We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Teachers deserve all the kudos, high fives, raises, accolades, prizes and thanks for everything they do. Even if they just stuck to academics alone, they’d be worth far more than they get, but so many teachers go above and beyond to teach the whole child, from balancing equations to building character qualities.
One way dedicated educators do that is by developing relationships and building rapport with their students. And one surefire way to build rapport is to dance with them.
A viral video shared by an assistant principal at Sumner High School & Academy in Riverview, Florida shows a group of students gathered around one student as he challenges a teacher to a dance-off.
“Our 8th grade Stingrays having a well deserved exam dance break,” wrote assistant principal Natalie McClain. “Of course our teachers are ending 2022 with a win.”
The teacher, Ms. Yolanda Turner, took the challenge—and the students went wild.
Watch:
u201cOur 8th grade Stingrays having a well deserved exam dance break. Of course our teachers are ending 2022 with a win. Love my Stingrays ud83dudc99ud83dudc9a Happy Holidays @HCPS_SumnerHSu201d
The student really thought he had her, didn’t he? It looked as if his soul left his body when he tapped her shoulders and then realized what he’d done. But to her credit, she took it in stride and took him out with her dance moves.
“The music was on, all the kids were pumped,” Turner told Fox 13. “So it was like, let’s have a dance challenge. So I’m like, okay, all right, so everybody’s having fun. And I said, ‘I’m going to tap in. I’m going to tap into the dance.'”
“I really try to emphasize for kids to be their authentic selves and to really never be afraid to express who they are no matter who’s watching,” she told the outlet.
This dance-off video is a prime example of how schools can be places of joyful connection in addition to academic achievement. Gaining students’ respect doesn’t require being a stuffy authoritarian hard nose, and students generally respond better to teachers they genuinely care for. Meeting them where they are is one of the best ways to reach kids and creating experiences that include for silliness and fun is one of the best ways to keep them engaged.
Plus, who doesn’t need to blow off a little steam in between exams? What a lovely example of striking a balance between academic rigor and modeling healthy stress relief. Well done, Ms. Turner.
The Weeknd squeezed plenty of other notable things in the intervening months, such as embarking on his After Hours Til Dawn Tour and hyping up The Idol, but it appears he will start 2023 by looping back to how he started 2022.
Over the last 24 hours, the diamond-certified artist has posted a 2022 collage and an After Hours Til Dawn Tour hype video with the caption, “xo bout to F*ck up 2023.” In response to the video, one fan tweeted, “dawn fm almost a year old, how do you feel?” The Weeknd responded, “i feel istheresomeoneelsemusicvideo-ish.”
Theophilus London has been reported missing by his family. A statement from his label, Secretly Group, was shared today, December 28, explaining that he was reportedly last heard from in July in Los Angeles. His family is urging people with information to reach out to his cousin Mikhail Noel on Instagram at @iamdjkellz or the LAPD.
Read their full statement below.
“Over the last few weeks, friends and family of Theophilus London have been working together to piece together his whereabouts. The last time someone spoke with him reportedly stretches back to July 2022 in Los Angeles.
On December 27th, family members of Theophilus London traveled to Los Angeles to file a missing persons report with the LAPD. They are now seeking the public’s help with any information as to London’s whereabouts:
‘Theo, your Dad loves you, son. We miss you. And all your friends and relatives are searching for you. Wherever you are send us some signal. No matter what we will come get you son.’ – Lary Moses London, father of Theophilus London
London is 35 years old, Black, 6’2″, 175 pounds, with dark brown eyes. If you have any information regarding his whereabouts or well-being, please reach out to his cousin Mikhail Noel at his instagram account @iamdjkellz, or the LAPD.”
His last album was 2020’s Bebey. He has collaborated with a range of artists, including Tame Impala and Kanye West.
Over the past few years, the rising costs of homes and rent in the U.S. has pushed many to seek alternatives to traditional housing. People have been moving into tiny houses, sharing spaces with “platonic life partners” and living the nomad dream in motorhomes.
Some have even opted to take up permanent residence aboard cruise ships because it can be cheaper than paying rent or a mortgage.
One of the most unique, alternative homes in the US is Bruce Campbell’s in Hillsboro, a suburb of Portland, Oregon. According to CNBC, for over 20 years, the retired engineer has called a Boeing 727 200-passenger jetliner home. It’s a little smaller than the average house at 1,066 square feet, but it’s an open-concept lovers’ fantasy.
