R.I.P. Andre Braugher

Andre Braugher passed away at 61 last night. This has hit me rather hard, harder than I expected in fact. I did not know much about Braugher previous to him playing Captain Raymond Holt on "Brooklyn 99". I had seen the movie "Get on the Bus". I know he was on "Homicide". I know he was a steady working actor. But "Brooklyn 99" was my introduction to him and he was incredible on that show.

Captain Ray Holt is an iconic television character. Andre Braugher took this role, ran with it and helped to create one of the most memorable characters in comedic television history. Captain Ray Holt was robotic and amazing at his job. He viewed the world with a cold eye, but he did have a softer side. Holt would say and act robotic, but he would also praise the people he loved on the show. He put his people through tests, and when they came out the other side, he was even happier for them. He took on Jake Peralta, Andy Samberg's character, and helped to mold him into the person he became on the show. He helped Amy and Gina. He entrusted Terry more often than not. He loved the debate and vigor with which Detective Wunch would fight him. Holt was a do it all, genuinely excellent person. I feel like this was just a glorification of Andre Braugher as a person. I feel like the people involved with "Brooklyn 99" were so thrilled to get Braugher on the show that they would just write the character however Braugher wanted him to be written. Braugher seemed to be the consummate professional. Everyone on "Brooklyn 99" seemed to adore him. I think they all loved when they would get to do scenes with him. I also like to imagine that they would love to hang out with Braugher and his family outside the show.

I have never heard anyone say a bad word about Braugher. When the news came out last night there were tremendous amounts of people in shock. All the social media stuff was heaping praise on Braugher. People seemed to be very affected by this news. Braugher had a wife and three kids. I cannot imagine the pain they are going through at this moment. All the love he got from his peers, I have to imagine it was ten times more at home. I have to imagine his wife and children adored him like no one else could. This has to be tragic for them. And he was only 61. That is way, way too young. That is far too young to take Braugher away from his family and friends. I read that he had a brief illness. I don't know what the illness was, but it must have been pretty awful to take Braugher's life. And I don't know how long he fought it because, as I stated before, the illness was described as "brief". This is akin to Chadwick Boseman passing away for me. I am as shocked by this news as I was by Boseman's news. But in Boseman's case, the people around him knew he was sick, and they were able to keep it quiet. With Braugher it feels like he got sick and just passed with no warning.

This is a tragedy. I am super bummed by this. I didn't want to believe the news when I read it last night, but it appears to be true. What a tragic loss for his fans, but more importantly, his family. Rest In Peace Andre Braugher. You were taken away much too young and you are going to be missed. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Better Never than Late on "The Star Wars Holiday Special"

Just yesterday I saw “The Star Wars Holiday Special”. This has been a curiosity of mine for quite some time. I’ve heard about its awfulness from many different sources. I’ve heard about it from RD himself. It became a white whale for a bit due to it being tough to find. The people involved dislike it. The fans dislike it. The critics dislike it. George Lucas tried to bury this thing. This was something I wanted to see but never really thought I would have a chance. But now it’s relatively easy to find. RD sent me a copy from YouTube. The quality may not be great, but it’s watchable. I had little to no issues. But, having now seen it, I kind of wish I could go back to the time before I saw this piece of trash.

Look, I’ve been a lot better on this site lately. I am trying to stay away from being negative. But this special is truly vile. It may be the worst piece of content I’ve ever seen. I was getting visibly annoyed during the 90 minute watch. My wife asked why I was mad. My son kept calling up to me from our downstairs saying, “what’s going on up there?”. My daughter, luckily for her, didn’t see my attitude during my “Star Wars” special watch. But when I say this thing is bad, I mean it’s truly, exceptionally terrible.

The special has no through line. They try to use “Life Day”, a supposed Wookie holiday, as the impetus for this special, but it’s sparse and not really touched on until the very end. This is a sketch special, but not in a good way. RD had me watch Paul Lynde’s Halloween special in October, and while nonsensical, Halloween was up front. Life Day is a non starter here. But, we do meet Chewbacca’s family. Apparently he has a wife and kid and his dad lives with them. We never see them in visual content anymore, but they are the stars here. We also get two song breaks. One is from Diane Carroll in a very odd, mastubatory fantasy from Chewbacca’s dad. It’s very weird. The other is a Jefferson Starship song, which is kind of cool, but it’s after their “White Rabbit” heyday. There’s no more Grace Slick, which is a drag. We do get the stars, Mark Hammill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, C-3PO and R2D2 are all here and all phoning it in. Bea Arthur shows up. Her sketch is dreadful and there a seemingly endless song and dance number. Harvey Korman is in three different sketches, all progressively worse. Art Carney gives his all, but the written dialogue is awful. There’s dumbass Imperial Guards. They have a voiceover from James Earl Jones, but we don’t get any new Darth Vader stuff. It’s just a scene ripped from the movie. The stars are there physically, but definitely not mentally. There’s an odd dance/circus number that Chewbacca’s son watches. They try to shoehorn bad jokes. They have an oddly placed cartoon, which I guess true fans like, but it just confused me. I don’t know. I guess I just don’t get it.

This special is unequivocally bad. I don’t think there’s a person who genuinely likes this. If someone says they do they’re lying to you and themselves. This special made me mad because they have this great source material, yet they somehow managed to make it excruciatingly boring and pointless. I loathed this. I do not recommend anyone watch this. It’s not even bad fun. You can’t even make fun of how bad it is because it’s so terrible. There’s nothing redeemable or fun about this. I truly believe this is one of, if not the, worst piece of content that’s ever been put out there. I’d rather watch knee surgery than watch this special ever again. “The Star Wars Holiday Special” is in the Hall of Fame of bad visual content. It may be the MVP.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Let's Talk about Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani is now a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He doesn't have to leave the city he has been in for the past six years. He can still do pretty much everything he did with the Angels. He won't be able to pitch this upcoming season, but he can still hit. He makes the Dodgers the unequivocal favorites heading into next season. And he is making an ungodly amount of money over the next 10 years.

For people who don't know yet, Ohtani's deal with the Dodgers is 10 years, 700 million dollars. He will make close to a billion dollars just on this contract. I assume he will get to the billions with endorsement deals. But he gets all this money for being an exceptionally talented baseball player. That is wild and cool as hell. When I was a kid this amount of money would have made me angry. I got all bent out of shape when Alex Rodriguez signed his humongous deal with the Rangers. But as I have gotten older, I'm way more into players getting whatever they can, as much as they can, while they can. Ohtani is a once in a generation player. He is doing things on a baseball field that we have not seen since the early 1900's. The fact that he can be a DH one day and pitch the next, that is unbelievable to me. Add on the fact that he does both at the highest level, and dominates at them, I mean, Ohtani should take as much money as he possibly can. A team like the Dodgers can afford a contract like this. The MLB has no salary cap, but they have to be able to pay the players based on how much they can sell tickets, food and merchandise, among many other things. The Dodgers may be the best equipped for a deal like this. There are going to be so many Ohtani jerseys and hats and bobbleheads and anything else they can put his face and name on at their home games next season. Hell, they will be at opponents games as well. I would bet all the money I have that I will see as many Ohtani jerseys as Paul Goldschmidt jerseys at a Cardinals-Dodgers game next season. The same could be said at most other stadiums. Paying him the money on this deal will be no problem for the Dodgers.

