No one could ever duplicate James Gandolfini’s turn as Tony Soprano — except perhaps his own son. When the Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark drops in theaters and on HBO Max in late September, viewers will get to see Michael Gandolfini, the late actor’s own spawn, playing young Tony, as he was all the way back in 1967. But Michael didn’t rest on his father’s laurels; to prepare he went above and beyond.
In a new interview with Vanity Fair (in a bit sussed out by IndieWire), the young Gandolfini admits he never watched the legendary HBO show before taking the role. It wasn’t because he wasn’t interested. His father didn’t want him see him as Tony. “I never knew Tony Soprano,” Michael said. “I only knew my dad.”
Finally seeing his father hurt and kill people — or just shlubbily grab the morning or carefully read the back of a cereal box — wasn’t easy. “It was really hard to watch my dad,” Michael told VF. But he didn’t only watch the show’s six seasons. “I recorded four hours of his monologues with [Dr.] Melfi and walked around New York with them constantly, constantly, constantly playing in my ear.”
It’s impossible to imagine what it was like for Gandolfini’s son to live with that in his ears for so long, but, Michael told VF, he had the confidence of his director: “I had this unspoken trust that David [Chase, also the show’s creator] wasn’t going to cast me if there was even a shred that this isn’t going to work.”
In the meantime, you’ll get to see Michael act a little earlier than September 24, when The Many Saints of Newark is released: he also has a plum role in Cherry, Anthony and Joe Russo’s opioid drama starring Tom Holland.
Cardi B is back, she’s “Up,” and she’s ready to face down the haters. Because Lord knows, there are few people in the world who get more constant, inane feedback about their behavior than Cardi, and she’s ready to clap back. The most recent barrage? Well, people saying she makes music for TikTok dances, which is ridiculous because her music has been popping long before TikTok was even known in The States, and, people making fun of the star for going on social media without any makeup on.
Today, she popped back on Instagram to bring attention to the fact that despite all the hate she gets, she still shows her face on Instagram exactly how it is when she first wakes up. “This is my face after wakin up 20 minutes ago, no filter, hair not brushed, lip chap all that,” she wrote in the caption of the clip. “I never been afraid to show my real self. When YOU ON TOP the miserable and the ugly love to screenshot pictures while you in motion then criticize your face. I’m confident in my own skin. You b*tches need to ask ya self if ya confidence in ya self enought that ya gotta try to bring bitches down for a hobby that’s winning and in their 20s.”
Interestingly enough, Cardi isn’t the only one to comment on how being caught in motion can make her look bad. In last year’s duet with Bon Iver, “Evermore,” Taylor Swift had this to say: “Motion capture/ Put me in a bad light.” Even so, it would be rare to see Taylor as bare faced as Cardi so often appears, but for both women, the pressure is rael. Check out Cardi’s post above along with her new video for “Up”
If you don’t know much about Scotch whisky, you might assume every bottle is a peaty smoke bomb. But peat smoke is only a defining characteristic for whiskies from Islay — Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Laphroaig, etc. — with a few mainland exceptions to the rule. Other Scotch regions are defined more by notes of vanilla, dried fruits, and caramel.
That sweet, buttery caramel is the flavor we’re most interested in today. But how exactly does a Scotch whisky end up with a pronounced caramel aspect to it? In the simplest terms, it’s all about the wood. Aging in charred casks releases vanillins into the spirit — giving your favorite Scotch its toasted oak, vanilla, and caramel flavor notes (in different increments depending on how the expression is aged).
To help you track down bottles of Scotch whisky that lean into sweet caramel, we asked a handful of bartenders for their input. Check out their choices below and get sipping — then try counterbalancing these picks with some smoky drams.
The Dalmore 18
The Dalmore
Pablo Guerrero, food and beverage manager at Azabu in Miami
The Dalmore 18, with vibrant nutty, dark chocolate, and caramel flavors is my pick. Any spirit can have caramel color added to it, but that does not affect its flavor — this is the real thing.