The plane has a unique history. It was once owned by Greek-Argentinian shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and was used to transport his remains after his death in 1975. Onassis was married to former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
The plane has everything Campbell needs to live comfortably. The original sink and bathroom are in perfect working order. He added a makeshift shower, refrigerator and portable washing machine to take care of all his needs.
“It’s a great toy. Trick doors, trick floors. Hatches here, latches there. Cool interior lights. Awesome exterior lights, sleek gleaming appearance, titanium ducts,” he said according to Awesome Inventions.
His jetliner home also has retractable stairs so he can climb in and out of his place. Campbell lives in the plane six months a year and spends the rest of his time in Japan.
“I can appreciate that some folks might feel isolated or that it might strike them as an unusual living environment. But for me, it has always felt completely natural,” Campbell told Great Big Story.
Some may find Campbell’s living arrangement strange but they can’t argue with its affordability. He told CNBC that his monthly expenses are around $370, which includes $220 a month in property taxes and $100 to $250 a month in electricity. Campbell paid $100,000 for the plane initially and it cost $120,000 to make it habitable.
The engines have been removed so the plane will never fly again.
The plane is an affordable place to live and it’s also great for the environment. “Jetliners can, and should, be transformed into wonderful homes—retirement into an aerospace-class castle should be every jetliner’s constructive fate. They should never be mindlessly scrapped. Shredding a beautiful and scintillating jetliner is a tragedy, a waste, and a profound failure of human imagination. The time for humanity to recognize this is long, long overdue,” he said according to the CBC.
Campbell has found an innovative and creative way to live well while finding a way to upcycle 70,000 pounds of materials that would have wound up in a landfill. But he’s not done yet. He hopes to start on a second airplane home in Japan which he describes as “a land I love and with people I love. If I can simply regain my youth, everything will be fine.”
The city of Buffalo, New York is called the “city of good neighbors.” And with a blizzard that has dumped more than 50 inches of snow on them, the world is getting to learn how they earned that name.
A woman named Sha’Kyra Aughtry went viral on Facebook after she reluctantly put out an emotional plea. Aughtry went live on the platform explaining that she heard someone calling for help outside, so she sent her boyfriend out to see who needed assistance. Turns out, it was a 64-year-old developmentally disabled man by the name of Joey White, who was stuck in the cold snow. Aughtry’s boyfriend helped the man out of the snow and physically carried him into the house.
White was so frozen that they had to use a hair dryer to melt the ice off of his pants that were frozen to him. The couple also had to cut his socks off along with the bags he was carrying, which were stuck to his hands. White was in a dire position and Aughtry, a mom of three preparing for Christmas, was desperate.
The woman said during the live video, “I’ve called the National Guard. I’ve called 911. I’ve called everybody – they just keep telling me I’m on a list. I don’t want to be on a list. I don’t care about nothing else. This man is not about to die over here.” It was clear to her that he needed immediate medical attention, but conditions were so bad, help never came. According to CNN, at least 31 people have died in the winter storm that pummeled the state.
Aughtry realized no one would be coming to her rescue any time soon, and the following day after FaceTiming a doctor that confirmed the severity of White’s condition, she made a last ditch effort. In the two days that she was caring for Joey, she was without her children for the holidays until a friend walked them home. Aughtry explained that White had the mental capacity of a 10-year-old, but he was able to remember his sister’s phone number and the number for his job.
The good samaritan called White’s sister to inform her that he was safe at her home and she was attempting to get him help. According to Sweet Buffalo, White was trying to get home from work when he got stuck in the storm. His sister credits Aughtry for saving her brother’s life.
During the live Facebook video, several people volunteered to come and help the man get to the hospital after seeing how severe his frostbite was. Aughtry relayed that the doctor that did the video call with them explained he could lose his fingers, or worse, if treatment wasn’t provided immediately. The frustration and desperation in her voice was palpable, and at one point, White innocently asked if he was going to die. Aughtry assured him he would not.
Within a short period of time, someone who saw Aughtry’s video came by with their snow plow to clear a path, and others showed up with a pick up truck to transport White. Since he was not only physically vulnerable but mentally vulnerable, White’s temporary caretaker insisted on riding with him to make sure he got to the hospital safely. The men that came to help had to carry White into the hospital due to his condition.
