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Lady Gaga’s ‘Artpop’ Producer DJ White Shadow Will ‘No Longer Talk About’ The Album Due To Relentless Act II Rumors

Lady Gaga fans have been waiting years for the sequel to her polarizing 2013 album Art Pop. The rumored Artpop: Act II has been teased by the Born This Way pop star as well as by the original Art Pop collaborators. However, the producer of that record, DJ White Shadow, is shutting the talk down once and for all.

According to the Twitter account Gaga Daily, the DJ made a confrontational Instagram Story on Saturday (April 15) with the simple message: “No longer talking about ARTPOP. I am officially finished. Don’t ask me about it. Don’t talk to me about it.” Allegedly, he also deleted all of his posts about the album.

In 2021, DJ White Shadow increased anticipation for Artpop: Act II in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “She has feelings (like any other normal person), and this ‘era’ was a hard time for her too,” he said. “I am sure she will be okay with revisiting it one day and building on it when the time is right. I will continue to push for those songs you want so badly, that LG and I did, and I hope you will get to hear them. Don’t let them die. Continue to get your message to the people in charge. You have the power, don’t give up.”

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Two Cool Celebrities Are Now Officially An Item (Ali Wong And Bill Hader)

It’s nice when two nice people find each other. Last year, it was reported that Ali Wong, the beloved stand-up and Beef star, had a two-month fling with Bill Hader, the SNL alum and current mind behind Barry. Was their union too good to be true? Nope, as the two are reportedly back together and officially an item.

The news was confirmed by Page Six after Hader alluded to a new paramour, albeit unnamed, in a new interview with Collider. “My girlfriend and I were just figuring out that I haven’t had a vacation in 10 years,” he said. “I went with her to San Francisco, but that doesn’t really count. So, I’m going to have a vacation.”

Vacations are great and so is love, so kudos to the both of them.

Their tryst late last year was, at the time, described as a “rebound” for the both of them. Wong had just split from Justin Hakuta, her husband of eight years, while Hader had split from Anna Kendrick. The two reportedly split because of scheduling and general busy-ness.

“They’re just super busy with things, but [the split] was certainly amicable. They’re certainly friends,” a source said back then. Another source claimed they were trying to keep the romance from becoming public knowledge.

So anyway, here’s to Beef and here’s to Barry and here’s to two cool, good-seeming people dating each other.

(Via Page Six)

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Jaren Jackson Jr. Is The 2023 NBA Defensive Player Of The Year

The first of this year’s NBA Awards was handed out on Monday night, with the league announcing Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. as this year’s Defensive Player of the Year. Jackson took home the award with 56 first place votes over finalists Brook Lopez and Evan Mobley.

The young Grizzlies star boasted a league-leading 3.0 blocks per game (and 1.0 steals) in his 63 appearances for Memphis, also leading the league in block rate (9.6 percent). Jackson was also near the top of most every advanced metric, finishing in the top-1o in Defensive Box Plus/Minus, Defensive Win Shares, and Defensive Rating, per Basketball-Reference. All told, his defensive impact was spectacular for the Grizzlies, and his play on that end was a considerable reason they ended up as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

There were cases to be made for all three finalists, with each finishing higher than the other in various metrics, but Jackson’s defensive prowess is unquestionable. The biggest knock on his campaign was games played, as under the upcoming CBA he wouldn’t be eligible after playing in fewer than 65 games, while Lopez and Mobley appeared in more games. Still, his play when he was healthy was so spectacular that voters, who always factor in games played, still found him deserving of the award.

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Jack Black’s ‘Peaches’ From ‘Mario’ Movie Earns The Actor His First Solo Placement On The Music Charts

The Super Mario Bros. Movie continues to break records at the box office, recently becoming the highest-grossing video game adaptation. The film has also just earned one of its lead actors a new accolade of their own.

A tweet posted to Billboard Charts’ official Twitter page shared the news: “Jack Black’s ‘Peaches,’ from The Super Mario Bros. Movie, debuts at No. 83 on this week’s Hot 100 chart.”

The page continued to add that this appearance marked his first career solo song to appear on the chart. Black previously appeared on the chart in 2006 as part of the band Tenacious D’s single “The Pick of Destiny.” That song peaked at No. 78.

