Lee is the first Hmong American athlete to ever compete in the Olympics and the first Asian American to win the gold in the Olympics’ all-around competition. “It feels super crazy, I definitely didn’t think I’d be here in this moment with the gold medal,” Lee said after her win. “I’m just super proud of myself for making it here because there was a point in time when I wanted to quit.”
6. An Israeli woman donated a kidney to a Gaza boy
Harel Segal, a kindergarten teacher from northern Israel, donated her kidney to a three-year-old Palestinian boy from the Gaza Strip. She hopes her choice will inspire others to be more humane in a land of perpetual conflict.
“WHOEVER SAVES ONE LIFE SAVES THE WORLD.”
As A Birthday Gift, Idit Harel Segal, a #Jewish Israeli,Donated A Kidney… https://t.co/xLTAd6ak8I
7. Two big ships from British Columbia launched an expedition to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The three-month-long, multimillion-dollar venture will test a new system to trap ocean plastics and load them onto vessels. If the system works, the plan is to build bigger versions for larger-scale cleanups.
Our crew is working on the last preparations before going out to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with Jenny, our la… https://t.co/B1jddxIYzl
— The Ocean Cleanup (@TheOceanCleanup) 1627311422.0
8. Tunisian teen swimmer shocks with surprise gold, and his family’s reaction is everything
Ahmed Hafnaoui had the swim of his life at just the right time on Sunday. After eeking into the men’s 400-meter medal race in last place out of the eight finalists, the 18-year-old swimmer from Tunisia shocked everyone by taking home the gold in the event at the Tokyo Olympics.
This will give you goosebumps.
18-year-old Ahmed Hafnaoui’s wasn’t given a prayer in the men’s 400m freestyle fina… https://t.co/ZlCxmcTrXB
9. Hundreds of ‘tiny homes’ have been built to help provide shelter for struggling Los Angeles residents
Los Angeles is the latest city to experiment with micro-homes to provide secure accommodations for unhoused people while they get back on their feet. The colorful homes of the Alexandria Park Tiny Home Village are capable of housing 200 residents in 103 one- or two-person units.
Alexandria Park Tiny Home Village, Los Angeles
via @archdaily: https://t.co/wKA5RwLUX9
#designinspiration… https://t.co/bpzAJbc2Nb
10. California Congressman introduces legislation for a four-day workweek
Citing pilot programs that have yielded positive results, Democratic Congressman Mark Takano introduced legislation on Wednesday that would reduce the standard workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours.
Redefining the standard workweek by lowering the maximum hours threshold for overtime compensation to 32 hours coul… https://t.co/T4NZ2vr4Qd
Whitney Houston’s defining song, “I Will Always Love You,” isn’t actually hers (despite how much she made it her own), as Dolly Parton wrote it. Houston’s recording, of course, has done quite well, meaning that Parton has received some hefty royalty checks from it. While guesting on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen recently, she revealed the best purchase she made with those royalties.
Parton said:
“I bought my big office complex down in Nashville. I thought, ‘Well, this is a wonderful place to be.’ I bought a property down in what was the Black area of town, and it was mostly just Black families and people that lived around there. It was off the beaten path from 16th Avenue and I thought, ‘Well, I am gonna buy this place, the whole strip mall.’ And I thought, ‘This is the perfect place for me to be,’ considering it was Whitney. I just thought this was great — I’m just gonna be down here with her people, who are my people as well. So I just love the fact that I spent that money on a complex and I think, ‘This is the house that Whitney built.’”
The building Parton seems to be talking about is Inca Hoots Productions, her studio and management office located near 16th Avenue, on 12th Avenue South. A 2020 feature by Fodor’s Travel described the complex, “Dolly’s star has risen so high that now, instead of recording in other people’s studios, she has her own. Inca Hoots Productions, an unassuming Mission-style compound on 12th Street, is Dolly’s production studio and management office. It’s closed to the public, but you can tell if she’s there because her massive tour bus will be in the gated courtyard out front. The name itself is a bit of her famous sense of humor: split up the letters differently and you’ll get the real meaning of the company name.”
Watch Parton speak about the purchase above, and find more clips from her appearance on Watch What Happens Live below.
Welcome back to our grocery store snack roundup! The only series that gathers a bunch of random new (and new to us) treats from our local grocery stores (and the internet) in an effort to see if they’re worth your time and money. Why do we do this? Well, we’ve all been there, scanning the grocery store aisles for a few extra snacks to make that market run of essentials seem a little more exciting.
Do you try the macaroni & cheese-infused ice cream to see if it’s as bad as you assume? Or do you just play it safe and go with your favorite variety of chocolate?
That’s why you have us — to help sort through those life-altering quandaries. Since we’re deep into summer right now, we’ve decided to theme this roundup around ice cream. We’ll include a few more snacks we’re digging on, but the focus is going to be on ice cream. So scan our list and future out what to indulge in!
