Al Roker‘s colleagues are absolutely loving that the beloved anchorman scored a fist bump from Joe Biden on the parade route to the presidential inauguration. In a video shared by The TODAY Show, you can see Biden surprising his wife Dr. Jill Biden and everyone walking alongside him as he spots Roker in the crowd and immediately breaks away to deliver a fist bump to his old pal. You can actually hear Biden say in the clip, “We gotta keep doing this,” and the viral moment has been blowing up on social media.
Besides the fact that not everyone gets chance to share a fist bump with the President of the United States, what makes this moment particularly special is that Roker pulled off a similar feat during Barack Obama’s second inauguration (a thumbs-up from Obama and a handshake from Biden) in 2013. Here’s Roker explaining the history behind his epic fist bump skills below:
Knowing how much the moment means to Roker, who’s been battling prostate cancer since November, his colleagues in the media heaped praise on the beloved TV personality for pulling this off again. Plus, it’s just damn cool.
Granted, Biden and Roker have an ongoing bromance that would make Leslie Knope jealous, the newsman reportedly had a trick up his sleeve in case he was having trouble luring Biden over once again. That trick? Snacks. And not just any snacks, but snacks from Wawa, an eastern PA staple that should be tempting to a scrappy Scranton native like Biden.
Wannabe dictator Donald Trump has officially vacated the White House and among the varied reactions, one of his most outspoken critics volunteered to help out. “I’m just here to help,” Rihanna tweeted, offering a photo from an old fashion shoot that saw her carrying black plastic garbage bags in couture. “#wediditJoe.”
When it came to Trump’s divisive policies and rhetoric, Rihanna was never one to mince words. She called him out over his (now deleted, along with the rest of his account) tweets about a mass shooting in El Paso in 2019 after putting him through the wringer over his immigration policy earlier that year. She also trolled him post-election as he waffled between wanting polls to “stop the count” and/or “count every vote” in his efforts to manipulate the outcome of the election in his favor. Of course, those efforts were unfruitful and he was replaced by Joe Biden, even after inciting a disorganized, disastrous insurrection at the Capitol building on January 6.
The outspoken star was just one of many who reacted to the Biden-Harris inauguration by trolling Trump. As he slunk off in a helicopter to hopefully hide out for the rest of his days at Mar-A-Lago, Macklemore bid good riddance with his “Trump’s Over Freestyle,” while Becky G, Lady Gaga, Moby, Wale, and more celebrated the end of his terrible tenure in the Oval Office.
Celebrating America (NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, and MSNBC, Amazon Prime Video, Twitch, and NewsNOW from Fox, 8:30pm) — Tom Hanks celebrates a fresh chapter in U.S. History following the daytime inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th U.S. president. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will make remarks, and they’ll be joined by musical guests including Jon Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, and Ant Clemons.
C.B. Strike (HBO, 10:00pm) — This limited series is adapted from the novels of Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) and follows a London-based private detective who investigates the most complex cases with the help of his military training. In the debut episode, Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott find themselves at odds while finding themselves confronted by a frightening new case.
Daughter from Another Mother (Netflix series) — Two women discover that their babies were inadvertently switched at birth, so they do what they have to do: develop a plan to unite as a single, very strange family.
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — Jon Lovett, Jon Favreau, Tommy Vietor, Peter CottonTale, Chance The Rapper, Cynthia Erivo, and Chicago Children’s Choir
Jimmy Kimmel Live! — John Oliver
The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Martin Scorsese, Fran Lebowitz, Hunter Schafer, Playboi Carti
The Late Late Show With James Corden — Dakota Johnson, musical performance by AJR
In case you missed these picks from last Wednesday:
Everyone Is Doing Great (Hulu/Endeavor Series) — A little lightness will come in handy right about now, so this series from One Tree Hill alums James Lafferty and Stephen Colletti could hit the spot. Lafferty and Colletti star as former TV A-listers, who happened to play vampires on an enormously popular series called Eternals. Five years later, things are pretty damn awkward in their careers and lives, so it’s time for a late coming-of-age spin. The show found popularity with two episodes on the 2018 festival circuit, so the duo crowdfunded the rest of the season.
