Elon Musk is the most polarizing SNL host since Donald Trump in 2015. Some cast members reportedly want nothing to do with the Tesla founder, others are defending him. Even hosts from other comedy shows have shared their take. “Those are the dream guests,” Conan O’Brien toldTMZ about Musk. “The dream guests are the ones that are not [comedians]. When I was a writer there, if someone came on and they weren’t a professional comedian, it actually made them funnier in sketches. Because they’re a fish out of water.” The first promo from the episode puts O’Brien’s theory to the test.
“Hi, I’m Elon Musk and I’m hosting SNL this week with musical guest Miley Cyrus,” he says in the clip above. “And I’m a wild card, and there’s no telling what I might do.” “Same here. Rules? No thanks,” Miley adds. But Cecily Strong reminds them, “It’s the Mother’s Day show, so your moms are going to be here.” Miley and Elon take it back — sort of (“We’ll be good… ish”). In the second promo, Musk brags that he did a “successful rocket launch” this week, which is cool and all, but it’s no Cecily almost doing her laundry. She probably ran out of quarters. All she had was Dogecoin. (I’m hoping if I mention “Dogecoin” now, he won’t bring it up every other sentence during the episode.)
The Rundown is a weekly column that highlights some of the biggest, weirdest, and most notable events of the week in entertainment. The number of items could vary, as could the subject matter. It will not always make a ton of sense. Some items might not even be about entertainment, to be honest, or from this week. The important thing is that it’s Friday, and we are here to have some fun.
ITEM NUMBER ONE — Listen to me
Succession is busy casting season three. This is great news, in part because it means the third season is a real thing that is happening and coming to our screens at some point in the near future, and in part because the casting decisions they are making are wondrous. Earlier this week they announced that Alexander Skarsgard will appear as “a confrontational CEO and tech founder.” Then, a few days later, they announced that Adrien Brody will appear as “a billionaire activist investor.” You know a casting decision is good when something like “Adrien Brody as a prickly billionaire who is yelling at Kendall Roy” goes from something you never think about to something that lives in a cabana in your brain. The people who make Succession are good at their jobs.
But if we are doing some casting, if we’re pulling in notable names who have appeared in notable television shows before, if we are apparently going about the business of making Brian deeply happy with all of it, then let’s also please consider this: Put Lance Reddick in Succession.
Lance Reddick would be perfect on Succession. Succession is all about swaggering authority figures shouting at sniveling weasels and no actor alive does that as well as Lance Reddick. Between his booming voice and the posture that makes it look like he has a flagpole for a spine, Lance Reddick is a perfect on-screen authority figure. He did it on The Wire for a while. He’s done it in a bunch of movies including, briefly, Godzilla vs. Kong. And he’s done it for the entire run of Bosch in such a powerful way that he does not even need to speak to get this across. He gave an adversary this look during an episode early-ish in the show’s run and it made me want to apologize to him even though I was sitting in my living room and he was playing a fictional character who was not, as far as I know, upset with me for any particular reason.
AMAZON
This is exactly the energy a Succession character should have. At all times, too. And that’s before we even get to the things where he wears a suit better than any human alive and has an exquisite voice for dismissive and/or disgusted grumbling. This is where I mention Bosch again. Specifically, it’s where I mention him grumbling Bosch’s name whenever Bosch is up to his loose-cannon shenanigans. This happens so much, often with an “effing” tossed in front of it, which, as we know, is an important skill for any Succession character. One time it happened while he was sitting at a piano and drinking a large glass of red wine, which might honestly have been the single most Succession thing that has ever happened on a show that is not Succession.
Amazon
There are so many options here, too. He can play so many characters that would fit on the show. Need a no-nonsense rival CEO who values order and rigorous attention to detail and is therefore constantly annoyed by the chaotic nature of the Roy family and the constant goings-on at Waystar Royco? Lance Reddick can do that. In the market for a steely senator whose heart is in the right place and has the company in his crosshairs with intentions on breaking it up for legitimate reasons and to play to his base in the lead-up to a potential presidential run led by a sleazy and ambitious campaign advisor? That is some extremely Lance Reddick stuff right there. Looking for a strong figure to run a growing national rehab program that Cousin Greg convinces the family to invest in after he goes there to kick the nasty cocaine habit he appeared to be developing as season two progressed? Buddy, take one single second right now to imagine a scene where Lance Reddick yells at Cousin Greg and tell me I’m wrong even a little. That could be an entire spinoff. I would watch and recap every episode.
