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Arguably the best football player in the 2023 NFL Draft has no shot at going No. 1 overall, and it would be a bit of a surprise if he goes in the top-10. Bijan Robinson, a running back out of the University of Texas, spent three productive years in college and showcased the sort of all-around skillset that NFL teams covet out of the backfield. At 5’11 and 215 pounds with a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, Robinson is one of the best blends of speed, power, agility, and versatility to come into the NFL in some time.

A unanimous All-American and the Doak Walker award winner for the best running back in college football during the 2022 campaign, Robinson toted the rock 539 times for 3,410 yards and 33 touchdowns across three years in Austin. He caught 60 balls for 805 yards and eight scores in college, too. Upon hearing his name called at some point on Thursday night, Robinson will immediately become one of the most dangerous all-around running backs in the NFL.

Prior to the start of the draft, Uproxx Sports caught up with Robinson through his partnership with USAA to discuss the best advice he’s gotten, his skill set, how people value running backs, and much more.

What do you have going on with USAA?

I’m partnering with USAA. It’s definitely an amazing time — I was here in Kansas City last week and went to the Whiteman Air Force Base here in Kansas City. And we did a lot of different things, toured the B-2 and the A-10, it’s pretty amazing, pretty special, how, first of all, how big they are. And then to see what they use those for, just to help this country to save so many lives in this country, it was definitely amazing. And then on top of that, just getting to meet so many, men and women in the military, definitely amazing to hear their stories.

And for myself, where the personal connection comes in, my stepdad, he was in the military as well. So just even comparing those stories, and to see just how hard they work, it’s just like football for me. They prepare, they work out, they have to keep themselves in shape in order to do things the right way. And then I think one of the coolest things that I did, I went into the helicopter, and we went up to ride around the city of Kansas City and look at the draft site. And it was pretty amazing, man. It was a great time there. I just had so much fun being a part of it. I want to thank all the men and women in the military, and just all the hard work that they do and what they sacrifice in order to keep this country safe.

You were in Kansas City, where the draft is going to be taking place. We’re two days away from the draft and this entire process being over, and you knowing what your future is going to hold. How does it feel to know that the draft is only two days away now?

It’s definitely really exciting. I’m super pumped to see where I go, where I end up, definitely a blessing to even be here with so many great guys. I know that God’s gonna place me on the right team and the right situation. I’m just super excited to see where I end up.

What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve gotten from anyone — it could be a family member, someone in football, whatever — in the lead-up to the draft about whatever you’re going to experience on Thursday?

The best advice I got was definitely from my grandpa, I call him dad. He said just enjoy every single moment that you get, because I only get this moment one time, and I got to enjoy every single moment, be positive, smile, just understand that not a lot of people are blessed to be in this position. So, have to just make what it’s worth and understand that this is nothing but a blessing that I’ve been presented with, and I’m just enjoying every single moment that I get during this time.

So I’ve watched your tape, I watched you for years at Texas. And I guess my big question is, is there anything in football that you’re not good at? Because you seem to be good at everything.

[laughs] Man, shoot, I got lots of things to work on! I can always improve on every aspect of my game, whether it’s pass catching, running the football, blocking, I think I always have room for improvement and always want to get better, man. As much as I do work on those things, obviously God gave me a gift to play the position that I play, but even I got to work on that. But I appreciate the compliment, I try to work on everything in my game every single day to try to get better, whether it’s with my vision or watching film or mimicking certain guys that I watch on film. So, there’s always room for improvement for me.

When you’re sitting down meeting with NFL teams and talking about yourself, what’s the biggest thing that you want to highlight as you make the case for, hey, I’m a good guy to bring into your organization?

I’ll just say me being versatile — lining up at receiver, at slot, running back, and being just as effective in those positions as I am at the running back position. It’s definitely very rare to find somebody that can do all three, or do things like catch the ball out the backfield and become a mismatch with corners and safeties. But I think when you do get a guy that can do those types of skill sets and abilities, that’s where your value in the position goes extremely high. That’s what I would say to NFL teams.