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (Netflix limited series) — This spellbinding docuseries dives deep into the investigation of brutal serial killer Richard Ramirez, who terrorized Los Angeles in the mid 1980s. Law enforcement found themselves puzzled by Ramirez’s apparent lack of rhyme or reason, given that his series of murders and sexual assaults at first appeared to be disconnected. After round-the-clock work by the members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, breaks in the case eventually arrived, and this series seeks to paint a portrait of how citizens feared becoming the next victim in this real-life horror story.
When Donald Trump pardoned Lil Wayne and Kodak Black on his final day in office, some believed it was the result of a deal between the two wherein Wayne exchanged his endorsement for a pardon on the pending gun charges against him. Today, in an interview with the New York Times, Wayne’s lawyer Bradford Cohen explained how the meeting between the rapper and the hotel mogul took place, denying that Wayne endorsed Trump in exchange for a pardon. Instead, he credits a connection between the two for the move.
Just had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump@potus besides what he’s done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the community real ownership. He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done. pic.twitter.com/Q9c5k1yMWf
“I think they had a very strong connection,” Cohen said. “He’s in the entertainment world. He’s got a style that’s similar in terms of the way that he carries himself, and a lot of rappers and people in the industry relate to that.” In this respect, his sentiments echo those of Barack Obama, who also posited that some rappers gravitated to Trump because of his personality and the trappings of wealth and fame he uses to surround himself.
Wayne was one of those rappers who drew criticism in the waning days of the Trump reelection campaign for endorsing him despite his controversial policies and rhetoric. Ice Cube, Lil Pump, and others were censured by their fans for praising Trump’s so-called “Platinum Plan,” which many believed was a pandering attempt to court the Black vote.
To call The Naked Gun movies “stupid” is not an insult. From the Files of Police Squad!, The Smell of Fear, and The Final Insult are funny, because they’re stupid. It’s a compliment. The scene where Jane Spencer tells Frank Drebin that she practices safe sex and he replies “so do I” before they both put on full-body condoms? To me, you are perfect. It’s hard to imagine a Naked Gun movie without quintessential straight man Leslie Nielsen, who died in 2010, but according to Liam Neeson, he’s been “approached” for a reboot. And because everyone loved the first time they worked together, the person doing the approaching was Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Neeson said that he’s probably done making action movies after this year. “I’m 68 and a half, 69 this year. There’s a couple more I’m going to do this year — hopefully, COVID allowing us — there’s a couple in the pipeline and then I think that will probably be it,” he revealed. “Well, unless I’m on a Zimmer frame or something.” He’s not done with acting, however. “I’ve been approached by Seth McFarlane and Paramount Studios to maybe resurrect the Naked Gun films,” he said, adding, “It’ll either finish my career or bring it in another direction. I honestly don’t know.”
No one tell O.J. about this. There’s nothing to see here, Nordberg.
Melania Trump had already signaled her readiness to leave the White House long before her husband finally (sort-of) conceded the election to Joe Biden. During one of her final FLOTUS acts, she made her delayed response to the failed MAGA coup of the U.S. Capitol all about herself, and she must be thrilled to never have to hang Christmas decorations again. So, it wasn’t too surprising to see her flash a rare public smile while literally leaving the building on Biden’s Inauguration Day. She wore all black, as if she was attending a funeral, but she did look happier than usual.
Then Donald and Melania took their last trip on Air Force One while heading to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida. Oh boy, she made quite the outfit change.
Former President Trump and former first lady Melania Trump exit Air Force One for final time as they arrive in South Florida.
