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2020 can be compared to a horror show in many ways, which has not been lost upon horror maestro Stephen King, who began the year by imploring people to please stop comparing coronavirus to The Stand. King has been riding this terrible reality out with everyone else, and now, visuals from cinematic adaptations of his other well-known works are on people’s minds. This is happening, of course, because President Trump tweeted something silly that’s reminding people of something dead serious.

“Polls numbers are looking very strong,” Trump wrote on Friday morning. “Big crowds, great enthusiasm. Massive RED WAVE coming!!!”

This seems to be his favorite term of the past 24 hours. Despite polls that show Joe Biden leading in every swing state, Trump bragged to followers in Greenville, North Carolina that this “red wave” was coming.

Trump doesn’t seem to realize that “red wave” brings a much different set of visuals to mind than its blue counterpart. As one Twitter user pointed out, “A ‘blue wave’ is a powerful and appealing metaphor. A ‘red wave’ suggests a horror movie.”

This has led to a lot of people thinking about King’s The Shining and, more specifically, the iconic, Stanley Kubrick-directed Elevator Of Blood scene that takes place in the Overlook Hotel. Very clearly, this symbolizes death, which (to say the least) is sobering, considering how many Americans have and will die during our current situation.

Trump not even realizing what visuals a “red wave” evokes speaks to his cavalier attitude about the virus, and people definitely noticed.

Of course, there’s also some Carrie references popping up as well. This Twitter user cant help but think about how “we ALL know what happened after she got angry.” She also pointed out, “[P]eople are voting in record numbers already, American’s are pissed!”

November 3 isn’t too far away.

Marvel Television is in a tricky spot right now after the Netflix run ended in 2019 with Jessica Jones (in a bloated, exhausted way) as The Defenders were put to rest. Are those shows done for good? Who knows. They could eventually pop up on Disney+, though it’ll probably be for the best if we don’t see The Punisher for awhile. Meanwhile, Helstrom was initially intended to expand Marvel Television as the first series in an Adventure Into Fear franchise, but that plan fell by the wayside. Now, there’s an upcoming crop of relatively wholesome Disney+ shows that will tie into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (which is something that the Netflix shows claimed to do but actually never did), and Helstrom‘s floating along on Hulu, almost like a solo entity with much more mature subject matter than you’ll find on Disney+.

Helstrom isn’t a superhero series, so anyone who’s expecting to scratch that itch (which could stand to be satisfied right now for jonesing theatergoers) won’t be able to do so with the adaptation of Marvel Comics’ Son of Satan. However, if the series would have arrived during “normal” TV times, it would have been noted as a fine (and welcome) departure from The Defenders, as well as Marvel’s Runaways (that ran for three seasons on Hulu). Tonewise, Helstrom is a dark thriller with plenty of supernatural touches, but it also pokes fun at supernatural stuff. There are gallows humor and sarcasm in plentiful supply, along with a strong sense of world-weariness. With that last quality, I mean that Daimon Hellstrom (Tom Austen) — who is refashioned on this series as an ethics professor who performs exorcisms on the side — damn well knows that the world has already had enough exorcism-based TV shows and movies. As he prepares to conduct his first exorcism on the series, in fact, he declares that holy water and rituals are not only overrated, “but now thanks to movies, TV, the Internet, they’re just tropes.”

In other words, Helstrom is a self-aware beast, one that it’s all fiery and brimstone-y, but it knows that much more needs to be brought to the table than mere spectacle. To that end, the show parcels out a mysterious mythology while layering on a family drama. Daimon may be your semi-friendly neighborhood exorcist, but there’s a lot more going on, including his tense relationship with his estranged sister, Ana (Sydney Lemmon, granddaughter of Jack Lemmon). They must work together because, in this show, Dad’s not Satan, he’s merely a serial killer and demon. He’s visibly out of the picture, at least in the first five episodes screened for critics, but he might be pulling strings. And Mom, who appears to be suffering from a demon infestation, has been institutionalized for quite some time. She’s portrayed by Elizabeth Marvel (yep, that’s her real name), who gives Linda Blair a run for her money on the possession front.

