Month: August 2022

In May, The National excited fans by debuting three new songs at a show in Spain. The tracks were titled “Tropic Morning News (Haversham),” “Grease In Your Hair (Birdie),” and “Bathwater (Mount Auburn).” Now, posters have appeared in Brooklyn teasing a song called “Weird Goodbyes” by The National featuring Bon Iver, which is now circulating on Reddit.

“Weird Goodbyes” is actually “Bathwater (Mount Auburn),” but has been renamed and was also performed last month in Cooperstown, New York during their North American tour. They haven’t released a studio album since 2019’s I Am Easy To Find, so listeners are eager for more. In our interview with the band for that LP, Matt Berninger discussed some of his early inspirations for making music, “Listening to records in my basement, I felt I learned how to be a good human being, a person with empathy and love, to be accepting of people that were different than me, and be accepting of people’s shortcomings and patience,” he said. “I learned about mental health, about depression, about sex. The awkwardness of sex too, not from Led Zeppelin or Motley Crue. I’m learning about that from The Breeders. Or Nina Simone. Roberta Flack was teaching me about sex.

Watch The National perform “Weird Goodbyes” in Cooperstown above.

Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump aren’t getting along these days. The Florida governor is looking like the former president’s biggest competitor in the 2024 election. But he’s been one of many in the GOP to smear the FBI for searching Mar-a-Lago during an investigation that is sounding more and more legit. But an old clip from 2020 of him vigorously, angrily defending searches by the feds has resurfaced, and it sounds like he’d be all for what they’re doing to his state’s most famous resident.

The clip is from a federal search in the home of Rebekah Jones, a geographer and data scientist who earned DeSantis’ scorn after she turned whistleblower. Jones had been mysteriously fired from her job in May of 2020 after creating software that helped track COVID-19 infections. She said she was let go after she refused to hide certain data that might show DeSantis’ policies weren’t keeping cases down. The FBI even searched her home, which created a firestorm. But at the time, DeSantis saw no problem with the feds looking into possible criminal activity.

During a press conference, a reporter made the mistake of calling the search a “raid,” which prompted DeSantis to angrily snap back. “It’s not a raid. With all due respect, what you just said is editorializing,” he railed. “I’m not going to let you get away with it. These people did their jobs. They’ve been smeared as the Gestapo for doing their jobs. They did a search warrant. Why did they do a search warrant on the house? Because her IP address was linked to the felony. What were they supposed to do? Just ignore it? Of course not.”

DeSantis added that the agents were “serving valid process in accordance with the laws and Constitution of the United States and the state of Florida.” He said calling it a “raid” was “disinformation.” He added that those reporting on the search “need to look at facts and stop trying to feed narrative.”

Obviously there are lots of differences between the Jones and Trump cases. But most of what he said could apply to the FBI searching Mar-a-Lago, which was done with a warrant and has since been incorrectly described by the right as a “raid.” Of course, there is one major difference: Those involved haven’t simply been called names. They’ve been hit with death threats. One Trump supporter and prolific Truth poster even tried to attack a branch of the FBI in Cincinnati.

The clip was widely shared on social media. One person even made an obviously fake video to make it look like DeSantis was schooling Sean Hannity, who’s tried to assure people that Trump can still campaign for president from the slammer.

Selena Quintanilla Pérez is so well-known that she’s best recognized simply as “Selena,” the same way people refer to Madonna.

Nearly 30 years after her untimely death, parents are passing the music of Selena onto their children and creating a new generation of fans. And in the age of social media, that means the new waves of fans are creating videos singing the icon’s hits. In a video clip uploaded to Instagram and TikTok, 10-year-old Mariapaula Mazon gets up on stage to belt out “Como La Flor.”

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When Mariapaula gets up on stage, she whispers something in the ear of the man sitting next to Chris Pérez, Selena’s widower. Within a few short seconds the microphone is up to her mouth and she’s singing with the tone and richness of a trained adult singer. It’s clear that the man is impressed because he stands up to record the young singer with his cellphone. While Mariapaula sings, the man recording says, “It makes me cry. It’s good to see someone like her, who will be the next Selena in so many ways.” The girl’s voice is so impressive that the video has been viewed more than 5 million times on TikTok.

@mazonmariapaula1

Thank you Chris Pérez for allowing me to sing you this beautiful song by your sweet love 🌹🕊❤️ Thank you Las Vegas. #lasvegas #selenaquintanilla #comolaflor #chrisperez #selenanetflix #selena #selenafan #abquintanilla #tejano

Mariapaula told “Hoy Día” that she has been singing since she was 2 years old. She also explained that her mother is a singer and has been teaching her. While she can sing Selena’s song like it was written for her, Mariapaula wasn’t introduced to the late singer’s music until her 9th birthday. It was then her father threw her a Selena-themed birthday party and the little girl got to know a pop icon.

After going viral, the talented fifth grader will get to perform at the Tejano Music Awards in Texas on November 26, according to a video uploaded to her Instagram. I certainly can’t wait to see what else is in store for this pint-sized star and I’m sure she can’t wait either.

