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Back in 2019, BTS’ dedicated fanbase, the ARMY, held out hope that the South Korean group would be recognized for the then-upcoming 2020 Grammy Awards. Given what the “Bangtan Boys” have to offer — a culturally-transcendent combination of popularity, artistry, and musical facility — seeing them listed among the honorees would have been apropos. However, their omission from the nomination pool prompted their followers and fellow artists to voice their disdain. (Collaborator Halsey wrote on Twitter, “BTS deserved many nominations…the US is so far behind on the whole movement.”)

Instead of The Recording Academy opting for a deja vu moment, fans of the skilled septet were able to breathe easy when the 2021 nominations were announced last November. BTS is named alongside Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and more as nominees in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category, thanks to their song “Dynamite.” If they win on March 14, they will be the first South Korean group to achieve this feat. (In 1992, coloratura soprano Sumi Jo became the first South Korean artist to win a Grammy, followed by record engineer Byeong Joon Hwang in 2015.) A foreign act with this particular mainstream nomination — especially one with a pull as strong as BTS — is colossal. Win or lose, there are multiple factors bolstering the moment’s gravity.

Based on investigations into obstacles faced before the implementation of The Recording Academy’s Diversity & Inclusion Task Force in 2018, “marginalization of certain ethnicities into specific roles [and] music genres” was a major issue not long ago. Since then, several Asian-American musicians have been honored by the Recording Academy. R&B musician H.E.R, who proudly identifies as half-Filipina, has won two Grammys and is up for three wins at the upcoming ceremony. Jhene Aiko, who is of Japanese descent on her mother’s side, has three 2021 noms, including Album Of The Year. Korean-American electronic/hip-hop deejay Tokimonsta was nominated for the Best Dance/Electronic Album award in 2019.

Yet, the Grammys’ acknowledgement of artists native to East and Southeast Asia, like BTS, Blackpink, BIGBANG, and 2NE1, has been few and far between, despite their documented success, unparalleled popularity, and obvious musical and performance skills. Given K-Pop’s saturation of the western market within the past few years — from BTS’ reign over the Billboard charts, to Blackpink’s 2019 Coachella performance, to collaborations with Grammy-winning artists like Lady Gaga and Cardi B — ignoring these artists would mean the Academy is ignoring the progression of music’s direction.

But it’s clear that there are still implicit reservations from the Academy with honoring these acts. “Dynamite” is a huge hit — it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, was listed as one of 2020’s best songs by several outlets, and has been featured in major brand campaigns. It’s also the band’s first entirely English song. When BTS, who are unapologetically true to their roots, garners recognition for their talents at this level only after the dilution of their culture, it shows that there is still so much work to be done. Especially given the xenophobic, anti-Asian hate crimes occurring throughout the world as of late, it’s important to The Recording Academy to support artists regardless of their assimilation to our culture in order to fit our levels of “comfort” with theirs.

Outside of what BTS’ nomination and potential win could do for the future of Asian artists, this victory would also be huge for boybands in general, who are often cast out from Grammy consideration. Judging by the unclear standards of what Grammy voters gravitate to sonically and artistically, one may infer that the Academy’s palate is too “dignified,” rendering boybands’ catalogues somehow unworthy of consideration.

’80s and ’90s boybands such as New Kids On The Block, Backstreet Boys, and N*SYNC have never won at the Grammys, despite nominations earned during the height of their reigns. Additionally, One Direction was never considered for any Grammys, yet former member Harry Styles is up for three awards this year as a solo entity. Does the popularity of boybands negate appreciation for their artistry? It shouldn’t, especially since popularity and talent are not mutually-exclusive entities. If rewarding — hell, even nominating — a boyband is a stab at the Grammys’ credibility, the Academy may want to take a look into the past (and present) at some of the nominees, winners, and snubs of the annual event, and then think about what (or who) is truly diminishing their credibility. (Additionally, nominating boybands for Grammy Awards could potentially help The Grammys’ decreasing ratings, which have seen a steady decline in recent years.)

All things considered, the fact is that there’s only a one-in-five chance that BTS goes home with a win on Sunday. If they go home empty handed, there really is always next year. This major loss also wouldn’t cancel out their impact, which exceeds musical, cultural, racial, and even economic barriers. (They’d also be in good company, as Queen, Bob Marley, and their collaborator Nicki Minaj have significantly influenced music and culture without Grammy gold of their own). Although, that’s not to say a win wouldn’t be just as sweet. The group’s Kim Nam-joon — known by his stage name RM — mentioned in an interview that winning a Grammy Award would be “the final part of the whole American journey.”

