Better Late than Never on "Run Lola Run"

I recently joined Letterboxd. I like the app. It is good because I can search a bunch of different posts and find movies I want to see but haven't yet. My watchlist is full of movies that I have wanted to watch and other movies that haven't come out yet. The majority of the movies I want to watch are older ones that have passed me by. There are a ton of older movies that, now that I'm older, I want to see. I have never seen a Kirosawa movie. There are a ton of Scorcese movies I've never watched due to my dislike of the movies of his I have seen. There are movies my brothers have talked about for years that I have never gotten around to. I decided to rectify that last weekend. One movie that kept popping up was "Run Lola Run".

I have heard about this movie for years. I believe RD used to talk about it a lot back in the day. I have seen "The Simpsons" episode that is a full parody of the movie. I have seen other people parody it as well. I always knew that it was about a woman running and trying to beat some kind of clock. But I have never watched it from start to finish. That all changed last Friday.

From the first shot, I was all in. This movie is totally awesome. It is one of the coolest things I've seen in a long, long time. For those that may not know, "Run Lola Run" is told in three different parts. The first is through Lola's eyes, the second is through her boyfriend's eyes, Manni, and the third is, spoiler alert, if they both made the right decision in this messed up situation. I liked every single part of this movie. The actor who played Lola was magnificent. She is so good, she owns every single moment she is on screen and, from what I read, the amount of running she was doing and how fast she was going, was a herculean task. I read that she insisted on wearing the Doc Martens her character wore. I also read that she smoked two packs a day. It doesn't show. It was rad to see. I also liked Manni. He did great work with just his face. He acted the hell out of this role, and he didn't have to say too much. What I liked most about this movie was the fate of the "common people" that Lola and Manni would run into. Another thing I liked how the movie would do almost a Polaroid picture break, and then give us some more Polaroids of what happened to these people in each scenario. It was very interesting, and had to be a new technique at the time. I also liked how the movie would switch from animation to real life. It was cool to see, and again, it had to be one of the first movies to do this. I also thought that the throughline story was pretty great. We get to see three different outcomes, and each has their own way to show what could happen. The first two are tragic, and the third is oddly comforting.

If you have never seen "Run Lola Run" I cannot recommend it enough. I'm so happy that I finally saw it myself. 

Ty

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

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The Latest Episode of "Ear Hustle" is Must Listen

I am a fan of the podcast "Ear Hustle". For those that don't know, "Ear Hustle" is about prison life. The hosts talk to people in and out of the system. One of the hosts, Earlonne Woods, was formerly incarcerated, but is now out. There are a few other contributing members who have been released as well. The other host, Nigel Poor, spends her free time volunteering at San Quentin Prison and has done a ton of work with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. They like to tell stories about prison life from all different angles. The one thing they don't really do, and I fully understand why, is talk about the crimes that the subjects have committed. They don't like to talk about that stuff, they'd rather focus on how they live day to day in the prison system. But, what they did last week was a change of format, and the episode they did was pretty heartbreaking and I will remember it for a very, very long time.

The most recent episode focused on women who have been incarcerated because they killed people while driving drunk. The subjects in this episode all drove drunk and took the lives of people and are now spending time in the prison system. This was a tough listen, but it was also fascinating to listen to. I like listening because this show brings me inside a world I hope to never be in ever. But, in the case of this episode, these people also didn't plan on spending any time in jail. They went out to let off steam one night, they drove drunk, which a ton of people do everyday, but they made the ultimate mistake and ended up having the worst night of their life.

The first guest talked about not even knowing where they were when they woke up. Earlonne Woods told the listeners that when people are in jail, but have to go to a hospital, they have a different set of rules. People in jail that are in the hospital cannot get up and move as they please. Visitors need to be allowed in by the people guarding the door. They can't know what is happening right away if they weren't coherent about what happened that led them to this place. It sounds like a nightmare. So, to hear people talk about this experience, and how scary it sounds, it was eye opening. They also talked to people who called themselves "murderers", and that was tough to hear. Ultimately though, they did murder these people. They took their lives away by driving drunk. They also had these people talk about how they are perceived in prison by other hardened criminals. That was shocking too. The other criminals would tell them that they were in there because of a mistake. That is wild to me.

Listening to this episode was fascinating for me. I don't drink, but I do know people who do, people very close to me. They have me to drive, which bails them out. But, it sounds like these people they talked to didn't have that option, or they chose to take the risks and paid the ultimate price. I cannot recommend this episode enough. "Ear Hustle" is a great podcast on its own, but this episode has stood out, especially for me. Give it a listen if you have the time. 

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 Giannis Should Play Next

The Bucks have had two straight seasons full of injuries and unmet preseason expectations. Let’s discuss.

I thought, wrongly it now appears, that Dame and Giannis would make for a damn formidable duo. They have done that at times, but more often than not, they have been misused, poorly coached and, most often, injured. It hasn't worked out at all in Milwaukee. Jrue Holiday was a much more important piece, Khris Middleton never returned to form and the rest of the cast is old or a bad fit. Trading for Kyle Kuzma was also a very poor decision by this front office. This has not worked out. I was wrong.

So, for the first time in his career, it looks like Giannis may want out of Milwaukee. And I cannot blame him. A while back I wrote about how I'd love it if he stayed in Milwaukee for his whole career. I thought it would be cool for him to do it all in a small market. He has an MVP. He has a title. I'd pick him over any current player if I were starting a team today. I personally think he is the best current player in the NBA. He averages over 30 points per game. He gets 10 rebounds every game. And he is a wonderful defender. Giannis does it all, stays relatively quiet, he's confident, not cocky, his teammates seem to like him and he is a great, great basketball player. So, how everything has gone down since the Dame trade, maybe it is time for Giannis to be looking elsewhere to finish out his career. And I think there's one team where he could be a seamless and perfect fit.

I don't think that it's the Rockets. The Rockets can put together a nice package, but the fit in Houston with Giannis makes very little sense to me. The Rockets, for the most part, are young. Amen Thompson, Alpernen Sengun and Jalen Green are babies in NBA terms. So is Jabari Smith Jr. These are, and should be the core of this team going forward. They'd have to trade one, maybe two of those guys to get Giannis. That is a ton to part with from a team who was the two seed in the West this season. And, while they have picks to trade, with this team being good now, they're going to late first round picks. When/if the Bucks trade Giannis, they are going to have to try and recoup picks. They don't have many, and if they are going to do a rebuild, they need picks and they need those picks to be early/lottery picks. The Rockets are good now. Those picks won't be what the Bucks need/want.

