---

View Entire Post ›

When Charli XCX released her “Forever” video last month, it was the fruit of a collaborative effort with her fans. The video featured tons of follower-submitted clips, and while her just-released “Claws” video is quite different in nature, there’s still a lot going on.

Charli previously teased the premise of the video in a Zoom call with fans, saying a couple weeks ago, “I’ve got two ideas. One involves me in a bikini on a scooter, and one involves me making out with Huck, my boyfriend, on a green screen for the whole video, kind of inspired by Shawn Mendes and Camila [Cabello] when they made out on Instagram, because that was really hot and fun. So those are the reference points, but we’ll see which one happens.” It turns out both of those ideas found their way into the final visual.

Meanwhile, Charli recently teased the tracklist of the upcoming album yesterday, writing on Twitter, “update: these are the song titles in the mix for the album: forever, claws, party4u, detonate, enemy, 7 years, anthem, pictures in my mind, pink diamond, i finally understand. there’s also other tracks i still love that I haven’t written over just yet….”

Watch the “Claws” video above.

How I’m Feeling Now is out 5/15.

Charli XCX is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

While promoting his latest film, Free Guy, Ryan Reynolds shared an update on Deadpool 3 and how things are going with making the Merc With the Mouth play nice with his new Disney pals. Unfortunately, it sounds like there are still concerns around letting Deadpool run wild in the MCU, and Reynolds also seems to be implying that there is still a scenario where a third film doesn’t happen.

While talking to Total Film (via GamesRadar), Reynolds admitted that the situation with Marvel is still “all so new,” and they’re still trying to figure out the “ins and outs.” It also doesn’t help that current events have thrown Hollywood into a state of uncertainty across the board where nobody knows when projects are going to make it in front of a camera.

“I think once I’m more intimate with it – if we get to make a Deadpool 3… if or when we get to make a Deadpool 3, I’ll probably have a better perspective on that. But I’m a huge fan of Marvel, and how they make movies. So when Disney bought Fox, I only saw that as a good thing. Deadpool hopefully being allowed to play in that sandbox, I think is just a win for everyone involved. But we’ll certainly see.”

Again, Hollywood is in a state of flux, so it’s understandable that Reynolds would be uncertain about the timeline for filming Deadpool 3. That said, his answer seems to suggest that unleashing Deadpool on the MCU isn’t a done deal. Obviously, it would be a win-win for fans, but apparently Disney still has concerns about mixing the R-Rated property with its more family-friendly PG-13 Marvel universe.

Granted, Reynolds and Marvel Studios made their relationship official back in December when he announced Deadpool 3 on Live! With Kelly Ryan, but that’s honestly not a lot of time to devise a plan given both Reynolds’ and Marvel’s full plates. Toss in a global pandemic, and Deadpool fans might be waiting a very long time until they see their favorite katana-wielding sex toy on the big screen again.

(Via GamesRadar)

Hip-hop is moving as fast as ever. Luckily, we’re doing the work to put the best music in one place for you. This week, there were new visual from Lil Wayne, DaBaby, Kaytranada, Rich Brian and Guapdad 4000, Run The Jewels, Lil Baby, as well as G-Eazy and Jack Harlow. There were also new songs from Lil Uzi Vert, Megan Thee Stallion and Beyonce, Doja Cat and Nicki Minaj, Chance The Rapper, Lil Wayne and Young Thug, Lil Tjay, Drake and Playboi Carti, and YG. Here’s the best of the rest:

Kevin Gates — “Still Hold Up

Kevin Gates offered up a track for the times on “Still Hold Up,” a reflective single where he affirms, “I’m built Ford tough and I still hold up.”

Zaytoven — “Nervous” Feat. Kash Doll & Icewear Vezzo

Zaytoven linked up with a pair of Detroit’s hottest rappers to drop “Nervous,” a sparse piano-driven track perfect for Icewear Vezzo and Kash Doll to talk flashy with a catchy double-time flow.

Mozzy — Beyond Bulletproof

Today, Mozzy dropped his hotly anticipated Beyond Bulletproof album. The 13-track project is another offering of the Sacramento MC’s gritty, reflective lyricism over production that veers from the sonorous “The Homies Wanna Know” to the menacing “Body Count” with G-Herbo and King Von.

Hardo — “Hurry Up & Buy” Feat. J.I.D

Hardo and J.I.D. trade dense, suspenseful verses on “Hurry Up & Buy,” where J.I.D lets us know his “pen pad paint all the pain” over a melancholy Christo production.

Benny The Butcher, G. Huff, & HiJinks — “M.A.M.N.”

Benny The Butcher defines loyalty along with HiJinks and G. Huff on the energetic “M.A.M.N.,” which stands for “me and my n****s.” The three take turns talking spicy over a Vice Souletric beat that takes listeners back to the days of New York mixtape yore.

Marlon Craft, “Mom’s Whiskey” Feat. Kota The Friend

No one’s linking up in New York right now. But that didn’t stop Marlon Craft and Kota The Friend from crafting a video for “Mom’s Whiskey,” an evocative fan favorite from Craft’s “Flavors” series. The two artists connected on FaceTime and rapped their verses to each other, giving fans an unlikely glimpse of how artists might feel the first time they hear a collaborator’s verse.

Quando Rondo — “Sticc To The Code”

Despite the challenges, Quando Rondo has had a fruitful 2020, and he added to his busy release schedule with “Sticc To The Code.” He unleashes his gripes about phony friends over emotional synths, rhyming “you told me that you would keep it 100 / and I too it straight to the heart I was fakin.”

King Von — “Grandson For Preisdent”

King Von paid homage to Lil Wayne on “Grandson For President,” jumping over a “Knuck If Ya Buck” remake and borrowing the cadence that Weezy used on his classic 2006 “Knuck If Ya Buck” freestyle.

Jay Worthy & Harry Fraud — “Can’t Be Stopped” Feat. Larry June

Jay Worthy and Larry June “Can’t Be Stopped” over Harry Fraud’s glitzy, 80’s-influenced production. The single is from Worthy and Harry Fraud’s upcoming Eat When You’re Hungry Sleep When You’re Tired EP, with the title derived from the consequences of the two artist’s relentless studio sessions.

