Category: News

American whiskey is a fun category. The main reason being that American whiskey can… kind of be anything it wants to be. It doesn’t suffer from the restrictions that bourbon and rye have to adhere to. In the past, that meant that blenders would throw any old crap into a batch and bottle it to cut corners. But those days are long behind us, thanks to consumers demanding good whiskey no matter what’s on the label.

What does this all mean? It means it’s time for a brand-new American whiskey blind taste test.

Below, I’ve gathered 12 bottles of American whiskey across several spheres of influence in the whiskey world. There are wheat whiskeys, blends of ryes and bourbons, region-specific straight whiskeys, and even blends of Irish and American whiskeys (which used to be a huge thing in American whiskey way back in the day). That makes our lineup today the following bottles of American whiskeys:

• Whiskey War Double Double A Blend of Straight Whiskeys
• Old Elk Straight Wheat Whiskey
• Blackened Cask Strength A Blend of Straight Whiskeys Finished in Black Brandy Casks
• Whiskey Jypsi Legacy “The Journey”
• Keeper’s Heart Whiskey Irish + American Single Barrel Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels
• The Beverly Reserve Barrel Strength American Whiskey
• American Hell House Legend American Whiskey Finished with Oak Staves
• J. Rieger & Co. 2023 Monogram Whiskey Kansas City Whiskey Solera Reserve
• Four Walls The Better Brown Made with a Blend of Irish Whiskeys and American Rye Whiskeys
• Little Book Chapter 07: Retrospect
• Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey Barrel Proof Batch: B923
• Michter’s Limited Release US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey

After blindly tasting these whiskeys (thanks to my wife for setting this one up for me), I ranked them based solely on taste. But the taste is never just “the taste” — it’s texture, depth, balance, and how it makes one feel. Luckily, some really good whiskeys were on this panel, making this a fun tasting. Let’s dive in!

• The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys From Kentucky, Ranked
• The Absolute Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• The ‘Smoothest’ Bourbons Under $100, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• The ‘Smoothest’ Bourbons On The Market, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• The 100 Best Bourbons Under $100 Right Now, Ranked

Part 1 — The American Whiskey Blind Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a sweet sense of salted caramel on the nose that gives way to dried chili pepper, old wet leather sheets, pink peppercorns, and a hint of burnt orange rinds over cider-soaked cinnamon bark and raw waffle batter with a whisper of pecan.

Palate: The palate hits that burnt orange and caramel note harder as minor keys of winter spice, fruit cake, and rum raisin darken the taste.

Finish: The end has a sense of pitchy firewood and sweet oak next to smudging sage and spearmint-chocolate tobacco just dusted with lemon pepper from the 90s.

Initial Thoughts:

This is a nice and deep whiskey. It’s a tad warm on the finish, but a rock will solve that.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Brown spice and dry hay drive the nose toward soft cherry and apple with a nice foundation of creamy vanilla and some mild honey sweetness.

Palate: Peach cobbler with malted vanilla ice cream pops on the front of the palate next to yeasty doughnuts dusted with cinnamon sugar, a hint of nutmeg, and some clove before dark fig jam leads to a moment of cedar kindling.

Finish: The cedar flourishes on the finish as woody spices, creamy honey, soft dry grasses, and a whisper of dry grains round out the end.

Initial Thoughts:

This is another nice pour. It’s dry but that’s not a knock. I did want to water it though as I’m guessing there’s a lot more here than what presents on a neat pour.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Hints of back porch wicker on a sunny day under a cedar tree mingles with dark chocolate with a hint of salt layered with dried cherry and toasted coconut next to salted caramel lattes.

Palate: Rich bourbon vanilla ice cream in a waffle cone leads to a sugary berry syrup with a hint of cinnamon and clove on the light palate.

Finish: Cinnamon-spiced vanilla tobacco rounds out the short-ish finish.

Initial Thoughts:

This had a touch of nostalgia built into a good classic American whiskey profile. It was a little hot on the finish. It was almost begging for ice.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a hint of old dried roses on the nose that leads to caramel-crusted doughnuts dusted with cinnamon next to a whisper of dried cranberry and turkey roasting herbs.

Palate: The cranberry leans toward dried cherry dipped in chocolate with a dash of woody baking spices over honey-dipped kindling with a dash of fresh pipe tobacco.

Finish: That pipe tobacco takes in the tart red cherries and woody spice as a lush vanilla base with rich caramel and soft nuttiness slowly warms your palate with sharp winter spice barks and burnt orange.

Initial Thoughts:

This is complex and lush. This is a winner neat and probably explodes with more flavors with a touch of water to let it really bloom in the glass.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Rich vanilla custard with a hint of cotton candy drives the nose toward pecan waffles with salted butter and real maple syrup next to hints of apple fritters, nutty fruit cake, and a touch of leathery tobacco.