I've heard both LA teams are in contention if Giannis asks out, but what do they have to truly offer the Bucks? The Clippers don't really have the young dudes the Bucks would want in a potential deal, and they don't have many picks either. The Lakers would have to part with their coveted 2027 and 2028 picks. They would also have to give up on Austin Reaves, who they love for some reason, and Dalton Knecht. No shade to Bronny James, but he doesn't command the trade market like Knecht. Outside those two guys, who are the Lakers willing/able to give up in a potential Giannis trade? Gabe Vincent is not the same player he was in the bubble. Rui Hachimura is wildly inconsistent. I don't think Reaves will do anything of note not playing with LeBron. It doesn't make sense for the Bucks to do a deal with the Lakers unless Luka or LeBron are in the trade.

The Knicks don't really need Giannis. This is no disrespect to Giannis. He will make any team he may go to instantly better. In the Knicks current case, they have a good team that makes sense. Everyone plays their role on this team and they play it really well. It all meshes and they don't need to rock the boat right now.

The team that makes the most sense, and if Giannis were to leave Milwaukee, I'd like to see him go to San Antonio. The Spurs could add Giannis to a lineup with DeAron Fox and Victor Webanyama. They wouldn't have to trade either of them. Giannis would speed up the Spurs timeline in an instant. He would give the new coach a much needed bump. Sure, the Spurs would have to give up the number 2 pick in the upcoming draft, maybe even the number 9 pick, and a player like Keldon Johnson or Devin Vassell. They may even have to throw in Jeremy Sochan. But, to get a guy like Giannis, and add him to a starting five that includes Wemby and Fox, holy hell does that make a formidable team. Wemby is already a top notch defender and his offense was beginning to blossom before he got hurt. Fox is fast and smart and a willing passer. Out of the three guys they may have to trade, let's say they get to keep Sochan. He adds a big ball handler and a ferocious rebounder. Or if they get to keep Vassell, they have a ready-made guard alongside Fox. They also may even get to keep Stephon Castle, who is coming off a Rookie of the Year win.

This makes too much sense if Giannis wants out of Milwaukee. The Spurs would shoot up the power rankings in an instant. And it keeps Giannis in a smallish market. If Giannis does eventually ask out, I hope he finds his way to San Antonio. That would be an ideal spot for him to finish out his NBA career, playing next to Wemby. That is a basketball match made in heaven. 

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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A Remembrance of Things Ed Hardy, Frosted Tips, and the Height of Reality Dating Shows

My wife and I have gone back and watched some of the older dating shows we devoured when we were first dating. Let’s discuss.

We started off with "Daisy of Love". That show was horrible, but endlessly watchable for the two of us. I found myself transporting back in time on this rewatch. We have also gone back and watched "Rock of Love" and "Flavor of Love". Those shows are a little better than "Daisy of Love", but they are still pretty awful. Bret Michaels had a moment in rock music. He was part of the whole hair band that played their version of metal music. Flavor Flav is the hype man for one of the greatest hip hop groups of all time, Public Enemy. Flav was part of something important. Public Enemy is a major group. They're all timers. And while Chuck D has continued his fight against injustice, Flav decided he needed to go on a VH1 dating show, and eventually do some programs with Brigette Nielsen. Oh well. We have just started to watch "I Love Money", which features contestants from the majority of the dating shows that appeared in VH1. "I Love Money" is just as bad as "Daisy of Love". The contestants on the show are dumb and make horrendous decisions over and over again. I also think it's hilarious that they seem to think they invented alliances on game shows. The show is a total mess, but I cannot stop watching.

That's what leads me to my topic of the day. I don't necessarily miss these shows, and I'm stoked they have never tried to revamp any of them, but these shows captured a certain moment in time. These shows were on in the early-ish 2010's, and even though it doesn't seem that long ago, rewatching these shows have brought back so many memories. The amount of Ed Hardy on these shows is wild. I forgot how ugly and ridiculous those clothes were/are, but the people on these shows were wearing it in droves. You can't look at the screen for more than a second before you see a big tiger and that diamond encrusted Ed Hardy logo. It is hideous. There's frosted tips as far as the eye can see. Every single dude seemed to have frosted tips back then. They would put way too much gel in their hair, spike their hair and then you'd see the off color top of their head. It was a look. I never had it, but I know plenty of people who did. I do not think it looks good, but damned if a bunch of people on VH1 dating shows weren't rocking that look. The amount of muscle dudes was wild too. I get it that sometimes muscles can look nice, but when you overdo it, it looks very, very bad. It is clear a ton of these dudes were on steroids, and it is so easy to pick them out of the lineup. We also had far too many dudes with cauliflower ears. I know that MMA and other kinds of fighting were popular at the time, but damn, clean yourself up better after each fight. The ears looked so horrific and filled with bacteria.

The thing I have noticed the most is all the contestants just angling for their own show. This was before being on the internet was all you needed to be famous, so these people were pulling out all the stops. These shows are supposed to be "reality" shows, but everyone plays a part and has a character. There's always the mean one, the nerdy one, the athlete and so on and so forth. There's not one single person that is genuinely being themself. This is the height of really bad, really scripted reality tv. And yet I cannot pull myself away.

I will continue to watch and I will continue to judge. I'm just happy that the streaming devices of today give me the option to watch again. 

Ty

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

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It's Time for Us to All Forget About "The Liver King"

I have just recently watched "The Liver King" on Netflix. This is part of their docuseries Untold. I enjoy the whole Untold series. I like the in-depth look they take into the stories they are telling us. I knew nothing of this person, but I saw the picture of him on my screen, watched the preview and decided this was a topic I wanted to learn more about.

Apparently this so-called "Liver King" is some internet influencer. I guess he lives what he calls an "ancestral lifestyle". From what I could gather, this means eating raw meat, living off the land and lifting weights. I'm sure there's more to it than that, but that is what I took from the hour long documentary. Right from the start I despised this "Liver King". He talks like a snake oil salesman mixed with a wannabe motivational speaker and add on a bit of a used car salesman. That is what this dude reminds me of after watching the show. He talks about the land and getting off the phone and being with your family. But, in the very next scene or sentence he is filming something on his phone or telling the viewer a story about how he would spend twenty hours a day learning how to "be on film", and being away from his family. This dude is constantly filming on his phone. He is in a loop of always making content. He has, essentially, forced his family into this world of being content creators. He is always on his phone or one of his family members' phones. He loves being the center of attention. He wants fame. He wants the eyeballs on him at all times. This is not an "ancestral" way of living. He craves the spotlight and he makes no bones about it. He appears on podcasts and does his own content constantly. He also claimed to never take steroids, which is absolute nonsense.

Well, about halfway through all of this, as is with most of the internet famous nowadays, he gets exposed. He, of course, takes steroids. He packages his product in plastic containers. He consults with doctors about how to get steroids. He is not this "ancestral" being that he claims to be. It was almost cathartic for me to see this idiot get taken down a few pegs.

