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A few things you need to know first, presented via bulletin point to get us all to the action as quickly as possible

• Shark Week started on Sunday
• There was a one-hour program titled “Jackass Shark Week Special”
• How in the world it took us all the way until 2021 to combine Jackass and Shark Week — two of America’s greatest traditions — I’ll never understand
• There are new members of the crew, one named Jasper and one named, I swear this is true, Poopies
• Poopies got bit by a shark

Okay, now we provide the context. The structure of the Jackass Shark Week special went something like this: Johnny Knoxville, recording from a shark-free balcony in Los Angeles, sent the crew — Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Jasper, Poopies — videos from the internet of idiots screwing around with sharks. Just a bunch of the dumbest things you’ve ever seen anyone do in the presence of an apex predator, all openly courting disaster they somehow avoided. Then, a shark scientist who was with them said something like, “Yeah, this is a bad idea and no one should do it.” And then the guys would do exactly what they were warned not to do, but with extra flair. I think this, with no additional context, will sum things up nicely.

So there was that. And there were lots of other needlessly dangerous things happening for our enjoyment, like humans eating chum and puking, and Jasper sitting in the ocean in an inner tube with his whole butt hanging out the bottom as sharks circled him below, and Steve-O testing what other bodily fluids besides blood might lure sharks. It was lovely. It was basically a solid hour of dudes daring sharks to bite them and the dudes somehow emerging unscathed. Or, at least, mostly unscathed.

This brings us to Poopies, who has a real name (Sean McInerney), but whatever. Poopies was tasked with recreating the now-iconic “Jump the Shark” scene from Happy Days, in which Henry Winkler — as The Fonz — leaps over a shark while waterskiing and eventual inspires a pop culture phenomenon where the phrase comes to be shorthand for a show starting to get weird when it runs out of ideas. You know all of this. And it’s not really the point. The point is that Poopies was set up with a wakeboard and a ramp with a slew of riled-up sharks beneath it and strict instructions to not fall into the water after landing.

So… whoops.

This all resulted in a chaotic and completely predictable series of events, which can best be expressed by a series of four screencaps.

“Poopies got bit.” This sentence has been rattling around in my brain since I heard it last night. It’s really locked in there. There’s a real chance I’ll be on my deathbed many years from now and instead of some comforting words for my family or a profound reflection on society, I’ll just mumble “Poopies got bit” and flatline. There are worse legacies to leave behind.

Anyway, the good news here is that Poopies was only bitten on his hand and he didn’t lose any fingers and the crew was able to get him out of the water before the blood turned the sharks too bite-crazy. And Poopies, to his credit, took it about as in-stride as one can take getting bitten by a shark while recreating a scene starring The Fonz and being called “Poopies” dozens of times on a popular basic cable television special, saying, “I knew there was a chance I was gonna get bit by a shark, but I didn’t think it was gonna happen. I don’t blame the sharks at all. I mean, I was in their living room, and it was dinnertime.”

Well said, Poopies. Well said.

Once upon a time, hip-hop was largely considered to be “for the children,” to paraphrase ODB. Then those kids grew up and had children of their own. Fortunately, some of them got really cool jobs like being toy designers at Fisher-Price, so they could transfer the simple joy of early hip-hop to their kids and ensure that the above-mentioned axiom remains true for another generation.

The children’s toy company is set to release a new collector’s line of its Little People figures featuring rap pioneers Run-DMC. The figures will be available for purchase at Amazon today, with the price set at $14.99. In addition to featuring all three members, the toys break Little People tradition with DMC’s figure eschewing the line’s usual “give me a hug” pose for his signature crossed arms stance.

These are pretty cool for any longtime fan who wants to share their interest with their toddlers and get them hooked on hip-hop culture early — or, you know, just for sticking on a shelf for display. You can find more information on Fisher-Price.com. And speaking of collector’s items, Run-DMC may be one of the most collectible groups in hip-hop history, with a ton of fun things from comics to limited-edition vinyl to their name.

The Milwaukee Bucks got on the board in the 2021 NBA Finals on Sunday with a comfortable 120-100 win over the Suns in Game 3 to make it a 2-1 series and give themselves a chance to send it back to Phoenix all square at 2-2. Leading the way for the Bucks, for the second straight game, was Giannis Antetokounmpo, who followed up his 42-point, 12-rebound effort in a Game 2 loss with 41 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists in Game 3, becoming the first player since Shaq to post back-to-back 40/10 games in the Finals.

To do so, Giannis has absolutely dominated in the paint, the common thread for all of his great nights, but what’s most important not just in these last two games but for most of the playoffs is how he has seemed to harness his aggression and balance it with patience.

