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Zach Braff and Donald Faison’s Scrubs rewatch podcast, Fake Doctors, Real Friends, recently wrapped up its first season (before immediately embarking on the second season). Over the course of that first season, we’ve learned a lot about the series and its stars. For instance, until this week, Braff had never seen one of his best friend’s best movies, Donald Faison’s Remember the Titans (Braff has finally corrected that). Over the course of the season, we also learned the heartwarming reason behind John C. McGinley’s performace on the series, that Christa Miller once slept with Friends‘ star Matthew Perry, and that a drunk Donald Faison gave a noogie to NBC President Jeff Zucker during their upfronts.

One person we have not learned much about is Neil Flynn, who played the Janitor on Scrubs for eight seasons, followed by another nine seasons of the ABC sitcom The Middle. The actor, like his Scrubs‘ character, is strangely enigmatic for someone who spent 17 consecutive years as a lead on prime-time television. Actually, the real Neil Flynn may be even more mysterious, because at least we know that the Scrubs‘ character has a wife (Lady), but there’s no such information available on Flynn. In fact, he appeared on the Scrubs‘ rewatch podcast a few weeks ago, and after spending an hour and a half with him, beyond learning that he was on an improv team called Beer Shark Mice with David Koechner that no one from the Scrubs cast ever bothered to see (though it continued to run up until 2015), I frankly don’t know anymore about him.

However, we did learn in the season finale of the podcast the origin of The Janitor’s real name. Some may have heard that a reboot of Clone High is being developed by MTV. The original Clone High came from producer Bill Lawrence — the creator of Scrubs — and showrunners Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the team behind 21 Jump Street, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The LEGO Movie and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse. Before Miller and Lloyd were two of the hottest creatives in Hollywood, they produced Clone High from the basement of the hospital that Scrubs was shot in.

In fact, that is partially why there are so many Scrubs cast members in Clone High, because they could just walk down into the basement to do their voiceover work. Christa Miller plays Cleopatra; Donald Faison is Toots; Zach Braff is Paul Revere; and Sarah Chalke is Marie Antoinette; and John C. McGinley plays Creepy Trucker.

This brings us to the origin of The Janitor’s name. Fans of the series know that The Janitor’s real name is Glenn Matthews and, despite some confusion over whether he was lying about that fact, too, Bill Lawrence has long since confirmed that Glenn Matthews is, in fact, his real name and not a fake name he gave to J.D.. Where did that come from? According to Bill Lawrence himself in the season finale of the Scrubs rewatch podcast, he is named Glenn because it’s the same name of his character in Clone High, where Flynn plays … Glenn the Janitor.

And that’s the story behind The Janitor’s real name. Also, despite Bill Lawrence’s protestations to the contrary, The Janitor decidedly is not a figment of J.D.’s imagination in the first season, as the character interacts with several other characters over the course of the season.

Fake Doctors, Real Friends continues to air twice weekly. No word yet on when the Clone High reboot will air on MTV.

Source: Fake Doctors, Real Friends

Just a year ago, Jack Harlow was a rapper on the rise whose steady stream of polished, independently released full-length projects culminated in Confetti, a well-received mixtape that landed the Louisville, Kentucky-bred rapper on a number of radars. Those radars went ballistic this year with the release of “What’s Poppin,” the single from his Sweet Action EP which became a surprise hit and launched Harlow into superstardom. With the release of a remix featuring DaBaby, Lil Wayne, and Tory Lanez, “What’s Poppin” became an even bigger hit this past week, landing at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

That newfound success isn’t lost on the kid from Kentucky, who expressed his gratitude with a tweet that also revealed the heights of his ambition. He’s happy to have No. 2, but what he really wants is that No. 1 spot. “NUMBER 2 IN THE WORLD,” he wrote in a technically inaccurate tweet (Billboard only counts US sales/streams). “Damn I love y’all…can we take it up one more????”

