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Billie Eilish Does Not Enjoy Making Music In Recording Studios: ‘It Truly Gives Me Social Anxiety’

Last week, Billie Eilish made her musical return with two new songs, “TV” and “The 30th.” The records were released together as a part of a double single titled Guitar Songs and the former track is one that Billie premiered during a show at the AO Arena in Manchester, England. Naturally, with new music from Billie, there are questions that always come with it. They include her inspirations, how it came about, and more. In a recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, she explained why she went against tradition by releasing the song without promotion. During that same conversation, she also explained why she is not a fan of making music in recording studios.

“I don’t like studios,” she said. “I don’t like sessions. I don’t like [that] there’s a runner and he asks you what kind of food you want at so-and-so and he asks you if you want a La Croix.” She continued, “I really have never liked the vibe of studios. There’s no windows. It smells like weed. There’s other artists there — you bump into them, you look stupid. Then you’re embarrassed that they saw you when you looked stupid. I don’t know, it freaks me out. It truly gives me social anxiety.”

Her comments come after she was seen working on music with her brother Finneas in an at-home studio.

You can check out her conversation on Apple Music in the video above.

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Djo (AKA ‘Stranger Things’ Star Joe Keery) Drops The Jaunty Alt-Rocker ‘Gloom’

Joe Keery first made a name for himself in a big way with his beloved Steve Harrington character on Stranger Things, but he’s an established musician, too. Pre-Stranger Things, he was a member of successful Chicago psychedelic rock group Post Animal, although he left the band following their 2018 debut album When I Think Of You In A Castle due to his newfound fame and business creating scheduling issues for the group.

More recently, he has performed as a solo act under the name Djo, releasing a debut album, Twenty Twenty, in 2019. Now he has another LP, Decide, on the way, which he announced last month. Today, he returns with a new single, “Gloom.” The track is a quick two-minute romp, a jaunty, psychedelic rocker that press materials accurately call “Talking Heads-inspired.”

Meanwhile, Keery sat down for an interview on The Tonight Show last week and spoke with Jimmy Fallon about Djo, saying of choosing that performing name, “It’s connected to me, but it’s not directly connected to me, was the idea.” He also noted of his decision to play a wig-wearing character as Djo, “I was kind of inspired by Andy Kaufman, you know? So that was kind of the idea, this alter ego sort of musician.”

Listen to “Gloom” above and in case you missed it, check out that Fallon interview below.

Decide is out 9/16 via AWAL Recordings.

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Late Night Will Lose One Of Its Best With ‘Full Frontal With Samantha Bee’ Cancellation

It’s possible we’ve all clung to our late-night infotainment shows a little tighter than we should have across these last few years of nightmare fuel and eroding norms, but can you blame us? The mainstream media has often seemed unable or unwilling to plainly label bad actors and actions for fear of being painted as biased, causing people to look to the John Olivers, Stephen Colberts, Trevor Noahs, and Sam Bees of the world to shout it out loud and, in some cases, focus on stories that inexplicably fall through the cracks or need a signal boost. And yet, here we are with one less such show to turn our eyes to following the news that TBS is moving on from Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.

One of television’s smartest and gutsiest late-night shows that also happened to be the most prominent female-hosted late-night series of all time. The show is not going to get the chance to return for its 8th season, according to Bee’s reps in a statement released to Variety. And in case the optics/timing aren’t clear enough, I’ll just underline by saying that this is, of course, happening at a time when women’s rights are under attack, and it might be beneficial to have someone in late-night comedy speaking out and keeping focus on that, as Bee has with the skill and force that have become a trademark of the show throughout its run across multiple topics.

For TBS, this all comes down to a move away from late night following Conan O’Brien’s exit from the cable channel a little more than a year ago. Which is wild considering TBS’s long focus on late night, which predates O’Brien’s 11 years on TBS to the launch of George Lopez’ Lopez Tonight. But, as per Variety‘s report, there may be an industry-wide cut back on late-night brewing. Another wild thing to consider when you look at the critical praise, awards chatter, and general feeling of cultural import that a lot of these shows (including Full Frontal with its dozen Emmy nominations and zeitgeist mastery) give off; but in an ever-shifting media landscape and with ever-changing leadership with differing visions playing musical chairs, there are several variables at play with a decision like this. Still, in times like these and with the skill with which a show like this operates, it almost feels like it should be considered a public service to keep it on the air.