Therein lies my whole problem with the modern world and what accounts to "fame" these days. While this guy got exposed as the liar I knew he was from the jump, Netflix still gave him a platform. He still has "talent" agents. He still gets to tell his side of the story. You don't have to be talented to get famous anymore. All you have to do is spout off at the mouth and say some straight nonsense that some idiots will believe and follow. This guy is a multimillionaire and he fooled people all along the way. He is not "ancestral". He is not pure. He claims to have mental health and self esteem stuff, but that feels like a crutch from this liar and snake. He does crazy shit online and he gathered a following, which I'm sure he still has to this day. We need to stop putting people like this on a pedestal. He is a steroid abuser who lied to millions of people and made more money than most of us could ever dream about having. I dislike this dude very much for a myriad of reasons, but I'm also annoyed by big companies letting him tell a story. He needs to fade into oblivion and give the right people their proper platform.

I'm glad I watched, but I'm angered that even I am writing a piece about this "Liver King" because that still makes him mildly viable. Watch it if you want, but then forget about it immediately. That's my plan. 

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 Jayson Tatum's Injury

It looks like Jayson Tatum has a pretty serious injury. He got hurt near the end of the Celtics-Knicks game last night, and it did not look good. There have been no real reports or updates as of now, but I would venture to guess he tore his ACL.

This bums me out. By no means am I a Celtics fan. I have always rooted against them. I don't like them, most of their fans and their smug attitude. I always rooted for whoever was playing against them, and I still do. Go Knicks. But, I do like Jayson Tatum. He is from Saint Louis. He has an attitude that I like from a pro athlete. I feel like he is never seriously talked about as a top five player, and that's bogus to me. Tatum is most definitely a top five player, and there's only one, maybe two guys I'd take before him if I were starting a team today. He is an efficient offensive scorer. He can get to the rim and shoot the three. He is also a great free throw shooter. What separates him from other so called superstars, he is also a great defender. He cares about defense and he plays hard on that end of the floor. He goes 100 percent all the time and has not missed much time since he made his way to the NBA. Tatum is an underappreciated star, much like Tim Duncan. So this injury is really going to mess stuff up and I'm going to miss watching him play the game of basketball for what is most likely going to be more than a year. 

His injury bums me out for other reasons too. Tatum is a fun modern player for me to watch. He does play the game how most do now, putting up a ton of threes, but he also does some old school stuff too, and he does it well. He has a wonderful mid range game. He can get to the hoop. He is a solid dunker. He is a good passer who is seemingly always making the right decision. I mentioned his solid defense earlier. Tatum is so good and quiet about how good he is at basketball. He doesn't need to be boastful or on the internet talking about how great he is. He lets his game do the talking, and I really like that about him. He is also a good father. He has his son with him all the time and he is always doing stuff with him. I like how he promotes his kid and wants what is best for him. He seems like a natural fit as a dad, and being a dad myself, that is a relief to see from such a big time player. It is also clear that Tatum loves this game and is always trying to get better. I feel like he is always trying to find something to better his game. He wants to find a way to get an edge. That reminds me of the old school players who did what it took to become the best.

Tatum is not satisfied. He has a ring, but it is clear he wants more. He wants to get accolades too, but he wants to win above all else. That is refreshing to see in a young, modern superstar. Tatum loves the game and it shows. I like that from NBA players. Seeing this injury, and pondering the fallout, this stinks. He is too good a player and a person to be gone from the NBA for over a year. I wish this weren't the case, but here we are. Heal up and get better soon Jayson Tatum, the NBA needs you. 

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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Better Late Than Never on "Top Secret"

Last Friday I went to The Arkadin to see "Top Secret". I have always wanted to see this movie, but for a myriad of reasons, I let it slip my mind. I was listening to "Scott Hasn't Seen" recently and they did the movie. I don't remember which host, Scott Aukerman or Shaun Diston, hadn't seen it yet, but then I listened to the episode and it reminded me how much I wanted to see "Top Secret". And it helped that The Arkadin is doing a month long tribute to Val Kilmer and his many wonderful movies. I believe they are showing his "Batman" this week.

Anyway, as I settled into a full theater, I was very excited to watch the movie, and it did not disappoint. I really like "Naked Gun" and other spoof movies. They were showing episodes of "Police Squad" beforehand, and those were hilarious as well. I'm a spoof show/movie fan, so "Top Secret" is right up my alley. I was immediately struck at how old Val Kilmer was when he made this movie. "Top Secret" came out in 1984, so Kilmer was a baby, and looked the part. I believe this is one of his first starring roles, and you can see that he has that "it" factor that big Hollywood studios crave. He owned every single moment he was on screen. You cannot take your eyes off him. And he is on screen the vast majority of this movie. He is funny throughout the whole thing. He dances and sings like a damn angel. He has great chemistry with all of his co-stars, but especially the female lead. I especially loved the concert scene when he gets let out of jail to perform. This is a perfect send up of all the movies Elvis Presley movies from the 50's. They also added a Beatles element, with all the fans losing their minds, and it was hilarious. I was laughing very hard during this scene. I also loved that every time he played the guitar during the movie, he was always playing a G chord, but the music in the background was far more complex. But the thing that got me most was how funny Val Kilmer was, and he was ostensibly the straight man throughout the movie. The sheer fact that he was able to keep a straight face while delivering some of his wonderfully funny lines is amazing to me. Seeing him do this, and control the movie the way he did, hammered home the fact that I could never be an actor. But, after seeing Kilmer do work here, not too many people could pull off what he did in "Top Secret". It is no surprise that Kilmer went on to star in so many big time movies after this. This was his jumping off point and he totally nailed it. During the "Scott Hasn't Seen" episode they kept mentioning this same thing, but I needed to see it for myself, and I'm stoked that I did.

"Top Secret" is a very funny spoof movie, but Val Kilmer's performance puts this movie over the top for me. I have been thinking back to stuff I liked in the movie and just laughing to myself since Friday. I highly recommend checking out "Top Secret" if you haven't yet. Val Kilmer is incredible and the movie is a ton of fun. 

Ty

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

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Pineapple in Kool Aid is My New Go To Treat

I recently saw an Instagram reel that piqued my interest. My algorithm on Instagram is dogs and food. I get a ton of puppy videos and a lot of chef and cook videos. Lately a bunch of my "cooking" videos have been people like me just trying stuff with different food items. One such video I saw was a person putting packets of kool aid mix with pineapple spears. Lets discuss.

I love pineapple and I love kool aid. And when I say kool aid I'm talking about the old school kool aid with the kool aid man on the cover. This person was using pre sliced spears of pineapple in their own juice and then mixing the kool aid with it. I was so intrigued that I decided I was going to try this myself. But, instead of buying pre sliced spears, I bought two full pineapples and sliced them myself. As much as I love pineapple, pineapple in its own juices is far too sweet for me. I just can't get over how cloying it tastes. So, as I said, I bought my own. I read up on some other people who have been trying the same thing, or similar things, and they all said that you can use coconut water as a replacement for pineapple in its own juices. Some people, and this got me fired up, said that it makes it taste more tropical. I love, love, love tropical anything, so this was great for me.