So you talk about the value that you bring to the position. Have you ever seen the discourse where people say maybe don’t pick a running back so high for one reason or another? And what do you think about the belief that like the running back position is devalued, or whatever people say?

I understand it, there’s a lot of one-dimensional running backs. I think that the value of the position should become high because you got guys like Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Saquon [Barkley] that can do so many things for their offense. And I think that without those guys, maybe their offense isn’t what it is. So, if you have that type of ability, and that type of skill-set to do so many different things for your team, then that’s what makes position value what it should be. But you know, a lot of people have opinions and a lot of people say different things, but at the end of the day, it’s who’s gonna draft you, it’s what they think of you the most. We’ll just see and find out on Thursday.

Yeah, I feel like people like to say that, and then they see, like, Christian go to the Niners, and they go, wait, no, that’s unfair.

Exactly. And for me, I feel like it’s more of just a situation that you’re put in, if you’re in the right situation, then that’s when your value grows even more. But obviously, you can’t control where you go, so you got to make the best of any situation that you get put in.

Over the course of your football playing career, who have been the running backs that you’ve liked watching the most, and what is it about these guys that you see and you’re like, man, they do something that I maybe want to try and work on to add to my game?

I love to watch LaDainian Tomlinson, Marshall Faulk, Barry Sanders, those kind of guys, they’re kind of older school running backs. But I just love to watch and see how they played the game, because they can catch the ball out the backfield and they know how to get themselves out of situations that are uncommon. Not just running through these big holes and finding open gaps, but they know how to make moves in the backfield and still get 10 yards, 20 yards, or even a home run.

Even just seeing that and understanding how I want to play my game and do different things in my game that they’ve done, it’s pretty special to watch them. I’ve watched them throughout the years, got their game tape, still study them on every single play. So, those are some guys who I love to make my game after and see what they can do on the field, too.

Yeah, I think I saw the other day that Barry tweeted good luck to you. Is that the first time you’d ever had any kind of back-and-forth with him?

Yessir, yes it was. And that was a pretty special moment, as well.

My last question, I know that while you were in college, you had an NIL deal for your own mustard, so I need to know what does Bijan Robinson put on a hot dog?

Oh, you got to put on the Bijan Mustardson. You got to put it on a hot dog. I think it’s grown to be the best condiment that’s out there. I definitely got to get you some to try, but it’s definitely a good condiment to have. It’s really tasty, really good. It’s been really fun just to be a part of that and see how it’s been growing these past seven, eight months. It’s been amazing.

I’m a big mustard guy.

There we go!

So I see every NIL deal come across and that was the first one where I was like, “Oh, hell yeah, I need to one day get my hands on a bottle of that.”

Yessir, absolutely.

Less than a year after releasing his buzzy sophomore album, Come Home, The Kids Miss You, Jack Harlow is gearing up for his third studio album. Today (April 26), Harlow has announced his third major-label album, Jackman.

Jackman is set to arrive this Friday, and given the fact that the notice comes two days ahead of its actual release, no prior singles have been released or announced yet.

While we don’t know much to expect from Jackman, it’s not unlikely that the tracklist will boast some potential viral hits. Harlow certainly has the track record to prove it, as songs like “What’s Poppin’” and “First Class” garnered much attention by way of TikTok. In an interview with British GQ last year, Harlow lauded the platform, and credited to it much of the success of his music.

“Almost all big songs blow up on TikTok,” said Harlow. “Now, some songs are literally rooted in some dance challenge that blew it up. But some songs go big, and as soon as they go big they’re gonna be big there, because it’s what kids are listening to. That’s where kids are; sorry.”

You can see the cover art for Jackman below.

Jackman is out 4/28 via Atlantic.

Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Los Angeles Clippers were eliminated from the 2023 NBA playoffs by the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, sending a team that came into the year with ultra-high expectations into a long offseason that will be filled with plenty of soul searching. It’s a particularly big summer for the Clippers, as both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have the potential to hit free agency in 2024 if they decline the player option in their respective contracts.

Leonard and George, of course, missed most of the series against the Suns. George was out the whole time due to a knee sprain, while Leonard played in the first two games. After originally being diagnosed with a knee sprain of his own, it was reported on Wednesday morning that Leonard tore the meniscus in his right knee in Game 1 of the series. All of this prompted a doozy of a take from Stephen A. Smith, who expressed his belief on First Take that Leonard should be forced to retire by the Clippers.

“Steve Ballmer and the Los Angeles Clippers should force Kawhi Leonard to retire,” Smith said. “I’m done, he needs to go home, ok? It’s over. I’m not in any way questioning the legitimacy of Kawhi Leonard’s injury. A matter of fact, I’m fully embracing it. I’ve heard very, very alarming stories about his health, you see people talking about he’s walking around limping all the time, he is not a healthy individual. I’m not questioning his heart, I’m not questioning his courage, I’m not questioning any of that, the man’s a two-time champion, he’s a two-time MVP.”

Smith went on to repeat his claim that Leonard is the worst kind of superstar to have one a team, arguing that his lack of availability and his hesitancy to promote the team is bad before going through the financials of his deal. He then made a big deal out of how he doesn’t suffer his injuries in a high-profile way. (He did not say during his rant if he knew that Leonard’s injury was revealed to be a torn meniscus, which they discussed a little later in the show.)

“This is the difference between him and a Paul George or various other people,” Smith said. “We see them get hurt. We watch Kawhi drop 38 one game like he did in Game 1 against Phoenix, 31 in Game 2, walk off the court, and next thing you know, Ty Lue gets a note, he ain’t available today, and he ain’t available next week, and he ain’t available the next game. You don’t know why, but you hear, and you hear, and you hear stories.”

Smith expressed his belief that, if George and Leonard were healthy, the Clippers would have beaten the Suns in the first round, citing how much Devin Booker and Kevin Durant play too much. But apparently, due to Leonard’s lack of availability, Smith thinks the team’s decision makers need to have some difficult conversations.

“You’re the second-largest market in the United States of America,” Smith said. “You’re in Los Angeles, man. It’s Laker Nation, Laker town, you know what Steve Ballmer and them got to compete against. You got an elite owner, Lawrence Frank is a well-respected executive, Ty Lue is considered one of the best coaches in the business. And this is what you got to rely on as a player. It’s over, for me. We can talk about the game and all of that stuff, but the culminating point, the end result is, to me, it should be the end. And I say that cause I called some league officials this morning and I wanted to know specifically, what can you do to get rid of Kawhi Leonard and make sure he gets his money. He’s got an insurance policy, you can carve it out through the years, make sure he gets every penny, just give him his money and go, because you can’t rely on him, you gotta move on. If you’re the Clippers, you gotta move on.”

It is unclear why Smith thinks this is a better path forward for the Clippers, especially considering Leonard can hit free agency next summer and is almost certainly a better option, even in a limited role, than anyone else the team can realistically get this offseason. It is also unclear if a front office forcing a player to retire would be legal.

Michael Keaton’s Batman is front and center in the latest trailer for The Flash as his aged version of the Dark Knight mentors Ezra Miller’s speedster and shows that he has still plenty of moves left in the ol’ Batsuit. However, the big question is whether or not Keaton is playing a multiverse variant or the actual Batman from his time in the Tim Burton films. Here’s what we know so far.

From what we can tell, Keaton is still playing his original version of Batman. Here’s what he told Variety back in 2022:

Since Keaton hasn’t watched other superhero films — there have been seven actors who have played the Caped Crusader since — he admits it was a little confusing to dive back into that world. Bruce Wayne has changed a bit since Keaton last played him, we remind the actor.

After a brief pause, he responds with a smirk, “Not mine.”