The song is a hilariously romantic ballad from the point of view of Black’s character in the film, Bowser, as he professes his burning love for Princess Peach (played by Anya Taylor-Joy). “Peaches” was co-written and produced by Black and the film’s directors Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond, and engineer John Spike.

Talking about the process of creating the song and working with the actor, Spiker told Insider, “Jack Black is an incredible singer and musician, so we spent a night writing the song and sent the demo to Jack. A couple of days later, Jack sent us back a finished track. He had added his own twist, and his pianist played an original music track for it. We were blown away.”

Fans of the song hope the track goes on to secure an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song next award season.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is in theaters now.

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Aespa Announces ‘My World,’ Their Third Mini Album Arriving Next Month

Aespa is on a roll. Last year, they entered a global partnership with Warner Records. In June, they’re going to be the first K-pop act to ever perform at Governors Ball.

After sharing Girls – the 2nd Mini Album in 2022, Aespa is back today (April 17) with the announcement of their third mini album, My World. It will have four different versions with 11 covers. The lead single, “Welcome to MY World,” will arrive on May 2.

Aespa also recently performed their first-ever solo concert. About it, they told Uproxx in our recent Cover Story, “It felt like we were back in the trainee days,” GISELLE explained. “We were thinking about choreography 24/7, sweating every day. That whole day-to-day lifestyle came back to us after a while. And it has been a while since we’ve worked that much. Physically, it was very tiring. But also mentally since there was a lot of pressure because we haven’t had a comeback in a while. Everything, in general, felt kind of distant at the same time ’cause it’s not like we’ve been doing any performances recently. So to do a whole concert suddenly was a lot of pressure. But, at the same time, we were very excited to show our new songs ’cause this time we’re very confident in them. And we actually do love them for real!”

My World is out 5/8. Find more information here.

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

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Maddy Siegrist Is Eager To Get To Work With The Dallas Wings

Drafted with the third overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft, Maddy Siegrist has been through the ringer the past week, taking on new challenges off the court. Getting drafted, new player orientation, starting to pack to make the move to Texas from Villanova, and flying out to Dallas have all comprised her past week, with a multitude of phone calls and media appearances in between.

A self-described ‘sponge’ who is always looking to learn, Siegrist is eager to get to training camp and back to what she does best, which is playing ball.

“The stronger players you play with, the better you’re going to be… knowing how many good players they have here, I’m gonna make the most of that,” says Siegrist.

She’s an avid film watcher, already having dove into clips and games of her soon to be teammates, noting she finds comfort through her preparation. She shares that quality with Wings first year head coach, Latricia Trammell, something Trammell grinned about while sharing during Dallas’ presser introducing Siegrist and the Wings’ entire five player draft class.

Trammell and general manager Greg Bibb both spoke highly on the importance of adding off-ball players who can fit into Trammell’s system, and balance out the offense around Arike Ogunbowale.

“She fits our philosophy,” says Trammell. “That’s so important, because that’s one way to get players that are drafted a chance to succeed.”

However, Dallas’ brass made it clear that they view Siegrist as more than just a shooter and floor spacer.

“Maddy reminds us of a shorter, younger Elena Delle Donne… I think she has that high ceiling, she has the work ethic, and the mentality,” says Trammell.

That’s high praise considering Delle Donne is one of the greatest players to play the game and an eventual lock for the Hall of Fame. The leading scorer in Division I basketball this past season, Siegrist brings a remarkable blend of scoring versatility, touch, and efficiency, nearly eclipsing the coveted 50/40/90 shooting split.

She’s spent the past few weeks ramping up her workouts to get ready for the coming months and professional acclimation, but is also cognizant that it takes time to adjust. She wants to come in and play whatever role she can to best help the Wings compete and isn’t focused on individual benchmarks, she says.

“I’m just really excited, I’m gonna learn a lot in the next few weeks, and I’m just trying to give myself a little grace within that time,” Siegrist said. “I know there’s gonna be a learning curve, it’s like you’re a freshman again. I’m just gonna keep my head down and get to work.”

