Author: GoneTrending

Keanu Reeves is many things, including a good bass player, a skilled martial artist, a Virgo, and sometimes, on occasion, he is also an actor. You know him from The Matrix and John Wick and other vehicular-related action films, but you don’t know him from any movie musicals, because he hasn’t done any… yet.

In preparation for the biggest cinematic event of the year (behind Barbie), Reeves did a big Reddit AMA over the weekend, and even though he didn’t do it in character as John Wick, he did it as himself, The Internet’s Favorite Guy, and that’s even better. Sure, his picture looked like he was being held hostage, but we all know that he has enough combative skills to get out of it if he really wanted to, and he sure didn’t.

The actor revealed various tidbits about his life (he had a pet guinea pig named Carrot who he called a “cutie-pie”) while also discussing some of his favorite movie memories (he loved playing opposite Patrick Swayze in Point Break) and a bunch of other stuff (he would like to be a bird, if possible).

But the main takeaway here, besides the fact that Reeves is a fan of Alvvays, is that he really wants to be in a musical, despite his lack of singing abilities, even though that never stopped Russell Crowe, even when it should have.

“I would love to be in a musical,” Reeves posted, “But I can’t sing so I’m not sure anybody else would want me in a musical.. but I sure would try. I mean I could sing, but not really well. I can always dream.” It’s so funny because Keanu Reeves singing is actually a dream I have all the time.

It’s true that Reeves has never been in a musical, even though Bill and Ted could count if you really wanted to make it work. So let’s investigate: what type of musical guy would he be? The long-lost father? Or the sneaky villain with an affinity for vibrato? Or would he be likely to join a musical biopic a la Rocketman or Elvis? Could he be the next a capella sensation to revitalize the Pitch Perfect franchise? Hopefully not.

But he does want to follow in Hugh Jackman’s footsteps by either singing or playing Wolverine, which is another dream of his. Maybe he can combine the two into a singing assassin type. Why not! Anything goes these days. It seems like it’s time for Reeves to take some time away from murdering various assassins in order to get some proper singing lessons. We already know he can dance just fine.

(Via Reddit)

North West has emerged as a major Ice Spice fan, as Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s 9-year-old daughter made a pretty great drawing of the rapper and even linked up with Ice Spice herself and made some TikTok videos. Now, though, North’s newest batch of TikTok posts is stirring up some conversations.

In a series of posts shared today (March 6), North dons a curly orange wig and an Ice Spice-like outfit as she and friends dance and mouth along to Ice Spice TikTok sounds. Here’s one of those videos, which is set to Ice Spice and PinkPantheress’ “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2”:

This clip and the others have spawned multiple varieties of discourse. Some Twitter users took exception to 9-year-old North listening to a song with sexual lyrics like, “Sayin’ he home, but I know where he at, like / Bet he blowin’ her back / Thinkin’ ’bout me ’cause he know that it’s fat.” In response to that, others pointed out that kids have been hearing suggestive popular tunes for decades now.

Some people resurfaced an older video of Kanye talking about TikTok (with some re-sharers inaccurately billing it as Kanye’s response specifically to North’s Ice Spice fascination). In the video, Kanye vents his frustrations about North’s TikTok activity and how he doesn’t want her to be “used” by the platform.

Some people stood in solidarity with Kanye, like one user who wrote, “Kanye was right and y’all just ignorant. no way you see a actual child dressing up like a Sexualized rapper who makes music about sexualized things cute and funny. It’s disgusting.”

North herself is hopefully avoiding the discourse altogether, as the ability to comment on her TikTok posts is turned off.

March is here. That means it’s time to talk about some great Irish whisky. While I love the tipple from the Emerald Isle year-round, there’s no getting around the fact that interest in whiskey from Ireland peaks this month. And with so many new Irish whiskey brands hitting the market — covering everything from fun Irish blends to cask strength heavy hitters — sitting alongside old-school classics, it’s high time to taste and rank some.

For this blind tasting, I’m going down and dirty. I’m tasting 20 Irish whiskeys from my shelf and ranking them on taste alone. That’s it. No gimmicks or long lists of parameters. This is just a good old-fashioned blind tasting and ranking. Our lineup features the following bottles today:

• Northcross Triple Wood Irish Whiskey
• Jameson Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey
• The Irishman Single Malt Irish Whiskey
• Bushmills Prohibition Recipe Irish Whiskey Shelby Edition
• The Busker Irish Whiskey Single Pot Still
• Gold Spot Single Pot Stull Irish Whiskey 135th Anniversary Limited Edition Aged 9 Years
• Method And Madness Single Grain Irish Whiskey Matured in Bourbon Barrels Finished in Virgin Spanish Oak Casks
• Waterford Irish Single Malt Whisky Heritage Hunter
• Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Kentucky Oak Edition
• McConnell’s Irish Whisky Aged 5 Years
• Clonakilty Irish Whiskey Single Batch Double Oak Finish
• Writers’ Tears Red Head Irish Whiskey
• Triple Dog Irish Whiskey
• Teeling Whiskey Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
• Proclamation Blended Irish Whiskey
• Waterford Irish Single Malt Whisky Organic Gaia 2.1
• Jameson Black Barrel Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey
• Sláinte Irish Whiskey Smooth Blend
• The Gael Irish Whiskey
• Clonakilty Irish Whiskey Cask Finish Series Port Cask Finish

Let’s dive in!

• We Blind Tested Fast Food French Fries — Here’s The Stone Cold Champ
• The Affordable Vs Expensive Blind Bourbon Bottle Battle
• The 20 Most Popular Hot Sauces In America, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• We Blind Tested Our Favorite Fast Food Double Cheeseburgers & Crowned A New Champ
• The 30 Best Bourbon Whiskeys For Fall, Blind Tasted & Ranked

Part 1: The Whiskey Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a clear sense of grain-forward Irish whiskey on the nose with honey-dipped Graham Crackers next to light sweetgrass, mellow nuttiness, and a hint of summer flowers.

Palate: The palate leans into butterscotch with a hint of orange oils, buttery croissant, and creamy toffee with a light whisper of that malty honey from the nose.

Finish: The end has a marzipan lushness with a very light sense of dried cherries dipped in milk chocolate with a flutter of spiced malts.

Initial Thoughts:

This was fine. It was very much “Irish Whiskey” from top to bottom with a nice nuttiness and spicy choco malts. It felt a little more like a cocktail base than a fine sipper.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This does feel classic with notes of lemon citrus candy, soft malts, and mild spice on the nose with a faint touch of honey and almond.

