Netflix has shared the first trailer to their upcoming documentary, LA Originals, which follows Chicano artists Mister Cartoon and Estevan Oriol’s journey to success on the outskirts of hip-hop. Set to arrive next week, the documentary has been promoted as “an exploration of the culture and landmarks of the Chicano and street art movement that cemented Mister Cartoon and Estevan Oriol’s status as behind-the-scenes hip-hop legends.”
The ad emphasizes the Cartoon and Oriol’s hip-hop presence, as well as such guests as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Pharrell, Cypress Hill, and Blink-182. Geroge Lopez, actress Michelle Rodriguez, actor Wilmer Valderrama, and the legendary Danny Trejo can also be seen.
According to HipopDX, Mister Cartoon is responsible for the logos of both Cypress Hill and Shady Records, but it’s his work as a tattoo artist for which he is most famous, having inked the likes of Kobe Bryant, 50 Cent, and Method Man. He has also appeared in the music video for Xzibit’s “Criminal Set” and Eminem’s “Stan.” Estevan Oriol, the documentary’s director, is himself a legendary photographer, best known for his work within the Chicano and gang cultures, as well as capturing Eminem, Cypress Hill, and Kendrick Lamar.
LA Originals is out 04/10 via Netflix. You can watch the trailer above.
Welcome to this week’s Wednesday Night Wars open discussion thread. This week we’ve got the first TakeOver Tampa Bay make-up episode ofNXT featuring a triple threat match for the North American Championship and a women’s division gauntlet, against an AEW Dynamite featuring the AEW debut of Lance Archer, another side of the bracket for the TNT Championship tournament announced, and more.
On tonight’s cards:
AEW Dynamite
Cody Rhodes and Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara and Shawn Spears
Lance Archer’s AEW debut
The Natural Nightmares’ AEW Dynamite debut
Kenny Omega vs. Trent
Four remaining names in the TNT Championship tournament will be announced
NXT
Triple Threat Match for the North American Championship: Keith Lee (c) vs. Dominik Dijakovic vs. Damian Priest
Velveteen Dream vs. Bobby Fish
Second Chance Gauntlet Match for a spot in the NXT Women’s Title Number One Contender’s Ladder Match: Kayden Carter vs. Dakota Kai vs. Xia Li vs. Shotzi Blackheart vs. Aliyah vs. Deonna Purrazzo
As always, +1 your favorite comments from tonight’s open thread and if we get enough comments, we’ll include 10 of the best in tomorrow’s Best and Worst of NXT and AEW reports. Make sure you flip the comments by selecting “newest” in the drop down menu under discussion, and enjoy the show!
Adam Schlesinger, member of the group Fountains Of Wayne and an Emmy-winning songwriter for the television series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, died Wednesday morning after being hospitalized for testing positive for the coronavirus, Varietyreports. The esteemed musician was 52.
News of Schlesinger’s condition first broke Tuesday, saying he had been hospitalized for more than a week in upstate New York and was on a ventilator, though reportedly not in a coma. His longtime attorney, Josh Grier told Variety, “He’s very sick and is heavily sedated, as are all people on ventilators, but no one has used the word ‘coma’ to me.” In another update, Schlesinger’s girlfriend spoke to TMZ and said that he “has been sedated to facilitate his recovery. He is in critical condition, but his condition is improving slightly and we are cautiously optimistic.”
Schlesinger was one of a rising number of music industry figures who had recently been diagnosed with the virus. Legendary songwriter John Prine, producer, songwriter, and musician Andrew Watt, and Universal Music CEO and chairman Lucian Grainge have all been diagnosed with the virus in recent weeks.
Schlesinger’s life and career include Oscar, Tony, Grammy, and Emmy nominations, with wins for the latter two. His most recent award came at the 2018 Emmy Awards, where he picked up a win for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the Crazy Ex Girlfriend song “Antidepressants Are So Not A Big Deal.”