It gets better, too, because Lance Reddick already has experience playing a cutthroat business titan on a midnight-black comedy, as you would know if you watched Corporate on Comedy Central. He played that so evil and so straight and it was amazing, just taking decades of well-earned gravitas and deploying it like a freaking comedy laser at each scene. It was kind of like how the movie Spy unleashed comedy Statham by taking decades of serious action roles and turning the knob about 30 degrees toward goofs. Succession is not as overtly funny as Corporate was, but the point stands. Lance Reddick can get you a laugh without begging for it.
The only problem with this suggestion is that now I’m getting kind of angry it hasn’t happened already. I’ve talked myself too far into it. It’s not a healthy way to do things, this whole “dreamcast yourself into a blind rage” business, but here we are. Here I am, at least. It’s a good idea. I need it. Will I settle for, say, Danny DeVito as a legendary blowhard pundit on the Roy’s news network who is being pushed out in favor of a younger blowhard pundit played by Zac Efron, or Joe Pesci as a U.S. Attorney who starts poking around Logan’s affair, or Regina King as the damn President? I mean, yeah, sure, absolutely. But I’ll still be thinking about this one. A lot. And hopefully, they will, too.
ITEM NUMBER TWO — PERD
Two things are true here, and both are important to the following discussion, so let’s knock them out right away via bullet point:
Perd Hapley, the fictional news anchor from Parks and Recreation, is one of the best minor comedic characters of the last 10-15 years
Without Remorse is not a very good movie but I watched it anyway
With me so far? Great. So I’m watching Without Remorse, half paying attention as the plot has lulled me into a kind of daze, when suddenly I glance at the side of the screen as Guy Pearce is explaining how Things Are More Complicated Than They Seem or whatever, and there, clear as day, is Perd Hapley himself, Jay Jackson, as a talking head on the fake news show airing in the background. Here, look.
AMAZON
I shouted. I know people on the internet always say “I shouted” when they didn’t actually shout, like how you’ll toss off a polite “lol” in response to a text that did not make you actually L let alone OL. But this one was legit. I shouted “PERD HAPLEY” at my television loud enough that there’s a non-zero chance my neighbors heard me through the wall. I’m fine with it. It’ll probably happen again the next time he pops up in a television show or movie I’m watching. They’ll get used to it.
And it could be happening soon. He pops up in so many things, always as a reporter or news anchor. There’s a good reason for that: he is a real former news reporter and those are basically the only roles he takes. There was a fascinating interview with him a few years ago, mid-Parks fame, where he explained all the how’s and why’s of this, the path one takes from “quitting your job as an on-air reporter to become a professional jazz singer and somehow stumbling into the role of go-to fictional newsman for dozens of movies and shows,” which was all incredible. Read the whole thing when you have some time, but please, start here.
Well, Perd Hapley, turned into a little bit of a cult figure. You know, I’ll tool around online, and I’ll Google “Perd Hapley” like any other actor would. It’s so funny — the people who follow Perd and quote all the lines, and Tumblr pages, and people around the world who make these paintings and artworks of Perd. I was a little surprised when Scandal picked me up, because I auditioned for Scandal just like any other role. Maybe they just didn’t know who Perd Hapley was. So I was doing all these Scandal reports, and then all these tweets started coming: “Why is Perd Hapley on Scandal?” And all of a sudden, I stopped getting those calls from Scandal. I think they figured out that [when] you’ve got this guy who’s known as this quirky idiot on one show, you can’t have him on this serious drama. It was really a surprise that Revenge called, because I knew they know who Perd Hapley was. But maybe it’s part of the trick, I don’t know.
It’s perfect. It’s one of those things that means very little to you until you know what’s going on and then suddenly becomes the only thing you can see. Sometimes I’ll forget he’s in something and shout all over again when he pops up on-screen with a microphone in his hand. The best example of this will always be in the opening of Fast Five, right after Dominic Toretto has escaped from the prison transport bus with the help of his crew. Because that is the type of thing the news would cover. And so…
Universal
A legend. An icon. Put him in every major movie franchise. Let him report on stuff the Avengers do. Let him play a talking head who has opinions about the rise in assassin on assassin violence in John Wick. Let him interview Paddington. I am not joking about any of this.
ITEM NUMBER THREE — In any reasonable world, this is all we would be talking about this week
Did you know that Stephen A. Smith, the loud sports commentator who posted one of the five greatest tweets in history, has had a recurring role on General Hospital for the last half-decade? I hope you did know that. It’s okay if you didn’t, though, because that means I got to break this news to you, and it is a really fun piece of information to share with people who don’t know it yet. It makes me so happy. He plays a character named Brick who is a surveillance expert for a mob boss named Sonny, which is an objectively hilarious thing to type about a show that is, if the title is to be believed, about a hospital.