Palate: The sip leans into that spice with a soft powderiness while layers of lush vanilla, dry nuts, and a hint of woodiness drive the palate.

Finish: The end is short and sweet with a minerality to it that’s more river rock than tap water.

Initial Thoughts:

Well, hello Jameson! That lemon candy vibe is unforgettable. Still, this is clearly a mixing whiskey from top to bottom.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this is all about the apple candy with a hint of pear in there alongside mild notes of cinnamon and maybe a little honey.

Palate: The palate is light and touches on chocolate chips and winter spice before going big with the apple candy again.

Finish: The end washes out a tad with the proofing water, leaving hints of dark spices, raisins, and more apple/pear candy.

Initial Thoughts:

This was pretty good all things considered. It had a nice balance and some real depth. Still, it was just “nice” and not much more.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Applewood leads to apple candies made with plenty of honey next to a hint of dried flowers, dry firewood, and a whisper of dry straw.

Palate: The palate amps up the apple to a spiced apple fritter with plenty of cinnamon, clove, and ginger next to a layer of creamy vanilla and more of that dry straw.

Finish: The end is full of honey and spice and fades out pretty fast.

Initial Thoughts:

This was pretty good. It’s not great and feels like a solid cocktail base.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Hardcore notes of wet grains open this with a hint of milk chocolate and a clove/allspice on the nose.

Palate: The taste leans into those sweet porridge grains toward dried fruits and green peppercorns.

Finish: The mid-palate sweetens with butterscotch next to spicy stewed apples that feel like sticky apple sauce before fading out pretty fast.

Initial Thoughts:

This was a grain bomb. There was some nuance there but it was buried deep under all that wet and sweet porridge.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is super lush with hints of kiwi skins next to the woody core of a pineapple, soft vanilla oils, stewed apples, and a little bit of holiday spice mix.

Palate: The palate is creamy yet light with a sharp sense of cloves and allspice next to a tropical fruit salad with a touch of black pepper, more of that super soft vanilla, a smear of Nutella, and a twinge of sour sherry-soaked oak.

Finish: The end simmers all that tropical fruit down with the spices to create a sweet, tart, spicy, vanilla-laden jammy feel with a line of spiced malts lurking underneath it all.

Initial Thoughts:

This is on another level. It’s delicious, deep, and delightful. This blows every previous sip out of the water and is the sip to beat.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with dry pencil shavings leading towards dry pine boxes, potpourri, and a hint of grapefruit pith.

Palate: The taste is driven by cinnamon bark and clove berries, with a pink eraser vibe next to soft vanilla beans.

Finish: That vanilla moves the mid-palate towards a finish full of ripe figs, light spice, and sweet potting soil.

Initial Thoughts:

This was odd but made a weird sort of sense by the end. I’m just not sure if I like all that oddity or am just trying to like it because it’s different.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a sense of old black potting soil on the nose with a rush of freshly bailed hay, bushels of red apples, orange marmalade, and a whisper of fresh rain on slate roofs.

Palate: That orange turns into an orange upside-down cake with a cinnamon/clove caramel drizzle next to old prunes, oatmeal cut with raisins and brown sugar, salted butter, and a twinge of old cedar planks with singed edges and a faint echo of sage.

Finish: That sage leads to a green pepperiness and a hint more of savory green herbs with plenty of honey and dried fruits next to a final note of soft spice.

Initial Thoughts:

This is strange in all the right ways. The maltiness is deep and enriching while the overall vibe really does feel like you’re on a journey. It’s not amazing though. It’s more … fascinating.

Taste 9

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a clear sense of almost sweet cedar next to marzipan and old leather with a hint of sour cherry and tart apple skins rounding out the nose.

Palate: The palate starts with a foundational layer of vanilla sauce and builds layers of woody cinnamon, soft nutmeg, and sharp cloves toward dried figs and prunes with a brandy-soaked oak vibe and some stewed cherries.

Finish: The end is nice and buttery toffee with another note of vanilla before the woody spices lead to apple tobacco stuffed in an old cedar box on the slow finish.

Initial Thoughts:

Okay, this is amazing. This is a deep and moving whiskey that I immediately want to actually drink and not just taste. It also has some serious bourbon vibes with that mix of dark cherry, vanilla, and woody spice.

Taste 10

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Irish oatcakes with vanilla wafers, orange rinds, and light peppery spice lead the way on the nose.

Palate: Orchard fruits confirm the Irishness of it all on the palate as butterscotch and vanilla pudding mingle with white pepper and a fleeting sense of old oak.

Finish: The orchard fruits peek on the finish with a chocolate oatmeal cookie vibe.

Initial Thoughts:

This was back to the “fine” column of this tasting. Nothing wrong at all here. It’s just average.

Taste 11

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sweet fruits and spice lead the way on the nose with slightly dry green sweetgrass, soft worn boot leather, and gently spiced malts with winter barks and berries next to a depth that just keeps going.

Palate: The palate perks up with slices of fresh ginger next to Tellicherry peppercorns, Nutella, and an apple candy mid-palate that leans into an earthiness that’s like a back porch on a sunny day.

Finish: That apple sweetness drives the finish towards drier sweetgrass and old porch wicker with a touch of moss growing between the canes, soft dark cherry, and a sense of sticky toffee pudding with a flake of salt and a pinch of orange peel.

Initial Thoughts:

Phenomenal.

Taste 12

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Burnt orange and peach skins mingle with a hint of salted dried mango next to red berry tea leaves, plum jam cut with clove, and a mild sense of brandy butter and scones.

Palate: Nutella comes through on the palate with a sense of rum-raisin, old sherry-soaked oak staves, and creamy vanilla cake.

Finish: The end leans into the brandy butter and scones with a sense of sharp orange marmalade and fresh breakfast tea cut with cream and honey.

Initial Thoughts:

This is also really f*cking good whiskey. It’s not quite as engaging as the last sip, but I’m really splitting hairs saying that.

Taste 13

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is very mild with a light sense of leather and dark and spicy red fruit with a thin caramel sweetness.

Palate: Vanilla pudding and sweet oak mix with a minor note of orchard fruit and maltiness.

Finish: There’s a hint of orange zest on the end that’s accented by a thin sweetness and spice.

Initial Thoughts:

This is fine=. It’s clearly a mixing whiskey.

