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Ladies (and gentlemen), Stephen Soderbergh’s greatest masterpiece (work with me here) will soon find new life as the inspiration for an upcoming HBO Max reality series. The Real Magic Mike is happening, so get ready for Genuwine’s “Pony” to be stuck in your head forever (again), although it’s really up to you whether you prefer the Channing Tatum or Jenna Dewan version more. Let’s get serious, though, with details about how HBO Max is making dreams happen with an unscripted competition series that will not be guest-hosted by Matthew McConaughey, although I can not-so-secretly hope for this to happen. We need some lawbreakers up in this house.

From an HBO Max press release, The Real Magic Mike will arrive sometime in 2021. Executive producers include both Tatum and Soderbergh, and the show aims to showcase undiscovered talent in an “exhilarating and sexy series” to transform a group of men into superstars. Here’s more:

From the producers behind the Magic Mike franchise and live shows comes an exhilarating and sexy series that will transform a group of men into real-life Magic Mikes. 10 men who have ‘lost their magic’ will come together in a competition series like no other. They will bare their souls and more as they evolve their bodies, learn to perform spectacular routines, and develop a new level of self-confidence. As they strip off their clothes, they will rid themselves of emotional baggage and regain their mojo but only one will be the Real Magic Mike.

There shall be a cash prize involved, but more than that, there’s a Las Vegas gig for the hard-working winner, and “a nationwide casting search is currently underway,” so get at it, people. I will note that McConaughey’s name appears nowhere in the press release, but at least his spirit (as Dallas) should haunt the joint.

As the world awaits news about the condition of rap icon DMX, who remains on life support in a coma after suffering a heart attack reportedly caused by an overdose, a new song featuring the rapper surfaced on streaming services, courtesy of Cleopatra Records. Titled “X Moves,” the new track is a collaborative effort featuring Parliament-Funkadelic bassist Bootsy Collins, as well as Asia guitarist Steve Howe and Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice. A fusion of funk, rap, and rock, it highlights DMX’s ferocity and versatility at a time when the icon’s fate hangs in the balance.

Meanwhile, the rapper’s actual label, Def Jam, is facing backlash after releasing a pair of compilations highlighting his prior work, with some fans finding the timing disrespectful and exploitative. However, some defenders applauded Def Jam for underscoring X’s importance to so many music fans at a time when younger listeners might be curious about why his predicament has had such a widespread effect.

Although erroneous rumors about the rapper’s condition circulated late last night, his manager Steve Rifkind, posted an Instagram video imploring fans to hold off and wait for an official statement. However, the outlook isn’t great; a critical test of DMX’s brain function Wednesday reportedly found little improvement.

We’ll see if fans receive “X Moves” better than they did the Def Jam compilations. You can check out the track below.

DMX has been the talk of the hip-hop world in recent days as things seemingly aren’t looking good for the rapper following a reported overdose. Today, Def Jam decided to release a pair of new compilations, DMX: The Ruff Ryder and A Dog’s Prayers, a move that some fans believe is in bad taste. Some see these releases as a money-grab, thrown together to capitalize on DMX being in the news.

The Ruff Ryder features some of DMX’s biggest hits like “X Gon’ Give It To Ya,” “Party Up,” and “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” while A Dog’s Prayers features some of the “Prayer” tracks the rapper has released throughout his career.

In a tweet announcing The Ruff Ryder last night, Def Jam wrote, “As we continue to pray for DMX’s recovery, let’s take a look back at some of the gifts he’s dedicated so much of his life to give to the world.” About 40 minutes later, they shared A Dog’s Prayers and wrote, “Nothing comes close to the feeling you get when you hear DMX start praying. Every word hits deep. Even if you don’t believe, you’re inspired and encouraged. Send some of the same energy back out for him while he’s fighting his way back to us all.”

Following the releases, the label faced some backlash. One Twitter user wrote, “dmx isnt even dead and def jam is already trying to profit…” Another wrote, “F*ck off stop using the situation to make as much money as you can.”

Not everybody feels the same way, though. One Twitter user noted, “There’s literally nothing wrong with this. His label re-released a small Greatest Hits album and are promoting it so that people hearing about DMX for the first time have a good starting place. You guys are just so desperate to hate labels even when they do something good.”

Check out some more tweets about the DMX compilations and stream both releases below.

