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When McCall Mirabella was a freshman in high school, she began vaping nicotine. It seemed like everyone she knew was doing it— she felt like she saw more kids her age using e-cigarettes than drinking alcohol, and rationalized that it couldn’t be that bad for her.

Eventually, she decided to quit and shared her entire journey with the world, hoping to warn others about the dangers—and realities—of vaping. Mirabella often wished she had access to a program for people her age when she was struggling on her own quit effort. That’s why she is partnered with truth^® to spread the word about This is Quitting, a free and anonymous text message quit vaping program that is helping more than 500,000 young people.

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The truth campaign, which helped reduce youth smoking to historic lows, took on the topic of vaping when it was declared an epidemic among young people in 2018. At that time, Truth Initiative, the organization behind truth, saw how many young people wanted to quit and developed This is Quitting in response to that need. A first-of-its-kind quit vaping text program, This is Quitting is now part of truth.

The most recent truth campaign, Breath of Stress Air connects the dots between vaping and mental health, revealing that while it might seem like vaping helps you tolerate the stress of life (and the holidays!), the reality is that vaping nicotine can worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression and may increase stress levels. But the good news? Among young people who quit, 90% of said that they felt less stressed, anxious, or depressed.

Basically: vaping may not be chilling you out and it may be best to trade stress air for fresh air.

Like many young people who vape, Mirabella took a hit of nicotine first thing in the morning, before she even got out of bed. Vaping felt like it made her life better—her brain, which was seriously hooked on the nicotine she was inhaling, told her what she was doing improved her mood, alleviated her stress, and curbed her appetite. Why would she ever quit?

However, 4 years into her nicotine addiction, a friend bet her $3,000 that she would not be able to quit vaping for an entire year. While quitting felt intimidating, she took the bet (planning to donate the money to charity), and opted to document her entire experience via her YouTube channel.

“When I uploaded my quitting nicotine documentary on my YouTube, I hoped that by telling my story, I’d have the opportunity to also help others. That’s why I was so happy to learn about This is Quitting and have the opportunity to partner with truth to help others quit too,” said Mirabella.

Quit with McCall Challenge

Mirabella continues to pay it forward. In an effort this past November to help others quit she joined truth for a ‘Quit With McCall Challenge,’ which helped nearly 2,500 young people join This is Quitting. Additionally, nearly 800 of those who enrolled in the challenge joined Mirabella’s Discord channel, leaning on each other for additional support. One user commented, “Yes I was looking for someone to talk to about quitting and I [saw] McCall’s new YouTube video and she blessed me with this [gift, because] I felt veryyyy alone and not so much anymore.”

Overcoming addiction of any kind is an enormous undertaking, which is why support from friends and peers is so crucial. With that in mind, This is Quitting incorporates text messages from other quitters on their journey. truth also uplifts the voices of real young people through its ongoing “Quitters” series. One such story comes from Jordon, a young person who committed to escaping his nicotine addiction. Using This is Quitting, he has successfully been able to commit to a healthy, vape-free lifestyle.

How a 15 Year Smoker Turned Vaper Quit to Help Support His Family | Quitters Episode 3

Mirabella knows better than anyone how important peer-to-peer relationships are when it feels like you’re at war with your body.

“I am so inspired by everyone who is participating and the community we’ve built. A lot of Gen-Z wants to quit once they know the risks, they just don’t know how. That’s why I stand behind truth and their amazing work to provide free 24/7 guidance,” said Mirabella. “I hope other aspiring quitters know there is a big supportive community out there that wants to see you succeed in quitting.”

By enrolling today, you’re joining a half-a-million other young people who are taking control of their future and rejecting vaping. Even if you’re just thinking about quitting, but aren’t sure you’re ready, you can still text the number anytime. Support is truly 24/7—you can text DITCHVAPE to 88709 to receive it instantly. What better way to begin a new year?

When John Mayer was announced as this week’s guest on the former-Barstool-Sports-turned-female-empowerment podcast, Call Her Daddy, fans — both of the show and a certain A-list pop star — were outraged. The host, Alex Cooper, had previously been campaigning to have the star on a future episode… considering Mayer’s appearance was just as cringey as some suspected, it seems any chance of Taylor Swift coming on has been squashed.

During the episode, Mayer, who felt compelled to bring his guitar on a podcast, played “Dancing In A Burning Room” and “Why Georgia.” As listeners likely wanted more chaotic musings than music, Cooper delivered by asking the 45-year-old, “Do you do this before you have sex with someone?”

His answer might not come as a surprise to many, but he went on to double down, making it even weirder of a response than we ever suspected.