Taste 14

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Hefty grains lead the way on the nose with a dry woodiness and a hint of old candle wax, white pepper, and maybe some vanilla cream.

Palate: The palate amps up that vanilla with a grainy vibe as winter spices make an appearance and lead to a whisper of floral honey.

Finish: The end fades pretty quickly, leaving you with sweet vanilla cream and woody spice, and a hint of dry straw.

Initial Thoughts:

This too was just “fine.” There was a decent balance between the crafty graininess and the rest of the profile that helped this stand out a bit.

Taste 15

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sliced pears hidden in vanilla pudding opens the nose, with a slight woodiness that turns into a neutral vodka.

Palate: There’s a slight nutty vibe on the palate, with hints of apple fritters, banana, and oak.

Finish: The finish touches on oats and raisins but ends more like a listless vodka than anything else.

Initial Thoughts:

This tastes more like vodka than whiskey. You can guess where this will end up on the ranking…

Taste 16

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of sharp orange marmalade on buttermilk biscuits with a sense of mocha lattes, wet brown sugar, red grapes, figs, and marshmallows fresh from the bag.

Palate: The taste leans into lemon zest and white pepper before drying out toward grapefruit pith, dark cacao powder, salted black licorice, and a hint of dry white toast.

Finish: There’s a sense of cinnamon bark and clove berries with that black licorice on the finish that leads back to the dark orange and a sweet sense of stewed peaches.

Initial Thoughts:

This is very fascinating and deep. I feel like I could find more and more if I went back to the nose and taste again and again. This is fun, but not a “wow” pour of whiskey.

Taste 17

Tasting Notes:

Nose: That oated sweet grainy nose of a good Irish whiskey mingles with dark chocolate cut with creamy vanilla sits next to a rich buttery toffee with a note of orange on the nose.

Palate: The palate amps up that vanilla with a dusting of Christmas spices and fatty nuts that lead to a minced meat pie feel with a dark orange/chocolate underbelly.

Finish: The end has a hint of tannic oak with a creamy vanilla lushness that’s spiked with dark wintry woody spices.

Initial Thoughts:

This is deep and tasty. It’s not mind-blowing but it’s really good. That feels like enough.

Taste 18

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Minor notes of black pepper and soft lemon oils mixed with vanilla and a hint of banana bread on the nose.

Palate: The palate leans into a light brioche with thin orange marmalade, almonds, and vanilla next to a hint of oak.

Finish: The end is light and quick with a sense of dried honey wafers next to a final touch of that black pepper from the nose.

Initial Thoughts:

This is pretty thin overall.

Taste 19

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has a malty nose with a ginger and honey cookie vibe with a ton of raisin, apple, pear, and maybe even a hint of orange.

Palate: The palate has a svelte buttercream feel that leads to a malted milkshake, a hint of cinnamon, and plenty of dates and figs.

Finish: The end amps up the spice towards a woody feel with apple skins and pear cores leading to a hint of rum-raisin and honey.

Initial Thoughts:

This was classic, straightforward, and distinct. Every note hit true and clear. This is a pretty nice whiskey that’s not overdone.

Taste 20

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with bright fruit — orange, lime, and lemon zest next to peach skins and juicy apricots — next to light notes of brown spices, raisins, and lightly sweetened oak staves with a hint of must.

Palate: The palate leans into the stone fruit with a stewed vibe next to dried red chili flakes, cinnamon, cardamom, and a hint of orange chocolate with whispers of lemon-lime soda.

Finish: The end leans into the dark spices on the finish with a plummy vibe, a hint more of that soft oak, and a final dash of peppercorn.

Initial Thoughts:

This is enticing and very good whiskey.

Part 2: The Whiskey Ranking

20. Proclamation Blended Irish Whiskey — Taste 15

ABV: 40.7%

Average Price: $29

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is a blend of Irish whiskeys sourced from distilleries all around Ireland. The whiskeys in the mix are mostly aged in ex-bourbon casks with a few barrels of sherry cask aged whiskey thrown in there too.

Bottom Line:

This is just too listless and thin. Pass.

19. Sláinte Irish Whiskey Smooth Blend — Taste 18

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $37

The Whisky:

The new Slainte Irish Whiskey Smooth Blend starts off with classic barrels of grain whiskey aged in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Those barrels are batched and then the whiskey is re-barreled into new ex-bourbon casks for a final maturation before vatting, proofing, and bottling.

Bottom Line:

I’d also pass on this too. It’s too thin-bodied and has nothing really to draw your attention.

18. The Busker Irish Whiskey Single Pot Still — Taste 5

ABV: 44.3%

Average Price: $37

The Whiskey:

This barley-based whiskey is aged in a combo of ex-bourbon and sherry casks for an undisclosed amount of time. Those whiskeys are then blended and proofed down with local water.

Bottom Line:

This is a crafty grain bomb. You really have to search to get past that. I’d pass.

17. Triple Dog Irish Whiskey — Taste 13

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $39

The Whiskey:

This new Irish whiskey is billed as having a “Modern taste profile.” The whiskey in the bottle is a standard sourced triple-distilled Irish whiskey blend that’s a minimum of four years old and rested in French oak barrels.

Bottom Line:

This is pretty thin too — I know, that’s a trend here in these lower-ranked drams… Alas, I’d pass.

16. Teeling Whiskey Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey — Taste 14

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $57

The Whiskey:

Teeling is known for sourcing a lot of its whiskey. This is made entirely in-house at their Dublin facility in the Liberties. The whiskey is a classic triple distilled single pot still Irish whiskey made with 50% malted barley and 50% unmalted barley. The whiskey is then aged in ex-bourbon, new oak, and ex-sherry barrels before blending and proofing.

Bottom Line:

This is interesting in that it balances the grainy crafty sweet porridge vibe with a well-aged whiskey with real nuance and flavor notes. That all said, I’d probably use this for making citrus-forward cocktails.

15. Method And Madness Single Grain Irish Whiskey Matured in Bourbon Barrels Finished in Virgin Spanish Oak Casks — Taste 7

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $69

The Whiskey:

This is Midleton’s craft whiskey venture — they built a stand-alone craft distillery in the middle of the campus for this whiskey. The single-grain spirit is matured in unused Spanish oak and old bourbon casks. That’s then small-batched and proofed with that soft County Cork water and bottled in a throwback art-deco bottle.

Bottom Line:

This is a true oddball. That’s not a slight. This whiskey is built to be an oddball and there’s real depth. You just really have to be in the mood for something different to enjoy this one.

