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Better Call Saul is currently shooting its final season in New Mexico, but outside of the folks in the writers’ room, there aren’t many people who know how the series will ultimately end, and that includes series’ star Bob Odenkirk. The series will continue to shoot until November, but Odenkirk says that he refuses to read ahead. He doesn’t know anything about the final season beyond the episode he is currently shooting.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have thoughts about how it will end. This week, in an interview with Esquire UK, he reiterated that the events of the final season of Better Call Saul will change the way audiences perceive Breaking Bad. “When Better Call Saul is done it will shed new light… you will see Breaking Bad and the story of Breaking Bad in a different way. It will be different from what you think you know.”

It’s unclear exactly what Odenkirk means by that, but he is on the record stating that we should not assume that Kim Wexler — who is never seen on Breaking Bad — is dead during the events of Breaking Bad. Beyond that, we don’t know much. Vince Gilligan has stated that he expects that Saul will have a “better” ending than Breaking Bad, but not necessarily happier. Meanwhile, Peter Gould says that there “is a lot of sadness” to where the final season is going.

What does that mean for the fate of Jimmy McGill? Again, Bob Odenkirk does not officially know, but he does know showrunners Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould very well after working with them for all of these years. While Odenkirk himself likes to believe that Jimmy McGill will learn some valuable lessons from his experiences during the Breaking Bad timeline and adjust accordingly, he doubts very much that the showrunners see it that way, as he told Esquire:

“Vince and Peter refuse to account for my argument that sometimes people do learn the right lessons from their mistakes and their traumas and problems. I’d like to think that after all he went through with the story of Breaking Bad, where he was gonna become wealthy by representing a meth kingpin, that he somehow decides to fly right and maybe use his various talents to help people who really need help. I don’t think that’s where he’ll end up but I think people sometimes do make a better choice based on experiences that they’ve had. But I don’t think they agree with that theory

“Their glass seems pretty half-empty.

“Their glass is always half-empty. And it’s draining fast.”

An ending where Jimmy McGill straightens himself up and flies right really would be out of character for Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan, who like to tell stories about characters who are done in by their own egos. It would be nice to think that Jimmy and Kim meet up in Omaha and live happily ever after, but that wouldn’t be on brand for the Breaking Bad universe. Whatever happens, however, we can expect an intense and exciting final season, says Odenkirk. Vince Gilligan “starts knocking things down and starts lighting fires and burning everything down,” Odenkirk told Esquire. “It’s really going into overdrive. And it’s pretty exciting.

(Via Esquire)

When Kid Rock makes news these days, it’s usually not based on the merits of his music career. Recent Kid Rock narratives, for example, include his keeping his bar open despite coronavirus concerns early in the pandemic and Morgan Wallen’s first post-controversy show taking place at that same bar. Now, Kid Rock is making headlines once again and it’s not for a flattering reason: During a concert from over the weekend, he was filmed using a homophobic slur.

During a performance at FishLipz Bar & Grill in Smithville, Tennessee, the musician was annoyed with audience members who were filming him with their phones. In a video obtained by TMZ, he looks directly into one phone while singing a song, he shouted, “F*ck your iPhone, yeah!” Staying in song, he pointed at his crotch and continued, “You can post this, you can post this, you can post this dick right now.” He then added, “You f*cking f*****s with your phones out!”

Following the incident, Kid Rock became a trending topic on Twitter. A lot of the responses to the news were hilariously sarcastic, feigning surprise at the incident. One Twitter user noted, “I, for one, am shocked that noted LGBTQ ally Kid Rock would say something homophobic.” Another noted, “Sad to find out Kid Rock is homophobic when he is so incredibly talented.” Somebody else added, “When I heard Kid Rock made a homophobic comment, I got so mad I drove 12 hours to my parents house, went in the attic, found Kid Rock’s latest cassette, and threw it out.”

“Imagine being the fact checker that gets that call?”