Coi Leray — “Better Days” Feat. Fetty Wap

On the optimistic, self-assured “Better Days,” Coi Leray wisely proclaims “I could never love a boy who don’t even love himself,” while Fetty Wap croons “can’t eat with a dog who can’t even feed himself” over dreary guitar play.

Fredo Bang — “Top”

Just two weeks after releasing his Most Hated project, Fredo Bangs drops “Top,” where he laments, “I can’t walk by faith, every day I wake up to some brand new hate.”

Punch — “Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Curtains” Feat. Nick Grant & Lyric Michelle

The TDE onslaught continues with “Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Curtains,” a soulful, thoughtful track where Nick Grant tags along and lets us know “my n***s move the sh*t without touchin’ it like Matilda.”

24kGoldn — “Unbelievable” Feat. Kaash Paige

24kGoldn channels his inner Drake on the lush “Unbelievable,” a dreamy collaboration with Kaash Paige where the “Valentino” artist professes that “they hated on my life / but they never got it right.”

History — One Last Donut

Brooklyn-based rapper-producer History crafted his One Last Donut instrumental project in the span of five days. In a move inspired by the late Nipsey Hussle, he’s selling the project for $100 and giving artists the right to “purchase and lease” the soulful, Dilla-channeling production.

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

Last Updated: May 1, 2020

Most people are interested in sex. There’s a biological imperative that keeps it front and center in our minds. Plus it’s a hell of a lot of fun. And though there are only so many body parts to play with, there can still be a fair amount of variety, chaos, and confusion involved in the act.

Enter sex podcasts. Well, technically the best sex podcasts. They titillate. They entertain. They educate. But which ones are actually worth your time? We gathered 19 of the best sex podcasts currently on the air (some have gone dormant but are still available for download and are marked as such). Check them out; lend them your eargasms. You’re sure to find something that introduces you to new concepts, makes you laugh, and occasionally gets you a little hot.

Sex with Emily

Voted the #1 dating and sex expert to follow on Twitter, Sex with Emily host Emily Morse is a Doctor of Human Sexuality and sex and relationship expert. Her long-running podcast draws questions from fans all over the world who need the advice of an authority. Dr. Emily is always down to answer and often brings along a celebrity guest who adds his or her own opinions and experiences to the discussion. As a pioneering sex journalist, Emily is not only qualified, she’s comfortable, meaning she will go there. And, that’s great because it helps listeners become more comfortable with these conversations.

As each episode has a central topic or two, skim through episodes until you see something that’s relevant to your current sex interests. Alternately, start with What Women Really Want. Three women in their 30s join Emily to talk about every stage of a sexual encounter, from flirtation to orgasm.

The Pornhub Podcast with Asa Akira

Having launched in January of this year, this is the newest podcast on the list. Obviously, it’s associated with Pornhub, so it’s no surprise that the host, Asa Akira, has worked in adult film. For those unfamiliar with her, the AVN recognized Akira for Best Double-Penetration Sex Scene in 2011, 2012, and 2103. But, she’s also a self-identified feminist and the former co-host of the podcast DVDASA (Double Vag Double Anal Sensitive Artist) with American street artist David Choe.

Flying solo on the Pornhub Podcast, Akira discusses sex, pop culture, and feelings with a variety of her friends from inside the industry. For people who follow adult film, it’s great to hear the actors’ thoughts and opinions about the work that they do and sex in general. We really love the Dani Daniels: Bush Is Back episode for that reason. Also, their discussion of romantic preference v. sexual preference is fascinating.

Sex with Strangers

This podcast sits at the intersection of travel and sex, making it perfect for people who not only like to learn about sex but also about its connection to a variety of cultures and people. Sure, sex is a shared human experience that most are participating in, but Sex with Strangers uses a cultural lens to show where variation exists.

In more recent episodes, the travel component has been a bit less pronounced, however, with the focus instead being on topics like paying for sex, feederism, and sex and disability. If you want the geo-specific explorations, try starting at episode one with an exploration of sex in Tokyo, episode two with a focus on Grindr in Wyoming, or episode 20 with a glimpse into the hookup culture of Iceland.

Bawdy Storytelling

This is the sexy storytelling podcast that started it all. Hosted by sexual folklorist Dixie De La Tour, the series is an extension of the live stage series, which travels the country asking people for their pervy personal narratives. Think a lascivious Moth. Each installment of Bawdy Storytelling tells a personal story and the focus is on a sexual adventure that is completely personal. The situations are always relatable, but they also run the gamut. You can expect spanking, kink, cuckoldry, carnal cosplay, furries, public sex, and more. You might even learn about a fetish or two of which you weren’t aware.

It’s not about shock value or providing people with giggle fodder. The stories can be completely hilarious, but they can also be touching or revealing. Most of all, they’re great inspiration for some adventures of your own. Episode 33 is a great place to jump in because it is the “PORN!” episode, and although people often talk about porn, they usually aren’t this hilarious when they do it.

The Manwhore Podcast

Billy Procida is a New York City-based stand-up comedian and the manwhore in question. But he’s really so much more. You might expect a podcast that centers on a dude interviewing former flames to be bro-y, and there is a bit of that. But it’s just as educational as it is amusing. There’s also the occasional lapse into awkwardness, as it would be impossible to produce a podcast full of erotic post-mortems and ex interviews without it. Guests often include sex workers, porn stars, and sex educators as well because the premise is great but Procida is past the episode 160 mark and it must be a bitch to find that many ex-lovers willing to come on your podcast.

Every episode of The Manwhore Podcast tackles sex in fresh in illuminating ways, so the basic premise never grows stale like you might expect. If you want to skip the overall romantic arc that Procida goes through and get right into the filth, start with episode 208, “The Filthiest Podcast Episode Ever Made!” Let’s just say that one woman’s journey to give a blow job to the show’s host makes for an interesting podcast.

