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DK Metcalf Signed A 3-Year, $72 Million Extension With The Seahawks

When Russell Wilson was traded from Seattle to Denver, many fans around the NFL immediately began to wonder if the Seahawks would be looking to deal other offensive stars, most notably receiver DK Metcalf, as they entered a rebuild.

The massive receiver has not always been the most consistent performer (whether that’s on him or the offense is a different debate), but he possesses all the traits of a dominant receiver with his size and speed that makes him nearly impossible to cover one-on-one. Plenty of teams were interested in the young receiver out of Ole Miss, but the Seahawks and Metcalf were apparently not interested in parting ways, even with a lack of clarity about their future at quarterback — Geno Smith and Drew Lock enter camp as the top two QBs in Seattle.

On Thursday, word broke from Adam Schefter that Metcalf was signing a massive three-year extension worth $72 million, with the all-important guarantee figure being just north of $58 million — including a receiver record $30 million up front in signing bonus form.

That deal continues to show where the market is for elite receivers, and is not exactly what a team like the rival 49ers wanted to see, as they are currently in discussions with Deebo Samuel on a new deal, who will absolutely be looking for a much higher annual figure than the $24 million here (and likely closer to the $30 million per year Tyreek Hill is making in Miami). In any case, the Seahawks ensure they’ll have the star receiver in Seattle for the foreseeable future, which is an important position to have filled when you are a team soon to be on the hunt for a young franchise QB. Metcalf, meanwhile, gets paid but also gets to hit free agency again at 27 years old, firmly entering his prime where he ought to be able to secure another massive payday.

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Artist with an entire gallery dedicated to ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic gets the best birthday surprise

What do you have to do to get a whole gallery dedicated to you? Apparently you have to be “Weird Al” Yankovic.

The gallery, curated by an artist who simply goes by the name “Nikki,” is full of framed portraits of colorful pictures that depict Yankovic and others complete with the artist’s personal views on some of the pieces. Most of the pictures are drawn with what appear to be crayon and colored pencils.


In the caption of a video uploaded by Nikki’s cousin, they reveal the exhibit is from 10 years ago but it took her an entire decade to put all of the clips together. In the video Nikki is interviewed by someone who asks why she decided to dedicate her gallery to Yankovic and she responded, “he was an influence to me. Why do you think I dedicated this entire display to him? Because I do art parodies and food and stuff,” she added, “I just love him.”

From the clip it looks like Nikki had a great turn out to her exhibit dedicated to the parody giant and at the end of the clip, Nikki gets a surprise by the man himself. Yankovic appears on her computer screen to personally wish her a happy birthday. It’s obvious that Nikki can barely contain her excitement as she squeals and seems to run in place while seated in her chair.

Nikki’s not letting down syndrome keep her from living her dreams. And thanks to Yankovic’s birthday message I’m sure she’s probably still floating on cloud nine a decade later.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene *Probably* Didn’t Mean To Argue For Defunding Law Enforcement (But That’s What She Did)

The far-right’s still completely obsessed with Hunter Biden’s laptop. Donald Trump wanted Vladimir Putin to help him dig for dirt on Joe’s troubled son, and Gina Carano is making a movie about that guy (for Ben Shapiro’s joint), and two of the messiest people in Congress (Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz) periodically freak out over Hunter.

Of course, Matt Gaetz is in his own legal hot water (being under investigation for sex trafficking), so he’s presumably got a big beef with law enforcement, and he’d like them to look in another direction: at Hunter. Gaetz is vigorously arguing the point while dissing the Department of Justice, and Greene chimed in on Twitter to trash the federal executive department that’s tasked with administrating law enforcement. The MAGA cheerleader would like them defunded, pronto.

“We don’t answer questions about an ongoing investigation,” Greene tweeted. “This is the controlled fall. Claim Hunter Biden is under investigation so that all information is sealed, and the outcome is under their control. What an incredible injustice to the American people! Defund the DOJ!!!

Wait, what will the “gazpacho police” do now? In all seriousness, Greene may not have realized that defunding the DOJ is another means to say “defund the police,” and that’s the accusation often volleyed at the Left by the Far Right. Then again, this is a lawmaker who’s tweeting obviously photoshopped images of mass shooting suspects in a totally serious way. So, it’s probably of no use to point much out to her.

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Oscar Winners Charlize Theron And Alfonso Cuarón Are Collaborating On A Phillip K. Dick Adaptation

New dream team alert: Oscar winner Charlize Theron is joining Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón for a project at Amazon.

