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Even among Fantastic Four movies, the 2015 version is considered the Bad One. That’s saying something, too, because they’re all bad: 1994’s The Fantastic Four was never officially released, although bootlegs are available online for Roger Corman completists; 2005’s Fantastic Four was no Spider-Man 2, released one year prior; and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer couldn’t even win a Teen Choice Award (#JusticeForChiklis). Then there’s 2015’s Fantastic Four, the one with Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, and the wildly miscast Jamie Bell. The Josh Trank-directed film was called “the biggest superhero disaster since Catwoman,” with a 9 percent “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and won three Razzies, including Worst Picture (it tied with Fifty Shades of Grey). As the great Jay Sherman once said, it stinks!

But don’t take my word for it. Let’s hear from the guy who wrote the thing (and the Thing).

During Tuesday night’s “sh*tshow” of a presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, Jeremy Slater, who co-wrote the Fantastic Four screenplay with Trank and Simon Kinberg, tweeted, “That was the worst thing I’ve ever seen, and I wrote FANTASTIC FOUR.” Solid joke. Oh, and in case you’re wondering where his politics lay:

Other writers of terrible movies got in on the fun, too, including Alec Berg (The Cat in the Hat), who wrote, “It was the worst thing I’ve ever seen and I wrote The Cat in the Hat movie,” and John Rogers (Catwoman), who added, “Welcome to the club, mate.”

Mark Hamill and many others added their contribution to the “bad pop culture” canon.

Unlike our elected politicians, bad movies are bringing people together.

We’ve all been through a lot over the past four years, and especially throughout 2020. Yet hardly anyone can deny that the first Trump-Biden presidential debate was even more disastrous than anyone could imagine before it happened. “Moderator” Chris Wallace got slammed across the board for barely stepping in as the two candidates crosstalked into oblivion. Trump refused to let his opponent speak, Biden told him to shut up, and absolutely nothing was accomplished over the course of 90 minutes. After the figurative curtains closed, America’s news anchors were quite frankly shocked.

No one can blame them. There’s never been a U.S. presidential debate like this one, and over on CNN, the post-debate rehash began. Jake Tapper (who’s normally calm, cool, and collected) sat slack-jawed for multiple seconds at one point. When he described what he’d witnessed, he put things in super-blunt terms: “That was a hot mess… a dumpster fire inside a train wreck… the American people lost. That was horrific.” His colleague, Dana Bash, could only utter, “That was a shitshow.” She added a caveat: “We’re on cable so I can say this.” Soon, Billy Madison jokes about Tapper emerged, along with CNN’s Brianna Keilar only tweeting her co-workers’ words:

Over on ABC, George Stephanopoulos (who’s a former Bill Clinton de facto press secretary and advisor, so he’s seen some sh*t) summed up the evening without shying away from issuing his professional opinion. “I have to speak personally here as someone who’s watched presidential debates for 40 years, as somebody who’s moderated presidential debates, as somebody who’s prepared candidates for presidential debates, as someone who’s covered presidential debates,” he declared. “That was the worst presidential debate I’ve ever seen in my life.”

His colleague, Jon Carl, agreed while speaking to “a mess of interruptions, petty insults.” Carl explained that he “was in touch with some people on the floor who told me they were stunned by what they were seeing transpire on that stage.”

Over on Fox News, though, Sean Hannity (who has pointedly stated that he’s not a journalist but a TV host), declared that his candidate of choice performed like “a gladiator warrior fighter” who has entered battle and done “everything that he says he’s going to do, including battling covid.” No surprise there, but counterpoint? Fox News’ Chris Wallace, who didn’t do much despite being on the scene.

We need some humor, yes? Let’s let The Daily Show take it away from here.

Kanye West has drawn some ire (to put it lightly) in the music community and beyond for his political views and support of Donald Trump. Now, one of his closest associates, Kid Cudi, wants there to be no mistake about where he stands.

In a new Esquire interview, Cudi addresses Kanye’s Trump support, saying flat-out that he does not share that view with Kanye:

“I thought some people would be foolish about it and be like, ‘Oh, he must’ve talked to Kanye,’ or, ‘Kanye must’ve got to him,’ or some sh*t like that. I think he knows where I stand, and I think he doesn’t bring it up to me. We just don’t talk about it. I totally disagree with it; I think he knows that. And if he doesn’t know, he knows now. That’s my brother. I’ll go on record: That’s my brother. I love him. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to agree with everything he f*cking says and he f*cking does, you know?”

Meanwhile, Cudi is in the main cast of the recently premiered HBO drama We Are Who We Are (for which Dev Hynes provided the score). He also has a full collaborative album with Travis Scott on the way.

Read the full feature here.

