I May Destroy You (HBO, 9:00 p.m.) — UPROXX recently named this one of the best shows of 2020, so no pressure HBO. Tonight’s episode takes us back to London nearly two months after the incident as Arabella, on the advice of her therapist, comes up with new ways to cope with her trauma while managing the pressures of a book deadline.
The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons – Ever! (ABC, 8:00 p.m.) — Jojo Fletcher’s Bachelor career was a bit of a rollercoaster and tonight, the show’s looking back on how it all went down. From a tearful goodbye to Ben Higgins to the emergence of a new Bachelor villain and the introduction of Wells, her season had a ton of drama and we’re sorting through it tonight.
The Titan Games (NBC, 8:00 p.m.) — More action from the West Division tonight as Victor Cruz and stunt woman Jessie Graff ready to take on the competitions next batch of winners on Mt. Olympus.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga(Netflix) — In case you missed it over the weekend, this Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams-starring comedy is, as the youths say, fire. The two take on the planet’s most-watched singing competition with this campy romp about an Icelandic duo named Fire Saga set on achieving glory on the world’s biggest stage. Ferrell and McAdams play Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdottir, artists chosen to represent their nation in the Eurovision Song Contest, a real competition that features musicians from all over the world, often performing in wild get-ups. Apparently, people are just now cluing into how terrific a comedic actress McAdams truly is, and this movie’s to thank for that.
Justice League star Ray Fisher has been a supporter of the “Release The Snyder Cut” movement since the beginning, so the Cyborg actor has been understandably pumped ever since Zack Snyder announced that his director’s cut will be arriving on HBO Max. However, Fisher is now taking his excitement perhaps a little too far.
As the official story goes, Avengers director Joss Whedon was brought in to complete Justice League after Snyder exited the film following a family tragedy (his daughter’s suicide). While promoting the film at Comic-Con in 2017, Fisher voiced his support for Whedon when asked about the director taking over for Snyder. “Joss is a great guy, and Zack picked a good person to come in and clean up and finish up for him,” Fisher said.
However, on Monday, the Cyborg actor posted a clip of his support for Whedon with a very pointed caption that makes it clear he didn’t mean a word of it. “I’d like to take a moment to forcefully retract every bit of this statement,” Fisher tweeted.
The Release The Snyder Cut movement has been notably criticized for the actions of some of its toxic members, which has led to HBO Max execs fielding questions on whether they feel that releasing the cut sets a precedent by emboldening aggressive fan campaigns down the road. So, Fisher’s swing at Whedon wasn’t the most diplomatic move. The tweet is also ill-timed considering, just last week, Snyder expressed gratitude to his fan movement for raising money for suicide prevention. It was a positive moment that showed the Snyder Cut movement is mostly a group of passionate fans with good hearts. With Fisher’s latest tweet, that image may be hard to maintain.
J Balvin released his highly-anticipated record Colores back in March. While the Colombian singer can’t tour behind his album due to the pandemic, Balvin has found creative ways to stay engaged with his fans. The singer has shared a visual to nearly every one of the tracks off Colores. Following the animated visual to “Azul,” Balvin returns with another animated effort, “Negro.”
Directed by Colin Tilley, the animated video places the singer in a Gotham-style city. The visual imagines Balvin a post-apocalyptic world overrun by miscreants. But the singer has no need to fear, as he’s riding on the hood of a tank armed with three dinosaurs as bodyguards.
In an interview with Apple Music alongside his record’s release, Balvin detailed the inspiration behind “Negro” and said it was one of his favorite songs off of Colores: “This is one of my favorite songs on Colores because it has malianteo, the flavor that made me fall in love with reggaeton. It reminds me of the days of Hector El Father; it makes you want to grab a bat and head out to the streets. The lyrics are brutal. The color and what the song inspires are brutal. Dee Mad made a beat that really hit.”