That was one of Jimmy Kimmel’s main takeaways following Donald Trump’s weekend appearance at a GOP conference in Greenville, North Carolina. Though not even Fox News aired the event (which Kimmel described as being akin to TBS passing on showing a new episode of The Big Bang Theory), the former president caught the interest of the internet when some people pointed out that it looked as if his pants might be on backwards.

Discussing the “detailed online investigation” that followed the vomit-inducing images from the event (close-ups weren’t invented for this reason), Kimmel correctly pointed out that, “Usually if you got this close to Trump’s crotch he’d pay you $130,000.” But he wasn’t done:

“Turns out it was just a revolting illusion that resulted in these hilarious headlines: ‘No, Trump Didn’t Wear His Pants Backwards at That North Carolina Rally,’ ‘Actually, Trump Was NOT Wearing His Pants Backwards At A Weekend Rally,’ [and] ‘Trump Successfully Wore Pants at Rally: Report.’ Well, good for you!”

Kimmel went on to imagine what the calls to the fact-checkers tasked with getting to the bottom of Pantsgate must have sounded like, and reminded viewers that “Backwards-seeming pants seem to be a problem for Republican politicians in general,” then shared a few throwback photos of other GOPers in similarly confusing pants-related situations. Among the images was this photo of Chris Christie, which seems to have been taken by Satan himself. Kimmel described it as looking like the former New Jersey governor “tried sneaking a meatloaf into the game.”

No, you can’t unsee that.

Kimmel had more to say about Trump’s appearance—his first since February—in which the former president reminded onlookers that he has the best words when he uttered nonsensical sentences such as “We’re going to take back our country and we’re going to take it back at a level that is very, very… good.”

Consider yourselves warned.

You can watch the full clip above, starting around the 6:55 mark.

The Los Angeles Clippers needed seven games, including three road wins, to topple the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. In contrast, the Utah Jazz stumbled out of the gate without Donovan Mitchell, only to reel off four consecutive victories over the Memphis Grizzlies in their opening round series. On Tuesday evening, the Clippers and Jazz square off in Salt Lake City for Game 1 of a highly anticipated matchup featuring star power, intriguing stylistic approaches and all kinds of drama.

By virtue of the No. 1 seed and a breezy opening victory, the Jazz are seen as at least slight favorites in the series. Utah put together the best regular season in the NBA this season, dominating on the offensive end of the floor while deploying an artistically beautiful approach that featured ball movement, high-end shooting and unselfish play. Defensively, Utah was keyed at an elite level by Rudy Gobert, the presumptive Defensive Player of the Year, and the Jazz operate with their A-plus rim protector in mind.

However, the Jazz did struggle a bit defensively against Memphis, particularly in dealing with Ja Morant. Utah allowed 1.15 points per possession in the series and, in general, it was Utah’s offense driving their success more than their defense. While the matchup is quite a bit different, the Jazz could also have their hands full with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Leonard was absolutely electric in willing the Clippers over the Mavericks, and George also enjoyed some lofty highs in that series. While neither replicates the exact nature of Morant’s attack, one of Utah’s perceived weaknesses is the absence of big, two-way wings, with only Royce O’Neale approaching the profile of the “wing stopper” that so many teams look for. Furthermore, there will be pressure on Mitchell to at least breathe the same air as Leonard as the No. 1 creator in this series, and some of the questions, on both ends, should be answered with Game 1.

Game 1 TV Info

Tip Time: Tuesday, June 8; 10 p.m. ET
TV Network: TNT

Game 1 Betting Lines (via DraftKings Sportsbook)

Series Prices: Jazz (-130), Clippers (+105)
Spread: Jazz -4 (-112), Clippers +4 (-109)
Total: Over 220 (-112), Under 220 (-109)
Money Line: Jazz (-165), Clippers (+138)

The Atlanta Hawks knocked off the Philadelphia 76ers on the road in Game 1, landing the first punch in what could be an interesting best-of-seven series in the Eastern Conference. On Tuesday evening, the two teams will take the floor again at Wells Fargo Center, with the pressure shifting back to the top-seeded Sixers.