So, this past Monday I got my groceries, two full pineapples included, and proceeded to do my own version of what I saw on Instagram. The pineapple was speared, I added it to the tupperware, added the coconut water to cover the spears and added the kool aid packet. After sealing the product, I shook it up to mix. Everyone said to let it sit for 24 hours, which I did. Then I got to try it. I was hyped for this part. So, when I pulled the spears out of the tupperware, and saw that the cherry kool aid pineapple was dark red, and the watermelon kool aid pineapple was a vibrant pink, I got even more pumped up.

Right off the bat, it was very tasty. I was very happy with what came from this mix. The cherry pineapple was tart and sweet and had this distinct sourness. There were some bites that I would characterize as too sour, but for the most part, it was solid. I loved the watermelon pineapple spears. The mix here was just right. It was sweet, but not too sweet. The color was great. The pineapple flavor came through, and when you got the watermelon flavor, that was the cherry on top. I was so happy with this flavor that I drank the coconut kool aid mix after the pineapple was gone, and that was great. I did try this with the cherry and it was too sour for me. My son loves the flavor, but it just wasn't for me.

With how this turned out, this is a recipe I will definitely return too. I want to try all kinds of different flavors. I think grape will work. I wonder how fruit punch or their tropical flavor will taste. I will have to try it with pineapple in the juice, as long as I can get it in a small can. I knew this was going to work, I just didn't know how well. So far it has been a hit rate, minus the sourness from the cherry. I recommend this if you enjoy pineapple. It adds a very good, very sweet flavor to my favorite fruit. I'm a fan. 

Ty

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

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Go Discover the Films of Quentin Dupieux

Ever since meeting my buddy he has told me about cool pop culture stuff that I have missed. From punk rock to tv shows to movies, he has given me some great recommendations. When our friendship first started over a decade ago we found common ground in movies.

Before we met I had seen the movie "Rubber". For those that may not know, the short version of the movie is, a tire becomes sentient and starts to take matters into its own hands. "Rubber" is insane, nonsensical, hilarious and I really liked it. I mentioned that I liked this movie early on in our friendship. Well, since then, my buddy has opened my eyes to the wonderful world of Quentin Dupieux.

Dupieux is a French filmmaker, but he isn't your typical filmmaker. His movies are nuts. They go in so many different directions. I never know what I'm going to get in when I turn one of his movies on, but I have found that they always keep my attention. I saw "Rubber" because I had heard about this movie with a sentient tire and John Malkovich was in the cast. That was all I needed. And, as I said, I really liked it. But I didn't think about it much afterward. I saw it, enjoyed it and moved on. I didn't go out of my way to learn much else about the movie or the people involved. But after talking about it with my friend, and then having many more conversations, I have watched more of Dupieux's stuff. I recently wrote about the movie "Deerskin". This was another one that was intense and weird and funny and I liked it.

We were recently talking about absurd comedy and he brought up another Dupieux movie, "Wrong". I watched it just the other day and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. I have a plan now to watch every Dupieux movie I can during the summer and into the next school year. I can't shake movies like "Wrong" or "Deerskin". I have thought much more about "Rubber" than ever before. I keep seeing other movies of his on my streaming channels of choice and cannot wait to dive in.

Why do I want to watch these movies that can be challenging and different you may be asking? Because Dupieux is doing something different. He is taking chances. He makes movies that you have to pay attention to because if you don't, you'll miss key elements. I like movies that make me think. I want to see something unique. I want to see something that is a fresh and cool new idea. We are so bogged down with remakes and superhero stuff now. That's what makes a movie like "Sinners" or "Everything Everywhere All at Once" or Quentin Dupieux movies so enticing for me. These movies aren't remakes. These aren't superhero retreads. These are new and fresh ideas. The movies go off in crazy directions and that is so awesome and a breath of fresh air. I like directors and writers that are willing to take it to the edge, and sometimes jump off that edge. It rules.

I cannot recommend Dupieux's work enough. You need to be prepared for what is ahead, and understand that what you're about to watch is not "normal". But if you do, you will be rewarded with some of the most original content you will ever watch. I'm forever grateful to my buddy for opening my eyes to this world. I hope I can return the favor to him in some way. Until then, I am stoked to talk more Quentin Dupieux movies with him. 

Ty

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

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X Millennial Man Classic: The Greatest American Band Debate: Outkast

In honor of Outkast rightfully being selected for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame we present this article originally posted on September 30th, 2015.

For the Greatest American Band debate today, I'm nominating Outkast.

Outkast is probably my second favorite rap group, behind A Tribe Called Quest. For those of you out there complaining that two people don't make a group, two or more is the definition of a group. You need at least two people to form a group, and Outkast found two of the coolest, most innovative rappers and musicians. Outkast started in 1992 in Atlanta, Georgia. Andre 3000 and Big Boi met each other at a mall, and their connection was immediate. They both like the same kind of music, and had grown up in the same type of households. Little did they, or any of us for that matter, know that their music would cross generations, have tons of hits, win a shitload of awards and become classic. They were just two young dudes that liked to rap.

As I said before, they formed Outkast in 1992, but they didn't put out their first album until 1994. In 1994 they put out "Southernplayalisticaddilacmuzik". Say that three times fast. This is a phenomenal debut. The songs on this record allowed both Andre 3000 and Big Boi to shine. You could hear, early on, that they both had very unique, almost unheard of styles of rapping. Take a song like "Players Ball" off this album. In this song, you can hear Andre 3000's love for funk come through not only in his rapping, but also in the music put to the verses. "Players Ball" also gave us the hard, almost gangster style of rap from Big Boi. He had a much gruffer flow, but paired together with Andre 3000's smooth delivery, it was perfect. Another great song on this album is the self titled "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik". This song is an homage to funky, dirty rap music. The chorus is awesome and both members are outstanding rapping on this song. "Southernplayalisticadilacmuzik" is the gateway to how groovy, funky and nasty, in a good way, that Outkast would eventually become. The song "Hootie Hoo" off this record is Big Boi at his absolute best. This is a straight forward rap song, none of the funkiness is needed from Andre 3000, and Big Boi demolishes this song. I feel that Big Boi was at his absolute best on this album. That's not to take anything away from him on subsequent records, he's great all the way through, but he's best on "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik".

In 1996 Outkast released their second album, "ATLiens" to critical acclaim. The fans love this album too. One of their biggest hits is on this album, "Elevators (Me and You)". This song is absolutely incredible. Big Boi and Andre 3000 each do their own thing to perfection, and the chorus "me and you, your momma and your cousin too, rolling down the strip on fours, coming back with the Cadillac doors" is so cool and so memorable. This song was my jam in middle school. You also get "Jazzy Belles" and "Wheelz of Steel" on this record. "Jazzy Belles" is when Andre 3000 kind of took a step forward and became the "leader" of Outkast. This song is all him, written and mostly performed by only him and it's fantastic. "Wheelz of Steel" is more in Big Boi's wheelhouse. It's another straight ahead rap song that Big Boi crushed. You could see early on that each had their own style, but they knew how to blend together really well.