The Wings were a middling three-point shooting team last season, finishing 7th in percentage of points from three, 8th in three point percentage as a team, and 6th in three-point rate according to Her Hoop Stats. With three of their top four shooters by volume and percentage departing in the off-season (Allisha Gray, Kayla Thornton, and Marina Mabrey), addressing their ability to space the floor as a team was essential.

By bringing in Siegrist, it appears they’ve done just that, while also opening the door for more down the road depending on Siegrist’s development. While it’s unsure what Siegrist’s role will be until the team enters training camp, there’s already immense reason for excitement and intrigue in Dallas.

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The Absolute Best Bourbons Between $400-$500, Ranked

$500 bottles of bourbon were pretty much unheard of a decade ago. Buffalo Trace kind of blew the whole sector of the market wide open with the 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle decanter release back in the day. Since then, rare bourbons — small batched, single barrel, limited edition, finished in port, whatever — have reached $500 and beyond with more speed than ever before.

Part of that price point is taken up by legitimately rare and limited bourbons that are marked with an MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price) at $399, $449, or $499. Those whiskeys are so rare and special — according to the whiskey masters making them — that they warrant that price from the jump. Still, another big facet of whiskey at this price point is the secondary or aftermarket pricing. You’ll see whiskeys that maybe have an MSRP of $49, $99, or $129 that are so rare and sought after that the prices are inflated when they hit shelves and bars. Like it or not, that’s just the world we live in, folks.

For this list, I’ve selected 10 bourbon whiskeys that all come in just shy of $500. For the most part, these whiskeys cost the prices they’re available at. Others cost this price thanks to the hype machine of the aftermarket. And look, you might be able to get some of these closer to their MSRP but it’s unlikely (not impossible though). The point is, these are the bourbons that you can actually find (generally) at this price point right now.

I’ve added my professional tasting notes to give you a little more depth into what these whiskeys are. My advice is to read through those notes and find a whiskey that sparks your interest. Then click those price links to see if you can get that bottle in your area. Good luck out there!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months

10. Chicken Cock Chanticleer Cognac Barrel Finish Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Chicken Cock Chanticleer
Chicken Cock

ABV: 56%

Average Price: $499

The Whiskey:

This super rare whiskey is made from a classic mash of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. That whiskey was aged for an undisclosed amount of years before it was re-barreled into 32 French cognac barrels. Those 32 barrels were then batched, proofed, and bottled as-is for this release.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is supple and full of creamed honey, moist marzipan, peaches and cream ice cream with a hint of waffle cone, and fresh plums dashed with clove and star anise.

Palate: The palate leans into the plums with a spiced cake vibe next to rich Black Forest Cake, candied dates, rum-raisin, and banana bread with plenty of butter, cinnamon, and walnut with a twist of fresh orange zest.

Finish: The end embraces the orange and adds in salted dark chocolate tobacco with a hint of brown butter, pecan shells, and cedar boughs.

Bottom Line:

Yes, it’s expensive but it’s also delicious. Luckily, you can actually find this on shelves (behind the glass) at good liquor stores too — it’s rare but not impossibly so.

9. Rare Hare 1953 Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in XXO Cognac Casks

Rare Hare 1953 Bourbon
Playboy

ABV: 55.5%

Average Price: $485

The Whiskey:

The juice in the bottle is a blend of 17-year-old bourbons from undisclosed sources in Tennessee. Those 17-year-old barrels were blended and then re-barreled into XXO Cognac casks (barrels that held brandy for at least 14 years in Cognac, France) for an additional 12 months of mellowing. Finally, that juice is vatted and bottled as-is into 1,953 bottles.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is shockingly subtle for its age with mild lines of dark fruit leather next to brandy-soaked raisins with a twinge of tart cherry and a clear yet soft graininess that’s very Tennessee hollow on a cold fall day, with amber and golden leaves falling on a forest floor.

Palate: There’s a hint of clove and toffee on the nose that leads into the palate with a sense of sharp cinnamon spice next to a touch of black licorice that’s kind of like a black Necco Wafer. The mid-palate eases off the sharp spices towards a gentle espresso ice cream with a hit of nutmeg and plenty of vanilla oils and a whisper of old peach buried deep in there.