Palate: The taste opens with creme brûlée swimming in more maple syrup as deep and rich vanilla tobacco leads to softer notes of almond, malted chocolate, and a hint of winter spice mixes.

Finish: The vanilla creaminess and spices meld on the finish with a touch of spiced warm apple cider, soft almond, and mincemeat pies all grounded by rich and real maple syrup sweetness that nearly takes on a rock candy vibe.

Initial Thoughts:

This came across as very sweet overall, but there was a sense of balance over time.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Pecan waffles with plenty of butter, vanilla, and caramel open the nose toward maple syrup, cinnamon sticks, red chili pepper, and toasted marshmallows.

Palate: The pecans take on a cookie vibe on the palate as brown butter and rum raisin mingle with cinnamon syrup cut with orange and a whisper of chocolate.

Finish: That cinnamon and orange get buttery and lush with a sense of nut cake covered in caramel drizzle with a flake of salt and tobacco before a warming sense of chili arrives on the very end.

Initial Thoughts:

This was nutty and full of cinnamon. It was very even-keeled and went down very easily.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Rich caramel, boot leather, and allspice drive the nose toward soft raspberry ice cream and a sense of sweet honeydew and maybe even some caramelized watermelon.

Palate: More caramelized fruit leads to woody winter spices, a light sense of dried lavender, rosewater, and almost rich cotton candy just kissed with apple or pear.

Finish: The end is light but does lean into the sweetness of the cotton candy and the dryness of the florals with a slight oakiness and minerality.

Initial Thoughts:

This was solid but very standard whiskey.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

Nose: French toast leads to rich maple syrup on the nose before veering into candied orange, grilled peach, old cedar bark, and rich pipe tobacco with a sense of salted buttercream.

Palate: Pecan pies and cream soda drive the palate toward Black Forest cake, spiced winter nut cakes, rum raisin, and vanilla cookies with a hint of almond oil and fig.

Finish: The end leans into the winter cake of it all with tons of spice, brandy-soaked fruits, and nuts next to old cedar and tobacco braided together in an old leather pouch.

Initial Thoughts:

This has incredible balance and depth. It just keeps going without overpowering any particular moment or flavor note. Bravo.

Taste 9

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Hints of dried chilis, old leather, vanilla-laced honey, apple tarts, and caramel candy mingle on the nose.

Palate: The Irishness arrives in spades on the palate with bright apple orchard vibes next to flora honey, a hint of yellow straw, light nutshells, and a moment of sultanas just kissed with caramel.

Finish: The apple swings back around on the finish with a sense of fresh apple cider just kissed with cinnamon and caramel before fading toward leathery malt.

Initial Thoughts:

This has a great mouthfeel with soft and creamy textures driving the nose, palate, and finish. It was on the lighter side overall, but still delivered.

Taste 10

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Clove-studded oranges open the nose with a bold sense of salted caramel, dark chocolate sauce, floral honey, and old vanilla cookies just kissed with almond oils and confectioner’s sugar before hitting light notes of old earthy cellars full of old firewood and leather boots.

Palate: That floral honey opens the palate with a soft vanilla cake covered in rich buttercream amped with marzipan and salted toffee before chili-laced chocolate tobacco drives the whole taste back toward earthiness and whiskey-worn oak.

Finish: The end has a soft warmth that slowly builds with winter spice barks, clove-spiked mulled wine, black-tea-soaked dates, rum raisin, and candied orange peels and cherries with a touch of malted chocolate cookies and vanilla tobacco rolled with smudging sage and dry cedar bark.

Initial Thoughts:

This is BOLD. It’s very warm but somehow not hot. All the flavor notes just shined from top to bottom.

Taste 11

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Fresh loaves of whole grain bread vibe with rich oaky winter pieces on the nose before soft vanilla cake, hints of dry grass, old leather tobacco pouches, and a touch of dried orange round things out.

Palate: Rich buttery toffee drives the palate toward clove-laced honey next to dry orange oils, salted caramel, rum raisin, and hints of cedar bark braided with smudging sage and dry tobacco.

Finish: Piney honey and salted caramel attach to the tobacco as dry straw and back porch wicker lead to a sense of dry winter spice and soft caramel candy corn.

Initial Thoughts:

This started off very strong but then got so hot at the finish it sort of drowned a lot of the nuance out. This was screaming for an ice cube.

Taste 12

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a soft sense of a pile of firewood cut from an old fruit orchard next to dark chocolate oranges with a flake of salt and a drop of honey with a hint of vanilla cake frosted with apple cinnamon butter frosting.