As for Ohtani, I applaud him. It would have been cool if he had gone to Toronto or Seattle. I would have been stoked if he came to Saint Louis. He was already in LA, but the Dodgers give him a much better shot at a World Series appearance. The Angels weren't going to get him there. They haven't been able to even crack the playoffs. They have two other worldly players in Ohtani and Mike Trout, yet they could never get to the important part of the year. Ohtani will be almost assured a playoff spot now. You put him in that rotation with Clayton Kershaw, ooh that is tough. Then you add him to that lineup with Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and Mookie Betts, my oh my will that be a potent, homerun crushing trio. The Dodgers are going for it, clearly. Ohtani is getting paid, clearly. This is a win for all parties involved. I think we all knew Ohtani was going to go to a big market. I accepted that early on. I think the Dodgers have had their eye on him since last season began and they thought he might be available. Both parties got what they wanted in the end, and that is a good thing.

I will still be in and out of MLB games next season. But if I do tune in, I think I will watch as many Dodgers games that Ohtani plays in, and I will love it. This is a homerun of a deal for everyone. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Predicts the 2023 Heisman Trophy

The Heisman trophy will be awarded to the best college football player tomorrow night. The finalists are Marvin Harrison Jr, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr and Jayden Daniels. All four of these players are worthy of being finalists. Honestly, I do not know who I would replace our add on the list. I'd love to see a Michigan player there, but no one of them was individually outstanding. They are a collection of good players. I thought Jalen Milroe might get an invite after his last two games, but it was a little too late in the game for that. I even tried to pry some defensive players who were otherworldly, but that was nonexistent this season.

So, as this award has almost always been, there are four offensive players, three of which are QB's. I want to make a case for each of them and then pick a winner. I'll start with Bo Nix.

Look, the dude is 26 years old and he should be able to feast on some of the Pac 12 defenses out there. He did that and much more. Nix put up incredible numbers. He threw for over 4,000 yards. He had 40 passing touchdowns to only three interceptions. He ran for 200 plus yards and six more TD's. The dude crushed it. He never really struggled in any games, but he could not beat Washington. That is his achilles heel. He would have a great year, but when he had to produce a big win, it just never happened for him. He is more than deserving of his invite to NYC, but I do not think he will be leaving with the trophy. There will be no repeat of Chris Weinke for Nix tomorrow night.

Michael Penix Jr looked like the front runner to me about seven or eight weeks into the season. He was absolutely obliterating every team he played against. He was putting up wild numbers too. Penix Jr finished the season with over 4,000 passing yards as well. He threw for 33 touchdowns to only nine interceptions. He rushed for negative yards, but he did score three more TD's on the ground. The best thing Penix Jr did this year was win every single game on the schedule. Penix Jr led the Huskies to an undefeated season and the number two spot in the CFP. He also played great against ranked opponents. He threw for 319 in the Pac 12 title game against Oregon. He had 332 against a ranked Utah team. He went for 256 against USC. Penix Jr played best when the lights were brightest. That is a big testament to his ability. But, due the tiniest little slip at the end of the season, I do not see him bringing the trophy home either.

Then we have Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison Jr is the best player in college football. Full stop. That does not mean he will bring home the Heisman. But, he is, by far, the most feared and most dominant offensive player in the game. I like to act like he didn't perform well against Michigan. That is false. He had five catches for 118 yards and a score. Michigan won, so it is easier for me to swallow his excellent performance. Harrison, not unlike his fellow finalists, put up crazy stats. He had 67 catches for over 1,200 yards and 14 scores. In only 12 games. That is mind boggling. That is nearly six catches a game. That is 100 yards a game. That is over one touchdown a game. As a receiver. That hasn't been done since Randy Moss, and Harrison Jr plays in the Big 10. Looking back at some of the games he had this year, it is amazing his stat line. I mentioned the Michigan game. He also torched Michigan State with seven catches for 149 yards and 2 TD's. He had eleven catches for 162 yards and a score against Penn State. He had six catches for 123 yards and two scores against Wisconsin. The guy produces big time being the focal point of the defense. His stats are incredible, but I think he is going to finish a distant second tomorrow night.

That leaves us with Jayden Daniels, the most electric QB in college football in 2023. Daniels was the do it all guy for a solid LSU team. While I loathe Brian Kelly, he did put Daniels in a great position every week to showcase his incredible talent. Daniels threw for over 3,800 yards. He added 40 TD passes to only four interceptions. He ran the ball 135 times for over 1,100 yards and 10 scores. He torched Texas A&M for 235 passing yards and four TD passes. He also ran 11 times for 120 yards in that game. When LSU beat Florida, Daniels threw for 372 yards and three scores. He added, and this is not a misprint, 234 yards rushing on 12 carries and two more scores. When Alabama beat LSU, Daniels still impressed with 219 passing yards and two TD passes. He also ran for 163 and a score. Against Mizzou, one of the better SEC defenses, Daniels passed for 259 yards, threw three TD's and added 130 rushing yards and another score. I could go on and on with his insane video game stats, but I figured showing how well he played against the better teams on his schedule is proof enough of his wonderful season. And I fully believe he is more than deserving of the Heisman this year. The other players have had a great season as well, but not compared to Daniels. He is on a whole other level.

That is my pick, and I would be stunned if he didn't win the Heisman tomorrow night. Jayden Daniels should bring home the award in an easy victory. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Go Out and Get Yourself a Pomegranate

I watch a lot of cooking videos, most of them on Instagram. The videos I watch have made me want to cook more and more, and I have made quite a few recipes that I have seen on Instagram. Because of my love of cooking videos another type of video that shows up in my algorithm pertaining to food is people cutting fruit. It is mesmerizing. I watch the fruit cutting videos when I'm winding down for the day. They calm me before sleep. These videos have made me try a few of the ideas out in the real world as well. One such video that caught my attention was a person cutting a pomegranate.

I fully understand that I can go to the store and buy pre cut fruit, but did you all know it is far cheaper to buy the whole fruit and cut it yourself? I'm sure a lot of you already did know this, but it has been a relatively new found thing in my life. So now I pretty much exclusievly buy whole fruit and cut it at home. Thus making these videos all the more relevant in my life. So this pomegranate one was quite intriguing.