Try The Balvenie Caribbean Cask. It’s aged in oak barrels and then finished in barrels they previously held Caribbean rum in making it even smoother and sweeter than typical Balvenie.
Heavier flavors coming with double-barrel aging is a nice compliment to the peat. Aberlour A’bunadh is a nice heavy bottling that mellows a bit with ice to dilute, very heavy on the caramel.
Benjamin Pozar, bartender at Fogo de Chao in Philadelphia
If caramel is the flavor you’re looking for, you’d be better off with bourbon, but in terms of Scotch, I’d go with The Balvenie Doublewood. That has the creamy caramel flavor you’re looking for.
Charles Hardwick, former bartender at The Aviary in New York City
There’s a smaller brand called Harleston Green that I really like for this note. It’s a three-year-old blended Scotch. Definitely nice strains of caramel and toffee on the finish.
Hedonism by Compass Box. This Scotch has notes of caramel vanilla, coconut, and toffee. It is great for a Scotch drinker who is not a fan of heavy peat and heavy smoke.
Daniel Burns, bartender at Elixir in San Francisco
Tamdhu 10 is a nice Sherry finished Speyside malt with super-rich flavors of brown sugar and caramel. It’s a great whisky to drink on a rainy night with some nice milk chocolate.
Israel Meléndez Ayala, bartender in San Juan, Puerto Rico
For the fans of caramel in Scotch and its complex taste, I’d go with Johnnie Walker Black Label. Fill your glass and bring it to your nose. You’ll get the vanilla hints with figs together with the taste of creamy toffee caramel lingering on the tip of your tongue — but the dram ends with some smokiness.
If you are an aged rum drinker, you’ll like Black Label Johnnie Walker for its taste and similarities.
Aaron Polsky, former bartender at Harvard & Stone in Los Angeles
The Dalwhinnie 15 is known as “the gentle spirit,” and with good reason. It’s light and balanced, so the caramel isn’t overwhelming like it is in some richer malts, but it goes down light and smooth and would be a good contrast pairing with a dessert.
Isaac Rice, lead bartender at Urban Farmer in Philadelphia
Glenmorangie Nectar d’Or because of its Sauternes cask finish. Regular Glenmorangie already has some light caramel notes in its flavor profile. This cask finish adds even more notes of subtle sweetness like honey, vanilla, butterscotch and kicks up the caramel as well.
I love the Auchentoshan Virgin Oak. The interaction between new wood and Scotch is magical. It imparts a perfect caramel and vanilla flavor that is unforgettable.
This is the perfect Scotch for fans of sweet whiskies. It’s filled with creamy caramel, vanilla, and a nutty sweetness. A subtle kiss of smoke brings it all together in perfect harmony.
Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial got off to a predictably surreal start on Tuesday thanks to Bruce Castor Jr., an attorney representing the former president who delivered the defense’s opening statement. Trump went through five lawyer before settling on Castor and his colleague, David Schoen, who’ve been tasked with defending someone who’s even being denounced by QAnon Shaman. And yet many were still surprised with a speech that rambled for over an hour with little focus, and was even filled with things that undoubtedly drove Trump nuts.
“I’ll be quite frank with you, we changed what we were going to do on account that we thought the House managers’ presentation was well done,” Castor admitted at one point, and praising the lawyers trying to convict Trump was just the tip of the iceberg. Castor, for some reason, spent a lot of time praising the senators. He called Nebraska “quite a judicial thinking place.” He even actually admitted Trump lost the election, then dared the DOJ to arrest him.
It was such a confounding hour that even die-hard Trumpists like Alan Dershowitz told Newsmax, “I have no idea what he’s doing.”
How bad is Bruce Castor’s presentation in defense of Trump so far? Newsmax cuts into it so Alan Dershowitz can trash it.
“There is no argument. I have no idea what he’s doing. I have no idea why he’s saying what he’s saying!” pic.twitter.com/3tVD9V3UcZ
To others, an unfocused, spluttering opening statement got people thinking about something else: Austin Pendleton’s stage-struck public defender who represents one of the defendants in the 1991 comedy fave My Cousin Vinny.
