Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s announcement that the state would start lifting restrictions on some businesses this Friday has been met with criticism by medical authorities, President Trump, and some business owners. Pro wrestler Diamond Dallas Page is in that last group, and in an interview with Anderson Cooper, he explained why he won’t reopen his gym tomorrow.
Ex-pro wrestler and yoga instructor Diamond Dallas Page says he will not be reopening his gym tomorrow despite the announcement from Georgia Gov. Kemp.
“We have to err on the side of caution,” he tells @andersoncooper. https://t.co/D76QlFi8bR pic.twitter.com/yQtOvIetvk
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) April 23, 2020
DDP acknowledged that he’s “in a much better position than a lot of people” because his business has an online and DVD component and isn’t just the DDP Yoga Performance Center in Smyrna, Georgia. He explained that he won’t immediately reopen the gym because “For me, I’m going to err on the side of caution because first of all, I’m 64, so I definitely don’t want to be out there working with people and putting my hands on people or anything, so I’m going to apply what I’ve been doing since this first all hit the fan.”
Page explained that “For me, I have to see something change. Right now there’s been no vaccine. There’s been no cure. We don’t really know where it’s going to go.” This arguably makes DDP pro wrestling’s equal and opposite coronavirus reaction to that of Hulk Hogan.
He added that he thinks businesses will have to adapt to the changing environment, comparing the situation to Netflix changing the movie rental industry and the creation of TSA. “I believe the gym business is going to have to change the way they do business moving forward,” Page said, “and I know for sure when I open at some point I will definitely be changing the way I do things.”
The NFL Draft begins tonight, and as such we’re winding through the last of our big boards, this time looking at an interesting linebacker group.
At the top is Isaiah Simmons, an absolute freak that can play about four different positions on defense, all very well, and is nominally a linebacker but is better referred to as a football player. From there you have some potential first-round middle linebackers, decent depth for Day 2, and some Wild Cards that could jump up boards or be steals on Day 3.
Tier 1
Isaiah Simmons: There are rumors that Simmons may be on the slide in the top 10 due to a run on offensive tackles at the top of the draft and movement for QBs as well. Don’t overthink this, GMs. Take the 6’4, 238 pound swiss army knife that can play anywhere from rush backer to safety and runs a 4.39 40 and has a 39 inch vertical.
He’s not just an Underwear Olympics gold medalist, he’s insanely productive. He had 102 tackles, 16 TFLs, 8 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 7 pass breakups last season for Clemson.
Take. Him.
Tier 2
Kenneth Murray: The Oklahoma standout was the glue that held the Sooner defense together. He flies to the football, can cover the field side to side, and loves attacking downhill. He’s been highly productive and while there are some questions of strength when blockers get to him at the second level, he figures to be an immediate starter for someone in the middle next season and rack up tackles.
Patrick Queen: Hi, Bill here, this is my first write-up on this one and before I begin, take Isaiah Simmons. Anyway! Patrick Queen is one heck of a football player. A brain of a defense, Queen is the type of guy whose football IQ, ability to read plays, and athleticism makes him a potential centerpiece as a Mike linebacker. Not the most physically imposing linebacker at 6’ and 229 pounds, but he threw down a 4.5 40 at the combine, which comes through in his film. His tackling will decide if he’s a Pro Bowl-level player or just a consistently good player, but a team is going to look very smart for drafting him.
Tier 3
Malik Harrison: Brings the physicality you want out of a Mike linebacker. Harrison saw the field during all four years in Columbus and got a little better each year, culminating in a senior campaign where he recorded 75 tackles, 16.5(!!) of which were for loss. A dude you want on the field against the run, Harrison is a tough, physical, downhill linebacker who tackles reliably. Questions exist about how he will fare against the pass, but there’s a lot to like here.
Jordyn Brooks: Here’s a project, but a potentially fun one. Drafting defensive players from Texas Tech is normally — sorry, Red Raiders fans — a terrible idea, but Brooks is capable of doing a whole lot on the field. He’s an alert, quick, and aggressive linebacker who wraps dudes up when he tackles them. He needs plenty of refinement, especially in coverage, but the physical profile and football IQ in a 6’, 240 pound frame could very much be worth it.