Regardless of The Recording Academy’s need for continued growth and diversity, BTS’ 2021 Grammy nomination opens the door for a firmer understanding of the magnitude of foreign musical acts outside of our American bubble. While a potential win would prove BTS’ supremacy of the global music landscape, their impact will always resonate, and has undeniably shifted the tides for years to come.

Irish whiskey is an interesting beast. It’s very unique — triple distilled and often a blend of grain and malt spirits — while somehow still feeling familiar to lovers of other whiskey styles. Some Irish whiskeys taste like a bridge between Ireland and Scotland. Others seem to span Ireland and Kentucky. Of course, there are plenty of Irish whiskey expressions that speak for themselves and feel truly one-of-a-kind, but you’re still dealing with recognizable flavor notes.

To help you better understand the wide-ranging style that is Irish whiskey, I decided to blind taste test 12 distinct bottles from around the Emerald Isle. Yes, several of these are from Midleton Irish Distillers. That distillery is very hard to get away from when it comes to Irish whiskey. That being said, I tried to make this as wide-ranging and complete as possible. I even included a Poitin (Ireland’s answer to a white dog or un-aged whiskey).

This blind tasting is very simple. It’s all about the taste. Yes, some of these bottles have an advantage because I know them well, but I haven’t really tasted them side-by-side like this before — a blind taste test is always good for suprises.

Let’s get into it!

Part 1: The Taste

Taste 1:

Tasting Notes:

There’s a dark chocolate note that leads to clear vanilla and toffee. This feels very sherried with notes of holiday spice and nuts leading towards an almost cedar note. The end is creamy and smooth.

It’s really nice.

Taste 2:

Tasting Notes:

This greets you with a fragrant perfume next to rum-soaked oak. There’s a fruitiness that feels like … banana? A light maltiness dominates the taste with hints at rummy spice and rum-soaked raisins.

In the end, my note was “nice and light.”

Taste 3:

Tasting Notes:

Woah. This is a departure. You’re greeted with a wet leather that’s almost like raw steak (it reminds me of Buffalo Trace, actually). That gives way to maltiness and vanilla that builds towards vanilla ice cream with a touch of spice and dark chocolate malt.

This is, by far, the most interesting dram so far.

Taste 4:

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a spicy stewed apple that leads toward Maraschino cherry stems. The taste is so soft with hints at nuts, Christmas cake spice, and dark fruits with a touch of black pepper. The end is surprisingly short but full of spice and apple peels.

This is very good. I want more.

Taste 5:

Tasting Notes:

Ah-ha! A little smoke. Hello, Connemara. The smoke here is earthy — like a light, wet moss — with hints of apple pie underneath. The taste is honey-laden, with a crisp smoke reminiscent of a cold fall day and wet leaves burning. There are clear vanilla and dark spice notes under the smoke.

In the end, this was a really nice change of pace and surprisingly subtle, for a peated whiskey. Would it stand up to a Scotch from Islay? I’m not so sure. It’s light.

Taste 6:

Tasting Notes:

This is thin on the nose and palate. There’s a note of spicy rum that’s slightly woody and vanilla-forward. The end is malty more so than anything else, with a hint more of rum raisins, rum-soaked cellar wood, and a wisp of dry tobacco leaf.

This felt thin and a bit … singular.

Taste 7:

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a clear dose of Christmas spices, nuts, and red berries with a dash of creamy vanilla. The taste is sherry plum that’s almost jammy and spiced with cloves and cinnamon. The end is long, velvety, and full of that sherry.

Classic.

Taste 8:

Tasting Notes:

Wow! Apple candy dominates the nose on this one. It’s almost like a bright green apple Jolly Rancher. The taste veers completely away from that vibe, with a dark chocolate maltiness with hints of creamy honey. The end is short but sweet with a return to that apple candy.

Was this aged in apple cider barrels?

Taste 9:

Tasting Notes:

Apple again. But this time it’s more muted and kind of like apple cores or seeds with a malty edge. The taste is like malt grains soaked in an egg custard with a touch of vanilla and nutmeg. But it’s really those malts that come through, with a slight alcohol burn and a mineral water feel.

This is unaged whiskey, so it’s no surprise it’s very malty.

Taste 10:

Tasting Notes:

This is spicy/sweet like stewed pears with a touch of vanilla pod. The vanilla is super creamy and that spicy stewed pear note carries on in the taste with dry cedar end and a touch of tobacco chew and buzz.

This is the good stuff!

Taste 11:

Tasting Notes:

You’re greeted with the clearest sense of pencil shavings with a hint of the lead in there. That refines to a dry pine note next to a slight dried floral note and some citrus pith. The spice gets woody like cinnamon sticks or clove buds next to a sweetness I can’t quite put my finger on.