The Hollywood Reporter exclusively reports that Theron and Cuarón have teamed up as producers on Jane, a feature film for Amazon based on the personal and family life of acclaimed science fiction author Philip K. Dick. Producer Isa Hackett and Phillip K. Dick’s daughter will also produce alongside Theron and Cuarón. While THR cannot confirm, Theron is rumored to be starring while Cuarón is rumored to be directing the project. Hacket has previously helped produce projects based on her father’s work for Amazon including The Man In the High Castle and Electric Dreams.

“The story of Jane has been with me for as long as I can remember,” Hackett told THR. “Jane, my father’s twin sister who died a few weeks after birth, was at the center of his universe. Befitting a man of his unique imagination, this film will defy the conventions of a biopic and embrace an alternate reality Philip K. Dick so desperately desired—one in which his beloved sister survived beyond six weeks of age. It is her story we will tell, her lens through which we will see him and his imagination. There is no better way to honor him than to grant him his wish, if only for the screen.”

The “genre-bending” project is based on the deceased author’s relationship with his twin sister, Jane, who died six weeks after their birth. Jane’s death had a profound effect on Dick and influenced some of his creative work. Per THR, the project is described as follows:

A moving, suspenseful and darkly humorous story about a woman’s unique relationship with her brilliant, but troubled twin, who also happens to be the celebrated novelist Philip K. Dick. While attempting to rescue her brother from predicaments both real and imagined, Jane plunges deeper and deeper into a fascinating world of his creation.

Cuarón is one of our best visual filmmakers, and has worked in a variety of genres including family drama (A Little Princess, Roma), fantasy (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban aka the best one), and sci-fi (Children of Men, Gravity). We are always excited to see what Alfonso Cuarón will do next no matter what it is, but very much look forward to what he can do with work inspired by Philip K. Dick. Will Jane be Cuarón’s Blade Runner or his Total Recall?

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

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Jane Fonda, 84, Would Like You All To Know That She’s Still Sexual And Gets ‘A Lot Of Vibrators’

Finally, some old lady news to make your day: Oscar-winning actor, activist, and workout guru Jane Fonda, 84, is still sexy and proud of it.

In an interview for Yahoo Life’s “Unapologetically” series, Fonda reflected on her sexuality as she’s gotten older, noting that while she is not sexually active (in her own words, she’s “closed up shop”), she says that you do not have to be sexually active to be sexy, in addition to commenting on the evolution of the vibrator.

“I have ridden my sexuality along into my older age and very happily so, and I’m grateful for that,” Fonda said. “It takes courage and a willingness. What’s important is to know that you don’t have to stay sexually active, [but] you can stay sexual. We always have those vibrators that are getting more and more sophisticated every year. And, um, boy — do I get sent a lot of vibrators.”

So true, Jane! Also, who is sending her vibrators? Is it Maude investor and Co-Creative Director Dakota Johnson? They would know each other, since the Fifty Shades of Grey star’s father Don Johnson plays Fonda’s love interest in Book Club, which is weirdly a movie about a group of old lady friends reading Fifty Shades of Grey.

Fonda added that sexuality doesn’t stop when you hit a certain age. “It can continue if you choose — it’s all a question of choice. We should have a choice if we want to remain sexual into our 70s, 80s, 90s.” Agreed!

(Via Yahoo!)

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The Best Bourbons Under $50 (That You Can Actually Find), Power Ranked

There are a lot of great bourbons out there. And while we cover a lot of it here, a fair share of those bottles are pretty hard to find if you’re not in a specific region of the country (or able to visit distilleries themselves). Craft bourbons do make it out of their states but it’s often a real crapshoot. A famous Texas whiskey might only also be available in New York and, say, Florida. That’s why today we’re going to call out the best bourbons that you can generally find nationwide.

Before we dive in, we’re saying “generally find nationwide” because there are few bottles that are actually in all 50 states. Utah alone has so many laws and regulations that even ubiquitous bottles often don’t make it to those shelves. These are the bottles you should be able to find at your liquor store but there may well be one or two that are not heavily stocked in your local region for a million different reasons — America is freakin’ vast.

All of that aside, these are all bottles that are affordable as well. They all ring under $50, meaning you don’t have to fret over whether these are “worth” the price of entry. Sound good? Let’s dive in!