Anyway, he posted the above clip earlier this week and, if you are just learning this part too, it brings me great pleasure to report to you that probably the most famous sports-opinion-haver in the world was engaged in a slow-motion shootout on a long-running daytime soap opera. It also allows me to post this paragraph from a New Yorker profile of Smith from a few years ago, which is good because I need everyone in the world to read it at some point in their lives and this is more efficient than me going up to people one at a time.
Another television favorite of Smith’s since childhood is the long-running soap opera “General Hospital.” Since 2016, he has had a recurring role on the show: Brick, a surveillance expert who works for the show’s leading man, Sonny Corinthos. (He had a cameo on the show, in 2007, as a TV reporter, which lasted, he said, “ten seconds.”) The gig is an exercise in pure wish fulfillment—when Smith talks about it, he almost giggles. The ever-churning arcs of soap operas also provide Smith yet another analogy for his job. Once, he told me, Shaquille O’Neal confronted him about a particularly tough bit of criticism. “I saw that shit you wrote,” the big man said. “But damn, here I am about to win a championship.” Smith’s rejoinder was simple. “Shaq, I’m a ‘General Hospital’ fan,” he said. “Did you know that? And guess what—Sonny Corinthos is gonna live. Did you know that? Victor Newman”—a character from “The Young and the Restless”—“just fell down a flight of stairs and he’s in a coma. Did you know he’s gonna live? Did you know that? The point is: the story still has to be told.”
What I need you to do here is picture Shaquille O’Neal, all 7’1 and 350 pounds of him, confronting a prominent hater in a moment of triumph, and getting this collection of words in response. Picture his face. It is maybe the funniest mental image you will ever conjure up.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR — This week in movies I must see
This is the trailer for Ape vs. Monster. It is another mockbuster from the maniacs at The Asylum, the studio that famously brought us a gaggle of Sharknados. I adore it. I adore everything about it, too: the speed with which it came out, the perfectly on-the-nose title, the fact that it feels very much like a movie that would feature Eric Roberts in the moments of the trailer right before Eric Roberts actually pops up in profile. Just lovely in every way. I doubt I will ever watch it and I might not even think about it again but it is comforting to me in a deep and personal way that it exists. It is as clear a sign as we’ve seen to-date that things are returning to normal.
And it wasn’t even the only near-perfect low-budget trailer to drop this week. Allow me to present the film Rogue Hostage, starring Tyrese and, for some reason, John Malkovich.
Rogue Hostage might be the best movie title I’ve ever seen. If it’s not, it’s certainly close. Say it in your best movie voice right now. Out loud. Do it. Drop an octave and throw some gravel on it. Rogue Hostage. I’ve been doing it for over 24 hours and I can’t stop. Look at the summary, too.
Single father and former Marine Kyle Snowden (Tyrese Gibson) must save his daughter and other hostages from a dangerous criminal who has trapped them inside a neighborhood store owned by Kyle’s polarizing stepfather, Congressman Sam Nelson (John Malkovich).
I was getting strong Money Plane vibes from this, between the title and the thing where a famous and celebrated aging actor appears in it out of nowhere, so I was pleased and not entirely surprised to learn it comes from the same producers. Everyone is doing so well right now. I am proud of all of us.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE — This is one of those situations where I want to know both everything about it and not a single thing more
last night @ the Cabo Wabo I had the pleasure of closing down w/ the one & only John Travolta. not only was it a pleasure being on stage again with the new house band Julieta, but one of your favorite actors being more than you even imagined! tequila & stories were flowing pic.twitter.com/OfDAFiQtV4
One of the things I like about social media is that you can just be sitting around doing nothing, scrolling mindlessly through your feed, and boom, suddenly Sammy Hagar and John Travolta are doing tequila shots with a WCW title belt in the background and it derails your whole evening. Mine, anyway. Look at it. Really, really look at it. It’s basically art.
I was not joking in the title of this section, either. I either must know every single thing about this or nothing at all, and I can’t decide which. I’m leaning toward the latter, though. I feel like context would ruin it. Yeah, let’s go with that. No one tell me anything about this. Let me have this one pure thing to savor. The only exception I am willing to make is if one of you can explain to me how Guy Fieri is not in this picture, too. This picture screams “and also Guy Fieri.” The best answer I’ve come up with so far is that he was the one holding the camera.
In fact… you know what? Just let me have that one, too.
READER MAIL
If you have questions about television, movies, food, local news, weather, or whatever you want, shoot them to me on Twitter or at [email protected] (put “RUNDOWN” in the subject line). I am the first writer to ever answer reader mail in a column. Do not look up this last part.