This is a “My Cousin Vinny”-level mismatch of opening statements so far
The comparison was apt: After all, it was also Vinny star Joe Pesci’s birthday.
It’s wonderful the Joe Pesci is trending on his birthday because of the My Cousin Vinny performance of Trump lawyers. But @WGAWest would like to note that every word Vinny spoke was written by Dale Launer. https://t.co/SDvUwEQOEA
At the end of the day, the Senate voted to hear the trial out, so this probably won’t be the last time we’re put to sleep by Mr. Castor. In the meantime, My Cousin Vinny streams with a Cinemax Go subscription. And happy birthday, Joe Pesci!
On Sunday, Tom Brady won his seventh Super Bowl, only further solidifying his case the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Even more impressive is how he did it, at the age of 43 with his new team in Tampa Bay after spending the first 20 years of his career with the Patriots.
That type of longevity and championship hardware makes his case as the GOAT nearly unimpeachable. But it isn’t just the sheer number of championships alone. In the NBA’s GOAT debate — the one pitting Michael Jordan against LeBron and whoever else — the number of championships has become something of a sticking point.
Fans often point to a player like Robert Horry as emblematic of the championship fallacy, arguing that if we use number of titles as a central metric, then Horry (a really solid player but not exactly a franchise cornerstone) would have a case in the GOAT debate. None of this is particularly new or insightful, and Horry, for his part, has quite frankly tired of being brought up in the debate in a negative way.
“A part of you gets mad because I don’t think people outside the NBA family — and when I say ‘NBA’ I’m saying coaches and players — they don’t really respect what I did and they don’t really understand what I did and what I was able to accomplish,” Horry told FOX Sports. “It’s always, ‘Oh he was a part. Oh, he was a part.’ Yeah, I was a part, but I was a significant part.
“You can’t have Kool-Aid without sugar, and I was the sugar to most of that stuff.”
“More than half the time, I feel slighted because I don’t think people really appreciate what I did,” Horry said. “Even [Monday], with me tweeting [about Brady], there’s always people going, ‘Oh, this, this, and this.’ I don’t pay any attention because if it was one of my teammates that would’ve said it, then it would’ve had some meaning.”
Horry was referring to a tweet he sent congratulating Brady on joining the “7 Chip Club,” which prompted a few petty fans to try and diminish his incredible accomplishments. Horry won titles with the Rockets, Lakers, and Spurs during his 16-year career, along the way earning the nickname “Big Shot Bob” for knocking down several game-winning shots in huge playoff moments.
Court proceedings are supposed to be serious, solemn, and dignified. Silliness and shenanigans are not generally tolerated in a courtroom—a fact that judges, lawyers, and anyone who’s ever been to court knows.
So when a lawyer shows up to a court hearing on Zoom with his face turned into an adorable kitten, what is the appropriate response? When the judge then points out that the lawyer has a cat filter on and the lawyer says—with his kitten face—he can’t figure out how to turn it off, are the people present allowed to laugh out loud?
Because that scenario is universally hilarious. It also just happened for real in the 394th Judicial District Court of Texas.
“I’m here live, I’m not a cat,” says lawyer after Zoom filter mishap
“I can see that,” responds judge https://t.co/HclKlAUwbM
According to the Houston Chronicle, lawyer Rod Ponton arrived at a hearing over Zoom with a kitten face filter activated on his computer. The filter, superimposed over Ponton’s real face, reflects his speech and facial movements in the kitten’s face, making it appear that the kitten is speaking.
District Judge Roy Ferguson immediately pointed out Ponton’s problem, and the poor lawyer explained that he and his assistant were trying to change it. Ponton-as-kitten legitimately looks panicked, which is hilariously cute. It only gets funnier when the judge reiterates, “I think it’s a filter,” as if there was some possibility that the lawyer may, in fact, be a cat.