Summer Walker has new music on the way. She previously teased that an EP was “coming soon” on her Instagram in May, but now we know what the EP is called and when it will arrive. The Atlanta-born R&B star followed up a standout performance at the 2020 BET Awards with the announcement that a new EP, Life On Earth, would be released in the coming month, on July 10.
Even as Walker’s profile has risen in recent months, she warned fans to enjoy what new music they get from her because she plans to quit the music business after 2020. Despite being tapped for high-profile events like the BET Awards and The Roots Picnic, Walker has detailed her distaste for the industry grind repeatedly in the last year or so, from venting about the tribulations of fame and the demands of overzealous fans to accusing her label of trying to censor her on social media due to her love of posting conspiracy theories.
However, if she really does follow through with her threat to give up stardom, she’ll leave behind an impressive catalogue, with singles featuring stars like Usher, Khalid, 21 Savage, and Drake, as well as her fan-favorite albums Last Day of Summer and Over It.
Life On Earth is due 7/10 via LVRN/Interscope Records. Pre-save the album here.
It’s no question the music industry has been greatly impacted by the coronavirus. As the music industry suffers, as does music journalism. That’s why the veteran indie outlet Stereogum has launched a new compilation series in order to help them stay afloat. Titled Save Stereogum: An ’00s Covers Comp, the publication has tapped many big-name musicians, like Run The Jewels’ El-P and The National, to offer covers from throwback songs as part of the compilation.
Stereogum founder Scott Lapatine recently outlined how the pandemic has affected their publication in a Twitter thread. Lapatine bought the site back from former parent company Billboard in January, just months before the pandemic hit the US. “We risk shutting down before we even got a chance to get going as an independent entity,” Lapatine wrote. “We have a plan to modernize and just need to survive this tough time in order to execute it.” Now, Stereogum’s founder has asked 44 of his favorite musicians to share covers and help crowdsource funds for their website.
Along with El-P and The National, the list of 44 musicians includes the likes of Waxahatchee, Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard, Mac DeMarco, Soccer Mommy, Car Seat Headrest, and many more. Those who donate to Stereogum’s crowdsourcing campaign will receive the compilation, artwork, and liner notes.
Check out the list of artists above.
Donate to the Save Stereogum: An ‘00s Covers Comp crowdsourcing fund here.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
After forty years of eluding law enforcement, Joseph DeAngelo pleaded guilty in court on Monday to being the Golden State Killer. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, DeAngelo, a former police officer, accepted a plea deal that will allow him to avoid the death sentence. In return, the 74-year-old has confessed his guilt to not only the crimes he’s been charged with but also to sexual assaults whose statute of limitations had run out by the time he was apprehended. He’ll be sentenced to life without parole.
DeAngelo was charged with 13 counts of murder, with additional special circumstances, as well as 13 counts of kidnapping for robbery in six counties, including Contra Costa County in the Bay Area. Investigators believe he was responsible for more than 60 rapes, including some in Santa Clara and Alameda counties as well, but the statute of limitations expired on those crimes.
DeAngelo’s court appearance arrived the day after HBO aired the first episode of its new docu-series, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. The series focuses on the book of the same name by the late crime writer Michelle McNamara, who passed away during her investigation into the Golden State Killer. Her widowed husband, comedian Patton Oswalt, worked with McNamara’s co-investigators to complete the book and, in a bittersweet ending, two months after it was published the police captured DeAngelo.
In his reaction to the guilty plea, Oswalt joined I’ll Be Gone in the Dark director Liz Garbus in emphasizing that the focus should remain on the survivors of DeAngelo’s heinous crime spree. “All present, all staring directly at that zilch of a human being, and he can’t return their gaze,” Oswalt tweeted. “That’s what I’m focusing on.”
You can see his full reaction below:
The most important people at the #GoldenStateKiller hearing today are the survivors. All present, all staring directly at that zilch of a human being, and he can’t return their gaze. That’s what I’m focusing on. https://t.co/1lqZSIyt14
Oswalt’s focus on the victims echoes the thoughts he recently shared in an interview with UPROXX shortly before I’ll Be Gone in the Dark‘s premiere. When asked about his on-screen participation, the comedian said he didn’t want to be heavily featured because the focus should be on the survivors along with his late wife and her team of investigators that cracked the case.