Together, the siblings form a suitably entertaining dynamic while they’re not wielding their powers separately, but what’s most telling is that Ana (named Santana in the comics, which sounds much cooler) could carry the show on her own. Helstrom definitely wouldn’t work without her, given that she’s got more meatier material to work with, and her sarcasm arrives with more of a flourish than her brother’s allowed to deliver. She’s also got a more interesting backstory than Daimon, and Lemmon does everything with style, whether she’s simply standing behind a desk or tossing someone off a roof. She’s armed with a towering presence and carries a vigilante edge, or she does at first, before Daimon calls her in for help with the family ruckus. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Ana (or having a drink with her), although (given the shifting state of Marvel TV) it feels like this show is a one-off for the frightful October atmosphere.

Familiarity with comics (or with the Marvel Cinematic Universe) isn’t necessary to enjoy Helstrom, but it’s worth noting that the languid pace of the Netflix Marvel Television shows is still very much alive with this show. So, be prepared for that. It’s also not a spoiler to reveal that there’s a character (Dr. Louise Hastings, portrayed by June Carryl) who will be familiar to Ghost Rider fans, so the nerds can ride hard on that one. Hastings is a grounding presence for the series, and a much-needed voice of wisdom when the siblings must cope with their increasingly unhinged mother while attempting to solve a mystery that feels like whack-a-mole. Once one aspect is solved, a couple of mini-mysteries shoot in different directions. Helstrom will keep viewers guessing, and it’s a nicely distracting series from our current situation.

Underneath all of the mystery, though, Helstrom is simply a fun show. The aesthetics might appear gloomy (since much of it takes place in Portland, Oregon), but it’s sheer entertainment to watch this dysfunctional family joust with Hell itself. The show also goes down smoothly for those looking for a suspenseful and shadowy, but not too scary (or stressful) TV series for this Halloween season.

Hulu will stream ‘Helstrom‘s entire first season on October 16.

Kenny G has racked up a couple of big-time guest appearances over the past year. Last October, he featured alongside Clipse on Kanye West’s “Use This Gospel” from the Jesus Is King album. Now he has once again teamed up with a contemporary hit-maker, this time joining The Weeknd on a new remix of “In Your Eyes.”

The Weeknd dropped the re-worked tune today, and it opens with some saxophone from Kenny G over deep synths. During the back third of the song, Kenny G re-emerges for a couple of ripping solos that fit in well with the synth-led tune. This remix arrives a couple weeks after Kenny G joined The Weeknd for his Time100 Live performance of the track.

This isn’t the first time fans have seen Kenny G in recent times, as he performed “The Star Spangled Banner” before Game 5 of the NBA Finals earlier this month.

Meanwhile, The Weeknd teased new music recently. He suggested he could release a new album soon, saying, “I’m guilty of wanting to outdo my last album, but it’s never like, ‘I’ve got to do the same type of song.’ I’m so happy I’m not like that. My palette is so wide. […] I’m trying to find a perfect balance with the film and the music, and so far it’s going really well. I think I might have cracked the code.”

Listen to the “In Your Eyes” remix above.

“You’re fired” is to Donald Trump-as-The Apprentice host as “fake news” is to Donald Trump-as-president. It’s his most obnoxious catchphrase, an easy soundbite to slap on shirts and hats, a term that Trump claims to have invented. This, ironically, is fake news — it’s been around since at least 2014, and Hillary Clinton, of all people, made a speech in which she mentioned “the epidemic of malicious fake news” before the big man picked it up. But despite his love of saying “fake news,” Trump can’t spot it when he sees it.

If you go to the Babylon Bee’s Twitter account, the bio reads, “Fake news you can trust.” And on the website itself: “The Babylon Bee is the world’s best satire site, totally inerrant in all its truth claims. We write satire about Christian stuff, political stuff, and everyday life… If you would like to complain about something on our site, take it up with God.” Those obvious “we are not a real news site” warnings didn’t stop Trump from sharing the article “Twitter Shuts Down Entire Network To Slow Spread Of Negative Biden News” to his millions of followers, adding, “Wow, this has never been done in history. This includes his really bad interview last night. Why is Twitter doing this. Bringing more attention to Sleepy Joe & Big T” (he later clarified, “Big T was not a reference to me, but rather to Big Tech, which should have been properly pointed out in Twitter’s Fake Trending Section!”).