Thankfully, White received the care he needed and is currently being treated in the ICU at ECMC Hospital for fourth degree frost bite. And as a thank you for saving White’s life, North Park Theatre, where White works, set up a Go Fund Me that has reached over $100,000 in donations for Aughtry. There was also one set up for White. Buffalo really is the city of good neighbors.
If you’d like to send Joey well wishes while he recovers, you can send them here:
Joe White
ECMC462 Grider Street Buffalo, NY 14215
Room #1956
If you’d like to send cards to Sha’Kyra and her family, you can send them here:
Warning: This post contains (vague) spoilers for the first and second seasons of The White Lotus.
When she joined the second season of The White Lotus, Sabrina Impacciatore had some big shoes to fill. The Italian actress was cast as Valentina, the manager of the Sicilian outpost for the high end resort chain. The manager in the first season, Armond, didn’t fare so well. Murray Bartlett, who played him, however, fared very, very well. But Impacciatore overcame her anxieties and delivered a similar but different frazzled White Lotus boss, even proving so bold that she improvised one of the season’s more shocking insults.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Impacciatore credited her bravery partly to writer-director-creator Mike White, who gave her simple advice. “Be bitchy,” he told her, adding that “the bitchier you are, the more it’s going to work.” She leaned on his advice for a scene she had with Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya, in which she had to interrupt her.
“Three takes, and I couldn’t manage it. The next day, we did the scene again, and I improvised: Jennifer was all in pink, and the first thing I said was: ‘You’re so pink.’ When she asked: ‘Who do I remind you of?,’ I replied: ‘Peppa Pig.’ The whole set froze. Then Jennifer broke out laughing. [I was surprised] to see that scene made the final cut. And even more surprised when it went viral worldwide.”
Elsewhere in the interview, the actress admitted she hadn’t watched the show’s first season when she was offered the gig. “[My agent] suggested I watch season 1 of The White Lotus so, that night, I didn’t sleep: I binge-watched all the episodes,” she said. “I swear, it was love at first sight. I thought, ‘This is my sort of thing.’ Drama and comedy in this series are almost overlapping; the lines are very blurry.” And the rest is history.
On Tuesday night, Tulsi Gabbard actually did the right thing. While filling in for Tucker Carlson on Fox News, the recently former Democrat interviewed George Santos, the incoming GOP representative who’s been busted lying about…well, pretty much everything. The guy even fibbed about his avowed Jewish heritage. If Tucker had been hosting, he’d probably have hurled softballs, even helped Santos with his spin. Not Tulsi, who might have helped end Santos’ career. Gabbard didn’t receive much backlash from Republicans. Well, there was one.
As caught by Mediaite, Marrjoe Taylor Greene came out in force, not against Santos for lying — and potentially jeopardizing the GOP’s already slim hold in the House — but against Gabbard for not helping the poor guy lie his way out of his lies.
Tulsi Gabbard, who says she is a former Democrat, gave Rep-elect George Santos zero grace, while George is admitting and apologizing for lying about his resume, just like her former colleagues are giving George zero grace & even demanding he resign.
“Tulsi Gabbard, who says she is a former Democrat, gave Rep-elect George Santos zero grace,” Greene wrote in a tweet thread. She took Santos’ side, saying he was “admitting and apologizing for lying about his resume.” (He actually claimed his fibs were embellishments and even said people can “debate” his résumé. Gabbard responded by saying, “Is it debatable or just false?”)
Greene continued to trounce Gabbard for doing her job as an alleged journalist (or whatever she is as a former lawmaker on Fox News). “I don’t think a former Democrat who’s actions on the House floor as recent as 2020 that gave her an A from Planned Parenthood, an F from the NRA, and introduced a climate agenda signature piece of legislation called the OFF Act – designed to end all fossil fuels (the same as AOC’s Green New Deal) should lecture a newly elected Republican member of congress on how he should vote to represent his Republican district.”
Greene ended by making a bizarre argument about someone caught being dishonest while pursuing a powerful job: “I think we Republicans should give George Santos a chance and see how he legislates and votes, not treat him the same as the left is.”