No doubt, the end of Full Frontal will be praised as proof of some kind of sea change in the culture wars by far right (proof that she show’s barbs often landed), but the success of the show and of Bee’s brand of commentary (long celebrated dating back to her legendary run on The Daily Show) ensures that there will be another opportunity on the horizon for Bee and her talented team. But for now, we’ll mourn the loss of this truly powerful, always funny show and wait for word on what’s next.

Source: Variety

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Every Bottle Of Four Roses Bourbon Whiskey, Re-Tasted And Ranked For 2022

Four Roses is one of the most popular bourbon whiskeys on store shelves. It’s also pretty damn easy to find and pretty well-priced too. On average, you’re looking at paying between $25 and $75 for a bottle, which is great if you’re looking for quality bourbon that doesn’t break the bank.

Even in all of Kentucky’s vast bourbon scene, Four Roses is a unique brand — the distillery is renowned for having ten different bourbons it makes and then blends into its varying expressions. There’s a mid-high-rye mash bill (75 percent corn, 20 percent rye, and five percent malted barley) and a high-rye mash bill (60 percent corn, 35 percent rye, and five percent malted barley), each of those bills is fermented with five different yeasts — creating the ten bourbons that makeup Four Roses’ whiskeys. Diving deeper, each yeast highlights a different flavor profile: “Delicate Fruit,” “Slight Spice,” “Rich Fruit,” “Floral Essence,” and “Herbal Notes.” This, in turn, helps to create barrels of whiskey that highlight specific flavors so that the blenders at Four Roses can build a final product that feels unique and distinct.

Okay, that’s a lot of info and doesn’t mean much until you actually taste what’s in the bottle. Let’s dive in, re-taste, and rank some seriously good Kentucky bourbon. Hopefully, find you the perfect bottle to add to your bar cart!

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

5. Four Roses Bourbon

Kirin Brewery Company

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $27

The Whiskey:

This introductory juice from Four Roses is a blend of all ten of their whiskeys. The barrels are a minimum of five years old when they’re plucked from the warehouses, blended, brought down to proof, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a definite steel note to this whiskey that leans toward minerality when water is added. The nose also brings along dried flowers, plenty of honey, and orchard fruits, with a hint of dark spice. The palate adds vanilla to the honey and apple foundations. The end is short but full of fruit, sweetness, spice, and green oak.

Bottom Line:

This is very clearly a mixing whiskey. It’s great in a highball with either Coke, ginger ale, or fizzy water. It works in a cocktail but that minerality up top can be a little distracting in a more nuanced cocktail. Overall, this is a well whiskey that’s best shot with a beer back.

4. 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:

We’re already into the good stuff with this one. This is a killer cocktail base that shines with tart berries and woody spice. It’s also a super easy sipper, especially on the rocks. A little water helps this bloom with a twinge of dark potting soil and wet cedar bark next to darker berries and spice.

3. Four Roses Single Barrel

Kirin Brewery Company

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $62

The Whiskey:

Four Rose’s standard single barrel expression is an interesting one. This is their “number one” recipe, meaning it’s the high-rye mash bill that’s fermented with a yeast that highlights “delicate fruit.” The juice is then bottled at 100 proof, meaning you’re getting a good sense of that single barrel in every bottle.

(Note: Most local retailers will have their own “barrel pick” of this expression which may be a different mash bill, yeast, or ABV.)

Tasting Notes:

Woody maple syrup and cinnamon sticks lead to a hint of pear candy with a vanilla underbelly on the nose. The palate lets the pear shine as the spices lean into woody barks and tart berries next to leathery dates and plums with a butteriness tying everything together. A spicy tobacco chewiness leads the mid-palate toward a soft fruitiness and a hint of plum pudding at the end with a slight nuttiness and green herbal vibe.

Bottom Line:

This is always good on a rock or two. I also really like this in a Manhattan as that leathery dark fruit and nuttiness play well with good sweet vermouth of some aromatic bitters.

2. Four Roses Small Batch Select

Kirin Brewery Company

ABV: 52%

Average Price: $72

The Whiskey:

This expression uses six of Four Rose’s ten whiskeys in their small-batching process. The idea is to blend both high and mid-rye bourbons with yeast strains that highlight “delicate fruit,” “slight spice,” and “herbal notes.” The whiskeys tend to spend at least six years in the barrel before blending and proofing with just a touch of Kentucky’s soft limestone water.