Inner Hoe Uprising

Queens native Samantha Riddell launched Inner Hoe Uprising a few years ago to talk about sex and sexuality through the lens of a feminist of color. As the show progressed, she welcomed a bevy of co-hoes before embracing the current line-up of NYC 20 somethings: Rob, an agender black artist with degrees in psychology and human biology; Akua, an aspiring mental health counselor and single mother; and Rebecca, a pansexual femme writer and current college student working toward a degree in business administration. It’s a wicked smart group of hosts with perspectives often ignored in more traditional sex podcasts.

We listen because we support the reclamation of “inner-hoe-ness,” especially when it’s part of a larger brutally honest conversation. Although, radical self-expression produced via intersectional feminism sounds pretty dry, listening to the hosts explore topics like cuckqueens, bedding an old crush, lube, dating an introvert, and the importance of self-care is anything but. Their episode about sex, love, and dating while being a masculine, black person of size was awesome.

Fangasm

This podcast originally began by taking a lengthy work of erotic Harry Potter fan fiction (yeah, that’s a thing) and dividing it between the season’s episodes. Season one, for example, is a sensuous meeting between Hermione and Snape’s silken pubes in a prefect bathroom. No longer called The Potterotica Podcast, Fangasm now works with smut inspired by a variety of fandoms. Hosts Allie LeFevere, Lyndsay Rush, and Danny Chapman aren’t producing an audiobook. No. In addition to reading, there is a ton of hilarious chat and even a few parody songs. You will never listen to “No Diggity” the same after hearing their version.

Fangasm has so many inside jokes that there is a wiki dedicated to breaking down every episode and explaining their references. There is also a totally passionate following thanks to a dedicated Facebook group. Listeners of don’t just get entertained, they become part of a rabid fan community. Every episode of this show is hilarious, but the show also gets better the more that you listen, so starting in the middle works well. Scan their offerings for your fave characters, and dive right in. Or, start with Season three, episode one, “D!ck GIF,” and see what’s waiting in a special chamber of secrets.

Room For Relations

In January of 2015, relationship therapist Eboni Harris launched her sex and relationship podcast. It was a very simple set-up: invite a few friends on the show to talk about sex, love, and dating. These days it also includes professionals and experts, but the topics remain the same. One of the best parts of the show is the amount of commentary about black love, which isn’t something many sexy podcasts either choose to cover or are capable of covering effectively. So this podcast serves an important role in helping the black community gather information about healthy relationships, family, and mental health.

Obviously, given the complicated subject matter, Room for Relations has some moments of seriousness that others on the list don’t. But it absolutely is not without humor and charm in large amounts. If you’re looking for a great episode to begin with, try Room 339, “Convicted Hoe,” to listen to a really thorough discussion of toxic relationships. You will learn something.

Swingercast [INACTIVE]

Hosts Allie and John are swingers who invite listeners into their lifestyle. They share their sex adventures, introduce other swingers, and educate listeners on the mores of the community. There is a touch of the voyeuristic, as they are not shy at all. Beyond that, it’s interesting and informative. Swingercast is also a little weird and not because of the sex. The hosts are a trip. There is a lot more saccharine sweet talk than you expect on a podcast that is sometimes about double penetration. They have this curious dynamic. If you are interested in swinging, the podcast is limitlessly useful. But, it’s also great for people who are already in the swinging game.

Though there is some humor (often unintentional), many listeners focus on how hot the pod can be. Allie narrating their adventures in her whispery voice leaves many an audience member aroused. Try starting with episode 85, “Private and Erotic Gang Bang,” where the hosts take video of an actual gangbang and talk about their adventures.

Celestial Sex [INACTIVE]

This is an unusual sex podcast in that it combines religion with sex. Host Chris Duce was raised Mormon and spent his youth inundated with teachings that insisted premarital sex was sin and blowjobs were never to be given. But, he was a curious 15-year-old listening to Loveline in secret. Like many people with a religious upbringing, Duce had trouble accepting the dogmatic rules and puzzling practices of his faith. Celestial Sex is a catharsis of sorts both for the host and for listeners who also grew up religious. There are frequent guests who address different aspects of sex and Mormonism, like masturbation, homosexuality, early sexual experiences, and the law of chastity.

You learn a lot about sex, but you learn about it in the context of Mormonism, which is fascinating. To get a feel for the show, start with the October 26, 2016 episode with Ashley, a literature student getting her Master’s degree who shares not only a ton of personal experiences (like getting her first pube) but also gives listeners some solid book reccs.

Talk About Gay Sex

For listeners looking for a completely homosexual podcast experience, we’ve got you covered. Host Steve V. Rodriguez drives this show with authority, making sure important information — like when to disclose HIV status — gets disseminated. But that doesn’t stop things from getting filthy and hilarious. Along with sidekicks Jeremy Ross Lopez and Steve Carpenter, as well as a hefty list of guests from the who’s who of the LGBTQIA community, Rodriguez is down to talk about anything (legit, there is a whole discussion in one episode about taking the best hole pic).

You might think you know all there is to know about gay sex, but we would bet money you’ll learn a thing or two listening to Talk About Gay Sex. Plus, even if you don’t learn a damn thing, you will still laugh your ass off. Try listening to an episode without wanting to hang or have sex with Rodriguez and crew, especially since so many episodes are just the hosts detailing their escapades. If you wanna get right to that, start listening with episode 63, “Hot Gay Sex Stories.”

Tinder Tales

This list gives the impression that comedians based in the NYC area are somehow duty-bound to host sex podcasts, but we still had to include comedian David Piccolomini’s pod (yes, he lives in Brooklyn). Tinder Tales is a podcast with some online dating gossip and plenty of horror stories, which we love because we come correct for drama. We also like that the info comes via fellow comedians and friends of Piccolomini and that there’s legit insight to gain into writing an engaging Tinder profile, sending the first message, and steps to take on an actual date.

We were turned on to this podcast via Matt Moran in the comment section of this post, and it was a solid recommendation because we binged like mofos. Of the more recent episodes, we were dying listening to guest Maddy Smith on the episode titled “Drier Than The Cinnamon Challenge.” It’s a must listen.

