Month: October 2022

Kids are truly the best philosophers, and anyone who’s taken the time to sit down and have a conversation with a child knows that they can surprise you sometimes with their insights.

The folks at Recess Therapy know this to be true, which is why people follow them to see interviews with kids on various topics. Sometimes they’re hilarious, sometimes they’re surprising, but they are pretty much always endearing and adorable.

Take, for instance, this kid who waxed rhapsodic about the importance of imagination in a way that would make Mister Rogers proud.

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In a video shared on Instagram and TikTok, Recess Therapy interviewed a kiddo who says he wants to be an engineer, but who might just turn out to be a motivational speaker. Like, someone needs to get this sweetheart on a TED Talk, immediately.

First, he shares the mind-blowing truth that imagination is what started everything—buildings, cars, even the microphone they were speaking into. “Imagination is one of the best things that’s ever happened,” he said. Why yes, it is.

He offered some advice to adults for using their imagination when they’re sad or when their children are going to bed and want a story. He shared some of his own imaginative ideas, like tree robots.

Then he shared his dream to be an engineer. “If you’re an engineer, you need to use your imagination. Yeah, cuz if you use your imagination as an engineer, you can make it into something that’s not even made yet.”

Watch this “motivational speaker you never knew you needed”:

@recesstherapy

The motivational speaker you never knew you needed! #recesstherapy #viral #motivation

OK, but “Imagination is one of the…should I say…key things about life you’re going to need as you go on.” Come on.

Young sir, you are too much. Far more astute than many adults. You make me want to just sit here and revel in my own imagination for a while.

People in the Instagram comments seem to feel the same way.

“He needs to give a TED talk to a room full of adults. Maybe we could deal with life better lol,” wrote one person.

“Oh yessirrrr,” wrote another. “My boy is equipped for greatness. Shout out to the young thinker.”

“This guy is, should i say… A legend?” wrote another.

May we all honor our imaginations as enthusiastically as this kiddo. Can’t wait to see what he dreams up and engineers in the future.

Spend just two minutes scrolling through whatever platform of social media is your poison, and you’ll notice a prevailing theme. Sure, it might be said in different words, “keep a positive mindset,” “good vibes only,” “attract the life you want,” but the message remains the same—those difficult, painful feelings you might be experiencing shouldn’t exist.

Where these uplifting quotes might be well-intentioned, they can be unhelpful for those who are struggling—particularly for those dealing with mental health issues. It can already feel hard to quantify and express what’s really going on, and many have the added obstacle of being without a safe space to talk to anyone, making a person feel further isolated.

A PSA video posted to YouTube perfectly captures the lonely reality that many face when dealing with a mental illness and a culture of what’s commonly known as “toxic positivity.“

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You can watch the full video below. It’s only one minute long, but that’s all it needs to make a powerful effect:

It’s not until they are shown true empathy that things turn around, when asked, “Do you want to talk about it?” and being told that someone is there for them. It really is such a simple thing that has profound effects.

The video ends with a slogan that pretty much says it all:

“The world doesn’t listen. Be the friend who does.”

The PSA is part of the Ad Council’s Seize the Awkward campaign, in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and The Jed Foundation, meant to help others learn how to create supportive conversations surrounding mental health. The campaign’s website has a page dedicated to providing helpful tips for those who might be concerned about a loved one.

If you or someone you know are having thoughts of suicide or require mental health support, call or text 988 to talk to a trained counselor at the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit 988lifeline.org to connect with a counselor and chat in real time. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress as well as prevention and crisis resources for healthcare professionals.

Earlier today, Taylor Swift did something that has never been done before: On the new Hot 100 chart dated November 5, every song in the top 10 is by Swift. Yes, Midnights tracks are in spots 1 through 10, with “Anti-Hero” taking the crown. Naturally, Swift is thrilled about this, and while 13 is the number she tends to associate with, this time, it’s 10 that takes the spotlight.

In a tweet reacting to the news, Swift wrote, “10 out of 10 of the Hot 100??? On my 10th album??? I AM IN SHAMBLES.”

“Anti-Hero” is now Swift’s ninth No. 1 song of her career, as well as her fifth one to debut on top. Aside from “Anti-Hero,” also in this week’s top 10 are “Lavender Haze” (No. 2), “Maroon” (No. 3), “Snow On The Beach” Feat. Lana Del Rey (No. 4), “Midnight Rain” (No. 5), “Bejeweled” (No. 6), “Question…?” (No. 7), “You’re On Your Own, Kid” (No. 8), “Karma” (No. 9), and “Vigilante Sh*t” (No. 10). Furthermore, “Mastermind” is at No. 13, “Labyrinth” is No. 14, and “Sweet Nothing” is No. 15, meaning all songs from the base version of Midnights are in the top 15.