Palate: The palate has a lightly smoked cherry vibe next to clove and allspice with a sense of lush and creamy eggnog and vanilla-cherry tobacco stuffed in a slightly pitchy pine box.

Finish: The end really leans into the cherry tobacco with a layer of mild chili spice and more of that soft and sweet orchard firewood.

Initial Thoughts:

This is a very well-balanced whiskey with great nuances throughout the nose, palate, and finish. This is a masterfully built whiskey.

Part 2 — The American Whiskey Ranking

12. American Hell House Legend American Whiskey Finished with Oak Staves — Taste 7

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $49

The Whiskey:

This new whiskey from Lynyrd Skynyrd celebrates the cabin, Hell House, where the original band came together. The whiskey in the bottles is made and bottled by Bespoke Spirits out in California based on the current band’s multiple tastings and tinkering.

Bottom Line:

I’m going to say it again, this is solid-yet-standard stuff.

11. Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey Barrel Proof Batch: B923 — Taste 11

ABV: 60.2%

Average Price: $64

The Whiskey:

The second edition of Bernheim Wheat Whiskey Barrel Proof is here. This edition is made with a mash bill of 51% winter wheat, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley. That whiskey was then left to age for seven to nine years before prime barrels were chosen for batching. Once batched, the whiskey went into the bottle 100% as-is at cask strength.

Bottom Line:

This is a very hot whiskey with a good profile. You’re just going to need time, water, and/or ice to fully experience it.

10. Blackened Cask Strength A Blend of Straight Whiskeys Finished in Black Brandy Casks — Taste 3

ABV: 61.4%

Average Price: $80

The Whiskey:

This new line from Metallica’s Blackened is all about the cask-strength versions of their now-classic “sonically-enhanced” blend of straight whiskeys. In this case, the blend is a mix of bourbon and rye that are batched and re-barrelled in black brandy casks that are blasted with, you guessed, Metallica tunes during the finishing maturation. Finally, those barrels are batched and bottled as-is at barrel strength.

Bottom Line:

This one is a no-brainer buy for cask-strength whiskey fans who also love Metallica. It’s good whiskey that will play well over the rocks or in a bold whiskey-forward cocktail.

9. Old Elk Straight Wheat Whiskey — Taste 2

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $64

The Whiskey:

This Colorado whiskey is made with 95% Red Winter wheat supported by 5% malted barley. The whiskey rests for five years high up in the Rockies before batching, proofing, and bottling.

Bottom Line:

This was a dry pour of whiskey, which leads me to believe it’ll be great in a cocktail (adding texture to the base spirit).

8. Keeper’s Heart Whiskey Irish + American Single Barrel Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels — Taste 5

ABV: 55%

Average Price: $59

The Whiskey:

This new release from Keeper’s Heart up in Minnesota blends Irish whiskey with American Rye. Once batched, that whiskey was re-barreled into a maple syrup barrel for another rest. Once that barrel hit the right notes, it was bottled as-is with a hint of proofing water.

Bottom Line:

This was on the sweeter side of things. That said, that makes this a great candidate for making a whiskey-forward cocktail and drawing back the added sugar.

7. Whiskey War Double Double A Blend of Straight Whiskeys — Taste 1

ABV: 56.75%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This Ohio whiskey is hewn from a rye-heavy mash bill. That spicy juice is then rested in new American oak for a spell before being vatted and re-barreled into another brand-new American oak barrel, all adding up to five years of mellowing. Those barrels are then batched and bottled as-is.

Bottom Line:

This is good stuff that’ll work in any pour — neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail.

6. The Beverly Reserve Barrel Strength American Whiskey — Taste 6

ABV: 58%

Average Price: $79

The Whiskey:

This new release from The Beverly is a limited edition small batch at barrel strength. The blend in the bottle is 60% straight bourbon from Iowa and 40% Indiana rye. Those barrels were batched and bottled at Cedar Ridge in Iown for The Beverly, yielding only 550 bottles.

Bottom Line:

If you dig high-rye bourbons at cask strength, this is going to be your jam. I’d pour it over a big ice cube for slow sipping.

5. Four Walls The Better Brown Made with a Blend of Irish Whiskeys and American Rye Whiskeys — Taste 9

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $29

The Whiskey:

The team from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, and Rob McElhenny) have released their first permanent mainstream whiskey. This new release is an Irish American whiskey made with American rye and Irish whiskey (a blend of malt and grain whiskeys). The whiskey is batched in the U.S. and proofed down to a very dive-bar-friendly 80-proof.