Tasting Notes:

This nose is enticing with a mix of dark berries and cloves with a yeasty doughnut filled with dark fruit and covered in powdered sugar next to a thin line of berry brambles — stems, thorns, dirt, leaves, everything. The palate is lush with a balance of dark berry pie filling next to winter spices, mincemeat pies, nutshells, and brandy butter vanilla sauce. The finish arrives with a rush of fresh mint next to wet cedar, blackberry Hostess Pies, and nutmeg-heavy eggnog all leading to a final note of that dark berry bramble black dirt.

Bottom Line:

If you’re talking about the main line of Four Roses, this is the mountaintop. This is just an excellent whiskey all around. It’s funky and fresh with a deeply rooted flavor profile that really highlights the beauty of Four Roses’ blending program.

This is great neat, on the rocks, or in your favorite whiskey cocktail.

1. Four Roses Small Batch Barrel Strength Limited Edition 2021

Four Roses Limited Edition 2021
Kirin Brewery Company

ABV: 57.2%

Average Price: $769

The Whiskey:

2021’s LE Small Batch is a blend of four bourbons. This whiskey marries their two mash bills with yeasts of “delicate fruit,” “spice essence,” and “floral essence.” The barrels ranged from 12 to 16 years old, making this a fairly old bourbon. The juice was then bottled as-is without any fussing.

Tasting Notes:

The nose has a mix of honey next to buttery biscuits, rich vanilla, a touch of tart red berries, dry cedar, and a very faint hint of dry mint. The palate dives into a dark plum jam with a spicy edge of allspice and nutmeg. That fruit gives way to a spritz of orange oils next to a light touch of dark chocolate on the mid-palate that leads to a rich and buttery finish. That finish leaves you with warming spice, more of that orange/choco vibe, and another mild hint of green, dry mint.

Bottom Line:

This is a delicious whiskey. It’s also fleeting. Every year these are released via lottery only from the distillery and then you’ll see them pop up in retail on the aftermarket … for a price. All of that aside, this whiskey truly is great and shines a bright light on the craft behind this iconic brand. It’s great in a neat pour but really needs a few drops of water or a rock to let it find its full potential in the glass.

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Harvey Weinstein Has Always Smelled Like ‘Poop’ (And ‘Really Thought He Was God’s Gift’), In Case You Were Wondering

Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein’s in prison for the foreseeable future after receiving a 23-year prison sentence in a landmark #MeToo case. All told, Weinstein’s been accused of sexual assault by over 100 women, and his New York State conviction arrived after a mere glazing of all of his ill deeds, which reportedly included cornering a reporter and masturbating into a potted plant after she refused his advances. As if that wasn’t revolting enough, a new book from Ken Auletta

A new book (Hollywood Ending: Harvey Weinstein and the Culture of Silence) from The New Yorker‘s Ken Auletta delivers new details about Weinstein, and while these are details that you probably didn’t want to know, they still exist. According to Page Six, Harvey really thought a lot of himself, and yes, he smelled like “poop,” which revisits previous claims by ex-actress Jessica Mann, who declared (on the stand), “The first time I saw him fully naked, I felt, I thought he was deformed and intersex.” She added, “He does not have testicles and it appears like he has a vagina.” Here’s more from Auletta’s book, via Page Six:

“[He] had some notion in his head that his body was attractive,” the author, 80, told Fox News, despite witness testimony that he smelled of feces, had genitals scarred to the point they “looked like a vagina” and a back full of “uncomfortable” blackheads.

Still, “he really thought he was God’s gift, a Don Juan,” added Auletta, who spoke to multiple former Miramax film studio employees, Weinstein accusers and even the former film producer’s business partner brother, Bob Weinstein, for the exposé.

There aren’t enough words to convey what Weinstein’s victims endured. Yet there’s one thing for sure: if Harvey smelled like poop when he was a fancy Hollywood producer, he surely smells even more like poop in prison.

(Via New York Post)

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A Young Dolph Mural Was Defaced Before Its Unveiling As Its Artist Receives Threats

A Memphis artist says he is receiving threats over a mural he painted of late local rapper Young Dolph — a mural that was defaced a week before its scheduled unveiling. Cameron Hill, the Memphis-based artist commissioned by local non-profit the Ida Mae Foundation to create the mural, posted a video on Instagram of the defaced artwork along with a screenshot of a text conversation from someone he says “is trying to intimidate me.” In a longer caption, he outlines a campaign whose aim he believes is to ruin his art career.