Much as he has been for the entire playoffs, Trae Young was the story for the Hawks in the opener. Young generated 25 points and eight assists before halftime and settled in with 35 points and 10 assists to lead Atlanta. As a team, the Hawks set franchise playoff records with 74 points and 13 three-pointers in the first half, and they led by as many as 26 points in the game. Things did get dicey for Atlanta down the stretch, though, which could provide optimism for the Sixers in the rematch.

Following genuine uncertainty as to whether he would play as a result of a knee issue, Joel Embiid was tremendous in his return for Philadelphia. Embiid scored 39 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots, largely looking like himself in 38 minutes. In fact, the Sixers dominated the minutes when Embiid played, but Philadelphia must find a way to survive with bench units on the floor after they hemorrhaged in Game 1.

The Sixers can do a lot of damage by simply cleaning up two specific areas in the follow-up. Philadelphia shot just 10-of-29 from three compared to 20-of-47 for Atlanta. In addition, the Sixers turned the ball over 19 times, including 12 giveaways in the first 14 minutes as they dug a hole that was too deep to overcome.

From a betting standpoint, Game 1 went Over the total of 219.5 points and Atlanta covered the closing point spread of 4.5 points as an underdog.

Game 2 TV Info

Tip Time: Tuesday, June 8; 7:30 p.m. ET
TV Network: TNT

Game 2 Betting Lines (via DraftKings Sportsbook)

Series Prices: 76ers (-122), Hawks (+100)
Spread: 76ers -5 (-113), Hawks +8 (-108)
Total: Over 223 (-112), Under 223 (-109)
Money Line: 76ers (-210), Hawks (+175)

Game 2 Player Scoring Props (via DraftKings Sportsbook)

Danny Green O/U 8.5 Points (Over -127/Under +100)
Tobias Harris O/U 21.5 (-113/-113)
Joel Embiid O/U 28.5 (-137/+110)
Trae Young O/U 27.5 (-113/-113)
Seth Curry O/U 14.5 (+100/-127)
Clint Capela O/U 12.5 (-113/-113)
Ben Simmons O/U 15.5 (-113/-113)

After a Game 2 in Brooklyn that was downright depressing to watch for just about everyone who isn’t a Nets fan, the hopes of Monday night’s NBA slate rested on the shoulders of the Suns and Nuggets to deliver in Game 1. Thankfully, the first half did more than that as Denver took. 58-57 lead into the break as both teams played some of the best basketball you could hope to see.

Nikola Jokic was terrific with 15 points as he dueled with Deandre Ayton, who had 11 in the first half himself. Facu Campazzo was everywhere for Denver and Aaron Gordon provided them with a much needed lift on both ends.

For Phoenix, it was a complete effort to hang around and fight back after every Denver run. Ayton was excellent in going back at Jokic on the offensive end, while Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges each had strong halves to keep the Suns within one at the break.

The Nuggets opened the third quarter on a big run to open up a lead of as many as 10 and held a 72-63 advantage with just under eight minutes to play.

However, things changed quickly from there, as the Suns ripped off a 16-0 run in just under four minutes of play, spearheaded by Mikal Bridges and capped off by Devin Booker.

Phoenix took a nine-point lead into the fourth, and it was more of the same to start the final period as they extended their lead quickly to 15 as Chris Paul led the Suns bench unit on a massive extended run.

The Suns refused to let up, as the bench unit put a punctuation mark on their efforts with this transition lob to Torrey Craig that blew the roof off of Phoenix Suns Arena.