Bottom Line:

This has great texture and soft notes that take the thinner Irish whiskey to deeper depths. It’s just … nice. I can see this working wonders in a simple whiskey cocktail or on the rocks for easy everyday sipping.

4. Michter’s Limited Release US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey — Taste 12

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $286

The Whiskey:

This release takes Michter’s signature Kentucky Sour Mash — which doesn’t have enough corn or rye to be either bourbon or rye whiskey — and finishes it in toasted barrels. In this case, those barrels are first air-dried for 18 months and then lightly toasted barrel before the whiskey is filled in. Finally, the booze is batched and bottled with a good dose of that Kentucky water.

Bottom Line:

This is where we get into the truly interesting stuff. This has so much going on with a great balance. It works really well neat, but I’d add a little water and time to really find the deeper notes hiding in this one. That’s especially true if you’re an oak head.

3. Whiskey Jypsi Legacy “The Journey” — Taste 4

ABV: 57.5%

Average Price: $199

The Whiskey:

This new whiskey is from country star Eric Chruch. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of American whiskeys. 70% is a corn-fueled Indiana bourbon that’s at least eight years old. 21% is a Canadian rye that’s 20 years old. And 9% is an American single malt that’s four years old.

Bottom Line:

This is another that was just really tasty. It’s nuanced and brings deep rye-forward bourbon notes. Drink it however you like to drink your whiskey.

2. Little Book Chapter 07: Retrospect — Taste 10

ABV: 59.35%

Average Price: $149

The Whiskey:

You know it’s fall whiskey season when Freddie Noe drops a new Little Book. Chapter 7 is a big blend of mostly bourbon and rye barrels with a single malt (finished in applewood smoked barrels) thrown in for good measure. The bourbons in the batch are four to 18 years old while the ryes are four to 10 years old. The final batch is bottled 100% as-is.

Bottom Line:

This was a bold and deep whiskey that’s only off the number one spot for being a heater. It needs a single rock to calm it down and then it’ll explode with beautifully nuanced flavors.

1. J. Rieger & Co. 2023 Monogram Whiskey Kansas City Whiskey Solera Reserve — Taste 8

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $124

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is made with Rieger’s classic Kansas City blended whiskey, which is a mix of straight bourbon, straight rye, and light corn whiskey. Once batched, that whiskey is re-barreled into 10 huge Oloroso sherry butts that held 15-year-old Oloroso Especial and were 50 to 100 years old when shipped to Kansas.

Bottom Line:

This was the most enticing and tasty pour of the panel. It just works from top to bottom while providing a familiar yet deep American whiskey profile. I wanted to go back to this one immediately as a slow sipper on a lazy day.

Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the American Whiskeys

When purchasing from this blind tasting, the top 5 is really the sweet spot. If you’re looking lighter, try the Four Walls or Whiskey Jypsi. If you’re looking for boldness and warmth, go for the Michter’s or Little Book. If you’re looking for balance and beauty, then Rieger’s Monogram Whiskey is the play.

That all said, there’s not a bad whiskey on the list. Re-read my tasting notes. Maybe something unique and very “you” will jump out. Go for it! Hit that price link and see if you can find it in your neck of the woods. Enjoy!

Thanks to the end of the WGA strike, late-night TV is back — and with it comes the return of musical guests to shows like The Tonight Show, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Of course, with the strike not so far in the rearview — and the SAG-AFTRA strike still ongoing — a music fan might wonder if any of the musicians’ unions has ever gone on strike, or ever will. Since there are two unions for musicians, the answer might not be as simple as you’d expect.

Has The Musicians Union Ever Gone On Strike?

As American Federation of Musicians, the union representing professional instrumental musicians in the United States and Canada, there is one strike on record: the 1942–44 musicians’ strike. This strike was predicated by disagreements over royalty payments with the major record labels. While musicians refused to record in sessions, they were still allowed to play live, allowing them to remain on strike for over two years, with the labels Decca Records, Capitol Records, RCA Victor, and Columbia eventually capitulating to the AFM’s demands. This strike in part helped cause the move away from big bands and the rise of vocalists.

Meanwhile, musicians covered under SAG-AFTRA’s music division have naturally gone on strike a number of times with the rest of their guild, including strikes in 1980, 2000, and the one currently taking place. In 1980, SAG (then a separate entity from AFTRA, which also struck in solidarity) boycotted the primetime Emmys, increasing minimum salaries and royalties for movies made for premium TV. In 2000, actors refused to appear in commercials, although many non-union actors scabbed for advertisers during that strike.

The current strike finds the guild negotiating for royalties from streaming and on limitations on the use of AI to reproduce their work. Given recent applications of the technology to music as well, one could imagine that this could also benefit musicians within the guild (and highlights the need for solo vocalists and smaller bands to start looking into forming their own union).