Here’s an excerpt from the article, which was published after Twitter went down due to “a system change initiated earlier then planned, affecting most of our servers.”

After seeing account after account tweet out one particularly bad story, CEO Jack Dorsey realized he had to take action. Dorsey smashed a glass box in his office reading “Break In Case Of Bad Publicity For Democrats.” Inside the case was a sledgehammer for smashing Twitter’s servers… Dorsey ran downstairs and started smashing as many computers as he could, but he did need to ask for some help, as the hammer was pretty heavy. None of the programmers could lift the hammer, either. Eventually, they managed to program a robot to pick up the sledgehammer and smash the servers.

Ha? Not the most cutting satire, but Twitter was still laughing: at Trump sharing the article.

Netflix is bringing us a ton of movies and TV shows to binge this week, but a couple of them deserve top priority in your queue.

Aaron Sorkin’s courtroom drama is one of those. Packed with an absurdly talented cast and covering a gripping real-life story, the film feels like a show-in for an Oscar nom next year. The other must-watch might be a bit of a surprise. The new Blackpink doc lands on the streaming platform this weekend, and honestly, it’s one of the better music documentaries we’ve seen this year. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Here’s everything coming to and leaving Netflix this week of Oct. 16.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix film streaming 10/16)

Aaron Sorkin’s star-studded courtroom drama is finally here and besides carrying some serious Oscar buzz, it’s also delivering a handful of ridiculously good performances from its impressive cast. That cast includes everyone from Succession’s Jeremy Strong to Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Eddie Redmayne, and Watchmen breakout Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. The film follows the true story of a group of anti-Vietnam war protesters charged with conspiracy counts and inciting riots during a demonstration at the 1968 Democratic Convention. We heard Strong asked Sorkin to tear-gas him for this thing so, yeah, it should be an intense watch.

Blackpink: Light Up the Sky (Netflix doc streaming 10/14)

Look, even if you’re not a K-pop fan, this documentary about the biggest girl group in the world of pop music is worth a watch. Not only are the ladies of Blackpink hella talented, a glimpse into the almost militaristic world of grooming musical icons in South Korea. From their early K-pop academy days to their history-making Coachella performance, fans get to appreciate the hard work and natural talent of the group… and the rest of us can just watch on in envy we guess.

Here’s a full list of what’s been added in the last week:

Avail. 10/12
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts: Season 3

Avail. 10/13
The Cabin with Bert Kreischer
Octonauts & the Great Barrier Reef

Avail. 10/14
Alice Junior
BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky
Moneyball

Avail. 10/15
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting
Batman: The Killing Joke
Half & Half: Seasons 1-4
Love Like the Falling Rain
One on One: Seasons 1-5
Power Rangers Beast Morphers: Season 2, Part 1
Rooting for Roona
Social Distance

Avail. 10/16
Alguien tiene que morir / Someone Has to Die
Dream Home Makeover
Grand Army
In a Valley of Violence
La Révolution
The Last Kids on Earth: Book 3.
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Unfriended

And here’s what’s leaving next week, so it’s your last chance:

Leaving 10/17
The Green Hornet

Leaving 10/19
Paper Year

Leaving 10/22
While We’re Young

At the moment, the status of Cardi B and Offset’s relationship seems unclear. Cardi recently filed for divorce, but she and her husband were on — ahem — good terms during Cardi’s recent birthday weekend. She recently discussed how things are between the two, and now she has offered a funny response to people who insist she’s in a “mentally abusive” relationship.

In a video Cardi posted on Twitter last night, she says, “Twitter users be like, ‘Cardi, you’re in a mentally abusive relationship! Oh my gosh, we gotta save you!’ And I be like, ‘Alright, but can I f*ck him today?’ Because I need to have sex, and n****s in my DMs talking about, ‘What up, bighead?’ I don’t like that. I’m 28 years old and my head’s not big.”

