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With many big-name pop stars serving up hits, this week hopefully stood as a preview to a musically fruitful year. Lana Del Rey debuted her Chemtrails Over The Country Club title track, Selena Gomez teased a Spanish-language album, and Ariana Grande tapped two big stars for a sultry remix.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.

Lana Del Rey — “Chemtrails Over The Country Club”

After Lana Del Rey made headlines for some controversial comments, the singer tried to turn attention back to her music this week with “Chemtrails Over The Country Club.” Creating a distinct feeling of nostalgia, the song is a tender ballad to fleeting summer days underscored by soft piano keys.

Selena Gomez — “De Una Vez”

Following the success of her comeback record Rare, Selena Gomez is ready to step into a new era of music. Sharing the healing anthem “De Una Vez,” Gomez teased a full Spanish-language project in the works. “This is the beginning of something I’ve wanted to explore for so long,” she said alongside the single.

Ariana Grande — “34+35 (Remix) Feat. Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat

Ariana Grande may have released her highly-anticipated album Positions last year, but she wasn’t done sharing music. This week, Grande called on Megan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat to hop on her steamy track “34+35.” Doja cleverly name-dropped Tekashi 69 in her verse while Megan flexed her impeccable flow.

Zayn — “Connexion”

Former One Direction member is notoriously private, but the singer shed some light on his life and relationship with Gigi Hadid this week by releasing his third solo album Nobody Is Listening. On the project arrived the lulling track “Connexion,” where Zayn croons of his other-worldly connection to another over a snapping beat.

SIA — “Hey Boy” Feat. Burna Boy

Though her Music film’s announcement was met with some controversy, SIA is continuing to drum up anticipation for the upcoming release by sharing music from its soundtrack. This week, the singer debuted her bubbly “Hey Boy” collaboration with Burna Boy, which arrives as the closing track on the Music soundtrack.

G Flip — “Queen” Feat. Mxmtoon

This week, G Flip collaborated with singer/songwriter Mxmtoon and producer Rostam to share the empowering anthem “Queen.” Describing her inspiration behind the track in a statement, G Flip said: “‘Queen’ was written about the strong women around me, the queens that raised me and the queens I’ve met through my years. My idea of a queen is not necessarily linked to gender; queens come in all forms and walks of life. To me a queen embodies power and strength; they embrace all they are fiercely yet gracefully.”

Dana Williams — “You Win”

Over the past several years, LA singer/songwriter Dana Williams has been winning over hearts with a handful of moving singles. This week, Williams penned a delicate tune about learning to stand her ground in a relationship. Leaning on her captivating vocals, Williams sings of finally being able to make the decision that’s best for her heart.

Joshua Bassett — “Lie Lie Lie”

After Olivia Rodrigo took the music industry by storm with her post-breakup debut single “Drivers License,” her ex-boyfriend and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series co-star Joshua Bassett seemingly responded with his own track. “I wrote ‘Lie Lie Lie’ after I found out a friend had been lying about me behind my back for a long time,” Bassett said about his song. “It always sucks to hear that someone you thought you could trust would throw you under the bus when it benefits them. It happens to all of us, and I think all you can do is seek out people that build you up rather than tear you down.”

Danny L Harle — “On A Mountain”

Danny L Harle has made a name for himself after lending production work for artists like Charli XCX, Rina Sawayama, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Clairo. But with “On A Mountain,” Harle is ready to take on a solo project. Boasting euphoric vocals and trance-like synths over a racing beat, the song officially previews his LP Harlecore, which aims to offer a home for ravers who are missing the experience of live music.

Noga Erez — “End Of The Road”

Tel Aviv-based producer Noga Erez is building on the global success of her debut album with her upcoming project Kids. Announcing the impending LP, Erez shares the thumping earworm “End Of The Road,” which she says is a reflection on mortality. “Nothing about this life is as predicted, so why am I so afraid of it? I wanted to inspire people to take a look at the magical potential of the unknown nature of life,” Erez said. “I believe the relationship with what’s beyond our control needs to be changed. The fear of it can become anticipation.”

