Month: November 2022

For the WNBA’s 27th season, each team will play a record number of games as the league announced on Wednesday that the 2023 schedule will increase from 36 games to 40 games — 20 home and 20 road.

“We eagerly anticipate tipping off the 2023 season and building on the success of last season, which was our most-watched in 14 years and set records for social media engagement, digital consumption and merchandise sales,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “The expanded schedule will provide fans greater opportunities to see the best players in the world compete on the game’s biggest stage.”

The opening night of the season will feature four games on Friday, May 19, with Liberty-Mystics, Sun-Fever, Lynx-Sky, and Sparks-Mercury tipping off the 2023 WNBA calendar. The Las Vegas Aces will begin their title defense on Saturday, May 20, as they go on the road to open their season, facing the rival Storm in Seattle in a rematch of last year’s semifinal matchup. The WNBA will announce the complete national TV and streaming schedule at a later date, but the increased schedule is without question the biggest news of schedule release day.

As the league continues to keep an eye on future expansion, adding more games to the schedule is a logical step, and this year will provide 40 chances for fans to see their favorite squads in action.

Foo Fighters have been laying relatively low since the death of Taylor Hawkins earlier this year (aside from the massive tribute concerts in his honor). So, any time Dave Grohl has taken a stage since then has been particularly noteworthy. That’s what makes this surprising: He has a concert in a few days but it’s gone mostly under the radar.

On December 5, Grohl and Greg Kurstin are putting on a “Hanukkah Sessions” concert at Los Angeles’ Largo At The Coronet. Presumably, their performance will include songs they’ve performed as part of their Hanukkah-themed covers over the past couple years (or perhaps some new ones if they continue the series here in 2022). The show will be hosted by Judd Apatow and will feature other “special guests.” It’s also a benefit event for the Anti-Defamation League.

The event does not appear to have been widely publicized. According to Reddit commenters, it looks like the show was only (or at least initially) announced to people on the Largo email list, and that tickets (which went for $150) sold out after a couple hours. Furthermore, before publication of this post, a Google search only yielded a few results about the event.

Grohl actually hasn’t been a complete stranger to the stage this year. Just a couple weeks ago, for instance, he took part in Joe Walsh’s all-star VetsAid charity concert.

Nearly a decade into their career, only now does it seems like singer Sam Smith is having a good time. After stepping out of the sad music pigeonhole they found success in earlier in their career, Smith has been dominating the charts with uptempo dance tracks. Whether it’s their collaboration with Burna Boy or No. 1 hit “Unholy” featuring Kim Petras, Smith is creatively letting it all hang out.

But in their new video clip teasing their upcoming single, “I’m Not Here To Make Friends,” Smith let it all literally hang out. The British musician was modest on the top half of their body, covering their chest in a tangerine linen scarf. But the bottom half of their party is a sexy party.

Sporting black underpants and fishnet pantyhose, Smith’s tattoos are on full display. Smith seductively stomps a shimmering black patent leather boot with silver zipper detailing as they dance to the track.

Singing along to the provocative lyrics, “I could ease your appetite / No you’ve never been this high / Don’t be scared if you like it / Because I’m not here to make friends,” Smith is comfortable in the skin they’re in.

As the video’s caption reveals “I’m Not Here To Make Friends” is track No. 11 off of their forthcoming album, Gloria. Smith hasn’t shared any further details about the album but what we do know is single “Love Me More” and “Unholy” featuring Kim Petras have made the final cut. Apple’s iTunes Store reveals an additional eleven songs will appear on the album, including “I’m Not Here To Make Friends.”

Based on the short clip shared, “I’m Not Here To Make Friends” is sure to dominate TikTok’s “for you” page.

Gloria is out 1/27 via Columbia Records. Pre-order it here.

It’s too soon to say with any confidence that season two of The White Lotus is better than season one (there are two episodes left; also, both seasons are great). But one thing’s for sure: the HBO show’s sophomore season is more popular than its first.

Deadline reports that “Sunday’s episode checked in 2.3 million people across HBO Max and the linear telecasts,” which is “about 28 percent higher than last week’s viewership, and it’s a significant 23 percent jump from the season one finale‘s previous series high of 1.9 million viewers.” That’s 2.3 million watching that scene, and 2.3 million discussions about that scene. (They can’t actually be related, right? Right…?)

Viewership for the second installment has grown consistently week-over-week since season two debuted in October to 1.5 million viewers. The first episode has now amassed 9.5 million viewers, surpassing the season one average of 9.3 million viewers per episode. The White Lotus is once again the No. 1 title on HBO Max for the fourth consecutive week.

HBO is on a Sunday night hot streak. House of the Dragon exceeded everyone’s expectations; The White Lotus keeps getting more and more popular; and next up is The Last of Us, the highly-anticipated adaptation of one of the most acclaimed video games of all-time, and Succession, arguably the best show on TV.