This is really interesting and enticing.

Taste 12:

Tasting Notes:

There it is! Citrus, wet malts, and super light. Hello, Jameson. I missed you. There’s light vanilla to the body with a hint of spice and sherry oak. The end is short and sweet and leaves me wanting more.

It’s surprising how thin this is, compared to everything else.

Part 2: The Ranking

12. March Hare Poitin (Taste 9)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $30

The Whiskey:

This unaged whiskey is 100 percent malted barley. It’s produced according to a century’s old recipe and cut with local water to cool it down and make it drinkable.

Bottom Line:

I mean, was anything else going to be last? It’s not that this is undrinkable in any way. It’s just not for me and tastes like a distillery smells. Not a bad thing, if you’re into it.

11. Jameson (Taste 12)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $30

The Whiskey:

This is a classic Irish whiskey. Triple distilled. Blended from barley and grain whiskies. Aged for at least four years. That makes this the gold-standard of entry-point Irish whiskey.

Bottom Line:

I couldn’t get past the thinness of this dram today. I really liked it, it just didn’t stand up to the other tastes.

10. Bushmills 10 Single Malt (Taste 8)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $50

The Whiskey:

Northern Ireland’s Old Bushmills is a legendary distillery. This whiskey is very similar to a Scotch single malt, in that it’s 100 percent barley whiskey that’s aged in a combo of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry. It’s then vatted, proofed, and bottled in Bushmill’s iconic square bottle.

Bottom Line:

It was really hard to get beyond that apple candy note. It was very saccharine and stayed on my senses for a while. Still, I can see how people love this for exactly that aspect.

9. Teeling Small Batch (Taste 6)

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

Teeling was the first distillery to reopen in Dublin after nearly a century of tough times for Irish whiskey. The craft distillery ages its juice bourbon barrels before transferring that whiskey to Central American rum casks. Those barrels are then batched, proofed, and bottled in Teeling’s big, dark bottle.

Bottom Line:

This felt like a very entry-level whiskey. There wasn’t a lot of “there” there, but it still tasted like something worth sipping in a highball or in a cocktail.

8. Tullamore D.E.W. Caribbean Rum Cask Finish (Taste 2)

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $30

The Whiskey:

While a lot of Irish whiskey touches on bourbon and sherry oak, Tullamore takes that a step further by adding in some rum oak. This expression is finished in Demarara rum casks for a final nuance of flavor and depth.

Bottom Line:

I didn’t know where to place this. It was tasty and malty but sort of got lost in the shuffle. I definitely want to revisit it but maybe more as a cocktail mixer.

7. Jameson Black Barrel (Taste 1)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

This is Jameson’s take on double barreling. The whiskey is first matured in old bourbon barrels. That juice is then transferred to another bourbon barrel that’s been doubly charred with a deep alligator skin char. Those barrels are then batched and proofed all the way down to 80 proof.

Bottom Line:

I went back and forth on this being in the top three or not. It really stood out but just didn’t shine as brightly as the next whiskeys on this list.

6. Powers John’s Lane (Taste 3)

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $70

The Whiskey:

This is a classic Irish whiskey. The juice is aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for at least 12 years. Those barrels are then married based on their distinct flavor profiles to create this special whiskey.

Bottom Line:

This is where things get interesting. This really stood out early and remained in my thoughts as I tasted the other whiskeys. That says something. It’s unique and very easy to drink.

5. Connemara Peated Single Malt (Taste 5)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

Connemara is Ireland’s answer to peated single malt from Scotland. The base of Irish barley is malted with local peat, adding a distinctly Irish terroir to the whiskey.

Bottom Line:

This was such a nice departure. It was smoky, for sure, but really light and subtle. I’m curious to taste test this against some peaty scotch now.

4. Roe & Co. (Taste 10)

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $35

The Whiskey:

This distillery was opened in the old powerhouse on the Guinness brewing campus. The whiskey is built with Guinness craft at its base. It’s then aged in ex-bourbon casks before those are married, proofed, and bottled.

Bottom Line:

Did this benefit from being tasted directly after the unaged whiskey? Maaaaaaaaybe. It’s still really well crafted. I tried it again a while later and it stood up as a solid on the rocks sipper.

Final answer: I stand by it ranking so high.

3. Method And Madness Single Grain (Taste 11)

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $70

The Whiskey:

This is Midleton Irish Distiller’s craft whiskey venture. The single grain spirit is matured in unused Spanish oak and old bourbon casks. That’s small-batched and proofed with that soft County Cork water and bottled in a throwback art-deco bottle.