Then Ponton, with his kitten face, tells Judge Ferguson that he’s prepared to go forward. “I’m here, live,” he says. “I’m not a cat.”
THE LAWYER ACTUALLY TOLD THE JUDGE HE WASN’T A CAT Y’ALL. You cannot write this stuff. This is forever funny 2021 gold, right here.
@MikaelThalen I like “I *think* it’s a filter,” like he’s leaving open the possibility the lawyer is in fact a cat
The kitten mishap was apparently short-lived, as they figured out how to turn it off shortly after this clip. But still, so dang funny.
Judge Ferguson apparently agreed that it was hilarious, since he shared the clip on YouTube along with this note on Twitter:
“IMPORTANT ZOOM TIP: If a child used your computer, before you join a virtual hearing check the Zoom Video Options to be sure filters are off. This kitten just made a formal announcement on a case in the 394th (sound on). #lawtwitter#OhNo
These fun moments are a by-product of the legal profession’s dedication to ensuring that the justice system continues to function in these tough times. Everyone involved handled it with dignity, and the filtered lawyer showed incredible grace. True professionalism all around!”
These fun moments are a by-product of the legal profession’s dedication to ensuring that the justice system continu… https://t.co/kEn81wtiXD
— Judge Roy Ferguson (@Judge Roy Ferguson)1612898509.0
While legal proceedings are indeed serious business—and while it’s impressive that those present managed to maintain their professionalism—it’s nice to see Judge Ferguson share the fun of the moment. The absurdity of these times leads to absurdity at times, and being able to laugh together over such silliness is healthy comic relief.
If only Judge Ferguson had called for “claw and order,” we’d have a perfect story on our hands. But this will definitely do for today.
People who enjoy witnessing bizarre lawyers must be having a fantastic day. Not only did we get to witness the sheer joy of filters go wrong when Lawyer Cat came to town, but Trump’s second impeachment trial is currently going down, and hoo boy, did he hire a gem of an attorney. Actually, Trump hired several attorneys (including South Carolina’s Butch Bowers, who shares his name with a Stephen King antagonist), all of which fled their gigs before trial time, and who could blame them? Being a Trump attorney is bad for one’s career and freedom. Just ask Michael Cohen, the former fixer who’s still serving the rest of his house arrest sentence. Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell are both fending off billion-dollar lawsuits after the Elite Strike Force debacle. Most attorneys will realize that representing him could do one of two things: (1) Torch their careers with disbarment and/or irreparable damage to professional reputation; (2) Land them behind bars after they commit some sort of felony at the behest of a tantrum thrower.
So yeah. Trump hired David Schoen and Bruce Castor, the latter of whom decided not to prosecute Bill Cosby after declaring that his accusers weren’t credible enough. Following opening arguments from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Castor created quite a stir with nonsensical remarks on the Senate floor. He’s well, a performer?
so, uh, Trump’s impeachment trial strategy appears to be to just have folks go out there and wing it like it’s an open mic night or something pic.twitter.com/FkF1xI6pHo
Well, Castor drew a lot of attention, including from Ice-T, who is live-tweeting a freaking impeachment trial because 2021 is better than 2020. “He musta got this Lawyer off Craig’s List…” and “He shoulda used a Public Defender….” are spot-on reactions.
Henry Winkler’s definitely watching what’s happening. “WHOOPS Mr, Castor JUST admitted T****. lost,” tweeted the former Fonz. “Omg the former pres most be pissed.”
WHOOPS Mr, Castor JUST admitted T****. lost .. omg the former pres most be pissed
On Newsmax, Alan Dershowitz, who served on Trump’s impeachment team last year, says this of Bruce Castor: “I have no idea what he’s doing. Maybe he’ll bring it home, but right now, it does not appear to me to be effective advocacy.”
Surprising since Bruce Castor received a law degree from the prestigious University of Four Seasons Total Landscaping School of Law. https://t.co/mLFphmPtMt
Still, some people prefer Lawyer Cat Twitter! To each their own.