I bought a whole pomegranate and cut it up at home. It was a mess, but it did the job and I had a bunch of pomegranate seeds to snack on for a few days. And I have to tell you all, this is one of my new favorite snacks. Fruits and veggies cut up have become a new thing in my home since we have had kids. We try our hardest to give them quality snacks, and fruits are a good entry way to other, better for you snack foods. So when we had this pomegranate, everyone was a little confused. But then we all tried them and loved them. I love how it is a burst of flavor. Those little seeds pack a punch, a tasty punch at that. And there are so many of them in one single pomegranate. I almost filled a small tupperware. The flavor is awesome. A pomegranate is like a cherry mixed with fruit punch and adds the smallest bit of sour. With each bite I want to eat more and more of them. At first I would grab a few with my fingers. But after a while I was eating the seeds by the spoonful. I couldn't get enough of them. I would come home from a run and eat some of the seeds as a snack afterward. It was great. My son would come home from basketball practice and want some. My daughter would eat them after karate and my wife chose them after some of her bike rides. The seeds were a great way to trick my kids into thinking they were having sweets. The sweetness from the seeds is right up there with some candy, but the pomegranate is a little better for them, and my wife and I. We eat grapes and cantaloupe and apples in my house. My son and I love pineapple. My wife enjoys a good banana. But pomegranate seeds have made their way into our rotation now. I will usually get two at the store just to have some extra in a tupperware.

I understand that I am late to the pomegranate game, but I'm fully in it now and I couldn't be happier about it. Pomegranates rule. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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An Ode to Trail Running

After my son's orthodontist appointment this morning I took him to school and went to a trailhead to do my longish run of the week. I go every Wednesday to a trail and run anywhere from 5-8 miles. It is my time to get away for the week and just relax. I'm usually gone for an hour or two and it is one of the best things about my week.

I do all kinds of running. My two main interests, as with most people, are trails and road running. I like road running because I am faster on the road. I get better times. I usually do better on races that are on the road. I recently just ran my fastest half marathon at a road race. Road running is good for timing.

My true love in the running world is trail running. I go back to when I did my first half with my buddy Kirk. We both had very different responses. He loved it, and pretty much loved any kind of running. I was miserable and told him, during the race, that I was going to focus on trail running. Now, to give Kirk some credit, he has fully embraced trail running and he is very good at it. I love it for a myriad of reasons though, and a lot of those came to mind this morning.

Trail running is better because it is technical. You have roots and rocks on good portions, depending on which trail you pick. You have to really pay attention. I took my eyes off the trail for a few minutes today and almost busted my ass. I have busted it many times before, but it has never been a deterrent.

I also love the quietness and solitude. I always wear headphones when I run on the road. I hardly ever wear them when I trail run. I like to listen to nature. There are animal sounds at every turn. I like to hear my shoes press on the rocks and the paths created. I like to know where I'm going. I want to be cognizant of every little detail. It is relaxing. That is another thing, trail running is very relaxing for me. I can go out there and just get lost and not have a care in the world. I kind of just let the trail guide me. I go where feels best at that moment and that is cathartic for me. I can go out to a trail for hours and have the time of my life. It is one of the best things for me. It is also excellent therapy. I can go and cram out any anxiety or anger. I can go out and have a nice talk with myself, or if Kirk is joining me, we can have a good chat together where we sometimes just vent to one another about whatever we feel needs to be vented about. It is very good for my talk therapy.

Above all though, trail running makes me really feel like I have accomplished something for the day. I can run anywhere from four miles to a full marathon, which the only one I've done was on a trail, and be very tired. Today I did six miles, but climbed a big hill and my thighs and calves are currently feeling it. In opposition, I ran five and a half miles yesterday on the road, and while I was tired, I was still able to do all the normal things I would do any other day. But today, the idea of relaxing on the couch until it is time to get my kids sounds like the best thing I could do because of the excellent workout I got on the trails.

Trail running is the best and I am going to do it until I cannot walk anymore. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Better Late than Never on "Force Majeure"

Last week I saw the 2014 movie "Force Majeure". I have wanted to see this movie for quite awhile, and it was on cable so I finally rectified it and sat down and watched from start to finish.

I enjoyed this movie a lot. I thought it moved very well, it was a good story, the actors did a wonderful job and it was one of the funnier movies I've ever seen. I waited too long to see it, but I did and I enjoyed it. But that is not all that I wanted to say about this movie.

The story of the movie, for those that do not know, is about a family on a ski trip in the Alps and it looks as if an avalanche is going to swallow them all at breakfast. But, the avalanche stopped and did no damage at all. But that is not the whole story. When it looked like it was going to be disastrous the husband of the family ran off and left his wife and kids to fend for themselves. The movie then deals with the aftermath of his decision. And that has been on my mind ever since I finished the movie.

I really liked the way they handled this whole scenario. The husband made a cowardly decision. He ran off and only protected himself. He cared about his well being over everyone else's. I would like to think that if I were in this situation that I would act differently. I would love to say that I took action and protected my family. But I do not know what I would do. I have, luckily, never been in a situation like this one, or something equivalent. What I liked about the way they broached the whole thing was seeing it from different people's perspectives. The husband is trying to play it off. He claims he didn't run. But when pushed, and shown proof that he did, he claims he was going off to help others. While that is all well and good, he should watch out for his family first. That makes the most sense to me. The husband did a cowardly thing, resists that he was wrong, but does eventually get to make it up to everyone. The way the actor handles some of the situations in the movie make it hilarious as well. There is a scene where he starts to cry uncontrollably and it is cringe at first, then hilarious, then sad. They manage to show three different reactions in a five minute scene. It's masterful. The wife, you can tell, is furious. She is upset with his decision. She wants him to own up to what he has done. She has clearly lost a little respect for her husband. She tries to dull it with wine, but that makes her open up about her frustration even more. The actor playing the wife was amazing. I felt her pain and grief a bunch. I also sympathized with her when the husband tried to gaslight her into saying he was actually helping. It is another wonderful performance. The friends who show up, an older man and his 20 year old girlfriend, show us two other sides to the entire event. They also have some of the best, and funniest, moments in the movie. The whole scene at the hotel elevator was wonderful. When the guy goes skiing with the husband, that is some hilarious way to try and show male bravado on screen. When the man and his girlfriend are up all night arguing over nonsense, it is funny and relatable.

"Force Majeure" is a very well made movie. It is dark, funny, dramatic and very well made. I really enjoyed every minute of it. I highly recommend seeing it yourself. It will make you question how you would react if you were in a similar situation, and that makes it that much better. Check this movie out. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Florida State Got Robbed

The College Football Playoff is all set. Michigan is the 1 seed, Washington 2, Texas 3 and Alabama 4.

I do think all four teams had some good reasons for being picked. Michigan won every game and the Big 10. Washington won every game and the Pac 12. Texas won 12 games, won the Big 12 and beat Bama. They did get beat by Oklahoma, who is very good, but that was early and they more than made up for it. And Bama ended Georgia's 29 game win streak, lost to Texas early on in the season, but won every other game. So, do I think these teams are deserving of a playoff spot? Yes. But, do I think the committee got it right? Absolutely not.

This has been a topic of much debate since the four playoff teams were announced yesterday. People have had takes either way, supporting the decision or disagreeing with the decision. I wanted to sit on my thoughts for a day before I made up my mind. And I absolutely believe that Florida State was snubbed big time. This may be the biggest snub in the history of college football bowl games. That may sound like a bit much, but to the players, coaches and that university, this is a big deal. Florida State won the ACC. They won it going away in fact. They beat three top 25 teams. They beat LSU, who will most likely have the Heisman winner this weekend, in a humongous prime time matchup this season. The main thing that FSU did this season though, they won every game. Texas did not win every game. Alabama did not win every game. But FSU did. They had their schedule set, they played the teams on that schedule and when those games were over, FSU was the winner of each and every one of them. That is their job as a power 5 football team. That has been the unwritten rule of the college football playoff committee. They have said time and time again that if you play in a power 5 conference, win the conference title game, and win every other game on your schedule, that should be more than enough to get you in the playoff. But for some reason this season the committee decided to change things up.