Before that, she also offered a sarcastic apology, captioning a video, “Imma just give ya a apology because ya want me to apologize for living MY LIFE the way that ya live YOURS.Im sorry .Im not perfect I don’t want to be neither .” She then added in a follow-up tweet, “Imma make this very clear .Before I was a celeb I was crazy ass Cardi B.Same b*tch ya saw on TV and on IG talkin sh*t and doing crazy sh*t .Im still that a lil bit more calm now but still the same .I don’t know why ya expect something different now.This ain’t Disney.”

Watch Cardi’s videos above.

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

Over the last 12 months, IDK has delivered two projects for fans to enjoy. Showing no signs of slowing down, the DMV rapper returns with a raucous new single, “King Alfred.” Named for the “King Alfred Plan” from author John A. Williams’ novel The Man Who Cried I Am, the song samples Gil-Scott Heron’s song named after the plan, which has taken on near mythological proportions among some Black Americans.

IDK’s new track arrives behind a slew of music the DMV rapper has dropped off over the past year. In August, he served up and bowl of “Cereal” alongside JID, Kenny Mason, and DJ Scheme on their collab single and prior to that he delivered his IDK & Friends 2 project, the sequel to his 2018 effort. The album saw IDK returning to his collaborative ways as he connected with names like ASAP Ferg, Wale, Juicy J, Denzel Curry, Maxo Kream, Pnb Rock, Rico Nasty, and more.

Another highlight for IDK came shortly after the release of IDK & Friends 2 when the rapper made his late-night TV debut on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert with a performance of “No Cable” off Is He Real?

Listen to “King Alfred” above.

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

If you’re new to whisk(e)y, you might be unversed in the famous smoky whiskies of Islay. The southernmost of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides, Islay is home to nine distilleries. All of these — including the recently opened Ardnahoe — use peat (a cut and dried oil-rich soil-compound borne of decomposing vegetation; often found in bogs and still utilized as a fuel-source on the island) to smoke the malted barley used in the distillation process.

But contrary to common belief, Islay isn’t the only place on the planet you’ll find peat-smoked whisky. Distilleries all over the world, including the US, are making their own smoky whisk(e)y expressions. And some of it’s pretty damn good.

When figuring out the right peat-smoked whisk(e)y for you, it’s important to select one that isn’t going to completely overpower your palate with smoke. You have to run before you walk with this sort of dram.

“A common theme when talking with both chefs and mixologists alike is ‘balance,’” says Christopher Chamberlain, national beverage development manager for E. & J. Gallo Winery in Modesto, California. “And balance is particularly essential when we discuss peat-smoked whisky.”

In an effort to find the most well-balanced, easy-entry peat-smoked whiskies for fall, we turned to the experts. Read below for some classic picks mixed with a few bold takes from some of our favorite bartenders.

Lagavulin 16

Dante Wheat, bartender and founder of Raw Pineapples in Louisville

Lagavulin 16. There isn’t anything more “fall” than sitting in a big ass chair while enjoying a smokey, citrusy Islay whisky neat, and doing absolutely nothing for an afternoon.

Corsair Wildfire

Randall Restiano, beverage director of Eataly NYC Flatiron in New York City

I love Corsair Wildfire American Malt Whiskey. It is the sign of the American dream — being passionate about something and producing it till the point you are successful.

The whiskey is completely produced in-house in Tennessee using 100% hickory-smoked barley. At 100 proof, it is warming for the cold but also balanced and perfect for all winter foods.

Jura 10

Christopher Chamberlain, national beverage development manager for E. & J. Gallo Winery in Modesto, California

While many single malts may pocket themselves into one specific flavor category, Jura 10 Year Old delivers a perfect balance of sweetness and smoke. It provides nothing less than a smoked whisky that is balanced by notes of citrus, coffee, and chocolate, allowing you to gravitate into more complex flavors without diving into the extremity of a heavily peated whisky.

Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition

Fanny Chu, head bartender at Donna in Brooklyn, New York

I love Lagavulin’s Distiller’s Edition. It has perfect peat and fruit flavors for sipping and pairing with chocolates or simply enjoying neat on a cool, fall night.

Bruichladdich Octomore

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

As they say, go big or go home. Bruichladdich Octomore is the most botanically peated scotch on planet earth. Not a small price tag, but available and expresses both the smoking of the malt and the unique botanical profile of peat and malted barley.

Designed for fire pit conversation and flannel shirt fashion shows.