You really have to give CJ credit; the kid hit it big with “Whoopty” and he’s been running with the ball ever since. While releasing his NYC Remix with French Montana and Rowdy Rebel and a Latin Mix with Anuel AA and Ozuna, he’s also kept up a steady stream of videos from his debut EP Loyalty Over Royalty. Today, he released a deluxe edition of the project containing the above-mentioned songs, as well as two new tracks. One, “Lil Freak” featuring fellow New Yorker DreamDoll, got the video treatment as well, and hallelujah, CJ finally changed locations for this one.

Removing himself from the dreary warehouse location of the “Real One” and “Set” videos, CJ lands in sunny Miami, where his tendency to rock his shirts unbuttoned fits right in. Here, he’s surrounded by bikini-clad women poolside at a hotel, where he professes his appreciation for — ahem — sex-positive women as his video vixens twerk around him. DreamDoll pops up halfway through the video to spit a high-speed verse while showing off her own gluteal tactics (“backward in heels” continues to hold true in the rap world).

Watch CJ’s “Lil Freak” video featuring DreamDoll above.

Loyalty Over Royalty (Deluxe Album) is out now on Warner Records. Get it here

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CJ is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Nothing about the success of Schitt’s Creek or the meteoric rise of its creator Dan Levy has been conventional. In fact, when skimming through the sea of think pieces and trade features praising the show’s inclusive comedy and its ability to sweep virtually any awards show this past year, it’s pretty much expected you’ll be reminded of just how unconventional Levy and his work are.

A small Canadian outfit produced on a shoestring budget cobbled together through sheer will (on the part of Levy) and some surreptitious connections within the comedy world (on the part of his father, the legendary Eugene Levy), Schitt’s Creek was hosted on Pop TV for every one of its six seasons. It wasn’t until Netflix began streaming old episodes of the show — one that follows a wealthy, out-of-touch family whose bank accounts are drained forcing them to build a new life in an unfortunately-named town — that people farther south began to take notice. And just as its popularity began to rise, Levy announced the series would be ending, wrapping up six years of storytelling that had largely gone unnoticed with a final season that would cement the series as a pop-culture behemoth.

So yes, unconventionality is a theme here — which is why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Levy is channeling that same motif to rewrite the script for a completely different medium: the world of fashion.

Now, on the one hand, no Schitt’s Creek fan would be shocked to learn that the man who played David Rose has good taste. Levy famously dressed each of the show’s main characters, meticulously selecting pieces for his fellow co-stars that would convey a sense of privilege and otherness beyond the outrageously accented dialogue and humorously ignorant antics acted out on screen. From men’s leather skirts to couture gowns, bohemian vintage, sharply tailored suits, and wigs … so many wigs, Levy ensured that the look of his series — one that would champion a kinder, more inclusive brand of comedy than we were used to — would be just as memorable and impactful as the message of the show itself.

It took audiences a while to discover that though, and because sometimes, life does in fact mirror art, Hollywood’s just now appreciating Levy’s own style. It only took a global pandemic and a year in lockdown but, like we said, “unconventional.”

Levy’s been (virtually) gracing awards shows this past year, racking up accolades for his work on the final season of Schitt’s Creek and though the red carpets have been stowed away and in-person celebrity schmoozing has been kiboshed because of social distancing rules, that hasn’t stopped the multihyphenate from crafting show-stopping looks that would feel revolutionary on the cat-walk, let alone a pixelated Zoom conference call.

At the Emmys last year, Levy prefaced his team’s eventual awards domination with a heather skirt suit designed by Thom Browne, head of the men’s fashion label celebrated for revolutionizing classic menswear. Browne also designed Levy’s iconic wedding ensemble for the Schitt’s Creek series finale. Both looks pushed the boundaries when it comes to the outdated expectations we put on menswear.

“I am always a fan of anyone who is true to his or herself … this is true fashion … this is true style,” Browne told WWD of the finale look. “I like to showcase these people in any way possible. We need more people like this in the world … bravo to Dan … bravo for his bravery and leadership.”

Levy would follow up his “Best Dressed” Emmys bid with another conversation-starting look — a citron Valentino couture suit paired with a matching sequined turtleneck and metallic platform oxfords.

It was a design Levy and his stylist had spotted on the runway with the actor describing Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli as a designer who “infuses this infectious joy and emotionality into the clothes he creates, so much so that it’s virtually impossible not to embody that spirit when you’re wearing them.” For Levy, the suit represented a chance to inject a sense of playfulness and whimsy, not only into an awards show that looked very different thanks to lockdown measures, but to the concept of what having a sense of style looks like for men.

“It just felt like the perfect balance between formal and casual, festive and laid back, polished yet unfussy,” he told Vogue. “And the color! Citron? Lemon? Whatever you’d like to call it, it was the best of what men’s fashion has to offer: statement-making, without taking itself too seriously.”