“The Ida Mae foundation and I have been talking about doing this project for the last 4 months. Money has been spent on the project from the foundation and everything just to have a group of hating individuals come and destroy what I was working on. The certain group of individuals have been trying to ruin my art career and tarnish my name since last year. I have been harassed and also threatened for the last two or three days for trying to do something for the foundation and to make the community look better. I have been getting calls and text from different numbers from people trying to plot on me.They have been sending people up there to try to intimidate me and spy on me. One thing y’all must understand is that y’all are not gone stop my shine nor are y’all going to try and down play my god given talent that I have been blessed with. I’m a king and I’m going to conduct myself as such. One thing for sure I don’t fear no man and I’m not going to tuck my tail and run. I stand on what I believe in.”

Dolph was shot to death at age 36 last November. Multiple suspects were arrested over the following months, while another memorial for Dolph was removed by the owner of the building at which he was killed.

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Netflix’s ‘The Sandman’ Trailer Offers A First Look At Mark Hamill’s Pumpkinhead And, Yeah, He Has A Pumpkin For A Head

After nearly 30 years in development hell, the TV show adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s hit comic book series The Sandman is finally coming to life on Netflix.

The 10-episode season will follow Dream, the titular Sandman, as he battles good and evil in the hypnotic Dreamworld, where nothing is as it seems, and the dream world and waking world are slowly blending together, which is not an ideal way to live. Dream must travel across different worlds in order to restore balance, and he meets a wide range of characters along the way.

Tom Sturridge stars as Dream, while Gwendoline Christie stars as a charming Lucifer, the ruler of Hell. Vivienne Acheampong, Boyd Holbrook, Charles Dance, Asim Chaudhry, Jenna Coleman, and Sanjeev Bhaskar also star. Oh, and Mark Hamill voices a man with a pumpkin for a head, so you know there will be some great bits about that. Patton Oswalt also lends his voice.

As per the official description:

There is another world that waits for all of us when we close our eyes and sleep — a place called the Dreaming, where The Sandman, Master of Dreams (Tom Sturridge), gives shape to all of our deepest fears and fantasies. But when Dream is unexpectedly captured and held prisoner for a century, his absence sets off a series of events that will change both the dreaming and waking worlds forever. To restore order, Dream must journey across different worlds and timelines to mend the mistakes he’s made during his vast existence, revisiting old friends and foes, and meeting new entities — both cosmic and human — along the way.

Dreams don’t die, but they sure can kill you! The Sandman hits Netflix on August 5th. Check out the trailer above.

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Doja Cat Is Post Malone’s Scantily Clad Muse In Their New ‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’ Video

Post Malone and Doja Cat are two of the most vibrant personalities in music, not to mention that they both travel in similar rap/pop lanes. So, when they collaborated on “I Like You (A Happier Song)” from Malone’s recent album Twelve Carat Toothache, it was about time. Now, they’ve teamed up on a new video for the song and, as you’d expect for a clip from these two, it’s good fun.

The video starts with Malone working on a painting of a woman before eventually disappearing into a puff of dust and re-emerging in a flowery and overgrown field, through which a topless Doja is running. Doja, covered in some strategically placed flowers, poses for Posty. Elsewhere, the two sing the song and share smiles and laughs together, all of which is a great fit for the light and smooth tune.

Meanwhile, Doja recently shared a photo of her new “tattoo,” which was clearly fake but fans still appreciated the up-close look at where Doja chose to put her fraudulent ink. As for Malone, he’s fresh off a run of charity video game livestreams, during which he managed to raise well over $100,000.

Watch the “I Like You (A Happier Song)” video above.

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Softest Hard Shares Her Weekend Guide To LA Just In Time For Hard Summer

Summer 2022 is the season of non-stop music festivals — from epic pool parties in the California desert to all-night ragers in Austin to coastal celebrations on the shores of good ol’ Alabama. Lastest on the lineup? Hard Summer Music Festival at the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino, California (July 29 to July 31).

The festival will feature chart-topping artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Porter Robinson, Lil Uzi Vert, Madeon, Alison Wonderland, GRiZ, Three 6 Mafia, Zeds Dead b2b Subtronics, NGHTMRE, Nicole Moudaber, Joji, Marc Rebillet, 100 gecs, DJ Tennis, Tiga, and more. Among the performers is up-and-coming, LA-based DJ and producer Softest Hard — her latest drop with T-Pain, “I’m Blue,” is out now, stream it here.

If you’re flying into LA for Hard Summer next weekend, check out Softest Hard’s exclusive LA guide below. She’s sharing everything you need to do, eat, and see before heading out to the wild weekend extravaganza.