From Greg:
What longrunning television series would be most improved by the addition of a wisecracking dog that speaks into the camera to comment on the events of the show? I think it’s probably The Sopranos just for the comedy of it, but you’re the expert here. I’ll defer to you.
Well, this is a wonderful question. I suppose the issue here is what you mean by “improve.” Because if you mean “make better in quality and artistic expression,” then our options are pretty limited. But if you mean “make funnier and more chaotic,” then yes, The Sopranos is a great selection. I have this image in my head right now of a dog looking dead into the camera and saying, “Oh, Madonn’! Christopher is at it again!” and I am giggling a lot. Do not say any of this to one of those obsessive and dour Sopranos fans. They get so mad. Or maybe do say it to them. Get them all worked up. Have some fun.
The only other option I have that might top The Sopranos is something like Dexter where the show started going off the rails toward the end, just to see the dog comment on all the various ways things are going sideways. Yes, this is where we post the treadmill scene. Again.
Beautiful question, Greg. I will be thinking about this for days.
A bottle of French wine that orbited the Earth for more than a year has been put up for sale.
SPACE WINE.
SPACE WINE.
SPACE WINE.
The bottle of Pétrus 2000 – made from merlot grapes in the Bordeaux region – spent 14 months in orbit as part of a privately funded research study on food and agriculture.
This is maybe the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. They just launched some wine into space to see how space affects wine. There are thousands of better things we could be doing with our valuable space exploration resources. And yet.
And yet!
I must try the space wine.
The auction house estimates a sale price of $1m (£720,000; €830,000).
I retract my previous statement. I do not want to taste the space wine that much. Unless… unless we steal the space wine. Someone get Pierce Brosnan on the phone at once. Let’s steal the space wine and then sip it together at sunset in an Italian villa overlooking Lake Como.
But I think my favorite part of all this is the quote the got from the wine expert who tasted the space wine.
“It’s hard for me to say if it was better or worse. But it was definitely different,” she told the BBC.
If I know anything about space exploration based entirely on space movies I’ve seen where alien life forms make their way to Earth via unintended consequences of seemingly harmless cosmos-related decisions, ominous string music starting playing when this lady said “it was definitely different.” In fact… yes, I also now retract my statement about calling Pierce Brosnan. We should call, like, Will Smith. We’re about to have some aliens to kill. And they’re going to be drunk on space wine.
Bebe Rexha’s sophomore album Better Mistakes is out tonight, and the tracklist is crammed with excellent collaborators — although there’s no metal song in sight. As the follow up to her 2018 debut, Expectations, the record was supposed to come out last year, but the singer chose to delay it due to the pandemic. For the project, the rising pop star has songs with Rick Ross, Lil Uzi Vert, Pink Sweats, and even Doja Cat — it’s all but guaranteed to be a great one.
But the first song on the album? It features none other than Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, making headlines of late for his new relationship with Kourtney Kardashian, and his collab with Rexha sounds like it’s a banger. She’s been teasing the song on Instagram already, and tonight their joint video premiered along with her album. Of course, the resulting clip is just as chaotic as you’d expect, with Barker holding things down on the drums while Bebe struts all over the stage, letting everyone know that her mental health issues are present and accounted for. The resulting track is a noir telling of what it’s like to deal with prescriptions that need adjusting, and even thoughts of jumpers on the 101. Watch the clip above.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Hollywood Foreign Press Association
In the year 2021, it seems absurd that a group of adults who have wielded a certain amount of power in Hollywood for nearly 80 years have to be told to be less racist, but here we are. After decades of questionable behavior, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association—the secretive group that hands out the Golden Globes… and doesn’t have a single Black member—is finally promising to do better.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the HFPA board sent a letter to its members on Monday outlining a massive set of “structural changes” they plan to make to the organization, with an specific focus on diversity:
“The proposal of the board, now endorsed by the full membership, calls on the organization to admit ‘at least 20 new members in 2021, with a specific focus on recruiting Black members,’ and with ‘a goal of increasing the membership by 50% over the next 18 months.’ It also eliminates the requirement that HFPA members must reside in Southern California, expanding eligibility to any qualified journalist living in the U.S. who works for a foreign outlet.
In addition, they’ve outlined “a new code of conduct” for members in regards to press trips and other promotional perks that have long been seen as a (rather successful) way to sway voters. The Netflix series Emily in Paris became a lightning rod in the discussion of “buying” votes when, after being nominated for Best Television Series and Best Performance by an Actress for lead Lily Collins, it was learned that several of the organization’s members were treated to a luxurious Parisian production visit. Hell, even one of the show’s own writers (rightfully) called out the HFPA for nominating it over Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You.