Finish: The end leans back into that autumnal forest with a barky chewiness that’s slightly sweet and fruity next to a final note of salted toffee drizzle over a thin line of sour cherry tobacco leaf.

Bottom Line:

This is very Tennessee whiskey, so that’s going to be a deal-breaker for a lot of folks. I love Tennesse whiskey, so I’m into it. That all said, this felt like a bit of a show-off pour more than one I’d actually want to return to day in and day out.

8. Blood Oath Pact No. 8 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Blood Oath Pact 8
Luxco

ABV: 49.3%

Average Price: $487

The Whiskey:

This line of whiskey comes from whiskey legend John Rempe of Luxco (he’s the distiller behind huge brands like Rebel and Ezra Brooks). This whiskey is made from a blend of one barrel of 14-year-old high-rye bourbon, one barrel of 11-year-old high-rye bourbon, and one barrel of 8-year-old high-rye bourbon. Those barrels were batched and that whiskey was re-barrelled into a calvados (apple brandy) cask from France for a final rest.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Apple cinnamon hot buns with a drizzle of fresh buttery vanilla icing vibes with a sense of dark dried berries and marzipan just kissed with creamy chocolate.

Palate: That almond and chocolate aura continues on the soft palate with a sense of creamy nougat spread over buttermilk biscuits with subtle notes of dark toffee, dried cherries, and mulled wine spices rounding things out.

Finish: The toffee and winter spice drive the finish toward a hint of soft cedar and apple bark next to a final nod toward apple cinnamon cider.

Bottom Line:

The Calvados cask perfectly layers into this whiskey in all of the best ways. It truly elevates the pour. Yes, this is pricy (the MSRP is only $120). But this is one of those one-off bourbons with a truly unique barrel finish that rises above the rest — hence the hyped-up price point.

7. Cream of Kentucky 13-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Cream of Kentucky 13 Year
Cream of Kentucky

ABV: 51%

Average Price: $495

The Whiskey:

This whiskey from Kentucky whiskey legend Jim Rutledge (Four Roses) is the cream of the crop of sourced bourbon. The whiskey is hewn from barrels that are a minimum of 13 years old. The blend is perfectly balanced and just kissed with that soft Kentucky limestone water before going in the bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Cherry Dr. Pepper mixes with rich and chewy toffee, soft vanilla buttercream, singed sage, and a bright sense of burnt orange oils over winter spiced cedar bark with a whisper of creamy espresso.

Palate: The palate is pure silk with a sense of that lush vanilla buttercream next to toffees covered in almond and dark chocolate, more dark orange, and a hint of marzipan cut with caramel and soft tobacco.

Finish: That soft and chewy tobacco leads the finish toward an old cigar box, a hint of boot leather, and soft creamy toffee dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in crushed nuts.

Bottom Line:

This is another masterstroke from one of the true masters of Kentucky bourbon. That alone is worth the price of entry. Yes, this is also above its MSRP ($295) but not by that much. And it’s worth every penny extra.

6. Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Rock Hill Farms
Sazerac Company

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $499

The Whiskey:

This is Buffalo Trace’s other other single barrel brand (Blanton’s and Elmer T. Lee being the two icons). The whiskey is made from the same mash bill as those two, which is Buffalo Trace’s Mash Bill No. 2 (they’re higher rye recipe). Basically, this is a higher ABV version of Blanton’s with a slightly varied flavor profile from that brand.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Bright apple and cherry burst on the nose with a sense of almost tart red berries swimming in cream just kissed with vanilla and salted caramel next to a hint of cinnamon bark and allspice.

Palate: The palate is lush and moves from creamy cherry/vanilla toward winter spice barks, burnt orange, marzipan, and maybe even a hint of black licorice.

Finish: The woodiness of those winter spices kick up on the finish before softening into a silken end of vanilla creamy, cherry syrup, and a very faint hint of mint chocolate chip.

Bottom Line:

This is Blanton’s turned up to eleven. It’s simply more flavorful and runs deeper thanks to less proofing water. Yes, this has fallen victim to the Buffalo Trace aftermarket economy on price (the MSRP is only $60). But, this is so good and so very rare that the price on this one on the secondary makes a lot more sense.