Van Leeuwen — Kraft Macaroni & Cheese French Ice Cream (Dane Rivera)
I am by no means a fan of stunt food. Jelly Bellies that taste like vomit, food crafted for Instagram, almost every “food hack” on TikTok — it holds no appeal to me. So when my editor tasked me with seeking out this Kraft Macaroni & Cheese flavored ice cream from Van Leeuwen’s, I was… less than thrilled. Then I remembered Van Leeuwen makes some damn good ice cream and being a food writer is an insanely dope privilege that I shouldn’t complain about.
Still, an ice cream that tastes like mac & cheese is downright intimidating, with a high “gross” potential. Luckily, this turned out to be a pretty good flavor. It tastes a lot like cheesecake ice cream. It has a distinct tanginess to it that definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you like the decadence of cheesecake, this is right up your alley. What differentiates it is a pronounced sharpness — a result of the cheddar, no doubt. After the initial shock and surprise, the ice cream really starts to grow on you.
If you’re still too scared to try this, we’ve got a hack for you (better than anything on TikTok): go the extra mile and utilize some chocolate syrup and crushed nuts on top. The salty-sweet connection will win you over.
The Bottom Line
Way better than a mac & cheese ice cream has any right to be. Great for fans of cheesecake ice cream who want something a little different.
I originally picked up this ice cream as part of a blind taste test in search of the best chocolate ice cream on the market. Tillamook’s Udderly Chocolate features a swirl of chocolate and white chocolate ice creams. I thought it would be an interesting inclusion but I was dismayed to find that the ice cream has bits of chocolate shavings in it as well. That means it’s not a “plain chocolate” ice cream and I had to disqualify it from the taste test, which is really a shame because this is one of the best chocolate-centric ice creams I’ve ever had.
The white chocolate adds a nice sweet contrast to the more rich and full-bodied notes of the classic chocolate but those disqualifying chips of chocolate are really what make this ice cream shine. They’re not big enough to be something to chew on. Instead, they reveal themselves subtly, only to melt in your mouth along with the ice cream — sweet, hidden little treasures.
The Bottom Line
Probably my favorite chocolate-based ice cream currently on the market.
Now we’re into some dangerous territory here. Hardscoop is an alcoholic ice cream brand that uses a wine base to booze up their pints. Each pint contains 8% alcohol by volume, and while a single scoop isn’t enough for you to get a buzz on, this is no gimmick. Alcoholic ice cream is an easy sell, but what I appreciate the most about Hardscoop is just how premium the ice cream is. The brand didn’t cut any corners, the ice cream is thick and custard-y and each pint has a noticeable boozy smell to it.
My favorite flavor has to be the Madagascar Vanilla, because of how rich and versatile it is. A single scoop with a generous portion of chocolate syrup on top makes for a fancy restaurant dessert experience but my favorite way to enjoy Hardscoop is in the morning. A scoop or a spoonful of this stuff in your morning coffee is the perfect way to kick off a saturday. Bonus points if you have an espresso machine and you can fashion yourself a quick and easy affogato with an alcoholic edge.
The Bottom Line
A quality alcohol-infused ice cream that doesn’t cut any corners. Put a scoop in your coffee and thank us in the comments for changing your life for the better.
Cookies & Cream ice creams almost never have a satisfying amount of cookies inside of them. I don’t want a few bites of Oreo in a scoop, I want a 50-50 split, anything less is false advertisement. I mean, “Cookies” is right in the name! Breyers has attempted to remedy this widespread ice cream lie by beefing up their Cookies & Cream with 20% more cookies — it’s not quite where I want it to be, but I appreciate the effort.
While it’s not meeting my cookie quota, this ice cream really is quite delicious. Each scoop is a beautiful marble of cream and cookie with that soft and creamy consistency Breyers always delivers. Aside from the big chunks of cookies, speckles of tiny crushed cookies are peppered throughout the mix, giving you a bit of cookie with every bite.
The Bottom Line
One of the best Cookies & Cream flavors out there in the ice cream landscape.
Dairy-Free ice creams just don’t hold a candle to the real stuff. The consistency is never right, and it lacks that creamy, comforting quality that a perfect scoop of ice cream on a scorching summer day has. But as far as dairy-free ice creams go… Nubocha is pretty delicious.
They manage this by getting unique with their flavors. By approaching classics with a slight twist, Nubocha is able to make a dairy-free ice cream that won’t make you miss the real thing, because it stands on its own. Its chocolate flavor doesn’t taste like your standard milk chocolate ice cream, instead, it has an earthy Abuelita Mexican chocolate quality to it. The vanilla mixes in roasted cashews. Salted Caramel shows up with bits of hazelnuts and almonds, everything is slightly altered in a way that makes them unique to the competition.
You’ll never crave have a craving for dairy-free ice cream the way you do for the real stuff, but you just might develop a craving for these unique flavor blends.
The Bottom Line
A dairy-free ice cream that delivers by daring to be different.