Bottom Line:

Goddamn, this was interesting. This is one of those sippers that feels really unique to what it is and nothing else.

2. Redbreast 12 (Taste 7)

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $68

The Whiskey:

Redbreast 12 is a classic example of Irish whiskey. The juice is aged for 12 years in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry oak. It’s then batched, proofed, and bottled in an iconic stubby bottle.

Bottom Line:

This is a real quality sip of whiskey, in general. On this tasting, it reminded me of a really well-made bourbon in the ten to 12-year range.

1. Red Spot (Taste 4)

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $140

The Whiskey:

This is a highwater mark of Irish whiskey distilling and blending. The whiskey is aged for 15 years in a combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-Marsala casks. The spirit is then married and proofed down to a very approachable 92 proof.

Bottom Line:

There was just no getting past how beautiful this whiskey tastes. It’s complex yet welcoming. It’s subtle but bold in its flavors. This is the whiskey that, by far, I want to revisit immediately.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

I have to say, ranking basically ten through three was really hard. I went back and forth a lot. Each dram had its own unique moments that enticed me. All of that being said, the top two were super clear from the moment I tasted them.

I was surprised classic Jameson ended up so low. But, in the end, it was the lightest and offered the least in the taste department against all these other whiskeys.

I was also pleasantly surprised by Roe & Co. It’s a very approachable whiskey that keeps popping back into my mind, even a day later. I’ll definitely be trying it in a few cocktails as St. Paddy’s nears.

On the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 outbreak officially being deemed a pandemic (yay?), every living former-president appeared in an ad encouraging Americans to get vaccinated — every living former-president except one. Try to guess who! “Maybe his invite got lost in the mail… because he destroyed the postal service!” The Late Show host Stephen Colbert joked during Thursday’s episode. “Ol’ 45 was left out of the POTUS PSA party, but he did put out his own statement about the vaccine.”

In a pathetic (even by his standards) statement, Donald Trump wrote that he hopes “everyone remembers when they’re getting the COVID-19 (often referred to as the China Virus) Vaccine, that if I wasn’t President, you wouldn’t be getting that beautiful ‘shot’ for 5 years, at best, and probably wouldn’t be getting it at all. I hope everyone remembers!”

Colbert called the statement “unbelievably sad” and “pathetic” and wondered “how did we even find out about this statement? He can’t tweet this stuff! Did he just print it out and staple it to telephone poles around Palm Beach? He might as well have just released ‘Ex-prez will take credit — and teach you guitar!’ We banned him from Twitter. Can we ban him from paper? Is that possible?” You can watch the clip above.

Nearly a week after Piers Morgan bashed Meghan Markle over her Oprah interview, the fallout continues, and this latest development has to do with Piers being very happy to have the support of Tucker Carlson and Sharon Osbourne. Piers had already thanked his haters and doubled down on his refusal to believe Meghan after she admitted feeling suicidal during her time with the British Royal Family. She had also revealed that an unidentified member of the Windsors had made racist remarks about her and Prince Harry’s son, yet Piers remained unconvinced, even storming off live TV and leaving Good Morning Britain after being called out for his one-sided beefing.

Sharon Osbourne, however, empathized with Piers. The Talk host tweeted, “I am with you. I stand by you. People forget that you’re paid for your opinion and that you’re just speaking your truth.” Piers replied, “I love Sharon Osbourne because she always stays true to herself. She knew she would get abused by the woke brigade for tweeting this.” Sharon then defended Piers on The Talk, where she clashed with co-host Sheryl Underwood, who questioned why she was giving “validation or safe haven” to Piers’ racist remarks. To that, Sharon declared that her own tears were validated because “I very much feel like I’m about to be put in the electric chair because I have a friend, who many people think is a racist, so that makes me a racist?” she added. “What does it gotta do with me?”

Well, the backlash was fierce, and Sharon has now apologized for what she now realizes were insensitive remarks about race while essentially saying that she “panicked, felt blindsided” and said the wrong thing.

“After some reflection, after sitting with your comments & sitting with my heart I would like to address the discussion on The Talk this past Wednesday. I have always been embraced with so much love & support from the black community & I have deep respect & love for the black community,” Osbourne wrote. “To anyone of color that I offended and/or to anyone that feels confused or let down by what I said, I am truly sorry. I panicked, felt blindsided, got defensive & allowed my fear & horror of being accused of being racist take over.”