Troy Dye: Dye was really productive at Oregon and some analysts love him and think he could be a Day 2 pick, while others see him going early Day 3. The question on him isn’t what he did with the Ducks but projecting his slimmer frame to the NFL and wondering if he’s strong enough to be as productive at that level. I think he’s got ample talent and motor to be a stick, as he’s always been productive and has the benefit of being a solid cover man on pass downs.
Wild Cards
Willie Gay Jr.: One of the most talented linebackers in this class, one some would argue belongs with or even above the guys in Tier 2. However, he’s had some discipline issues that will shuffle him down some boards, but it wouldn’t be an absolute stunner if he got his name called Thursday night or early in Round 2. If a team feels they’ve got an understanding of who he is through the interview process, he’s got incredible talent and athleticism (his Combine performance was jaw-dropping).
Markus Bailey: Here’s the guy who teams will want in their franchise if they can get past legitimate injury concerns — he suffered two ACL injuries as a freshman and redshirt senior. Bailey isn’t a stellar athlete, but he’s a very, very smart linebacker who plays hard as hell and isn’t afraid of any challenge. Will bet on him, at the bare minimum, being a very good special teams player for a long time.
Shaq Quarterman: All Quarterman did at Miami was hit people very hard and he did this an awful lot. He’s not the best athlete or the biggest guy, but he loves to fly around the football field and lay the lumber. There’s always room on my team for a guy like that, and he could be a Day 3 pickup that someone loves.
Akeem Davis-Gaither: The App State product put up terrific numbers in Boone and, like some of the other guys on this list, the questions for him aren’t about production but about his size and strength going to the next level. His tape is too good for him to not have some team fall in love with him and could be a late Day 2 selection as an outside backer with pass rush skills.
Evan Weaver: He’s probably a two-down linebacker. Due to his athleticism, passing downs will always be a bit of a problem for him. But my god, it is stupid how good he is at seeing what is happening, reacting, and tackling ballcarriers. The 6’2, 237 pound linebacker recorded — not a typo — 336 tackles during his final two years at California. Sees and attacks as well as anyone in this class. He’s fun.
Khaleke Hudson: Hilarious strength, as evidenced by his LB-high 30 reps on the bench at 5’11 and 224 pounds. Had a monster sophomore year at Michigan — 77 tackles, 16 TFLs, 7.5 sacks, two picks — but never really got better. Mostly on here because he seems primed to have a long career as a special teams ace, but I would be surprised if he never does anything in the league.
If nothing below suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.
Desus And Mero: This week’s quarantine edition features illustrious guests Issa Rae and Jay Ellis from HBO’s Insecure.
Conan: Kaley Cuoco’s around to represent DC Universe’s new Harley Quinn season.
The House of Flowers: Season 3 (Netflix) — Dark secrets and crimes still abound in soap-operatic fashion with Paulina in prison, Elina in the hospital, and Diego working on his relationship with Julian. Friendship and family still remain a challenge.
Katy Keene (CW, 8:00 p.m.) — Katy’s finally not distracted by her job and is dealing, instead, with accusations surrounding Gloria. Meanwhile, Josie and the new Pussycats are at each other’s throats.
Superstore (NBC 8:00 p.m.) — A 21st birthday party brings trouble for Mateo and Cheyenne while Glenn’s playing matchmaker to semi-disastrous ends.
In The Dark (CW, 9:00 p.m.) — A cover-up is at hand when it comes to the new “business” of the Guiding Hope team, and Dean’s working on a new mission with Nia confronting an unexpected development.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC, 8:30 p.m.) — A blackout seems like the perfect mini-crisis for Brooklyn, considering what the world’s dealing with right now.
Will & Grace (NBC, 9:00 p.m.) — The revival winds down with two episodes, including a packed-up apartment, Grace about to give birth, Karen taking on NYC landmarks, and a half-hour wind-down of the series’ greatest moments.
Better Things (FX, 10:00 p.m.) — Frankie gets Batceñera from Sam, and naturally, things are more complicated than they need to be.
Siren (Freeform, 10:00 p.m.) — Confrontation abounds with Ted and Helen while Ben’s dealing with strange side effects, and Maddie and Robb deal with a gruesome finding.