Denver would finally get some things going offensively midway through the fourth, but by that point the damage was done and Phoenix cruised to a 122-105 win. Jokic cooled off in the second half, finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and two steals on 10-of-23 shooting, and there was a case to be made that the best player for all 48 minutes for the Nuggets was Aaron Gordon with 18 points, four rebounds, three steals, and two assists on 8-of-14 shooting. However, no one else could match his energy in the second half for Denver as they got steamrolled after their strong third quarter start. Jokic was a shade off on seemingly every shot, Michael Porter Jr (15 points) got nullified by getting attacked constantly by the Suns on the defensive end, and Austin Rivers and Monte Morris could only muster a combined nine points on 3-of-17 shooting.

Those backcourt struggles against a Suns team with such tremendous depth in that area figures to be the story of the series, and in Game 1 Phoenix overwhelmed Denver with their depth. Booker wasn’t dominant in the same way he was in Game 6 against the Lakers, as he had just 21 points, but he was in control of everything, scoring those points on 8-of-12 shooting and ran the offense beautifully with eight assists. Chris Paul was a bit quiet early but came alive in the second half to finish with 21 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds, while Deandre Ayton had 20 points and 10 rebounds on 9-of-13 shooting. Mikal Bridges was the breakout star for Phoenix, scoring 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting including a 4-of-8 night from deep, with five rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block.

The difference for the Suns was their ability to keep up their efficiency. Their four stars combined to go 33-of-49 from the field in an outrageous shooting night, while the Nuggets just couldn’t keep up with that onslaught. It was a tremendous performance as Phoenix continues to show poise and ability beyond its years — Chris Paul aside — as their young stars step up in big moments and as a team they pounce on every opportunity to pull away from an opponent. That relentless effort is what got them to the second round and in Game 1, it got them a come from behind win to take a 1-0 series lead.

Justin Bieber has been on a roll recently. First there was the string of singles that helped him open up a new era in 2020, including “Holy,” “Lonely,” and “Anyone” all leading up to his early 2021 record, Justice. Although those songs might’ve been the early hits, I still love the late-comer, “Hold On” more, with its glitchy, hyperspeed chorus and heartfelt verses. But then there’s “Peaches,” featuring Giveon and Daniel Caesar, the breakout album track that blazed its way up the charts after the album came out.

For his big return to the Juno Awards stage this weekend, though, Bieber didn’t perform any of these. Instead he went for a deeper album cut, the yearning “Somebody,” which clearly has special significance to the pop star and his now-wife, Hailey. Like the bulk of the songs on Justice, the song is pretty clearly dedicated to her and their relationship. In a frenetic, high-energy performance, Bieber returned to the Junos for the first time in eleven years, dancing around while the lyrics flickered on screens behind him. Rocking a new short haircut after fans were a little perturbed by his loc’d hair, Justin looks the healthiest and happiest he has for a while. Looks like finding that special somebody suits him well. Watch the performance above.

Today’s Republican party is in thrall to conspiracy theories, from QAnon to the many convoluted takes on how their favorite president lost re-election, even to newer ones about how he could take his old job back. (Spoiler: He can’t.) And it comes from the top: According to Vanity Fair, a forthcoming book about Donald Trump’s failed second term alleges that his belief in one wacko idea involving his successor might have caused him to lose in November.

The book is Frankly, We Did Win This Election”: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost, by Wall Street Journal journo Michael Bender, who interviewed over 150 insiders, including Trump himself. It’s common knowledge that he saw Biden as an unworthy adversary. One tale within — that Trump interrupted a policy meeting to vent, “How am I losing in the polls to a mental retard?’” — is hardly surprising.

What is surprising, though, is this: He believed in a harebrained theory that the Democratic Party, realizing their nominee was too old and gaffe-prone to beat Trump, was going to steal the nomination away from him, replacing him with Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama. The idea came from Dick Morris, an old Clinton staffer-turned-GOP stooge, while others thought that Biden would drop out should Trump bash him too hard.