Now, I fully understand, as does the committee, that the playoff is a television event. They want to get as many viewers as possible. And putting Michigan up against Alabama is going to bring a ton of viewers. But it is not like FSU is some also ran. They are blue bloods themselves. They have won multiple national titles. They have had multiple first round picks. They have a storied history. So to pass over them for Alabama, that shows the bias that the committee and ESPN, where all the playoff games will be broadcast, have. This is clearly ESPN and the committee cowtailing to the SEC and Bama. They want them in these games to get the talking heads and fans all riled up. During the SEC title game they kept showing a placard on the screen saying that the winner of the SEC title game has never missed the CFP. No one on ESPN, CBS, Fox or NBA were talking up FSU at all Saturday night, even as they were winning the ACC title game. And when ESPN premiered the final playoff game reveal and rankings, of course most of their talking heads were saying this was the correct choice, to leave FSU out in favor of Bama. Rece Davis, a Bama grad, loved it. Kirk Herbstreit, who I like, said weeks ago that if FSU finished undefeated, they'd be a shoe in. He immediately disregarded that statement and praised the committee for their choice. Paul Finebaum basically said he could care less about FSU and that Bama deserved the spot. He hosts a show on ESPN's SEC network. The only analyst that seemed to be bothered by this was Booger McFarland. He made some real good points I thought too. If anyone that is a college football fan is on the fence about this choice, go watch what McFarland had to say yesterday. It was the best argument for FSU being in the playoff that I saw. But after yesterday it is more apparent than ever that this committee and ESPN could care less about what occurs on the field. They are going to bend over backwards to get a team from the SEC in this field if there is the slightest possibility.

I do not like FSU, not one bit, but they were snubbed, and snubbed hard by the CFP committee yesterday. This is not what is supposed to happen when you win every game and win your conference as a power 5. This is clearly a move motivated by viewers, not players. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches the Trailer for "Furiosa"

The trailer for "Furiosa" came out this morning and you better believe I watched it asap. We've made no secret about our love for "Fury Road" on this site and podcast. My review was given a title along the lines that I gave the movie "10 Thumbs Up". RD has said, and I find myself agreeing with him from time to time, that it may be the best movie ever made. So when they announced "Furiosa", we were both already in. Now with the trailer coming out, and watching it, I want to throw all of my money at this movie.

The trailer is amazing. It takes me right back to the feelings I had when I first saw the trailer for "Fury Road". This new movie is a prequel I guess. But we get to know the story of Furiosa now. We get to find out how she became the super badass that she was in "Fury Road". Charlize Theron is not reprising her role, and I do not think she even has a cameo. But that is what I'd expect from an origin story. This time Ana Taylor Joy is playing a young Furiosa, and she looks just as bad ass. There is a moment in the trailer where she smears oil on her head and it takes me right back to the first time we see Theron as Furiosa in "Fury Road". There are also shots of the world pre the economic collapse, to give us even more backstory. They do also show the mechanical arm in the trailer, so I am assuming we get to see how that all came about. We also get a very rugged and ravaged looking Chris Hemsworth. I didn't even know it was him at first glance. I thought it was the guy that played Tormund in "Game of Thrones". But it is Hemsworth with some shaggy hair and a very unkempt beard. He also has a funny way of speaking in this trailer, and he looks to be a real villain, which will be very cool to see him play a role like that in a George Miller action movie.

Going away from the main two actors, we get a lot of the world that we have all grown accustomed to in this "Mad Max" world. It is a dessert. There are crazily built cars everywhere. There are the albino soldiers. We see a young Immortan Joe. There are people that are going to help Furiosa. We got to see her family before everything went haywire. It looks like there is going to be a massive amount of car chases and things getting blown up. Taylor Joy has a pretty big body count from the trailer alone. There is one scene where she sets a trap for a car chasing her and the car gets ravaged by a pointy, sharp gate.

The movie looks amazing.

What I loved most about this trailer was the opening scene though. It starts with a crawl, giving us information. We then see Taylor Joy as Furiosa walking into a desert, away from her abandoned bike, and she looks hurt. She says a few words and then we are thrust into this chaotic world that Miller has created. Why do I love this so much you ask? Because this is how Miller starts all the good "Mad Max" movies. The formula works and I get an idea of what I am in for from the jump.

I can't wait to see this movie. That should be very clear. There is no official release date as of yet, but we do know that it will come out in 2024. The sooner the better for me. "Furiosa" is going to be one hell of a movie, and this trailer is pretty phenomenal. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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I'm Actually Pretty into Two Bruce Springsteen Albums

A week ago I wrote about Bruce Springsteen. I talked about how I appreciate his writing, his work ethic and the breadth of his career. But I also let it be known that I could not get into his music. Try as I might, it just didn;t work for me. Well, I have a little bit of a rebuttal today though.

The podcast about Springsteen is still going on, I'm still listening, and I am still finding it hard to get it. He makes adult contemporary music because his fans are contemporary adults. But in going back there are two records that I do like. There are two records that I can listen to and find myself enjoying what I'm hearing. Those records are "The Ghost of Tom Joad" and "Nebraska".

I have found my listening and repeat listening to these records to be quite enjoyable. They are dynamite, especially "Nebraska". That album is a masterpiece. I also think, despite its grueling lyrics, "The Ghost of Tom Joad" to be a very good record. So when I was listening to "Nebraska" this morning with my dad, we had a little chat. He asked why I was listening to Springsteen if I didn't like him. He reads some of my stuff. As I sat there and contemplated his question, while listening to "Nebraska" with him, it dawned on me. I know why I like these two albums, why I'm able to overlook what I consider misgivings. These records are so good for me, as a listener of music, because they are so stripped back and minimal. These records are like folk records that I adore from the 60's. The record has three musical elements on it, as opposed to his other records that have a full band and a string ensemble. These two records have acoustic guitar, harmonica and Springsteen doing a folky voice. There may be a drum machine here and there, and he may even play piano a bit, but it is very, very stripped down. I love acoustic music. It is one of my favorite styles of music to listen to. I love the barebones of an acoustic guitar. I also like how the acoustic guitar shows an artist's warts. It makes me appreciate the artist even more when they are proficient on an acoustic guitar. I have always loved Bob Dylan, so when you throw a harmonica in with the acoustic guitar, I am even more in. I enjoy the harmonica. And when Springsteen does that folky voice, it works for me. I like when he takes on that voice and really gives it a go. I like folk music, and when Springsteen uses it, singing his very well written words, it is obviously going to work for me. And that is the thing too with these records, the words. These songs tell vivid and enthralling stories. I can let myself get very heavily involved in the stories that are being told when Springsteen is singing. The stories are a drag, but I like stuff like that. I like to be transported into a dark world. It is a nice break for a few minutes.