On top of Keaton saying that his Batman character in The Flash is the one he left 30 years ago, director Andy Muschietti recently told CinemaCon attendees that the production team went to great pains to recreate the Batcave from the Burton films. That attention to detail is evident in the new trailer where there are several visual nods to Batman and Batman Returns.

“When [Keaton] arrived to the set, the Batcave was already finished and it was lit and everything. He stayed like this [eyes wide] for a while,” Muschietti said via IGN. “I didn’t want to interrupt him. I just wanted for him to take it in. Who knows what was going on there? But something was going on there. It was funny because at one point during the scene where we shot him in the full suit, he was like, ‘Can you take a picture? It’s for my grandson.’ It was one of those moments where he really showed something was inside that was very emotional.”

The Flash was also shown at CinemaCon where the film racked up rave reviews, and based on what the critics are saying, Keaton’s Batman makes several references to the Burton films.

“After 30 years, Michael Keaton returns as Batman and his appearance in #TheFlashMovie is a true highlight,” Geeks of Color‘s Dorian Parks tweeted. “He delivers insanely awesome scenes, with great nods to his previous time in the role. He is one of the true standouts of the film.”

While the evidence seems to point towards Keaton still being the Batman that audiences fell in love with back in 1989, scenes are reportedly still being added to The Flash, which could add some sort of multiversal/time-travel twist to Keaton’s role. That said, the marketing is leaning heavy into the Batman ’89 nostalgia, so we’d be surprised if Warner Bros. messed with the compelling hook of bringing back Keaton’s original Batman.

The Flash zooms into theaters on June 16.

(Via Variety)

Ahead of the new Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit album, Weathervanes, the band has shared the third glimpse of the record with “Cast Iron Skillet.”

Throughout the song, Isbell reflects on all the lessons he learned from being raised in the south. “Don’t wash the cast iron skillet / Don’t drink and drive, you’ll spill it / Don’t ask too many questions or you’ll never get to sleep / There’s a hole inside you, fill it,” he sings, making sure to note both some silly life advice to some bigger ones that get him by.

Despite this, Isbell also makes sure to underline the point that the past and our memories aren’t always what we might have thought, especially when looking back on everything happily. In a press statement, he adds a warning, “If we romanticize the past, we can’t really learn from it.”

Earlier this year, he shared the two other songs from Weathervanes, including “Death Wish” — which Jack White put a recent spin on — and “Middle Of The Morning.” Recorded in Nashville, Isbell wrote and produced all of the songs, with select tracks having a co-production credit from Matt Pence.

Check out Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit’s “Cast Iron Skillet” above.

Weathervanes is out 6/09 via Southeastern Records/Thirty Tigers. Find more information here.

As streaming services adjust to the perils of capitalism – grow at all costs, acquire subscribers at all costs, return profits for shareholders at all costs – the media that keeps these entities profitable becomes less valued. Spotify’s mission seems to be a dominance in audio in the most general sense possible, which has only highlighted the work of its rival, Apple, which has seemingly put premium focus on creating a user-listener experience that rewards devoted fans of music. Sure, Apple Podcasts exist, and at the end of the day, Tim Cook’s sole responsibility is to keep Apple as the world-beating behemoth that it is, but the emergence of two recent incentives from the digital music pioneer has situated Apple Music as the go-to service for people who want to listen to their favorite music and discover new artists. With the arrival of Apple Music Classical and Dolby Atmos, Apple Music is drawing a line in the sand that its main initiative is to attract as many music devotees as possible. It is a powerful statement in the face of its chief rival continually getting dogged in the press for its low payouts (it’s not like Apple streams will make the average musician rich, though). Apple seems to have found an opportunity to exploit the mistakes of its competitor and built a number of apps and features that make it a truly desirable home for music fanatics.