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TGI Korean BBQ

TGI Korean BBQ is my all-time favorite place to go eat Korean bbq, it’s definitely a gem for me. There are so many places to eat Korean bbq all over LA but this one hands down beats every other one in my opinion. It’s never a long wait, the service is friendly and quick, and the food is perfect. I order bulgogi and galbi as my meats, a side of rice, potato salad, spicy cucumbers, pickled radish papers, cheese corn, and a Sprite to wash it all down.

I could eat this stuff every day, highly recommend it.

Spa Palace

Spa Palace Los Angeles
Spa Palace

I’m super big on self-care and taking care of my body and health. I love coming to Spa Palace the best when I’m having some me time. I get an aroma therapy treatment which takes about 50 minutes and costs $130. There’s a co-ed area, a smoothie bar, a restaurant serving Korean food, and so many different rooms and saunas that you can enjoy.

There’s also a huge pool upstairs as well.

Runyon Canyon

Runyon Canyon Hike
Grant Thomas / Unsplash

Runyon has become my go-to spot to go hiking since it’s the closest to me. I come here with my friends and we get a pretty great workout. I love the breeze you feel going upwards and the rewarding view of LA when you make it to the top. There’s this older man who I see often that balances a big water bottle on the top of his head and hikes up and down, he’s my favorite.

Top of the World Topanga

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A post shared by LA Hikes (@lahikes)

My old buddy Stephen Vanasco better known as Van Styles was the person who was the first to bring me here for a photo shoot. It’s the Topanga Lookout and it stands at one of the highest points in the Santa Monica mountains. You hike up until you reach the top and at the edge is a concrete platform covered in graffiti.

Watching the sunset here makes my world stop and makes me appreciate life.

1,000 Steps Beach, Laguna Beach (Orange County)

thousand steps beach laguna beach
Visit Laguna Beach

1,000 Steps is my favorite beach that I like to go to. You have to take a flight of stairs down but once you get to the bottom the view of the beach opens up and it’s just so gorgeous and worth it. Being by the water brings me so much happiness and then being able to spend quality time with my friends is the recipe for a perfect summer day.

Little Tokyo

little tokyo los angeles
@golittletokyo

I enjoy coming to Little Tokyo when I’m craving to squish plushies and find cute little stationaries to add to my hoarding obsession. I love cute, squishy, and soft things and I’m like a little girl in a candy shop when I’m in the Sanrio store. I also love this one Asian market there that sells these Asian fruits and desserts.

Taking pictures at the kawaii photobooths is definitely a must.

Moonshadows Malibu

Moonshadows Malibu
Moonshadows Malibu

Moonshadows Malibu is one of my top favorite restaurants to go to, it’s located in Malibu and it’s worth the drive if you’re coming from LA. I love it here because you get to enjoy a beautiful view of the ocean and the food and drinks are just as great. I recommend coming here if you want to impress someone or for a special occasion.

Six Flags Magic Mountain

I’m a thrill seeker and lover. I love roller coasters and I love being in places that make me feel like a kid again. I enjoy coming to Six Flags Magic Mountain with a group of friends and riding every single ride or until our legs get tired. My favorite foods to eat while there are churros, spicy pickles, and the turkey leg of the course but I can never finish a whole one to myself.

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CC Sabathia On Finding The Next Jeter And Going Back To The ‘Clubhouse’ For MLB Network

The label “alternative broadcasts” implies regular broadcasts serve as more straight-laced affairs where the conversation is focused 100 percent on the field of play. It’s largely (and unfortunately) true, but experiences like MLB Network’s Clubhouse Edition (which returns on Monday night at 7 p.m. ET with the Phillies taking on the Braves) really are rooted in a tradition of storytelling, off-topic asides, and the good time that can come from putting a mic in front of a former ballplayers and just letting them talk — think about greats like Phil Rizzuto, Bob Uecker, and Keith Hernandez for evidence of that.

So, really, when C.C. Sabathia (who spearheaded the creation of this series), Cliff Floyd, and Mike Lowell gather at MLB Network’s studios in Secaucus, New Jersey with Stephen Nelson and some special guests, like Ryan Howard, Tom Glavine, and Mo’ne Davis, it’ll be less an experiment and more a return and expansion of one of sports broadcasting’s bedrock charms.

Uproxx Sports spoke with Sabathia about the origination of the concept, the evolution of these kinds of “altcasts,” his ambition for the format, the NL East picture, and what it’s going to take for one of baseball’s many young superstars to become an icon like his former teammate Derek Jeter.