5. Willett Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 8 Years

Willett 8 Year Old
Willett

ABV: 57.5%

Average Price: $494

The Whiskey:

This is a new classic Willett expression that’s as eye-catching as it’s tasty. The whiskey in the bottle is made from Willett’s wheated bourbon recipe (a mash bill of 65% corn, 20% wheat, and 15% malted barley). That whiskey is left to rest for nearly nine years before batching and bottling pretty much as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This feels like a fresh summer berry cobbler on the nose with a hint of vanilla, mint, and clove all dusted with powdered sugar and toffee crumbles next to a fleeting hint of fresh spearmint.

Palate: That red berries vibe continues on the palate with a lush vanilla buttercream/eggnog vibe countered by winter spice barks, burnt orange, and marzipan with a hint of rose water, white pepper, and maybe some salted black licorice spiciness.

Finish: Singed winter spice woods and old sweet oak pops on the finish before a soft landing of rich toffee, moist marzipan, and oily vanilla smoothes everything out.

Bottom Line:

While the age statement is on the lower end (for a Willett anyway), this still slaps. It’s bold, delicious, and runs deep. Overall, the rarity makes this hard to find (the MSRP is $170 and $500 is a price point that you’ll be lucky to find outside of some Kentucky adjacent markets). Still, as with most rare Willetts, you’ll be rewarded for your patience and cash with a delightful sipper.

4. Very Olde St. Nick Ancient 13 Year Estate Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

Very Olde St. Nick Ancient 13 Year
Preservation Distillery

ABV: 53.75%

Average Price: $429

The Whiskey:

Preservation’s Very Olde St. Nick line always wows. This rare bourbon is built from a batch of 13 to 15-year-old barrels that the team at Preservation expertly sourced. The whiskey goes into the bottle as-is.

Primarily created with 13- and 15-year Kentucky Bourbons

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a soft sense of powdered cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg that leads to a cherry compote over pecans and old butterscotch candies with this feeling of a fruit orchard at the end of winter.

Palate: The cherry and cinnamon bind on the luxurious palate as woody and botanical Christmas spices lean into mulled wine and gingerbread with an aura of roasted nuts and sticky toffee pudding next to figs and cedar.

Finish: There’s a spicy cherry tobacco chewiness on the end that’s accented by lush vanilla cream and toffee with a light sense of old fir on a cold day with a whisper of earthiness lurking underneath.

Bottom Line:

These are rare and expensive (that price is MSRP). Still, I have yet to have one of these that didn’t deliver on every level, making this the perfect mix of rare and delicious to warrant that price tag.

3. Barrell Craft Spirits Gold Label Bourbon

Barrell Craft Spirits Gold Label Bourbon
Barrell Craft Spirits

ABV: 56.77%

MSRP: $499

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is a blend of Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky bourbons. Each barrel in that blend is a minimum of 16 years old. The barrels were specifically chosen for their cherry, nutty, high-proof, and chocolate profiles. Half of those barrels were then finished in new American oak for a final touch of maturation before vatting and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a sense of wet oak staves (think rained on barrels) next to freshly pressed sugar cane juice, damp, almost still unharvested cherry tobacco leaves, the seeds from a vanilla pod, rainwater, stringy cedar bark, and fresh apricot next to Bing cherry.

Palate: Dark cherry leads to candied ginger on the opening of the taste as orange marmalade mingles with toasted sourdough, sticky yet subtle fir resin, and creamy key lime pie filling with just a hint of the butter in the crust of that pie. The mid-palate leans into the sugar in that pie filling as the cherry kicks back in with a sliver of tartness next to overripe peaches, dried hibiscus, mild anise, allspice berries, sassafras, and dried cacao nibs.

Finish: The finish gently steps through a field full of orange blossoms as that cacao dries out more, leaving you with dried choco-cherry tobacco that’s been inside a cedar box wrapped in decades-old leather.

Bottom Line:

The team at Barrell Craft Spirits has a knack for creating the best blends in the game. This Gold Label release is like the best of the best of that knack. This is simply great whiskey that deserves every cent of that hefty MSRP.