In 1998 we got, what I consider, to be the first truly great Outkast album, "Aquemini". The songs are great on this record, but I want to take a second to talk about the album artwork. This is one of the coolest covers to an album that I've ever seen. It's like they painted a picture of the two of them in the gaudiest, most ridiculous outfits, but only a band like Outkast could've pulled it off. Andre 3000 is shirtless, wearing a turban on his head, and Big Boi is literally dressed like a pimp, in a green three piece suit, top offed with a feather in his hat. Now the songs. On "Aquemini", we got the classic, "Rosa Parks". This song is so awesome. The video was cuckoo bananas, but the song is great and the chorus is wonderful. Say what you will about Outkast, those guys can write a catchy hook. You all know it, "ah nah, hush that fuss, everybody move to the back of the bus". It's so, so cool on so many levels. Rosa Parks was so offended by the language in this song that she sued Outkast, but they settled out of court because they explained to her that the song was an homage to her courage. We also got a song more in Big Boi's tone with "Skew It on the Bar B". It's another run of the mill rap song made ten thousand times better by Outkast. This song also has another great chorus. The song "Spottieopiedopealicious" off this record is where my love for Outkast became real to me. This is the funkiest rap song I've ever heard. It's got great, funky backing music and it's a story, not a song. This song showed me a completely new style of rap that I didn't think existed. I love this song and any time it comes on my iPod, I turn the radio up.

Outkast next album is the greatest album of their illustrious career. In 2000 they put out "Stankonia". This was my jam in high school. When this record came out, it was all I listened to on my way to and from school for almost a year straight. Every song on this record is a classic. We all know the hits, "So Fresh, So Clean", "B.O.B" and "Ms. Jackson". These songs are great. "So Fresh, So Clean" became the anthem for me and the entire football team. Another great chorus, that I still sing to this day, and both Big Boi and Andre 3000 do their thing on this track. The guy that sings the chorus sounds like a 21st century Barry White. This song is incredible. "B.O.B" is like a great rock song. There's heavy guitar and both members are rapping so fast, I had to look up what they were saying. This is a great song to listen to while working out, or if you need to be pumped up for something. "Ms. Jackson" may be Outkast's most recognizable single. Everybody knows the chorus and when Andre says, "wooooooo, I AM FOR REAL", everyone sings along with him. This song has their best chorus of any song they've ever written. While all three of these are classics, I really enjoy the first track on the album, "Gasoline". This is another rap song that has the heavy guitar and faster rapping on it. It's like a rock and roll song, but better because of the way Outkast performs it. "Stankonia" is on the Mount Rushmore of albums for me.

With rumors swirling after the release of "Stankonia" that the band was breaking up, they put out a double album in 2003 that allowed the two of them to put out solo records, but release it under the name Outkast. "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" was an excellent experiment by Outkast. I will admit, I've only listened to "Speakerboxxx", Big Boi's "solo" album, maybe three times all the way through. It isn't that good in my opinion, and I feel like Big Boi only did it as a favor to Andre 3000. But, "The Love Below" is an absolute masterpiece. Songs like "Prototype", "Vibrate", "Roses" and the mega hit, "Hey Ya" are classics. "Prototype" has Andre 3000 playing an electric guitar and singing a love song. "Vibrate" is an experimental hip hop song that I guarantee inspired Flying Lotus to do music. "Roses" is a collaboration with Andre and Big Boi. Very good chorus and very good vocals. The video for this song is cool too. And of course we got "Hey Ya" off this record. If you don't know this song, you've been living under a rock for the past decade. "The Love Below" proved to me and the rest of the world that Andre 3000 was the genius that Big Boi needed when Outkast started and that Andre 3000 is extremely talented.

After this record, each member went their own way. Big Boi acted a bit, but he has kept to himself for the most part. Andre 3000 is a bona fide star now. They did make another album, the soundtrack to their movie "Idlewild". This soundtrack is fine, but it's nothing compared to their previous work. The movie is okay as well, but not great. Outkast has won several grammys and many, many other awards. They each are able to do their own things now and do them successfully. They had a great run as a band and released some of the best rap music to date. For these and many other reasons, Outkast belongs in this conversation. I will be forever indebted to them for introducing me to funky rap music and "dirty south" rap music. I love Outkast and I hope the rumors of a reunion tour are true. They got back together in 2014 and performed some shows, but I want then to do a new album and tour the country. One can only hope.

Thanks Outkast, thank you for all the great music.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the othert host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He has many other rap artists to nominate, but is curious about your Greatest American Band. Join the debate, then follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

I am Going to Miss "The Righteous Gemstones"

"The Righteous Gemstones" had their series finale this past Sunday. My wife and I watched it last night. We both loved it. I felt like it was a pretty good ending for what the show had become over its four seasons. They wrapped up all the main characters' stories, they gave the new characters solid endings this season and it was bittersweet for me to see it end.

This is what Danny McBride and David Gordon Green do. They give us these great ideas and they make the series short and sweet. "Eastbound and Down" gave us four seasons, "Vice Principals" was two and now "Gemstones" was four. My wife and I both felt that the ending of season three felt like a series finale, and we were curious to see how they were going to get one more 10 episode arc out of them, but they delivered. I recommend going and watching the whole series, I'm going to rewatch myself.

My blog today is not a review of the finale, but more an appreciation post to the greatness that is "The Righteous Gemstones". This show perfectly sent up the wild and crazy world of mega churches. I am not a religious person, and I felt like the powers that be with this show have the same feelings about religion as I do. So, instead of painting by colors with it, and making it some kind of cliche meag church thing, they took it in a totally different direction. The pastors do drugs and philander. They do not follow their sacred vows. The main people in this show have some very bad demons and they have a tough time exorcising said demons. They curse and gripe about their family and kids. The siblings are constantly at each other's throats. Their dad wants them to grow the hell up, but they refuse. The kids' spouses are along for the ride it seems, but they also act like a regular married couple. "The Righteous Gemstones" is this heightened world, but the people have real, everyday problems. They just happen to be rich and claim to be religious leaders.

Outside the Gemstone family we got some great side characters. Keef is a gentle giant of a person. He is a former satanist and he has "found god". I found myself enjoying him throughout the whole series. He got better with each new season. BJ was dumb as rocks, but also a loyal and grateful member of the family. He loved his wife and would do whatever it took to make her happy. The kids in the Gemstone family got to find their own way. They made mistakes, they did stuff that was very wrong, but in the end they wanted to be in this family.