Turn Me On

This is another podcast hosted by a husband/wife duo. This married, poly couple loves talking about sex and they do it with humor and intelligence. Their cred? Well, husband Jeremie lost his virginity in a threesome, so you know he’s adventurous; and, wife Bryde dragged his ass into the studio to talk about sex through the lens of their own experience. Their genuine humor and obvious love for each other undergirds the entire undertaking. Imagine the surprise and sadness when they released an episode titled “We’re Getting A Divorce.” Luckily, it was a fake-out. Bryde was only taking a three-month trip to Mexico with her other lover. As in other episodes of the pod, they spent the “divorce” hour work through some feelings in front of the listeners.

There isn’t anything the hosts of Turn Me On won’t talk about (did you need a sound effect for getting your balls sucked?), and we are big fans of the pair’s honesty and humor. We also tune in to hear them turn sponsors like Hello Fresh into something that sounds dirty. If you are looking for a great episode to begin with, try episode two, “The Wishmaster Confessions of a Cam Girl.” Learn about the kind of wishes that can only be granted by sex workers.

Knightly Pleasures

Okay, The Grey Knight (host of Knightly Pleasures) explicitly says he makes erotica for women, but we think this pod has a bit more range than that — as listeners are treated not only to the erotica but also ASMR, sleep and relaxations aids, BDSM, and some boyfriend experience. There’s also occasionally some daddy dom stuff happening, and we know that everyone isn’t into roleplay, so be warned. The Knight started writing erotica and then transitioned to the podcast format, allowing him to build on a background in radio. Seriously, the sonorous tones are especially important if you are looking for a sex podcast that lets you close your eyes and slap on headphones for some alone time.

The Knight’s fans are rabidly passionate. They have formed a community that sees themselves as a family. They celebrate the host’s voice and his sensuous writings. But, they are also into his laugh and his revealing question-and-answer sessions. There is a genuine bond here between sexy, humble host and listener. Episode 97, “Brunch and Munch,” is a great example of the host’s imagination and desire to please.

Sex Gets Real

It was January 2014 and Dawn Serra and Dylan Payne were both disturbed and amused by the ludicrous strap-on sex advice they were hearing on a podcast. Despite a lack of experience with podcasting or medical licensing, they felt starting their own show was the only solution. The world was in desperate need of their sage wisdom. They termed it “setting the record straight in our own silly, loving ways,” and that’s why we fell in love with the show. When Payne had to leave Sex Gets Real for professional reasons, we were pretty sad, but Serra rolls solo with humor and professionalism that quickly filled the hole left by her co-host.

For listeners who want their questions answered and insight from renowned experts in the sex field, this podcast will give you everything you are looking for. We were really into episode 208, which included sex educator Roan Coughtry, who covered intersectional sex ed. The added mega-bonus is that you will be amused as you are educated. Is there a cringe-factor? Totally. But, when your abs are sore from laughing, you won’t care.

Who Do You Kink You Are? [INACTIVE]

Co-hosts Ari the Black Sexplorer, Mickie the WannaBe Sexpert, and Tracy the Wise grew tired of being objectified as black women and the accompanying policing of their sexuality. When it felt like everyone was part of the conversation about the sex they should and shouldn’t be having, they decided to make their voices heard through podcasting. The goal of Who Do You Kink You Are? is to talk about relationships, sex, and kink in a way that reaches listeners and makes them feel empowered in their desires and confident in speaking up for what they want. Nothing wrong with that.

And though the podcast specifically caters to women of color, every listener will be entertained and educated listening to the stories of women who are figuring out what they want from sex and relationships. In a lot of cases, that answer seems to be a face full of semen. Bonus: the show is really upfront and forgiving about the mistakes that get made when exploring romance and sex, and we think people deserve more of that. It’s great to hear, and we suggest you begin listening with episode eight, “Masturbation and more with Special Guest LipsnLiqs,” which details a masturbation journey.

The Dildorks

Oh, how we love the name of this podcast. We also love listening to co-hosts Bex Caputo and Kate Sloan go deep with sex and dating talk. Their friendly rapport makes you feel like you are hanging out with friends. However, the knowledge these two bring is vast, so it’s really like hanging out with the smartest, sex positive-est friends you’ve ever made. Both hosts are respected sex writers (each runs their own website) and proud nerds, meaning that they make a lot of references that fellow dorks will get. It also means that they love learning and researching, so each episode teaches listeners something on top of being amusing and engaging.

There is no shortage of reasons to love The Dildorks, but one of the primary ones is that it never runs out of new things to talk about. We loved the Sextual Intercourse episode, which dealt with all the aspects of sexting we could think of and a few that never occurred to us. Seriously, we didn’t see sexting prompts coming.

Off the Cuffs

This weekly kink and BDSM podcast is hosted by Dick_Wound and minimus_maximus, a due who are well versed enough in the lifestyle to lead both seasoned kinksters and curious bystanders through complicated discussions inclusively. And the focus isn’t simply on tie me up, tie me down BDSM acts. There is a lot of talk about scene etiquette and relationship management as well. Listeners of Off the Cuffs get a well-rounded discussion of the sadistic, the sensual, and the cerebral.

The guests on this podcast are varied and knowledgeable, but one of our fave appearances was by Domme Servo, who talked both humiliation and MST3K. Plus, fans have the option of donating to the gang’s podcast, which is fun for everyone because every dollar results in Max getting hit by Dick. The higher the donation, the more strokes. Start with episode seven, “Bondage. James Bondage.”

EDITOR’S PICK: Shameless Sex

Shameless Sex hosts April Lampert and Amy Baldwin are both accomplished sex educators with a passion for removing the stigmas around sexuality and pleasure. Their stated POV is one of “radical self-love, empowerment, and shame-free intimacy” and it shows. Episodes are thoughtful and reflective while still revealing the hosts’ shared passion for all things good sex. When mistakes are made, they call themselves out; when ideas need to be reevaluated, they’re up for the challenge.

Guests on the show span a wide range of interests and areas of expertise, with both hosts eager to push discussions beyond their own sexual worldviews. On a recent interview, co-host Amy Baldwin called out episode #149 — “Group Sex, Sex-Parties, and Gang Bangs” featuring Billy Procida of The Manwhore Podcast as a personal favorite.