The New York Post took note of the blazingly bright dress with a whole lot of orange going on. The garment hails from Gucci and costs $3700, but it’s an attention grabber. It really feels like she might be trolling with this selection. One Twitter user joked that this is “the traditional Slovenian divorce dress,” and Melania has come full circle from what could be an acceptable funeral outfit to a straight-up vacation dress. She’s clocking out!
She’s wearing the traditional Slovenian divorce dress.
Even more tellingly, though, Melania didn’t even pause after exiting the airplane to pose for photos with her husband. She sauntered away, like she gave no f*cks, and she was totally done giving any f*cks at all.
Melania has run out of F**ks to give. She no longer has to even pretend to like him pic.twitter.com/APFVN7oyS2
With COVID lockdowns becoming our new reality for the past year or so, it was probably inevitable that they’d eventually become our movie reality too. Which means that Doug Liman’s new film for HBO Max, Locked Down, set in a contemporary locked-down London, is probably just the first of its kind. Torn from our living rooms!
Sure, you’ve been trapped inside small drab rooms yammering into Zoom windows for the past year, but what if Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor were the ones trapped inside the small drab rooms, and the Zoom windows contained a rotating cast of celebrities, like Ben Stiller and Ben Kingsley and Mindy Kaling and Stephen Merchant? Wouldn’t that be worth watching?
Sadly, not really. Locked Down is a “heist movie” with no heist. In the place of things happening, it has people talking about things happening. Rather than feeling cathartic, it’s merely banal, yet another unwelcome reminder of our own isolation. Please can we just get two hours of good-looking, well-dressed people with fresh haircuts hanging out together in a crowded bar? That would be a welcome kind of escapism.
Anyway, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Anne Hathaway play Paxton and Linda, a partnered but unmarried couple of 10 years, who had made the decision to uncouple just before the lockdown order came down and now, unhappily cohabitating, are stuck in a row house driving each other a bit nuts.
Ejiofor’s character is, separately and simultaneously: a neurotic, a biker, an ex-con, a poet, a former heroin addict, sober for 10 years, and works as a delivery driver. Hathaway’s character, meanwhile, is: someone who used to date a heroin-loving biker, an ex-pagan, slightly bisexual, and the well-to-do, extremely put together current UK CEO of some kind of fashion company. If, on paper, it seems like all those quirks don’t really add up to coherent characters let alone explain compatibility, well, it’s also true in practice.
We discover all of these things gradually, through various arguments between the two and their separate Zoom calls with acquaintances and employers, as varied as Paxton’s boss at the delivery company, played by Ben Kingsley, and Anne Hathaway’s boss at her retail company, played by Ben Stiller. It seems as if writer Steven Knight (Allied, Eastern Promises) imagined the heist, and then worked backwards from there, building the kind of characters one might need to pull it off. Trouble is, Locked Down is a two-hour movie in which the “heist” doesn’t happen until about an hour 40, and so we spend most of the run time “exploring” these characters, who don’t seem like they were initially intended to be explored. They seem more like utilitarian combinations of quirks now shorn of their utility, like box trucks forced to race the Indy 500.
Mostly they spend the movie describing past action in expository dialogue. Hey, remember that thing that happened? Of course I do! But surely you must remember that other thing that also happened…
Hearing characters describe a story, naturally, isn’t nearly as compelling as seeing that story, and it creates in the present characters who don’t make much sense — Ejiofor the affable, ex-con neurotic biker poet, Anne Hathaway playing her character as a standard manic rom-com white professional lady, frequently exasperated with little provocation. It’s hard to enjoy them in the present with them constantly describing a past that doesn’t seem to connect.
Director Doug Liman, so brilliant at shooting people doing in movies like Edge of Tomorrow, American Made, Go, etc, seems to have painted himself into a very talky corner in Locked Down, and apparently put in a lot of work to do so. He was so convinced that people would be desperate to watch a movie about a pandemic lockdown that he brainstormed a movie in July, flew all the way to London on a prop plane to shoot Locked Down in September, and spent the next few months editing in time for release this week in January. It’s often said that art thrives on limitations, but Locked Down wears its rushed schedule and logistical difficulties on its sleeve. That so many characters are never in the same room feels more like a practical consideration than a narrative one. Which makes Locked Down understandable, just not… well… watchable.
