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The Oval Office during Donald Trump’s four years as president was dubbed the “Star Wars bar” because it “always contained so many odd characters.” If only Kid Rock and Rudy Giuliani were as lovable as Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes and Momaw Nadon.

The teetotaling former-president would not indulge in a glass of Yatooni Boska, but as an American who was in his early 30s when A New Hope was released, he couldn’t resist making a Star Wars reference while raging at Fox and Friends, as one does.

“@foxandfriends just really botched my poll numbers, no doubt on purpose,” Trump wrote on alt-right Twitter knockoff TRUTH Social on Monday morning. “That show has been terrible – gone to the ‘dark side.’ They quickly quote the big Turning Point Poll victory of almost 60 points over the number two Republican, and then hammer me with outliers. Actually, almost all polls have me leading all Republicans & Biden BY A LOT. RINO Paul Ryan, one of the weakest and worst Speakers EVER, must be running the place. Anyway, thank you to Turning Point, the crowd & ‘love’ was AMAZING!”

Trump was responding to a recent poll conducted at Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit conference that found 78.7 percent of attendees would vote for Trump, compared to 19 percent for his chief competitor, Ron DeSantis, and 0.03 percent for Ted Cruz (the poll must have a 0.03 percent margin of error).

Fox and Friends was not convinced:

Here’s another Star Wars reference for you: “Somehow Trump returned” — me in 2024 if he wins again

(Via Raw Story)

After a very quiet week on the trade rumor front, Monday morning brought an unexpected wave of information about the two biggest stars on the trade market currently — Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell.

A few intel dumps from NBA newsbreakers published in the morning, with reporting on a group of teams that have inquired about Mitchell as well as a new team that’s poked around about KD — the reigning Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics. The Celtics offseason has been plenty busy, with the addition of Malcolm Brogdon in a splashy trade after free agency began, but Brad Stevens apparently hasn’t stopped looking for ways to upgrade the roster of a team that fell just a bit short in the Finals.

Shams and Woj both reported on Monday morning that the Celtics had offered a package with Jaylen Brown as the centerpiece to Brooklyn for Durant, with Derrick White and some picks also going to the Nets, but had been turned down. It’s unclear exactly when this overture was made — there’s some scuttle it might be a bit of old news being refreshed in the middle of the offseason lull — but it certainly raised eyebrows considering how important Brown was to Boston’s run to the Finals.

Brown, for his part, saw the reports and offered a succinct response on Twitter.

It’s a guarantee that the side that leaked this information was Brooklyn, as Boston would have no incentive to possibly disrupt what had been to that point a happy offseason with a happy locker room. Instead, they now have at least a bit of work to do to smooth things over with Brown, who understandably isn’t thrilled by the news (even if Boston calling and seeing about a Brown for Durant swap makes plenty of sense basketball wise). The Nets seem to want to drum up some more urgency from the rest of the league to put forth better offers, making sure that other teams know a bonafide All-Star in Brown was offered along with picks and more and they said no, as they continue to set the bar almost impossibly high for a KD trade — one could also argue it is impossibly high and that’s being done on purpose because they don’t actually want to trade him and instead would rather just run it back one more year, but that’s a discussion for another day.

Pearl Jam was set to conclude their European run of shows today, but unfortunately, some health issues with Eddie Vedder have put that in jeopardy. The band’s last performance came in Paris for Lollapalooza’s showcase in the city, and it was there that smoke from a wildfire nearby — together with heat and dust — caused damage to Vedder’s throat. The band’s next show in Vienna, Austria was canceled as Vedder sought treatment, but it turns out Vedder needs additional time as Pearl Jam was forced to cancel two additional shows.

The first canceled performance was in Prague on July 22 while the remaining show was the first of a two-night stand in Amsterdam on July 24-25. Pearl Jam shared a statement about the canceled performances on their Twitter page. “In spite of continuous medical treatment, Ed is regretfully still without a voice and unable to perform tonight’s show at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam,” the band wrote. “This is again the worst possible scenario for the band. We wholeheartedly apologize to those that worked so hard to put on the show and those supporters we looked forward to seeing.”