Save some good shows for the other networks, jeez.

(Via Deadline)

Feid is continuing to release music videos from his blockbuster LP Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo Te Pirateamos El Álbum. The rising Colombian star teamed up with Puerto Rican icon Yandel for the moody “XQ Te Pones Así” video that was dropped last night (November 29).

Feid is flying high this year thanks to Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo Te Pirateamos El Álbum. Though the LP was released months in advance due to an online leak, it’s become his biggest release to date. Feliz Cumpleaños was his first LP to enter the top 10 of Billboard‘s Hot Latin Albums chart when reached No. 8 in October. Based on the streaming from the album, Feid appeared at No. 48 among the 50 most-streamed artists of the year that were revealed today in Spotify’s Wrapped campaign.

One of the fan-favorite songs on Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo Te Pirateamos El Álbum finally has a video. For the alluring reggaeton romp “XQ Te Pones Así,” he joined forces with Yandel, who is one-half of the pioneering duo Wisin y Yandel. The nostalgia and heartbreak that Feid’s music can evoke was at their most potent here as he sings about missing a loved one. Yandel, who is known for his sentimental sound, added more emotional baggage to their collaboration.

In the “XQ Te Pones Así” video, Feid and Yandel reflect on the one that got away. As both parties try to move on from a breakup, the memories remain, much like the lingering feeling behind the song. Feid will release his Sixto EP tomorrow. The 6-track release will include the songs “La Pasamos Cxbrxn” with Zion y Lennox and “Le Pido A Dios” featuring DJ Premier.

As we have previously learned, Cocaine Bear is not just a movie or a story, he is a way of life. The bear has touched millions, if not billions, of lives with his harrowing tale of ingesting too much of the substance. So when it was announced that they would be turning Mr. C. Bear into a movie, it was a scary thought. Would they treat Cocaine Bear and his story with dignity and respect? Would this delicate tale be told to the right viewers, in the right framing? Now that the first trailer has been revealed, the answer is clear: Cocaine Bear will be getting his Oscar, and possibly the Nobel Peace Price for his work.

Cocaine Bear will hit theaters in February, starring Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys (in a mini Americans reunion), O’Shea Jackson Jr., Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Ray Liotta. The real story featured a bear who consumed over 70 pounds of stolen cocaine that fell from the plane before his unfortunate death. The movie seems to err on the side of silly, as the bear almost immediately kills people instead of just dying. But that’s where the fun comes in! Here is the official synopsis:

Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, this wild dark comedy finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500- pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow… and blood.

Obviously, the people were delighted (and scared, but mostly excited) about the prospect of Cocaine Bear’s triumphant big-screen debut. We haven’t seen this much bear-human solidarity since Paddington 2 hit theaters.

Cocaine Bear will hit theaters on February 23rd. The Oscars are March 12th so there is a ton of time.

The music world was rattled today upon receiving the news that Fleetwood Mac’s long-time co-lead vocalist and keyboardist Christine McVie died at the age of 79. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, who penned some of the bands biggest hits liked “Don’t Stop” and “Everywhere,” joined the band as its first female vocalist in 1970 — five years before Stevie Nicks came on board in 1975. McVie was with Fleetwood Mac until 1998, then rejoined the group in 2013 until the day she died. A statement from her family indicated that she “passed away peacefully at hospital this morning, Wednesday, November 30th 2022, following a short illness.”

Now, Fleetwood Mac has issued a statement from the band on their official band social media accounts regarding the death of McVie, calling her “the best musician anyone could have in their band”:

“There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie. She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure. She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life. We were so lucky to have a life with her. Individually and together, we cherished Christine deeply and are thankful for the amazing memories we have. She will be so very missed. – Fleetwood Mac.”

Born Christine Perfect in 1943, McVie married Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie in 1968, but they divorced in 1976. Other notable Fleetwood Mac songs that she penned include “Oh Daddy,” “Say You Love Me,” and “Over My Head.”

One of Uproxx’s best albums of 2022, Nilüfer Yanya’s Painless beautifully packs emotions and epiphanies into tightly wrapped shredders. Now her excellent follow-up to the breakthrough Miss Universe is getting a deluxe release with five new recordings. Among them are remixes of album standout “Midnight Sun” by both Sampha and King Krule.

The Sampha remix especially packs a newfound mathematical electronic veneer. Also featured on the new release are Yanya’s recently released cover of PJ Harvey’s “Rid Of Me,” along with three new “Reflects” versions of songs with album producer Will Archer.