For a long time, the book on Giannis was to show him bodies, form a wall, and dare him to shoot over it. Over time, seeing that kind of look over and over would lead to frustration and he would start to press rather than making the right play, either forcing up an ill-fated jump shot or barreling into traffic, head down, where defenders were often waiting to accept a charge as he ducked into their chests. He was predictable and his fiery, competitive spirit would get turned against him, as teams would bait him into trying to score in isolation.

The Bucks would play into it too, far too often just throwing him the ball and clearing out, asking him to create for himself over and over again. This postseason, Giannis has shown a more diverse offensive game, not necessarily in the types of shots he’s making but the manner in which he’s getting those shots. There’s still a tremendous creative load placed on his shoulders, but there has been a concerted effort to put him in actions as a screener and cutter, working off of Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday to leverage their creative skills to free Giannis up for some easy baskets.

Just take the cut-up of highlights from his Game 3 performance and look at the variety of ways he scores.

There’s side pick-and-rolls with both Holiday and Pat Connaughton, a middle pick-and-roll with Middleton, put-backs on the offensive glass, a straight post-up (but against a clear mismatch in Devin Booker), and then a face-up drive on Jae Crowder who gets left on an island. In none of these clips do you see Giannis ducking his head and trying to force something up over multiple defenders. It’s smart offense, and when the Bucks are able to do that, it applies so much pressure on the defense that they start to break down.

Those early plays where Antetokounmpo catches it at the elbow and then quickly gets it back into the hands of one of his guards to set a screen and get into a pick-and-roll is what creates the one-on-one situation later against Crowder. The Suns aren’t as quick to send help because he’s been consistently getting them into actions with his passing and scoring off the ball so well that they can’t risk putting themselves into rotation too soon.

That gives Antetokounmpo the look he wants and rather than trying to draw Crowder out and build up a head of steam or backing him down, he moves quickly and decisively, which is a huge step for Giannis.

In Game 2, far more of Giannis’ points came from self-creation, due in part to the lack of success from Holiday and Middleton scoring, which made them lesser threats that allowed the Suns to shift more attention to Giannis in pick-and-roll coverage, but that latter point was still at play. He was decisive in his movements and attacked single-coverage when it presented itself, rarely falling into the trap of pulling the ball out and over-dribbling, which allows the defense to reset and show him more bodies and more help.

There were times in this postseason where it looked like the old Giannis problems might rear their ugly heads again, namely early in the Brooklyn series where Blake Griffin was able to bait him into charges and trying to pull the ball back out and isolate from outside the three-point line. Since then, though, we have seen a shift in Antetokounmpo’s game to be quicker and more decisive with the basketball.

It’s calculated aggression, attacking when there’s a clear advantage and doing so within the flow of the offense.

There are plenty of questions the Bucks must answer in this series if they’re to come back and win a championship, but as of this moment, they almost all involve the rest of the roster beyond Giannis. Will Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton consistently provide the scoring support Antetokounmpo needs? Will the role players be able to hit enough open shots? Will the thin backcourt rotation hold up? Can they find answers defensively for the Suns pick-and-roll attack?

All of those will determine whether the Bucks win the Finals, but that there isn’t a question right now about whether Giannis is going to give them enough is quite the turnaround from the last few exits. That’s not to say those have all been on him, but as the two-time MVP, he was the focal point for a lot of criticism about not being a playoff player and having enough holes in his game to be gameplanned for in a way an elite superstar shouldn’t be able to.

This postseason, he’s shut down those thoughts by showing up constantly in big moments and delivering in a way some thought he might simply not be able to because he is so reliant on getting to the rim to score.

There was an idea that against the best teams who could throw enough size and enough bodies at him, he’d eventually see his impact diminished. That’s no longer the case and it’s less about him adding to his physical skillset, but instead adapting his approach to how teams have tried to attack him. There are still moments where he can fall in love with the jump shot, but they seem more fleeting, like one-offs, than something you can coerce him into doing over and over. His mental strength has caught up to his physical prowess, finding the delicate balance of being patient without being passive while being aggressive without being stubborn. The result is a terrifying prospect for the league.

There’s a new entry to Secretly Canadian‘s SC25 singles series out today: My Morning Jacket‘s Jim James is covering “Seasons” by Steve Miller Band, and Madison McFerrin has reimagined Here We Go Magic’s “Over the Ocean.”

As a reminder, the Bloomington, Indiana-based indie label is currently doing a year-long celebration around their 25th anniversary. Part of that venture includes SC25 rereleases, or, a collection of 12 albums re-issued in limited editions. There’s also the SC25 Singles series, which features “25 new, rare and unreleased songs, covers and collaborations from artists both within and outside the Secretly Canadian family.” Profits will help fight homelessness in Bloomington, with Secretly Canadian aiming to raise a quarter of a million dollars for area organization New Hope For Families.