It’s entirely possible. The “What’s Poppin” remix does feature the current No. 1 artist on the Hot 100, DaBaby, as well as a longtime fan-favorite in Lil Wayne. Meanwhile, Tory Lanez’s profile has risen considerably with the advent of his Quarantine Radio livestream series, while the remix as yet to receive a music video, which could help drive streams all over again. Meanwhile, Harlow himself is continuing to bask in the growing glow of the spotlight focused on him; he recently finagled his growing popularity into a feature on G-Eazy’s “Moana.”

Check out the “What’s Poppin” remix above.

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

Texas trio Khruangbin released their third studio album, Mordechai, just a few weeks ago, but that doesn’t mean they’re done sharing new music. The group teamed up to commemorate Beck’s 50th birthday with a chilled-out remix of his 2017 Colors track “No Distraction.”

For the revised version, Khruangbin infuses Beck’s original track with their signature psychedelic style. A wistful electric guitar colors the tune as Khruangbin’s bassist Laura Lee adds a captivating beat under Beck’s newly washed-out vocals.

In a recent interview with Uproxx, Khruangbin’s Mark Speer and Laura Lee spoke about their unexpected rise to stardom: “When we started with the band, I’d pretty much given up any hope that I’d ‘make it’ in the industry,” Speer said. “I’d been trying for so many years, in different bands and different roles. I’d definitely given that up. At this point, f*ck it. Do what we want. Who cares? No one’s going to give a sh*t anyway. So let’s call it what we want let’s do it our way.”

Lee continued: “I listen to a lot of music and I feel like I have good taste so if it was moving me, hopefully it will resonate with other people, too. I’ve always believed in it. I was going to push it as hard as I could because I thought it was meaningful. But in no way did I think quitting my TA job was going to turn into what it did.”

Listen to “No Distraction (Khruangbin Remix) above.

Mordechai is out now via Dead Oceans. Get it here.

We’re deep into summer so it’s high time (jokes for days!) that we show some love to our favorite seasonal strains of cannabis. To match the vibe of Quarantine Summer 2020, we’ve put a focus on high THC strains that strike a fine balance between chilled-out relaxation and energetic euphoria. Our previous lists — featuring strains ideal for melting away quarantine stress, and a collection of 4/20-worthy buds that would make the most devout stoners proud — were heavily themed. For this collection we’ve put the priority on flavor, curating a list with strains that taste as good as they look.

Light up one of our eight picks below, and you’ll be transported to a stress-free world — despite the fact that we’re living amidst a global pandemic in one of the hardest-hit countries on earth. Here are the weed strains to get you through the rest of the summer.

Kush Mints

THC: 23.1%
Strain: Hybrid

This delicious and beautiful strain is a cross between Bubba Kush and Animal Mints and has a mellow and minty flavor that lives up to its name and heritage. Kush Mints has notes of spiced lemon, with a woodsy aroma that brings on a quick hit of euphoria before settling you into a long-lasting chill that will calm your body but not weigh you down into couchlock territory. This strain doesn’t burn harshly, producing a milky and dense smoke that is pleasing to the throat, even if rolled up in the most basic of rolling papers.

With a THC content of 23.1%, this Hybrid strain packs a powerful punch, so if you’re a fairly moderate smoker we’d suggest sticking with a bowl’s worth to get you started, rather than rolling it in a blunt or joint, which will be way more than you bargained for if you aren’t ready.

Check Weedmaps to find Kush Mints at a dispensary near you.

Strawnana (aka Strawberry Banana)

THC: 21%
Strain: Hybrid

Sometimes known as Strawberry Banana (depending on the cultivator) Strawnana is an Indica-dominant hybrid strain more geared toward those who are looking to relax and ease pain — providing a head high that’ll keep you in your thoughts, which is perfect for those looking to meditate on a problem or self reflect.

A cross between Banana Kush and Strawberry Bubble Gum, Strawnana has a bright citrus flavor that is grounded by some deep herbal and peppery notes that blend together to give this fruity strain a relaxing aroma that enhances the smoking experience and will have you chilled out the moment you start breaking the buds.