14. McConnell’s Irish Whisky Aged 5 Years — Taste 10

ABV: 42%

Average Price: $32

The Whisky:

This Irish whiskey is batched from sweet bourbon barrels. The blend is a mix of malt and grain Irish whiskeys that spent at least five years resting in old bourbon casks before blending, proofing, and bottling.

Bottom Line:

This is a pretty standard mixing whiskey. It’ll work nicely with Coke or ginger ale.

13. Jameson Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey — Taste 2

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $29

The Whiskey:

The whiskey is a blend of single pot still (made from malted and unmalted barley) and grain whiskeys. Those whiskeys age in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry casks until they hit that classic sweet spot that makes Jameson Jameson. Those barrels are then blended, proofed, and bottled.

Bottom Line:

This really is a mixing whiskey for highballs (it’s literally built for that). Add some ginger ale and a twist of lime and you’ll be set.

12. Northcross Triple Wood Irish Whiskey — Taste 1

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $24

The Whiskey:

This brand-new whiskey from Irish whiskey legend John Teeling is a classic blend that leans into the oak. The whiskey is built from triple-distilled Irish whiskey that’s mellowed in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry Oloroso, and new American oak casks. Those casks were then blended, proofed, and bottled.

Bottom Line:

This whiskey is a step up from the mixers above. I’d use this for whiskey-forward cocktails. There’s enough in the flavor profile to really build a nice drink with this. That said, there are better cocktail base whiskeys on this list.

11. The Irishman Single Malt Irish Whiskey — Taste 3

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $44

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is made from Irish barley that’s mashed and then triple distilled. The hot juice is then filled in ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks for a long maturation (no age is given). Those barrels and then blended and the whiskey is proofed down for bottling.

Bottom Line:

This is a nice and deep whiskey that I could see sipping over some rocks or folding into a solid cocktail. If you’re looking for something that’s purely classic and versatile, this is worth trying.

10. Bushmills Prohibition Recipe Irish Whiskey Shelby Edition — Taste 4

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $23

The Whiskey:

This new release from Bushmills celebrates the sixth and final season of Peaky Blinders. The whiskey in the bottle is a classic Irish whiskey blend of ex-bourbon casks (aged three to five years) bottled without chill-filtration, hence its higher proof.

Bottom Line:

This is one of the better cocktail whiskeys on this list. It works with any application from bitter to sweet to citrus. It’s not terrible over a few rocks either. And if you’re a fan of Peaky Blinders, then this is an obvious buy.

9. Waterford Irish Single Malt Whisky Heritage Hunter — Taste 8

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $129

The Whisky:

This new release from whiskey-nerd-beloved Waterford out in Ireland is named after pioneering plant breeder Dr. Herbert Hunter. The initial grow for the barley for this whiskey was started with a 50-gram bag of Hunter barley. Over several seasons, they produced enough barley to fill 50 barrels of whiskey with the help of two other almost extinct heritage barley varieties, Goldthorpe and Old Irish. Finally, the whiskey in the bottles ended up being a blend of 45% first-fill ex-bourbon, 19% new American oak, 21% French oak, and 15% Vin Doux Naturel barrels (a Southern French sweet wine).

Bottom Line:

This is the whisky you buy when you want to expand your palate and learn. There’s a bit of a “Am I sitting in a classroom?” vibe to the wildness and newness of this one, but it’s worth it to expand your knowledge of Irish whiskey.

8. Waterford Irish Single Malt Whisky Organic Gaia 2.1 — Taste 16

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $95

The Whisky:

This new release from The Arcadian Series is comprised of alt-barley (old-school barley strains) that were harvested back in 2016. The barley was grown by organic farmers specifically for this mash bill. The whiskey was then triple distilled and aged by Waterford to highlight the malted barley in the recipe.

Bottom Line:

I blindly ranked these and these two ended up basically tied. The same goes for this Waterford as the one above. This is a learning whiskey where you enrich your palate while also trying something completely new and fresh from the region. If you’re not down for that journey, then find something a little more straightforward on this list.

7. Jameson Black Barrel Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey — Taste 17

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

This masterfully crafted whiskey leans more towards the single pot still whiskeys than grain whiskey. Those whiskeys are aged in a combination of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon for anywhere from eight to 16 years. Then, the whiskey is finished in an extra-charred ex-bourbon barrel, bringing about the “Black Barrel” moniker, before blending and proofing.

Bottom Line:

Speaking of “straightforward,” this whiskey is that with a serious depth that sings on the senses. This is also the best cocktail base on the list. If you’re looking to make Irish whiskey cocktails all month, this is the one whiskey to have on hand.

6. The Gael Irish Whiskey — Taste 19

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $93

The Whiskey:

The latest batch from J.J. Corey leans into the oldest barrels in their inventory. The juice is made from a 60/40 malt and grain whiskey split. The barrels range in age from seven to well over 25 years old — they’re all sourced. Those barrels are masterfully blended and then released in small, limited-edition batches of only a few thousand bottles.

Bottom Line:

This is where we get into the serious whiskeys. This is a nice sipper with great nuances. It doesn’t quite have the same wow factor or depth as the next five entries but that’s really splitting hairs at this point.

5. Clonakilty Irish Whiskey Cask Finish Series Port Cask Finish — Taste 20

ABV: 43.6%

Average Price: $53

The Whiskey:

This fan-favorite whiskey just released its latest batch. The whiskey in this one is a nine-year-old Irish grain whiskey blended with a classic Irish single malt. The whiskey was then proofed down slightly and re-loaded into Port casks from the famed Douro Valley. Those barrels were stored next to the Atlantic Ocean in Ireland until they were just right.

Bottom Line:

This has a slight cellar funk to it that I love. I can see that being offputting to some palates though. That said, this is a fun whiskey that balances its port finish very well with a really deep overall profile. If you’re looking for something a little different but still damn good, this is the play.

4. Writers’ Tears Red Head Irish Whiskey — Taste 12

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $199

The Whiskey:

This is classic Irish single malt that’s triple distilled before a long aging process. The hot juice rests in Spanish Oloroso sherry butts until it’s just right. Those barrels are batched and proofed before bottling otherwise as-is.

Bottom Line:

This was delicious. It was a sliver lighter than the next three when it came to the complexity of the flavor profile. But I wouldn’t turn this pour down at all. It’s really good whiskey that delivers.

3. Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Kentucky Oak Edition — Taste 9

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $199

The Whiskey:

This is classic Redbreast tripled distiller single pot still whiskey (made with a mash of malted and unmalted barley). The juice settles for several years in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before it’s vatted and then re-filled into brand new air-dried American oak barrels from the Taylor Farm in Kentucky. After four months, the whiskey is blended and barely proofed before bottling as-is.

Bottom Line:

This felt like the perfect bridge between bourbon and Irish whiskey. It’s really tasty and so well-balanced. It also just keeps going and meandering through delicious flavor notes. So if you want to get your bourbon fiend friends hooked on Irish whiskey, this is the bottle to pour for them. This also makes an extraordinary Manhattan.

2. Gold Spot Single Pot Stull Irish Whiskey 135th Anniversary Limited Edition Aged 9 Years — Taste 6

ABV: 51.4%

Average Price: $115

The Whiskey:

The latest release from Mitchell & Son’s beloved “Spot” line of whiskeys is a nine-year-old blend of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. The whiskey is finished in Port casks and Bordeaux wine casks for the final blend/maturation.

Bottom Line:

This might as well be a tie for first place. This is a brilliant pour of whiskey with zero faults.

1. Clonakilty Irish Whiskey Single Batch Double Oak Finish — Taste 11

ABV: 43.6%

Average Price: $43

The Whiskey:

This award-winning Irish blend is all about the aging and seaside vibes. The blend is built with whiskeys aged in ex-bourbon casks which are finished in new American oak casks. That’s then blended with the same ex-bourbon cask aged whiskey finished in red wine casks from Bordeaux, which have been shaved and remade especially for this bottling.

Bottom Line:

No notes. Get this one. It’s delicious, deep, and just wonderful.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

There was a huge difference in the quality of whiskeys between the top and bottom of this ranking. If you want, you can straight-up skip the bottom five altogether. The middle is all fine for mixing, depending on what you’re looking for. But I’d even say skip that and just get the Jameson Black Barrel if you want a solid cocktail base.

Then there are the top six. All of those whiskeys are worth seeking out and giving a try, especially the top three. Go back and check the tasting notes. Find which one piques your interest. Then hit that price link to try it yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

On Sunday night, Giannis Antetokounmpo found himself one rebound shy of his 33rd career triple-double as the clock ticked down to zero, with the Wizards no longer fouling in a 117-111 Bucks win.

As he dribbled out the clock, he couldn’t resist pulling a Ricky Davis (although, in Giannis’ defense, he at least was at the correct basket) and bouncing the ball off the hoop to himself for that 10th rebound. The official scorekeeper in Washington credited him with the rebound, and he finished the night with 23 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds.

However, the league has the ability to adjust stats after the fact, and in this case, they found Giannis’ effort to be egregious enough to rescind his rebound, citing the need for a player to be trying to score when they put up a shot for it to count as a rebound.

It’s not a huge surprise the NBA would do this, less because there is some need for keeping the sanctity of triple-doubles and more because in a world where you can bet on a player getting a triple-double or not via NBA partnered sportsbooks, the integrity of stats is under a bit of a microscope. If you happened to have a Giannis triple-double YES ticket, this may qualify as one of the most delayed bad beats — unless the books are feeling generous and paying it out no matter what, as they will occasionally do on things like this to get some goodwill.

The group chats are firing on all cylinders. The discourse has run amuck on Twitter. And why? Because Pedro Pascal posted a pride flag on Instagram.

If your mom, your mutuals, or that friend who keeps sending you video edits of Pascal reading thirst tweets, has panic texted you about the sexual orientation of an incredibly talented actor and extremely attractive celebrity they will never meet IRL, here’s why. Over the weekend, Pascal shared a photo slideshow on Instagram with multiple pictures of pride flags in support of both the gay and transgender communities. He captioned the photo with a Bob Dylan lyric that said, “The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind. #LGBTQIA”

The photo was liked by plenty of Pascal’s famous friends including his The Last of Us co-star Bella Ramsey who’s been open about her journey to realizing she identifies as non-binary. Ramsey has even credited Pascal with helping to make her feel comfortable with her gender fluidity while on set. But all of that took a backburner to the question, “Is the Internet’s favorite Daddy coming out as Gay?”

No. Well … not yet.

Look, we’re not speculating on Pascal’s sexual preferences. If you want to go on believing he’s straight as a stick, be our guest. If you, like many who’ve paid attention to his recent press tours and red-carpet outfits, look at the actor in waffle-knit cardigans and point out he’s sporting major “cool gay uncle” vibes, you’re not not wrong.

But that’s just conjecture. The likely real reason Pascal posted about his continuing allyship when it comes to gay and trans rights is because of his sister, Lux Pascal, who came out as transgender in February 2021. Pascal has been vocal about his support of his younger sibling and he’s condemned any homophobic and transphobic fans who think to follow him.

The post also comes amidst devastating setbacks for the Queer and trans communities in states like Tennessee and Florida where bans on drag shows and gender-affirming care have been put in place.

Just when I was beginning to worry that I had seen everything Rolling Loud has to offer, the 2023 festival in Los Angeles showed me something new. I don’t know if Lil Yachty’s Sunday night set will be a one-off curio or the blueprint for the evolution of the punk-rap festival’s format, but it delivered a level of production that more of the fest’s mainstays should at least think about adopting – especially those who want to grow beyond the limitations of its audience for that real four-quadrant appeal.

Meanwhile, Rolling Loud continues to be one of the best “starter” festivals around. Even compared to bigger-name, more local events like Coachella and Lollapalooza, Rolling Loud has probably the best handle on both its format and its audience, leading to a level of enthusiasm unmatched by any other festival in the increasingly crowded market. And while sticking so closely to its dedicated format led this weekend to long stretches of samey-sounding material and lots of lineup recycling in general, even this can be useful for the kids who are just getting their feet wet in the festival scene.

That demographic, actually, constitutes a lot of the Rolling Loud audience. This is purely anecdotal, but it didn’t surprise me to note that those attendees in my vicinity who seemed to have the best grasp on the timing of the festival’s sets and the chillest overall demeanor were those wearing Rolling Loud merch from prior festivals – but never more than a year old. It’s always fun to see the teen boys bounding from stage to stage with all the energy of a year-old golden retriever puppy when a leisurely saunter will do the job most of the time.