That Doug Liman and Anne Hathaway and Stephen Merchant and the gang got to keep doing what they do during this whole thing is genuinely inspiring, but more in an abstract way than a must-see TV way. Locked Down is probably best appreciated as a sort of WPA make-work project for the crew and actors rather than something to watch. Hopefully, it’s remembered as an anomaly and not a harbinger of a new normal.
‘Locked Down’ is now available on HBO Max. Vince Mancini is on Twitter. You can access his archive of reviews here.
Ever since the pandemic began, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been on the forefront of using his star power and social media presence to encourage public safety measures. Whether it’s chomping on a cigar in his hot tub as he intimidates “unwise” spring breakers into going home, or melting hearts with his donkey and miniature pony, the Governator hasn’t been messing around when it comes to encouraging Americans to do the right thing during a public health crisis. And it’s exactly that kind of attitude that Schwarzenegger brought to his latest PSA where he implores eligible citizens to get the COVID vaccine as soon as they can. It also didn’t hurt that he dropped the perfect Terminator quote in the process.
“Today was a good day,” Schwarzenegger tweeted. “I have never been happier to wait in a line. If you’re eligible, join me and sign up to get your vaccine. Come with me if you want to live!”
Along with his Terminator-themed message, Schwarzenegger included video proof that he stopped by a drive-thru vaccination center to get his COVID-19 shot. You can watch it below:
Today was a good day. I have never been happier to wait in a line. If you’re eligible, join me and sign up to get your vaccine. Come with me if you want to live! pic.twitter.com/xJi86qQNcm
While this latest PSA is definitely a necessary message (getting COVID vaccines into the arms of Americans becomes a crucial mission for the incoming Biden administration), nothing can compare to the 10-minute message where he rebuked Donald Trump for inciting the attack on the Capitol building. Not only does the video include Arnold revealing deeply personal details about growing up with an abusive father who served in the Nazi regime, but he busted out his Conan sword to make a rousing point about the strength of democracy. You just don’t mess with that.
You might recognize Alex Bleeker from his work as the bassist in classic indie outfit Real Estate. Bleeker’s latest solo effort, Heaven On The Faultline, will sound familiar to longtime Real Estate fans, soaked in reverb with a dreamy feel that makes it perfect for moments of relaxation. The album’s lyrics stay true to its sonic palette, taking pleasure in the simple joys in a world where existential anxieties loom large.
To celebrate the forthcoming effort, Bleeker sat down to talk about his time in Real Estate, love for Dionne Warwick, and Independence Day, in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Honest, Heady, Pretty Good!
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
Well, In 2050, assuming that I don’t die an untimely death, I will be 64 years old. That’s still below retirement age so hopefully I won’t need to be remembered at all! No matter where I find myself in my life, or what predicament humanity may or may not find itself in, I hope that I’ll be continuing to write, record, and release my music into the world by way of some unimaginable futuristic platform. Maybe we’ll still be pressing records on vinyl in 30 years too.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
From where I sit at this moment, deep into the COVID-19 pandemic, EVERY CITY is my favorite in the world to perform in. I miss live music so much and I hope that it will be a part of all of our lives again very soon. That said, I hold special places in my heart for Lisbon, Portugal and for Vancouver, Canada.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
It is impossible to name just one person. In general, my friends who make music inspire me the most. I can say that when I was making Heaven on The Faultline, I was thinking a lot about a band called Lives Of Angels and a band called Wet Tuna. I was also listening to Dr. Alimantado’s dub records a lot. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith has the most disciplined and dedicated music making practice of anyone I’ve known personally, and her output is continuously inspiring to me.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
Many years ago Real Estate played a small and intimate festival on the Southern tip of Italy. It was high summer, and we took a long, hot, difficult drive in a van without air conditioning to get to the small town that we were playing in. It was one of those really hard days on tour that just felt like a nightmare. When we finally got to our destination, we were treated to a wonderful home cooked meal. I don’t even remember what we ate exactly, but I remember that I could taste the love and care in every dish!