"The Ghost of Tom Joad" is great, but "Nebraska" is a masterpiece. And it is seemingly an accidental masterpiece. "Nebraska" was just kind of slapped together by Springsteen himself in a farmhouse he was staying in, and it sounds that way. I love the archaic way he recorded that whole record. "The Ghost of Tom Joad" is very stripped down too, but it is mixed and produced by professionals. And that is fine, but it is missing the charm of "Nebraska". That record is amazing.

So, if you agreed with my first piece on Springsteen, but want to give him another shot, listen to "Nebraska" and "The Ghost of Tom Joad". Yes they have Springsteen's voice, but they are both stripped down, small records in comparison to his other stuff, and that is what makes them great. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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What is Comic Actor Seth Morris Doing in a Hallmark Christmas Movie

We are officially in the Hallmark Xmas movie holiday in my home. My wife loves these movies, I like to watch them with her and critique them like a jerk and they go down smoothly. They are easy to watch, I don't have to pay full attention and they can be fun. Last night I did pay more attention than normal to the movie we watched though. Let’s discuss.

Now, I have grown to know a good amount of the actors in these movies, they use mostly the same actors, but the one we watched last night had a new cast mate, a person who I enjoy in their other avenues. This actor is Seth Morris. I know Morris from his many appearances on "CBB" as Bob Ducca. He hosts a show of his own called "College Town". He had a one off series on Earwolf back when they started trying those out. He had a nice little series run on "Happy Endings". He appeared on "The Kroll Show" and "Workaholics" in very memorable roles. The dude stays working and I enjoy the stuff that he does. So, when I saw him in the sequel to "Haul Off the Holly", I was kind of stunned. This doesn't seem like an avenue he ever wanted to pursue. This seems so far off what he normally does when he works. This is a very out there choice from Morris. It reminded me of when Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell did a Lifetime Movie and they didn't make fun of it. They actually took that seriously. So when I watched Morris in "Haul Off the Holly", I kept trying to find reasons as to why he would take this role.

First off, the most obvious reason is the paycheck. Actors have to work to get paid and from what I have read, these Hallmark movies pay a pretty solid fee to the people in the movie. But I really let my mind wander during the screening last night. I thought that maybe he did it as a dare. I like to imagine that Morris was at an improv show and some of his buddies dared him to do this. And from what I have heard from his comedy, Morris probably thought that he'd show them. So he took this role and took it seriously and did a good job. I also like to think he is friends with people in the movie or people that work at Hallmark and he just wanted to give one of these movies a shot. So the people he knew pulled some strings and got him in one of their movies. I even thought that he may have had to audition for this role and won the casting crew in the room. He seems like a charming, nice dude, and that probably came off very well to the people at Hallmark. And make no mistake, Morris is not acting any goofier than normal. He is not, from what it appears, doing a bit. He is not out there cracking jokes and poking fun. He is not doing this as a meta thing to see what happens. I feel like Morris got this role , took it seriously and realized that these Hallmark Xmas movies are a real thing with real potential.

It is still baffling to me that this actor was in this Hallmark movie. I am still asking myself more and more questions. I'm still going through random scenarios. But in all likelihood, Morris auditioned, was cast, saw a nice payday and ran with it. And I say good for him. It was pretty cool to see an actor I like doing something way out there and different. Maybe more actors will do the same. Time will tell. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"30 Rock" Sure Had A Lot of Guest Stars

We are currently rewatching "30 Rock" for the millionth time in my house. This is one of the best shows to ever exist. They have done scientific experiments about the jokes per second on the show. Tina Fey is a genius. She created something incredible with this show. I know we will eventually be going back to watch it many, many more times.

During this rewatch though my wife and I noticed something different. We watch a good amount of tv, probably too much. So when we go back and watch something multiple times, one of my favorite things about a rewatch is seeing, or realizing something I never noticed. To me that is the sign of a very good, very high quality show. So, the thing we noticed was the amount of guest stars that "30 Rock" had during its run.

The guest star list is vast and filled with some top notch people. Actors like Jon Hamm, James Marsden and Octavia Spencer had storylines based around their character. Will Forte became an integral character. So did Chris Parnell. Steve Buscemi had a great run as a PI. He is also part of a great meme from this show. But when you look at one off celebs on the show, the list is wild. Tony Bennett appeared in one episode. Carrie Fisher had one episode where she was the focal point of a story. Kellen Lutz showed up and did a great job in his role as himself. Oprah Winfrey, Aubrey Plaza, Whoopi Goldberg, Al Gore, Conan O'Brien, Paul Reubens, Wayne Brady and LL Cool J, all these people came in for a cameo and were all memorable. She also helped out former "SNL" cast members. I mentioned Parnell and Forte, but we also got Jason Sudekis, Fred Armisen, Jimmy Fallon, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg to show up for a bit. Musicians were also everywhere on the show. You can go back and watch the kidney episode with another guest star, Alan Alda, and the amount of famous musicians is insane. It is a who's who of artists. We also got a "Friends" run with David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston appearing in two different episodes. We also got major movie stars like Matt Damon who had a good run. Matthew Broderick showed up in two different episodes. Steve Martin had an excellent episode where he is the star. Peter Dinklage had a great story arc in one episode. I mean, Slama Hayek played a nurse. These are bonafide movie stars here. The list could go on and on and on.

I have sat back with my wife and we have discussed the fact that we both think that "30 Rock" had the best, and most guest stars in the history of live action sitcoms. I feel like these super duper stars realized early on how great this show was going to be and they really, really wanted a guest spot. And when they were asked by Fey, I bet they jumped at the opportunity. "30 Rock" has so many wonderful things going for it, and this list of guest stars makes me adore this show even more. The next time you rewatch or watch "30 Rock" see if you can remember and count the amount of guest star appearances. It will blow your mind. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Whatever Happened to Pauly Shore

Over the weekend my wife and I watched "Encino Man". It was my weekend to pick the movie and I am still on my kick of movies that I loved as a kid. I have kind of run the gamut on sports movies from back then. We have either watched them all, or my wife has seen some that I used to adore. So "Encino Man" was more along the lines of something I cherished.

This movie does not hold up in my opinion. For an 85 minute long movie it feels long. It is too scattered. They couldn't fit every idea they may have initially wanted in the end. Brendan Frasier was good, so were some of the smaller role cast members, but all in all, "Encino Man" is not as great as it was in my child's brain.

The big reason I loved this movie, why it held so much weight for me, was Pauly Shore. When I was 10 and 11 years old there was no one funnier than Shore. I watched pretty much all of his movies. Obviously I loved "Encino Man". But I also watched "Son in Law" on almost a daily basis for a couple months. I saw "BioDome" in theaters. I may be one of the few people who actually enjoys, or enjoyed, I haven't seen it in ages, "In the Army Now". I even watched "Jury Duty" the week it came out on video at Blockbuster. I went through it all with him. He was my guy. As I got older I moved on to, what I consider, funnier, smarter comedians and actors, but Shore has always held a place for me. I simply like the dude as an actor.