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

10. Jim Beam Black Extra-Aged

Jim Beam

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $22

The Whiskey:

This Beam expression replaced the old Black Label 8 Year. The juice in this bottle is aged longer than your average four-year-old Beam, but there is no age statement letting us know exactly how long that is. The best way to think of it is that it’s aged for as long as it needs to be, according to the distilling team, and then vatted, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

There are core notes of vanilla, caramel, popcorn, and soft oak with a hint of orchard fruit that leans cherry. Those notes are further refined on the palate as the vanilla gets creamy the caramel and popcorn blend into a fairground treat, a hint of apple peel arrives and the cherry is just touched by tobacco. The end isn’t too long but sticks with you as the soft oak and cherry tobacco take on a moment of winter spice.

Bottom Line:

This is a great place to start. You can generally find Beam products everywhere you go. And this is the elevation of the standard White Label Beam you should be looking for. This is complex yet accessible while still having a nice and easy depth. It works nicely on the rocks too.

9. Gentleman Jack

Jack Daniel

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $34

The Whiskey:

Gentleman Jack is classic Jack — 80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and eight percent rye — that’s twice filtered through sugar maple charcoal. First, the hot spirit drips through ten feet of sugar maple charcoal and then goes into barrels for a long rest. Then, the aged whiskey goes through another filter, this time through three feet of sugar maple charcoal before vatting, proofing down with de-ionized water, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

This is like candy on the nose with cherry coughdrops, banana cream pie with a lard crust and plenty of soft vanilla whipped cream, white cotton candy, apple Jolly Ranchers, nutmeg and clove, and a hint of cedar. The palate layers that cedar with spicy cherry tobacco with a good dose of dark chocolate powder next to more vanilla, leather, and apple candy. The finish rolls between the leather and spiced cherry tobacco and the super soft and lush vanilla creaminess.

Bottom Line:

This is one of those bottles that shouldn’t taste as good as it does thanks to that 80 proof, but here we are. This is smooth with a nice depth of classic flavor notes. Overall, this is a great option for both cocktails and on the rocks sipping that takes standard Old No. 7 Jack to the next level.

8. Four Roses Small Batch

Kirin Brewery Company

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $47

The Whiskey:

Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon is a blend of four whiskeys. The blend is split evenly between the high and mid-ryes with a focus on “slight spice” and “rich fruit” yeasts. The whiskey is then blended, cut with soft Kentucky water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Soft and sweet apple and cherry woods greet with a good dose of sour red berries dusted with brown winter spices, especially clove and nutmeg. The palate leans into soft and salted caramel with a hint of those berries underneath while the spices get woodier and a thin line of green sweetgrass sneaks in. The finish is silky and boils down to blackberry jam with a good dose of winter spice, old wood, and a hint of vanilla tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is a very easy drinking bottle of whiskey. I like to use it for simple yet delicious cocktails mostly, but it works perfectly well on the rocks too. The only reason it’s not a little higher is that there are slightly cheaper and slightly better whiskeys to come.

7. Evan Williams Small Batch

Heaven Hill

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $19

The Whiskey:

So this is a “small batch” in theory. The expression is a marrying of 200 barrels of bourbon from Heaven Hill’s warehouses. That juice is then proofed down to 45 proof and bottled as is.

Tasting Notes:

Vanilla and leather lead the way with a distinct note of fresh and warm cornbread that’s just touched by an oak note. The palate holds onto that caramel apple flavor profile while the cornbread makes a very buttery and honey-forward return with a light hint of egg nog spices. The end is short-ish and dances through that honey-soaked and buttery cornbread, rich vanilla, caramel apple, and oak towards a final touch of brown spice.

Bottom Line:

This might be the best expression of Evan Williams there is. It certainly gives Evan Williams 12-Year, Bottled-in-Bond, and Single Barrel a run for their money. What I know for sure is that this is the best bottle under $20 on this list. This is just good, standard, classic bourbon with no frills but plenty of depth. You can’t beat it.

6. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Sazerac Company

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

This is the whiskey that heralded a new era of bourbon in 1999. Famed Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee came out of retirement to create this bourbon to celebrate the renaming of the George T. Stagg distillery to Buffalo Trace when Sazerac bought the joint. The rest, as they say, is history, especially since this has become a touchstone bourbon for the brand.