What album do you know every word to?
The Grateful Dead – American Beauty, Green Day – Dookie, among many others.
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
Again, it would be impossible for me to choose just one. Seeing the Congos perform in a basement in Manhattan was definitely a surreal live music highlight. I also remember Black Dice show at Market Hotel circa 2010 that positively blew my mind. 2 concerts that made an extraordinarily lasting impression on me both happened at Madison Square Garden. One was Phish’s first show back from their 1.0 hiatus, 12/31/2002, and another was my first concert ever, Billy Joel, not sure the year…
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
Whatever makes me feel like I’m comfortable and looking good, baby!
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
I hate social media and regret that I ever became addicted to Instagram, but here we are. I’m still on Instagram every day and I’m trying to break the habit … so lately I’ve been enjoying following Japanese illustrator Hiroshi Nagai.
What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?
Dionne Warwick’s “You’re Gonna Need Me” has gotten a considerable amount of play time in our van over the years.
What’s the last thing you Googled?
I was looking up a bunch of hiking trails near my house.
What album makes for the perfect gift?
Why, my forthcoming record, Heaven on the Faultline, of course! Pre-order today!!
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
In 2008 I was playing a solo gig at a warehouse venue in Detroit called Scrummage University. We crashed there that night. After the show a big party continued to rage on. When I could party no longer, I told one of the people that lived there that I was ready to go to sleep. Without skipping a beat, he proceeded to inflate a full sized bouncy castle in the middle of the room (it was a giant warehouse), and told me I could sleep on it. Eventually I fell asleep there while others stayed up and partied around me, unphased.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
I don’t have any yet! DM me if you have an idea for a cool one.
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
Aretha Franklin, every time. Also, I’m never going to turn off “One Of These Nights” by the Eagles. I’d be pretty surprised if I ever heard Throbbing Gristle on the radio so probably wouldn’t change the channel if that ever happened.
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
Tough Question! Sappy Answer: In general, my wife, being such an incredible partner and companion. Also, my parents acted selflessly to give me a really strong upbringing.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Do your best to stay relaxed in as many situations as possible. It always helps.
What’s the last show you went to?
It must have been a little promo show that Martin (Real Estate) and I played in mid March 2020, right before the whole world changed.
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
Independence Day, every time. The best.
What would you cook if Obama were coming to your house for dinner?
Which Obama? The whole family? I’d probably make my most reliably impressive dish… miso black cod.
Heaven On The Faultline is out March 5. Pre-order here.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in as the 46th President and Vice President of the United States on Wednesday afternoon in an inauguration ceremony that was unlike any other we’ve seen due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and threats of violence from right-wing groups. Things happily went off without a hitch on Wednesday in D.C. and one of the main people that stole the show was Nikolas Ajagu, the husband of Kamala Harris’ niece, Meena, who went viral when sneakerheads on Twitter noticed someone going down the steps behind the podium in a pair of the Dior Jordan 1 highs.
Meena Harris confirmed he was indeed rocking the Diors, a bit to her dismay, and couldn’t believe her husband’s sneakers were trending on the day of her aunt’s inauguration as vice president.
Ajagu wasn’t the only one stepping out in Jordans for the inauguration, as Biden’s granddaughter, Maisy, was out there in a pair of the “Sisterhood” Jordan 1 mids.
It was a great day for all of us in the “nice sneakers are dress shoes” crowd, who can now point to Ajagu and Maisy as pillars of excellence in wearing Jordans to as formal an event as there is, the presidential inauguration. If they can make that happen, you too can wear your finest sneakers to the next wedding or formal event, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
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