2. Heaven’s Door The Bootleg Series Volume IV Wheated Bourbon Finished in Islay Scotch Casks Aged 11 Years Cask Strength

Heaven's Door Bootleg Series Volume IV
Heavens Door

ABV: 55.5%

Average Price: $499

The Whiskey:

This late 2022 release from Heaven’s Door carries on the tradition of the Bootleg Series being stellar. The whiskey in the bottle is a wheated bourbon that spent 11 years mellowing before being re-casked in old Islay Scotch whisky casks. After a final rest, those barrels were batched and bottled as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Old lawn wicker and worn-out leather tobacco pouches mingle with Christmas plum pudding, rich and most marzipan, and campfire-kissed marshmallow with this faint trace of burnt incense ash.

Palate: There’s a sense of old corn husks that leads to old oak staves, orchards full of dead leaves, sour cherry, marzipan cut with dark orange oils, and this fleeting speck of beef tallow.

Finish: That whisper of umami leads back to the dark orchard fruits, soft nuttiness, and mild medley of botanical winter spices with a chewy fresh tobacco vibe.

Bottom Line:

This has everything you could ever want in a complex, enticing, and delicious whiskey — nuance, balance, and enough flavor notes to draw you in without seeming muddy or overwhelming. This is also worth its MSRP simply by being something so unique that we may never see it done this good again.

1. Wild Turkey Master’s Keep 17-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Wild Turkey Master's Keep 17-YEar
Campari Group

ABV: 43.4%

Average Price: $499

The Whiskey:

This well-aged bourbon from Eddie Russell highlights deep and balanced Turkey bourbon flavors in every sip. For this expression, Russell hand-selects 17-year-old barrels of Turkey that “travel” between their wooden and brick rickhouses, traversing roughly 200 miles over 17 years. Those barrels are batched and then bottled as-is at a lower proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There are clear and bold notes of smoldering cherry and apple bark next to oily vanilla pods, buttery and almost burnt toffee, orange orchards in full bloom, and fresh piles of pipe tobacco cut with clove and cherry on the nose.

Palate: The spice kicks in with a holiday spiced cake edge that leads towards a salted caramel, bitter chocolate-covered espresso beans, and freshly chopped firewood resting in sweet black potting soil.

Finish: The end is soft and luxurious with a deep musty cellar vibe that leads to an old leather pouch full of dried apple and cherry tobacco leaves braided with dried wild sagebrush, cedar bark, and strips of old saddle leather with a hint of black mushrooms lurking underneath.

Bottom Line:

This is old, earthy, and musty while still holding onto that emblematic Turkey vibe. Overall, this is a well-aged sipper that might be a little too aged for the uninitiated into funky bourbons that spent nearly two decades in a centuries-old warehouse. Or not, I think it’s delicious and weird and fun.

When it comes to the price, the $150 MSRP almost seems too low for the quality of this booze. I know that sounds outlandish. But the MSRP on this could be $499 and I don’t think anyone would bat an eye. It’s that good.

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Disney Appears To Be Trolling Ron DeSantis By Announcing A Big Pride Event Hours After His Latest Threat Against Them

Is it smart for Rob DeSantis to go to war with his state’s biggest employer? Or will he only succeed in rallying a fringe-y base and alienating everyone else? He’ll soon find out. He’s already cratering in the polls and losing billionaire donors over his increasing extremism, but that hasn’t stopped him from threatening to, among other things, build a prison by Disney World, all because they don’t hate LGBTQIA+ people. Are his antics scaring the mega-company? It appears not.

As per Raw Story, not long after the Florida governor’s latest threat, Disney announced their first-ever Disneyland After Dark: Pride Night. The event, scheduled for two nights in mid-June, would find them” celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community & allies will have themed entertainment, Disney characters, specialty menu items & more.”

It’s obviously Disneyland in Anaheim, California, not Disney World in Orlando, Florida. But it’s the same company and it shows them defiant against — or maybe at least willing to simply troll — anyone looking to turn back the clock in how the nation treats an increasingly large section of the company, to say nothing of the ever-growing number of allies amidst rightwing attacks.