Last year, we shared the sad impact that plastic pollution has had on some of our planet’s most beautiful places. With recycling not turning out to be the savior it was made out to be, solutions to our growing plastic problem can seem distant and complex.

We have seen some glimmers of hope from both human innovation and nature itself, however. In 2016, a bacteria that evolved with the ability to break down plastic was discovered in a Japanese waste site. Two years later, scientists managed to engineer the mutant plastic-eating enzyme they called PETase—named for polyethylene terephthalate, the most common plastic found in bottles and food packaging—in a lab.

Here’s an explainer of how those enzymes work:

Ending Plastic Pollution with Designer Bacteria

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Now researchers have revealed another game-changer in the plastic-eater—a super-enzyme that can break down plastic six times faster than PETase alone.

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The super-enzyme is a bit of a frankenzyme, created by linking different enzymes together. “When we linked the enzymes, rather unexpectedly, we got a dramatic increase in activity,” Prof John McGeehan, at the University of Portsmouth, UK, told The Guardian. “This is a trajectory towards trying to make faster enzymes that are more industrially relevant. But it’s also one of those stories about learning from nature, and then bringing it into the lab.”

This new research has been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Combining enzymes could be the key to making various kinds of plastics and combined materials fully recyclable. “There’s huge potential,” said McGeehan. “We’ve got several hundred in the lab that we’re currently sticking together.”

For example, combining the plastic-eating enzymes with existing enzymes that break down natural fibers could allow fabrics made of mixed materials to be recycled, McGeehan told The Guardian. “Mixed fabrics [of polyester and cotton] are really tricky to recycle. We’ve been speaking to some of the big fashion companies that produce these textiles, because they’re really struggling at the moment.”

This newest research isn’t the first to improve upon the plastic-eating bacteria discovery. In April, a French chemistry company called Carbios shared their own mutant enzyme that can degrade 90% of plastic bottles within 10 hours. However, that enzyme, which originally discovered in a pile of composting leaves, requires heating above 70 degrees Celsius (nearly 160 degrees Fahrenheit), whereas this new super-enzyme works at room temperature.

Not that it’s a cutthroat competition. We are talking about helping out the entire planet and saving life as we know it, after all. McGeehan suggested that the researchers work together with the private sector to get the enzymes working out in the real world. “If we can make better, faster enzymes by linking them together and provide them to companies like Carbios, and work in partnership, we could start doing this within the next year or two,” McGeehan told The Guardian.

McGeehan did emphasize to CNN that the super-enzyme is “still way too slow” to be commercially viable at this point, but it is a huge step in the process. “We were actually quite surprised it worked so well,” he told CNN.

Here’s to science coming up with solutions to the problems human scientific advances have created, and here’s to learning to live in better balance with nature in the process.

Roddy Ricch closed out 2019 with his stellar debut album, Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial, and the momentum from that project carried on into 2020 as both the album and its top single, “The Box,” spent a large amount of time atop their respective charts. Soon, Roddy would land another No. 1 thanks to his feature on DaBaby’s “Rockstar,” another song that would spend quite some time atop of the charts. Continuing his hot streak, the Compton native takes a stab at Internet Money’s growing hit song, “Lemonade,” with a new remix.

Preceded by Don Toliver, the Houston native made sure to switch things up on his own end by laying down a whole new verse for the remix before stepping aside to let Roddy shine. With Nav and Gunna’s verses out of the way, Roddy Ricch comes through and paints a new picture on the song, one that provides a bit more grit than the super slimy verse that Gunna laid on the original track. With the song currently sitting at No. 13 on the Billboard singles chart, the new remix could provide just the boost it needs to crack the top 10.

The new remix arrives after Roddy received 11 nominations at the upcoming BET Hip-Hop Awards in categories including Hip-Hop Artist Of The Year, Best Hip-Hop Video, Song Of The Year, and Hip-Hop Album Of The Year.

Press play on the “Lemonade” remix with Roddy Ricch above.

B4 The Storm is out now via 10K Projects. Get it here.

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

There’s a certain subset of whisk(e)y fans who put a lot of emphasis on how long a spirit has aged. That’s obvious, based on the prices of long-matured bourbons, Scotches, and Japanese whiskies. But just because a 12, 15, or 18-year-old whiskey is (often but not always) worth the price, doesn’t mean you should completely discount younger expressions. Especially in this current wave of the whiskey boom.

A little context: When we call a bottle a “young whiskey,” we mean a whiskey aged for less than 4-5 years. For a fair number of distillers, this number represents the least amount of time they’ll rest their expressions — unless they’re making white lightning. But there’s an increasing number of outfits creating really well-rounded whiskeys these days without a ton of time spent in the barrel.