The Jim James and Madison McFerrin covers follow several previous SC25 offerings: NNAMDÏ’s rendition of Kacey Musgraves‘ “Lonely Weekend,” a cover of Jens Lekman’s “If I Could Cry (it would feel like this)” by Stella Donnelly, Beach Fossils’ cover of Kelly Lee Owens‘ “L.I.N.E.,” Porridge Radio covering Scout Niblett’s “Wet Road,” Skullcrusher’s rendition of Damien Jurado‘s “Cloudy Shoes,” and Green-House’s cover of Bill Evans’ “Peace Piece.”

Learn more about the SC25 Editions series here, and listen to the new Jim James and Madison McFerrin tracks below.

Tilda Swinton’s career is fascinating. I would argue that no one has seamlessly transitioned between indies and blockbusters better than her. I mean, look at Swinton’s 2019: she appeared in the second highest-grossing movie ever, a Jim Jarmusch zombie comedy, Armando Iannucci’s re-telling of a Charles Dickens novel, Joanna Hogg’s BAFTA-nominated The Souvenir, and you can hear her voice in Uncut Gems. This year, she’ll play the Fairy with Turquoise Hair in Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio movie for Netflix and she’s the lead role in Memoria, the latest mind-bending film from director Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives).

“We will see her walking a lot, like a ghost,” Weerasethakul said about working with Swinton. “I wrote this movie with her in mind knowing that she is an actress who needs no explanation. In fact, it was she who showed me this character. The experience was very significant and I really appreciate that.” You can watch the Memoria trailer above.

Here’s the official plot synopsis:

From the extraordinary mind of Palme D’or winning director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and starring Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton, comes a bewildering drama about a Scottish woman, who, after hearing a loud “bang” at daybreak, begins experiencing a mysterious sensory syndrome while traversing the jungles of Colombia.

Memoria, which also stars Jeanne Balibar, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Juan Pablo Urrego, and Elkin Diaz, debuts at the Cannes Film Festival on July 15, followed by a theatrical release later this year.

Last Week Tonight is on hiatus, but that doesn’t mean John Oliver has to stop obsessing over octopuses, which is exactly what he did in a new web exclusive video uploaded to the show’s YouTube account on Sunday night. In the 10-minute segment, Oliver goes hard on his love of the tentacled sea creature, and he even dropped a grammar lesson on why the proper plural form is “octopuses” not “octopi.”

During the lengthy love letter to octopuses, Oliver also called out Craig Foster, the subject of the Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher. Considering there were countless jokes about how that guy was basically in love with an octopus, you’d just assume Foster is the ultimate octopus fan. Nope. Oliver trashed him for not being into octopuses enough. That’s how hard the Last Week Tonight host goes for his tentacle friends. Via The Wrap:

“Look, look, America — and to some extent, the world. All I’ve been trying to say with this piece — and in a way, my entire life — is that octopuses are cool,” Oliver wound down his 10-minute tribute. “Cats have dominated the internet for far too long and it is past time that octopuses get their turn. That’s it. That’s my whole argument here: Octopuses are great. I don’t have some big call to action, I’m not going to bring out a giant octopus mascot –although, f— that is a good idea, I should get on that.

Of course, this isn’t the first time Oliver has randomly displayed his octopus fever. Following the 2020 presidential election, Oliver celebrated Trump losing by showing people dancing in the streets while he rattled off random, and surprisingly true octopus facts like, “if octopuses take ecstasy, they’ll hang out and party with other octopuses.”

(Via Last Week Tonight)

Dr. John — a unique, multi-genre music legend beloved in New Orleans and beyond — passed away around this time in 2019, at 77 years old. Now that Dr. John’s (whose real name is Malcolm John Rebennack) life story is complete, Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach is stepping up to tell it in a new documentary, which will be his directorial debut.

Press materials note the film, which does not currently have a confirmed title, “is about a man and his home: how a city raises him, shapes him and how a city’s trajectory changed his life and how his life shapes the city right back. This is the story of the intricate life and prolific musical and cultural impact of Mac Rebennack, best known as Dr. John, the Nite Tripper.”

Auerbach says of the project:

“I’m thrilled to be partnering with RadicalMedia and Impact Artist Productions to try my hand at directing a documentary feature for the first time and I’m honored to have the subject be my friend Dr John. He was such a unique individual and a shining example of the great melting pot of American music. From his mysterious voodoo stage persona Dr John, to his real, humble self Mac Rebannack — the street poet, the family man, the junkie, the Grammy award winner and all that’s in between, this documentary will introduce the world to him in a way they haven’t seen him before. I’m still learning bits about him that I never knew, and I hope the movie provides a lens into the story of the life of Dr John.”