After weeks of back-and-forth, Khabib Nurmagomedov has officially pulled out of UFC 249, announcing on Wednesday on Instagram that he is at home in quarantine and would not be fighting during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Staying home in quarantine and reading the reaction of people to the situation around my fight, it turns out that the whole world should be in quarantine, governments of all countries, famous people around the world urge people to follow all safety requirements in order to limit the spread of the disease, to save people, and Khabib is the only one relieved of all obligations and must demonstrate free will and train flying around the world, for the sake of fight? – I understand everything and I’m definitely upset more than you to cancel the fight, probably like all others, I had many plans after the fight, but I can’t control it all.
The greatest countries and the largest companies of our time are shocked by what is happening, every day the situation changes unpredictably.
But Khabib still has to fight, is that what you saying?
– Take care of yourself and put yourself in my shoes. –
With Nurmagomedov out of the picture, Tony Ferguson is calling for the champ to be stripped of his title because he’s “scared and running,” the challenger said in an interview with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani.
“He obviously knew what he could do to help save this card,” Ferguson said. “He didn’t want to take any of those chances. Everybody is taking risks trying to do it. He bailed out, man. It’s pretty hard to explain, but he bailed out, man.”
Justin Gaethje has been floated as a potential opponent for Ferguson, but that deal has yet to be agreed upon. Gaethje is on a three-fight win streak, with victories over Edson Barboza and most recently, Donald Cerrone.
This is the fifth time a Nurmagomedov-Ferguson tilt has been canceled.
Among the most people most in jeopardy from the COVID-19 outbreak are prisoners serving sentences in our nation’s crowded jails. Harvey Weinstein, newly incarcerated, tested positive, likely due to a large number of cases at Rikers Island, where he was initially interred. And while Joseph Maldonado-Passage — aka Joe Exotic, star of the break-out Netflix doc-series Tiger King, and another famous inmate — hasn’t tested positive, his husband did reveal that he’s currently in coronavirus isolation.
The news was picked up by The Hollywood Reporter, who caught that Dillon Passage, Maldonado-Passage’s husband, broke the news to Andy Cohen on his SiriusXM show Radio Andy. Again, Joe Exotic is not known to have caught the virus — which continues to rampage across the globe, with the United States now the site of the world’s highest cases — but did recently transfer from a prison that reported multiple cases. They’re simply being safe.
Maldonado-Passage is serving a 22-year sentence for his role in a murder-for-hire plot detailed in Tiger King, whose wild, twisty tale has captivated viewers who are perhaps looking for distraction from the relentlessly grim news, as well as some entertainment while quarantining. There’s already a limited series adaptation in the works, spearheaded by Kate McKinnon, so it doesn’t look like we’ll be rid of the zookeeper-turned-con any time soon. Be well.
Bill Gates may not be a doctor but he has increasingly become an expert on world health issues over the past several decades as his public footprint has transitioned from Microsoft co-founder to one of the greatest philanthropists alive today.
Now, Gates is using his public platform to be a voice of reason as America, and the world, grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. Though Gates isn’t shy about pointing out that America absolutely failed in our federal government’s initial response to the virus, he says there is still a clear window of hope and opportunity — but only if our leaders act now. Here are the three main strategic moves Gates says must happen in order to curb the spread of disease and to get our economy back in gear as soon as possible.
In a new Washington Post column, Gates outlines a simple but vital strategy in three clear steps.
“First, we need a consistent nationwide approach to shutting down. Despite urging from public health experts, some states and counties haven’t shut down completely,” Gates writes. “In some states, beaches are still open; in others, restaurants still serve sit-down meals.”
Gates doesn’t mince words: failing to socially distance shut down all non-essential businesses will cost lives and lead to exponential more economic pain.
“This is a recipe for disaster,” he writes. “Because people can travel freely across state lines, so can the virus. The country’s leaders need to be clear: Shutdown anywhere means shutdown everywhere. Until the case numbers start to go down across America — which could take 10 weeks or more — no one can continue business as usual or relax the shutdown.”
San Francisco was cited as a prime example of how a city that was hit hard by the virus is starting to see positive results by flattening the curve with an aggressive lockdown strategy. If it can work in a dense urban population like the Bay Area, it can work anywhere.