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Williams had previously been misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. His autopsy revealed that he instead suffered from a form of progressive dementia called Lewy body dementia, which is particularly hard to diagnose and can cause hallucinations, concentration challenges and memory problems. Like Parkinson’s, it can also create movement problems.

See on Instagram

Williams was a master at many things, but physical comedy and quick wit were at the top of the list. He was certainly more than a source of laughter, but I can only imagine what it must feel like to suddenly lose a bit of yourself that makes you you.

Zak, a mental health advocate, reflected on how knowing his father’s true condition led him to even deeper compassion during an episode of the podcast “The Genius Life.”

“There was a focus issue that frustrated him, there were issues associated with how he felt and also from a neurological perspective he didn’t feel great. He was very uncomfortable. I couldn’t help but feel beyond empathy. I couldn’t help but feel frustrated for him. It can be really isolating even when you’re with family and loved ones,” he told host Max Lugavere.

It seems Zak has inherited his father’s sense of humor. On July 21, 2022, what would have been Williams’ 71st birthday, Zak posted a photo of Williams in full bike gear alongside the words, “Happy 71st Birthday Dad! I’ll be remembering you today as you would want to be remembered, in spandex.”

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Willliams’ daughter Zelda Williams, 33, shared a quote by Haruki Murakami on Twitter.

“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in.”

This quote was followed by a list of suicide prevention resources, many that the comedian’s daughter had cited in the past.

Zelda added, “’I don’t ask for much, but if I may, be gentle to your hearts today. I know I’m trying.”

“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in.” – Haruki Murakami

— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) August 11, 2022

Robin Williams was a brilliant actor who left behind a legacy of iconic roles, both in comedies like “Mrs. Doubtfire” and in dramas like “Good Will Hunting.” One could chalk it up to god-given talent. He definitely had that in spades. But it was also his incredibly generous spirit that allowed him to easily connect with people, be it through tears or laughter. Though he is sorely missed, his life and works continue to be an inspiration.

At the Medusa Festival near Valencia, Spain, one person has been killed and seventeen injured after the stage collapsed. The tragic death was that of a 22-year-old man, according to CNN. The festival says the cause of the collapse was “a strong gust of wind” over 51 mph.

The president of the Valencia regional government, Ximo Puig, tweeted, “A terrible accident that shocks all of us. I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the young man who died early this morning at the Medusa Festival in Cullera.”

DJ Miguel Serna was performing onstage as it happened. He shared thoughts on his Instagram story, writing, “It was a very tense few minutes, I’ve never experienced anything like it before. The tragedy happened just at the end of my session on the main stage, just below it, which was the most affected. It was a few moments of horror. I am still in shock.” Other artists on the lineup included Steve Aoki, Afrojack, and Marco Carola.

“We are completely devastated and dismayed at what happened last morning,” festival organizers posted on Facebook. “The management of Medusa Festival would like to express our deep and sincere condolences to the family and friends affected by the fatal consequences that occurred last night. It is a day of mourning and respect for those affected. And they will have us for everything they need. His unbearable suffering we also make ours.”

Once upon a time, in a very different world, movies used to play for months. For example, back in 1986, a little movie called Top Gun opened in May and stayed in theaters for about half a year. Jump 34 years and the same may wind up happening to its belated sequel, which also opened in May and which is poised to re-enter the box office top three in its 12th weekend of release.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, Top Gun: Maverick is expected to add another $6.6 million to its already sizable pile of cash. That should put it in third place, behind Bullet Train (with Tom Cruise’s former Interview with the Vampire co-star Brad Pitt) and DC League of Super-Pets. That might not seem like a lot of money, and in fact it’s slightly less than Maverick made the previous weekend, when it grossed another $7 million. But it’s a slow weekend at the box office, and $6.6 million is enough to bump it from sixth weekend, where it sat last weekend, up to the bronze.

There’s a reason why people keep seeing Top Gun: Maverick (apart from lots of people genuinely enjoying it): There’s really few other movies playing in movie theaters right now. Bullet Train is the last big budget movie of the summer. The A24 indie Bodies Bodies Bodies, with Pete Davidson in a supporting role, expanded nationally and is expected to at least crack the Top 10. There’s also the tiny thriller Fall, which is not.

And so, even though moviegoing appears to be back to almost what it was before the pandemic began, those hungry to go out to the movies are left with few alternatives but to go watch a pushing-60 Tom Cruise really fly in a fighter jet for real. Perhaps they’ll still be seeing it into the fall.

(Via THR)

For a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, the preseason is all about finding gems on the roster who can bolster their depth at various positions. With Patrick Mahomes under center, they’re expected to contend every year, but as they re-sign players to big deals, they have to get creative in ways to fill out the roster.

This year we saw that cap crunch lead to Tyreek Hill signing in Miami and the Chiefs remaking their wide receiving corps with a variety of signings to replace the speedy All-Pro receiver. How those new receivers, led by JuJu Smith-Schuster, assimilate to the Chiefs offense will be at the top of mind for many Chiefs fans in the preseason, but we also may have a bit of kicking controversy in KC.