Why is Greene defending a liar? Mediaite speculates that it may be because Santos, when/if he’s sworn in, will be deciding vote in making Kevin McCarthy House majority leader. Many MAGA representatives want him ousted from leadership. Greene, who is MAGA, too, but whom McCarthy has vowed to put on committees, does not. But Greene has never let truth stop her from spreading nonsense about, oh, for instance, “Jewish space lasers.”
The devil may have gone down to Georgia, but it appears he took a detour to a bar in Nashville and possessed a middle-aged mom on his way down there.
In a TikTok video that’s been viewed 5.5 million times, Olivia Reeth’s daughter shared that her family had gone to the Whiskey Bent Saloon in Nashville and was watching the Moonshine Outlaw Band perform. Her mom told the band she played the fiddle, and mid-song, the fiddle player decided to hand his instrument over to her.
You kind of have to wonder what the guy was thinking. Did he imagine she’d be able to keep up with the band? Did he figure she’d play a few bars and then hand it back?
Whatever he was picturing, it almost certainly wasn’t what she ended up laying down.
Mom might as well have said, “I’ll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul, dude” because she came prepared. In hindsight, her whipping off of her scarf was the sign it was all over, but who’d have known?
Watch her shred that man’s fiddle and see how he reacts:
The best part is when the guy pretends to boot the band’s fiddler out of the bar. And then Mama got sassy with it! Absolute legend, making her skills appear effortless as she walked around the room. Didn’t even take her coat off. Looking like she walked in off the street, which she basically did.
The woman’s daughter shared that her mom is classically trained and that her dad was the one who introduced her to country and bluegrass music. They both play in two bands, Coconut Radio Band and Barney’s Bullet.
Seriously impressive talent. And you gotta love the respect the band’s fiddle player gave her, despite her basically stealing his soul. What a fun exchange between musicians who clearly love what they do and love to share it with others.
Nostalgia reboots are often more miss than hit, but when it comes to Netflix, their continued Cobra Kai mastery proves that this streamer knows when the getting is good. In a few short weeks, That ’70s Show (which originally ran on FOX) will reboot as That ’90s Show, and as it turns out, not too much seems to have changed for the Forman basement. That’s a good thing, and here’s what we know about this show’s arrival.
Release Date
The show will stream on January 19 with a full 10-episode season available at launch. There will be familiar faces aplenty…
Cast
The O.G. Forman matriarch and patriarch will be center stage, meaning that Debra Jo Rupp is back as Kitty and Kurtwood Smith returns as Red. From there, we can expect several familiar faces from the original show as guest stars. Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher pick up their Jackie and Kelso roles again, and even Mila thinks that they shouldn’t have gotten married, but oh well. Topher Grace and Laura Prepon will pop in as Eric and Donna, who now have a daughter, Leia (Callie Haverda). She realizes that the basement is where it’s at and decides to stay all summer long.
Leia’s not wrong! Wilmer Valderrama will also return as Fez, along with Don Stark as Bob and Tommy Chong as Leo.
Plot
Here’s the reboot’s official synopsis:
It’s 1995 and Leia Forman is desperate for some adventure in her life or at least a best friend who isn’t her dad. When she arrives in Point Place to visit her grandparents, Red and Kitty, Leia finds what she’s looking for right next door when she meets the dynamic and rebellious Gwen. With the help of Gwen’s friends, including her lovable brother Nate, his smart, laser-focused girlfriend Nikki, the sarcastic and insightful Ozzie, and the charming Jay, Leia realizes adventure could happen there just like it did for her parents all those years ago.
Trailer
You can view the official trailer for That ’90s Show below:
“She’s got the style, she’s got the glow by your side, wherever you go,” Grammy-winning global pop star Carly Rae Jepsen sings in the optimistic new theme song for Amazon Kids+’s new series, Hello Kitty: Super Style.
The iconic Sanrio character gets a chance to shine with a 3D global debut, with the first season airing throughout 2023. As the first eight episodes premiered earlier this month, parents and kids alike will have an opportunity to spend the winter season watching.
As Jepsen describes, she’s using the upcoming holiday break to bond with her recently-born niece and nephew through the colorful character. “This is the year where I’m an auntie twice over,” she said. “I’ve got a little nephew and a niece just born this past year. So, I’m excited for them to grow up and learn more about Hello Kitty. And then, get to point back and be like, ‘Look, I sang on the theme song guys.’”