Likewise, for a show in early March, with a cloudy forecast and lows promised in the 40s, there are always so many young women trying to pull off the skimpy outfits they’ve seen on social media, only to end up draped in layers of merch tent hoodies to fend off the chills and light drizzles that skittered down periodically throughout the weekend. Rookie mistakes, surely – but the kind that I’m sure they’ll look back on fondly in the future, laughing at their youthful naivete as they bundle up for their more experienced festivals.

This year’s event brought a new location: the Hollywood Park area outside of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. This was also the biggest improvement over the last California show in San Bernardino. First off, it’s just such a scenic venue, with a gorgeously-lit lake sprawling out from beneath the majestic dome. I’d have loved it if this view had been more incorporated into the orientation of the stage near it. Meanwhile, the wraparound setup reminded me of the first few Rolling Loud festivals in LA at Banc Of California Stadium but with a few changes.

First, the good: There was no dust or grass or rugged terrain to navigate, with the streets lining the stadium offering the food concessions, water stations, and rest areas all in an easily traversable thoroughfare with few choke points. Getting around the fest was a breeze. And including three entrances not only increased the sense of convenience but also the feeling that the organizers had prioritized safety, preventing bottlenecking in any one part of the festival grounds as new arrivals got themselves oriented.

Unfortunately, evoking the Banc Of California setup also leads to this year’s fest losing points. In 2018 and 2019, the stage positioning allowed VIP fans to easily get from the two main stages without leaving the VIP area, making it a true VIP experience. This year, the separation between the two main stages left the VIP sections cut off from each other. Meanwhile, all the VIP activations – a barbershop, tattoo parlor, and hair salon – were all situated at Levi’s Stage, leaving the amenities for the GoPuff Stage feeling a little scarce.

Meanwhile, the more underground Culture Kings stage was angled kind of awkwardly, competing with the sound from Levi’s and lacking a spotlight. While its positioning close to the North entrance seemed planned for more exposure for the more underground acts, it felt more closed off once I realized that it was more or less a straight shot between the Levi’s and GoPuff Stages. Once fans were inside, their only incentive to go anywhere near the third stage was if they really wanted to see Kamaiyah, RJ, or OT Genasis (although the latter certainly made the trip worth it with his sneakily hit-laden setlist and roguish, recklessly charming stage presence).

As far as the programming goes, I can’t offer many complaints – but I don’t know how many compliments I can give either. It didn’t feel like this year’s lineup was sufficiently different from any prior year; I’ve seen DaBaby, Future, Kodak Black, Lil Wayne, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, Rich The Kid, Ski Mask The Slump God, and Trippie Redd at previous Rolling Loud iterations, and while they were all mostly pretty good, it seems like most of the variety at the fest is in its midline performers. I did enjoy Tyga bringing out YG to perform “Go Loko” and announce their upcoming joint album. Compton.

Destroy Lonely was a new name to me but cut from the same cloth as goth-rock rappers like Playboi Carti, Trippie, and Uzi, he just didn’t seem to stand out – although he attracted a massive, truly exuberant crowd that speaks to the popularity of that sound at the moment. And, not to put too fine a point on it, but there are so many problematic names involved — including among the headliners — that it’d take another paragraph to point out the litany of abuse charges down the lineup.

At various points throughout the fest, it also felt a lot like watching performers doing karaoke to their own music. In some cases, like that of Coi Leray and Kodak, it seemed as though they were more intent on dancing while the song played than in actually rapping their songs (although that was still more entertaining than one local duo, whose stage presence was so lacking I won’t mention them here, so I won’t hurt any feelings). Still, I’ve been to a lot of “real hip-hop” shows, and to be honest, at least they gave something visual and appeared to be having fun. I’ve seen way too many rappers rapping at the floor while rooted to one spot to ever complain about Coi’s twerking or Saweetie’s choreo (Nicki Minaj’s pop-out during Wayne’s set was fun, but plagued by sound issues).

I was pleasantly surprised by Ice Spice. Say what you want about her monotone – which I think is really the primary complaint about her music, although her most vocal critics probably don’t have the vocabulary to pinpoint this – but her breath control is superb. She doesn’t write super complex bars, but she leaves so little space between them that I truly didn’t think she’d be able to rap them live. Not only did she do that, but she also nailed them, while actually utilizing the full stage and engaging with fans. Ice Spice is a star.

The only other knock on Rolling Loud – and this can actually apply to a lot of fests I’ve covered lately – is this weird commitment to cutting the one corner that absolutely no event should be cutting in the wake of Astroworld Festival 2021: Security. Not only was security generally scarce, but whenever it was in evidence, I didn’t have much faith in the guards to do much. On Friday night, scores of kids hopped the barricade into VIP, and while that certainly devalued the VIP experience, far more unnerving was how quickly that section filled up, creating another one of those potential crowd-crush situations. On Sunday, both during Uzi’s set and ahead of Future’s, I more than once overheard a PA announcement demanding fans take two steps back. To their credit, it seemed they were able to receive some degree of compliance.

I’d love to see more festivals work to get on top of these situations earlier, but as I wrote earlier, Rolling Loud seems to get its audience far more than some others. The organizers know that their audience is mostly excited kids overwhelmed by the prospect of their first concert, so they know exactly how to talk to them to get them to watch out for each other, pick each other up, and take stock of their surroundings – something kids have never historically been great at. But for those times when their inexperience gets the best of them, it’d be nicer to know that there are a few more responsible adults around to get things under control.

Still, it’s worth the live experience, even as the festival has begun to stream the main stages for 90 percent of the fest (Travis Scott’s comeback set was reportedly not streamed) (the stream did come in clutch when counterprogramming forced me to make a choice between two acts). The food, the views, the brand activations, the sense of community and camaraderie… all are essential parts of the experience (although for next year, I’ma need y’all to do some dribble drills before you jump on the basketball court, I’m embarrassed for you). And for anyone’s first experience, it’s very difficult to do better than Rolling Loud.

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

There isn’t a single name in the world of sneakers that garners as much respect and excitement as Tinker Hatfield’s. Father of the Air Max 1, Nike MAG, Air Huarache, Air Max 90 and Jordans numbered 3-15 (to name just a few) Hatfield didn’t just create some of the most iconic sneakers of all time, he has single-handedly shaped modern sneaker culture and what sneakerhead’s — no matter what brand loyalty they have — look for in a great pair of kicks. And now you can score a pair of signed Jordan 14 Oregon Ducks and a super exclusive Jordan 1 to add to your collection thanks to an online raffle designed to fundraise for the Harrington Family Foundation’s (HFF) scholarship-mentorship program.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the Oregon Community Leadership Scholarship Program which currently supports 16 need-based scholarship students at $20,000 per student. The program seeks to cultivate the next generation of Oregonian leaders by providing high school seniors with funds to attend an Oregon trade school, college, or university and invaluable mentorship to help guide them down a successful career path. To date, there have been 20 alumni of the program.