After this recent "Encino Man" viewing I got to thinking, where and what has Shore been up to lately. The last time I made it a point to listen to him talk was when he was on "WTF with Marc Maron". I've always been an in and out listener to "WTF", but when Maron has someone on that I want to listen to, I make sure to download the episode. This was an eye opening interview. Shore really let it all out. He told his story. I grew to like him even more after this podcast appearance. I kind of understood why he did what he did when he did it. It all made sense to me. Then on some rewatch stuff I noticed he was in an episode of "Workaholics". He played this tortured, captured version of himself. The guys get him out and party with him, but his appearance on the show was purely fan service, and I have to imagine the "Workaholics" guys love him. This made me want to see more, or hear more from him. I have yet to see "Pauly Shore is Dead", but it is on my list. I hear it is a good movie, and Shore is more than game at poking fun of himself. He's in an Adam Sandler movie I want to see called "Sandy Wexler". I understand that movie is on Netflix forever, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. And I guess he does a good amount of voice work in animated series. So the guy stays working.

Everyone needs to remember that there was a time, mostly the early to mid 90's, where Shore was one of the biggest comedy stars in the world. He was everywhere and he was funny. He found a niche and ran with it. I would walk around my house as a kid, and I still do it now, and tell people to "not weaze the juice". I'd also call myself the "Weasel". I'd say "heeeyyyy budddyyyyy" so much that I am certain it annoyed people. This was all because of my fandom of Shore. He was my guy until I discovered "SNL". And I have found myself wondering why he was such a hit with me when I was a young kid since Friday. I think it is his brand of comedy. He appeals to kids. He says weird stuff that sounds funny and 10 and 11 year olds love it. I fully believe my son, who is 11, would think Shore is hilarious. And this is not a knock. I think if a comedian or a comedy actor can find something that works, they should run with it. Shore's comedy just happens to be juvenile, and that is totally fine.

Since watching "Encino Man" I feel like I want to go back and watch some of the movies I mentioned above. I don't think they will hold up, "Encino Man" was very bad, but who knows. Maybe it will make me relive some of my childhood memories when I watched these movies over and over again. But I do want to say, I am, and always will be, a Pauly Shore fan. He still makes me laugh. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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An Ode to My Wife's Chocolate Pecan Pie

Wrapping up my week of talking about food I want to talk about my favorite dessert that I had yesterday.

Thanksgiving is pretty notable for turkey, potatoes and dessert. That is the icing on the cake at the end of the meal. Everyone always has a little room left no matter how much you ate prior to dessert being put out. It is the best part of the meal for a lot of people. And there are all kinds of desserts. Yesterday, at my wife's uncle's house, they had an entire buffet of desserts. There was pie, cookies, rice crispy treats, alcohol and coffee. At my folks house they also had a buffet. This consisted of the same things, except coffee since this was dinner. My kids love desserts too. Their little eyes get big and I usually give them a bigger portion than normal, which they love. And they tried a little of everything yesterday. The rice crispy treats were an obvious hit. My in law is gluten free, she has celiac, so rice krispy treats are a must. These are classics for a reason. The sweet, the crunch of the cereal, the butter, it all works. I love these, as do most people. We had pumpkin pie. This is another obvious hit. Pumpkin puree, more butter, a graham cracker crust, what's not to love? Put some whip cream on top and it is a near perfect fall dessert. There was chocolate silk pie. This is rather new for me, but it is a hit. I love the chocolate pudding, the whipped topping and another graham cracker crust. It is another near perfect dessert. There is also apple pie, some places have blueberry, others have blackberry. I'm not much of a fruit pie guy, I am not too big a fan of hot fruit, but on a day like Thanksgiving, these just work. I'm not an alcohol guy, but I know some people like a post meal drink. I do enjoy coffee, and having a hot cup after a big meal can be very comforting. But the one dessert yesterday that I woke up thinking about this morning was my wife's chocolate pecan pie.

I have never thought much about pecan pie. It falls in that category of sweet potato for me. While it is very good, I never have it if it isn't a holiday. So when my wife said she was going to make a chocolate pecan pie I thought, if I remember I'll have a piece. She reminded me at dinner and I made sure to cut a good piece.

This pie was dynamite. It was gooey and chocolatey and crunchy and caramelly and perfect. Every bite was better than the last. The crust was savory, but the pie was not, and that was key. There were so many chocolate chips. They were semi sweet, which made the pie even better. The pecans had a sweet crust that was so good. They got candied during the cooking process and that took them to a whole other level. The caramel bits made this thing even better. I loved every bite of it. I wish I had brought it home, but my mom and dad asked to keep it. That is high praise from them. This pie is the best thing I had all day yesterday. I will be asking for it again. I hope my wife will make it, I'm sure she will.

Chocolate pecan pie is my new favorite Thanksgiving dessert. It is a taste treat sensation. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Smoked Turkey is the Best Turkey

I'm coming at you all with another Thanksgiving food hot take today. Let’s go.

As far as turkey goes on this upcoming holiday, there are many ways you can prepare the bird. My wife has done the traditional way. We have salt brined a turkey together. I've had tofurky when two of my brothers and my sister in law were vegetarian. I've had a preordered Cajun turkey. I've had a bite of a turducken. And I've had smoked turkey. All of these preparations have their place. Traditional turkey can be hit or miss. They can easily dry out. And a dry turkey is brutal. You have to really plus it up to make it work if it is dry. A well done traditional turkey is classic, and it is classic for a reason. I love a good, properly done traditional turkey. But it isn't my favorite. The salt brined turkey was gross. I think we overdid it when we brined it. We tried to follow a recipe, but it was far too salty. It also really dried out the turkey. We tried it, but it didn't work. Tofurky is odd, to me. It is tofu, which I'm not crazy about, but I get why vegetarians like it. It scratches that itch. It also comes in a box and you can make it look like a turkey. It is a neat concept. I'm just not a tofu guy. The Cajun turkey was really good, but it became too much near the end of the turkey. It came out with a bang, but then it was just overkill. The seasoning became too much in the end. The turducken was almost as odd as the tofurky. I felt like I was in Hedonism eating that turducken. It was all things that I like, but it became, much like the Cajun turkey, overkill. I love turkey, chicken and duck. But putting all three together was almost, dare I say, too flavorful. I couldn't get a full grasp on one single taste. It was all coming at me way too fast. My brain couldn't process it all.

A smoked turkey, that is, in my opinion, the best way to prepare a turkey. It stays moist. The smoke flavor is such a wonderful addition. I like the color of the turkey. You get a bark that is extra flavorful. It is good the next day in a salad. I love taking it, chopping it up and making smoked turkey salad by adding a little mayo and mustard with some spices. A smoked turkey lends itself so well to sauces like gravy and bbq sauce. I love having a bite of smoked turkey mixed in with mashed potatoes, or my very favorite, stuffing. Smoked turkey, for me, feels lighter than any of the other preparations I've mentioned as well. I feel like that is the best way to get my protein on Thanksgiving when I indulge in some turkey. Smoked turkey is the way to go. It is my personal favorite way to have turkey anytime of year, but especially on Thanksgiving.