To that, This Is Why I Resist author Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu — who initially clashed with Piers on Good Morning Britain earlier this week when all of this chaos began — has come for Sharon. While accusing Sharon of “weaponizing your whiteness & White woman’s tears with such arrogance,” Shola is advising Sharon to publicly apologize to Sheryl, too.

The Talk should feel pretty awkward today. And yes, all of this began after Piers Morgan decided to whine (among other things), “I wouldn’t believe Meghan Markle if she gave me a weather report,” thereby prompting over 41,000 complaints about on-air violations of “harm and offense” rules. Piers Morgan, spreader of chaos.

Some musicians reach a point of notoriety in their career where they can guest on talk shows just for an interview segment and not even perform. Deservedly, Phoebe Bridgers is at this stage now and she chatted with Seth Meyers on Late Night yesterday. During the conversation, Bridgers noted that the slew of at-home performances she has given during the pandemic is starting to wear on at least one of her neighbors.

At one point, Bridgers was talking about Punisher and concluded, “Weirdly, I think looking back, I’ll remember the record more from when I released it than when I wrote it. It actually kind of does remind me of isolation, I think because I’ve played the songs so much in my bedroom.” Meyers then asked if her neighbors are annoyed with her over these at-home performances despite the album’s success, and Bridgers answered:

“I have one cool neighbor, Michael, who says ‘what’s up’ to me and knows that I have a real job, but there’s one neighbor that tells me to shut up and then my next next door neighbor plays slap bass, so I feel like I’m suffering from his slap bass, like my acoustic guitar whispering after a whole day of slap bass is just too much.”

Watch the full interview above.

In October 2004, The Daily Show‘s Jon Stewart made headlines for calling Tucker Carlson a “dick.” He was ahead of his time.

While promoting his book, America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction, Stewart appeared on CNN’s CrossFire, where he accused hosts Carlson and Paul Begala of being “partisan hacks.” He asked them to stop “hurting America,” made fun of Carlson’s bowtie, and told them that they “have a responsibility to the public discourse, and you fail miserably.” CrossFire was canceled shortly after Stewart’s appearance and Begala later wrote an op-ed for CNN with the headline, “The day Jon Stewart blew up my show.” As for Tucker Carlson, he’s still a d*ck, although that’s an insult to d*cks.

On Thursday, Stewart tweeted, “I called Tucker Carlson a d*ck on National television. It’s high time I apologize… to d*cks. Never should have lumped you in with that terrible terrible person.” This month alone, Carlson has offered his support for former-Good Morning Britain host and Meghan Markle obsessive Piers Morgan, found the “biggest story” there is (it involves weed and sperm), and pissed off military leaders by ridiculing female service members. The other Daily Show Jo(h)n also called him a “fearmongering lacrosse injury.” Stewart must be so proud.

Here’s the CrossFire episode:

Warmer weather is on the way, but if you’re not quite ready (or vaccinated enough) to get out this weekend, do not fret. Netflix realizes that there’s still plenty of appetite for fresh content, and this week, they’ve got a sports documentary series, a found-footage-style series, an intriguing proposition, and family fare. First up, there’s a fresh batch of episodes from the Last Chance U franchise, and there are French subtitles on an actioner series, along with a series that serves up a philosophical question that might also be a cautionary tale. Finally, there’s something for the youngest crowd, so the adults can maybe get their nap on. No matter what you’re craving in a bingewatch this weekend, the streamer’s striving to rise to the challenge.

Here’s everything else coming to (and leaving) the streaming platform this week.

Last Chance U: Basketball (Netflix series 3/10)

The Emmy-winning franchise returns with a no-holds-barred, somewhat gritty look into community college basketball. The players all want to rise to the next level and achieve dreams, but first, those damn personal demons and warring emotions happen on and off the court, all while the East Los Angeles College Huskies set their sights upon an unprecedented California state basketball championship.

The One (Netflix series streaming 3/11)

Those who are obsessed with dating apps and need motivation to stop might enjoy this series, which imagines that DNA matching is the key to finding the perfect partner. This sounds like it carries a similar vibe to AMC’s Soulmates but with a flashier polish with results as equaly messy. Married people are gonna retroactively take the DNA test, right? Oh god, yeah. At that point, maybe don’t fall into that trap, but do check out this series. It’s guaranteed to be anything but boring.

Dealer (Netflix series streaming 3/10)

It’s a bloody gang war with subtitles, y’all, and it’s all happening in the South of France, which sounds wild enough, but this show also revolves around two filmmakers, including a music video director who’s filming a drug gang leader with far too much charisma and not enough predictability inside, and he also wants to bust into the rap scene. This series hopes to thrill you with a fast pace and a found-footage feel.