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

Usually, Billboard reveals the top ten of its Hot 100 chart on Mondays, but that didn’t happen yesterday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. So, the announcement was pushed back a day, and the result isn’t a shock: Olivia Rodrigo’s smash hit “Drivers License” has debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart dated January 23.

The song, the likes of which Spotify has “never seen,” is the 1,116th No. 1 song in Hot 100 history, but just the 48th to debut on top and the first song of 2021 to do so. This achievement makes Olivia Rodrigo one of the youngest artists to ever top the Hot 100: She’s 17 years and 11 months old, while Billie Eilish was 17 years, eight months, and one week old when “Bad Guy” first topped the chart. Rodrigo is the most recently born artist with a No. 1 hit, though: Her birth date is February 20, 2003, which is more recent than that of the previous record-holder, Jawsh 685, who was born on November 5, 2002.

The song is actually Rodrigo’s second song to chart on the Hot 100: “All I Want,” from the colon-ly titled High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Soundtrack, debuted and peaked at No. 90 in January 2020.

So, it looks like Rodrigo can expect more cakes to come her way.

Prepare the celebratory Kermit arms GIFs, The Muppet Show is coming to Disney+ on February 19, according to The Muppet Twitter page, offering fans a chance to discover or reconnect to the show that took Jim Henson’s creations to the top of pop culture mountain. The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, and other films and shows followed, but this was the start. Well, not the start. Not at all, really, but it’s foundational to everything Muppet that followed and to the endurance of these characters. If for no other reason than because every TV show that’s been done with them since — from the TGIF era Muppets Tonight to ABC’s failed but ambitious The Muppets and Disney+’s own charming but not quite there Muppets Now — has been judged against it and their ability to replicate the heights of absurdity and depths of soul that Henson, Frank Oz, and company put into the original. It’s similar to how every film that’s come since the original trio is judged against them. It’s just what happens when a high bar is set.

Born in 1976 and doubtlessly helped to air by the ascension, the year prior, of Saturday Night Live (in which Henson and company were a small part with the Land Of Gorch segments), The Muppet Show lasted five seasons and might be, with the exception of SCTV, the most impactful variety show of the ’70s and ’80s that didn’t spring from Lorne Michaels’ brain. But for a long time, word-of-mouth statements like that, stray clips, and DVDs (of the first 3 seasons) were the only way to really prove that out. So it’s nice that people will have a chance to pour through the whole thing now. Despite a dated look and celebrities made unfamiliar by the passage of decades and natural shifts in relevancy, there’s something timeless about The Muppets and how they find the funny. Something that makes this more than a bit of red meat for Muppet oldheads or a bit of historical record that you can likely trace any stand-out sketch/variety show of the last 40 years back to in one way or the other.

As of now, there are no details on if these episodes are complete or how they’ve been made ready for the Disney+ streaming audience. Getting full episodes of SNL has been a challenge owing, in part, to music royalties. And I can imagine that being a problem here as well. But we’ll see. Finally.

The landscape of sports journalism is ever changing. Grassroots and individual media outlets have taken the media industry by storm due to mass layoffs and the ability to reach consumers and provide instant access through social media.

For Khristina Williams, being a Black woman attempting to break into major media outlets was a daunting task for the former student-athlete and journalist. Her breakthrough came when she carved out her own niche in the industry by betting on herself and launching Girls Talk Sports TV in 2018, a digital media platform that brings women from the sidelines to the front and center of sports conversation. Girls Talk Sports TV aims to present sports content that is unique, connecting, and engaging for fans (both women and men) directly from their favorite athletes.

“My mission is to give women a voice and visibility in the sports industry,” Williams tells Dime. “I am developing and delivering honest content told by women. A few years ago, when I wanted to get started, no one wanted to give me the opportunity. I saw a lack of representation in terms of women that look like me on the TV screen and on the sidelines. I found it hard to break into the sports broadcasting industry, even with having prior professional reporting experience and a degree in journalism. I was seeking opportunities from all the major media corporations and wasn’t hearing back from them. It was very discouraging.”