The best thing this show ever did, and will go down in history as one of the greats, was the creation of Uncle Baby Billy. Walton Goggins more than embodied this role and took it to a whole other level. Uncle Baby Billy was crass, a bad husband and father, a drug addict and worked way, way too much. He always fought with the Gemstone family. He took on way more than he could handle. But damn if he wasn't the best part of this whole show. Everytime Uncle Baby Billy was onscreen I was stoked and anticipating something amazing happening. And it pretty much always delivered. Walton Goggins is having a moment, and for me, Uncle Baby Billy is the peak.

Outside the actors, the writers were amazing. They had cast members direct episodes and they did wonderful things. The show was always funny and could even veer dark, but they never made it too bleak.

I will miss this show for so many reasons. I'm happy with what we got, and it will be on Max for a long, long time. But, this is going to be tough to not see any new episodes. I want to thank everyone who made this world come to life on my little tv screen. Thank you for all the hard and great work. "The Righteous Gemstones" will go down as a classic. It was a wonderful, wonderful four seasons of tv. 

Ty

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

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Ty Listens to "Thee Black Boltz"

I'm a TV on the Radio fan. I remember the first time I heard "Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes", and it totally blew me away. I followed every aspect of their career after that. One of the best live shows I've ever seen was watching them in Kansas City in a smaller venue. They brought the house down. I was floored. I was so grateful to my brothers for inviting me to this show. I still think about it regularly.

But, they haven't made any music as of late. I know that life gets in the way, but I miss TV on the Radio. I have read rumors that they are going to do some shows with LCD Soundsystem this summer, one of which is in the STL, and I have tickets to that show. I hope this is true because that would be epic.

I was scrolling the internet the other day and I saw that Tunde Adebimpe had put out a solo record. I guess it slipped my mind or my feed until then because this was news to me. I listened to the record almost instantly after reading about its release.

This record is rad. I have been really enjoying it. I have listened all the way through at least half a dozen times now and it still feels fresh and new to me. That's a big deal when I first listen to new music. I find myself still bopping along to the songs, I find stuff I have missed on previous listens and I am quickly learning the words. This sounds like classic TVOTR to me. The band is made up of different musicians, and I do miss Kyp Malone's distinct guitar sound. But, with Tunde lending lead vocals, I get "Dear Science" and "Nine Types of Light" vibes from this album. While not as good as "Dear Science", that record is a stone cold classic", this new Tunde record, "Thee Black Boltz" is really, really good.

The record kind of goes in many different directions, but it all melds together very nicely. I like how the record starts with Tunde making a simple statement and then goes into some good dance/pop/electro/rock music. I love the keyboards and synthesizers sprinkled throughout the record. The drums are groovy and fun. The guitar is quite serviceable. But this record is all about Tunde lending his beautiful voice. I forgot how much I missed his singing. He can go into different tones and different genres better than most. He seems to have fun singing and it comes off on this record. He seems very much into the material he is performing and has written. I have since gone back and listened to TVOTR and compared the two. There isn't much of a difference, and for me, that's a very good thing. I liken it to when Dan Auerbach would make a solo record or record with a different band. When he would break away from Pat Carney for a bit, it was good, but it still sounded like Black Keys. That is what Tunde has done here. While he has a new lineup, "Thee Black Boltz" still sounds very much like a classic TVOTR record, and again, that's a good thing.

I recommend this record to any TVOTR fans or fans of music that is genre-less. I have been really liking this record and I will be listening to it many more times. I suggest you do the same.

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 the Coaching Retirement of Gregg Popovich

Greg Popovich is stepping down as the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs and taking a front office job. This is truly the end of an era. Let’s discuss.

As long back as I can remember watching basketball, Popovich has been a steady presence. He became the head coach of the Spurs in 1996. I was 14 years old. This was right about the time I was becoming a serious fan of the NBA. I had always watched, but late middle school/early high school was a pivotal time in my fandom, and Popovich was the common thread all the way through to now. Pop is a five time NBA champion as a head coach. He won Coach of the Year three times, it should have been so many more. He coached the all star team four times, that is given to the coach of the team with the best record in their conference at the time of the all star break. He coached the men's Olympic team twice.

Popovich is, in my personal opinion, the greatest basketball coach of all time. He got absolutely everything he could out of his players. People may throw out Phil Jackson or John Wooden as the best head coach. I know Erik Spoelstra is looked at as one of the better coaches of the modern era. Joe Mazzula is leading the charge in this era. But I would so much rather have Coach Pop than any of those guys. Yes, Pop has coached hall of fame players. Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward of all time. David Robinson is one of the best centers to ever play the game. And Manu Ginobli was the best 6th man that the NBA has ever seen. But those three guys were drafted and brought up in the Spurs system. Robinson had other coaches, but he thrived under Pop. Tim Duncan more than helped to usher in the post Robinson era, and a lot of that was due to Pop and his staff. Ginobli was a late round pick that was developed. They traded for Kawhi Leonard on draft night and Pop used him perfectly as a young player. He was a defensive stud from day one, and Pop knew that. He also knew he needed to develop a jump shot, so Pop went out and got one of the better shooting coaches ever. The Kawhi Leonard we say today, when healthy, was made under Pop and crew. Bruce Bowen was the first "3 and D" guy that I remember. He was a hellish defender and he could knock down shots. Pop noticed this in the process. Sean Elliot was another one of the hellish defensive wings that played under Pop who grew into a champion. Tony Parker became a household name after being a late first round pick and learning the NBA under Pop's tutelage. Danny Green was their younger version of Bowen and Elliot late in the Spurs title runs. You go up and down the list of these guys, none of whom besides Duncan and Robinson truly stand out, and Pop coached them to championships and got all that he could out of them.

Pop is also widely respected by everyone around the league. The players, the other coaches and the front offices all wish they could have had Pop as their head coach. When the Spurs won the lottery a few years ago, Pop and Victor Webanyama were a match made in basketball heaven. Players like to go have wine and nice dinners with Pop. I have never run into an NBA fan that doesn't like Pop. Pop is outsoked on social justice issues. He was a fan of the Women's march in 2017. He endorsed Joe Biden in 2020. He is a good dude on and off the court. He clearly knows right from crazy and crazy from sympathetic. He works with multiple charities and donates his time and money. Pop is a good, decent human being.

And he is not totally leaving the NBA. He is going to stay on in the Spurs front office, but it will be weird to not see him on the sidelines anymore. I'll miss watching him coach the Spurs. He is such a presence and a legend of the game. But, I also get why he is doing this now. He had a stroke this year, and being an NBA head coach does not seem like a relaxing job. He can still help to make decisions and help the players out, he will be doing it on his own time now. I'll be curious to see where the Spurs go from here, I wouldn't be surprised if this is almost a done deal from Michael Malone. But, Greg Popovich has done more than enough for the game of basketball and he has earned the right to leave his position as the head coach.

I wish nothing but the best for him and see him still making the Spurs a perennial contender in the NBA. All Pop does is win, and I don't see that changing now. 