But Levy does take his style seriously. It’s evident in every choice he’s made since Schitt’s Creek began its historic run. As a storyteller who’s built his own platform from the ground up on a message of inclusivity and acceptance, he can’t help but harness that patented “show-don’t-tell” attitude his comedy series did so well and use it to quietly and confidently shake up the world of fashion. And these red carpet looks, dropping during some of the biggest awards shows of the year, feel like the perfect place to do it, not just because Hollywood has, historically, failed to push men’s red carpet fashion-forward — in a sea of black bow-ties and three-piece suits you were lucky to find an actor “daring” enough to sport a color that wasn’t blue, grey, or burgundy on camera — but because these virtual shows are giving Levy the freedom to experiment without the judgment and criticism of those after-show awards roundups. And because, while some men don sweatshirts and flannel button-ups — no shade, we would too — Levy knows the value in bringing a bit of glam and a lot of joy to these fairly formulaic gatherings.

Levy continues to shape the ever-expanding world of fashion beyond awards shows too, designing his own line of eyewear that he relaunched after Schitt’s Creek ended. D.L. Eyewear puts a fresh spin on timeless pieces, bridging Levy’s keen eye for what works with his desire to blur the lines between gender.

“There are some incredible frames that are not being tried on because they are delineated by gender, which feels totally absurd to me,” he told Vogue before the launch. “A lot of the frames that I have, have been vintage, or were [at] one point geared towards women.”

That fluidity and bold experimentation characterize so much of what Levy does when it comes to his personal style, molding him into an inspirational, aspirational figure within the Queer community. In Levy, young nonbinary, queer-identifying fans can see themselves — their creativity, their passion, their courage, and self-confidence — not just in his characters but in his day-to-day life. Sure, he’s not wearing haute couture all the time, but the fact that he’s wearing Valentino at all — a house that only recently began creating couture pieces for men — means something. It means he’s carving space for himself, on TV and in fashion, in a way that others can emulate. To see him play with slouchy, 90s-inspired cream linen pairing a classically masculine look with a delicate brooch or to watch as he dons a gorgeously embroidered Belgian-designed burgundy outfit — both looks he crafted for the recent SAG Awards is to see a Queer man assertively challenging fashion to up its game, to think outside the box, and to champion new concepts of masculinity.

After all, he spent six seasons revolutionizing comedy on TV. How much harder can men’s fashion really be?

If Florida residents somehow weren’t aware of the rapidly growing scandal around Matt Gaetz, they probably are now. A new billboard has gone up in Crestview alerting drivers that “Matt Gaetz wants to ‘date’ your child.” According to Northwest Florida News Daily, the sign sits along the “heavily traveled State Road 85 near the Hub City” and was paid for by the Mad Dog PAC in an effort to alert voters that their sitting congressman is under investigation for allegedly paying for sex with a minor.

Unsurprisingly, Gaetz has refused to comment on the new billboard, which can be seen below in a tweet from Mad Dog founder Claude Taylor:

A similar tactic is being used in Ohio, where activists are displaying a billboard to alert voters of Congressman Jim Jordan’s scandal involving the sexual molestation of wrestlers during his time as a coach at Ohio State University.

The billboard is just the latest in the mounting series of troubles for Gaetz. On Thursday evening, a new report revealed that he allegedly sent money to an accused sex trafficker named Joel Greenberg through Venmo, and none of the receipts look good. After Gaetz sent payments totaling $900, Greenberg turned around and sent payments to three young women totaling, you guessed it, $900. Via The Daily Beast:

The memo field for the first of Gaetz’s transactions to Greenberg was titled “Test.” In the second, the Florida GOP congressman wrote “hit up ___.” But instead of a blank, Gaetz wrote a nickname for one of the recipients. (The Daily Beast is not sharing that nickname because the teenager had only turned 18 less than six months before.) When Greenberg then made his Venmo payments to these three young women, he described the money as being for “Tuition,” “School,” and “School.”

The Daily Beast report arrived on the heels of news that Greenberg is likely to accept a plea deal, which could involve flipping on Gaetz.

(Via Claude Taylor on Twitter)

Rep. Lauren Boebert (a proud Rifle Republican) of Colorado has shown quite a talent for self-owning on Twitter while doing things like expressing disappointment that dictators don’t like Biden and blaming the Texas power catastrophe on the New Green Deal and also not really understanding what freedom means, and now, she’s showing that she doesn’t understand what slavery means, either.