I know I know, it’s not ice cream, but I warned you that we’d sneak in some non-ice cream products into this list. Currently, I’m loving Madhava’s Organic Balsamic Vinegar thanks to its tart, fruity flavor, sumptuous umami quality, and versatility. Pour this on your scoop of Hardscoop and it’ll bring out notes of brown sugar and caramel with an umami finish that will turn your midnight snack into something you wouldn’t wince at paying over $10 for on a dessert menu.
Generally, I like my potato chips plain and simple. Lays Original is, in my opinion, the best chip on the market. It’s versatile, you can dip them, eat them plain, squirt some lime on them — the perfect fried potato canvas. But like every true chip head, I reserve a warm spot in my heart for Flamin’ Hot. The Scorchin’ series is basically Pringles’ version of Flamin’ Hot and for the most part, it delivers.
The full line consists of Scorchin BBQ (my least favorite, it’s just not hot), Scorchin’ Chili & Lime (It’s allllllright, but I almost always prefer fresh lime over the artificial stuff) and Scorchin’ Cheddar, which is hands down the best flavor. The spice is satisfyingly hot, it lives up to the name “Scorchin’” and that chili pepper cheddar combination just works so well. It’s not as good as Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or Takis, but it’s far superior to all of the Baked Flamin’ Hot products on the market.
You got to give it to Pringles: they know how to bake a chip.
To take things to the next level, squirt some fresh lime on the Scorchin’ Cheddar and you’ve got the best of both worlds.
We usually do a “best new ice cream” list each summer and I crown a winner. This year, Dane has been working the ice cream beat. We may still pull off that list, but if we don’t I’ll say it here: This is the best ice cream flavor I’ve tasted since the pandemic started. And I taste a lot of ice cream.
Buttermints are clearly the best of the “grandma’s coffee table” or “restaurant cashier station” mints — though you never see them in businesses anymore because they’re served loose. There is this pillowy softness to them and the mint tastes both “fresher” than pinwheel mints and less chemical-y.
Most “mint” ice cream is either real mint — which doesn’t make a huge impact in ice cream and is a little too herbal — or ultra fake. This flavor offers a perfect balance. And, as always with Jeni’s, the mouthfeel is 100% on point.
The Bottom Line:
The standout flavor of summer 2021. Maybe not as splashy a title as “Kraft Macaroni & Cheese,” but the taste masters being refreshing in a way all mint ice cream should but most fails at.
Kevin Love joined USA Basketball during its pre-Olympic training camp in Las Vegas, only to pull out before the team departed for Tokyo due to a calf injury that he believed would have prevented him from competing at the international level. It seemed straightforward enough and the sort of issue that would have been put to bed right when Love decided to leave camp, but on Friday, USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo addressed the whole thing in a way that was ultra-critical of Love.
As Colangelo tells it, Love reached out and made his case to join the team, saying he was healthy enough to go. And then, Love left, which Colangelo still seems pretty hung up on.
“I didn’t think Kevin Love was going to play. I wasn’t even sure he had much left to play,” Colangelo said, per Brian Windhorst of ESPN. “He reached out to us and said he was in shape and said he felt he owed us. And on the basis of that, we’re looking at someone with international experience who at one time was a heck of a rebounder and could still shoot the ball. You know, being like a 12th man on a roster.
“Well, it didn’t work out,” Colangelo continued. “He wasn’t in shape. And he was way behind as it turned out. So you move on. Call it a mistake. Call it giving someone an opportunity. Someone who had equity with us.”
Colangelo, it must be said, will end his tenure with USA Basketball following these Olympics, so he assuredly feels like he can be a little more open than usual. But still, this is quite the approach to take with regards to Love, because even beyond the fact that he’s contributed to USA Basketball in the past, it’s weird to just straight up bury someone like this, especially when the apparent issue (his health and fitness) was evident last NBA season.
Earlier this week, Better Call Saul star and sketch comedy legend Bob Odenkirk collapsed on the set of the AMC series. It was nearly 24 (very scary) hours before his millions of fans got an update on his status, but luckily, it was a good update.
“We can confirm Bob is in stable condition after experiencing a heart-related incident,” a statement from his representatives read. “He and his family would like to express gratitude for the incredible doctors and nurses looking after him, as well as his cast, crew and producers who have stayed by his side. The Odenkirks would also like to thank everyone for the outpouring of well wishes and ask for their privacy at this time as Bob works on his recovery.”
Odenkirk’s health has continued to improve, according to his Mr. Show co-creator and co-star David Cross. “Just got off the phone with Bob and he’s doing great! Joking and japing and joshing,” the comedian tweeted on Friday. “Both he and his family are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and concern everyone has shown. You will be hearing from him soon. But he’s doing really well!!!” Get better, Bob!
Just got off the phone with Bob and he’s doing great! Joking and japing and joshing. Both he and his family are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and concern everyone has shown. You will be hearing from him soon. But he’s doing really well!!!
Odenkirk will be back to yelling “god dammit” before we know it.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
(@davidcrosss)