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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Taking Joy in the Lakers Failures

The Lakers were officially eliminated from the NBA playoffs last night and I have come to the site today to be the biggest Lakers hater you can find. I

want to start off by first going at JJ Reddick. I knew, deep in my soul, that he was going to show the world how unprepared and under qualified he was to be an NBA head coach. He took the wrong step at every turn in this series. He was so vastly outcoached by Chris Finch that it was glorious for me to watch. His substitution patterns were all wrong, he played his starting five for an entire half, including never resting 40 year old LeBron James and he moaned and groaned whenever the media would call him out on his poor decisions and poor coaching techniques. Reddick is a fraud, shouldn't be anywhere near a coaches bench in the NBA and, even while coaching a team to the 3 seed in the West, he proved how bad a decision it was for the Lakers front office to hire him as a head coach. He got his ass whooped up and down the floor by Finch and his staff and I loved every single second of it. It was schadenfreude for me in all its gloriousness.

Next, every single media person who crushed the Mavs and Nico Harrison and the front office for the trade, how do you feel now? Yes, this was a massive, massive trade, but both teams are out of the playoffs and they both went out unceremoniously. Neither the Mavs nor the Lakers made anything out of the trade. Sure, the Lakers won some games late in the regular season and looked like they might be on the precipice of making a playoff run, but they were easily ousted by the Timberwolves. The Mavs won one play-in game and then were bounced by the Grizzlies. Anthony Davis limped off the floor in that game and it seems like he may be hurt going into next year. Each team had one win during the play-in/playoffs. Each team looked overmatched with their opponent. Each team is already on to the offseason. As far as the on court results, this trade is basically moot. And the prize of the trade, Doncic, was exposed as the poor defender he has always been in the NBA and his offense, which some people have referred to as "genius", was not that good at all in five games. He looked tired, overmatched and not engaged. People will make excuses for him, that is what major media does now with this guy for some reason, but what I saw on the court was not great. He is never in shape and he doesn't really seem engaged unless he is the focal point of the team he is playing for.

LeBron, for the first time in his wonderful career, looked old. He just couldn't keep up with the young guys on the Timberwolves. He looked gassed, especially after the game where he played the entire second half. He says he isn't sure if he will be back next season, I don't buy it, but this is the first time I've seen him look old. He is too good to go out now, but add another year for him and the playoff push might be a little too much for him. I don't want to see it happen, but father time is undefeated.

Finally, I want to shout out Rudy Gobert. He was magical in last night's closeout game. He ended the night with 27 points and 24 rebounds. He dominated the Lakers on both ends of the floor. Prior to this series he was a laughingstock and the main talking point of who was going to be played off the floor first. Even during game 2, Luka Doncic had the gall to hit a three pointer on exclaim, "sub him out". All Gobert did after that was play pretty great defense and had what is most likely his best game as a pro last night. He has a ton of flaws, and his attitude when the NBA shut down due to Covid will always anger me, but a little part of me was so stoked to see him dominate the way he did last night and to do it all in Doncic's smug, stupid face. I loved it. It was glorious, hilarious and awesome. Gobert is often an afterthought, but he changed that narrative last night. He actually has help defensively on the perimeter and he is able to get back to his defense that we all saw when he was on the Jazz.

I know that I'm being a hater, and I'm sure some people will let me know how much of a hater I am in the comments, but this is great for me. The Lakers bowing out like this in the first round as the higher seed is just like watching Duke get beat in the men's NCAA tournament or the Cowboys blowing a playoff game or the Yankees blowing it in the World Series. I love to hate this team and that will never change. Now I can watch the playoffs with joy. Thank you Timberwolves, thank you so much. 

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 "Black Mirror: USS Callister: Into Infinity"

I have finished watching the most recent season/series of "Black Mirror" and I want to write about the last episode, "USS Callister: Into Infinity".

This is the sequel to the wonderful "USS Callister". I didn't know they were going to do a sequel, but I'm glad they did. This one sees almost everyone back from the first go round. Micheala Cole isn't in the sequel, and some stuff has been written about why. I missed her in this one, but the rest of the crew does an admirable job.

"Into Infinity" picks up pretty soon after the events of the first episode. This time the cast of characters are in their infinite loop in the videogame world and they are just trying to survive the world they have been thrust into. They have to scrap and claw to make money in the world they're now living in. They also get called out a ton by people playing the game in the real world because they don't have gamertags and they are taking other people's hard earned videogame money. From here on out we get a good glimpse into the videogame world and what is happening to the people on the outside. There's an ongoing investigation into what happened to Jesse Plemons' character from the first episode. We also get to see how his idea from the game "USS Callister" was introduced into the world. We see him and the cofounder of their company coming up with the money and the idea to do all of the things they end up accomplishing.

Cristin Milioti shines again as Nanette. Milioti has achieved a new amount of fame from some movie roles and her star turn on "The Penguin", so seeing her slip back into Nanette was a treat. She is such a good actor and her skills have only gotten better over time. But what I like most about this episode is all the other characters get a chance to shine. Jimmi Simpson is sleazy and slimy. Billy Mangussen does some great comic relief. Osy Ikhile pulls some very good double duty and gets to play two totally different people. He's great. Milanka Brooks is the heart of the mission. And Paul G Raymond brings levity to both worlds within the "Black Mirror" world.

What makes this show work is the people involved know what they're doing and are some of the best people in the industry. Getting Toby Haynes to direct this episode was the cherry on top. He is so good at this sci-fi world and he gives a show like this so much gravitas. I really liked the back and forth between the real world and the videogame, the way the story unfolds was at times shocking and easy to follow, I thought the actors fully bought in and this was a very solid way to end the 7th season/series of "Black Mirror".

"Black Mirror" has reached a status of being one of the most reliable and best shows on tv. I know when a new season/series comes out I'm going to find something to enjoy about each episode. And I like how each episode is its own thing. They are not tethered to each other in any way. My hat is off to another very good season/series of "Black Mirror". Go watch it all as soon as you can. 

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 "Sinners"

My wife and I saw "Sinners" last Friday. I had read nothing but glowing reviews for the movie, and then RD texted me and told me it was a great movie. I trust RD's opinion on movies. He has never really steered me wrong. And the 98 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes was all I pretty much needed to see this movie. I also saw a preview for it when my dad and I watched "Mickey 17".

As we settled into the theater, which was about 90 percent full, my expectations were pretty high. And this movie more than lived up to the hype. I loved everything about "Sinners". The movie was stylish and cool. I liked the old school vibe of the movie.