“Who the f*ck are Arctic Monkeys?!” a clearly inebriated dude yelled from behind me each time the band paused between songs. For any other band, that question might be an insult. But for the British rock band, it’s not. It’s actually a callback to their debut 2006 EP that introduced them with the appropriately titled 5-track project Who The F*ck Are Arctic Monkeys? Obnoxiousness aside, that dude’s shouts were indicative of the crowd that showed up to see Arctic Monkeys perform on night two of their three-night sold-out tour stop at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Many people there were day-one fans.

When you’re a band that has been releasing music as long as Arctic Monkeys have — 18 years to be exact — you’re sure to have cultivated a committed fan base. And when you’re a band with seven era-defining albums to your discography, going to a live concert is a stroll down band merch memory lane. The line to get in was packed with fans repping their favorite Arctic Monkeys era like a badge of honor. Though the majority were from 2013’s AM cycle and featured that recognizable oscilloscope logo, I clocked band tees from nearly every album. I myself was rocking one I picked up at their Suck It And See support tour in 2011 (is this where I out myself as someone who had more than one Arctic Monkeys poster plastered on my childhood bedroom walls?). No matter which era we showed up supporting, there was one thing we all had in common: Everyone wore black.

Despite their recently released album The Car, which follows the loungy feel of the band’s more conceptual Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, there was a consensus among the crowd, or at least in the women’s bathroom line, that people were most excited to hear Arctic Monkeys play their earlier hits. But when it comes to a band like Arctic Monkeys, what exactly can be considered their “earlier hits?” Is it strictly music from their pre-2010s albums, 2006’s debut Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, 2007’s follow-up Favourite Worst Nightmare, and 2009’s Humbug? Does the band’s behemoth 2013 album AM — the record that catapulted the band into international fame and gave them their first Billboard Hot 100 entry — now fall into that category? After all, it has now been 10 years since that album was released (can you believe it?). Semantics aside, while each era of Arctic Monekys was represented in their setlist, the band did deliver on the hope that they’d play their earlier hits.

For most bands releasing an album, tours are typically meant to be a way to promote their most recent LP. But Arctic Monkeys took a different approach. Instead, Arctic Monkey’s North American tour is about fan service, it celebrates their die-hard day-one listeners, as well as those who discovered them through their AM radio hits. Rather than playing mostly songs from The Car, Arctic Monkeys opted to only deliver three songs, two of which were singles — “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball” (which there was, of course), and “Body Paint” — after opening with the languid number “Sculptures Of Anything Goes.” Singer Alex Turner fully committed to his role, leaving behind his once signature leather jacket in favor of dressing like if your favorite uncle happened to be a well-dressed rock star: a fitted suit over a pin-striped shirt buttoned almost scandalously low accented by a gold chain, sepia-toned sunglasses, and hair floppy enough that brushing his hands through it elicited deafening screams from the crowd.

Though much of the setlist has remained the same throughout their North American tour, each night they swap out one or two songs from the bill. As such, there were some slight changes during night two at the Forum. They traded in “From The Ritz To Rubble” for “View From The Afternoon,” two songs that appeared on their debut LP. Instead of performing “Teddy Picker,” like they had the night before, the band launched into a rendition of “Cornerstone,” a song that has grown to become one of my personal favorites from their discography. Since it’s one of their more ballad-like tracks, the crowd put up their cell phone lights to transform the Forum into a twinkling starry sky. Of course, Arctic Monkeys appeased the AM crowd by playing several songs off the album. They shredded through the three biggest hits, “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” and “Do I Wanna Know?” before closing out the night with “R U Mine?” They also performed “Arabella,” which Turner sweetly dedicated to drummer Matt Helders’ daughter.

Though the crowd was filled with people who knew most of the words to their songs, it was likely many concertgoers’ first time seeing the band perform since it has now been five years since they crossed the pond to tour. Those who have seen a stadium concert before may have been expecting a big lights show, a special guest performance, or perhaps even some sort of exciting choreography. Arctic Monkeys’ concert had none of that. Save for a glowing circular screen putting Turner’s knowing charm on full display and a massive disco ball that dropped for one single song, the concert didn’t have much in terms of theatrics. Turner hardly even addressed the crowd. Instead, Arctic Monkeys leaned into doing what they do best; they donned suave suits, fired up the crowd with raucous hits, and let their music speak for themselves.

The Car is out now via Domino. Find more information here.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard is easily Patrick Stewart‘s most iconic role. It put the classically trained Shakespearean actor on the Hollywood map as he helmed the Enterprise on the beloved ’90s staple Star Trek: The Next Generation. However, at least one friend advised Stewart to turn down the hit television series, and the actor hasn’t let the friend forget it about since. That pal? Sir Ian McKellen, of course.