With Girls Talk Sports TV, Williams says she married her two passions: sports and journalism. The Hunter College graduate, double majoring in journalism and theater, started as a reporter in fashion and entertainment, appearing on networks like FashionOne, MTV, and WhereIsTheBuzz Media Group.

“During my time at FashionOne, I was a fashion and entertainment reporter,” Williams said. “I did one on one segments with the world’s top designers, covering New York Fashion Week’s red carpet. My background is so diverse and different. So it’s amusing when people think that I’ve just kind of created a platform and ended up here. You can’t box me in. I didn’t just end up here. I didn’t. I’m not a superfan that created a sports account, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But, that’s just not me. No, but I’m a journalist, and I’m a digital journalist and a public speaker on many things.”

That background in reporting has paid dividends in her move to the sports world. She’s covered the BIG3 and served as sideline reporter for the Dyckman Basketball summer league in 2018, but most notably has become a trusted newsbreaker for WNBA stories like Converse covering Natasha Cloud’s salary for 2020 season, the WNBA trademarking WUBBLE, Chiney Ogwumike executive producing a WUBBLE documentary, and Ogwumike getting an ESPN radio show.

Williams combines her reporting chops with relationships she’s been able to build within the WNBA to become a trusted voice both for fans and those in the league.

“Khristina has a unique ability to connect with players and bring out their personalities in interviews,” a WNBA league executive told Dime. “Also, she’s been able to break the news from players and provide a new perspective to WNBA coverage. Most importantly, she’s been very consistent in her coverage of the league, and oftentimes people who cover the WNBA do not stay involved with the league for more than a couple of seasons. A lot of the most comprehensive and in-depth WNBA coverage comes from independent outlets such as Girls Talk Sports TV, Next Hoops, Winsidr, Her Hoops Stats, and many others. This both creates a pipeline of great reporters and puts pressure on mainstream media to cover the league and expand their efforts. Women’s sports deserve way more coverage, and that’s inclusive of grassroots media, traditional media, and other forms. What grassroots media does is create more consistency in the coverage, which leads to more overall coverage. Many grassroots media have either expanded their own channels or gone on to mainstream platforms which both elevate WNBA coverage.”

Part of what separates Williams in the WNBA media space is that she is a Black woman, which means she has a natural connection with those in the league who have shared experience with her, and having that perspective is so important to bring to WNBA coverage.

“The WNBA is a league made up of approximately 80 percent Black women,” the executive says. “It’s critical that Black women are well represented in all aspects of the league, from coaches to front office executives to support staff as well as in the media. The entire sports media landscape needs more women and people of color and reporters who share backgrounds with the athletes they cover.”

Williams wholeheartedly agrees, and is proud of building a platform that allows her to amplify Black women and tell stories others don’t.

“I love sports, but it’s bigger than basketball for me,” Williams says. “And so, however, I can use my voice and my platform is what really matters most. Women’s sports only received four percent of all media coverage and roughly one percent of sponsorship dollars. The league is having such a hard time with marketing these players and I feel like partially it’s because of, you know, people being afraid to tell the athletes stories. I think that that can only happen when there’s diversity in a newsroom. You have news editors that accept only certain pitches. And it’s very important for people of color to tell stories of people of color, and there needs to be diversity in the newsroom, because then we’ll see a reflection of the athletes’ stories being told, and you know, just from the media perspective inside, that was super important for me, as someone who grew up playing a game coach in the game that I saw the representation of women that looked like me.”

Growing up, Williams was a creative kid, attending LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts — the high school in which Fame is based on — to study visual arts. While in middle and high school Williams spent four weeks each summer taking rigorous art programs from theater, visual arts, film, and studying various things. She credits her parents invested in her artistic interests, which she’s now been able to combine with her passion for sports through Girls Talk Sports TV. Her connection to basketball began by watching former WNBA and Tennessee Vols player Shannon Bobbitt on the court in the projects across from where Williams lived.