I first began growing intrigued by Apple’s pivot towards music devotees when they introduced Dolby Atmos — also known as Spatial Audio — to wide audiences. After all, there might not be a marketing and audio initiative more antithetical to modern music consumption than the only draw being “this music sounds better.” It seemed remarkably backward-thinking from a company that was always ahead of the curve. Sure, the technology is phenomenal and fascinating, but music has become clipped, shortened, and commodified as more and more discover music via apps like TikTok and popular playlists across the major streaming platforms. While the measure of Spatial has been dictated by statistics an Apple representative has given me, it’s clear they’re making a push for it to be the go-to way for audiences to consume music on the app. According to a representative, “Since launch, the number of monthly Spatial Audio listeners has more than tripled, with more than 80% of worldwide subscribers enjoying the experience, while monthly plays in Spatial Audio have grown by over 1,000 percent. Currently, 79% of the Global Daily Top 100 are available in Spatial.”

As you can see, these statistics can mean a number of things — Apple doesn’t clarify how many of those subscribers actively seek out the experience; and almost 80% of songs being available in Spatial has more to do with their progress on the development end than the success of the program. After all, the songs are also available not in Spatial. Apple’s commitment to higher fidelity audio is an initiative with little financial gain for the company. It comes free with certain iOS updates. Between the advancement of Apple’s Spatial technology and its newest initiative, Apple Music Classical, it has become clear that Apple’s desire to dominate the music audio landscape is a boon to audiophiles everywhere.

Apple Music Classical is another free app for subscribers to Apple Music, which is remarkable considering the work it took to get the app up and running. Because of the number of recordings, versions, orchestras, and variations that accompany each piece of classical music, the SEO required for the app itself is much different than modern music. To learn more about the development of the software, I spoke with Veronica Neo, who founded Primephonic, whose mission was to “bring classical music into the digital age.” Now, with Apple’s team supporting her vision, the dream has finally become a reality. Neo, who is now head of data and operations management at Apple, explained the initiative and desire to get Apple Music Classical up and running. “We started our data process at the source, and then we did endless iterations to ensure that the catalog information we were receiving matched our classical repertoire database as much and as accurately as possible. As we discovered new works in recordings, we added these to our ever-growing classical repertoire database.”

This was a time-consuming, expensive initiative, and it’s hard to imagine Apple Music would dive into such an operation if there was little financial gain for this wing of Apple. While Atmos feels like more of a pet project, it appears as if Apple Music may have found a market inefficiency. Perhaps they’re looking to accrue a number of new subscribers who never before utilized digital streaming services. Regardless, Neo sees the app as useful for classical novices and experts alike. Much like Apple Music, the service offers tons of information and recommendations from editors.

Being a classical music novice myself, I found the app easy to navigate and informative. I am not opposed to learning more about the genre, and Apple Music Classical made the subject matter engaging. For someone curious, it’s a more than suitable introduction to the genre. “For beginners, there is a broad variety of playlists, for instance essentials per period or per genre. Browsing by instruments is a unique feature that is available on Apple Music Classical that allows listeners who know the sound of an instrument they love to get started and create their own classical music taste profile as they explore,” she explains. We also have works descriptions for many classical works that provide a much more enriching listening experience as they learn about the story of the composition.” These works descriptions are what I found so enticing, which illuminated the context and tradition around these monumental compositions.

Aficionados, too, will find the app appealing according to Neo, and I bet this is where Apple sees dollar signs. The amount of classical lovers who listen to digital music has to be minuscule, based on how long it took Apple to accumulate the proper SEO keywords to populate their catalog. It was simply a bad listening experience before the app came along. “More advanced listeners can easily go beyond the usual suspects through Composer Undiscovered Playlists and Hidden Gems. Lifelong fans can search by composer, work name, opus number, album name, artist name, or even in their local language, and find exactly their favorite recording instantly,” Neo says. “We also have Related Composers and Related Works that bring recommendations beyond what they already know.”