In a passage from his new memoir, Making It So, Stewart reveals that McKellen was strongly against him taking the Picard role. McKellen would physically stop Stewart if he had to.

“When I told him I was going to sign the contract, he almost bodily prevented me from doing so,” Stewart wrote via Insider. “‘No!’ he said. ‘No, you must not do that. You must not. You have too much important theater work to do. You can’t throw that away to do TV. You can’t. No!’”

While Stewart trusted the advice of McKellen more than anyone, he ultimately accepted the role because chances like this don’t happen often.

“I had to tell him that I felt theater would return to my life whenever I was ready for it, whereas an offer of the lead role in an American TV series might never come again,” Stewart wrote. Despite not listening to his counsel, McKellen still gave Stewart a big hug and wished him the best even though he reacted to the decision like Stewart was “enlisting the army.”

Now, obviously, Stewart’s decision was the right one as he went on to make TV history. As for McKellen, he’s eaten crow as any good friend would do.

“In the years since, we have become dear pals and ‘X-Men’ colleagues, and Ian has acknowledged that he was wrong and I was right,” Stewart wrote. “More than once, in fact – primarily because I like making him say those words.”

(Via Insider)

The Oklahoma City Thunder took a leap into playoff contention last season, making it to the second round of the Play-In out West before losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Leading the charge for OKC’s first 40-win season since 2019-20 was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has become a bonafide superstar at the point guard position for the Thunder. Around him is a cast of intriguing young talent, and the Thunder are steadily approaching the time to start consolidating that young talent to make a run at being a firm playoff squad in the West.

However, Sam Presti has preached patience in OKC since they started this rebuild and for at least one more year, they’ll lean on their youngsters. Part of the impetus for that approach is still needing to see Chet Holmgren on an NBA court, after he had to sit out his rookie year with a foot injury, and much of the excitement for what the Thunder can be this season revolves around how he can fill the biggest hole from last year’s roster in the form of a real frontcourt presence. Another year of evaluation in OKC isn’t a bad thing, and they’ll look to see who continues to take strides internally as they figure out what their core group should be moving forward.

While it was a fairly quiet summer in Oklahoma City, there were some roster additions and plenty of other deals made by Presti and company that we will grade out here.

Draft: B

For the first time in a few years, the Thunder did not have a pick in the top 10, but did move up from 12th to 10th in a draft night deal with Dallas to take on Davis Bertans’ contract. With the 10th pick, they took Kentucky guard Cason Wallace, who fits their recent trend of adding players with strong defensive traits in the Draft, but his fit is a bit of a question given a glut of young guards in OKC and Wallace not being a high-level shooter. For those reasons, our Brad Rowland gave them a B on Draft night for the selection.

The fit could be a bit of a challenge for Wallace in OKC with a backcourt that is already quite full with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Lu Dort, and others. In a vacuum, Wallace is a solid pick here, though, as he might be the best perimeter defender in the draft. There are some questions about his offensive ceiling, particularly as a shooter, but the overall package is encouraging.

They also added Keyontae Johnson on a two-way, who doesn’t figure to be a major factor in the rotation this season but will be up and down from the G League squad as a deep bench option at forward.

Free Agency/Contract Extensions: B-

Unsurprisingly, the Thunder weren’t major players on the free agency market this summer, but they did make one rather fascinating addition. Nine years after he was drafted in the second round by the Sixers, Vasilje Micic has finally left Europe for the NBA, as the Serbian guard who won back to back EuroLeague titles and Final Four MVPs with Anadolu Efes signed with the Thunder this summer on a three-year deal. While the Thunder haven’t added much in the way of NBA veterans, Micic will give them a veteran presence in the backcourt behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey, which could help stabilize their bench units and provide Mark Daigneault with some interesting guard combinations to play with. We’ll have to see what the full impact of Micic’s arrival is, but given their heavy reliance on Gilgeous-Alexander a year ago, it should be helpful adding another capable ball-handler who can create for himself and others.

Trades: C

Sam Presti’s Cap Space Laundering Emporium was once again open for business this summer, as he made a number of trades, almost none of which figure to have a real impact on the Thunder’s on-court performance this season, that netted OKC more draft capital for the trouble of taking taking on contracts and helping facilitated other deals. Davis Bertans remains on the roster and could provide some floor-spacing for a team that needs that, provided he can stay on the floor defensively. Victor Oladipo figures to spend much of this season rehabbing after tearing his patellar tendon in the playoffs, as he returns to OKC in a salary dump deal from the Heat. Patty Mills passed through OKC from Brooklyn on his way to Atlanta, with Rudy Gay, TyTy Washington, and Usman Garuba all also being dealt to the Thunder and subsequently waived. I am no longer particularly impressed by Presti working his cap magic to hoard more future second round picks. All of the moves he made this summer make absolute business sense, but I can’t give anything higher than a C until a trade is made to genuinely upgrade the actual roster rather.