“It’s fun and playful and it talks about consent a lot,” Baldwin says. “People just think ‘swingers! They go do their thing!’ but Billy really explains how there’s a lot more to it.”

Many things are on display during The Last Dance, ESPN’s 10-part docuseries about the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls. One of those things is that Michael Jordan, the star of those Bulls teams, has a lot of money, as evidenced by the multiple rooms that he sits in for interviews, one of which is gigantic and glowing and white and looks like it is where especially wealthy people hang out in purgatory.

Jordan’s basketball earnings were quite high, but he’s made a killing as a businessman, whether that’s been through his myriad of endorsement deals or as the man behind Jordan Brand. Forbes estimates that Jordan possesses a net worth of $2.1 billion.

According to longtime agent David Falk, this kind of cash means Jordan can do things like being selective about public appearances. One story Falk recalled on “Boomer and Gio” involves Jordan deciding that two hours of his time was not worth nine figures.

“I brought him a deal three years ago for $100 million. All he had to do was, other than giving his name and likeness, make a one two-hour appearance to announce the deal, and he turned it down,” Falk said, per CNN. “God bless him. He’s been so successful, it gives him an opportunity to do whatever the hell he wants or not to do things he doesn’t want. I really admire that. He’s very, very selective in the things he wants to be involved in.”

To start, $100 million is far too much to give a person for a public appearance, even if they are Michael Jordan. While he has long been careful about the things he puts his name on — it stands to reason that giving his name and likeness was not something MJ was fond of — this is still quite the payday for Jordan to turn down, even if you’re are as well-off as him.

Previously on the Best and Worst of WCW Monday Nitro: United States Champion Bret Hart tried to give title shots to El Dandy and Hypnosis, but was shut down by the doubters.

Click here to watch this week’s episode on WWE Network. You can catch up with all the previous episodes of WCW Monday Nitro on the Best and Worst of Nitro tag page. Follow along with the competition here.

Remember, if you want us to keep writing 20-year-old WCW jokes, click the share buttons and spread the column around. If you don’t tell them how much you like these, nobody’s going to read them. It’s almost time for the ninth SuperBrawl, in both order and quality.

And now, the Best and Worst of WCW Monday Nitro for February 1, 1999.

Worst: Kimberly Falls For Scott Steiner

Scott Steiner, due to muscles-based sexual naïveté and the belief that when you defeat a man in a World Championship Wrestling match you lay claim to his wife, has been stalking Diamond Dallas Page’s wife, Kimberly. So far this has been limited to the male gaze and following her into the bathroom to explain how they should be together because they both have great bodies. This week, however, he gets an early start and harasses her during a Nitro Girls rehearsal. She accidentally falls down and hurts herself in the encounter, cementing Steiner as the company’s biggest heel for both injuring a woman and for keeping the Nitro Girls from some much, much needed practice.

WCW isn’t very good at action set-pieces, so enjoy Kimberly accidentally getting tabletopped, David Flair-style, when Steiner grabs her arm and fellow Nitro Girl AC Jazz doesn’t have the spatial reasoning to scoot out of the way of Kim’s shimmying, approaching butt:

That short, safe tumble onto carpet knocks Kimberly out, causing Steiner to flee the scene and the Nitro Girls to crouch around her with tears in their eyes like they’re Lois Lane cradling the dead body of Superman. Later, before a match with Chris Jericho, Steiner attempts to explain the situation. He also attempts to pronounce the word, “mesmerized,” and fails spectacularly. Read this out-loud in your best shrill and aggressively stupid Scott Steiner voice:

“AS YOU PEOPLE ARE MESMER-MIZED BY THE GREATEST BODY IN THE WORLD, YOU CAN SEE WHY I AM A CHAMPI-EN! AND BEING A CHAMPION MEANS YOU GOTTA TAKE ON ALL COMERS, THAT MEANS EVEN WHITE TRASH! NOW DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE, LAST TIME WE WRESTLED THERE WAS ONE STIPULATION, AND IF I BEAT YOU, I GOT TO SHOW YOUR WIFE WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE WITH A REAL MAN. YOU HEARD IT, THE WHOLE WORLD HEARD IT, AND NOW YOU GOT PROBLEM WITH IT. BUT THERE WAS ONE OTHER PERSON WHO HEARD IT, AND SHE SEEMS TO LIKE THAT STIPULATION, AND THAT’S YOUR WIFE. BECAUSE SHE’S IN THE BACK FLIRTIN’ WITH ME, ASKING QUESTIONS WHY ALL MY HOOCHIES SAY THERE’S NOTHING FINER THAN SCOTT STEINER. SO DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE, YOU NEED TO STEP ASIDE AND LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE, AND LET THIS BODY ROCK YOUR WIFE’S BODY UNTIL SHE TELLS ME WHO’S HER DADDY! BECAUSE IN ONE NIGHT I WILL FULFILL ALL HER FANTASIES, CAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS BODY IS NOT BUILT JUST FOR PLEASURE, AND YOU DON’T NEED NO TAPE MEASURE. BECAUSE THAT IS THE LARSHARMSWORL AND THIS BODY CAN GO. SO THIS GOES TO ALL MY FREAKS OUT THERE, BIG POPPA PUMP IS YOUR HOOKUP, HOLLER, IF YOU HEAR ME.”

Note: Jericho loses that match, badly, due to the combination of being physically outmatched by Steiner, being constantly cheated and distracted by Buff Bagwell, and interference from Perry Saturn. It starts to kinda feel like WCW’s getting together and having an intervention to make sure Jericho leaves the company and becomes a huge star as soon as possible.

Secondary Note:The Nitro Girls continue to dance throughout the night, because the show must go on.

DDP arrives to the arena about halfway through the show (because it’s a good idea to be very late to work when your wife’s spent the past few weeks being accosted by a steroid-infused sex monster with corporate gang connections) and Billy Kidman immediately narcs on Steiner. Keep an eye out for future Cruiserweight Champion ‘Primetime’ Elix Skipper and almost Evolution member Mark Jindrak as security making their on-screen debuts in the background.