“My niece, actually, and my nephew are going to be in the same town with me in a couple of weeks,” Jepsen adds. “Our family is going to have to sit down and just enjoy the show together, even though they’re still too young to understand what’s going on. I know my sister and I are excited. Being a new auntie, I’m excited for [them] to grow up and get to see some of the things that were such a big part of my childhood.”
While Jepsen herself couldn’t recall the exact moment she first was introduced to the cartoon, she has felt the heart and impact of Hello Kitty since being a child.
“I was such a fan of the show and obviously of Hello Kitty, who is just iconic and has been a part of my childhood and life. So, when the opportunity came around to ask if I’d want to sing on it, I said, ‘Yes, first let me hear the song.’ And I really loved the playfulness of it. ‘Hurray at the buttons and bows.’ It got stuck in my head.”
The musician first got her start at age 21 by appearing on Canadian Idol, before becoming a household name with the extremely-catchy hit “Call Me Maybe” in 2012. Since then, she has dropped some incredible pop albums, including 2015’s Emotion and 2022’s The Loneliest Time.
Jepsen’s career has also been interspersed with moments that combine music and television. Whether it was her Idol debut or appearing as Frenchy in the 2016 live-action TV adaption of Grease, her contribution to the Hello Kitty: Super Style theme song — which was written by Jared Faber (Teen Titans Go!) — serves as the next step for this interwoven aspect of her career.
As devoted fans might already know, this also wasn’t Jepsen’s first contribution to a TV theme song either. She previously performed a cover of “Everywhere You Look” for the Netflix sequel to the classic sitcom Fuller House in 2016. Which, in a way, continues to make things feel full circle for Jepsen.
“Well, it’s funny that you say that because there has been a tiny little spin back to beautiful childhood moments in my adult career, which has been really fun. It’s almost nostalgic, and it’s playful. That happened, obviously, with Full House. Growing up, I’d watch it a lot and getting to do the theme song for that felt so wild when they came up with the new show. Similarly, I think growing up with Hello Kitty and getting to do the theme song when they presented her with her own television show felt really lovely.”
Read the rest of Uproxx’s conversation with Carly Rae Jepsen below.
The show itself is targeted for a younger audience. How have you seen, or even in your own experience, people’s relationships with Hello Kitty as a character evolve as they get older?
I think Hello Kitty is one of those beloved characters that’s just part of the culture from the moment I can remember, from the moment I could say ‘Go.’ I first kind of got really into appreciating what a big character Hello Kitty was and what a huge message she stood behind once I was visiting Japan.
A big part of my career, I traveled to Japan a lot for just shows and tours. It’s my favorite place to also shop and learn about fashion. I mean, Harajuku is probably like my version of Disneyland. It was just really wonderful.
Around the time, actually, of being offered this, I was in Japan. I was in Hakone actually. I remember the emails kind of coming through and being really excited. I was in a little train station, and I [saw] this little pair of Hello Kitty socks.
And I bought them in celebration for just knowing this collaboration was coming together. It was a magical moment. It felt quite kismet because like I said, I’ve had Hello Kitty backpacks and merch all my life. I’ve definitely been a big fan. It felt like the perfect combination.
What was her impact on the culture like in Japan?
There’s a whole Hello Kitty store in Japan. It’s one of my favorite places on Earth. I think that’s what really excited me is getting to bring that show to Amazon and kind of see that it was going to be more globally supported.
What were your first memories with Hello Kitty?
You just always know that Hello Kitty was about kindness. I think that was a big thing that I took away from the messaging. And about how actions are just not what you say, but what you do that’s really important. And how you care for your friends.
Obviously, she’s like a big fashionista too. That was so cute to me especially as I was traveling the world and discovering what my style was. I really am attracted to things that are cute as well as playful, you know, not taking themselves too seriously. I love to really explore with fashion.
What message do you hope people, whether it’s kids or adults, take away from the theme song and the show?
I think it is mostly joyful and playful and realizing that fashion can be fun. It can help bring confidence, but the main confidence you always find in yourself. I think that’s really important to know. I think Hello Kitty is about kindness and I love that messaging. It’s something that the world needs a lot of and it’s a message that kids can learn.
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