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ESPN Reportedly Removed Sage Steele From The Air After Her Comments On Jay Cutler’s Podcast And A Positive COVID Test

Longtime ESPN host Sage Steele has made headlines in recent days after an appearance on “The Uncut with Jay Cutler” podcast in which she made several comments that generated controversy, including saying that Disney’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for its employees “is sick and it’s scary to me in many ways.” Beyond that, Steele questioned the Blackness of former president Barack Obama, saying in reference to his identifying as Black on his Census forms, “I’m like, ‘Well, congratulations to the president, that’s his thing.’ I think that’s fascinating considering his Black dad was nowhere to be found, but his white mom and grandma raised him, but hey, you do you. I’m going to do me.”

Steele said she is sorry that her comments “created controversy for the company,” while ESPN said that it was in the midst of direct conversations with the SportsCenter anchor. In the aftermath, Front Office Sports reports, Steele won’t be on the air for at least the next week and will miss out on the espnW: Women + Sports Summit, where she was previously scheduled to appear as a host.

While it is unclear if this is directly in response to what she had to say — which Front Office Sports reports got a ton of heat within the walls of the Worldwide Leader, which did not specific if this was “due to internal discipline or possible suspension” — Steele’s absence will, in part, be due to the fact that she tested positive for COVID-19.

Steele has tested positive for COVID-19, according to sources. But her not appearing on air goes beyond her diagnosis.

Her critical comments about Disney did not over well in Bristol or Burbank. Both ESPN and Steele thought it was appropriate for her to take some time off, said sources.

Steele explained to Cutler that did receive the vaccine in accordance with ESPN’s mandate.

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Those Anxiety-Causing Voices In ‘The White Lotus’ Theme Song? They Were Originally Meant For Kanye West

Cristobal Tapia de Veer composed the music for HBO’s Hawaii-set breakout hit The White Lotus, but the anxiety-causing voices were originally meant for Kanye West.

“I went to his place where he works” in California, Tapia de Veer revealed on the Broken Record podcast, “and then I was trying to understand what he wanted.” But because West is “always talking about a million things at the same time,” he didn’t know what he was there for. It had something to do with Nike and a prototype for a new shoe and “how this Nike shoe relates to music,” so Tapia de Veer started to work on something “really striking” on his laptop. He continued:

“I had those voices and I tried to find a way to play melodies that is really striking, and this happened by accident and I was like, at that point I knew that this was like gold. And I was like, ‘OK, this I’m going to show to Kanye.’ I was there for like a week and I had to leave, and there was problems, and Kanye started firing people and his lawyers and everything was too long… It was a mess”

This was, Tapia de Veer notes, a month before all the Trump stuff.

Anyway, West never called Tapia de Veer back, so when The White Lotus came up, he knew “those tribal voices” would be perfect for the show. “So I went back to my system and started finding the right melody,” he said. Tapia de Veer found it: creator Mike White said that he wanted “music that makes you feel like there’s gonna be some kind of human sacrifice at some point… Cristobal nailed that — and then some.”

You can listen to the Broken Record episode above.

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Ed Sheeran Is Joining ‘The Voice’ As This Season’s Mega Mentor

Ed Sheeran has one of the most distinctive and beloved voices of the past decade. So, it’s not that surprising, then, that he has signed on to play a role in the current season of The Voice, the show’s 21st. It was announced today that Sheeran will serve as a “Mega Mentor” to help contestants prepare for the upcoming Knockouts Rounds.

Sheeran joins an esteemed list of artists who have made guest appearances in advisory roles on the voice, a list that includes Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, Chris Martin, Snoop Dogg, Rihanna, and many others. Sheeran himself was also previously involved with the show, during its fifth season in 2013.

While Sheeran is cool with The Voice, he’s not as keen on other music TV broadcasts. He recently spoke disparagingly about American award shows, saying, “The room is filled with resentment and hatred towards everyone else and it’s quite an uncomfortable atmosphere. In England, our awards shows are just like, everyone gets drunk and no one really cares who wins or loses. It’s just sort of like a night out. All of the artists are sweet people, but they’re surrounded by entourages that want them to win too, so it’s one artist surrounded by ten people and another artist surrounded by ten people, and everyone is kind of giving each other the side eye. […] It’s just lots of people wanting other people to fail and I don’t like that. It’s a really horrible atmosphere to be in. I always walk away feeling really sad, and I don’t like it.”