Donald Trump has made a habit of running afoul of various social media pages’ terms of service, and it seems at least one has taken action by suspending his account. Gaming streaming site Twitch on Monday temporarily banned Trump’s Twitch channel, saying it violated its terms of service.
It’s the latest channel to see a ban as the service has cracked down on channels for content and copyright. Earlier in June, thousands of users saw streams taken down for music or other copyright material in their video material, even if songs were for example playing in the background while users were playing a game. Another controversial streamer, Dr. Disrespect, was mysteriously banned from Twitch over the weekend, though neither the streamer nor Twitch have given a reason for the ban.
Yes we currently know more about why Twitch banned the President of the United States than why they banned Dr Disrespect
According to The Verge, Trump’s ban comes after a rebroadcast of his widely mocked Tulsa speech was flagged for hate speech on the platform.
Twitch has temporarily banned President Donald Trump, in the latest surprise and high-profile suspension from the streaming service. Trump’s account was banned for “hateful conduct” that was aired on stream, and Twitch says the offending content has now been removed.
One of the streams in question was a rebroadcast of Trump’s infamous kickoff rally, where he said that Mexico was sending rapists to the United States. Twitch also flagged racist comments at Trump’s recent rally in Tulsa.
If you visited Trump’s Twitch page, which his campaign started last October, on Monday you’d get the following where content would usually play.
Twitch
The move came on a day when Reddit banned thousands of subreddits from its site in a similar crackdown. That included the unaffiliated subreddit The Donald, where many Trump supporters would gather to share racist content and conspiracies. Trump’s Twitch channel is essentially a place to rebroadcast content from other places, but it’s a sign social media sites are looking at his content more critically when it comes to their terms of service. Twitter, his preferred social media platform, has begun to flag some tweets with warnings about content and fact checking information, while Facebook has largely held off on removing misinformation despite mounting pressure from ad buyers to boycott the site until it does.
Apple TV+ released a trailer on Monday for a new series titled “Greatness Code” that will release on July 10 and look at moments or games that some of the world’s greatest athletes believe defined and shaped their careers.
LeBron James, Tom Brady, Alex Morgan, Shaun White, Usain Bolt, Kelly Slater, and Katie Ledecky will all be featured in season one, and the trailer teases some of the moments they will look at over seven “mini-episodes.” LeBron recalls the 2012 playoffs in Boston where he felt “nothing” going in, and how that was a turning point in his career, as the Heat went on to win the title and LeBron’s Game 6 performance is widely regarded as the finest single game of his entire career.
Tom Brady doesn’t highlight a Super Bowl performance, but instead thinks back on the 2007 Sunday Night game against Buffalo, when he went 31-of-39 passing for 373 yards and five touchdowns in a 56-10 win. Katie Ledecky looks back at one of her (many) record-breaking performances in the pool, and Usain Bolt highlights his 9.69 record-breaking 100 meter run in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
It will be interesting to hear some of these athletes recall their finest moments, the ones they believe meant the most to their careers. The series is directed by Gotham Chopra and co-produced by LeBron’s Uninterrupted and Religion of Sports.
Fashion, just like every industry at this point, has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as the economy slowly begins to reopen, the damage done during the months-long global shutdown has already taken root. Early last month, the New York Timesreported that the luxury department store Neiman Marcus would be filing for bankruptcy protection and closing a number of its stores nationwide. By May 28th, CNBC had reported that another retail giant, J.C. Penny, would close stores through the month of June, continuing throughout July.
The impact our flailing economy will have on your favorite small streetwear brands remains to be seen, but with supply chains disrupted and retail experiences altered for the foreseeable future, it seems like the months to come hold nothing but uncertainty for even the more coveted labels. If a luxury retailer like Neiman Marcus can fall, what’s stopping Supreme from having to close some of its stores?