More troubling, of course, is the fact that of the HFPA’s nearly 90 members, not one of them is Black. In April, the group ousted Phil Berk—a veteran member of the group for nearly half a century, and its former president—for sending out an extremely racist email. The boot was a long time coming for Berk, who faced zero consequences after groping Brendan Fraser at an official HFPA event in 2003. (Berk, by the way, totally admitted to doing it—he just laughed it off as a joke.)
While the organization’s plans seem to be enough for NBCUniversal and Dick Clark Productions, who broadcast and produce the annual Golden Globe Awards, respectively, only time will tell whether the organization can truly turn a corner.
The streaming services continue their cutthroat-competition clamor every week, and as always, there is a buffet of new content on tap this weekend. Yes, the feat of narrowing down what to watch is never a simple task, and more to the point, selecting a champion-service to rule each weekend is a highly subjective judgment call (that we’re happy to make). This week, we are keeping things breezy by calling it a tie between Apple TV+ and Hulu. Nope, these services don’t have the sheer quantity and variety of a few of the other services (we’ll get there in a moment), but they both have beloved returning series that can’t help but make you feel good. In other words, more Mythic Quest and Shrill are coming your way if you want a quick shot of happiness. Also, Paramount+ makes a strong case in that same category with the introduction of Dave Grohl’s new series.
However, please do not forget about the two services with the most new offerings: Netflix and HBO Max. There’s a ton of fresh offerings to choose from on each of them, from Shakespearean superheroes and serial killers to SNL stars appearing outside of their natural habitat and more. Peacock and Amazon Prime are also putting up some new programming as well, so check out what they’ve got below. Remember, Dave Grohl rules, and moms rule, and we hope you enjoy this Mother’s Day weekend.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+
Mythic Quest: Season 2 (Apple TV+ series) — Two pandemic specials sustained viewers between seasons of Rob McElhenney’s workplace comedy, which shall see plenty of awkward maneuvering while the crew comes back to the office after you-know-what forced the work-at-home situation. They’re hoping to build upon the Raven’s Banquet success with a new expansion, but nothing’s going smoothly. In short, sometimes the bigger battle than the work itself is learning (and in this case, relearning) how to achieve harmony with one’s coworkers, but here’s great news: Snoop Dogg stops by this season to spread his feel-good… vibes.
Ghostwriter: Part 2 (Apple TV+ series) — The reimagining of the 1992 hit Sesame Workshop series continues with the heroes working to uncover the Ghostwriter’s true identity while attempting to save their bookstore. Fresh tales like “The Cobalt Mask” and “Malia and the Magic Paintbrush” are up for grabs with visits from recognizable literary faces, including Dr. Watson.
The Mosquito Coast (Apple TV+ series) — Justin Theroux headlines this series adaptation of Paul Theroux (yes, Paul is Justin’s actual uncle) novel previously brought to life in the mid-1980s with Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, and River Phoenix. Fast forward thirty freaking years, and there’s a sweeping version coming your way with all of the Apple TV+-style visuals that they tend to drop into their most “epic” productions. The series itself doesn’t match up to the book or film’s tackling of consumerism as much as it wants to be like Breaking Bad (yet forgot the most important ingredient).
Hulu
Hulu
Shrill: Season 3 (Hulu series) — The Lorne Michaels and Elizabeth Banks-produced series picks up with Aidy Bryant’s Annie feeling good about breaking up with her awful boyfriend and crushing everything at work. However, now that she can have everything that she wants, she must decide, you know, what she really wants. A blind date, an embarrassing doctor’s visit, and a wild girl’s night are all on tap this season, so get ready to be vicariously awkward.
The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 4 (Hulu series) — Elisabeth Moss has so much going on these days, but she’s going back again to fight for freedom against the totalitarian government of Gilead. This season, she’ll lead the rebellion while fighting for justice and revenge, but perhaps the biggest threat she’ll face is staying true to herself and the relationships that she values most. Expect the show to get nomadic this season, leaving the Boston area and officially abandoning home base, which must have presented quite the challenge while filming during a pandemic.
Paramount+
Seal Press
From Cradle To Stage (Paramount+ series) — The premiere episode of this Dave Grohl-directed series follows Dave and his mom, Virginia, taking a pilgrimage of sorts to Las Vegas, where they meet with Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds and his mom, Christine. It’s the first of six similarly-themed installments that will warm the hardest of hearts. Moms rule! Hug your mom, and then watch this show.