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

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The ‘Jeopardy!’ Ratings Are Already Proving That Dropping Mike Richards Was (More Than) The Right Move

Mayim Bialik — who is trading off Jeopardy! hosting duties with Ken Jennings for the rest of the year following the disgraced Mike Richards’ exit — recently declared that she gunning for the permanent hosting gig, and it sure looks like things are going promisingly for her. The former Blossom and Big Bang Theory actress’ first stab at the post-awkwardness vibe of Richards’ sole week of taped episodes revealed that audiences are digging her much more than Richards.

That is to say, Bialik, who’s sharing the screen with the same champion (Matt Amodio) racking up wins as Richards did, is doing markedly better than her predecessor, who saw Jeopardy! lose the top ratings spot during his brief tenure. The Wrap breaks it down:

The “Big Bang Theory” alum’s debut as temp host of the syndicated version of the Sony quiz show rose 6% in ratings from the previous week, when Mike Richards was the very short-lived full-time host. Bialik’s week also rose 6% from the comparable week last year.

Ultimately, Jeopardy! (with 8.9 total average viewers) managed to tie with Family Feud (with 8.6 total average viewers) for the top spot, so that’s not a total win, but it’s not a loss, either. Her philosophy towards hosting seems rather healthy, too, given that she previously declared that the host shouldn’t attract too much attention to themselves. And that was one of the problems with Mike Richards. In addition to his history of troubling remarks, it could be argued that engineering himself into the host role was a way to make it, you know, all about himself. Not great! Yet the long-running game show looks to be on the path to recovery.

(Via The Wrap)

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Charli XCX Had A Succinct Response To Pitchfork Re-Scoring Her 2016 ‘Vroom Vroom’ EP

When Charli XCX released her 2016 EP Vroom Vroom, it cemented the UK singer as a pop boundary pusher. The effort gained a cult following and became a precursor for the singer’s subsequent glitchy releases. But not everyone thought Vroom Vroom was the beginning of a successful era. Pitchfork originally gave the release a score of 4.5, effectively rating it a flop. But they now feel their original rating was a little shortsighted, seeing as Vroom Vroom was a pioneer of the now-mainstream hyperpop movement.

Re-working the EP’s original score (and that of a handful of other releases from other artists), Pitchfork has now given Vroom Vroom a 7.8. Alongside their re-rating, Pitchfork admits the original score was “homophobic,” based on the effort’s massive impact on the LGBTQ+ community. “At the time, many critics seemed to be paranoid about PC Music’s motives,” Pitchfork wrote. “Nervous that they’d be bamboozled, they obsessed over whether a pop experiment was either satire or sincere.”

When the news about the res-coring of her album reached her, the singer had a succinct response that boiled down most of the online discourse following the list’s publishing. Encapsulating her feelings about the EP’s new rating, Charli wrote: “Lol”

Produced by the late Scottish hyperpop engineer Sophie, songs from Vroom Vroom are clearly fan-favorites, judging by a recent video she retweeted. At her live shows, the crowd goes wild over the bouncy chords, shimmering synths, and glitchy beats introduced on the four-track effort.

Read Pitchfork’s full roundup of re-scored albums here.

Charli XCX is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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‘Kingdom Hearts’ Sora Is ‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Final Fighter

After spending the better part of a decade as being Super Smash Bros. fans’ most requested addition, Kingdom Hearts’ beloved hero Sora has finally come to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The big announcement comes as a part of today’s Sakurai Presents, a series of live streams hosted by Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai in which the studio legend unveils new characters, maps, cosmetics, and various changes coming to the Nintendo Switch title. The latest Sakurai Presents marks the last one for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as Sora is confirmed to be the final piece of DLC headed to the 2018 game. However, the momentous, shocking, and surprisingly emotional reveal gives us far more reason to celebrate everything the Super Smash team accomplished rather than lament the game’s completion.

For starters, just getting Sora in the game was a feat in itself. As Kingdom Hearts is in-part a Disney property, a lot of fans wrote off the possibility of Nintendo ever acquiring rights to the character. However, obtaining Sora for the game became a priority for Sakurai, late Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, and the rest of the Super Smash team following a roster request survey sent to fans on 3DS and Wii U several years ago that revealed the character was the most requested to join Super Smash by a lot.