Fortunately for streetwear labels, uncertainty is nothing new. Like independent restaurants, streetwear labels are small, nimble, and highly adaptable — used to finding ways to stay afloat in a cruel industry that has made pivoting quickly a feature rather than a flaw. So while COVID-19 has no doubt impacted every streetwear label no matter how big or small, some are rolling with the changes, finding new ways to connect with their audiences, and using this upheaval to transform an industry that was already in need of major changes.
Changes like sustainability, for example. We’ve covered the tremendous strain that the production process of our clothing has on the planet in the past, and ecological footprint was definitely on the minds of Marc Keiser and Joey Gollish — who head the Keiser Clark and Mr. Saturday labels, respectively — when I talked to them separately over the phone during lockdown. While speaking about the struggles their individual brands face during the COVID-19 pandemic, both Keiser and Gollish remained optimistic and eager to step up to the new challenges in creative ways, and hoped that this massive shift would lead to an industry made better by our new circumstances.
Check out our conversation below.
How has the impact of COVID-19 directly affected your label and what are you currently doing to stay afloat?
Joey Gollish (Mr. Saturday): The biggest thing is that it’s made us adapt and focus on what’s important. Tangibly, we were going to do our first presentation in Paris and obviously those plans have changed, so I think trajectory-wise that’s been the biggest thing for us. As far as staying afloat, it’s all about focusing our attention — we’re focusing on what’s important to the brand, and focusing on our retailers as partners, and focusing on our customers as people. We’re focusing on our core product, and focusing on delivering that experience for Mr. Saturday in new ways and ultimately focusing on the core principles of the business.
Marc Keiser (Keiser Clark): Our international sales team is heavily China-based, and we were back in Paris in January so we were very aware and paying attention to everything that was going on in China, our sales team was getting news from their family, through WeChat or social media. Business-wise, we noticed right away because we had a really good sales season coming out of Paris and a lot of that growth came from retailers in China and we were seeing a lot of those orders put on hold, reduced, or canceled in mid-February following Fashion Week. I kept talking to other designers and other buyers and they were like “no it really hasn’t affected our business at all, we haven’t seen any changes” and we thought, “oh damn, maybe it’s just us, maybe the collection wasn’t as good as I thought it was,” but as March came around the rest of the world caught on and then it hit the U.S. pretty hard.
I think in terms of how we’re reacting and how things are going, obviously, the retail side of things is taking a big hit. We kind of turned our office into almost a drop-ship. We reached out to all our retailers, created dropbox folders for them with the product images, product descriptions, price points and just told them like “Hey, feel free to put any of this up on your site, let us know if there is an order placed, and we’ll ship it directly from us.” In an effort to help them transition. Some of our retailers didn’t even have e-comm set up yet, so that was a huge help for them. Otherwise, I think obviously the retail orders for Autumn/Winter 20 have been cut, reduced, canceled entirely. That’s been a big hit for us in what was supposed to be a really big growth year.
Keiser Clark
What new types of challenges are you facing as a result of travel restrictions? I imagine that has an effect on photoshoots and promotional opportunities.
Joey Gollish (Mr. Saturday): Definitely that challenge came as soon as we tried doing this capsule, that’s why we started to work with creators that have been living together or are couples. We had a couple shoot that first editorial which I thought was super cool because it was amazing content that also reflected their period of transition right now. As far as travel, that’s super interesting for us because wholesale has been a big model for us. Learning what travel restrictions will be as market seasons come up is definitely on our radar. Whether domestic travel within regions is possible or whether it’s not and we’re going to have to rely on logistics and getting samples for our collection to keep harvest and keep them updated is on there.
Beyond that, just the supply chain slowing down and stopping, in general, is probably the biggest barrier to running our company right now, and I think that comes back to that idea of a new sense of adaptability. In the past, we’ve relied so heavily on just-in-time logistics to run an adaptable business that lets you use your cash flow and carry as little debt as possible and make moves quickly, but that’s not the case anymore. I think this idea of new adaptability for us actually means forecasting more and planning more long term so that we can actually act faster in moments when there is less access to that supply chain.