All told, it was a perfectly good summer for the Thunder. They didn’t make any ground-shaking moves, but added a helpful veteran (even if one who is unfamiliar to NBA fans) and continue to leave themselves future flexibility around an extremely promising young core, headlined by a legitimate superstar. At some point it’ll be time to cash in that draft capital and consolidate some of their young talent — OKC could have as many as 10 team options to pick up for players on rookie scale deals this summer — in order to maximize Gilgeous-Alexander, who has an argument as a top-10 player in the NBA this season. How good Holmgren looks as a rookie could determine how quickly Presti and company expedite that process. Last year the Thunder made the leap into the Play-In out West, which is no small feat, but taking the next step to being a playoff contender is among the hardest jumps to make as a team and makes this a very interesting season in Oklahoma City.

After 148 days, the Writers Guild Of America strike is over. The most immediate apparent change in light of that is this week’s return of late-night TV shows. That also means the return of late-night TV musical performances, so here are the artists taking the stage on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert this week.

Louis Cato — Monday, October 2

Cato, who took over as The Late Show‘s bandleader after Jon Batiste’s departure in 2022, was a natural choice to perform on the show’s first night back. He delivered a rendition of “Reflections,” the title track from his latest album.

Boygenius — Tuesday, October 3

This performance is perfect timing for Boygenius: The trio (Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker) just announced their new EP The Rest and they’re playing at the Hollywood Bowl later this month.

Japanese Breakfast — Wednesday, October 4

Michelle Zauner became a literary star over the past couple years with her successful memoir Crying In H Mart. Her latest Japanese Breakfast album is 2021’s Jubilee, so a song from that feels likely for her Colbert performance.

Thursday, October 5

As of this post, there is currently no musical guest listed for the Thursday episode, per TV Guide.

Friday, October 6

As of this post, the guests for the Friday episode have yet to be announced, per TV Guide.

The Simpsons writers’ room was the origin of many of the greatest jokes in television history. It was also a total dump.

On a recent episode of the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, host and former Simpsons writer Conan O’Brien was asked by guest Ed Sheeran if he had any stories about his time on the animated series. “What’s funny is that, you know, I was there from… let’s see… Simpsons fans know everything, and they get upset that I don’t know it because I was there and I was there during a fairly early stage considering how long it’s run,” Conan said. First off, yes, we do. Secondly, “a fairly early stage” is a nice way of saying “the golden era.”

After sharing how episodes were pitched, O’Brien discussed the urine-soaked hellhole (or pee pee-soaked heckhole) that was the Simpsons writers’ room. “So many people think, ‘Oh my god, this epic television show known for its really good writers,’ these people I got to work with are insanely talented, and the room is just awful. The room is terrible,” he said. “It looks like the worst — I mean, it did at the time, I think it’s much nicer now — there was just a bad shag carpet. Sofas that if, y’know, you’re in your first year at college or university, you just get them off the sidewalk.” You can see it for yourself here.

The writers would “sit there and eat fried food” (and Butterfinger BB’s), and O’Brien sat next to another writer who “smoked all the time… so when I die, it will be because of him.” Sounds like John Swartzwelder.

You can watch a clip from the podcast above.

In June, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard dropped their album, PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation. Today (October 3), the “Gila Monster” musicians have announced that their already massive discography will increase by one body of work. Later this month, the group will release their next album, The Silver Cord. Remarkably, this will be their seventh album since just the start of 2022.

As a special treat, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard uploaded a mashup video for the project’s first three singles, “Theia,” “The Silver Cord,” and “Set.” In a statement by the group’s Stu Mackenzie, he shared the inspiration behind the tracks.

“The first version’s really condensed, trimming all the fat,” he said. “And on the second version, that first song, ‘,’eia’, is 20 minutes long. It’s the ‘everything’ version – those seven songs you’ve already heard on the first version, but with a whole lot of other shit we record while making it. It’s for the Gizz-heads. I love Donna Summer’s records with Giorgio Moroder, and I’d never listen to the short versions now – I’m one of those people who wants to hear the whole thing. We’re testing the boundaries of people’s attention spans when it comes to listening to music, perhaps – but I’m heavily interested in destroying such concepts.”

Watch King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s latest video above. Continue below for the album artwork and track listing.