“My love for the game started there too,” she says. “Just seeing Bobbitt on different basketball courts in that housing project beating guys and be recruited by the legendary Pat Summit was special. She was successful in her career, coming from the hood and then making it to the WNBA.”

While in college, she started volunteering her weekends, growing the local community game, mentoring and coaching youth girls basketball at the Greenwich House Malakoff Girls Basketball League. She still coaches whenever her schedule allows it.

Williams’ advocacy for women in sports started at a young age, thanks to her participation in the Harlem Children’s Zone, a program created by Geoffrey Canada to help underserved families. Williams said about the program, “Every summer, we would have a summer program, and then they would do the peace march. The march really helped us as kids to recognize that we have a voice and that we have the right to protest things that are not right.”

She took that message to heart and applied it from an early age to push for equality in the world of sports. During her fifth grade year, she advocated for a girls basketball team after noticing the school only had a boy’s team, and the girls were only offered cheerleading. She knew that wasn’t right, so she hounded the coach so much that the school started a girl’s team in her sixth-grade year, and of course, she joined.

In 2020, advocacy for justice and equality from figures in sports became a dominant story, and Williams was uniquely positioned to speak on that through her platform. After sports went on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams launched “Kickin’ It with Khristina,” a digital interview series turned podcast that was conceptualized during quarantine and features candid conversations with top athletes about sports, justice, and life.

Past guests included Sheryl Swoopes, Natasha Cloud, Renee Montgomery, Sydney Colson, and more. All of that work paid off in a major way at the end of 2020, as she signed with CSE Talent and was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 Class of 2021 in the sports category.

“It’s such an honor to be listed on the Forbes under 30 Sports category,” Williams says. “It just confirms or validates everything that I’ve been doing up until this point, especially as someone like me, who’s a young African-American woman who’s independent, who’s created something, or works from the ground up and completely original. It means a lot to be recognized for this prestigious annual award. I feel like being listed will also inspire many people who are probably on the fence or want to take that first step in investing or betting on themselves. I can’t even believe it.  I’m just still shocked I was voted on that list. Thank you so much to all the judges, Mark Cuban, Billie Jean King, Emmanuel Acho, and Lyle Ayes. I am so honored that they saw my vision amongst thousands and thousands of people who could have been chosen to be listed in honor this year. That means a lot.”

Along with Williams, Arielle Chambers of Bleacher Report and the voice of HighlightHer was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 Class of 2021 in the sports category. Chambers worked with Williams at Girls Talk Sports TV and the two have watched each other rise in the media space, supporting each other along the way.

“Khristina and I met at Whole Foods in Harlem and shared our passions,” Chambers explains. “It was dope that she envisioned starting a platform featuring women who knew sports. I felt like it was great to contribute my W(NBA) passion and knowledge, so it was great seeing how women could come together and work toward a greater good. It’s amazing to see how it’s become a leader in W coverage.”

Chambers says that Girls Talk Sports TV has consistently shone a light on the W. It has shown that the WNBA can be covered year-round and emphasizes that these players and news surrounding them matter. It’s the consistency that matters to her.

For both Williams and Chambers, representation matters. To them, it was with much pride for both to see the Forbes 30 under 30 Class of 2020 comprised of 40 percent women and 49 percent people of color. “It goes to show you that we are the culture and we won’t be silenced, so give us our flowers while we are here,” Williams said.

“We belong in these spaces! We have broken down barriers, and we belong,” Chambers says. “When one of us wins, all of us win, and I’m so proud of our tribe. We’ve completely shattered the ceiling and made our own table, and now we can all eat. Players see themselves in us. We get things out of them because we, ourselves, are Black women too. We share unique experiences with the athletes, so there’s a distinct level of trust there.”

It’s a matter of sharing those experiences, and promoting them to the best of their ability, with hopes that coverage of women’s sports will continue to grow.