Disney+
Disney+
Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Season 1 Premiere (Disney+ series) — You might prefer to think of this show as the Star Wars franchise’s version of D.C.’s Suicide Squad, but fear no Leto-Joker intrusion. Instead, this The Clone Wars spinoff follows the conclusion of its flagship series that recently wound down on Disney+. Dave Filoni (also of The Mandalorian and Rebels) is executive producing here, and the show focuses on a mercenary squad of sorts that’s made up of (as the title indicates) “the Bad Batch” or Clone Force 99. These elite soldiers stand apart from standard clones due to their unique physical capabilities like super strength, super eyesight, and so on. They’ll try to find their place in a post-Clone War era, and good luck to them.
Big Shot (Disney+ series) — David E. Kelley co-created and executive produces this series starring John Stamos as a down-on-his luck, ousted NCAA coach who’s attempting to get back on his (angry) feet with a ritzy private high-school gig. While reluctantly seeking redemption, Coach learns that his new team benefits from him showing some actual emotion beyond rage and stoicism, so he must — gasp — learn how to be vulnerable and empathetic. He might actually become a better person, too.
Earth Moods (Nat Geo series on Disney+) — This five-part series serves up us various “moods” from the corners of the globe to soothe us with the natural world. Each one (from glaciers to deserts to rain forests to cities) will take us on a calming voyage.
Netflix
Netflix
Jupiter’s Legacy (Netflix series) — Kick-Ass and Kingsman creator Mark Millar is to thank for this epic superhero series, starring a heavily bearded Josh Duhamel as The Utopian. He’s the head of a superhero family that’s hoping to pass the torch to a new generation, but (no real surprise) things aren’t going well. Yes, this description does evoke shades of Robert Kirkman’s Invincible (on Amazon), but the vibe is less R-rated and also entertaining on its own merits. No spoilers here, but there are twists involved with this family’s ethics as heroes, and the show answers a lot of questions left open by Marvel Studios’ The Avengers with all of its collateral damage.
The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness (Netflix limited series) — Netflix continues to delve deeper into the true crime realm with new selections every month, from the ongoing Unsolved Mysteries revival to bingeworthy limited series like Murder Among The Mormons and Joe Berlinger’s haunting Crime Scene anthology show. Now, the streamer is taking on the case of serial killer David Berkowitz, a.k.a. “Son of Sam,” who was arrested and convicted after a stream of murders in the late 1970s. Upon Berkowitz’s capture, New Yorkers felt a sense of relief after Berkowitz could no longer stalk the streets, but journalist Maury Terry didn’t rest easy. He felt convinced that Berkowitz had a partner (or more than one), and this documentary series will dive down that rabbit hole.
Selena: The Series: Part 2 (Netflix series) — Selena Quintanilla, who eventually became the Queen of Tejano Music, continues her years of hard work and sacrifice as she journeys from tiny gigs to becoming the biggest female Latin artist ever. The show embraces family and the power of dreaming to inspirational effect.
Monster (Netflix film) — This harrowing story follows a teenage honor student who finds himself accused of felony murder. This development brings life crashing down around him and threatens to topple his promising future in exchange for life in prison.
Milestone (Netflix film) — A recently bereaved truck driver takes an existential journey while coping with the thought of losing out a a young recruit on the job. In the process of all of this, he reaches a record mileage mark at his company, and this sounds a bit like a certain George Clooney movie that we’ve all seen, right? But grittier.
Yasuke (Netflix series) — Netflix will up its anime game with this dazzling series from Japanese animation studio MAPPA. LaKeith Stanfield voices the real-life first African samurai, who struggles to shed his past life of violence while striving to keep a peaceful existence. However, he must reluctantly pick up his sword again. The score’s courtesy of Flying Lotus, and creator/director/producer LeSean Thomas will build upon his proven track record (The Boondocks, Cannon Busters, and Black Dynamite) of interweaving anime and Black culture with a big boost from head writer Nick Jones Jr.
HBO Max
HBO Max
That Damn Michael Che (HBO Max series) — This show’s title kindly tells us which SNL star will be front and center. However, several other SNL stars from today and yesteryear shall be right beside him, and that includes Colin Quinn, who previously admitted that he wasn’t the best fit for Weekend Update, but he seems to be a good fit for a priest who’s gearing himself up to hear all of Michael Che’s sins. This season also won’t shy away from tackling the all-too-timely issue of policing. Yes, the series promises appearances from Cecily Strong, Heidi Gardner, Ellen Cleghorne, and Colin Jost. Also expect to see Billy Porter, Method Man, Omari Hardwick, and Geoffrey Owens.
Tenet (Warner Bros. film on HBO Max) — Christopher Nolan’s latest effort, starring Robert Pattinson and John David Washington, wanted to be the first 2020 pandemic blockbuster, but it was simply too soon. Does the movie make sense? Not really, but it’s still an event movie in your living room, so it’s worth a whirl for sure.