An enraged Page stomps off to the Wolfpac dressing room and DEMANDS SATISFACTION, but they just make fun of him and tell him Steiner’s in another castle. You could ask 1999 Kevin Nash to recite the alphabet and he’d find a way to make “L-M-N-O-P” sound sarcastic and condescending. When Page leaves after dramatically threatening the wrath of God, we find out Steiner’s actually in THIS castle, and … might be having closet sex with Kimberly?

The angle’s probably not going in the direction you think it’s going after revisiting these segments, but I don’t want to spoil next week’s Wet Hot American Summer homage.

Adventures Of The nWo B-Team

(With apologies to Scoop This, who once hired me to write jokes and fired me a week later because they hated all my jokes.)

We catch up with the B-Team — now with their official, classic lineup of Vince, Brian Adams, Scott Norton, Stevie Ray, and Horace Hogan — stranded at the Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport due to Vincent’s inability to properly book them a rental car, or successfully do anything more complex than fanning a small amount of money in the background of a Million Dollar Man promo. Stevie Ray, the abstract thinker of the group, walks like 10 feet to their left, locates a driver holding up an “NWO” sign, and loudly announces that his talks with Hollywood Hogan about the treatment of his stupidest subordinates has paid off. The team hops in the limo, all except for Vincent, who is made to stay at the airport as punishment for being the world’s least secret nWo Wolfpac mole.

In what might be the least realistic moment in the history of a show that includes the thawing of a horny Himalayan ice mummy and the band KISS birthing a fully-grown, KISS-themed man from an elaborate stage womb, Vince gets on the horn with the Elite and tells them he needs a ride. Then, before he can even end the conversation, the Wolfpac limo pulls up. Vincent’s got those “spawn limo” cheats enabled.

When they get to the arena (at the same time), Stevie tries to bury Vince to Nash but, you know, Vince is right there, so they’re forced to make up. Lex Luger insists that, “we’re all Wolfpac,” which is extremely not true, and the group Too Sweets it out. Tensions are eased when the B-Team gets to the locker room and discoves nWo Elite has set them up with some of Minneapolis-St. Paul’s finest hoes.

Later, when it comes time for Scott Steiner to deliver a challenge to Diamond Dallas Page for SuperBrawl but avoid an on-the-spot beatdown, they order Vince to deliver it personally. Instead of doing what they say, Vince outsources the job to the only member of the team with less prestige, the Disco Inferno, with the note that the slap is the signal for the nWo to attack. Disco does his due diligence and slaps Page, but, like the bells at King’s Landing, the nWo’s never known a slap to mean “attack,” so Disco gets his ass beat. Nash compliments Vince for his delegation of duty, because even Disco Inferno’s friends hate Disco Inferno.

America Runs On Dunking

It’s mentioned in passing that Hollywood Hogan himself isn’t here tonight, so where is he, exactly? Before we can talk about that, we have to talk about what Eric Bischoff’s doing.

Eric Bischoff lost control of WCW to Ric Flair for 90 days, so he must do everything Flair tells him to do, no matter how demeaning, or he’ll be fired. Because that’s how jobs work. Previously he’s been stuck on ring crew, which ended with him slipping a wrench to a member of the nWo to help them win a match, and stuck behind the merch stand, which ended with him slipping a 2×4 with a foam finger on it to a member of the nWo to help them win a match. This week, Flair sets up a dunk tank outside the arena (in Minnesota, in January) so disgruntled employees can humiliate their karate biker boss in the public square. Hope this doesn’t end badly for WCW, somehow!

The dunking continues throughout the show, with the line featuring Ric Flair, Dean Malenko, the former members of the Latino World Order, and James J. Dillon, seen here missing so many pitches in a row that Bischoff has to slide himself off the seat and pretend one connected.

Other highlights include La Parka triumphantly dancing at Bischoff’s expense, and Bobby Heenan going full 1993 Raw by trying to help but tripping into the button. Bischoff insists that he’ll have the last laugh, however, repeatedly asking Flair WHERE’S YOUR KID?? Flair is instinctively like, “uh, easily winning on every WWE show every week? Oh, you meant David.” I’m kidding, even Ric doesn’t seem to care when Bischoff’s basically screaming WE ARE MURDERING YOUR SON AS WE SPEAK at him in front of everybody.

So what’s going on with David? Well, let’s talk about Ric. I promise this all ties together in the end. And it’s anti-Semitic, somehow!

Flair And Balanced

Mean (woo, by God) Gene brings Flair to the ring for Flair’s usual screamed list of regional legends and a series of announcements, including booking Bret Hart to defend the United States Championship against Chris Benoit at SuperBrawl. This is a thing people would like to see, so WCW baits and switches it before the segment’s even over. Scott Hall shows up, wonders if Benoit got the title shot for washing Flair’s car, and says HE should get the shot, because he bought a taser a month ago and started bring it to work. This sets up Hall vs. Benoit for later in the night, but not before Benoit interrupts the interruption and says the kind of sentence only Chris Benoit with a microphone is bad enough to deliver. None of this is a typo.

“Guts? You wanna talk about guts? We’ll find out just how much you’ve got after I ninnerduce into my foot to your brown-eye.”

I’ll go ahead and spoil the match for you: Benoit loses, because Benoit always loses — it’s not even his only loss on the night, as he got pinned by Curt Hennig in a tag match in hour one — and the Outsiders stand tall, literally and figuratively.

The best part of the entire segment is Flair reacting to the nWo interruption by trying to Too Sweet Mean Gene and not knowing how it works.

That means the United States Championship match at SuperBrawl will be nWo vs. nWo and heel vs. heel unless, you know, someone should happen to arrive by boat and ruin everything.

Hilarious Worst: Buffer Is The Stuff(er)

Fun note about the main event, this is the episode where the normally corny but reliable Michael Buffer huffs a bunch of paint before he comes to the ring and can’t get anything right. He describes Benoit vs. Hall as, “a special heavyweight eliminator match,” for some reason, and says Benoit, “brings to the ring one of the great legacies of professional wrestling, a family tree filled with history.” When a person teaches you how to wrestle, do you get added to their family tree? It’s also the one where Buffer, who has been working here a long-ass time by now, doesn’t know Bret Hart’s name:

More on Bret ‘Hitman’ Clark‘s situation in a bit, but let’s recap.