Tasting Notes:

Classic notes of vanilla come through next to a dark syrup sweetness, a flourish of fresh mint, and a raw leather that veers towards raw steak on the nose. The palate cuts through the sweeter notes with plenty of spices — like clove and star anise — next to a hint of tart berries underneath it all. The end is long, velvety, and really delivers on the vanilla and spice.

Bottom Line:

This is probably going to be the most hit-or-miss bottle on the list in two ways. One, I’m not a huge fan of that raw leather nose but I can get past it. Two, this is going to be a little more fleeting a find in some markets. In some regions, this will be stacked in cases on the floor while in others there’ll be an empty spot on the shelf where this was.

Overall, this is worth grabbing when you see it stocked at your local shop thanks to it having a great and classic bourbon flavor profile.

5. Knob Creek 9 Bourbon

Beam Suntory

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $46 (one-liter)

The Whiskey:

This is Jim Beam’s small batch entry point into the wider world of Knob Creek. The juice is the low-rye mash that’s aged for nine years in new oak in Beam’s vast warehouses. The right barrels are then mingled and cut down to 100 proof before being bottled in new, wavy bottles.

Tasting Notes:

The nose is a balanced mix of bourbon vanilla, cinnamon spice, and fresh popcorn just touched with browned butter all next to a hint of mild cherry. The palate is a soft mix of almond shells, orange oils, and fresh cinnamon rolls cut with plenty of vanilla icing. The mid-palate has an old wicker chair vibe with a hint of must to it next to a touch of old leather that ends up on a dry cherry tobacco leaf.

Bottom Line:

This might be the most classic of the classic bourbons on the list. This is the easy-going and elevated sibling of standard Jim Beam with a serious depth and nuance to it. Pour this over a rock and you’ll be set.

4. Maker’s Mark Whisky

Beam Suntory

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $24

The Whisky:

This is Maker’s signature expression. It’s made from red winter wheat with corn and malted barley and then aged in seasoned Ozark oak for six to seven years. This expression’s juice is then built from only 150 barrels (making this a small batch, if you want to call it that). Those barrels are blended, proofed, bottled, and dipped in red wax.

Tasting Notes:

This has a super soft nose with mild notes of sour cherry next to light touches of dry grains, supple vanilla, and a hint of caramel. The palate is classic with a salted caramel vibe leading to apple pie filling cut with plenty of dark spices (think cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) next to smooth dark fruits and a whisper of wet granite. The end lessens the palate toward a thin/light finish with notes of dark cherry, soft spices, and a hint of dry sweetgrass.

Bottom Line:

Standard Maker’s Mark is a killer bottle at a great price. This might not be the mind-blowing whiskey in the world, but it gets the job done as both a great on-the-rocks pour and the perfect Manhattan base.

3. Wild Turkey Longbranch

Wild Turkey

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

A few years back, Wild Turkey brought on Matthew McConaughey to be the brand’s Creative Director and create his own whiskey. The product of that partnership was launched in 2018. The juice is a wholly unique whiskey for Wild Turkey, thanks to the Texas Mesquite charcoal filtration the hot juice goes through. The bourbon then goes into oak for eight long years before it’s proofed and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Christmas spices meet oily vanilla and subtle caramel up top. The palate adds orange oils and buttery toffee to the mix, as the spices edge upwards on the palate, next to a creamy vanilla pudding body. That velvet texture builds throughout, with toasted oak and cedar notes as a hint of sweet firepit smoke arrives on the long and satisfying finish.

Bottom Line:

This is the most unique bottle on the list. This could have easily been standard Turkey 101 for $25. In fact, go and buy that. It’s great. But this list needed a bourbon that does something different on it in the top three. There’s a variation on a theme in this whiskey that just works. It’s also the perfect campfire whiskey for all-night sipping, which is ideal for summer.

2. George Dickel Bottled-In-Bond Spring 2007

Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.35.35-PM.jpg
Diageo

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

Nicole Austin has been killing it with these bottled-in-bond releases from George Dickel. This release is a whiskey that was warehoused in spring 2007. 14 years later, this juice was bottled at 100 proof (as per the law) and sent out to the wide world where it received much adoration.

Tasting Notes:

This is fairly mild with dashes of woody maple syrup next to pecans, Hostess Apple Pies, old boot leather, and a hint of cherry protein powder. The palate has a rich and lush vanilla pudding vibe that leads to a marrying of that pecan and apple pie before dry cherry arrives with hints of dark cacao powder and black licorice Necco Wafers create a counterbalance. The finish gets creamy with a line of browned butter and baked vanilla pudding drizzled with brandied cherry sauce and dusted with that dark cacao powder before a final hint of dry yet soft and sweet cedar comes in on the very end.