Boebert (who co-owns Shooters Grill in Rifle, Colorado) is predictably unhappy about President Biden’s newly announced gun control measures that include cracking down on “ghost guns.” The list of measures is relatively limited but seeks to respond to a recent wave of mass shootings in the U.S. Yet Boebert is lashing out on Twitter in line with her usual pro-Second Amendment stance that doesn’t recognize that the Bill of Rights provision is considered to be a fluid one by scholars (with lots of “well regulated Militia” discourse surfacing of late on social media). Still, here’s Boebert’s take, including a quote from Bill of Rights proponent (and slave owner) George Mason.

“‘To disarm the people is the most effectual way to enslave them.’ – George Mason,” Boebert tweeted. “Democrats & their allies seek to enslave and control the people of the United States and every aspect of their lives. Only learn what they approve of, say what they agree to & work when permitted.”

Naturally, Boebert got dragged here, for either ignoring (or not realizing) that George Mason owned more than 100 slaves during his lifetime. She also got called out for suggesting that guns are being confiscated rather than being subject to responsible gun legislation. Still, the “slavery kink” reply might be the hardest hitting one.

However, one can be certain that Boebert will keep on tweeting her beliefs, despite all of the backlash.

Nearly four years removed from her latest studio album You Make It Feel Like Christmas, Gwen Stefani is ramping up for a comeback with Let Me Reintroduce Myself. After teasing one of its new songs, “Slow Clap,” on Instagram, she released the video today, complete with a guest appearance from pop-rap princess Saweetie.

The new song flows in the same vein as Stefani’s previous tracks with Eve: It’s got a dancehall/reggae vibe, upbeat lyrics, and a call-and-response chorus that encourages listeners to sing along. Even the video, which finds the two stars taking over a high school gym for some pep rally-style shenanigans, may remind fans of the video for “Hollaback Girl.”

Although Gwen hasn’t released much new music over the past few years, she’s been a hot commodity as a collaborator, working with her fiance Blake Shelton on “Nobody But You” and with dance-pop star Dua Lipa on the remix version of her album Club Future Nostalgia.

Meanwhile, Saweetie has been an in-demand guest star as well, popping up on Lil Tjay’s recently released album Destined 2 Win, and preparing to feature on Demi Lovato’s next album. Her fans also believe a collab with Nicki Minaj is in the works.

Watch Gwen Stefani’s “Slow Clap” video featuring Saweetie above.

Saweetie is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Perhaps the most memorable music moment on Saturday Night Live from the past few years was when Phoebe Bridgers smashed her guitar while performing “I Know The End.” Now, that same now-destroyed guitar is up for auction. The auction is organized by GLAAD and so far, the guitar has received two bids, with the top bid at $6,000. The auction page also shows a couple photos of the guitar in its current state and it looks like some large creature took a giant bite out of the side of it.

During a recent CNN appearance, Bridgers said, “I’ve always wanted to do it, and when I mentioned it to the show, they built me this whole monitor that would look like it was exploding even if I wasn’t hitting it that hard. So yeah, [it was] just a bucket list thing.”

Bridgers found her way onto CNN because her smashing a guitar became a bit of a controversy among some. It sparked a feud between her and David Crosby, who didn’t care for Bridgers antics. Bridgers was unfazed by the criticism and fired back by calling Crosby a “little b*tch.” Dave Grohl showed Bridgers some support, though, as he praised her performance and declared, “It feels f*cking good to” smash a guitar.

Check out the auction here.

As a proud native Texan, I could wax poetic all day about why our state’s whiskey is worthy of the world’s attention. To a certain extent, I already have. I raved about Texas bourbons for a solid 2000 words last year and would have happily gone on longer. Though the Texas whiskey industry is younger than those of Kentucky or Tennessee, don’t you dare call it inferior.

Why do I find Texas whiskey so special?

As this past winter proved, Texas can experience four seasons in one week. Depending on the weather pattern, we sometimes get four seasons in a single day. These extreme climate changes cause the expansion and contraction of the wood grains along the staves used in whiskey barrels. They shape the state’s terroir, too. Then there’s the bigness of Texas to consider. As a result of our climate and geographical diversity, you can get a wide array of delicious whiskeys from the Lone Star State. There’s no one flavor profile or mash bill that defines the state’s output.

So what does make a Texas whiskey “Texas?”