Marriage or Mortgage (Netflix series streaming 3/10)

You know those people who spend so much. money on their wedding that they might as well have bought a house? Yeah, that’s what’s happening here, although there’s plenty of wisdom here from a real estate agent who’s hoping to help couples avoid dumping their cash into a freaking party with a fancy-ass cake. Yet of course, the real estate agent has to beat the voice of a hopeless-romantic wedding planner, and this sounds like a clash for the ages. HGTV, this ain’t.

Yes Day (Netflix film streaming 3/12)

Jennifer Garner is fully embracing being cast as a mom type, and Edgar Ramirez plays her husband. Together, these two decide to let the kids rule the house for 24 hours by making all of the rules, which leads to a whirlwind adventure that makes the whole family appreciate what they’ve got in each other. I don’t know man, doesn’t it already feel like kids rule households already, and no one wants to admit it? Well, that sense of denial might be part of the fun here, although I’m only speculating, so don’t listen to me! The film co-stars Jenna Ortega, Julian Lerner, Everly Carganilla, Fortune Feimster, Nat Faxon, Arturo Castro, and Molly Sims.

Here’s a full list of what’s been added in the last week:

Avail. 3/8
Bombay Begums
Bombay Rose

Avail. 3/9
The Houseboat
StarBeam: Season 3

Avail. 3/10
Dealer
Last Chance U: Basketball
Marriage or Mortgage

Avail. 3/11
The Block Island Sound
Coven of Sisters

And here’s what’s leaving next week, so it’s your last chance:

Leaving 3/14
Aftermath
Marvel & ESPN Films Present: 1 of 1: Genesis
The Assignment
The Student

Leaving 3/16
Chicken Little
Deep Undercover: Collections 1-3
Love Dot Com: The Social Experiment
Silver Linings Playbook

Leaving 3/17
All About Nina
Come and Find Me

Leaving 3/20
Conor McGregor: Notorious

Leaving 3/22
Agatha and the Truth of Murder
I Don’t Know How She Does It

Leaving 3/24
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage

Leaving 3/25
Blood Father
The Hurricane Heist

Justin Bieber has one of the most-followed Instagram accounts in the world; He’s currently in tenth place overall on the mobile-based platform with 166 million folks tuned into his page. Of all the people in the top ten, it’s possible that Bieber is the only one who doesn’t actually own a phone.

That revealed was made in a new Billboard profile of Bieber. The piece tracks some of Bieber’s daily routine, which includes checking in with his management, which he does with an iPad because he “does not possess a cellphone.” Bieber explained that this allows him to set boundaries, saying, “I definitely learned how to have boundaries, and I just don’t feel like I owe anybody anything. That has helped me to be able to just say no and just be firm in it and know that my heart [wants] to help people, but I can’t do everything. I want to sometimes, but it’s just not sustainable.”

Bieber is actually far from the only music star who doesn’t have an iPhone (or Android device) in their pocket. In 2019, Earl Sweatshirt casually revealed that he doesn’t have a phone. The famously old-school Jack White also doesn’t have one, and in 2019, Ed Sheeran said he hadn’t had a phone in four years.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Hugh Grant is known for being both prickly and charming, and often at the same time. Jon Stewart once said that Hugh Grant was the worst guest he’d ever had on The Daily Show, but instead of being defensive and denying it, Hugh Grant was self-deprecating and apologetic, conceding the point. Likewise, there’s a famous clip from Graham Norton’s British chat show in which Hugh Grant lists off all the famous female leads he’s worked with, and whether they liked him or hated him, and he admits that many of them hated his guts.

In that clip, Grant singles out Julianne Moore as “loathing” him, which is interesting because it was a bad performance in a Julianne Moore movie that led Hugh Grant to have a liaison with sex worker Divine Brown back in 1995. That particular incident is probably best known now as the one that led to the Jay Leno interview that allowed The Tonight Show to overcome David Letterman’s The Late Show in the ratings, a hold that Leno maintained throughout most his The Tonight Show run.

Grant, meanwhile, spoke of the experience when asked about it on this week’s WTF with Marc Maron podcast, where Grant was also so boundlessly delightful that even Marc Maron — known for being a grump — was completely charmed.

“I was about to launch my first Hollywood film,” Hugh Grant said of his arrest for receiving oral sex in a public place from Hollywood sex worker Divine Brown. “My timing was impeccable!”

Asked why he thinks it happened, Grant admits exactly why. “My problem was, that was my first Hollywood film. And I’d just been to see it, and it was about to come out in a week or two. I had a bad feeling about it, and I went to see a screening, and everyone in it was brilliant, but I was so atrocious that I was not in a good frame of mind.”