The big reveal shows the team did not take Sora’s demand lightly, as nearly unparalleled attention to detail went into designing the character and his assets. The light and flighty fighter uses his keyblade as well as his various spells to attack opponents, and appears to be a pretty solid choice for those seeking a character able to recover from powerful smash attacks with ease. Sora also comes with 9 Kingdom Hearts tracks, a new level that showcases Hollow Bastion and the iconic stained glass stages from the series, and his various outfits from all the series’ mainline games.

Oh, and last but certainly not least, Sakurai also snuck in another huge Kingdom Hearts announcement in his final Presents: the series is headed to Nintendo Switch. Shortly before the live stream came to a close, Sakurai revealed the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III are all headed to the console via cloud streaming. As of right now, prices and release dates for each of the games have yet to be announced, but Sakurai stated more information is coming soon.

Sora hits Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on October 18 and, just like the game’s previously-released fighters, can either be purchased individually for $5.99 or as part of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighter Pass Vol. 2 for $29.99. While you can expect some push-back from Super Smash fans who are tired of the series adding weapon-wielding characters (or sword-fighters), I gotta say, I think the outpouring of love, support, and tears from long-time Kingdom Hearts fans (and Sakurai himself) truly make up for it.

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After More Than 30 Years, Pearl Jam Is Still A Singular, Cathartic Live Experience

My first arena concert was Pearl Jam at the Forum in Los Angeles, on their Yield tour in 1998. Decades later, there are still things that stand out from that massive live show: my dad waiting in the parking lot the entire time with a book, my first time smelling marijuana smoke wafting in a crowd, Johnny Ramone joining the band for a ripping cover of “The KKK Took My Baby Away” during the encore. I now admittedly listen to the band less than I did in my youth, but at that time, Pearl Jam was a gateway to a musical education that couldn’t be harnessed in rock magazines and wasn’t yet available on the internet.

But even that sells them a bit short. It wasn’t just music that Pearl Jam introduced me and many others to, through both the songs they covered that could be found on expensive bootleg CDs at the local swap meet and their often inspired choices of tour support. Pearl Jam was also providing lessons in social consciousness that were not readily available in religious schools or conservative homes. Pearl Jam made it seem cool to care about things like women’s rights and the freedom of choice. They stood up to big corporations in a time when few others would, and held institutions like the Grammys and MTV at an arm’s length with healthy skepticism. For young people and teens in the ’90s, Pearl Jam took the power that fame gave them with the utmost seriousness and maintained a level of sincerity that could provide a roadmap to being a thoughtful adult. Such forward-thinking rock stardom is often credited to their misdiagnosed “rivals” Nirvana, but Pearl Jam proved equally to be on the right side of history, even if many mocked them for it at the time.

After more than 30 years as a unit, the Seattle five-piece has successfully transitioned from the biggest band in the world to a more comfortable place as a legacy artist still driven by their artistic whims. The pressure of relevance that they were often saddled with into the aughts has largely faded away, and instead they can revel in their long-term friendship, the incredible community they’ve built around them, and stand as totems for longevity and health in the musical space. Sure, it might seem strange to some that the same guy who used to scale lighting rigs and hurl his body into the audience is now hosting an Orange County beach event for the whole family, called Ohana Festival. As another aging rock star once said, “The kids at the show will have kids of their own, their singalong songs will be our scriptures.”

Pearl Jam changes by not changing, and even in Ohana Festival’s fifth year, the laidback atmosphere still retains the core values that the band emerged with. On Saturday’s bill, you could arrive and watch longtime PJ associate Sleater-Kinney, Margo Price, and Brandi Carlile, and realize you’d be hard-pressed to find as many female voices on festival stages elsewhere in the country. It’s that kind of booking that allows frontman Eddie Vedder to address the crowd — condemning Texas’ abortion band, advocating for women’s agency, and noting that some of the best sets of the event’s five days came from women — without seeming like a hypocrite. Saying the right thing from the stage is one thing, but putting that into practice from a place of power is another.

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Other things about Pearl Jam remain consistent as well. The band sounds AND looks great. Vedder can still hit all the necessary shouts, growls, and hoots that fans hope for, while guitarist Mike McCready still relishes the chance to hold the spotlight for five minutes in the middle of “Porch” or “Even Flow.” They still have one of the best drummers in rock history in Matt Cameron (who played with five different artists on Saturday), while Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard shine in their respective roles, their initial Seattle relationship now spanning 38 years and providing a firm foundation for the band to exist. And, I only mention that they look great because, it makes ME feel better and less old when a band keeps it tight. With all the members in their mid-50s, they still move around with youthful exuberance that belies their age. For an audience aging with them, it’s an invitation to feel young again for a couple hours that we gladly accepted.