Pearl Jam noted that tickets for the July 24 canceled show would be refunded while the band works to ensure that a performance on July 25 is possible. “All our energies will now be focused on having a show tomorrow,” the band noted, adding that Vedder has been getting “continuous medical treatment.”

You can view the statement from Pearl Jam above.

Apple TV’s workplace comedy Mythic Quest has had quite a turbulent run. The first season debuted in February 2020 to rave reviews, and then the pandemic hit, which caused the second season to be delayed before causing the worst COVID outbreak of any show in Los Angeles while filming season two in 2021. But, the third season of the much-loved streaming series seems to signify things slowly coming back to normal. Well, as normal as a show about a massive RPG can be.

The trailer for season three picks up right where the show left off after Ian and Poppy left Mythic Quest HQ. As expected, the new season hits all the trending tech topics of the last year and a half: the Metaverse, VR headset, and of course NFTs, or as Sue exclaims, “No F*cking Thanks.” The show stars Rob McElhenney, David Hornsby, Charlotte Nicdao, Ashley Burch, Imani Hakim, Danny Pudi, and Jessie Ennis.

The crew presented the trailer this weekend at Comic-Con, and co-creator Megan Ganz confirmed there would be a flashback episode that dives into Poppy and Ian’s relationship. “It’s a bit of an origin story about Poppy and Ian,” said Ganz. “Do comic book people like origin stories?” They do!

Mythic Quest was renewed for a fourth season, which is expected to air sometime in 2023. Season three will debut this fall on Apple TV. Check out the trailer above.

Joe Rogan is firing back at accusations that he’s a “secret conservative.” While defending gay marriage from Republican attacks, the controversial podcaster made it clear that the issue is just one of the things that keeps him from joining the party. “It’s so homophobic,” Rogan said. “The fact that they’re going after that now, like that’s the kind of sh*t that keeps me from being a Republican.”

However, Rogan is clearly aware that people think he’s a right-wing figure because of his political stances, and he made it a point to shut down that talking point. Via Mediaite:

“People will say like, ‘Oh, you know, you’re a secret conservative.’ Like you can suck my d*ck. You don’t know what the f*ck you’re talking about. I’m so far away from being a Republican. Just because I believe in the Second Amendment and just because I support the military and just cause I support police,” he continued. “Like I was on welfare as a kid. I think it’s important. I think having a social safety net is crucial. We should help each other. We’re supposed to be one big community. I’m a bleeding heart liberal when it comes to a lot of sh*t.”

As Rogan himself admits, he does come down on the conservative side for issues like gun control and supporting the police. However, he notably left out his anti-vaccine stance, history of anti-trans remarks, and his penchant for using the N-word. Rogan has also been a vocal opponent of “cancel culture” and has railed against censorship on social media. These are all hugely right-wing perspectives, so it’s hard to take Rogan at his word that he’s a “bleeding heart liberal” even if he has been hammering Donald Trump recently and standing up for gay marriage. The podcast host might not be an outright Republican, but he’s definitely deep inside the ball park.

(Via Mediaite)

Last week, internet darlings Coast Contra joined People’s Party with Talib Kweli — starring Kweli and co-host Jasmin Leigh — to talk about their unique lane as one of the coldest quartets in modern hip-hop. The episode was a natural fit for a show that often zeros in on rap’s mid-90s golden age, as Coast Contra specializes in rhymes that balance that era’s party-rocking energy with clever wordplay and intelligent resistance to ignorance.

Kweli’s interview with the crew covers everything from their initial inspiration and creative approaches in the studio to growing as men beyond the music. The vibes and knowledge exchanges are top tier from front to back.

Near the end of the episode, Kweli invited Ras and Taj Austin, RioLoz, and Eric Jamal to drop some bars — which Kweli found so inspiring that he dropped some unreleased flows of his own. It’s a pure hip-hop moment that bridges generations. Next time someone tells you OGs and new heads don’t vibe well, show them this episode.