Check Weedmaps to find Strawnana at a dispensary near you.

Amnesia Haze

THC: 19%
CBD: 1%
Strain: Sativa

Amnesia Haze has a pungent burnt lemon aroma that will instantly stink up your space once you light up. Luckily the high will have you on the move (and away from the smell) with its euphoric and energetic buzz. The perfect strain to burn when you’re working on a project, doing some housework, working through a problem, or getting some chores done, Amnesia Haze will melt away your daily stresses and keep you focused on whatever you’re working on.

While Amnesia Haze smells unpleasant, it’s subtly sweet notes of berry and earthy coffee tones give it a flavor worth savoring.

Check Weedmaps to find Amnesia Haze at a dispensary near you.

Superglue

THC: 21.3%
Strain: Hybrid

Superglue has a piney and herbal flavor with a high that strikes the perfect balance between chilled-out relaxation and energetic joyfulness. What’s great about Superglue is it seems to adapt to your situation. If you feel like smoking up and binging on some Netflix or zoning out to your favorite album, Superglue will keep you in an analytical headspace so you can discover new layers to your favorite art. And if you’re looking for a great strain to light up after a long day that’ll relax your muscles and melt your stresses, Superglue is that too, thanks to its Indica dominant properties.

Check Weedmaps to find Superglue at a dispensary near you.

Maui Wowie

THC: 20.6%
Strain: Sativa

Hawaii-grown weed doesn’t get the same attention as strains originating from California or Colorado, but Maui Wowie is one of the best-tasting strains on the market, and one of our favorite Sativas. The smoke from Maui Wowie is shockingly sweet with a nice blend of citrus, berry, and pine flavors that will be best enjoyed in a vaporizer or paired with a grape or vanilla blunt wrap. The high is giggle-inducing and will leave you relaxed and euphoric, perfect for chilling poolside on a hot summer day (if you’re lucky enough to have a backyard pool) or paired with a White Claw, gin and soda, or a LaCroix (for those not trying to get cross-faded).

Check Weedmaps to find Maui Wowie at a dispensary near you or pick up the strain through MedMen.

Mimosa

THC: 23%
Strain: Hybrid

Mimosa is a Sativa-dominant hybrid strain with Purple Punch and Clementine genetics that produces a delicious citrus flavor with slightly sweet and floral tropical notes. Despite its hybrid properties, this strain is probably the last thing you’ll want to smoke if you’re calling it an early night and trying to relax — it’ll have you bouncing off the walls and breaking out into giggly fits.

Mimosa is also one of the few strains out there that can be described as arousing, probably because of the uplifting high that follows a single hit of this stuff. Even the most hardcore Indica-loving stoners will have to tip their hat to this powerful Sativa-dominant hybrid.

Check Weedmaps to find Mimosa at a dispensary near you or pick up the strain from MedMen.

Wedding Cake

THC: 23%-25%
Strain: Hybrid

We strongly recommended this strain as part of our spring break roundup and it’s making a comeback in our summer strains list because it’s that good. With its dense and sticky buds, Wedding Cake feels like a weed best reserved for special occasions, but there is no sense in letting it dry up on a shelf somewhere, crack open a jar and smoke it while it’s fresh! With an earthy and peppery flavor and subtle notes of citrus and vanilla, Wedding Cake tastes great, looks great, smells great, and will get you higher than any strain on this list.

Like an actual Wedding Cake, it’s experienced best in a group, so round up your housemates, hit the backyard, sit a dozen or so feet apart, and toast to the summer with this Indica-dominant hybrid strain.

Check Weedmaps to find Wedding Cake at a dispensary near you.

Skywalker OG

THC: 20%
Strain: Hybrid

Skywalker, like Blue Dream and Pineapple Express, is a strain with a name that carries a lot of weight. There are a lot of expectations surround this Indica-dominant hybrid strain — it’s often touted as one of the best — but don’t let that hype turn you off. Skywalker is every bit as good as people say it is. With a strong earthy aroma and notes of blueberry, Skywalker OG provides a heavily sedative high that is perfect for late sleepless nights when the summer heat is too unbearable for blankets and is keeping you up longer than you want to be awake.