This is the future of Apple Music, which may not be the first name associated with streaming but has positioned itself as the music listener’s service. Its new initiatives and technological innovations are antithetical to the click and move on factory-like behavior that playlisting and algorithmic listening fosters. It’s a bold bet, and I’m not certain Apple will have patience if these programs lose money or fail to attract wide swaths of the market, but as a music devotee and someone constantly looking for a less insane way to consume music, both Spatial Audio and Apple Music Classical make it clear that I’m not the only one searching for alternatives.

In addition to trying — and failing — to not be indicted on criminal charges, Donald Trump has been keeping busy by workshopping what he hopes will be the perfectly insulting nickname for his newest archenemy, Florida governor Ron DeSantis. And while there’s likely a used McDonald’s napkin floating around the world somewhere with phrases like “Meatball Ron” scribbled onto it in black Sharpie, the former president’s inner circle is reportedly attempting to convince Donald he and the politician formerly known as “Ron DeSanctimonious” should stop bickering and join forces.

On Tuesday, just hours after Joe Biden and Kamala Harris announced that they’re running again as a package deal in 2024, Page Six reported that Trump’s most trusted advisers are pushing the recently arrested former POTUS to take advantage of DeSantis’ popularity and tap him as his running mate. And Donald is apparently at least “listening” to what they have to say, according to a source.

“Supporters say the VP offer [would] stop DeSantis from opposing [Trump] and offer a ‘youthful conservative vigor’ to the slot, which Biden doesn’t have,” the source added.

For all the old man talk, it should be noted that Biden is just four years older than Trump — so, yeah, they’re both old.

The source also believes that having DeSantis — who is reportedly a total a**hole — on the ticket could go a long way toward fundraising, which could very well be the thing that eventually persuades Trump. This is, after all, a man who is currently hawking a second set of ridiculous NFTs and just released a reportedly embarrassing book of “celebrity” letters, which he’s selling for $100.

As of right now, Trump appears to still be mulling it over.

(Via Page Six)

After six years, a new album from PJ Harvey is on the way. Today (April 26), Harvey has announced her 10th studio album, I Inside The Old Year Dying.

The genesis of I Inside The Old Year Dying goes back to 2017, when Harvey had began to feel a disconnect from her music after constant album and touring cycles.

Harvey tapped into a lot of memories when writing music for the album, including meeting filmmaker Steve McQueen, who told her to home in on “what she loves about words, images and music and to put away the concept of writing ‘an album’ to focus on and play with these three passions,” according to a statement. She also found joy in simply sitting down and playing music, and writing while playing her guitar or sitting at her piano.

According to Harvey, the album came together over the course of three weeks. Ahead, she has released a new song called “A Child’s Question, August,” on which, she offers a message of healing to her younger self.

“I think the album is about searching, looking – the intensity of first love, and seeking meaning,” said Harvey. “Not that there has to be a message, but the feeling I get from the record is one of love – it’s tinged with sadness and loss, but it’s loving. I think that’s what makes it feel so welcoming: so open.”

You can check out “A Child’s Question, August,” and see the I Inside The Old Year Dying cover art and tracklist below.

1. “Prayer At The Gate”
2. “Autumn Term”
3. “Lwonesome Tonight”
4. “Seem An I”
5. “The Nether-edge”
6. “I Inside The Old Year Dying”
7. “All Souls”
8. “A Child’s Question, August”
9. “I Inside the Old I Dying”
10. “August”
11. “A Child’s Question, July”
12. “A Noiseless Noise”

I Inside the Old Year Dying is out 7/7 via Partisan Records. Find more information here.

Ever since she made her debut in 1959, Barbie has been both celebrated for her wide range of careers and criticized for her unrealistic body image. As the first mass-produced doll toy with adult features, Barbie has been an iconic part of childhood imaginary play for decades despite her controversy, and as the hype around the new Barbie feature film shows, she’s still a favorite among fans.

One way Barbie has managed to stay relevant is by evolving with the times. In her earliest years, she defied the 50s housewife expectation of women and showed girls that they could have any job they wanted. Since then, Mattel has broadened Barbie’s initial blonde bombshell look to allow more girls to see themselves in Barbie’s features.