The Jordan Retro PEs — that stands for Player Exclusive — were both designed by Hatfield (who serves as the Harrington Family Foundation founding program mentor) and will be released in their original Nike packaging with artwork by Hatfield himself and a retail value of $4,500. The signed ‘Oregon Ducks’ Jordan 14s were originally gifted to the University of Oregon football team for the 2022 Alamo Bowl and were limited to just 274 pairs, while the Jordan 1s were designed for the HFF in an exclusive run of just five pairs. Both pairs drop in a Men’s size 10.

That makes these two sneakers some of the rarest Hatfield has ever produced and they could be yours for as low as $25… assuming you’re very very lucky. The raffle is limited to just 5,000 tickets at $25 per ticket from now until March 19th, when the raffle closes at 11:50 PST. The winning ticket will be drawn on live television on March 20th at 11:15 PST via KGW’s “Hello Rose City!”

“Tinker Hatfield has been part of our family from the beginning,” says HFF President and founder Joey Harrington, “A native Oregonian who has achieved worldwide success at an Oregon-based company, Tinker has designed thousands of shoes for Nike, but none may have a more direct impact than the five pair he produced for us.”

The HFF was established in 2002 by Harrington, a former NFL and University of Oregon quarterback (and longtime Friend of Uproxx), and has raised more than $2 million for students all across Oregon.

Buy your raffle tickets at the Harrington Family Foundation website and be sure to follow HFF on Instagram for more in-depth raffle ticket details. Good luck, this is a must-cop drop for sneakerheads everywhere.

WARNING: Spoilers for The Last of Us Episode 8 below.

The Last of Us unveiled its most disturbing episode on Sunday night as Joel (Pedro Pascal), and most especially Ellie, were forced to contend with a cannibalistic group of hungry churchgoers led by the deceivingly soft-spoken David (Scott Shepherd). While the episode was filled with brutal violence as it stared deep into the depths that humanity will sink to in an fungus-induced apocalypse, it also incorporated a prominent nod to the video game that made the show possible.

While David’s manipulative sermons are key to leading his flock, he won’t get far without men willing to do his dirty work. One of those men is his right-hand man James played by Troy Baker, who The Last of Us fans know all too well. Before Pedro Pascal stepped into the role of Joel, Baker was the first to bring him life by voicing him in both The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II.

Naturally, Baker was thrilled to have a part in the live-action series, and he’s thoroughly enjoyed watching what Pascal has done with Joel.

“I had the opportunity to play it once and I left everything on the dance floor,” Baker told Entertainment Weekly. “The thing that I would’ve lamented is if whoever was tapped to play Joel didn’t teach me something new, that they just did the same thing that I did and it became an impression of a performance rather than a character. That’s the thing that I’ve been the most delighted about with Pedro. He brought something so new to this role. There’s always a moment in every episode where I’m like, ‘Oh f—! That’s good.’”

Baker also wants people to revisit The Last of Us game, which he feels is even stronger because of the show.

“Go back and play the game, think about those characters in different ways,” Baker said. “It all just adds a completely different layer.”

The Last of Us airs new episodes Sunday on HBO.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

It’s been almost three years since we last checked in on Perry Mason (season 2 premieres tonight on HBO at 9pm EST) and nearly as long since Matthew Rhys‘ face was on our screens if you don’t count his oh-so-brief hello at the start of Cocaine Bear. What have they been up to? Well, for Mason, the milk truck has been replaced by a Harley and criminal law has been put aside in order to pursue a career in civil litigation. Why? We’ll get to that this season, but it’s important to note that Mason is still aching to fight the good fight and that Rhys is still protective of the character’s simple but laudable belief system when it comes to what’s right and what’s wrong. (Slightly less important to note that there are less amazing mustaches this season, but Rhys was rocking a pretty fantastic one of his own on our Zoom call, so at least there’s that.)

As for Rhys and his own belief system, well, we get into that after talking a bit about Perry Mason’s evolution – from his penchant for adventure to his side hustle running a vintage boat charter, and a work/life balance that seems to explain why his IMDB page is less chaotic than others with his experience and talent.

I moved up when I was going to see Cocaine Bear for this interview, specifically to see the cameo. That was a lot of fun. Very quick, unfortunately. I wanted a little more movement, a little more karate, a little more dancing, but it’s very, very entertaining.

I did do a whole day of it, but I don’t know if it even warrants a cameo. I think it was a blink, a blip.

So now we know, for the DVD extras. Is there a want to do more fun stuff like that for you?

Yeah, to me that is exactly what I would love to do. I grew up watching Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and Charlie Chaplin. Physical slapstick to me is almost like the height, but it takes a certain skill set. I’m not saying I have that skill set, but I’m in awe of those who can do that well. I think I’d love to explore.

It’s so long between the first season and the second season of Perry Mason. Almost three years. Do you feel like you have to refind the character after that long away?

Leading up to season two, I was like, “Oh god, I’m going to creak into this one.” But I was very, very kindly invited to the adult table to exec produce on this. So all the conversations leading up to season two, we worked a lot with the writers. We’ve talked a lot about breaking the story and then who are we going to find for new heads of department? Our new costume designer, new production designer. So in those conversations, especially about where Mason was going to be, we weren’t kind of picking up (exactly where we left off). We needed to evolve a bit. So in those conversations, in the run-up to filming, I was like, “Oh, I know where I am now. I know where he is.” But also in the same respect, it is a new Mason. He is in a transitional period. So there is a degree of not quite knowing where he is and how it would land, which I enjoyed as an actor.

What was behind the want to change up certain things to evolve him in certain ways rather than just picking up from the end? Did the time difference (between the production of season 1 and 2) have something to do with it?

To a degree. There are a lot of questions as to what do we do? The great fear of the second season pickup, it’s like something you did in the first season warranted a season pickup, a good audience. So do you do the same thing again?

And how do you know what that thing was, also? Like, how do you figure it out?