Smoking Skywalker in the morning won’t shut you down though. Instead, it’ll hit you with a serious case of the munchies that might have you snacking throughout the duration of your high. A great companion to a backyard barbecue.

Check Weedmaps to find Skywalker OG at a dispensary near you.

The defining moment of the SNL at home-era wasn’t Tom Hanks’ monologue, Boyz II Men and Babyface performing “A Song for Mama,” or the return of Kenan’s “What Up with That” (although that was very good) — it was Colin Jost’s acoustic guitar.

Appearing during Weekend Update in the April 11 episode, the guitar was perfectly framed on a couch behind Jost, as if he was announcing to the world, “Anyway, here’s ‘Wonderwall.’” Unfortunately (?), we never got to see Jost do his best Liam Gallagher impression, but he was asked about the guitar in an interview with the New York Times.

“Scarlett had that guitar forever and it was in the quarantine,” Jost said, referring to his very famous fiancée Scarlett Johansson. “She was like, ‘Maybe I should learn to how to play,’ and just left it on the couch. It was so perfectly framed there and then everyone pointed it out and I was like, ‘How can I be so dumb?’ I had no awareness of it at all.”

As pointed out by Vulture, Jost previously addressed the guitar on Instagram, writing, “My favorite observation from last episode, even among my fellow cast members, was: ‘Great job including the guitar, douchebag.’ This might sound incomprehensible but I did not know it was on the couch, let alone perfectly framed behind me. I have never, nor do I pretend to play, the guitar. Nor do I physically understand how it works. I just Mr Magoo’ed into having a guitar behind me.” Maybe ScarJo can teach him some Tom Waits songs.

(Via Vulture and the New York Times)

It’s been three years since Baltimore synth-pop outfit Future Islands shared their last album, The Far Field. Now, the group is signaling the beginning of a new era with their lush new single “For Sure.”

Directed by Samuel Jerome Mason, the “For Sure” visual is a journey through a post-apocalyptic world. But their idea of the future isn’t as dreary as many may believe. The visual is touched with natural scenery amid crumbling infrastructure.

“For Sure” is the first track released from Future Islands in years, but other members have since shared solo music. Just last month, bassist William Cashion debuted an ambient album under his own name, titled Postcard Music. Future Islands vocalist Samuel T. Herring has also been fairly prolific. Along with guest featuring on a few singles from BadBadNotGood, Herring continues to rap under the moniker Hemlock Ernst. Herring teamed up with Madlib in 2015 to form the project Trouble Knows Me and last October, the musician released his rap album, Back At The House.

As of now, “For Sure” is a standalone single. But seeing as the band debuted seven new songs at a Northampton, Massachusetts show last September, an album announcement could arrive shortly.

Watch Future Islands’ “For Sure” video above.

Harry Styles says he has been doing a lot of writing during the pandemic. It turns out he has also made time to help people get to sleep by teaming with meditation app Calm to record himself narrating a 30-minute sleep story, “Dream With Me,” which is available now on the Calm app.

Styles said in a statement, “Sleep and meditation are a huge part of my routine, whether I’m at home, in the studio, or out on the road. Rest and recovery is as important as doing the work. Finding a balance has been endlessly beneficial to both my physical and mental health. It’s changed my life. I’m so happy to be collaborating with Calm at a time when the world needs all the healing it can get. Treat people with kindness.”

Michael Acton Smith, Calm co-founder and co-CEO, added, “Harry’s voice usually electrifies audiences around the world but his unique Sleep Story will help millions of people drift off to dreamland every night. His mellifluous voice is the perfect tonic to calm a racing mind.”

Similarly, Nick Jonas and Diddy recently teamed up with Audible to record relaxing stories and guided meditations.