You’ve got the R2C2 podcast going on, you’re driving this Clubhouse experience with MLB Network. Was there a plan going into retirement of, you want to be around the game, but you don’t want to be stuck in a booth, you want to do your own thing? Or has it just organically evolved for you?

It just worked out that way. It’s just organically working out like that. I knew I wanted to be around the game, but jokingly, I always said I would never wear a suit to be in the game, or call the game. And two years ago, I was on vacation with Ron Berkowitz, and the idea came about of sitting around, and just talking about the game while the game was on. I got that idea while watching the Super Bowl with Tiki Barber one year. And it was just super insightful, and I thought it was a lot of fun to be able to watch a game with somebody that knew what was going on. So, that’s how the Clubhouse came about, and luckily enough, MLB Network was on board to try it, and I feel like they’ve been getting better and better.

What’s the ambition for it, how do you want to see this grow?

Honestly, I would love to see it get bigger and bigger, and start doing them live. If we did some live ones from the World Series, or the All-Star Game, and we had a little live crowd out there, we can do some live from location, I think it would be a lot of fun. But it’s just to grow the game, give fans a different experience, and I feel like we’ve been doing that.

You guys have been foundational in terms of this movement of alt broadcasts, but there was the Statcast that MLB Network did before, and obviously, the ManningCast stuff [with the NFL], and what Michael Kay and A-Rod are doing. Is this movement toward alt broadcasts moving fast enough?

I think you have what we’re doing, I think you have a few other ones out there, and I think it’s moving in the right direction. I think 10 years ago, baseball would’ve been opposed to even thinking about doing something like this.

Sabathia
MLBN

Things like the mic’d up players, is that something the players themselves embrace, or does that feel like an intrusion sometimes?

I think players embrace it. I think if you look at the All-Star game, guys were excited to be mic’d up, especially the pitchers. I think the guys in the game today understand how important it is for fans to have a different experience. So, they have no problem wearing it.

It’s good for their brand too, it’s good to grow their profile, right?

Yeah, the funnier you are, the better you are on camera, it’s definitely 1,000 percent better for your brand.

I just watched The Captain. Obviously, there are few athletes that can reach that level of iconic superstardom that Derek Jeter attained. What do you think it takes now to get to that level? To go beyond on-field greatness to hit that level of global superstardom that I think baseball needs from its stars.

I think, to be honest, I think it’s going to take winning. I think Jeter is this big global icon because of all the winning he did. I feel like Ohtani’s obviously, to me, probably the best baseball player to ever play, but he’s going to have to win, he’s going to have to do it in October. I think winning helps your legacy. So, I feel like if the Angels get into the playoffs, and Ohtani has a big month in October, it helps you grow your legacy. Trout’s the same thing, getting into the playoffs, and having a huge October is just going to help grow their brand and the sport. I feel like Jeter’s such a huge icon because he won so much.

Pivoting to tonight’s Clubhouse game with the Phillies and the Braves: We just saw J-Rod just blow up during the Home Run Derby and there’s so much attention on Juan Soto right now. When you’re talking about the Braves, when you’re an Acuña, and you’re seeing all these guys get all this spotlight, does that create a chip on your shoulder? He’s started to get back to his way of playing following the injury, but does he look to use games like this as a showcase or other games in the midst of this pennant race to say, “Don’t forget me. I’m still one of the best young bright lights of the game”?

Yeah, you would hope so. You would hope that’s what he’s thinking. So, many talented young players in the game right now, and even in the minor leagues, just watching the Futures Game, there are always guys coming. So if you don’t have that hunger to be the best, if you don’t have that hunger to make the All-Star team, or to be on top, or to be considered one of the best in your position, then you’re probably in the wrong sport, especially at a time right now when there are so many great talented young players in the game.

Obviously, this series can have implications on the NL East race, specifically, with the Braves trying to catch the Mets. Hard to gauge before the trade deadline, but how do you see the NL East picture right now? Do you think the Braves have what it takes to catch the Mets?

I don’t know, man. I think with the Mets getting Scherzer and deGrom back healthy, I feel like that separates them from, not even everybody in the National League East, I think everybody in the league. If you get those two back healthy, with that lineup, I think they’re going to be tough to beat. So, we just have to wait and see if deGrom can come back and get healthy, and be the pitcher that he was.

MLB Network’s Clubhouse Edition returns tonight at 7 p.m. ET with the Phillies taking on the Braves.