Mr. Saturday
What are some of the new ways you’re trying to engage with your audience?
Joey Gollish (Mr. Saturday): The biggest thing for us right now is our Artist Relief Capsule collection. We had this capsule that was supposed to launch at a popup in Toronto in March. What we ended up having to do was release it with an editorial that was shot by this couple I know who is a model and photographer that live together and we put up the capsule to raise money for a relief fund and also to donate to our factories who are creating PPE and masks for health care professionals.
Marc Keiser (Keiser Clark): For me, it’s been great to talk with a lot of our customers through email, and ask them “how are you doing, how are you getting through this.” Personally, I like that side of things. I like that we’re taking a pause to connect with people. I think that’s something we’ll see hopefully shine through once this is all over.
With your change in the business model, how long do you think you can last like this?
Joey Gollish (Mr. Saturday): We’re going to continue to adapt and work with whatever reality exists for as long as we exist. We’re fortunate enough to be small enough to make core changes to our processes really quickly, that’s been a big advantage for us. At the core of that new approach now is a new sense of adaptability. I think we have plans that stretch to the end of 2020 right now and that’s pretty long term thinking for the moment.
Marc Keiser (Keiser Clark): I think the beauty of the fashion industry is that there is no one way to be successful, there is no one product or one style that is going to reign supreme. There are brands out there that have no retail business what so ever and they’re entirely successful. You have other brands that don’t have any direct to consumer set up and they’re killing it with their retail partners.
That’s the benefit of this industry, there are so many avenues of growth, so many avenues to success. I think it’s about diversifying those paths you are taking, I keep telling myself “When this is over when we get back to how things were…” and I think that’s the wrong mentality. This is the new normal, if we’re able to recover as a global economy in the coming months then we have the fear of the looming fall/winter COVID season. So I think for us it’s about how can we continue as a business to do this, how we can keep getting creative with retailers, how are we communicating with our direct to consumer customers.
In fashion, there is the business side of things and there is the brand side of things, and those cross over a lot, but for me the brand — that’s the luxury side of it, that’s the escape, that’s the dream. That hasn’t changed for us, the story we’re trying to tell through our designs hasn’t changed. It’s always been about connection and family. We’re seeing a lot of conversations, a lot of tensions between retailers and brands. When you’re facing an economic downturn or recession there is a lot of fear, how can we as a brand avoid that fear and avoid that selfish survival instinct and really work together with a wide array of people and customers to come out of it stronger than before?
Keiser Clark
Do you plan on making face masks as an accessory going forward?
Joey Gollish (Mr. Saturday): I don’t really have plans of making masks as an accessory, at least for the time being. It’s a pretty serious and important piece to make, and it’s not something that’s in my wheelhouse technically.
Marc Keiser (Keiser Clark): I think going into Spring/Summer 21 it’s definitely something we’re looking to include as part of a collection. I don’t know personally if that’s an item that we will be selling. It might be something we include with an order or something like that.
What are your plans for the future going forward? Can you have a pandemic proof plan?
Joey Gollish (Mr. Saturday): I don’t think anything is pandemic proof! Immediately we’re still super-focused on the FS 20 Artist Release Capsule… beyond that, experience is super important to me and we’re working on some new programs with our partners that bring that experience home for people and deliver it in new ways that adapt with our continuously evolving realities. The first part of that is going to launch in June and I’d like to say it’s pandemic proof but I think the biggest part of retooling our strategies was making adaptability at the core of all of them — so that no matter what’s happening we can retool that. We’re working on some cool experiences we can bring to customers or retail buyers and our partners either in their homes or in different ways.
Mr. Saturday
Times of crisis often lead to huge shifts in culture, what lasting impact do you think Covid-19 will have on the streetwear scene, and what kind of big changes would you like to see made to the industry as a whole?