Styles opened up about mental health in a December interview, saying he has in recent years become more receptive to mental and emotional self-care. He said of therapy, “I go. Not every week. But whenever I feel I need it. For a really long time I didn’t try therapy, because I wanted to be the guy who could say: ‘I don’t need it.’ Now I realize I was only getting in my own way. It helps.”

Remember when DaBaby was booked for a 4th of July concert that promised it would follow strict social distancing and mask wearing guidelines? Well, the first footage is out and it looks like that went out the window at some point during the night, as DaBaby and his fellow rappers performed in a completely packed room where most folks’ masks were pulled down around their chins instead of covering their mouths and noses. Billboard surfaced a video shared by Instagram users depicted the actual turnout for the show, which is pretty anxiety inducing.

Before the show, the event promoter told TMZ that the venue would only operate at 40 percent of capacity to allow for six feet of distance between patrons, but it doesn’t look like the attendees utilized that extra space much, if at all. They instead crowded around the performance area and seemingly several approached very close to the performers to get selfies with them.

When the show was announced, country star Chase Rice was already facing backlash for ignoring distance protocols at his own concert, while comedian DL Hughley passed out at another show and was later diagnosed with COVID-19. The performers at the 4th of July concert also included Blac Youngsta, Marlo, Moneybagg Yo, and Stunna 4 Vegas.

Watch the footage of DaBaby’s performance above.

When Pop Smoke was tragically murdered in February, 50 Cent vowed to take over creative control of his Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon album, which dropped last Friday. 50 sought out high-profile names like Drake and Post Malone to appear on the project. But the native New Yorker’s star-studded search caused him to miss out on the most sensible guests for the project — Pop’s fellow Brooklynites.

The 20-year-old Canarsie, Brooklyn native was the face of the Brooklyn drill scene. Like Chief Keef, the golden child of Chicago drill, he had a sonic versatility and inimitable charisma that was ripe for mass appeal. Unlike Chief Keef, he seemed poised to play the industry game and make the necessary moves to become as commercially viable as possible. The sonic ambition he shows on Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon tracks like “The Woo” and “Yea Yea” demonstrate that he was capable of molding Brooklyn drill’s trademark elements into a more palatable package to become a Billboard mainstay.

If any artist was going to bust open the industry door and stimulate opportunities for the rest of the scene, it was going to be Pop. But unfortunately, he didn’t get that chance. Even still, the album was a prime opportunity to showcase acts like Fivio Foreign, Sheff G, Rah Swish, and others who he had shouted out and collaborated with in the past. Fivio has said that the deluxe version of the album is “gonna be crazy,” implying that he and other drill artists may be on the redux — but for now, the project has a mixed reception among New Yorkers.

Fans were all for hearing new Pop Smoke — but not necessarily here for the industry stunt features. Quavo shows up on the 18-track project a whopping three times. DaBaby’s verse on “For One Night” is a hair offbeat, a clumsy miscue characteristic of stitched-together posthumous albums. Tyga’s appearance on “West Coast Sh*t” reeks of “sure, why not.” Meanwhile, the most confusing feature may be Diddy’s son King Combs on “Diana.” He delivers a remarkably average verse in a slot that could have gone to any number of Brooklyn artists. Pop’s family probably appreciates the high-powered appearances, but so many listeners critiqued that they weren’t necessary, and Pop’s solo tracks were the highlight of the album. If Pop’s Brooklyn drill peers were on the project, it could have been a smoother front-to-back listen.

Last Friday, 50 spoke to Ebro Darden on Apple Music’s Rap Life show. He saluted the Brooklyn drill scene, noting, “The thing that’s really interesting about Brooklyn is they’re actually marketing each other.” But he also added, “If they can figure out how to not kill each other in the process and stay focused on what they actually want to do, this is our music.”

His comments were thoughtlessly reductive, as if the factors that lead to gun violence are a mystery. Gang violence is a symptom of an underserved community and a lack of opportunity. His dissonance to “own” the scene as New York culture but also finger wag its artists — when he could help provide opportunity — reflects the selective apathy of so many other figments in the lives of these young rappers.