“No, I do it after sometimes,” Mayer replied. “No, you should never play guitar to have sex with someone, but a little naked guitar playing after is very memorable. With a little gut hanging over, sitting Indian-style on the edge of the bed. It’s nice! I like seeing the way people fold up all weird when they sit up. No matter who you are, you look weird when you sit up. And it’s cute.”

Mayer claimed he “doesn’t really date” anymore and hasn’t since 2016. This has partially shut down rumors after the musician was linked to 23-year-old Kiernan Shipka last month.

Here are a few things that Tom Cruise loves: movies, jumping out of planes, calling people p*ssies. Here’s one thing that Tom Cruise doesn’t love: cake. Every holiday season, the Mission: Impossible and Top Gun: Maverick star sends a cake to those lucky enough to be on his exclusive list, including Michael Bay, Kirsten Dunst, and Glen Powell. But according to James Corden, Cruise has never eaten the fabled cake himself.

“It’s unbelievable, I would say almost everybody he meets who works on The Late Late Show gets one of these cakes,” the late-night host (who probably thinks he can bake the cake better than the professionals) said on the Heart Breakfast radio show. “It’s like our head writers, Ian and Lauren, you know different people that he’s met, he’s just so gracious and generous. But here’s the most amazing thing. He’s never tried it!”

The Mission: Impossible actor, 60, is known for sending his pals a £38 ($50) White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake from Doan’s Bakery in Woodland Hills every year… Corden said he once gave Tom his review of the cake, explaining: “I said to him once, this cake is the most extraordinary cake I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

Cruise previously told Corden that although he loves sugar, he doesn’t eat the cake because “I’m doing all these movies. So I send it to everyone.” So, how did the sweet treat get on his radar? Diane Keaton introduced him to it while she was filming 2008’s otherwise-forgotten Mad Money with Cruise’s then-wife Katie Holmes. That’s putting a lot of faith in Diane Keaton. Honestly? Not the worst idea.

(Via the Daily Mail)

These days, Britney Spears’ creative output mostly consists of Instagram posts, and a notable number of those feature provocative pictures and videos of Spears showing off her skin. Now, based on what Spears is saying in her latest nude posts, it appears she’s noticing Instagram trying to limit her racy online activity.

Spears shared a slew of new posts yesterday (December 20), and while she’s naked in them, the photos and videos are framed more conservatively than usual. In one post, she wrote, “Instagram doesn’t like posts of people revealing their bodies anymore so here’s a selfie of me in Mexico !!! Mom and Dad … I crossed the border and I made it !!! After no coffee for 15 years … Mom we can go have coffee together now !!! I’m treated as an equal … let’s have coffee and talk about it !!!” She added in another, “I’m posting these from Mexico !!!! Honestly I have no idea why but I can see better !!!! I was in the shower for 2 hours but we can’t reveal our bodies now !!! There’s something about shooting in water !!! I wanted to see my eyes !!!”

This comes shortly after husband Sam Asghari defended Spears’ racy posts while also admitting something, writing, “The only person in the world that gets bullied for posting things like this. I personally preferred she never posted these but who am I to control someone that’s been under a microscope and been controlled for most of her life.”

Check out Spears’ posts below.

Recently, Balenciaga found itself in some hot water after a controversial ad campaign, which CBS News describes, “The ads, which were said to be to promote Balenciaga’s plush bear bags, were part of the brand’s holiday campaign. The bears, however, are wearing BDSM gear and are being held by children that appear to be no more than 5 years old. In one of the pictures, a child is also surrounded by what appear to be wine and cocktail glasses.”

Now, Gucci’s promotion of their “HA HA HA” line is coming under similar fire thanks to a recent campaign featuring Harry Styles posing with a toddler-sized mattress. It was first shared back in November but has received increased attention recently.

Gucci called the campaign a “performance piece” and said (as NME notes), “Play is at the very heart of the collection, which uses menswear as a tool of the avant garde. Harry Styles showcase[s] the ‘dream wardrobe’ defined by the eccentric use of romantic accents, whimsical prints, vintage details, and the expressive emotionality of the individual. […] Harry Styles enacts a theatrical piece where classicism meets play, transforming the wardrobe into a liberated platform where the masculine can embrace vanity.”

Among those not pleased with the campaign is Alexandra Gucci Zarini, the great-granddaughter of Gucci founder Guccio Gucci. She tweeted, “Gucci was created to be the most elegant brand with the highest quality product. The direction it seems to be taking now is concerning. The protection of children should always come first and not be laughed at.”

Check out some more reactions below.

This article originally appeared on 03.14.18

Stephen Hawking, universally beloved scientist and one of the greatest minds of our generation, died at age 76.