Since people like to capitalize off of Texas this and Texas that in their marketing, the Texas Whiskey Association launched the Certified Texas Whiskey Program to help people identify the whiskies that are actually produced here. To qualify as an authentic Texas whiskey, the spirit must be produced at a licensed distillery within the state, produced from cereal grains and Texas-sourced water from mash to fermentation to distillation to barreling, plus matured and bottled within the state. Furthermore, Texas whiskey needs to be compliant with the Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) designations of whiskey in class and type before it’s independently verified by an officer of the Texas Whiskey Association compliance team.

Whew. That was a mouthful. But now that we have those logistics out of the way, let’s get into my work this year as a judge for the Texas Whiskey Festival (featuring a lineup of whiskeys that all followed those aforementioned parameters).

Jake Clements, co-founder, whiskey sommelier, creative director, and planner of the festival, is extremely passionate about Texas whiskey. He spreads its gospel at every opportunity, especially through this event. The fourth annual festival is taking place next weekend, April 16th and 17th, at Star Hill Ranch near Bee Cave, Texas (right outside of Austin). There will be 29 Texas-based brands represented with over 60 whiskeys available to try. Each year the Texas Whiskey Festival hosts a competition to determine who has the best Texas bourbon, rye, and malt whiskey. Festival attendees will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite distillery to decide on the people’s choice winner.

As for the official judging, this year’s panel of judges included yours truly, alongside Marianne Eaves, Kentucky’s first female master distiller, curator of Eaves Blind, and founder of Eaves, LLC Whisk(e)y and Spirits Consulting; and Tom Koerner the former GM and spirit guide of Seven Grand Whiskey Bar and Las Perlas Mezcaleria and current brand ambassador for Mezcal Unión.

Here’s us, tasting and debating whiskey:

Now you might be wondering, “What goes into blind judging?”

There are several components that you’ve probably seen in other Uproxx whiskey or spirits pieces — the nose, palate, complexity, and finish — that we all were asked to rank individually. While everyone has their own way of judging whiskey, I like to focus heavily on the hue along with the aforementioned criteria. The color of the whiskey can give you a hint of what you’re about to taste, in terms of how long it’s been in the barrel, which will inevitably contribute to its flavor.

Next, I like to spend my time engaging with the aroma. This is one of the most underrated parts of the whiskey tasting experience among novices (and even some experts). Many are too quick to gulp down the whiskey, thinking it’s all about the palate. When you do that, you’re missing out on a crucial part of the overall experience — and who wants to be cheated out of one part of a thing when they’re paying full price for it, right?!

So give your whiskey a nice whiff and explore the flavor notes it emits. (Note the glass of choice, below.)

Now comes the time to take a sip (not a big one). I like to roll the whiskey around in my mouth, picking up each nuance that resonates with me the most. Plus, it opens up my taste buds even more and I’m able to compare notes with that of the aroma.

Lastly — my favorite part of the tasting experience — is the finish. I think of the finish as a vacation to an unexplored land. You either fall in love and want to return or… you don’t. The same goes for the close of a whiskey sip. You either love it and want to revisit another nosing and taste or you discover you’d rather not. If you’d like to explore another sip, add a couple of drops of water to release even more aromas and flavors.

Trying whiskey doesn’t have to feel like a graded pop quiz, but it can feel that way when you’re in a group setting. One person tastes star anise, while another person gets stone fruit (such as plum, peach, cherries, etc.) and so forth. But not all palates are the same (and they’ve all developed differently), so it’s likely that you won’t share the exact same tasting experience as your friend or family members.

What we taste is also based on our frame of reference. For example, if you’ve never smelled or eaten stone fruit, you won’t know the exact flavor notes you’re picking up on the nose or palate. Think of it like this: You can’t say you love France, yet have never visited. How can you love a place you aren’t familiar with? The same applies to your sensory bank. It helps to smell different candles, spices, and fruits when you’re at a local farmer’s market or grocery store. When you smell and taste (don’t eat the candle though) these examples, your palate will be more attuned to what it’s experiencing when you taste something (in this case, a whiskey) that’s reminiscent.

Here’s what my notes look like:

Though we’ve picked this year’s winners of the Texas Whiskey Festival, as Clements puts it, “The best whiskey is the one you like.” So my final encouragement to you is this: Experiment. Play. Find something you don’t like so that you can better appreciate what you do. You be the judge of your next favorite whiskey.

As for me, when I blindly tasted Austin 101 Light Whiskey, I knew I’d found a winner for my particular palate. The other judges agreed and we gave it first prize in its category. That dram surprised me and I love it when I find myself surprised by a spirit. Get to tasting and find something that surprises you!

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Top image credit: Luis Malagon. Gabrielle Pharms is on Twitter here.