The Trump Administration claims that the federal and state governments have conducted more coronavirus tests than anywhere in the world. Even if that’s true, America still woefully lags behind a number of nations in terms of per capita testing. And let’s be real, this isn’t about being “number 1” compared to other nations. The only thing that really matters is conducting enough tests to meet America’s needs. And on that front, we are still far, far behind where we need to be.
“We should also aggregate the results so we can quickly identify potential volunteers for clinical trials and know with confidence when it’s time to return to normal,” Gates writes. “There are good examples to follow: New York state recently expanded its capacity to up to more than 20,000 tests per day. There’s also been some progress on more efficient testing methods, such as the self-swab developed by the Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network, which allows patients to take a sample themselves without possibly exposing a health worker. I hope this and other innovations in testing are scaled up across the country soon.”
Gates also took aim at how available testing has so far greatly favored the rich and famous. Entire NBA teams are tested, using up a significant portion of a state’s available resources. It’s not just because these people have money and are paying private clinics. They are being prioritized because of economic and political privilege, denying access to those who need it most. As Gates writes:
“First on the list should be people in essential roles such as health-care workers and first responders, followed by highly symptomatic people who are most at risk of becoming seriously ill and those who are likely to have been exposed.”
No, a vaccine won’t happen overnight. And it’s not likely to happen before the end of the year. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be a national priority get develop one as soon as possible. Each day we save by accelerating the development and deployment of a vaccine will literally save lives and reduce the time it takes for America to get back to business. After all, a vaccine will not only provide physical support but would be a massive psychological boost to Americans and people around the world living under the cloud of this disease.
“We should stick with the process that works: Run rapid trials involving various candidates and inform the public when the results are in. Once we have a safe and effective treatment, we’ll need to ensure that the first doses go to the people who need them most,” Gates writes. “To bring the disease to an end, we’ll need a safe and effective vaccine. If we do everything right, we could have one in less than 18 months — about the fastest a vaccine has ever been developed.”
Taken together, Gates’ recommendations are simple, straightforward and absolutely essential. We’re living through an era where basic competence is the new cutting edge. And we’re in desperate need of that, with a healthy side serving of common sense. Bill Gates has wowed us many times over the years with his incredible innovations. Today, he’s reminding us that taking care of the basics and giving them the seriousness they deserve can and will make all the difference.
The last half of March was not great for any of us. Myself included. I had the misfortune to accidentally answer my editor’s request that I write an explainer about “what to expect if you get the coronavirus” by, well, getting the coronavirus. And though I knew that the actual effects of COVID-19 vary wildly — from asymptomatic to mild cold-like symptoms to severe flu to possible pneumonia and death — that didn’t exactly make it less scary. Especially when the illness really took hold.
A few weeks down the line, there are still a lot of unknowns. I’m under house arrest by doctor’s orders for at least another two weeks so that I don’t a) spread the virus, and b) don’t get it again (which we’re learning might be a possibility) or get something else, considering that my immune system has basically been wrecked by all this. Still, with numbers climbing dramatically in the U.S., it seemed like the right time for me to reflect on my experience with COVID-19, up to this point.
Before we dive in, some context. Before I got sick, I was running outdoor 10Ks every day. I was fasting for 18 hours per day. I was only drinking alcohol on Fridays and Saturdays. I don’t smoke (or vape). My diet was basically proteins and greens for lunch and dinner with an orange and a banana as a post-run snack. I was also taking a multi-vitamin every day since late-January (I usually don’t take vitamins). I hadn’t traveled since early January. For the most part, I was healthy — albeit a little overweight. I occasionally suffer from allergy-onset asthma but it’s super rare. Otherwise, I have no underlying health conditions. Generally, I go years without getting the flu or even a cold.
Secondly, I live in Germany. Germany has a good healthcare system that’s trying to stay afloat with the virus tearing across the country. I was not allowed to go to my doctor or a hospital during this ordeal unless my breathing nearly stopped or my fever peaked dramatically. Basically, the Germans are containing the virus by keeping ill people off the streets and out of the hospitals at all costs, unless it’s an actual health emergency. My doctor checked in on me daily during this time and gave me an over-the-phone diagnosis and treatments.