The theoretical physicist, best known for his work in cosmology (particularly with black holes), was both a visionary and an inspiration. Outside his vast intelligence (of which he was very modest, once saying that people who boasted about IQs were losers), he was also a study in resilience and perseverance.

At the age of 21, Hawking was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The disease progresses quickly, and Hawking was given only a short time to live, but he survived for decades and stayed mobile with use of a wheelchair.

Hawking never stopped working, writing about the nature of the universe and traveling from country to country to lecture enthralled audiences.

“Although there was a cloud hanging over my future,” Hawking said of his diagnosis,”I found, to my surprise, that I was enjoying life in the present more than before. I began to make progress with my research.”

In 1988, Hawking published “A Brief History of Time,” which accomplished, as The Independent notes, the “impossible” tasks of not only taking the entire history of time and space and relating it all in just one volume but also making it easy to read and understand for everyone — not just fellow scientists.

“However, if we discover a complete theory, it should in time be understandable by everyone, not just by a few scientists,” Hawking wrote at the end of the book. “Then we shall all, philosophers, scientists and just ordinary people, be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason – for then we should know the mind of God.”

Hawking’s influence exceeded the field of science. He was a pop culture phenomenon and an arbiter of great advice — not just on the nature of the universe, but on life itself.

(After all, he was on “The Simpsons.” And who didn’t love him dropping an epic burn on Jon Oliver.)

“My goal is simple,” Hawking once said of his work. “It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all.”

Hawking was an inspiration for us all.

He will be deeply missed. And as the celebration of his life flows on social media — who could forget the time he threw a party for time travelers and no one showed up — we’re celebrating Hawking’s contributions to this world with some of his most inspirational quotes, the ones that remind us to look forward, look upward, and never forget the common humanity we all share.

On moving forward in the face of adversity:

“Be curious. However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.”

On the importance of a sense of humor:

“Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.”

On the universe:

“It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love.”

On what makes humans unique:

“We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special.”

On the power of communication:

“For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination. We learned to talk and we learned to listen. Speech has allowed the communication of ideas, enabling human beings to work together to build the impossible. Mankind’s greatest achievements have come about by talking, and its greatest failures by not talking. It doesn’t have to be like this. Our greatest hopes could become reality in the future. With the technology at our disposal, the possibilities are unbounded. All we need to do is make sure we keep talking.”

On the true meaning of intelligence:

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

On creating your own fate:

“I have noticed that even people who claim everything is predetermined and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.”

On knowledge:

“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”

On the power of possibility:

“Time travel used to be thought of as just science fiction, but Einstein’s general theory of relativity allows for the possibility that we could warp space-time so much that you could go off in a rocket and return before you set out.”

On living your best life:

“Here are the most important pieces of advice that I’ve passed on to my children. One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don’t throw it away.”

This article originally appeared on 01.24.19

Social media spats usually end in ugly words or blocking people—unless you’re Patton Oswalt.

Actor and comedian Patton Oswalt has made a name for himself off screen as a blunt yet caring, compassionate human. His raw openness after his wife’s unexpected passing and his willingness to engage in conversations about depression and dadhood after her death has touched people’s hearts and opened people’s minds.

And once again on Twitter, Oswalt has proven that he is unquestionably one of the most kind-hearted dudes in Hollywood.

Oswalt shared that a man who attacked him on Twitter needed help, then encouraged people to help him.

Twitter user Michael Beatty had replied to Oswalt’s response to one of Trump’s tweet with “I just realized why I was so happy you died in Blade Trinity!” and “And you shoot basketball ike [sic] the sawed off little man you are.”

Rather than let endless insults fly back and forth until someone finally gave up, as is Twitter tradition, Oswalt dug a bit deeper and came up with this gem:

Aw, man. This dude just attacked me on Twitter and I joked back but then I looked at his timeline and he’s in a LOT… https://t.co/FzyA6732eD

— Patton Oswalt (@Patton Oswalt)
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“Aw, man,” he wrote. “This dude just attacked me on Twitter and I joked back but then I looked at his timeline and he’s in a LOT of trouble health-wise. I’d be pissed off too. He’s been dealt some shitty cards — let’s deal him some good ones. Click and donate — just like I’m about to.”

Beatty, a Vietnam veteran, had shared a GoFundMe describing a recent, harrowing two-week hospitalization battling sepsis, a potentially fatal blood infection, and struggles in managing his diabetes throughout. When Oswalt saw the link, he shared it with his followers and encouraged people to donate to this man who’d had nothing but nasty things to say to him.

Oswalt donated $2000 himself toward the man’s $5000 goal. A mere few hours later, his followers pushed it over $12,000.