But maybe the aspect of Pearl Jam that remains least mutable is in the catharsis they provide. Vedder and his band were equally indebted to both punk and classic rock in their inception, and as they grew to stadiums and beyond, they never forgot the how vital the big gestures from the latter could be. There is power in intimacy, in the small sweaty clubs and DIY basements, of feeling like you belong somewhere. But nothing quite means the same things as being among tens of thousands of likeminded individuals, everyone there for the same reason, especially after a couple years of not going out much at all.

Vedder noted that for many of the bands that took the stage over Ohana’s two weekends, which also included Beck, Maggie Rogers, Sharon Van Etten, Lord Huron, My Morning Jacket and many more, were celebrating their first live shows since the pandemic. For the audience, it was surely the same thing. A song like “Alive,” which Vedder deftly switched from the singular “I” to the plural “We” for its final chorus, can take on new meaning as hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths grow daily. “Porch,” a song during which Vedder famously scrawled pro-choice messaging on himself while performing their MTV Unplugged in 1992, can hold a legacy from that moment, even as Vedder frustratedly admitted that it blows his mind that we still have to advocate for what should be common sense human rights in 2021. And then there is “Rockin’ In The Free World,” a song as subversive as “Born In The USA,” that saw the band jamming with Sleater-Kinney, Carlile, Taylor Hakwins, Chad Smith, and many others for a huge finale. Everyone’s smile was contagoeus as they crowded the stage for the Neil Young cover, live music’s power as palpable as ever, as the tragedy currently plaguing the world and all its social injustices faded away for just a moment of communal bliss. It’s safe to say that both musicians and fans will never take this privilege for granted again.

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Check out some photos from the event below. Brandi Carlile celebrated with the release of In These Silent Days with a firecracker of a set that included a showstopping opening of “Pride & Joy” as well as a cover of Soundgarden’s Searching With My Good Eye Closed backed by McCready and Cameron. Sleater-Kinney and Margo Price also warmed up the crowd with strong sets, while Pearl Jam’s headlining performance found the band’s newer songs from last year’s Gigaton able to stand up to some fan-favorite hits and deep cuts, including “Last Exit,” “Lukin,” “Wishlist,” “Not For You,” and “Smile.” Vedder also hinted that Ohana would return for a 6th year in 2022. We’d go back in a second.

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

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Bobby Shmurda Donates 2,000 Backpacks Of School Supplies To New York Students

Bobby Shmurda is for the children. The 27-year-old Brooklyn rapper, who was recently released after a six year stint in state prison on gang charges, is rapidly becoming a positive force in his community. On Father’s Day this year, he gave away free haircuts and meals, and he’s spoken repeatedly about how his experiences made him more socially aware and made him want to be a better role model.

To that end, Bobby donated 2,000 backpacks loaded with school supplies to schools all over New York City, including three elementary schools in Brooklyn, an all-boys middle school in Queens, another elementary in Harlem, and Health Opportunities High School in the Bronx. The backpacks were filled with needed items like folders, notebooks, and pencils, and each school was played a video message from Bobby himself, who encouraged the kids to behave, and praised them as “unstoppable.”

“Please do not give your mommas no trouble this year,” he said in the video. “And please do not give your teachers no trouble this year. I want to say that I’m proud of y’all for being brave, for being strong, and for staying in school. Always remember you guys are unstoppable. You can do anything you set your mind to.”

You can watch Bobby’s video message below.

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All The Best New Pop Music From This Week

This week in pop music saw some fun and introspective releases alike. Grimes dropped an unconventional breakup tune, Kali Uchis and SZA teamed up for a steamy collaboration, and Remi Wolf turned up the funk on her new single.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.

Grimes — “Love”

This week, Elon Musk announced he and Grimes are “semi-separated.” Shortly after announcing the split and joking that she’s moving to a “lesbian space commune,” Grimes shared the cutting song “Love.” While the singer didn’t confirm it was a breakup song, lyrics like “Every night I / Tell myself I’d rather die / Than heed your rage” coupled with the slow beat shows the singer is working through her life changes with the help of music.

Kali Uchis — “Fue Mejor” Feat. SZA

Following up on her popular 2020 LP Sin Miedo (Del Amor Y Otros Demonios), Kali Uchis dropped a much-anticipated remix to her song previous PartyNextDoor collaboration “Fue Mejor.” Much of the song stays the same, but PartyNextDoor’s verse is swapped out for SZA’s fluttering addition, which she delivers the majority of in Spanish.