“Painless is going deluxe,” Yanya said in a statement. “I’m honestly so glad so many of you listened to Painless when it first came out 9 months ago so I’m very happy to be able to offer you the deluxe version with two new remixes of ‘midnight sun’ and my cover of ‘rid of me’.”

She’s really underselling it though, because both the Sampha and King Krule mixes are can’t-miss cuts for fans of either artists.

Listen to the “Midnight Sun (Sampha Remix”) above and check out the album artwork and tracklist for Painless (Deluxe) below.

1. “The Dealer”
2. “L:R”
3. “Shameless”
4. “Stabilise”
5. “Chase Me”
6. “Midnight Sun”
7. “Trouble”
8. “Try”
9. “Company”
10. “Belong With You”
11. “The Mystic”
12. “Anotherlife”
13. “Shameless (Reflects)”
14. “Midnight sun (Reflects)”
15. “Chase me (Reflects)”
16. “Midnight Sun (Sampha Remix)”
17. “Midnight Sun (King Krule Remix)”
18. “Rid Of Me”

Painless (Deluxe) is out 12/14 via ATO Records. Pre-order it here.

The Morning Joe crew tore into congressional GOP leader Kevin McCarthy after he joined a growing list of Republicans who have been hesitant to call out Donald Trump for dining with white supremacist Nick Fuentes. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Fuentes was the guest of Kanye West, who was already facing backlash for his ever-increasing collection of antisemitic remarks. (Recent reports now claim the entire evening was a “setup” that was orchestrated to teach Trump a lesson about abandoning his base.)

When asked by reporters to “condemn” Trump for having the dinner with Fuentes, McCarthy waffled by condemning the white supremacist, but not Trump. McCarthy continued to assert that Trump didn’t know who Fuentes is, but he had no answer when reporters pointed out that Trump knew all about Kanye and his increased antisemitism.

After the embarrassing display on Tuesday, the Morning Joe crew lit into McCarthy the following day. Via Mediaite:

“Must be awful to go through life the way Kevin McCarthy is, having to stop and think ‘Is the thing I’m about to say going to make Donald Trump mad?’” [Willie] Geist scoffed. “To have no core and have to say something as easy as ‘This guy’s terrible. Donald Trump shouldn’t have done it.’ He has to say ‘This guy’s terrible, but Donald Trump said he didn’t know him.’ Just say he shouldn’t have had the dinner. He can’t do it, and never has.”

Co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski agreed with Geist’s assessment, and the two remained baffled that McCarthy continues to remain loyal to Trump even as he cost the party a “red wave” in the midterm elections.

(Via Mediaite)

While everyone is out there hyping up the potential Freaky Friday sequel, there is one crucial movie that is being left out of the early aughts revival conversation, and that is Mean Girls. The movie helped launched the careers of Amanda Seyfried and Rachel McAdams, while also introducing a new generation of teenagers to the concept of Danny Devito.

The movie inspired a few subpar sequels and a Broadway musical, so it only makes sense that the rest of the cast should reunite in a sequel that follows the girls at their 20th high school reunion. Is Aaron Samuels a famous football player? Did Cady become an international math superstar? Did fetch ever happen, despite the constant efforts to make it not happen? Unfortunately, we just don’t know, and probably never will. Seyfried interviewed her former co-star Lindsay Lohan to confirm that it probably won’t be happening any time soon, but they might be interested in working as understudies on Broadway if it ever comes down to it.

SEYFRIED: I would kill just to do one week, all of us playing our own roles on Mean Girls on Broadway.

LOHAN: That would be really fun.

SEYFRIED: Because a Mean Girls 2 is never going to happen, is it?

LOHAN: I don’t know. I heard something about it being a movie musical and I was like, “Oh no.” We can’t do that. It has to be the same tone.

SEYFRIED: Yeah. It would just be completely different.

LOHAN: Exactly. [Laughs]

SEYFRIED: Anyway, Tina [Fey] is busy. She’ll get around to it. Listen, we’re all part of each other’s worlds whether we like it or not, and it is really nice to be in contact as adults.

LOHAN: Yeah, everyone’s still the same. It’s fun to have certain memories that we can’t share with anyone else.

This is just the final nail in the coffin after star Lizzy Caplan recently told Grazia that while it would be fun, an iconic movie probably doesn’t need a sequel. “Of course I would want to be a part of it; I would be an idiot not to join,” the actress explained. “But to me it feels like Mean Girls had a really good beginning, middle and end. I don’t know what’s left of the story.”

Still, Seyfried said that she is very grateful for the experience in the cult classic movie. “Ten years ago I used to be like, “Yeah, yeah, I was Karen in Mean Girls, for f*ck’s sake.” Now I’m like, “I was Karen in Mean Girls!” I’m very proud of it.” Maybe it wasn’t all about the movie, but the Fetch we made along the way.

(Via Interview)