J. Riddle Peated Bourbon

Gavin Humes, bartender at Scratch|Bar & Kitchen in Los Angeles

The J. Riddle Peated Bourbon is exciting and different. With the proliferation of Scotch and the infatuation with peat and smoke, this is a unique twist on that style. Using a bourbon whiskey but adding the peated note really makes for a whiskey that’s memorable and fantastic.

Compass Box Peat Monster

Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami

If I’m going for peated whisky, it’s going to be Compass Box Peat Monster. It’s a very peat forward bottle, named appropriately. Pours and drinks well. Smoky, rich, and perfect for slow sipping.

Laphroaig 10

Nick Cole, bartender at Kimpton Sawyer Hotel in Sacramento

The best smoked and peated whisky would have to be Laphroaig 10. People who drink smoked and peated whisky — scotch — typically know what they are drinking. Laphroaig 10 is a standard and a staple for any bar. You really just can’t go wrong in the fall.

New Riff Backsetter

Roberto Berdecia, bartender at La Factoria in San Juan, Puerto Rico

To be honest, I haven’t tasted it yet… but I have heard a lot of great things from an American peated whiskey called New Riff Backsetter. The other smoked American whiskeys I have tried are not that special. On the contrary, peated scotch single malts are a blast — starting from Lagavulin 16, Laphroaig 10, and Ardbeg Wee Beastie.

Ardbeg Ten

Nestor Marchand, director of food and beverage at Plunge Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

I love Ardbeg Islay Scotch. Specifically, the distillery’s flagship offering Ardbeg Ten. Plenty of peat-smoked, plus the famous iodine flavor from the maritime qualities of the Islay Scotches.

Over the past year, Nicki Minaj has laid a few verses over some of hip-hop’s most popular records. This year she remixed Doja Cat’s “Say So” track, helping to boost the song to No. 1 on the Billboard singles chart. Last year, she remixed Pop Smoke’s breakout hit, “Welcome To The Party,” DaBaby’s “Suge,” Lil Baby and Gunna’s “Drip Harder,” and Meek Mill’s “Going Bad.” Keeping the streak going, Nicki returns with a thrilling verse to remix Detroit rapper Sada Baby’s bubbling track, “Whole Lotta Choppas.”

On the verse, Nicki reveals right out the gate that she recorded the verse while nine months pregnant, floating effortlessly on the track’s fast-paced production. Just a day before the remix arrived, Nicki Minaj celebrated the birth of her newborn baby boy by sharing some of the congratulatory gifts she got from a number of celebrities including, Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, and others on Instagram. Beyonce shared a card that read “Welcome to motherhood. God bless you and your family,” while Kim and Kanye shared one that simply wrote, “Congrats! We love you!” The post also arrived after rumors of a collaboration between her and Cardi B seemed to arise, leaving fans to word if the two rappers put their beef to rest behind closed doors.

Listen to the “Whole Lotta Choppas” remix here.

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

After staying quiet for the most part since the release of his 2018 album, I Am > I Was, 21 Savage has been at the top of hip-hop headlines for the past few weeks. This mainly comes as a result of his new joint album with Metro Boomin, Savage Mode II. Outside of that, 21 Savage has delivered a few guest verses over the past year and a half and delivers another one, this time alongside a fellow ATLien, T.I. Together, the two rappers get things rolling on “Thank God,” which appears on T.I.’s new album The L.I.B.R.A (The Legend Is Back Running Atlanta). The track is a mellow effort that finds to two rappers reflecting on their road to fame and the years they spent relishing in stardom. All in all, they look up to the skies and say a “thank you” to the heavens for letting them see their success out.

As for T.I.’s new album, the project delivers 20 songs to fans for his first release since 2018’s Dime Trap. The album was preceded by a pair of singles, “Ring” with Young Thug and “Pardon” with Lil Baby. On The L.I.B.R.A, fans can expect to hear guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Rapsody, Conway The Machine, Rick Ross, his son Domani, Benny The Butcher, Jadakiss, Killer Mike, John Legend, and more.

Listen to “Thank God” in the video above.

The L.I.B.R.A (The Legend Is Back Running Atlanta) is out now via Grand Hustle/EMPIRE. Get it here.