But there’s more, as Vanity Fair writes:

According to Bender, Trump also felt that his attack strategy had backfired during the first stage of the Democratic primary. “The president, meanwhile, had often complained that his early attack on [Elizabeth] Warren had damaged her presidential bid, which he regretted because he viewed her as an easier opponent than Biden,” Bender writes. “Now he worried that a heavy blitz of attack ads would hasten the secret plot being hatched by Democrats, and his mind raced with who they might select in Biden’s place.”

Some staffers tried to talk him out of this theory, but for naught. Trump even, Bender writes, “cited it as a reason to hold off on heavy spending against Biden earlier in the month.” The 2020 presidential election was one of the nastiest in history, but it certainly could have been even meaner. Imagine the ads that would have run, the viciousness of the debates had Trump not subscribed to so deranged an idea. That could have backfired, too, alienating even more voters than before. But we’ll probably never know how close we came to four more years with Trump.

(Via Vanity Fair)

The Brooklyn Nets took a 2-0 series lead on Milwaukee with a 39-point annihilation of the Bucks in Game 2 on Monday night, as they took a big early lead and never let go. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were terrific as usual, but it’s the continued spectacular play of the Nets role players that has them in firm control of this series even with James Harden sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Chief among those is Blake Griffin, who famously joined the Nets on a minimum deal after taking a buyout from Detroit. With the Pistons, Griffin’s knee injury had seemingly sapped the athleticism that had made him a phenom early in his career, as he never returned to the dominant form from 2019 when he almost single-handedly dragged the Pistons to the playoffs — where they got blasted by Milwaukee. This time around, Griffin gets to be a complementary piece rather than a focal point and he’s shining. After a big Game 1, Griffin was a bit more quiet in Game 2 offensively in terms of output, with seven points and eight rebounds, but he continues to stump Giannis defensively and two of his buckets were quite loud.

Blake has turned back the clock since joining the Nets, and threw down a pair of vintage dunks in Game 2, one on a putback and one on a baseline cut to throw it down on Giannis.

The TNT broadcast even pulled up the stats for Blake’s season in which he had no dunks in his 20 games with the Pistons, but has 25 in 33 games played with the Nets.

Throughout the regular season while he’s been with the Nets fans have wondered aloud if Griffin was tanking during the first half of the season in order to secure the buyout from Detroit, but with the way he’s playing in this series against Milwaukee, fans are having a ton of fun with the idea that he was sandbagging to get himself to a contender.

The reality is that Griffin is in a position where he’s being asked not to create looks for himself off the dribble but just catch-and-shoot or catching lobs or pocket passes as a roller and cutter. He certainly seems bouncier and more energized playing in Brooklyn and it’s hard to blame him for that, but it’s not a shocker that he’s still capable of dunking.

Now that he’s capable of still flying the way he did on the putback is something we had to wonder about, but with a clean runway it’s clear he can still soar — even if that stings a bit for Pistons fans to watch.

One of the most streamed shows in America this year is French. Earlier this year, Lupin, an updated and greatly transformed take on the classic gentleman thief character Arsène Lupin, became a surprise staple of the “Popular on Netflix” category. People loved watching the very charming Omar Sy a as Senegalese immigrant inspired by Lupin who steals Marie Antoinette’s jewels in the very first episode. And good for them, because that was just the beginning: Part 2 was already in the can and ready to be dropped in the summer. Now that times is almost upon us, though for now we have a teasing first look.

The clip, just a minute long, finds Sy’s semi-hero racing in a car, preparing to deal with the events that concluded the final episode of part one. If you need a recap, Sy’s Assane Diop learning that his son Raoul (Etan Simon) has been kidnapped by people associated with his longtime nemesis, Hubert Pellegrini (Hervé Pierre). On top of that, he’s the most wanted man in France, with the police on his back.

What will the next five episodes bring us? And how great is it that Sy, who achieved international stardom with the dramedy The Intouchables — later remade in America as The Upside, with him replaced by Kevin Hart — is finally a big star here as well? You’ll get to see him return on June 11.