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert: Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Ina Garten
Jimmy Kimmel Live: Arnold Schwarzenegger
The Late Late Show With James Corden: Hugh Jackman
Like all of us, Saturday Night Live is just trying to make the best of quarantine life. Earlier in the month, the show took a bold leap by attempting its first “At Home” episode, which, on top of a socially-distanced assortment of sketches, featured a monologue from Tom Hanks, a musical performance from Chris Martin, and surprise cameos from celebrities trapped indoors.
SNL notably didn’t return the next week, because God only knows how difficult these episodes are to arrange, but according to a new Twitter video, a second “At Home” episode is arriving this Saturday.
You can watch the new promo spot below:
We’re back this Saturday
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) April 23, 2020
Like the first episode, SNL is playing things very close to its chest. There’s no official word on musical guests or who will be delivering the opening monologue, but that just adds to the spontaneity of the episodes as castmembers are forced to come up with apartment-bound material while everyone works remotely. We’ve all been on a Zoom call. Now imagine trying to turn one into an elaborate comedy sketch.
Remarkably, SNL still managed to deliver some impressive sketches under the unusual conditions. Its maiden voyage into “At Home” comedy featured riffs on Tiger King star Carole Baskin, Pete Davidson’s version of a Drake video, a struggling Twitch streamer, and a look at the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coping with middle age. Curb Your Enthusiam‘s Larry David also popped in to reprise his classic Bernie Sanders impression, and Alec Baldwin was also back as Donald Trump to check in on the quarantined SNL proceedings.
With two weeks to prepare, it’ll be interesting (and hopefully entertaining) to see what rabbits the SNL crew can pull out of its hat this Saturday, and how long the show will keep the “At Home” comedy coming as America debates on when to reopen.
After the spectacular success of the first Instagram Live edition of People’s Party With Talib Kweli featuring The RZA, the show continues this week with another big-name New York rapper: ASAP Mob member ASAP Ferg.
This time around, Kweli will check in with Harlem favorite to discuss the insane success of Ferg’s single, “Plain Jane,” the ASAP Mob’s impact on hip-hop music and fashion, Ferg’s Floor Seats EP, and the music he’s been working on during quarantine, which includes his new single “Value.” Presumably, they’ll also chat about the fan-favorite 2019 film Uncut Gems, in which ASAP Ferg nearly had a role (which ultimately went to The Weeknd). Hopefully, they’ll also get a chance to chat about the wild debate that popped off earlier today about whether ASAP Rocky or Nelly had the bigger impact on the popularity of Nike’s Air Force 1s (hint, hint, wink, wink).
Tune in Friday, April 24 on @UPROXX on Instagram to watch the latest episode of People’s Party Live and see what fun surprises the two New Yorkers have in store.
People’s Party is a weekly interview show hosted by Talib Kweli with big-name guests exploring hip-hop, culture, and politics. Subscribe via Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.
With some Americans clamoring to “open up America” and others prepared to hunker down for the foreseeable future, the question of when to start lifting lockdown measures is on everyone’s mind. We appear to be at the peak of this wave of the pandemic, and how we proceed from this point on will determine if and when another wave will hit.
Experts agree that before the social distancing and lockdown measures can safely begin to be lifted, infection numbers have to get low enough and testing and contact tracing have to be systematized enough that we’d be able to contain sporadic outbreaks before they spread. But the U.S. is a huge country. What does that timeline look like in different areas?
One of the unfortunate hallmarks of pandemic is that nothing is totally predictable or certain. Scientists constantly have to ascertain what data they need and and then synthesize the data they have in order to guide decision-makers and give the public information. That means what we know changes frequently, which can be frustrating when we all want to know things for sure.
But changing data doesn’t mean scientists don’t know anything. The phrase “models are always wrong, but some are useful” is tossed around in the scientific community for a reason. Models give us the most likely scenarios based on a snapshot of the variables at any given time. As the variables change, so do the models. That’s why they’re always giving us new numbers.
The University of Washington has been at the forefront of pandemic data since the virus arrived in the U.S., with the first cases being found in Washington State. The university’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) dedicated a portion of its website to COVID-19 metrics, which is constantly being updated.
Yesterday, the IHME released a new map showing when, based on the current data, each state might safely be able to start lifting containment measures.