“I had a Ken Russell kind of lunch,” Grant admitted, referring to the hard-drinking British director. “And one thing led to another.”

Grant says that what happened wasn’t deliberate. “I was just disappointed in myself.”

For those who are curious about what movie led Hugh Grant down a path that led to his arrest and later the Jay Leno interview, it was a movie called Nine Months, and the reason why the incident didn’t ruin his career is because “the film did alright at the box office. I think it did quite well, and that’s all that Hollywood really cares about,” Grant admitted. “They don’t care what you get up to as long as you make them money.”

That was true then, although as both Grant and Maron admitted, it is less true now. It should be noted, however, that despite the success of Nine Months at the box office, the film was received poorly by critics, some of whom singled out Grant’s poor performance.

Source: WTF with Marc Maron

The streaming services keep multiplying, and they’ve maintained a strong game throughout the past year when we’ve needed them most. As a result of you-know-what, movies intended for the big screen landed in our living rooms, and TV kept on cranking. We’ve seen highly successful new streaming services (HBO Max, Peacock) stake their claim in the so-called streaming wars, and recently, we also saw Paramount+ make a bold entrance (with last week’s The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run). Don’t ever count out Netflix or Hulu, though, and Amazon Prime keeps things coming, as with last week’s Coming 2 America (starring Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, and a scene-stealing Wesley Snipes). And next week, we’ll see Disney+ roar back into high gear with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

This week, though? It’s an interesting one with a long-anticipated movie (for fans of Tom Holland and the Russo Brothers) making Apple TV+ the streamer of most pressing interest. The film’s got mixed reviews, but still, this is Holland out of the Spidey suit and in a very different role. Expect things to also get chilly with a Nordic murder mystery on AMC+ and a Scandinavian limited drama on HBO Max, which also digs deep into the long-running battle between Mia Farrow and Woody Allen. Netflix has a ton of fresh content as usual, and Hulu is here with some 1990s nostalgia. In short, you won’t run out of streaming options this weekend, so here’s the lowdown.

Apple TV+

Cherry (Apple TV+ movie) — Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is currently hard at work while web slinging for another MCU movie, but he’s bridging the gap with some diversified projects. That might be an understatement, for this is Tom Holland like you’ve never seen him (far beyond the buzz cut) before, and interestingly enough this is happening while Holland reteams with the Russo Brothers for an adaptation of Nico Walker’s debut novel. This certainly isn’t Spider-Man territory, to say the very least. Cherry‘s an autobiographical story about Walker’s time as an Army medic during the war in Iraq, followed by undiagnosed PTSD that led to falling into the belly of the American opioid epidemic and bank-robbing sprees. Obviously, this is dark stuff but with a satiric edge.

AMC+

Cold Courage (AMC+) — Two Nordic women find themselves drawn together during the investigation of a series of London-set murders. The story’s based upon Finnish journalist Pekka Hiltunen’s bestselling novels and aims to unite the two aforementioned women (a psychologist who favors underdogs and a graphic artist who’s fleeing from her abusive stalker). The two women want to right wrongs that are committed by the powerful, and a charismatic politician is promising to sort-of Make Great Britain Great Again. This show is dropping three initial episodes with subsequent weekly followups.

HBO Max

Allen V. Farrow (HBO Series, Sunday On HBO Max) — This four part documentary series continues this weekend while digging into a notorious and still-raging scandal of what, exactly, happened with Woody Allen and his family. That includes daughter Dylan Farrow’s allegations of sexual abuse against her father along with Allen’s relationship with Farrow’s daughter, Soon-Yi, and the custody trial that grew especially ugly. In the aftermath, a sprawling family fractured, and that divide continues to this day with continuing disputes that revolve around the allegations.

The Investigation (HBO documentary series) — This Scandinavian limited drama series follows the real-life investigation into the 2017 murder of a Swedish journalist (Kim Wall) in what became one of Danish history’s most notorious criminal cases (aptly dubbed the “Submarine Case”). This is a homemade submarine (?), apparently, and the series hails from Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director Tobias Lindholm (A War, Mindhunter).

Genera+ion: Season 1 (HBO Max series) — Get ready for a dark and playful half-hour series that revolves around high school students who are finding their coming-of-age exploration of sexuality complicated by the deeply held beliefs that persist throughout their conservative community. The series stars Chase Sui Wonders, Chloe East, Haley Sanchez, Lukita Maxwell, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Nathanya Alexander, Nava Mau, Uly Schlesinger, Justice Smith, and Martha Plimpton.