“Women’s sports receives less than four percent of all sports media coverage,” the WNBA executive adds. “So if we only highlight mainstream media and traditional outlets, WNBA reporters are less likely to be acknowledged. I thought it was great that Forbes honored Khristina and Ari Chambers and put them on the same platform as reporters covering men’s sports. This shows that covering the WNBA is not a stepping stone but rather a priority for great reporters like Khristina.”

Williams created her own path to success. She hopes that little Black girls and other Black women follow in her footsteps to achieve their dreams by betting on themselves and knowing that they belong and are important in the industry.

“You don’t need a million dollars, a blue check on social media to make a difference,” Williams said. “You can make a difference where you are.”

Or, as W.E.B. Debois so eloquently put it, “There is no force equal to a woman determined to rise.”

Mike Lindell, a.k.a., “the MyPillow guy,” is finding out that there are consequences for telling seditious lies. Not only has he been threatened with a lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems — and Lindell had best take heed of that threat, since Dominion has already sued wacky Trump lawyer Sidney Powell for a whopping $1.3 billion for pushing election-fraud lies — but Lindell’s bottom line is fixing to take a major hit after MyPillow’s been dumped by multiple retailers. This is all happening because Lindell persists in fueling false QAnon conspiracies about the 2020 election being “stolen” from Trump.

Not only has Lindell disseminated these falsehoods, but he also helped to incite the failed MAGA coup that left five people (including two police officers) dead. Here’s Lindell ranting on his private jet (Rex Chapman posted the video on Twitter, though it was originally uploaded to Parler) as he blatantly lied to the MAGA crowd while declaring, “Donald Trump’s gonna be your president for the next years.” He apparently filmed this clip following (and as a response to) January 6’s insurrection on Capitol Hill.

The fallout’s not going too well for the MyPillow guy. On Sunday night, he spoke with Right Side Broadcasting Network while sharing that his products have been pulled from shelves at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Lindell was outraged and declared that this was also happening with Kohl’s and other retailers. In doing so, Lindell railed against “fake people” who he says threatened boycotts and forced stores to make this move. He also lashed out against the Sleeping Giants watchdog (which Lindel called “the most evil people on the planet,” but you can read about their anti-Breitbart and anti-QAnon cause in a New York Times profile), which he accuses of “attack[ing] vendors” who are supported by the QAnon crowd.

Oh, and Lindell also revealed that he still talks to Sidney Powell multiple times per day.

Sleeping Giants, by the way, did help alert a lot of people to the “QANON” discount code for MyPillow that’s apparently in use for many retailers.

Naturally, people are giddy, and the jokes are rolling in as this last (disastrous) phase of the Trump presidency rolls to a close. Many are vowing to do more shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond and hoping for a special Dominion section.

In a little over a day, it will be inauguration time for Joe Biden.

In 2020, Drake spent a lot of time teasing his upcoming album, Certified Lover Boy. He even gave fans an approximate release window, revealing that the album is set to drop in January. Well, it’s January, and there are only a couple weeks left in the month, so it would seem the album will be arriving at some point soon. It would also seem that Charlie Puth, for some reason, knows exactly when that is.

In a now-deleted tweet that was posted on Monday (as HotNewHipHop notes), Puth wrote, “Drakes dropping on the 21st.” It’s not clear if Puth provided any production, songwriting, or performances to the album, nor has he been publicly linked to it in any way until this. So, it’s not clear why Puth would know the release date for Certified Lover Boy.

Puth has shared some thoughts about Drake over the past year, though. Back in March, he speculated on Twitter, “If Drake put out a record that had the same tempo as Vogue by Madonna, and maybe even sounded a little bit like it, it would be the biggest thing ever.” He also seemed to agree with Drake’s list of the best rappers and he’s a fan of the Justin Bieber-starring “Popstar” video. He and Kehlani also covered “Hotline Bling” in 2015.