Zach Wilks, bartender at Anthony’s Chophouse in Carmel, Indiana, makes a good case for young whiskeys. “I think the ‘young whiskey’ trend really makes a distiller look at their mash bill, opt for higher quality grains, and also it makes a producer think more about getting the most out of the time that whiskey sits in a barrel,” he says. “It’s also given small local distilleries their time to shine.”

To find the best young whiskeys, we decided to ask the professionals. So we reached out to a few of our favorite bartenders and asked them to pick the young whiskeys that more drinkers should know about.

Sagamore Spirit Calvados Finish

India Stevens, bar supervisor at Cinder House in St. Louis

I recommend Sagamore Spirit Calvados Finish. It’s a mix of 4-5-year-old ryes, aged for a year in Calvados barrels. The result is a spicy rye that finishes mellow and sweet. Think apple pie. Try it for dessert.

Aged: 4-5 years

Breckenridge Bourbon

Jackie Keogh, bartender at The Lobby Bar at Four Seasons Resort in Orlando, Florida

If I’m looking for a young whiskey, I’m going to reach for Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey.

I tried this beauty for the first time on a crisp spring day at the base of Pikes Peak in Colorado and it hit all the right notes. Its aromas of candied orange and butterscotch fill the glass while the warming notes of vanilla, brown sugar, and a slightly peppery finish dance across the palate.

Whether you’re high up on a mountainside or relaxing at your favorite watering hole this is a whiskey that is sure to delight.

Aged: 3 Years

Hudson Baby Bourbon

Carlos Lopez, bar manager at Stiltsville Fish Bar in Miami

Hudson Baby Bourbon is made with an innovative aging practice that speeds up the aging process without compromising the quality of the juice.

Aged: Under 4 Years

Woody Creek Colorado Bourbon

Jess Thorson, bartender at TORO Kitchen & Lounge in Snowmass, Colorado

Woody Creek Distillers Colorado Bourbon. A local favorite for good reason. It’s aged for four years and is full of charred oak and vanilla sweetness.

Aged: 4 Years

West Fork Old Hamer Cask Strength

Zach Wilks, bartender at Anthony’s Chophouse in Carmel, Indiana

I’ve got to say my favorite young whiskey comes from just a few blocks from where I live in downtown Indianapolis — that’s Old Hamer Cask Strength from West Fork Whiskey. It’s smooth, rich, and works just as well on its own as it does in your favorite cocktails.

Aged: 2 Years

Old 49 California Whiskey

Jeremy Allen, bartender at MiniBar in Los Angeles

Ironically, one of the best tasting young whiskies I’ve had is Old 49 California Whiskey, by Nat Kidder. The other baby brand I love is family-owned KIN Whiskey, because they love what they do and it shows, all the way down to brand rep (and Los Angeles scene champion) Taylor Matthew.

Aged: No Age Statement

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye Barrel Proof

Daniel Gamiño, assistant food and beverage manager at Banyan Tree Cabo Marques in Acapulco, Mexico

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye Barrel Proof. This rye whiskey is a magical elixir that makes you want to play the banjo while enjoying your whiskey on the rocks. It’s perfect for watching the sunset by the beach, reading your favorite book, or catching up with friends at a restaurant.

Aged: 6-8 Years

630 Rally Point Rye

Andy Printy, beverage director at Chao Baan in St. Louis

630’s Rally Point Rye. It comes off as young and makes no apologies. The nose is like fresh sawdust and spice. For a “young” whiskey, the body is magnificent — seducing your palate with soft vegetal tones underneath all that vanilla and cinnamon!

Great over a single cube, but incredibly versatile with cocktails.

Aged: 5 Years

Old Overholt Rye

Anna Mains, Monkey Shoulder brand ambassador

Old Overholt 80 proof is only three-years-old but drinks way beyond its age. It’s full of spicy rye flavor that pairs well with sweet caramel, cinnamon, and candied orange peel.

Aged: 3 Years

Writer’s Pick:

FEW Bourbon

There’s a reason FEW consistently makes lists of best small distilleries. One of its best offerings is its bourbon. While it’s aged for less than 4 years, this high-corn bourbon is full of caramel sweetness and rich, smooth vanilla.

Aged: 3 Years

Helen Reddy, the voice behind the empowering feminist anthem, “I Am Woman,” has died at the age of 78. The news was revealed in a Facebook post from her children Traci and Jordan. “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Helen Reddy, on the afternoon of September 29th 2020 in Los Angeles,” they said in the post. “She was a wonderful Mother, Grandmother and a truly formidable woman. Our hearts are broken. But we take comfort in the knowledge that her voice will live on forever.”