Bottom Line:

Honestly, these last two could have been tied for first place. Each one offers something unique. So … it’d be up to you which one to pick. Overall, this is a very lauded and beloved bourbon from Tennessee that lives up to every bit of hype and award it receives.

1. Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Michters Distillery

ABV: 45.7%

Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

Michter’s really means the phrase “small batch” here. The tank they use to marry their hand-selected eight-year-old bourbons can only hold 20 barrels, so that’s how many go into each small-batch bottling. The blended juice is then proofed with Kentucky’s famously soft limestone water and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a hint of ripe peach next to maple syrup, vanilla pancakes, and a hint of cotton candy. The palate leans into the vanilla cakes as the stonefruit takes on a grilled vibe next to peppery spice, fatty cream, and a touch of singed marshmallow. The finish leans into wintry spices as the stonefruit almost becomes smoked while toffee and vanilla cake counterpoint everything. The end has a nice layer of old cedar next to maple/vanilla tobacco leaves.

Bottom Line:

This whiskey feels like it’s a quintessential Kentucky bourbon. It’s the sort of bourbon that gets a Scotch drinker hooked on the American style. In the end, it’s just really good juice that transcends by having a perfect profile on the palate. But there’s no fussiness or overzealousness.

This is easy and fun while still feeling rewarding to your palate. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that it scored our #1 slot.

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Legendary Norman Lear celebrates his 100th birthday by sharing some words of wisdom

Norman Lear, creator of beloved sitcoms such as “The Jeffersons,” “All in the Family” and “Good Times,” turned 100 on July 27. It might have been his birthday, but we’re the ones receiving a gift, because the legendary television writer celebrated by sharing some words of wisdom with all of us.

A video posted to Instagram showed Lear recalling his “breakfast thoughts” as his daughter, Kate Lear LaPook, held the camera. He started off by singing “That’s Amore,” a tune by Dean Martin, who Lear once worked with and seemed to remember fondly.

It set the theme nicely for Lear’s message, which was all about taking in the simple joys of “living in the moment.”

“I guess my breakfast thought at the moment… is the moment,” Lear noted. “The moment between past and present, present and past, the moment between after and next. The hammock in the middle of after and next.”


Authentic gratitude rang through his voice at the thought of turning another year older, not to mention a distinctly endearing sense of humor. “I mean, my God, the miracle of being alive with everything that’s available to us, and me turning 100 tomorrow. Do you hear me? Tomorrow I turn 100. That’s as believable to me as ‘Today I’m 99,’” he chuckled.

His video ended with a simple piece of advice. “The moment: treasure it, use it with love.”

Not taking any of life’s moments for granted and instead looking at what’s right with the picture seems to be a well-known recipe for living a long, happy life, especially to those who have succeeded at it.

Fellow comedy icon Betty White echoed this sentiment in her 2018 interview with Parade, saying “accentuate the positive, not the negative. It sounds so trite, but a lot of people will pick out something to complain about, rather than say, ‘Hey, that was great!’ It’s not hard to find great stuff if you look.” The “Golden Girls” star passed away just before her 100th birthday on Dec 31, 2021, but was still the epitome of good cheer and optimism.

Or, thanks to a mainstream increase in mindfulness, perhaps this is a skill one can cultivate over time. After all, we have more tools than ever before—entire books have been written on the subject, like Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now” and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s “Flow,” there are numerous meditation apps available, journals with prompts geared toward gaining awareness, and more access to a wide range of therapeutic modalities. The hustle and bustle of modern living might make being present a challenge, but with it comes numerous strategies for overcoming those challenges.

And, of course, when all else fails, we can take a page from Lear’s book, and simply choose to cherish what’s in front of us.

Happy Birthday, Norman. You always manage to give us something to smile about.

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Four musicians play a great version of ‘Billie Jean’ on one guitar

Talk about getting the most out of an instrument. The four members of Barcelona Guitar Trio (Xavier Coll Quetglas, Luis Robisco, Alí Arango, and drummer Paquito Escudero Sevilla) played a stunning version of Michael Jackson’s 1982 megahit “Billie Jean” all on one guitar.

Sevilla used the body of the guitar to play the rhythm, Robisco played the lead melody, Arango played the keyboard part and Quetglas rocked the iconic bass line.