Mare Of Easttown (HBO series streaming on HBO Max) — Kate Winslet returns not only to TV but to HBO (a decade after her award-winning Mildred Pierce turn) to star as a hard-vaping detective in a small town where she both portrays and elevates the “complicated” cop trope. She’s captivating while digging into a murder mystery that has rocked her small town and caused the community to feel utterly claustrophobic. This show will suck you in, and you won’t mind one bit.
The Nevers (HBO series streaming on HBO Max) — This Joss Whedon-created show offers an intriguing setup about a group of “orphans” (almost exclusively women) who find themselves “gifted” with supernaturally-powered abilities. Although there’s far too many plot lines (and some plot holes), there’s also a fair amount of butt-kicking, and the atmosphere is killer. The embattled Buffy and Firefly creator officially exited the series last year, but you won’t be able to forget his presence.
Peacock
Peacock
Girls5Eva (Peacock series) — Tina Fey and Robert Carlock haven’t swung and missed yet while executive producing together, and here’s their latest joint project about a one-and-done, Spice Girls-esque 1990s girl group who get one more shot at stardom. Unfortunately, they’re all balancing real-life stressors like family, day jobs, and aches and pains that one doesn’t exactly deal with during early-20s life when abusing one’s body simply comes with the territory. Busy Phillips stars alongside Sarah Bareilles, Paula Pell, and Renée Elise Goldsberry.
Amazon Prime
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The Boy from Medellín (Amazon Prime film) — Best-selling Latin music artist J Balvin, who’s known as the “Prince of Reggaeton,” appears in this documentary that charts his rise to global-breakout and award-winning artist. Matthew Heineman, and Balvin has let it be known that he’s thrilled to be “a son of Medellin.” Further, he’s excited to represent not only his city but Latin culture, not only onstage but for the world to view in this film.
Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse (Amazon Prime film) — Michael B. Jordon stars as an elite Navy SEAL who’s seeking justice after the murder of his pregnant wife. In the process, he (naturally) stumbles upon an international conspiracy. It’s the origin story of one of the most beloved Clancy characters in his entire Jack Ryan universe.
Invincible (Amazon Prime series) — This animated romp pleases both fans of The Boys and The Walking Dead, and the latter reference has everything to do with the source material by Robert Kirkman. Invincible is an ultraviolent deconstruction of the superhero. Stephen Yeun makes a fantastic leading man here, and the cast (J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh, Seth Rogen, Walton Goggins, Jason Mantzoukas, Zazie Beetz, Zachary Quinto, Mark Hamill, and several TWD names) is ridiculously good.
Russ has been one of the most active artists in the game for some years now. The Atlanta native released a boatload of music before his breakout album, There’s Really A Wolf, arrived in 2017. Since then, Russ has continued to keep his growing fan base satisfied with new releases which include his Shake The Snow Globe and Chomp projects, both of which arrived last year. While Russ is certainly worthy of a break, he doesn’t plan on taking one as he returns with a brand new single for fans.
His latest track, “Small Talk,” is a solo effort dedicated to the folks, like himself, who like to keep things strictly about business. On the deflective cut, Russ makes it clear that the non-productive chatter is not something he has the energy for. “Please shut the f*ck up if you don’t have the deal ready,” he raps. “I really don’t want to waste my time.”
DROPPIN A SONG A WEEK AND IGNORING EVERYBODY STARTING THIS FRIDAY
FRIDAY MAY 7 THE FLOOD BEGINS
these pictures are only relevant to this post cuz I’m tired of posting pictures of me and I just wanna post music lolll fuck this ego shit
The quick-paced track also arrives with a new announcement from Russ. “DROPPIN A SONG A WEEK AND IGNORING EVERYBODY STARTING THIS FRIDAY,” he wrote in a tweet. “FRIDAY MAY 7 THE FLOOD BEGINS.” It remains to be seen how long the weekly releases will go on for. The news also comes after he joined Blxst for a video to their “Fck Boys” collaboration.
Nowadays, it’s hard to move through social media or dig through a list of today’s most popular acts without running into Coi Leray’s name. After years of working on her craft, the 23-year-old New Jersey rapper is finally relishing her moment under the spotlight. While her rise is certainly one to take notice of, it isn’t a sign for Leray to take her foot off the gas, something the young act is aware of as she returns with her new single, “Bout Me.”
On it, she questions why she’s the focus of haters. Leray makes it clear that they won’t learn much about her by watching the rapper’s every move, so paying extra attention to her is practically pointless. The new track will hopefully extend what’s been a career-making year for Leray. It first began with the release of “No More Parties,” a track that quickly gained popularity on TikTok thanks to a snippet she shared before the track was officially released. A further boost was provided when Lil Durk remixed the song and joined Leray for the track’s music video. Looking to continue her streak, she returned to social media to tease her next track, “Big Purr (Prrd),” with Pooh Shiesty, and once again, it proved to be a successful effort for Leray after the track was released.