Auerbach got to know Dr. John when they worked on Dr. John’s 2012 album Locked Down together; Auerbach produced the album and performed on it. The album was Dr. John’s final studio album of original material — Dr. John’s final record overall was his 2014 Louis Armstrong tribute album, Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit Of Satch. Locked Down was a successful farewell project, as it earned Dr. John his sixth and final Grammy win, for Best Blues Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012.

A fan’s photo of his mom posing with a Snoop Dogg lookalike has gone viral on Twitter as users crack wise about the man’s resemblance to the rapper and the mom’s apparent obliviousness. @matchu_chutrain posted the photo with a caption that read, “I’ve been in LA for a year and haven’t seen a single celebrity. My mom comes for a weekend and meets Snoop Dogg.” Unfortunately, it appears he’s neglected to let her know that the person she thinks is Snoop is actually not the rapper — but he looks close enough to prompt a double-take. To be fair, Snoop is a mom-approved favorite.

As fans shared the photo (currently upwards of 215,000 likes and only 500 retweets away from 10,000), the reactions built on each other as people found parallels between the Snoop lookalike situation and the plot of Marvel’s Disney Plus series Loki, joking that the man in the photo must be a “variant” or alternate version of the rapper. The original poster joked that he wanted everyone to stop pointing out that it wasn’t the rapper because “My mom’s gonna be heartbroken the next time she logs onto Twitter.” One person even posted the lookalike posing with Snoop, offering up a photo that might make your eyes cross.

Check out more responses below. Meanwhile, you can catch the real Snoop Dogg — and maybe the imposter too? — at his Once Upon A Time In LA Festival this autumn.

Burna Boy is calling “cap” on BIA’s claims from her recent appearance on Nicki Minaj’s live stream to debut the “Whole Lotta Money” remix. During the live stream, Nicki asked BIA about Nigerian hitmakers Burna Boy, Davido, and Wizkid, only for BIA to admit that she doesn’t know what any of them look like. Over the weekend, Burna addressed the comment, tweeting that BIA must have been exaggerating because she’s been in his DMs since 2018.

“That babe wey nor know our face don dey my dms since 2018,” he wrote. However, BIA later responded to a fan’s tweet about the comments that she does know what Wizkid looks like, noting that she doesn’t need to know what any of the three Nigerian stars look like to know and appreciate their music.

Then, when the conversation was picked up by Instagram gossip pages, BIA was sure to reply to at least one, explaining that the “DM” Burna referred to was her tagging his song. “Burna, love your music,” she wrote. “Don’t be hurt I said Ion know what U look like. Your girl is beautiful anyway you shouldn’t care. Now, don’t make it seem like I slid on U in 2018 bc I tagged your song.”

She signed off by once again plugging her Nicki Minaj collaboration: “Now back to what’s important. Stream #WholeLottaMoneyRemix.”

Caitlyn Jenner spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, over the weekend as part of her campaign to replace Gavin Newsom as the governor of California. The reality show star was greeted with transphobic abuse, including “heckling and deadnaming outside the conference, while anti-trans skits and denouncement of gay people went on inside,” according to LGBTQ Nation. Conservative sh*tposter Tomi Lahren, last heard from referring to flight attendants as “Nazis of the air” for enforcing mask mandates, came to Jenner’s defense on Twitter.

“Hearing how some ‘conservatives’ treated @Caitlyn_Jenner at CPAC makes my blood boil. There’s no room for your hate in the America First movement. We believe in freedom and we believe in limited government. The way she chooses to live her personal life harms you in no way!” she tweeted on Sunday night, adding, “The attacks on @Caitlyn_Jenner are despicable. I’ll go to bat for her every single time and if you want to take my ‘conservative’ card for it, take it and shove it.”

“Your mob is no better than the Left’s and in fact, it’s uglier.”

It’s good that Lahren called out the sickening transphobia that Jenner faced at CPAC. Less good is Lahren’s own history of anti-trans remarks. Back in 2017, GLAAD even put together a list of some of her most hateful comments (there’s been more since).

-Supported President Trump’s ban on transgender Americans serving openly in the U.S. Military: “The military is not a social experiment. Finally a POTUS who understands the concept. Political correctness=intellectual dishonesty!”

-Claimed liberals don’t have an actual argument to support transgender service members; adds that people only support it because it “feels right.”

-Said Trump’s repeal of Obama transgender guidance did nothing more than “return America’s taxpayer funded bathrooms and locker rooms to normal.”

-Went after and deadnamed Chelsea Manning by saying, “trans traitor Chelsea Bradley Manning,” and “him, well, I guess her now.”

Others called out the hypocrisy of Lahren, a frequent Fox News guest who has compared the Black Lives Matter movement to “the new KKK” and falsely described Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) as being “tolerant of Sharia Law,” claiming that conservatives don’t “do” hate. The proud anti-vaxxer tweeting about how someone chooses to live their “personal life” being their choice and their choice only also did not go unnoticed.