I know the impeachment trial is important. But I’m sorry, I can let it distract me from a lawyer telling a judge he wasn’t a cat and that he would like to proceed with the case AS IF THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG.
Y’all can move on if you want, but I’m staying on lawyer cat Twitter.
Back in December, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced new revisions to its Air Carrier Access Act, indicating that it would no longer consider emotional support animals to be service animals. The move started a domino effect, resulting in just about every major US airline changing their policies regarding the transportation of what they now consider to be nothing more than standard pets. This is bad news for anyone who suffers mild flight anxiety — who wouldn’t rather fly in a plane with their buddy?! — but great news for anyone who doesn’t want to hear a dog barking on a seven-hour flight.
All jokes aside, this is a tricky matter to parse. People with real anxieties and in need of genuine emotional support deserve to be accommodated. But passengers have long been (blatantly!) abusing the emotional support animal loophole to get their untrained furry friends a free trip in the cabin. With the new policies in place, it’ll be easier for airlines to continue to accommodate legitimate service animals — which the DOT defines as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability” — while weeding out the pretenders.
It’s worth noting that airlines are required to treat psychiatric service animals the same as other service animals. So people with genuine mental health needs won’t be left in the cold.
Each airline’s individual policy is slightly different, so we’ll run through each of the major carriers below. Keep in mind that due to Covid-19 safety requirements, many airlines aren’t transporting caged pets right now at all. If an airline isn’t featured here, just assume they haven’t made an announcement (yet).
Alaska Airlines now only offers permits for, “service dogs trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability.” Emotional support animals will no longer be accepted after February 28th, 2021.
All service animals must be seated on the floor space below a guest’s seat, or seated in the guest’s lap, if needed.
All travelers must submit a current DOT Service Animal Air Transportation form at least 48 hours prior to travel. Service animals in training will still be able to travel free of charge.
Fully-trained service dogs may fly in the cabin at no charge. American Airlines defines a service animal explicitly as a dog that’s trained to work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including those with visual impairments, deafness, seizures, mobility impairments, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Service animals in training, emotional support animals, and comfort animals must now travel as pets and meet American Airlines’ pet storage qualifications and fees.
Please note that due to COVID-19 safety restrictions, American’s Checked Pet Service is currently suspended.
Since January 11th, Delta no longer recognizes emotional support animals as service animals, and will only allow trained dogs to operate as service animals, though there aren’t any restrictions on the breed of the dog. All travelers flying with a service animal must complete a DOT form 48 hours before their travels.
For travel booked less than 48 hours prior to departure, customers must present a DOT form at the check-in counter or departure gate.
As of February 1, 2021, Frontier no longer accepts emotional support animals onboard. All non-certified service animals must fly as pets for a one-way fee of $99. Pets may not be checked as baggage and must fit in a container with the dimensions 18” length x 14” width x 8’ height. Trained service dogs are still allowed in the cabin uncaged.
Jet Blue permits trained service dogs only, with the required DOT documentation submitted 48 hours prior to flight. Service animals in training will not be accepted for travel. Passengers may bring two service animals, but both animals must fit within the footprint of the seats you have purchased.
Animals must remain on the floor unless they are small enough to fit fully on the traveler’s lap without touching the seat, tray table, or nearby traveler.
Beginning on March 1st, Southwest will ban all emotional support animals and begin to only permit trained and certified service dogs. Passengers may still bring small dogs and cats on flights for a $95 one way fee, but the pets must be vaccinated and stay in a carrier for the entire duration of the flight.
Emotional support animals must now fly on Spirit under the airline’s Pets Policy. Dogs, cats, household birds, and rabbits are the only pets allowed to fly on Spirit, and they must stay in pet containers for the duration of the flight.
Documented service dogs are permitted to fly for free.
United now requires completed DOT forms for each service animal traveling with passengers. United defines a service animal as a dog — regardless of breed or type — over the age of 4 months individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified disabled individual.