Joey Gollish (Mr. Saturday): I don’t necessarily think it’s going to result in a shrinking of the market, at least on the customer’s side, but I do think we’re going to see a tightening up as far as brands that are able to participate. I think the coolest thing though is kind of what you’re saying, crisis breeds mass shifts in culture, WWII created the teenager and that was one of the biggest consumer shifts we’ve ever seen, and now we’re in a new version of a crisis and I think that sustainability moving forward is actually going to be important.
From a utilitarian perspective it’s always been incredibly important, but I think that customer perspective is shifting, and now in a more real way than ever, caring has become cool, it’s kind of a unique opportunity to give the medicine to the masses and to create a sustainable product that will last longer and maybe that means people will be willing to pay the price for that, and they’ll be buying more long term and more consciously.
That’s the shift I’d like to see, and I’m kind of happy because I think in a way we’re sort of starting to see it already.
Marc Keiser (Keiser Clark): This is a question that I think about every day and every night and I’m not sure there is one answer. For us, it’s been an opportunity to look at the product we’re putting out into the world. This industry moves so fast, it’s crazy that for as long as I’ve been doing this — we officially launched last year in June with the autumn-winter 19 collection — to think of everything that’s happened in that time, is nuts and I think for us it’s given us an opportunity exploring more sustainable options, not only in the materials we use but also in the designs that we put out and the supply chains that we’re utilizing.
I think it’s going to have a major impact going forward, the world is calling for it, and I think especially now, with places like China, places like the US, where the pollution has gone down, the skies are the clearest then they’ve been in years. It’s such a telling side of the impact that we as humans are having on the environment and I think as we slowly start getting back, the world is going to be expecting more from us. The push on global warming, the push on the effect that we’re having on the environment, that’s something that the younger generation of consumers is very aware of. It’s something they’re being taught in schools and something that they’re seeing on social media at a young age.
On the business side of things, I think there is a lot of tension and testing that are going on between brands and retailers and I think people are starting to rethink how those relationships impact one another, but I think that’s a good thing.
The reality of the pandemic is horrible, if you really look into stories, you see what’s happening in New York, what happened in Wuhan- — it’s devastating. As much as we can joke about the challenges on Instagram or make light of it, or talk business, its the reality facing a lot of people. I read an article saying “no this is a good thing, there are too many brands out there are too many retailers” and from a cold heartened business standpoint, sure, but from a human element, there are people behind that.
That was somebody’s dream to start that business, that was somebody’s dream to start that brand, I know exactly how that feels, to do something that you love, and to pursue that passion. It’s hard to see how it’s impacting those people, how it’s impacting my family, my brother or his fiancee working in hospitals, how its impacting friends that have been laid off or furloughed. Personally, I hope the industry as a whole has a more human element that continues to shine through on all sides, that we’re not just a brand, we’re not just a consumer, we’re not just a customer.
The BET Awards took place this Sunday and it was a glimpse into the future of award shows amid the pandemic. The event went virtual, asking each of the artists who performed to send in a pre-taped video. As MTV’s VMAs are slated to happen soon, the awards show is still finding ways to be held in-person.
On Monday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo gave the VMAs the green light to take place in NYC’s Barclays Center. During a press conference, Cuomo announced the event is happening in August, though the number of people who are able to attend is still in question. Barclays Center will allow the VMAs to have a “limited or no audience,” depending on the threat of the coronavirus. Following his announcement, Cuomo said he encourages the use of HEPA air filtration systems in indoor areas, which can filter out the virus.
Back in May, MTV told Billboard that they were exploring options to figure out how to hold the event in-person. “We’re exploring with government officials, the medical community, and key stakeholders on how to safely hold the 2020 VMAs at Barclays Center,” an MTV spokesperson said. “The health of everyone involved remains our number one priority. Additionally, we are working on several contingency plans to bring music’s biggest night to audiences everywhere.”
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.