It’s difficult for a drill rapper not to feel trapped. Every iteration of the movement, from Chicago, to UK, to Toronto, and now Brooklyn, is plagued by the gang violence that seems to be the cornerstone of so many of its songs. The scenes sprout up with a wave of excitement and fizzle out as violence and the carceral state claim artists one-by-one.

But despite the peril they reflect in their lyrics, seemingly every institution uses their raw honesty as a reason to fear and shun them. The cops target them and prevent them from performing at venues (Pop became a star without performing a single show in his hometown). As Lil Durk once rapped, “I can’t do no shows, cause I terrify my city” on “Dis Ain’t What U Want,” reflecting how the Chicago Police Department and city officials treat their scene. Local arts communities ignore them, though they often reflect the pulse of their cities. The industry siphons their energy then backs away from them, scared off by their perceived “lack of focus.” And rival gang members look to tear them down before they ever get that clarity.

That’s why 50 using Pop’s album to highlight more Brooklyn artists could flipped the script on everyone who wants drill artists to disappear. Pop reportedly did his first verse during a Jay Gwuapo studio session when Gwuapo got too intoxicated to record — but he’s not on the album. Rah Swish is a previous Pop collaborator who has been paying heavy homage to Pop since he passed, and he’s not on the album. Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow are two artists who’ve been buzzing for several years and could have had breakout moments on the album. As much as fans on Twitter celebrate Bobby Shmurda, Rowdy Rebel, and the GS9 movement, how many of them realize that Rowdy’s brother Fetty Luciano is a recording artist who would appreciate some residual love? All of these artists could’ve invigorated the album with that authentic Brooklyn energy that made Pop a hometown hero.

PG County’s IDK spoke for many young people when he called 50 Cent a “superhero” like figure. 50’s against-all-odds story and brutish demeanor have given him almost universal respect among young New Yorkers, making him one of the few industry figures that could potentially reach young drill artists. He already recalled that Pop literally took phone notes as 50 gave him game. 50 recalled brokering a 2007 record deal for Maino with Atlantic Records when the industry was apprehensive about dealing with an artist of Maino’s street-certified reputation. He could have a similar impact for young New York artists that the industry is wary of.

So many young people join gangs because they’re overlooked in their community. It’s a shame for them to continue to get overlooked when they try to be productive as musicians. Hopefully, 50 is planning a complete overhaul for the deluxe album a la Lil Uzi Vert’s LUV Vs. The World 2. But for the time being, the lack of Brooklyn drill artists on Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon was a missed opportunity.

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

As if Mission: Impossible — Fallout didn’t already have an impressive enough cast, with Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Michelle Monaghan, Henry Cavill, and franchise mainstay Ving Rhames, Mission: Impossible 7 will add Shea Whigham, Pom Klementieff (Mantis from Guardians of the Galaxy), Esai Morales, and Hayley Atwell to the ensemble. The Agent Carter star, last seen sharing a dance with Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame, is an exciting new face to the long-running action franchise because Peggy Carter rules, and she’s hard at work preparing for the role.

Atwell recently shared a shirtless photo of her back on Instagram with the caption, “Backbone #missionimpossiblemovie.” Basically, she’s getting shredded / ripped / jacked / another word that means she’s in better shape than you to scuba-dive in lava, or whatever, with Cruise’s Ethan Hunt. It’s still unknown who she’s playing in the Christopher McQuarrie-directed movie, and we might not find out for a while, as production has been shut down until September due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We hope to start shooting again in September. We were days from shooting in Venice — we were right at the epicenter when it all kicked off — so we had to shut down in Venice where we were four or five days from shooting,” first assistant director Tommy Gormley told BBC Radio 4’s Today program. “We hope to visit all the countries we planned to and look to do a big chunk of it back in the UK on the backlot and in the studio, so September through to end April/May is our targets. We are convinced we can do this.” Mission: Impossible 7 is scheduled to come out on November 19, 2021.