This means that Swift now has the second-most top-10 songs of all time: 40, which is second behind Drake’s 59. Midnights is also the first album with 10 top-10 songs; previously, Drake’s Certified Lover Boy had nine in 2021.

Midnights is out now via Republic. Get it here.

Happy Halloween! Today might be October 31st but let’s face It, Halloween weekend is over — which essentially means Halloween is over if you’re of adult age. While annoying children will be knocking on your door begging for candy tonight, you’ll be busy nursing a hangover with some good herb. As long as you’re stoned and waiting for the doorbell to ring, it’s a nice time to marinate on the glory that is Halloween as we round up our favorite celebrity costumes of 2022.

Halloween invites us to get inventive with our costume ideas, but let’s face it, most people don’t have the means and access to designers and stylists that celebrities have — which is always fun to watch.

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We have to give it to P. Diddy. No other celebrity went this all out for Halloween. He’s near unrecognizable!

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Rosalia rocking that Asuka Langley Evangelion fit.

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Chlöe Bailey had several great looking Halloween fits, but nothing hit as hard as her rendition of Storm.

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(Spoilers for The White Lotus will be found below.)

The White Lotus is back, baby. This means that we’re witnessing a whole new host of rich people problems, which satirically involves people being miserable in paradise. The first episode set up various competing interludes starring Aubrey Plaza (whose character hates Ted Lasso) and Theo James (who can’t keep his pants on), and of course, we’ve already seen the aftereffects of a murder. We know that this obviously isn’t suitcase pooper Armond’s bod floating around at a new resort, but let’s talk about the new location. Where are the collective bouts of malaise and the mid-sex freakouts from Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya taking place?

The story goes down at another lavish resort in Sicily, which is stacked with both locals and visitors alike. And the filming, thankfully for the cast, took place on location, rather than within a stand-in venue. Via Time Out, production went down at a Four Seasons resort, San Domenico Palace in Taormina (on the island’s east coast). Centuries ago, this actually used to be a convent, which is wild, given that nuns apparently got to enjoy some of the best views in paradise.

The San Domenico Palace provides sweeping views of the Ionian Sea — the better to showcase that floating body in the season’s opening moments — as well as Mount Etna. The Four Seasons website details the property’s predictably expensive rates, which range from over $500 per night for a basic room to several thousands. That’s only part of what one should expect to pay for the Four Seasons label, but guests do receive plentiful amenities, including those sweeping views, multiple restaurants, and access to local wines, along with bars and an infinity pool.

Most of us will never be able to swing this kind of vacation. However, we can now watch the idly wealthy characters of The White Lotus fail to enjoy their trip. This season, the supporting cast includes F. Murray, Abraham, Michael Imperioli, and Haley Lu Richardson, and the show now dominates Sunday night HBO following the House of the Dragon season finale. Salute!

Julieta Venegas revisits her Tijuana roots in her music video for “La Nostalgia” that was released on Sunday (October 30). The Mexican singer-songwriter also revealed the release date for her upcoming album Tu Historia.

Venegas became a breakout star in 2006 thanks to her album Limón y Sal. The LP featured her kiss-off anthem “Me Voy” and “Eres Para Mí” featuring Ana Tijoux. Venegas’ music career got a second wind last year when she featured on Tainy’s global hit “Lo Siento BB:/” alongside Bad Bunny. The collaboration marked her first entry on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart when it peaked at No. 51.

This past year, Venegas has teased her upcoming album Tu Historia with multiple singles. Under the production of Chilean musician Álex Anwandter, most of the songs have been Venegas’ most danceable like the funky “Mismo Amor” and sparkling “En Tu Orilla.” She is slowing things down with her latest single “La Nostalgia.”

“La Nostalgia” lives up to its name as Venegas reflects on her upbringing in Tijuana. She now lives miles away from there in Argentina. In the heartfelt ballad, she employs her poetic lyricism to relive the memories that she shared with her family and friends in her Mexican hometown.

The video for “La Nostalgia” was directed by Nicolasa Ruiz. With a group of women representation different generations of her family, Venegas cruises through Baja California. Photos and clips from her past are dispersed throughout the video. It’s now streaming on her official Facebook page here.

Venegas revealed that her album Tu Historia will be released on November 11. She will be touring Mexico next month followed by a one-off concert in New York City on Nov. 29.

John Oliver kicked off Sunday’s episode of Last Week Tonight with a swipe at Tom Brady before dropping a very random drive-by on Kristen Stewart while going deep on bail reform. It all went down as Oliver did his best to recap a very busy week that included everything from “from massive protests still ongoing in Iran to the fact that Tom Brady suddenly has one less ring.” It was a notable jab at the news of Brady’s divorce from Gisele Bundchen following weeks of speculation about the state of their marriage after he reversed his retirement decision and came back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for another season, which is also going disastrously.