Ric Flair is confident that the nWo is finally falling apart because Hollywood Hogan’s not at the arena (which happens fairly often) and Bischoff’s getting humiliated with parking lot carnival games. Bischoff’s like, HEY RIC FLAIR YOUR SON DAVID IS DOOMED, DOOOOOOMED, but Flair can’t put the pieces together. Can you? ARE YOU THE WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE?

Hold on to your butts, as it turns out Hogan isn’t in Minnesota because he’s hanging out in the parking lot of Charlotte eye doctor and stalking David Flair. Hogan is accompanied by Oz actor and former president of the New York chapter of the Hells Angels, Chuck Zito, because the one thing Hogan and Bischoff have in common is that they’re obsessed with wanting bikers to think they’re cool. Here he tries to impress Zito by calling the camera man a, “jiggly, jiggly Jew,” which is retroactively on-brand for the Hulkster.

From the 2/15/99 Observer:

“There was some heat on Hogan calling the camera man a ‘jiggly, jiggly, jew’ on Nitro, but evidently not enough for the segment not to have been replayed on every show during the week.”

[breathes through teeth]

Worst: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

In other nWo news that won’t end badly for everyone, Konnan and Rey Mysterio are sick of the Wolfpac’s anti-lucha libre shenanigans and challenge them to a match at SuperBrawl, sweetening the pot by saying they can have any stipulation they want. In a moment that will come back to bite him in the ass and then not matter at all a few years later, Mysterio offers to put his mask on the line against Nash’s hair, or Luger’s hair, or even Miss Elizabeth’s hair. Konnan explains their motivations thusly:

“Lex and Nash, you bum-rushed little Rey, I know why you did it, to get back to me. But you know that’s like going into a bank taking they cheddar and they gold bullions and on your way out you shoot the teller who happens to be in a wheelchair. That ain’t thug, that ain’t cool, that ain’t me. I don’t ride like that.”

Yes, K-Dogg, trying to remove a wrestler’s mask is exactly like stealing bullions and murdering a handicapped person. Konnan isn’t like that. He would NEVER steal bullions from a bank and then pistol-whip the differently abled. He promises Nash and Luger that he and Rey will, “make you two strawberry fools BOW DOWN,” and burns them with a mic drop line that makes a little less sense every time you read it: “You guys used to be my stand-up dogs, too bad you now have to sit down in the bathroom to take aim.” I only liked you when you pissed standing up, assholes. Luger and Nash later accept the match and put Liz’s hair on the line, because that was presented as one of the options.

In Other nWo News, Because Somehow There Isn’t Enough Content About This One Faction

Ernest ‘The Cat’ Miller shows up and does his normal “I’m the greatest” call-out, declaring he can whoop errbody in here if necessary to prove his worth as a Karate Champion. Scott Norton was in the bathroom for this, apparently, and when he gets out the nWo does a bit where they pretend Miller called Norton out specifically to piss him off. Norton, with the mind of an enraged child and the body of an enormous beer keg, power-walks to the ring and throws Miller into the Earth about it. This is one of those matches that looks good on paper, looks GREAT as a match in a video game, and is fun but a little underwhelming in practice. Still, part of me wishes I could go back in time and book a three-month Ernest Miller vs. Scott Norton feud that turned 15 minutes of every Monday Nitro into PANCRASE.

You Know

On a show that’s already featured “mesmer-mized” and “don’t shoot the handicapped man when you’re done stealing gold coins from Wells Fargo,” you might be surprised to learn that it’s Booker T who has the worst promo of the night. I cut out the Gene interjections and emboldened every time he says, “you know,” because, you know, you will not believe it.

“You know you come up here axing me these questions you know I know what you’re thinking, you’re thinking the same thing the people out in TV land are thinking.

“With a torn ACL and you know received by Bret Hart you know um you know the doctors you know they told me to take six months off you know me being you know the stubborn mule you know and the fan mail coming in, I took three and a half months off and I came back you know ready to raise the roof if you know what I’m saying.

“You know that’s what I’ve done you know, but you know after that match last week with Bret Hart you know I had to rethink this whole process you know, um, you know … well Gene, where I’m from, when you get caught slipping, you get ganked, you dig? And that’s just the way it is. But um, you know a guy told me Booker T you need to refocus you need to rethink this thing, you need to turn a negative into a positive and that’s what I’m gonna do, you know the committee told me tonight at SuperBrawl I’ve got the Disco Inferno an nWo Wolfpac wanna be, you know right now he’s on track, he’s on fire, you know but um the BT Express is coming hard and he’s coming correct and Disco Inferno I want to let you know you’re on the track and you gon’ get derailed sucka, Booker T, at SUPERBRAWL, I promise YOU, he will raise the roof.”

Yeah, but does he know?

Best/Worst: Nitro Debuts Of The Week

ECW Hardcore Icon The Sandman pops up on this episode, wrapped in barbed wire, performing the very Sandman task of mercy-killing a Kenny Kaos vs. Van Hammer match by hitting them both in the face with a stick. The announce team is stunned, asking, “What is this all about, and who in the world is this?” Apparently they don’t keep up with wrestling outside of WCW, despite the whole “butts in seats” debacle, and don’t watch Nitro, where Sandman’s popped up as “Jim” in those Raven at home segments.

Sandman, not yet identified by Jim or his eventual (terrible) WCW identify of “Hardcore Hak,” calls out — his words, not mine — BAM BAM BAG-ALOW. Nobody’s watching any wrestling anywhere, it’s fine. “Bag-alow” shows up and more or less kicks his ass while the announce team buries him for stupidly wrapping himself in barbed wire. ECW was really great about taking guys who weren’t necessarily special or good and saying, “THESE ARE THE COOLEST BAD-ASSES IN THE WORLD,” until you believed them. WCW takes the coolest bad-asses in the world and are like, “fans, we want to let you know that Hollywood Hogan will be here tonight.”

As a quick side note, Goldberg shows up after this to challenge Bag-alow to a match at SuperBrawl. I’m sad Sabu didn’t randomly show up and throw a chair at Bill’s face.