Qualified passengers are permitted to travel with a maximum of two service animals. Service animals must sit on the floor in front of the customer’s assigned seat. United will lift their previous ban on pit bull breeds.
All non-service animals — which includes emotional support animals — may fly in a kennel for a service charge of $125 one way.
The Buccaneers dominated Super Bowl LV, cruising to a 31-9 victory over the Chiefs thanks to an offensive explosion in the first half and an all-time great defensive effort against the league’s most dangerous offense.
The Bucs brought immense pressure on Patrick Mahomes and were able to move him off his spot and make him attempt some crazy passes, and Chiefs receivers simply couldn’t make plays on the other end of those throws. However, it wasn’t for a lack of effort from Mahomes, who was running for his life on most plays, scrambling for nearly 500 yards before his throws or sacks (of which there were only two) on the night. Some of those plays were so incredible that it didn’t matter that they weren’t completed, he had everyone in awe of his ability just to give his guys a chance — most notably his diving 4th and 9 throw.
Among those stunned watching Mahomes go to work were the Bucs receiving corps, as NFL Films captured Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Scotty Miller all marveling at Mahomes’ magic act on the sideline during the game.
It is a tremendous video as it shows the sheer amazement of the Bucs receivers watching Mahomes twirl around while being grabbed at by one of the best defensive lines in football and still get passes off that almost ended up being completed. These are pros at the very top of the game and even they are like kids on the sideline reenacting and and going over what Mahomes just did on the field.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC, 8:00pm) — The Jane Levy-starring, offbeat musical series isn’t shying away from the tough issues, and tonight, the show explores racial bias in the tech industry as Simon grapples with his own future at SPRQ Point. It promises to be an unflinching look at the issue from a series that’s best known for lighthearted dives into, say, couples communication with the help of Frank Sinata and Boyz II Men tunes.
Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr. (PBS, 8:00pm) — Tony Shalhoub and Christopher Meloni get down with their own respective immigrant roots, probably with a few surprises.
Mixed-Ish (ABC, 9:30pm) — One of Paul’s students might soon be living with his family, and Rainbow’s got a crush that could turn into trouble.
Black-Ish (ABC, 9:00pm) — Bow struggles to mentor others after becoming the first Black woman partner at her hospital.
Prodigal Son (FOX, 9:00pm) — The “Debutante Slayings” have Malcolm and Ainsley racing against time, and Malcolm is starting to wonder about Ainsley’s true motive.
Two Sentence Horror Stories (CW, 8:00pm) — A young girl hangs out with mom at her workplace, which just happens to be a morgue, so say hello to ghosts.
Trickster (CW, 9:00pm) — Jared can barely cope with the knowledge that he’s a Trickster, which carries grievous implications for the future.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Wanda Sykes, Lucas Hedges, Waxahatchee
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — John Oliver, Ingrid Andress
The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Priyanka Chopra Jonas, LaKeith Stanfield, Joy Oladokun
The Late Late Show With James Corden — Elle Fanning, Sabrina Carpenter
Late Night With Seth Meyers — Casey Affleck, Anthony Atamanuik
In case you missed these recent picks:
The New York Times Presents: “Framing Britney Spears”: New Episode (FX on Hulu) — The seemingly unending saga of mega pop star Britney Spears’ controversial conservatorship is only one focus of this docuseries that aims to do a deep-dive, retrospective view on how Spears’ life and career has also been shaped by public perception and the press. It’s been a long twelve years for Britney under her father’s financial thumb, and that followed a few years of public chaos, which I’m sure you will never forget. Her fans rally in this series for her “freedom,” given that Britney has vowed not to work again until she can make her own decisions again.
Fake Famous (HBO Documentary, 9:00pm) — Veteran journalist Nick Bilton’s a first time director here while journeying into the bizarre world of Los Angeles-based social media influencers who are jacking up their own followings in illicit ways, including armies of bots and purchases of fake followers. Look out for the costs of this immersive lifestyle to come roaring in from the sidelines.
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