Remi Wolf — “Anthony Kiedis”

Remi Wolf is a few weeks away from sharing her highly anticipated debut album Juno. Continuing to tease the LP’s cutting edge sound, Wolf shares the exuberant new single “Anthony Kiedis,” a relatable ode to the monotony of life in lockdown — all while namedropping Red Hot Chili Peppers vocalist Anthony Kiedis.

Ashnikko — “Panic Attacks In Paradise”

Ashnikko has made a name for themselves with their vibrant hair color, vulgar lyrics, and playful sense of humor. But their new track “Panic Attacks In Paradise” details how their rise to fame hasn’t been all sunshine, rainbows, and dick jokes. The forlorn single is Ashnikko’s version of a stripped-down ballad, getting real about how they were an “insufferable mess” all while experiencing their breakout moment.

Nessa Barrett — “I Wanna Die”

With over 10 million followers on TikTok, Nessa Barrett is making the jump from internet fame to bonafide pop star. Her new track “I Wanna Die” arrives on her debut EP Pretty Poison, showing off Barrett’s talent for writing soulful yet playful alt-pop songs.

Jeremy Zucker — “Deep End”

Platinum-certified pop singer Jeremy Zucker dropped his anticipated 12-track album Crusher this week, and on it was the tenderhearted tune “Deep End.” The rolling track is a relatable reflection on the anxieties that plague his generation and the wish to disappear and start a new life. About his album Crusher as a whole, Zucker described it as “a desperate plea for compassion and understanding in the face of destruction.”

Gracie Abrams — “Feels Like”

It’s been two years since Gracie Abrams made her songwriting debut, and she’s already proved herself to be one to watch. This week, the compelling singer continued showcasing her minimalist songwriting with the captivating single “Feels Like,” a song that pays tribute to her mesmerizing vocals and intriguing lyrics.

Jessie Murph — “Sobriety”

17-year-old rising pop star Jessie Murph is well on her way to stardom with her latest track “Sobriety.” The gleaming pop song features Murph’s honeyed lyrics mixed with hip-hop-style production, creating an earworm that lends itself to be played on repeat.

Aldn — “Predictable”

Hyperpop producer Aldn, who has been making music since the age of 11, expands his sound to new territories with his nostalgia-inducing single “Predictable.” The melodic track is Aldn’s latest radio-ready tune, combining a catchy chorus with an intricately layered beat that is perhaps his most accessible work to date.

Chelsea Cutler — “Devil On My Shoulder”

Platinum-certified singer/songwriter Chelsea Cutler is gearing up for the release of her sophomore album, which she teased this week with the radically honest track “Devil On My Shoulder.” Her version of a piano ballad, Cutler’s new track is a snapshot of her struggle with mental health, showcasing her room-filling vocals and intimate lyricism. “Being able to see my depression as a separate entity has been liberating for me,” Cutler said about the song in a statement. “A lot of processing took place for me while writing this song. It has easily taken the place of my favorite on the album, and I hope that it helps others realize the things it helped me realize.”

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

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Big Thief’s Next Album Is Reportedly A 20-Track Double LP Set For 2022

Time and time again, indie stars Big Thief prove they are more than seasoned songwriters. After dropping two back-to-back albums in 2019, Big Thief are now set to return in 2022 with a massive, 20-track double album.

The band made the announcement in a recent print interview with Mojo Magazine, which was captured by a Reddit user, revealing how the majority of the songs were written in July of 2020 during a blistering hot two-week quarantine songwriting session in Vermont. Vocalist Adrianna Lenker said the band were feverish when it came to making new music. “We accumulated so many songs that we loved, maybe about 50,” Lenker said. “20 could be whittled down to 12, but not 50.”

Lenker continued that the songs can be described as “bombastic and wild, and hi-fi.” She said some song are “more serene, internal and reflective” while others are “raw and no fat, just songs, and acoustic.” “I’ve noticed that a lot of this record is more uplifting and hopeful,” she continued. “Which is funny, given the times we’re in. And there’s more acceptance, of the self and of the whole paradigm we’re in. The mysteries of humanity and how it’s all unfolding. I’ll probably be writing about that until I die!”

The album announcement arrives after Big Thief shared a handful of new tracks in recent months, including the songs “Certainty,” “Little Things,” and “Sparrow.” They also just finished up a month-long North American tour, which kicked off in early September.