Exactly. And look, no one has a fucking clue in Hollywood, otherwise, everyone would be billionaires. So it’s all such alchemy. But one thing they kind of thought was, we saw him at the end of season one, rolling up his sleeves, nice suit, name on the door, everything in the garden is rosy. And they said, “Let’s not pick up there. Let’s pick up a little bit later with Mason in a different place.” And I liked it immediately. I think what they came in with was a great idea that he’s suffering from this imposter syndrome. He’s realizing it’s possibly not what he wants to do. He’s realizing it’s not what he does well. He’s haunted by the results of what he thought was the right thing. So there is a lot of change in his life, which I like because then you’re never going to be compared. You can’t go, “Well, they tried to do the same thing, didn’t work.”

One thing with the notion of Los Angeles, especially in this season, is that it’s this new place building itself into something where anybody can be anything that they want to be, essentially. I think we saw that a little bit in season one. I think we see it in season two with the baseball team narrative and everything. Obviously, Mason is in the same boat, he wasn’t a lawyer at the start of this. He’s become this other thing. Is that part of his imposter syndrome: the pressure of this new city and feeling like you can be anything and is he being the right thing?

Yeah, it’s all of that. I’m glad you touched on that. It’s all of that. I think placing it in Los Angeles in 1933. Going back to the source books was a great idea because the city itself is this evolving boom town, this Klondike in the midst of a depression that was actually fun; one of the only places it was. So it’s evolving. We’ve seen that transition in season one where he goes, “I can either dig in and get covered in dust or I can try and evolve and stay with it.” So he has this great love-hate relationship with LA, which I loved. And I think he has this old-fashioned view of justice, where it’s just right and wrong, and it’s everything in between that messes him up.

So he thinks he’s doing the right thing and he is going, “But I did the right thing for that woman. I’m doing the right thing because I’m tired of the bullies and tired of things going wrong.” And then he finds it’s like, “Well, it’s not that simple.” And then all those questions start crashing. You know what I mean? Kind of dramaturgically, for him, it’s great.

Nearly three years have passed. The hierarchy of things, as far as work/life balance, has that shifted at all (for you)? Because your IMDB page isn’t as full as it was.

Believe me, I feel and find myself incredibly fortunate to be doing Mason, but it does take me away for six months at a time. And two seasons is a whole year. So that’s a fifth of my son’s life where I’ve missed bedtimes and everything else in between. So yes. After this season I said, “Look, I’m going to take a bunch of time off because I have been away for six months. I need to remind him who I am.”

You live a fascinating life. I’m sure that’s weird to have somebody say that to you. But I read about the boat. I’m curious, is there an operating philosophy? Was there a point at some point in your life where you’re like, “I’m going to prioritize things that maybe most people wouldn’t do.” I don’t know that a lot of people would say, “I’m going to sink $30,000 into a wooden boat and four years to renovate it,” and all this stuff.

I don’t know what it is. I don’t go, “Oh, I want adventure.” I mean, I do love it.

No, I’m sure you’re not like, “I’m Captain Adventure” No, I understand.

It’s when opportunity collides with possibility. With the boat, I just saw this thing, and I went, “Hang on a minute.” There are so many elements to this that make it right. The fact that I love Hemingway, it was built in Brooklyn. It’s a relative business opportunity. It’s something I’ve never done. The one thing I do is that age-old thing of saying, “Do something that scares you.” And I do that. When I went across Argentina, it was like I was terrified, but I was like, “But that opportunity is so unique, it will never again come in my lifetime.” So I suppose it’s those unique opportunities. I just want a few good stories at the end just to go, “Yeah, yeah, I did that.” So when those things come, which I’m genuinely interested in, I just think you’ve got to do it.

You have these opportunities and say why not. And I think a lot of people think, “Well, I can’t because of these reasons.” It’s pushing aside the fear and then those reasons why not, right?

Yes, it is. And listen, believe me, there are enough reasons in those moments for me to absolutely talk my way out of it. With the boat, I was like, “I really shouldn’t do this. This is madness.” And it was. But then you have those moments, in the end, you go, “Oh, I’m glad I did that.” I don’t know. I look back and I go, “Fucking hell, why did I do that? That’s mental.”

Do you have a wishlist of other things you want to do? Other adventures you’re looking for? Or is it just fate that they just find you?

I do put it in the hands of fate. I’m always like, “If something comes across my path and it’s too good to turn away, I’ll do it.” And yeah, that’s how I kind of how I’ve always been, I think. To be honest, I do find myself getting older and going, “You know what, I don’t need to do that. There’s no need.”

Risks of time, risks of soreness, things of that nature.

Yes, yes. Financial ruin, time away from the kids, all the same old shit.

There are so many celebrity travel shows, I’m sure you could take the boat out, sell a show on that. And now it’s a write-off.

Oh yeah, that’s good. I’ll just join people who are renovating old boats and just tell them how fucked they are. A lot of people told me that, they’re always coming to see the boat going, “Oh dude, you’re fucked.”

What do you say when they say that?

I say, “Don’t say that.”

‘Perry Mason’ returns to HBO tonight at 9PM ET.

Ted Cruz always lets criticism roll right off him, and there’s something to be said for this, given that politicians will always receive snowballs in the face. These shots at Ted are quite often fair, especially when it comes to referencing his ill-advised, sun-soaked Cancun trip, which turned out to be a whirlwind voyage after people called him out for leaving his constituents (and his dog, Snowflake) to literally freeze when a deadly ice storm took down the crumbling Texas power grid. Ted has continued to not grasp the reality of how his trip looked, but people won’t let him forget that he’s still a weasel for it.

Fast forward a few years, and California Governor Gavin Newsom is being criticized on a similar note. As Page Six points out, people are not thrilled that he embarked upon “personal travel” while some Southern California residents are somehow digging out of a snowstorm in San Bernardino county.

As one can imagine, California isn’t equipped for this type of phenomenon, and one cannot imagine snow plows being available at all, and of course, Ted is all over this. He previously fired a shot at how Newsom wore fleece while enjoying air conditioning, and Ted is back for more against a Democrat. One actually wonders if Ted is roasting Newsom or if he simply wants to make a “cool” joke. You be the judge. While responding to coverage of Newsom’s debacle, Ted tweeted, “Cancun is nice this time of year.”

Palm tree emoji and everything. However, this is Ted Cruz, and people love to call him out, so that’s what happened. There is no shortage of people accusing him of making light of that fatal Texas storm while trying to be cute.