Finally we have the WCW Monday Nitro debut of the Ragin’ Cajun, Lash LeRoux, who joins Blitzkrieg (also debuting soon) on the short list of lower lower under-card guys every WCW fan loved. He’s from Louisiana, you see — Alabama, actually, but kayfabe Louisiana — and he shaved his sideburns into L shapes. He traces them with his finger sometimes. That’s pretty much it. I don’t know why everyone on Earth including me loves him, but I think it has something to do with the lack of legitimate redheads in wrestling.

His match with Kidman is really good, too, complete with elaborate step-assisted dives over the security railing and into the crowd, and the announce team actually putts Lash over for doing well enough on WCW Saturday Night to earn a spot on Nitro. Kidman wins, of course, but Lash is different and innocuous enough to instantly become a smark favorite.

NOW BRING ON BLITZKRIEG.

Next Week:

Kanyon learns an important lesson about how Raven’s childhood is a worked shoot, a mysterious blonde makes her first appearance en route to a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame, and Bret Hart ends up in a United States Championship match against an Alcatraz escapee.

Also,

See you then.

Since releasing his fifth studio album Colores, J Balvin has aimed to debut a video alongside each one of the color-coded tracks. So far, Balvin has shared visuals to his tracks “Verde,” “Rojo,” “Amarillo,” “Blanco,” and “Gris.” Now, the singer expands on his whimsical world with a vibrant video for “Rosa.”

Directed by Colin Tilley, who directed Balvin’s previous Colores videos, the visual opens in the singer’s paradise. Bathed in hot pink, Balvin surveys his rose-tinted Garden Of Eden. But the viewer quickly discovers that his utopia isn’t devoid of violence. Rather, it’s a martial arts training ground. The singer must battle his martial arts master to prove his worth as a fighter.

The visual arrives on the heels of Colores. With the rhythmic record, Balvin returns to he reggaeton roots. Pivoting from his former catalog, Balvin opted to limit the number of features on the record and instead shines as a solo songwriter. In a recent interview with Apple Music, Balvin detailed how he managed to choose ten songs for the album from a list of 40 he had written: “What we’d do was we’d play the song and close our eyes, and each one of us would name the color that the song made us feel,” J Balvin said. “The color that prevailed, that was the song’s name.”

Watch the “Rosa” video above.

Colores is out now via Universal. Get it here.

Sharon Content loved working on Wall Street. A genius when it came to numbers, she thought she’d spend her entire career working in finance. But at some point, she says, she realized that the career she’d worked so hard for wasn’t her calling. Content wanted to make a meaningful impact in her community — to give back; to help make life better for the people around her.

Content’s decision led her to the non-profit sector. She became the director of programs at a youth entrepreneurship program. Then she took on the role of Chief Operating Officer at Pathways For Youth at the Boys and Girls Club in the Bronx borough of New York City. It was there, while working with youth in an incarceration avoidance program that she realized that something was missing.

“Whenever I met a family that was impacted by incarceration, I didn’t have a referral,” Content says. There was no organization to which she could send her clients — no group which worked specifically with the unique needs of youth whose parents had been imprisoned. So 11 years ago, in the basement of her home, Content started laying the plans for Children of Promise, NYC.

---

“Children are the invisible victims of mass incarceration,” Content says. “They are a forgotten population. I wanted to establish an organization that was specifically designed to meet the needs, interests, and concerns of children of incarcerated parents.”

Today, CPNYC serves 300 families a year. The organization has a flagship location in Brooklyn and will soon open a center in the South Bronx which will double the number of families that Children of Promise can serve. CPNYC is currently the only program of its kind in the city — and it offers children of incarcerated parents an unprecedented level of support.

Aside from an after-school program that’s open until 6:30pm every day, youth enrolled in the program can also take part in a full-day summer program which offers a wide variety of programs — from sports to academic enrichment to art and music classes. The programs are absolutely free to those enrolled and every activity is created with best practices in youth development and the participants’ unique needs in mind. But CPNYC doesn’t just offer the youth a safe place to go after school and during the summer — the program’s unique in that it offers extensive mental health services as well. The organization is licensed as an outpatient mental health clinic with therapists and psychiatrists on staff.

“In addition to the stigma of having an imprisoned parent, there’s a stigma around mental health services. We provide services that de-stigmatize both of those challenges for young people,” Content says.

Children of Promise, NYC

“We infuse mental health in all aspects of our program. So it’s therapeutic art, it’s music therapy, it’s drama, it’s theater, it’s activities that allow our young people to feel and express what they’re feeling. Especially around the stigma, the shame and, for so many of our young people, the secret of having a parent in prison.”

Because mass incarceration disproportionately affects people of color, Content says it’s important that these services be offered in a way that destigmatizes mental health in culturally competent ways that reduce shame and stigma while strengthening bonds in the community.

The services CPNYC provides are important every day, but especially now, when so many children’s lives have been affected by the current pandemic. And as CPNYC has escalated their services to offer even more support during this difficult time, Upworthy is partnering with TBS and The Last O.G. to help the organization give even more back to the community. And you can help. All you have to do is tweet.

For every retweet of the message above, TBS will donate one dollar to CPNYC between now and May 5th, 2020. That’s money that will help CPNYC pay its staff, provide virtual therapy and mentoring to the youth it serves, and help families with necessities such as sanitizer, face masks, and food.

“The Last O.G. really speaks to the mission of the organization. This is a show that talks about someone who was incarcerated and then comes home. So this particular partnership is a dual benefit in that it really is one that speaks to our mission,” Content says.

“Partnering with an impact-driven Brooklyn-based organization has been an important component to each season of The Last O.G., a series that’s centered around second chances,” said Brett Weitz, General Manager, TNT, TBS and truTV. “There is a natural connection to Children of Promise, NYC and we are proud to partner with an organization that provides such an invaluable service.”

“If there’s anything the pandemic has highlighted,” Content adds, “it’s the need for community-based organizations like CPNYC. And how important it is that we all stand up to support such programs in our own communities.”

---

View Entire Post ›