For instance, meet one of the newest Barbie Fashionistas—the first Barbie to have Down syndrome.

Designed in close collaboration with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), the doll was made to celebrate individuals with Down syndrome. The NDSS had input in her design from start to finish, with the goal of having her look and accessories be reflective of the Down syndrome community.

Some of the features that are unique to this doll are a shorter frame and longer torso, a rounder face, smaller ears, a flatter nasal bridge and sligthly slanted, almond-shaped eyes—specifications designed to make Barbie more illustrative of women with Down syndrome. Even the palms of this Barbie’s hands are purposefully designed, with a single line on the palm, which is a characteristic often associated with those with Down syndrome (but can also be seen in people with other conditions).

u201c#Representation increasing slowly but surely in a lot of areas. We love to see it!u201d

— Canadian Down Syndrome Society (@Canadian Down Syndrome Society)
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The doll’s dress features butterflies and yellow and blue colors, which are associated with Down syndrome awareness. And her pink pendant necklace shape represents the three copies of the 21st chromosome, which is what causes the syndrome’s signature characteristics.

“The three chevrons, or arrows, are a symbol that unites the Down syndrome community and are meant to represent ‘the lucky few’ who have someone with Down syndrome in their life,” shares Mattel.

Finally, since some children with Down syndrome wear orthotics to support their feet and ankles, the doll has been fashioned with a pair of pink ankle foot orthotics (AFOs) to match her outfit.

This Barbie is one of a handful of newly-released Fashionista dolls, each of which expands Barbie’s range of representation with an array of features. It even includes a Ken doll with a prosthetic leg.

Mattel says Barbie is the most inclusive doll line on the market, with “over 175 looks offering a variety of eye colors, hair colors and textures, body types, disabilities and fashions to tell more stories.” As Lisa McKnight, Mattel’s Executive Vice President and Global Head of Barbie & Dolls, points out, not only does this Barbie give kids with Down syndrome a Barbie that represents them, but it also reflects the world all kids live in.

“As the most diverse doll line on the market, Barbie plays an important role in a child’s early experiences, and we are dedicated to doing our part to counter social stigma through play,” McKnight said in a statement. “Our goal is to enable all children to see themselves in Barbie, while also encouraging children to play with dolls who do not look like themselves. Doll play outside of a child’s own lived experience can teach understanding and build a greater sense of empathy, leading to a more accepting world. We are proud to introduce a Barbie doll with Down syndrome to better reflect the world around us and further our commitment to celebrating inclusion through play.”

Three cheers for Barbie in all her diverse attributes, abilities and ambitions, and kudos to those who keep trying to make her world more inclusive and representative of everyone.

As the fallout from Tucker Carlson’s abrupt firing from Fox News continues, Howard Stern weighed in with his blunt thoughts on the situation. While admitting that he doesn’t know exactly why Carlson was fired, the shock jock said the turn of events should be a “good life lesson.” Citing his own experience, Stern put Tucker in his place by reminding him who really calls the shots: Rupert Murdoch.

“I’ve been a big money earner for radio companies for a long time now, but there’s one thing I never forget. My boss is super wealthy,” Stern said via Mediaite. “Like if you work for Rupert Murdoch, you know that motherf*cker’s got so many billions that as important as Tucker Carlson might be to the Fox Network, he will fire your ass if you’re a pain in the ass.”

After citing the allegations from former Fox News producer Abby Grossman, Stern said Carlson learned how quickly he can be replaced if he becomes too much of a problem for the boss man. The shock jock cited Bill O’Reilly’s ouster as prove that Fox News personalities are still just “worker bees” for Murdoch.

“Because at the end of the day, you are a fly on his a**hole,” Stern said. “You’re nothing because he’s still gonna have billions upon billions upon billions of dollars and own a giant corporation. And you know, you cannot f*ck up. You can only push them so far.”

(Via Mediaite)