Watch the full People’s Party with Talib Kweli episode with Coast Contra below.

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw Billie Eilish surprisingly dropping off a couple fresh tunes and Megan Thee Stallion teaming with Future. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters. Also find our Uproxx HQ Spotify playlist, which is updated weekly with the best new music, at the end of this post.

Billie Eilish — “TV”

In recent years, Billie Eilish has tended to stick to traditional release schedules for new music, but she broke the mold for herself recently by debuting “TV” live. Now, that song and another, “The 30th,” are out, arriving with no advance warning. They were released as a double-single dubbed Guitar Songs, and indeed, the tender tunes are built on a six-string foundation.

Megan Thee Stallion and Future — “Pressurelicious”

Meg has had a big 2022 so far with her hit with Dua Lipa, “Sweetest Pie,” and now she’s continuing to bless fans with new material. Last week yielded the Future collaboration “Pressurelicious,” on which Megan, per usual, is far from lacking in confidence.

Doechii and SZA — “Persuasive (Remix)”

Doecchi recently slid through with her delightful dance-ready weed celebration with “Persuasive,” and now SZA has decided she wants in. So, she hopped on a remix, offering a smooth new verse to the laid-back tune.

Rexx Life Raj — “Hands And Knees”

In his review of Raj’s new album The Blue Hour, Uproxx’s Aaron Williams notes of the vulnerability of songs like “Hands And Knees,” “While his mom reiterates her trust in God, on ‘Hands And Knees,’ he admits to feeling like prayer is futile: ‘Talking to God with all this praying / Don’t wanna be strong no more, it’s overrated.’ His frustration is exacerbated by the apparent indifference of those friends and family members who fail to check in to show their support — another relatable trial of life.”

Russ — “Are You Entertained” Feat. Ed Sheeran

Sheeran has a rich history of working with hip-hop artists, most notably on his two Collaborations Project releases. He added another to the list last week when he guested on Russ’ “Are You Entertained,” on which Sheeran, who apparently once dominated a serious freestyle session, delivers a serviceable rapped/sung verse.

Flo Milli — “Big Steppa”

Flo Milli decided to avoid the crowded “New Music Friday” release schedule and unexpectedly drop her debut album, You Still Here, Ho?, a couple days early. Among the highlights is “Big Steppa,” featuring a simple bass-and-percussion instrumental on which Milli asserts herself and her presence in hip-hop.

Petey — “Big Bad!”

Petey had one of 2021’s best LPs with Lean Into Life, and now he’s starting to lean into a new era. He started last week with “Big Bad!,” a new single that earns its titular exclamation mark and was accurately described by Petey’s “friend Neil” as sounding “like if Modest Mouse and Blink-182 made a song.”

Maxo Kream — “The Vision” Feat. Anderson .Paak

.Paak has found major mainstream success with Bruno Mars as Silk Sonic, but he’s continued to work with others since then. Just last week, he assisted Maxo Kream on “The Vision,” a low-tempo head-bobber on which the two reflect on the lifestyles their journeys have afforded them.

Lil Uzi Vert — “Httin My Shoulder”

Lil Uzi Vert has a lot going on right now: Aside from updating their pronouns last week, they also have The Pink Tape on the way and Red & White EP out now. The collection dropped last week and it’s led by “Httin My Shoulder,” a hard-hitting tune on which Uzi cycles between rapid-fire verses and more patient flows.

Rico Nasty — “Blow Me”

After her well-received 2020 debut album Nightmare Vacation, Rico returned last week with the Las Ruinas mixtape. Single “Blow Me” doesn’t have as much punk grit as her previous album did, but the heavy, menacing energy is still there, to which Rico’s relatively airy delivery offers a pleasant balance.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ are the world’s three biggest streaming services. They also dominate the list of the most pirated shows.