Go ahead and smoke a turkey of you are on the fence about how to prepare your turkey tomorrow. You won't regret it. 

Let RD tell you why you should skip the turkey this Thanksgiving. Listen to the latest X Millennial Man Podcast to hear him explain.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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An Ode to Stuffing

With Thanksgiving around the corner, my family celebrates it, I have food on my mind this week. Today I want to talk about what I think is the best food to have at your table if you celebrate Thanksgiving. That food is stuffing.

Stuffing is kind of the jack of all trades when it comes to side dishes for the holidays. Fact of the matter though, I'd like to eat stuffing year round, and as an adult, I eat stuffing now more than ever. It is kind of perfect in my eyes. I like it because it is not only filling, it is also incredibly flavorful.

The thing with stuffing is, it takes on whatever you cook with it or whatever you add to it. Sometimes I like to go simple and just add gravy. The gravy makes it slick and, depending on the flavor of gravy, the stuffing takes it on and adds a new dimension. I also like to take my turkey on Thanksgiving and add that along with the gravy. This is my perfect bite on the holiday. It combines my three favorite flavors of that day in specific. It is like a meat extravaganza, but the only meat is turkey. I know a lot of people that like to add cranberry sauce to stuffing, get the salty and the sweet. I do not like cranberry sauce, but I get it and I support anyone that wants to try it out, or continue to eat those flavor combos. I also enjoy taking leftover stuffing and making my version of stuffing pancakes. They are like potato pancakes, only they are made of stuffing. These are great, and if you add gravy to it, it is the best version of a savory pancake. I do also enjoy taking a fork full of stuffing and eating it with mashed potatoes. It can be doughy and bready, but it is damn delicious.

I should make myself clear when I speak about what kind, what brand that is, of stuffing that I like. I know people like to take classic stuffing and do some wild stuff with it. My brother makes cornbread stuffing. People have started to add sausage and other meat to stuffing. I know that some people make sweet stuffing. While that is all well and good, I like the boxed stuffing mix. I like the one where you add either water or broth. I prefer broth, but I'll eat it either way. I don't really care what brand it is either. I get the stuff from Aldi, Chef's Kitchen it is called, but I'll take a Stouffer's or whatever other brand is out there, as long as it is boxed. It has the salty and meaty flavor I crave. I like how simple it is to make. I like that I can add stuff to it from my plate and that stuff will make the stuffing even better. It is a malleable food that works on so many different levels.

Stuffing,  you are the best. My son and I both like to fancy ourselves the "Stuffing Kings". It is a dish that should be, and can be, year round, as long as you let it be. My hat is off to stuffing. What a dish. 

Want to hear RD totally disagree with Ty? Check out the latest episode of The X Millennial Man Podcast.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Thoughts on Weird Food Combinations

Yesterday I was making myself some lunch, a grilled cheese with some ham and turkey on it, and I decided to spice it up a bit by adding some potato chips to it. My son saw this and was shocked. He kept asking me why I was doing that and if it was any good. I let him taste it and he enjoyed it very much, because of course he would enjoy ships on a sandwich. This inspired us during lunch for he and I decided to talk about other foods we thought would make good pairings.

We started with the chips on a sandwich. He mentioned that he likes to put fries on a burger. I enjoy that as well, especially on a McDonald's double cheeseburger. I told him, in the vein of salty on sweet, that fries dipped in a shake is very good. He now wants to try this asap. This conversation went on for some time and we decided that we were going to look up some other odd, or different food combos. We came across a pro football player who puts his Oreo McFlurry on his McDonald's cheeseburger. Sounds odd to me, but I will most likely try it in the future. We saw all the post Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches. I'm talking about the sandwiches that have turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and some kind of cheese on there. I have never had this sandwich, it sounds like far too much and I don't like cranberry sauce, but people really seem to enjoy this as a leftover sandwich. We watch a ton of cooking shows in the house and one of our favorites is "Carnival Eats". This guy has tried some of the wildest foods we have seen, some we want, others, not so much. He has had fried watermelon. That sounds strange, but I'd try it. He has had corn dog jalapeno poppers. That seems like too much to me, but my son loves spicy food and hot dogs, so he is in on that. He has had some crazy pizzas and pastas. Those seem ripe for food additions, especially pizza. I've seen mac and cheese on a pizza. That is not for me, but my kid is itching to try that now, almost as much as fries in a shake. We have seen gyro pizza. I love gyros, and if the dough is somehow pita, that would definitely be something I would love. I've seen dessert pizzas, which are really just doughy cookie cakes in my opinion.

I think the world that odd food combos fit best would be sweets. Sweets are perfect to add flavors to. I love adding M&M's to popcorn. It is a wonderful, classic combo. I've had a burger where the buns are Krispy Kreme doughnut buns. And it is one of the best hamburgers I have ever had. Chicken and waffles is a perfect combo, especially when you mix hot sauce and syrup together. Hot honey is a new fad, and it is one that I am fully on board with now. Hot honey is great on everything. Another one of my favorite breakfast items is a cinnamon roll with bacon on it. Also, pancakes with bacon in the batter, chef's kiss. I guess I am coming at you all today with some odd food combos, what I consider odd I should say, that I really enjoy.

Dear reader, I have homework for you. Give me some odd food combos you all like. My son and I are very much into trying different food combos. We are not very picky either. But I want to know what you all like. And don't be gross or vile. I'm serious. I want to try some different stuff out and see how it tastes. I'm genuinely interested in taking two foods that shouldn't work and making them sing. Let me know, and I preemptively thank you. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Tries to Listen to Andre 3000's Flute Record

After a long, long time away, Andre 3000 released a new album today, "New Blue Sun". I was very excited when I heard that he was putting out new music. He hasn't done this in forever. He has shown up on some other songs here and there, but not anything in the way of it all being him. I think the last full length record he put out was "Idlewild", which is better than I remembered it being. So when the news was announced, I let myself get excited.

Then I saw people talking about their experience with the new record. I also have seen many pictures of him in China and Japan. These are the same pictures that show him carrying around flutes. I just assumed he was trying this instrument out for fun.

He was not.

This new record is not a rap record. It is not a rock record. It is not like what he did on "The Love Below". This is experimental, weird and jazzy. This record, I have only heard two songs so far, is totally out of left field. There are eight tracks on this album, but the runtime is nearly 90 minutes. I put on the record on my way to the store today thinking I could listen to a few of the new tracks. I didn't even finish the first song before I got home. The first track is over 12 minutes long. The second song is over 13 minutes long. I finished that one while prepping some kimchi. I will say, there were moments within these first two songs that I was vibing out to. Andre 3000 can really play the flute. But when I was listening I felt like Milhouse and the fireworks factory. I kept waiting for something to kick in. I was hoping that he would maybe sing a bit, and maybe he will when I go back and finish the album. But so far it is an instrumental jazz flute record.