A few things worth noting:
The site states that these are (emphasis mine) “the earliest dates after which relaxing social distancing may be possible with containment strategies that include testing, contact tracing, isolation, and limiting gathering size.” In other words, this doesn’t mean the dates when it’s okay to return back to normal. And the containment strategies (testing, contact tracing) do have to be in place first. But this does at least give us an idea of when it’s reasonable to start easing up a bit.
The earliest date range, which applies to just three states—Montana, West Virginia, and Vermont—is May 4 to May 10. The state of Georgia, which is already lifting lockdown measures, falls well into the latest date range, with a specific date of June 22—a full two months from now.
All of the models that are showing the steep drop in cases and deaths down to near zero are predicated on people maintaining the mitigation measures that have been put in place. Lifting them too soon is one of the variables that can throw the entire thing off.
It is interesting to note that several of the states that fall into the latest date range are states that have not had a great deal of cases. The reason for that is because it’s not the total number of cases that determines the trajectory, but rather the growth curve. The easing up dates are determined by when each state’s “peak” is expected. Some states, even though they don’t have a large number of cases, still have cases increasing and have not yet reached their peak, while other states with large numbers have already reached theirs.
To see exactly what your state’s date for relaxing lockdown is, go to this page on the IHME site, click the “United States of America” dropdown box at the top of the page, and choose your state.
The COVID-19 pandemic has completely upended how we live, work, and play. But it’s also given many of us some free time to try our hand at new hobbies or rethink our old ones.
For creative types, being forced to stay indoors and practice your art can be a huge gift.
Erin Sullivan, a.k.a. “Erin Outdoors” is a travel photographer and writer whose goal is to “communicate the wonder of this Earth and to inspire connection so that ultimately, we might take our role as stewards a bit more thoughtfully.”
Throughout her career as a nature guide, she says she learned how to problem solve on her feet, even in the most challenging conditions.
That’s probably why she found a creative way to practice her art while under quarantine. Sullivan recreated the majesty of nature using household items such as food, bed sheets, and an ingeniously-placed paper bag to make realistic-looking photos.
“As a travel photographer, I spend a lot of my time outdoors and photographing interesting places around the world. When our stay at home order went into effect last month, I wanted to challenge myself to stay creative in my craft without leaving my house,” she told Bored Panda.
The results look stunning, but for Sullivan, the photos were therapeutic as well.
“I had the idea to create outdoor adventure scenes out of objects in my house,” she said. “I shot a few scenes as experiments before I ever shared the project publicly and found that creating this series of images helped me keep my imagination active and my creative practice alive.”
Here are some of her images you can find on her Instagram page.
“Jello Lake”
via Erin Outdoors / Instagram
“The Gomacro Mountains”
via Erin Outdoors / Instagram
“The Glowing Gore-Tex Cave”
via Erin Outdoors / Instagram
“Tinfoil Lake”
via Erin Outdoors / Instagram
“Cotton Ball Clouds”
via Erin Outdoors / Instagram
“Broccoli Forest”
via Erin Outdoors / Instagram
Sullivan has challenged other social media users to create their own indoor adventure using #OurGreatIndoors.
Here are some of the best responses.
While the world is at home in quarantine, Jhene Aiko and HER decided to team up for a good cause. Benefitting BET’s COVID-19 Relief Effort, Aiko and HER performed a special acoustic version of their collaborative song for the SOS: Saving Our Selves livestream series.
Armed only with HER’s skillful strumming and Aiko’s soaring vocals, the duo performed a rendition of their track “B.S.” Both singers sat in their respective homes and digitally collaborated on the stripped-down tune. Arriving fresh off Aiko’s recently-released record Chilombo, “B.S.” features fluttering harmonies from a combination of the singers’ airy vocals. Through the lyrics, the two try to distance themselves from an ex’s toxic behavior. “Seen you with your ex, I see you still about your old ways / Might just see him for the weekend, you say that’s a cold play,” HER sings.
This isn’t the first time HER has recently hopped on a livestream. Ahead of her virtual performance with Aiko, HER unveiled a series of livestreams titled Girls With Guitars. Each session features a different musical guest, performances, lively conversations, and Q&As with fans. The singer even partnered with Fender to give away five different guitars to viewers.
Watch the acoustic performance of “B.S.” above.
Chilombo is out now via Def Jam. Get it here.