The performance really takes off 48 seconds in, at the part where Jackson sings, “People always told me be careful of what you do/And don’t go around breaking young girls’ hearts.”


“Billie Jean” was written about a woman who falsely claims Jackson is the father of one of her sons. Jackson says that the character was a composite of the numerous women who had made such claims about his family.

“The girl in the song is a composite of people my brothers have been plagued with over the years. I could never understand how these girls could say they were carrying someone’s child when it wasn’t true,” he said according to American Songwriter.

The song’s producer, Quincy Jones, wanted the song to be called “Not My Lover” so that people didn’t think it was about tennis star Billie Jean King. But Jackson refused to change the song’s name.

“Billie Jean” was released as a single in January 1983 and would stay at the top of the charts for seven weeks. It was the most popular track on Jackson’s “Thriller” album, which went on to sell 66 million copies worldwide.

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Gayle King Actually Asked Johnny Depp’s Lawyer Camille Vasquez About Those Affair Rumors

As if Johnny Depp and Amber Heard‘s defamation trial wasn’t a big enough circus thanks to an aggressive (and possibly manufactured) amount of social media activity and celebrity cameos, rumors began swirling that Depp and his attorney Camille Vasquez were getting a little “touchy-feely” during the legal proceedings. While talk of a brewing romance mostly contained itself to online chatter and tabloids, Gayle King surprisingly broached the topic during an interview with Vasquez on CBS Mornings.

For her part, Vasquez admitted she was aware of the rumors, which she noted are not true. She also wasn’t exactly thrilled about the whole thing. Via Mediaite:

“It was disappointing to hear them, but I think they started because people like love stories,” Vasquez said frankly. “They like to make things up. Right? Um, doesn’t mean they’re true. And obviously in this case, they weren’t true. Never have been true.”

“I think people thought, well, you know, they are kind of touchy-feely,” King pushed.

“Sure, but I’m touchy-feely with everyone. I mean, that’s just who I am. I’m naturally described as a warm person,” Vasquez insisted. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with caring for your clients. Right? I was fighting for his life, his name.”

Vasquez noted that the entire legal team was hands-on with Depp in an effort to make him feel “protected,” which she described as “perfectly normal.”

“We all were that way with him,” Vasquez told King. “Each other and with him. Just supportive and protective.”

(Via Mediaite)

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Zion Williamson’s Contract Reportedly Includes A Clause That Requires Him To Stay Under A Certain Weight

When Zion Williamson has been on the court for the New Orleans Pelicans, he has been nothing short of a sensation, getting to and dominating at the rim at a rate we’ve not seen since prime Shaq — which is impressive given Williamson stands just 6’6.

However, staying on the floor has been an issue, as he’s played in just 85 career games across three seasons, including missing the entirety of last year with a foot injury. There has been concern within New Orleans that Williamson’s weight has at the least exacerbated some of his injury issues, and when they inked him to a new 5-year max extension to keep him with the Pelicans long-term, that was addressed in writing.

Per Christian Clark of NOLA.com, Williamson will have regular weigh-ins with the Pelicans throughout his contract, and stay below a target number with his weight and body fat percentage.

According to league sources, Williamson’s contract stipulates that he will have weigh-ins periodically throughout the entirety of his new deal. The sum of his weight and body fat percentage must be below 295. If it is not, the amount of guaranteed money in Williamson’s contract can be reduced.

Williamson is naturally a very big man, and he’s currently listed at 284 pounds, which means his body fat percentage would need to be 10 percent or less to hit this benchmark at his listed weight. The star reportedly topped 300 pounds last year when he arrived in camp while rehabbing his foot injury, and that seems to have served as the impetus for the clause in his new deal to ensure that he stays in shape for the entirety of his contract, or risk losing some of his guarantee.

Now, the only way the Pelicans would ever trigger that clause is if Williamson is unable to play and is not hitting these benchmarks. If he creeps above that threshold but is playing and playing well, they wouldn’t ever take away money from him, but it does provide them a bit of insurance for if injuries persist and weight plays a role in them. The Pelicans and Williamson will hope this clause is never talked about beyond this offseason, because the only way it comes up is if something’s gone wrong.

The good news is that Williamson’s foot has looked fully healthy in social media updates we’ve seen of the star on court this summer, and he’s also shown off the work he’s been doing in the weight room as well as on the court to be in top shape as he gets ready for a big season in New Orleans with a team that reached the playoffs without him last year.