1. “Theia”
2. “The Silver Cord”
3. “Set”
4. “Chang’e”
5. “Gilgamesh”
6. “Swan Song”
7. “Extinction”

The Silver Cord is out 10/27. Find more information here.

With the WGA and SAG strikes in the headlines for the past several months, unions have been at the forefront of pop culture for some time. Plenty of music listeners have likely found themselves whether there is a similar guild for recording artists and musicians… and, as it turns out, yes, there is! In fact, there are two: One is the American Federation Of Musicians, while the other is SAG-AFTRA’s sound recordings division. This may lead to another question:

Who Is In The Musicians Union?

According to the American Federation Of Musicians website, 70,000 musicians comprise the AFM. These musicians are generally instrumentalists who work in the realms of film, television, on Broadway, and in live settings such as orchestras, backup bands, and more.

Some examples include International Vice President Dave Pomeroy, who has played electric and acoustic basses on over 500 albums with stars like Elton John, Willie Nelson, and more. The AFM’s International President, Tino Gagliardi, was a trumpet player in New York City, playing with the Met Opera, New York Philharmonic, NYC Ballet, and others.

And while this is good news for those musicians who play in orchestras for black-tie events, there’s a still a ways to go in terms of organizing on behalf of artists in the popular music field, who negotiate directly with major and independent record labels — and often feel like they got burned in the process.

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos seem like a fun couple. The Live with Kelly and Mark hosts and former All My Children co-stars have been married since 1996, which is an eternity for Hollywood, and People tells me that Ripa calls working with her hunky husband “a dream come true.” Getting paid many millions of dollars to hang out with your partner? I’m happy for them. But if I ever have to hear about their personal and/or sex lives again, I’m going to scream.

I haven’t spent time in any mechanic or dentist waiting rooms in awhile, so I’m behind on Live with Kelly and Mark (no spoilers). Maybe it’s become an informative show that takes a hard-hitting look at the biggest issues plaguing society today. But based on the clips I’ve seen online, Live with Kelly and Mark is mostly an excuse for Ripa and Consuelos to talk about their genitals.

Here are a few recent headlines about the morning show, courtesy of Decider’s exhaustive (and exhausting) archive.

September 29:

Kelly Ripa Makes Mark Consuelos “Lightheaded” With NSFW Description Of Her Body On ‘Live’: “Nipples That Have Nursed Three Kids And Now Need To Be Rolled Up”

September 28:

‘Live’s Mark Consuelos Was Feeling “Really Good” About His Penis Size After Watching ‘Naked Attraction,’ According To Kelly Ripa

September 15:

Kelly Ripa Says Mark Consuelos Asks For First Aid When She’s Right Out Of The Shower On ‘Live’: “I’m Naked And Afraid” And “Mid-Lubrication”

September 13:

‘Live With Kelly & Mark’: Mark Consuelos Accidentally Mixes up Allergy Pills and “Viagra”

August 30:

Kelly Ripa Teases Sex in Space With Mark Consuelos “Could Be Fun” on ‘Live’: “Does a Bounce House Count?”

August 29:

“Naked” Kelly Ripa Reveals She “Walked Out Of The Bedroom” To Discover Mark Consuelos Hired Three Housekeepers on ‘Live’

August 22:

Kelly Ripa Says Mark Consuelos Emptying the Dishwasher Is “Like Porn” on ‘Live’

August 7:

Kelly Ripa Begs Mark Consuelos to Show off His “Gorgeous” Legs in a Pair of “Daisy Dudes” on ‘Live’: “It’s What the Women Want — and Some of the Men!”

August 1:

Kelly Ripa Jokes That She’ll “Sacrifice” Herself to Take a Video of Mark Consuelos Showering for ‘Live’

July 27:

Kelly Ripa Sends in Phallic Photo of Mushrooms to Mark Consuelos and Anderson Cooper on ‘Live’: “She Was Thinking of Us”

July 19:

Mark Consuelos Defends His Manhood on ‘Live’ After Kelly Ripa Compares His Penis to a “Cocktail Weenie”: “I Would Say More Like a Fine Chorizo”

July 12:

Kelly Ripa Wants to See How Cold Plunge Shrinkage Affects Naked Mark Consuelos: “We All Want to Know What Everything Looks Like in Ice Cold Water”

I’m going to stop here. You get the idea.

I’m sorry if this makes me sound like a prude, but I shouldn’t know about the shape of Mark’s penis, or that Kelly’s nipples are like Fruit Roll-Ups. This is a silly morning show. Stick to unlikely animal friendships, cooking demonstrations, and dance lessons (but don’t dance too closely). I’m glad these two are still very into each other, but keep it in the bedroom, guys.

Or Instagram.