No doubt Ol’ Puddin’ Fingers DeSantis is still steamed that Disney was able to circumvent his attempts to take over the land the Magic Kingdom occupies in his state. That he’s (again) getting his butt handed to him by the former president he’s attempted to emulate probably doesn’t hurt either. The guy clearly needs a win, but perhaps he won’t get one.

(Via Raw Story)

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Guy watching ‘The Office’ on plane has ‘mind blown’ when he learns ‘Dwight’ is sitting next to him

Celebrities who want to avoid being harassed in public have found refuge over the past three years because they can wear masks to conceal their identities while protecting themselves from airborne diseases.

On April 13, actor Rainn Wilson, best known as Dwight Schrute on “The Office,” sat next to a fan in a plane and went unnoticed for over 5 hours because his mask concealed his identity. He had fun with the situation in an Instagram post where he secretly filmed the guy sitting next to him as he binge-watched “The Office” during the flight.


In the post, Wilson videos himself, wearing a mask, and slowly pans to the guy sitting next to him who is intently chowing down on a meal while watching “The Office.”

“When the person sitting next to you has no idea who you are …,” Wilson captioned the video to his more than 3.3 million followers on Instagram.

After the video went viral, countless people asked Wilson whether the guy beside him realized who he was. So he did a follow-up post on the video’s second slide where he explained the big reveal. “Everyone keeps asking me did the guy ever recognize you? And, yes, so after five hours of watching ‘The Office,’ I finally nudged him,” he said.

“I was like, ‘Oh, it seems like you like that show.’ And I was slowly taking my mask off,” Wilson continued. “And he’s like, ‘Yeah, I really liked it a lot.’”

Wilson’s anonymity allowed him to get an honest opinion of the show he starred in for 9 seasons. “I was like, ‘Oh, I heard it was not so good,’ Wilson recalled. “He’s like, ‘Well, it starts really slow and the first season is kind of questionable.’”

“And I was slowly taking my mask off, and I was like, ‘Oh, not so good, huh, the first season?’ he said.

“He’s like, ‘Yeah, but once you get into it and get to know the characters.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, but that first season kind of sucks. Is it really bad? That’s too bad that the first season sucks,’” Wilson continued before completely removing his mask and exposing his true identity.

When the guy realized who it was, Wilson says his “head exploded,” and the two “had a nice laugh.”

“So, happy ending,” Wilson concluded the post.

A testament to Wilson’s sense of humor was his patience in the funny situation. He could have revealed who he was when his seatmate first started watching “The Office.” But he waited over 5 hours before the big reveal, making the situation even more surreal.

Funny enough, the thing about the video that received the most comments was that the guy on the plane wasn’t a huge fan of season one of “The Office.”

The most popular comment on the post, which received nearly 5500 likes, was by its_bnv, who took real issue with the guy’s opinion. “First season sucks? Did he not watch diversity day?! One of the best episodes of the entire series.”

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Frank Ocean Reportedly Changed His Coachella Set At The Last Minute Due To An Injury

Frank Ocean’s Coachella set turned out to be the big disappointment of the weekend, but according to TMZ, the last-minute changes that apparently derailed Frank’s Coachella plans were caused by an unexpected injury suffered by the headliner. TMZ reports sources close to Frank or Coachella say Frank was involved in a bicycle accident during rehearsals for the festival while traversing the festival grounds.

This prompted the teardown of the ice skating rink that he was expected to utilize for his performance and left the 100 or so LA-based hockey players hired for the performance with little to do during the set. They’d rehearsed at Coachella a week before the show, but after arriving at the grounds on Sunday, were told that plans had been scrapped. Instead of skating, they walked the stage in their custom Prada wardrobes.

If this is true, it could explain why Frank wanted Coachella to cancel the live stream of his set, since it’d have been a disappointing, stripped-down version of what he originally wanted to do, and why he went on an hour late. However, he wound up giving a strange, disjointed performance anyway, prompting an outcry on Twitter of both fans disappointed by the set and those upset they didn’t get to see it online. Perhaps Frank will have recovered by weekend two and fans can see the real set he had planned all along, just the way he intended it.