Drake producer Cardo previously indicated the album would be released on January 29, so time will tell if Puth or Cardo is correct, or if neither of them are.

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

Many prominent Republicans politicians, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, praised Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday’s holiday celebrating his birth, despite their tireless support of a president who used “race to pit Americans against each other.” That’s according to CNN’s Don Lemon, who unloaded on the GOP on Monday night for “empty tweets” like this one…

“The Biden-Harris administration was elected to represent all Americans with more than 81 million people voting for them. But it was voters of color who put them over the finish line, even as the current president until Wednesday at noon, anyway, deliberately tried to divide us,” Lemon said.

Lemon then noted that the Trump administration tried to disenfranchise “millions of Americans, many of them voters of color” with his fraudulent claims of election fraud. Lemon then went through a roll call of the bad tweets:

“Those Republicans like Mike Pence, putting out 50 tweets quoting Dr. King’s words, can you believe it? Like Mitch McConnell, who supported the president whose actions go against everything Dr. King stood for. Like Lindsey Graham, who allegedly called Georgia election officials to get them to throw out legal votes, including large numbers from Black voters. Ted Cruz, who even after the riot on Capitol Hill, still voted against certifying the electoral college vote. Ivanka Trump, who called the rioters American patriots, and then deleted the tweet. One Republican after another, apparently hoping that you’ll forget their support for a president who used race to pit Americans against each other.”

Lemon also shared a quote from Dr. King about “white people who just didn’t get it,” who “stood in the way” of making progress. “I quote here: ‘Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Luke warm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.’ You might want to read it. You might want to stop and pay special attention to this part,” he said. “Another quote. ‘The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists will we be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love, for the preservation of justice or the extension of justice?’” Lemon concluded, “We know what kind of extremist Dr. King was. And what kind of extremist Donald Trump is. Donald Trump created an environment where white supremacists and conspiracy theorists overran the Capitol of the United States of America. He used race to divide us from the very beginning.”

Black-ish star Anthony Anderson appeared on this week’s episode of Conan Needs a Friend to talk about his sitcom, his relationship with his mother, and the ABC game show that’s hosted by Anderson and his mother, “To Tell the Truth.” Conan O’Brien, however, wanted to talk about Michael Jordan, with whom Anthony Anderson has a close friendship.

“He’s very competitive,” Anderson told O’Brien. “He talks a lot of sh*t, and he’s a fun dude to hang around with. But every little thing with MJ can be a competitive thing.” For example, Anderson spoke about playing golf with Michael Jordan, who is a better player than he is. One game, however, Jordan gave Anderson 10 extra golf strokes on a bet, and Anderson had a particularly great game — I was “on fire” — and was able to beat Jordan with the handicap. “He threw the money he owed me at me, and said, ‘You’re never getting strokes again.’”

That, however, is nothing compared to the first time Anderson and Jordan met. Jordan and Anderson were in the Bahamas for an opening of some sort, and Anderson traveled with his own dominoes. He had no idea that Jordan would be there, so he brought a set of dominoes with Jordan’s Jumpman logo on the case, which led to a conversation between the two (MJ wanted to know where Anderson got the case). Anderson eventually challenged Jordan to a game, telling MJ that he considered himself to be “the Michael Jordan of dominoes.”

“He turned to my wife,” Anderson continued, “and he said, ‘Sweetheart, I suggest you go to the bank and take out as much money as you can because after I whip his ass, he will not be able to provide for you and your children.”

Anderson was shocked. “I just wanted a friendly game of bones with my basketball hero!”

The next day, Anderson and Jordan played, and Anderson brought his camera along to document the game (Ahmad Rashad was there playing, as well). Anderson declined, at first, to talk trash to Jordan because he just wanted to enjoy a friendly game. However, “MJ is talking cash sh*t. He’s talking about my momma. He’s talking about cash trash, and I just had to sit there and take it.”