Lastly, I just want to reiterate that COVID-19 symptoms vary wildly. This is what I went through as a fairly healthy 40-year-old.
Yeah, so as I mentioned, I used to run a 10K every day. That became my first red flag. Some days it’s hard to get after it, but once you’re out there it’s all good. On March 16th, I was just tired all morning. I remember putting on my running shoes and thinking, “Hum, this shouldn’t be wearing me out.” I foolishly went for my run anyway.
I barely made it through. Generally, I can run a 10K in around an hour plus five to eight minutes. It took me ten more minutes that Monday. By the time I got home and showered, I had a tickle in the back of my throat and a slight headache.
My muscles ached very differently than every other day. Usually, the ache after a run is more like a rubber band that’s been stretched but is working its way back to its natural shape. The pain fades out fairly quickly. This was different. My legs and hips hurt from deep within. It was more of dull throb.
I got through the rest of the day and went to bed around my normal time (11 pm-ish). The next morning, I woke up thanks to a cough that seemed like it was deep in my lungs. It was dry and hacking. My head was heavy and pounding. My ears felt clogged — in the sense that I heard the ocean instead of regular noises. My deep muscle pain had deepened further still. It was a bone-ache now. Luckily, I didn’t have a fever.
I called my doctor and she isolated me in my bedroom. She had me do a few breathing tests and check my temperature, then she quizzed me about my symptoms. From there, she told me to monitor my breathing and take my temperature every two hours. She asked that I please not come to the office or the hospital unless my breathing became severely labored or my temperature rose dramatically.
That was it. I was ordered to ride it out at home.
The First Week
Kamil S, Unsplash
Looking back, the first week was hell but, weirdly, not as bad as the second — though the overall symptoms were more severe. Let me explain: I was full, knocked out sick the first week. I’d wake up in the mornings fairly lucid and get some stuff done. By noon-ish, I’d be out of it. I couldn’t keep my eyes open. The coughing would increase until it was nearly constant. I would get very short of breath and need an inhaler. My headaches entered “splitting” territory. My body felt like it was melting. I was so out of it, I couldn’t even watch TV. I’d just pass out until the coughing woke me up for a short spell and then pass out again.
On Wednesday, I had a slight fever but nothing too severe. It peaked at 100F. I never had a fever again. I did have pretty harsh breathing issues every night. Some nights they were severe enough to keep me awake but I never felt like they were severe enough to call an ambulance. Basically, my inhaler was in my hand as I slept, instead of sitting on my nightstand.
Thursday was more of the same but then diarrhea started. I kind of attribute that to my change in physical activity and diet. I was mainlining ramen spiked with chilis, gochujang, sambal olek, and ginger. I was drinking YETIs full of green tea, fresh ginger, and honey. Every time I woke up, I made sure to drink a glass of water. I was only really having one meal a day as I was not getting out of bed for a meal in the evening — I was too exhausted and in too much pain by that point.
By Friday, the symptoms ebbed a little. I was feeling like I could see a light at the end of the tunnel. I still had a severe cough and headache but my muscle aches had subsided.
On Saturday, I was feeling better still. The headache was half of what it had been the day before but the cough remained. I could think straight again and hold an actual conversation.
Then everything shifted.
The Second Week
Rex Pickar, Unsplash
By Monday, I was coughing so much that capillaries in my lungs were starting to burst. My snot was speckled with deep red blood. I was coughing up thick and almost hard chunks of phlegm with speckles of blood in them. On top of that, my body started to ache in more pinpointed ways. My neck was almost stone — to the point that I had to turn my whole body to look around. My lower back was also a mess. I couldn’t even lie down. The kicker was that I completely lost my voice.