Another offseason addition, safety Justin Reid who played his first four years in Houston, was brought in to help out their secondary, but Reid has shown in camp he has some other skills as well, namely as a place kicker. While the Chiefs employ one of the league’s best in Harrison Butker, Reid’s showed off the range with a 65 yarder in practice that had the defense going crazy.

On Saturday in their opener against the Bears, Reid got to show off his kicking skills in game action, drilling an extra point after the Chiefs’ second touchdown of the game, which led to the biggest celebration of a non-game winning extra point you’ll see.

It’s pretty cool of Andy Reid to let Justin trot out for an extra point and, look, if it keeps the Chiefs from having to worry about carrying a second kicker if there’s every a minor knock to Butker, Reid’s ability to knock through extra points is very valuable even if it’s not something the Chiefs hope to ever need.

By now, you’ve probably heard about Madonna‘s bizarre recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. It was strange for many reasons. “This interview is going to be all about flirtation and seduction,” she awkwardly said early on, with a noticeable lisp because of her grills, which were the topic of most of the conversations. At one point, she said out of nowhere, “People have a problem with my grills. I don’t know why.” She seemed much more interested in talking about them rather than her new album.

At another point, Madonna was discussing her Madame X tour documentary. “I’m really inspired by James Baldwin. The writer. Have you heard of him?” When he said, “Of course,” she replied, “Don’t lie.” That led up to her talking about how she wants to use her art to disturb the peace, and Fallon commented, “Oh yeah, you get in good trouble.” This phrasing somehow inspired her to then slide onto his desk, pushing his mugs aside, sprawling her body out while Fallon yelled at her to stop while trying to cover her butt with his suit jacket because her skirt was very short. It didn’t work. As soon as she got up to sit back down, she flashed the camera.

But of course that was not the weirdest part. At the end, Fallon got up and laid his body down on the floor. Madonna found this as a perfect opportunity to then straddle him. Check it out below at your own risk.

The NBA schedule is being finalized, with an expected release next week, and we are starting to learn a few of the marquee games that will be sprinkled throughout the calendar.

On Friday, Marc Stein reported the Lakers will visit Dallas on Christmas Day in the current plan, noting things can change but usually Christmas games are set early and don’t move. Then, on Saturday, we learned the Lakers will also be part of the opening night festivities, traveling north to San Francisco for the Warriors ring night celebration on October 18, per Shams Charania.

One would expect that to be a 10:00 or 10:30 p.m. ET tip on TNT, with an Eastern Conference tilt coming beforehand — with the Celtics as the most obvious choice to host an opening night game in the East, potentially against the Bucks or Heat if they want to go for a playoff rematch on the first night. We’ll find out the full schedule soon enough, but Lakers and Warriors fans can now mark their calendars for the opener (although Golden State was always going to have that first game for ring night). It’ll be a tone-setter in the West, as the Warriors will look to pick up where they left off, while the Lakers seek to prove last year’s disaster of a season wasn’t a harbinger of things to come in L.A.

Donald Trump has come close to being punished for his actions without being busted so many times he must feel invincible. But this time, the jig really might be up. On Monday, the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago, emerging with 11 boxes of intel. Later in the week, sources claimed that among the items were highly classified documents pertaining to nuclear weapons. Trump has predictably railed madly against the claims, but, as per Raw Story, it looks like he’s found his defense — even if it’s inaccurate.

On Friday, John Solomon, former Washington Times editor-in-chief and MAGA insider, went on Fox News and read a statement reportedly given to him by Trump’s organization. The statement, from an unnamed member of his orbit, claimed he had a “standing order that documents removed from the Oval Office and taken into the residence were deemed to be declassified.” As such, any document he’d taken with him down to Mar-a-Lago was now in the public domain.

“The power to classify and declassify documents rests solely with the President of the United States,” the statement read. “The idea that some paper-pushing bureaucrat, with classification authority delegated by the president, needs to approve of declassification is absurd.”

There’s just one problem: That’s simply not true. As The Atlantic’s Graeme Wood has explained, while a president can declassify certain documents, that power doesn’t apply to those involving nuclear weapons.

“The Atomic Energy Acts of 1946 and 1954 produced an even stranger category of classified knowledge,” Wood writes. “Anything related to the production or use of nuclear weapons and nuclear power is inherently classified, and Trump could utter whatever words he pleased yet still be in possession of classified material.

“The restrictions on documents of this type are incredibly tight,” Wood added. “If Trump was keeping nuclear secrets in the storeroom of his country club, without even the benefit of a padlock, and resisted attempts to secure those secrets against infiltrators and spies, a prosecutor might reasonably take more interest.”

In other words, Trump may have either knowingly taken documents he wasn’t supposed to or he failed to read his complete job description. Either way, he may be screwed. But don’t worry: Sean Hannity thinks he could always run for president again from the clink.

(Via Raw Story)