You can check out the new track in the video above.
Slayyter, aka Catherine Slater, has slowly but steadily blaring her way into the internet star role with a rolodex of dark and glitchy, hyper-pop, and today’s latest single builds on her past work while taking it as close to punk-rock as pop can get. “Over This” is a classic kiss-off track that goes after an ex with zero remorse, letting a regretful lover from her past know that she’s not ready to get back into it. In fact, she’s over it… who saw that coming? With massive guitar riffs to prove her point, I’m getting major Avril vibes off this song.
Slayyyter announced her official debut album, Troubled Paradise back in January, and has been giving fans a taste of the sometimes bubblegum, sometimes frenetic direction she’s heading in over the last few months. Earlier this year, another early single “Clouds” veered into 2000s bubblegum nostalgia with a dreamy chorus. Then, last month she dipped her toes into a country-flecked track with the campy “Cowboy,” a song that has about as much to do with country music as “Old Town Road.”
Following up 2019’s self-titled tape, it’s obvious the growth Slater has undergone over the past two years, look for the full record coming out June 11 and hear her latest single above.
The two artists on TDE who have gone the longest without dropping a new album are Isaiah Rashad and Ab-Soul, as both of their most recent projects came in 2016. While Ab-Soul has already promised his new album is on the way, Rashad has been rather quiet since he dropped his debut album, The Sun’s Tirade. There we slight pokes of the head from him with tracks like “Why Worry” and a guest feature with Kaash Paige on “Problems.” Now, Rashad is back and he’s here to stay for a while as he drops off his newest single, “Lay Wit Ya” featuring fellow Tennesse rapper Duke Deuce.
The new effort is a mellow track that presents Rashad at a near-mumble over a head-knocking bass while Duke Deuce arrives in the song’s second half with his trademark heavy-muscled energy. Its accompanying video sees Rashad prepare for a night out filled with partying, drinking, and dancing. The visual also ends by previewing a new track that samples Three Six Mafia’s “Ridin In Da Chevy,” one that will hopefully appear on Rashad’s upcoming album The House Is Burning. The project will arrive at some point in June as revealed in a profile the rapper did with The Fader, which dove deep into the highs and lows within the last five years of Rashad’s life.
You can press play on the new single in the video above.
Isaiah Rashad is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The arrests keep coming for people who attacked the US Capitol on January 6 in an effort to stop Joe Biden from being elected president at Donald Trump’s behest. With those arrests will come dozens of legal cases and arguments about what happened in Washington, who did what and how those involved in the deadly MAGA riot will be punished.
The sheer number of arrests, more than 440 so far, inevitably means that a number of different defense strategies will be used. And apparently at least one will be that watching too much Fox News is the equivalent of contracting an illness. As The Daily Beast detailed on Thursday, one rioter’s lawyer tried to claim that their client had “Foxitus” from watching too much conservative TV.
Attorney for Capitol defendant Anthony Antonio said his client had “Foxitus” and “Foxmania” from watching six months of Fox News and started “believing what was being fed to him” by Fox News and the president. pic.twitter.com/aHMppeb1yc
According to the story, a man named Anthony Antonio had his attorney try this defense. The moment came as part of what was a chaotic hearing over Zoom, largely thanks to another accused rioter, Landon Kenneth Copeland, who screamed and reportedly invited friends to join the call and troll the proceedings.
The chaos began even before Copeland’s hearing, as he shouted while other accused rioters made their appearances before the judge, forcing court officials to put him on mute. At one point he tried to object to another defense lawyer claiming his client had “Foxitus” after watching six months of Fox News during the pandemic.
The second he was taken off mute, Copeland began to scream, “I’m going to tell the truth.”
“I don’t like you people… you’re a robot to me… you can’t come get me if I don’t want you to… F*ck all of you… F*ck all of you,” he shouted during his tirade, at which point a judge put him in a separate Zoom room so that he could no longer interrupt the proceeding. “I wanna talk in open court you motherf*ckers!”
Copeland’s expletive-filled ranting was obviously a major story as well, but the idea that watching too much Fox News could be grounds for a real legal defense is what lit up Twitter as the story circulated. “Foxitus” started to trend in some regions, as people had plenty of jokes about the idea that watching Fox News can make people delusional.
Hopefully one day Affluenza and foxitis can be fully eradicated.
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Haaaaaaa!!!! 