At one point, however, Anderson gained an advantage in the game, and fed up with all the trash talk, he turned to Jordan and said, “This is going to be the hardest 25 points you’ve ever had to score in your life. Let’s go.” Anderson put aside the fact that he was playing his basketball hero and stepped up his game.

“Conan,” Anderson says. “I commenced to whip his ass in dominoes. He doesn’t score another point. I am talking so much trash that, before I domino, I say, ‘Oh my God, I wish me and my wife could go upstairs and make another baby right now because we would name him or her MJ just so we could relive this moment right now, and when my baby got older, she would say, ‘Daddy, why did you name me MJ’ and that’s when I’d relive the moment when I just whipped your ass. DOMINO, MOTHERF***KER.”

After the game, Anderson and Jordan had to spend the next three days on the island together, and Jordan was so sore about losing to Anderson in a game of dominoes that “he refused to talk to me. Whenever we were taking a group photo, he’d ask… no, he didn’t ask. He told me to get out of the picture.”

“And that’s how our friendship started,” Anderson said.

After doing more than 100 of these podcasts, Conan confesses to Anderson that his Jordan story is “one of my favorite things to ever happen” on his show. It’s definitely worth listening to, and it starts around the 42-minute mark in this week’s Conan Needs a Friend.

On Dave Grohl’s birthday last week, Foo Fighters marked the occasion by releasing a new single, “Waiting On A War.” On the track, Grohl wonders if there’s more to life than the threat of turmoil. Now the band has shared a video for the track, and it touches on similar themes.

The video shows what seems to be a bunch of children in a sparse, seemingly war-torn urban landscape, dark and desolate. After they reminisce about better days and lament the state of the world, as the song picks it, they appear to be filled with hope.

When the band initially released the song, Grohl shared a statement about it, writing, “Last fall, as I was driving my 11 year old daughter to school, she turned to me and asked, ‘Daddy, is there going to be a war?’ My heart sank in my chest as I looked into her innocent eyes, because I realized that she was now living under that same dark cloud of a hopeless future that I had felt 40 years ago. I wrote ‘Waiting On a War’ that day. […] This song was written for my daughter, Harper, who deserves a future, just as every child does.”

Watch the “Waiting On A War” video above.

Showtime’s announcement (back in October) of the Dexter revival wasn’t shocking in and of itself. What was surprising, however, is that it took this long for a revisiting of everyone’s favorite moonlighting serial killer to get an official greenlight. A few months later, we know that Dexter will once again be an East coast guy and that he’ll be accompanied by an almost entirely new cast. The question of the timing still floated around out there, but star Michael C. Hall has now remarked upon why the time is right for the series to right the biggest wrong of all: that much maligned lumberjack ending.

As Hall told Entertainment Tonight, there were at least three near misses (“legitimate ideas or concepts of what we might do”) from those who hoped to dig back into those blood slides. The newest attempt felt both timely (that’s where the emphasis is for Hall’s reasoning) and appropriate, and here’s why things came together for a 2021 release:

“This one, a lot of it has to do with time passed. This is going to happen in real time, as if as much time has passed since the finale happened. And yeah, we kind of just got the creative band back together again… And Marcos Siega, who is one of the directors. He’s like, ‘We’re gonna shoot it like a long, 10-hour movie. It was a combination of the scripts and the timing. I always thought maybe the time will reveal itself when it’s the right time to do it and it did. And I’m excited.”

Hall added that he’d already visited the sets, and “it’s really happening.” Those sets, by the way, are situated in Massachusetts, which will be pinch-hitting for upstate New York. No more Miami, in other words, which must be a big reason why we’re not seeing returning names from the O.G. cast. Yet showrunner Clyde Phillips is returning after helming four seasons of the series, and hopefully, we’ll at least hear something about Jennifer Carpenter making a ghostly dark passenger appearance. That’s gotta happen, right? I’m also holding out for the whole “time has passed” reference by Hall to turn into Dexter’s son, Harrison, tracking dad down and teaching him a lesson. That’s a long overdue “reunion,” no doubt.

(Via ET Online)