As of the writing of this article, the GoFundMe has raised almost $13,000. Beatty responded with a humble, sincere message for Oswalt:

@pattonoswalt Patton. You have humbled me to the point where I can barely compose my words. You have caused me to t… https://t.co/r0BxQrTnUY

— Michael Beatty (@Michael Beatty)
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“Patton,” he wrote. “You have humbled me to the point where I can barely compose my words. You have caused me to take pause and reflect on how harmful words from my mouth could result in such an outpouring. Thank you for this and I will pass this on to my cousin who needs help. A cascade.”

Beatty followed that up with another tweet thanking everyone who donated:

I want to thank everyone who came to my aid with generous outpourings- and also to @pattonoswalt without whom I wou… https://t.co/rtdeDyLmLj

— Michael Beatty (@Michael Beatty)
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People have responded to Oswalt’s kindness and Beatty’s response with hope that such actions may change people’s hearts.

And Oswalt, always the jokester, responded to Beatty’s Tweet with sarcastic humor.

See, THIS is why compassion and forgiveness are the best — wait, you CRIED?!? You fuckin’ pussy! Donation CANCELLED. https://t.co/NkgNb6tmG5

— Patton Oswalt (@Patton Oswalt)
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Keep up the awesome humaning, Patton Oswalt. We need more of you in the world.

A couple of days ago, producer Hitmaka made a blatantly sexist tweet: “Can’t wait to work with a pretty female rapper that’s strictly about bars to even the playing field,” he wrote. “Pussy rap was cool when it had shock value & was rare. Now it’s like every girl taking it there. It’s sum who aren’t but they need a hit producer 4 impact.” He’s been getting torn to shreds in the quote-tweets and Baby Tate is joining in on the fun.

In a successful effort to prove Hitmaka wrong, Tate shared a video of her rapping a flawless flow about misogyny in the rap world. It’s not without straightforward jabs: “You probably couldn’t pull a b*tch / Even if the b*tch was a service dog.” She also calls him out by name with the clever line: “Makahit for yourself.” It ends with a scratching closer: “Can you tell me why you’re talking all this sh*t when your biggest recent hit was ‘Thot Box’?”

Of course the clip of this rap immediately went viral and had rap fans tearing Hitmaka to shreds again for his statement. People who weren’t even fans of her before are officially converting. We think it’s safe to say she won.

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

Things are a bit chaotic over at Warner Bros. Discovery these days, and that includes the DCEU. The comics film and TV wing have two new bosses, James Gunn and Peter Safran, and they’re making some bold choices about its future. Black Adam 2? Probably not happening, though Dwayne Johnson’s character may stick around. Jason Momoa? May be reassigned to a new character. Henry Cavill? Out as Superman, but he’ll probably stick around to. Now it sounds like the same may — or may not! — happen the franchise’s once-resident Wonder Woman.

As caught by Entertainment Weekly, someone commented on a post Gunn made on Instagram Monday, where he basically told his rudest critics where to go. He did reply to at least one of them. Someone complained about “the move to boot Cavill and Gadot,” which “doesn’t inspire confidence” in the future of the DCEU.

Gunn replied, cryptically, “I’m not sure where you’re getting that we ‘booted’ Gal.”

Does that mean Wonder Woman will return? Or will Gadot be treated like Cavill and Momoa and Johnson, which is to say that they’ll be around, one way or another? All should be clear early next year, when Gunn and Safran lay out their grand, ambitious plan for the franchise’s future. Till then, as Gunn has pointed out, there’s no use in leaving him rude messages on social media because he’ll just ignore them.

(Via EW)

No wonder why SZA waited so long to put out her new album — she deals with a lot of bullsh*t. She recently had to point out how many songs on S.O.S. aren’t sad so people would stop writing off the LP as “sad girl music.” Now, she’s explaining herself again because haters are criticizing the content of her lyrics.

On Twitter, the singer wrote, “Sos is me singing about relationships from 6 years ago . Ctrl was about relationships from high school n college . Reflection is a part of growth . Reflection is good .”

It’s unfortunately not a surprise that her ruminating on past relationships is receiving unwarranted criticism; female musicians are constantly attacked for writing about relationships, something men rarely or never have to deal with. Many (men) have accused her of being “toxic,” when really they should just be grateful that SZA was so vulnerable and transparent with the world on this record.

The good news is that S.O.S. is getting a loving reception from those who are actually her fans, despite her previous worry that they would hate it. “I never thought in a million years that people would like it,” she said on a recent podcast. “My dad’s visiting right now, with my mom. Everybody came down to make sure I didn’t lose my mind if the album went bad once it came out. And now we’re just hanging out, ’cause it didn’t go badly!”