Oliver then moved things to the much more serious topic of bail reform. Republicans have been citing as the cause of “crime waves.” The late night host specifically went after New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea trotting out the tired talking point. However, Oliver also worked in a random dig at Kristen Stewart. It truly came out of left field. Via The Hollywood Reporter:

“Well, which is it, Dermot? Are the numbers not dramatic, or is bail reform 100 percent leading to more shootings? Because those things are mutually exclusive. The only place where ‘not dramatic’ and ‘100 percent’ can exist at the same time is in Kristen Stewart’s whole general vibe. She’s giving it her all, but she’s also giving us absolutely nothing. It’s totally amazing.”

Fortunately, Oliver smoothed things over by firing a shot at a much more deserving topic: Elon Musk. While highlighting a bail system in Florida that was falsely flagging Black defendants as future criminals, Oliver brought up the new CEO of Twitter.

“It was basically a racist computer,” Oliver said, “which I realize is probably Elon Musk’s next billion-dollar idea.”

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

Lil Baby put his foot down as one of the best rappers in the game with It’s Only Me, his third No. 1 album, but Baby isn’t too proud to learn from GloRilla. The two stars were in Greensboro, North Carolina over the weekend for North Carolina A&T State University’s Homecoming. Baby headlined the Aggie Homecoming Concert. Glo served as a special guest alongside Nardo Wick and Uproxx’s August cover star Chlöe.

Presumably backstage, GloRilla took a moment to try and teach Baby to perfect “Memphis Jookin,” which has become her signature dance since she broke through with “FNF (Let’s Go)” earlier this year. Baby is a little awkward at first, but Glo’s enthusiastic encouragement gets him in the right groove. “You ready,” she exclaimed, beaming like a proud mom.

The dance has been sweeping the NFL, too. The Philadelphia Eagles used it to celebrate their opening touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football two weeks ago. Yesterday (October 30), GloRilla reposted video to her Instagram Story of Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts and Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert each hitting the Memphis Jookin in the end zone, too.

GloRilla’s banner 2022 will continue with Anyways, Life’s Great…, which is due on November 11.

Over the weekend, Netflix surprised the world with an unexpected announcement that Henry Cavill would be retiring his fancy sword and Liam Hemsworth would be stepping in for him in the upcoming fourth season of The Witcher. The news came just after Cavill announced that he would reprise his role of Superman in whatever upcoming iteration DC decides to make with its fancy new boss. Cavill made his triumphant return as the superhero in the Black Adam post-credits scene. Maybe he didn’t realize just how much he was missing until he decided to put on that spandex suit again.

The former Witcher actor passed the proverbial torch to Hemsworth in a statement: “The fantastic Mr. Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf,” Cavill said in a statement. “As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men.”

Season three of the popular series wrapped earlier this year and is expected to premiere sometime in the summer of 2023. While Cavill will be moving on to bigger and better things at the Daily Bugle, many fans are perplexed by the decision, especially since Cavill was a huge fan of the source material and tried really, really hard to land the role of Geralt.

Others are still excited about the Superman news, but was it really worth it in the end?

While the news is shocking, at least he isn’t leaving The Witcher to head to Westeros, right? There are already too many names there to keep track of.

It seems like it happened seven years ago, but this is the first Halloween since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars for failing to keep Jada Pinkett Smith’s name out of his f*cking mouth. That still-shocking moment (if not as hysteria causing as Judd Apatow’s tweet made it out to be) was part of a segment on Monday’s episode of The View featuring costumes inspired by 2022’s most-discussed topics. There was a child “dressed in a car dealership inflatable with money glued to the sides” to represent inflation, according to Decider, and another kid “with a Donald Trump wig dressed as a toilet flushing down classified documents” to signify the raid at the Mar-a-Lago.

Please do not dress your child up as a toilet raid — or The Slap.

One costume in particular left viewers with a sour taste: the Oscars slap, where Will Smith stormed the stage at the award show and slapped Chris Rock across the face. The child sporting the outfit wore a gold costume that looked like the Oscar trophy and had a red handprint painted on the side of their face.

Here’s a very normal moment in TV history:

“We do not want to endorse violence of any kind,” The View wardrobe supervisor Ashley Alderfer Kaufman, “but we couldn’t help but talk about one of the hottest hot topics this year. So, we have our interpretation, we have an Oscars statue, we call this ‘The Oscars Slap,’ and he has red face-paint on the statue.” It’s going over great.

Jeffrey Dahmer is 2022’s worst Halloween costume, but The Slap isn’t far behind.

(Via Decider)