Reddy had a fairly successful musical career, one that reached international acclaim in the 1970s. She saw 20 songs enter the Billboard singles chart, with ten landing in the top 10 and three coming in at No. 1. Reddy’s three chart-topping songs were 1972’s “I Am Woman,” a song that earned Reddy a Grammy award, 1973’s “Delta Dawn,” and 1974’s “Angie Baby.” Reddy spoke about “I Am Woman” in a 2013 interview with the Chicago Tribune where she said the song was a result of the women that surrounded her own life. The publication would also name her the “Queen of ’70s Pop” in 2013.

“There were a lot of songs on the radio about being weak and being dainty and all those sort of things,” she said in the Chicago Tribune interview. “All the women in my family, they were strong women. They worked. They lived through the Depression and a world war, and they were just strong women. I certainly didn’t see myself as being dainty.”

The first debate of the 2020 presidential election occurred on Tuesday night, and NBA players had one pretty common reaction: vote. The debate, which pitted Republican incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden, went over about as well as a fart in church for a few million different reasons, from the temperament of the nominal leader of the free world to the job done by moderator Chris Wallace, who you can certainly say was in attendance.

It was a debate defined by a number of stunning moments, whether it was Biden calling Trump a “clown” who needs to “shut up” or something much darker, like Trump opting to not condemn white supremacists and calling on his supporters to perform acts of voter intimidation on Election Day, which is a crime. And both during and after the debate, NBA players tweeting along with the whole thing called on those with the power to make their voiced heard this November to head to the ballot box and do just that.

A few of players, both current and former, were a little more explicit in wanting folks to go vote for Biden and his nominee for vice president, California senator Kamala Harris.

Throughout the NBA’s Orlando Bubble, players have used the platform afforded to them to try and sway folks to head to the polls this year. Election Day is on Nov. 3, 2020, and if you head to Vote.org, you can read up on your voter registration, how you can potentially vote early or by mail, and much more.

The United States, along with the rest of the world, came together on Tuesday night to watch the first president debate for the upcoming election in November. The debate was much more unorthodox and off-the-rails than any presidential debate in recent memory, leaving many viewers in absolute shock at what they just witnessed. Frustrated with the way the debate played out on Tuesday night, Frank Ocean took to his Instagram story to speak with his followers and beg for them to go out and vote President Trump out of office.

“Debate are on. It all feels fake. The problem’s that it’s not,” Frank Ocean began in the post on his Instagram story. “Donald Trump is president and might not leave the White House even if he loses the race so some say. Pls vote. Watching him dragged out will be way more entertaining than these debates.” Frank would continue his message by offering to help get voters registered for the upcoming election through his Blonded website. “If you’re not registered swipe to BLONDED.CO the form just takes 2 minutes to fill out. Goodnight.”

Tonight’s debate resulted in many major headlines included the public’s distaste with moderator Chris Wallace‘s performance as well as Donald Trump interrupting Joe Biden as the former Vice President spoke about his late son Beau.

You can see Frank Ocean’s Instagram story post in the photo above and on his Instagram page here.

The first presidential debate was almost certainly the nastiest in history, starting off quiet but quickly descending into fighting and interjections, mostly from the incumbent, Donald Trump. Some of the jabs between the two were amusing; a flustered Biden at one point called him “man” and twice he called him a “clown.” But most of the time watching the debate was a profoundly annoying and noisy experience, with Trump barely letting Biden get five words in before interrupting him with jabs and insults.

But there was one interruption that was more horrifying than most, one that showed how heartless the sitting president can be. Biden was talking about our divided nation when he segued into a discussion on something close to his heart: the military. Both of Biden’s sons served at different points, including his late son Beau, whose unit was deployed overseas during the Iraq War. Trump has said many derogatory things, both on and off the record, about the military, in which he never served, infamously having repeatedly avoided service during the Vietnam War. Here’s where Biden went on the attack.

“The way you talk about the military, the way you talk about them being losers and being suckers,” he said to Trump. “My son was in Iraq. He spent a year there. He got the Bronze Star. He got the Conspicuous Service Medal. He was not a loser. He was a patriot. And the people left behind there were heroes.”

It’s around here that Trump started interrupting Biden’s talk about his late son and the troops, trying to bluster in with one of his attempted gotchas. “Really?” Trump said in defance. “Are you talking about Hunter?” Joe Biden: “I’m talking about my son Beau Biden!” President Trump: “I don’t know Beau. I know Hunter. Hunter got thrown out of the military. He was thrown out, dishonorably discharged.”

It’s true: Hunter Biden was discharged, though not dishonorably, and while battling a cocaine addiction. But ignoring that Trumpian embellishment, people online were disgusted that Trump would interrupt Biden talking about his late son by trying to falsely smear his other son.

It caused people to reflect on their own lives.

brought up cocaine

Even if Trump hadn’t acted inhumanely, he was still wrong.