COVID Diaries NYC (HBO Max film) — Granted, this subject matter might be something that you aren’t prepared to voluntarily absorb, but there’s more here than meets the title. This deeply personal film turns the camera on five young filmmakers in New York City, who tell their families’ stories during the pandemic’s first wave in the (best) city that (you know) never sleeps. Frontline workers and every day New Yorkers get real in their own very resilient ways, all while the U.S. continues to process and battle an invisible enemy while searching, somehow, for meaning.

Last Week Tonight: Season 8 Premiere (HBO Series, Sunday On HBO Max) — Everyone’s favorite sarcastic and satiric late-night host finally returned a few weeks ago (after blowing up 2020 and getting weird with sweet Adam Driver), and not a moment too soon. John Oliver will break down exactly what’s wrong with our society in a way that only he can do, and let’s hope that he brings back that award-winning hoodie, so we can all get fancy with him.

Netflix

The One (Netflix series) — Those who are obsessed with dating apps and need motivation to stop might enjoy this series, which imagines that DNA matching is the key to finding the perfect partner. This sounds like it carries a similar vibe to AMC’s Soulmates but with a flashier polish with results as equaly messy. Married people are gonna retroactively take the DNA test, right? Oh god, yeah. At that point, maybe don’t fall into that trap, but do check out this series. It’s guaranteed to be anything but boring.

Last Chance U: Basketball (Netflix series) — The Emmy-winning franchise returns with a no-holds-barred, somewhat gritty look into community college basketball. The players all want to rise to the next level and achieve dreams, but first, those damn personal demons and warring emotions happen on and off the court, all while the East Los Angeles College Huskies set their sights upon an unprecedented California state basketball championship.

Dealer (Netflix series) — It’s a bloody gang war with subtitles, y’all, and it’s all happening in the South of France, which sounds wild enough, but this show also revolves around two filmmakers, including a music video director who’s filming a drug gang leader with far too much charisma and not enough predictability inside, and he also wants to bust into the rap scene. This series hopes to thrill you with a fast pace and a found-footage feel.

Marriage or Mortgage (Netflix series) — You know those people who spend so much. money on their wedding that they might as well have bought a house? Yeah, that’s what’s happening here, although there’s plenty of wisdom here from a real estate agent who’s hoping to help couples avoid dumping their cash into a freaking party with a fancy-ass cake. Yet of course, the real estate agent has to beat the voice of a hopeless-romantic wedding planner, and this sounds like a clash for the ages. HGTV, this ain’t.

Yes Day (Netflix film) — Jennifer Garner is fully embracing being cast as a mom type, and Edgar Ramirez plays her husband. Together, these two decide to let the kids rule the house for 24 hours by making all of the rules, which leads to a whirlwind adventure that makes the whole family appreciate what they’ve got in each other. I don’t know man, doesn’t it already feel like kids rule households already, and no one wants to admit it? Well, that sense of denial might be part of the fun here, although I’m only speculating, so don’t listen to me! The film co-stars Jenna Ortega, Julian Lerner, Everly Carganilla, Fortune Feimster, Nat Faxon, Arturo Castro, and Molly Sims.

Hulu

Kid 90 (Hulu movie) — Punky Brewster star Soleil Moon Frye has been playing the long game with this film. Ever since the 1990s, she carried a video camera throughout her adventures — while hanging out with fellow teen stars David Arquette, Stephen Dorff, Balthazar Getty, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Brian Austin Green, and more — as they navigated Hollywood and New York City fame. Then she stuffed this footage away for over two decades, which means that this documentary is a time capsule of what it was like to come of age in the public eye before the whole internet thing. Frye presents her very own spin on the coming of age story, and yes, expect some Punky Power.

Snowfall: Season 4 Episode (FX on Hulu) — The John Singleton-co-created series sees Franklin’s troubles move past the gang warfare in the mid 1980s, Reagan-era streets of America, although now, his missteps put Leon in danger. Meanwhile, Teddy’s attempting to avoid fallout from Tijuana, and Irene’s in investigative mode.

Peacock

Mr. Mercedes: Season 3 (Peacock series) — The crime-thriller series that’s based upon Stephen King’s best-selling Bill Hodges Trilogy continues from executive producer David E. Kelley and director Jack Bender. Viewers know that this series brings us a very different Holly Gibney (as portrayed by Justine Lupe) than the one we witnessed on HBO’s The Outsider (as played by Cynthia Erivo), and this season was co-written by Kelley and King. Settle in as the murder of a beloved local author (and American icon) becomes the focus of Hodges, Holly, and Jerome, who find that this case is much more complex than mere cold-blooded killing.