At this point, the doctor ran some more lung tests on me over the phone and started checking in multiple times daily. The main concern was this: My lungs were shredded, my immune system was likely obliterated from fighting through the previous week, and now I was in real danger of getting pneumonia — a big reason that people are dying from this virus. My doctor also attributed the pinpointed muscle pain in my back and neck to not running anymore and being bedridden for a week. My doctor decided to put me on a very high dose of azithromycin for three days to stave off pneumonia. The drug is also being looked at as possible defense against COVID-19.
I was now experiencing pain in my chest/lungs, but my breathing, while not ideal, wasn’t terrible. The headaches would come back as I got more tired. I would have hard coughing fits when I woke up and when I’d get tired again. Like, full-on, ten-minute long coughing sessions that’d usually end with a little blood.
I carried on with my diet of ramen, spicy soup, and ginger and green tea. I drank as much water as I could. My soup consistently got spicier throughout the week as my sense of taste and smell basically disappeared. By Thursday, I was putting a full tablespoon of each gochujang and sambal olek along with an entire red chili into my soups, plus a full thumb of diced ginger, and still not thinking there was enough spice. I added some Ben and Jerry’s into the mix to soothe my throat from all the coughing.
I also started taking 400mg of Aspirin cut with vitamin C every four to six hours. I just couldn’t deal with the constant pain anymore. I was starting to get mentally frustrated. Aspirin at least took the edge off and let me sleep until coughing woke me back up.
This basically carried on until Friday morning.
Recovery
Dominik Martin, Unsplash
Last Friday morning, March 27th, was basically the first morning since March 17th that I didn’t wake up to a coughing fit. My cough was gone. My headache was basically nil. My back and neck were still stiff but getting better. I wasn’t tired by 9 am. My voice was still shot but it was improving.
By Saturday, my voice had finally returned along with a sense of smell and taste. My body aches had almost gone entirely save for my lower back and neck.
But it’s not over. Things have changed.
One, my lungs are obviously damaged. I’m out of breath at least six times a day. I’m not allowed out of the house under any circumstances. So, I’m trying to do a little exercise, but my lungs can’t support it yet. I can get about ten push-ups out in one set before my lungs say, “stop, asshole!” and I need a hit off an inhaler.
My tastebuds and nose have changed. Cilantro — which I love and use constantly — tastes like soap right now. Red meat and especially venison (I eat a lot of wild game) taste far more metallic. I’ve been eating high-probiotic cheeses to rebuild my gut biome, and the ones with the most mold (brie, gorgonzola, etc.) cause my mouth to numb and my lips to tingle. The laundry detergent we use suddenly has an unbearable smell, to the point where I have to go on the balcony for fresh air to avoid it. I’m craving sweets and chocolate desperately right now. I also need way more salt on food at the moment. If it’s a salty snack, I could kill it. I had to stop myself from eating a whole bag of chips just yesterday. I don’t know. I am hoping all of these things are just my body readjusting post-illness. We’ll see, I guess.
The hardest part now is not knowing. Can I get it again? I don’t know. Am I safe from getting a secondary virus or disease? I don’t know. How long will these changes in my body, palate, and senses last? I don’t know.
Then there’s the psychological aspect. As I started fully recovering in earnest, my social media feeds started filling up with death notices directly related to COVID-19. I know I’m lucky but that sense of luck and elation at having recovered comes with a real sense of survivor’s guilt.
As for where I got it, well, there are two options there. One, both of my sons go to a school that had two teachers get the virus in early March. It’s very possible they carried it home to me (though they have shown zero symptoms). Two, I was the one going out to grocery stores and stocking up since February. It’s very possible I got it at a grocery store. It wasn’t until very recently that strict protections arrived regarding gloves, masks, and social distancing. In fact, most of that arrived in Berlin the day I actually got sick.
And… that just about covers it. With so much news out there, I think one thing that kind of gets lost is what this virus does to you if you do get it. Even if you have a mild case, like I did. It’s far more miserable than any flu I can remember.
Of course, there’s no real advice to be found here. Nothing you can do better or worse once you have the virus. Oh, except the advice we all know but our natural human impatience might be leading us to double back on at this point in the quarantine: Stay home as much as possible.
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