Using Google search data, Broadband Choices looked at “the number of searches for online streams and torrents for original programs from the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV in 138 countries around the world.” What they found is Squid Game, the biggest show in Netflix history, is also popular on torrent sites: the Emmy-nominated survival series is the most pirated title in 57 countries, including the United States, Germany, and South Korea.

Squid Game is followed by WandaVision (19 countries), Money Heist (18 countries), and The Mandalorian (nine countries). Stranger Things (six countries) is in fifth place with six counties, but the data is only through June 2022; if the same research was done now, following the culmination of season four, it would probably rank higher.

Here’s the full list:

1. Squid Game – 57 countries
2. Wandavision – 19 countries
3. Money Heist – 18 countries
4. The Mandalorian – 9 countries
5. Stranger Things – 6 countries
6. Bridgerton – 6 countries
7. Moon Knight – 5 countries
8. The Witcher – 4 countries
9. The Wheel of Time – 3 countries
10. Loki – 3 countries

You can find a country-by-country breakdown here (Qatar loves John Cena, who knew?).

Squid Game is expected to return to Netflix until late 2023, early 2024.

(Via Broadband Choices)

A few months ago, a rumor emerged that sparked a sudden need for mind bleach. The American Muckrakers PAC, the same group that crushed Madison Cawthorn’s reelection campaign in North Carolina, had vowed to also unseat Lauren Boebert in Colorado. They released a trickle of reports that appeared to check out, including word of an existing fraud investigation into Boebert’s very obviously absurd campaign write-offs. The PAC then floated allegations that Boebert previously worked as a paid escort who’d had two abortions. Not only that, but they claimed (without proof) that Ted Cruz was somehow involved, which is almost too much to consider. (Have mercy!)

Boebert seemed to deny all of these claims, although it must be noted that she only did so while cryptically tweeting “Fact Check: Not true” without mentioning what she was discussing, although it seems obvious what she’s thinking about here. She also added, “Y’all need Jesus!”

The Rifle Republican also signaled that she was prepared to get litigious while calling these claims “totally false,” but she’s comfortable enough to at least joke about these rumors. While taking the stage this weekend at Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit, Boebert cringingly joked, “Contrary to popular belief, I have never been as escort for Senator Ted Cruz.” She added, “But I will tell you tonight that is the coolest thing that I’ve ever heard about Ted Cruz.”

It must be noted that Boebert was talking around those general rumors involving allegations that she did escort-like work. There’s no blanket denial there, only a refutation of Ted being a client. And that PAC ad never actually claimed that Ted was a client but did claim that she was an escort when she met Ted. Maybe those details seem nitpicky to Boebert, but mostly, she wants everyone to know that she was not an escort for Ted. Point taken (and understood).

Also, the circumstances of Boebert’s entrance were nothing short of WWE-grade showmanship.

Ted also took the stage at this summit, where he urged his party to not be “like a lite-beer version of the Democrats!” Here’s Ted back in January, though, calling out Boebert as “[m]y friend.” So, there you have it.

The UK’s Latitude Festival wrapped up its 2022 edition yesterday, with Snow Patrol closing out the main stage. (Snow Patrol remain a major draw in the UK, by the way, as their previous five albums — including their latest, 2018’s Wildness — have peaked at at least No. 3 on the charts over there.) Their set actually turned out to have some unexpected additional star power, as Ed Sheeran popped up on multiple occasions.

Towards the end of the main set, Sheeran took the stage to help Snow Patrol perform “Bad Habits,” which Gary Lightbody started singing before Sheeran emerged to take over lead vocal duties. Later, during the encore, Sheeran showed up again to help the band close their set with “Just Say Yes.”

Sheeran’s appearance here isn’t completely out of the blue, as he and the band’s Johnny McDaid are frequent songwriting collaborators; McDaid co-wrote most of the songs on Sheeran’s x, ÷, and = albums.

Sheeran has been in a collaborative mood lately: He and Russ just dropped “Are You Entertained” last week while he and Burna Boy dropped a “For My Hand” video earlier this month.

Watch Snow Patrol and Sheeran perform “Bad Habits” above.

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