Look, Andre 3000 is a genius. I love his work with Outkast and his features. I have come to the realization that he may be the greatest emcee to ever do it. He is an amazing musical artist. But I'm really struggling with this record two songs in. It is ambient. It is experimental. It's jazz. These are genres and musical styles that have never really been for me. I get that some people genuinely love these styles, and this album is definitely for them. But right now, for me, this just isn't my thing. I am going to keep listening to try and almost force myself to understand what Andre 3000 was trying to accomplish. I feel like he did this album for himself and decided he wanted to see what other people thought of it. And that is totally fine and Andre 3000 has earned the right to do whatever he wants to do. But this is just not my thing. I'm not into jazz. I like the fact that he is trying something different, something way out there. But so far it is not for me. Maybe it will be one day when I get smarter when I listen to music. But right now it is a tough, grueling listen. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on Where Zach LaVine Should Play Next

The Bulls and Zach Lavine have decided that they are going to look for a trade that benefits both parties. This has been a long time coming. I'm not much for breaking a team down and fully rebuilding, but this current iteration of the Bulls needs to do something. They are more in the mud than the Magic were when they were pretty much the 7 or 8 seed for three or four straight years. The Magic went for the full rebuild, and they finally look like they are getting better, doing it through the draft. I think that is the route the Bulls should go. But, for the time being, trying to trade Zach Lavine is a very good start.

Lavine is a very, very good offensive player in the NBA. He can score and he can score in bunches. When he catches fire there are few in the NBA that can stop him. But he plays no defense. He has also lost a step. He doesn't jump out of the gym anymore. And he seems to get irked at the little things. I do think there are a few teams out there that could use him as a pure scorer, but I don't think he really moves the needle much for a true contender.

I saw that the 76ers were one of the first teams mentioned that may go after him. He would be a nice scoring addition, but I personally do not like the fit. Tyrese Maxey is finally playing free and loose and he is thriving. He just scored 50 the other night. His shot looks better and he is much, much younger than Lavine. Joel Embiid also seems to be having fun playing with Maxey as the second option. Tobias Harris is solid as a rock with the touches he gets. I just don't like the idea of Lavine coming in and taking touches from Maxey and messing with Embiid's happiness and taking touches from Harris. The 76ers are in a good place and they would be wise to keep it this way.

I also read that the Knicks may look into a Lavine trade. Why would they do that when they have a competent squad for the first time in forever? Jalen Brunson has earned the right to be the driver of the Knicks. Julius Randle seems to be coming out of his slump. RJ Barrett is doing what suits him best. Immanuel Quickley is a good 6th man. Donte DiVencenzo is thriving with his former Villanova teammates. And Josh Hart is their jack of all trades. The Knicks finally have a competent and competitive team. There is no need to rock the boat there.

The Kings were mentioned on a podcast the other day as a possible Lavine destination. I ask again, why? They have a fun, fast and young team. De'Aron Fox is back and looks amazing. Damontas Sabonis is back to his dominant ways. Keegan Murray is getting better and better. Kevin Huerter is a good bench scorer. Harrison Barnes brings a veteran and championship winning pedigree. Adding Lavine makes no sense, and makes an already mediocre defense even worse. Other than that, what other contender would really need Lavine?

As for the rest of the league. The Nuggets are out. The Mavericks have nothing left to trade. Neither do the Lakers or Clippers. The Timberwolves have a fine enough squad as well, and they have nothing to trade. The Bucks can't afford him and have Damian Lillard. I could go through a bunch of teams that are playoff contenders and give you a reason why they should pass on Lavine. I also think the Bulls are going to have to take a lowball offer from a non playoff contender team to offload Lavine. That would be a good start to the rebuild. The Grizzlies could trade some young guys, picks or salary to land Lavine and he may make them fun again when Ja Morant comes back. The Pistons could trade salary to land Lavine to help some of their youth. The Jazz may look into getting Lavine to pair him up with Markannen. The Bulls could take on Collin Sexton in a deal with Utah. These are the teams that the Bulls and Lavine are going to have to make a deal with in my opinion. Both may not like it, but that seems to be best for them all.

I am interested to see what happens to Lavine because I do enjoy watching him play. I just really think he will have to end up playing on a lower level team. That makes the most sense to me. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty Watches "The Curse" Series Premier

Last night I was able to watch the pilot episode of "The Curse". This is Nathan Fielder's new show. He is also working with Benny Safdie, he is a co creator, and A24 is producing. Let’s discuss.

This is right up my alley. I adore Fielder's work. "Nathan For You" is one of the best, most original shows ever. He followed that up with a genius show, "Rehearsal". Fielder is in an incredible groove as of late, and Showtime giving him his own show was a genius move. Benny Safdie was in "Good Time" and he directed it with his brother. He and his brother also did "Uncut Gems" which is one of the better movies to have been released in the last couple of years. The Safdie brothers have a great eye for directing and they are on fire right now. Safdie was also excellent in his role in "Good Time". A24 is the best production company in the game. They are doing the best work in movies and tv right now. They also paid people and gave them what they asked for during the actors and writers strike. Whoever is running A24 is one of the smarter people in the game. A24 totally rules and they have a lifelong fan in me. So putting all three of these together, it is a recipe for a wild and entertaining tv show.

Now, this show is not really a comedy. There were comedic moments in the pilot, but they were few and far between and they were buttoned by something creepy or cringey. And I think that is the point of this show. Putting Fielder in charge may lead one to believe that this is going to be a straight forward comedy. But this show is a lot more like "The Rehearsal", or "Finding Frances". Fielder is doing something different and I'm here for it. There were moments in the pilot that were disturbing, creepy, cringey, uncomfortable and I was all in from start to finish. I wanted to see something different and weird from Fielder, and that is exactly what "The Curse" gives the viewer.

There was one scene in particular that really shook me seeing Fielder acting it out. He and his wife, Emma Stone, who is perfect here, are being interviewed by a local newscaster. The newscaster starts in on Stone's family and you can see it pisses Fielder off. He starts to go off on her, and at one point he snaps and tells her to "talk to me, not to my wife". My wife saw this and said she hates his character. I told her me too, but I think that is what Fielder is going for. He has other moments that really creeped me out, and he nails it, like the most squirm inducing sex scene I have seen in quite some time. Stone, as previously mentioned, totally nails it here. She is trying to do something good for her community, but she is also the poster child for gentrification, and she has no idea. She is tough and formidable, but she is also causing harm to her community. Benny Safdie is the creep of all creeps here. He is the director of their show, and from the moment he steps on screen he is despicable. He makes it look like a mom is crying when she is actually dying. He hits on Stone far too much. He gets footage without people's consent. He tries to make people uncomfortable when there is no reason for it. He shows his old content which is vile. He is so gross yet I cannot take my eyes off him when he is on screen. This show is very different and very creepy. They let you live in silence and they linger on shots longer than seems necessary. But it works. Fielder has an eye for this. Safdie knows what he is doing. And Stone is such a pro. This works.

“The Curse” may not be for everyone, but I'm in. I say check it out if you like any of the three main people, but go in knowing it is not a typical tv show. It takes chances and those chances worked for me in the pilot episode. I can't wait for more. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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