“Sinners” takes place in the early 1930's in Mississippi. Michael B Jordan plays dual roles, and from the moment he was on screen, the very first shot, I couldn't take my eyes off what he was doing. Michael B Jordan has become one of the most reliable actors in all of Hollywood. And when he and Ryan Coogler team up, that is a match made in heaven. Coogler and Michael B Jordan made magic together in "Fruitvale Station", "Black Panther" and "Creed". They have now done the same with "Sinners". This is one of the coolest and most unique movies that has come out since "Everything Everywhere All at Once". It may seem like a rehashed vampire movie, but it is so much more than that and so much better than that and so much cooler than that.

The movie has a slow burn to it for the first hour, where they're, for all intents and purposes, "getting the band together". We learn a whole lot more about the two characters Michael B Jordan is playing. One is a hustler and one is no nonsense. They get all the people they want to help them out, and they head out on their way. During this first hour we also see the town they grew up in and returned to, the people they have interacted with and it seems like something sinister is lurking underneath. We then see a man on fire enter on screen, and this is where the movie goes from great to classic. This is where the vampire portion of the movie comes into play. But the vampires represent so much more in this world. And at times I actually side with the vampires. The main vampire is talking about community and acceptance and it is damn enticing and moving. But the main characters that fight them are on the good side, and eventually you have to accept and agree with them. They have the best interest of the community.

Throughout all of this we get some excellent, all timer scenes in this movie. I love the driving on dirt roads we see a lot of in the beginning. The old school church is haunting and interesting. The dance sequence the vampires do was frightening and fascinating. But, the scene that will be remembered for all time was the music scene with Preacher Boy playing guitar and singing an old blues classic. During the song we see music from all genres and all eras. It makes for one of the best and most unique scenes in the history of film. It was amazing to see all this different music come together while Preacher Boy absolutely nails the song. I think about this one scene multiple times a day.

"Sinners" is making a ton at the movies, which is well deserved. "Sinners" also definitely earned all of the positive reviews. I highly recommend this movie to everyone. It is wonderful and one of the fresher ideas in Hollywood. Check it out. 

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 the 2025 NFL Draft

Now that the NFL draft has come and gone, I have some thoughts. Let’s go.

First off, the Packers draft was kind of dull for me as a fan. They got a wideout, one I'm not all that thrilled about, and then they filled some positions of need. I know this is a good thing, but I was hoping for some kind of chances being taken. I wanted them to take some risks, but they did what they always do. I guess I shouldn't complain that much.

I love what the Titans did. They still have more to do to rebuild, but getting Cam Ward was great. He should have been the number one overall pick and I'm glad he was. He seems like the type of kid that is going to have a long and successful career. I hope for nothing but the best for him. They also got defensive help in the earlier rounds and drafted depth and strong players in the later rounds.

I like what the Arizona Cardinals did too. They got Walter Nolen late in round 1 and Will Johnson early in round 2. They can be day one starters. They pretty much focused on defense the whole draft, only taking one offensive player, a lineman. They have the offense to win, and now they are trying to shore up the defense.

The Bears did the opposite of the Cardinals, taking mostly offensive weapons. They got a tight end as a safety blanket, they got a first round wideout talent in round 2 and they took explosive players for the future of their offense in later rounds.

On the opposite end of the draft, I cannot fathom what the Saints were doing last weekend. Tyler Shough in the second round may have been the reach of the draft. Devin Neal is solid, but he cannot stay healthy. Taking Banks at nine overall was nuts. The Commanders also drafted Josh Connerly Jr way too soon. I feel like Trey Amos was a reach. And, for someone who watches a ton of college football, I don't even know who their other three picks ever are. That's not a great sign.

My biggest takeaway, and what I will spend the rest of my blog talking about, the slide and the coverage of Shedeur Sanders. I'll talk about the fall to the fifth round first.

This shouldn't have happened. Sanders is too good of a talent to fall that far. I had him as my second overall QB in this draft. Ward is leaps and bounds better, but Sanders is no slouch. He threw for a ton of yards with no threat of a run game and not the best offensive line. He has the confidence to be a starter in the NFL too. He was accurate and made smart plays most of the time. For guys like Shough and Dillon Gabriel and Jaxson Dart to go before him, that is absurd. The Giants and Saints will most likely regret not taking Sanders. The slide has to be due to bad interviews and an air of cockiness, but he should have been taken no later than the second round. He is way, way too good.

The coverage of Sanders, on the other hand, was appalling, for good and bad reasons. People are going to want to cover someone as famous and talked about as much as Sanders. That is the nature of the beast in the modern era of media coverage. But, to put the focus all on Sanders, and barely talk about Cam Ward, that disgusted me. Ward has all the tools, did great in every interview and seems to truly love the game of football. He worked his way up to being the top overall pick and it didn't seem to bother him wherever he was drafted. I have since watched videos of him training leading up to the draft, and this kid has everything a franchise could ever want in a QB prospect. But ESPN and Yahoo and Bleacher Report, all they ever talked about was Sanders. ESPN, who was covering the first round of the draft, didn't even show all of Cam Ward's interview after being drafted. They decided to cut it short and go focus on Sanders and what he was doing. This is not good for "America's sports leader". Ward earned the right to be the most talked about as the top prospect, but ESPN would rather show someone's downfall, and they didn't let up until he was drafted, and they even went a little further after Sanders was picked. That stinks for Sanders, but more so for Ward. Cam Ward did everything right, but because he isn't all about himself and how to further his brand, the big media companies decided he wasn't worthy enough. Well, I think Cam Ward is worthy enough and I'm happy for him and the Tennessee Titans.

This seems to be a match for both sides and I wish nothing but success for both parties moving forward. I'm officially a Cam Ward superfan now. 

Ty

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

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The Myth of the Alpha: How a Misunderstood Wolf Study Shaped American Culture

The idea of the “alpha male” is everywhere. It shows up in dating advice, leadership books, and even the rise of the so-called “trad wife” movement. But the foundation of that idea is based on a scientific misunderstanding.

In the 1940s, researchers studying wolves in captivity noticed that the wolves formed strict hierarchies. They labeled the most dominant male the “alpha.” The problem is that these wolves weren’t family. They were strangers, forced into unnatural living conditions, like inmates in a prison. Of course they fought for dominance (Scientific American).

For decades, this idea was projected onto wolves in the wild, and by extension, to people. But when researchers like L. David Mech began observing wild wolf packs in their natural habitat, they saw something very different (Mech 1999, Canadian Journal of Zoology).

Wild wolves don’t organize into rigid dominance structures. They live in families. What early researchers called an “alpha male” is usually just a father guiding his offspring. There’s no constant battle for supremacy, no violent posturing. Just parenting and cooperation.

Unfortunately, by the time the science corrected itself, the myth had already spread.

It took root in pop culture and evolved into a blueprint for masculinity. The message was clear: to be a man, you have to dominate. To be a woman, you submit. This misunderstanding gave fuel to a version of masculinity rooted in control and to a culture that romanticizes traditional gender roles as natural law.

Domination is not leadership. Control is not love. And strength doesn’t mean posturing or suppression.

If we want a healthier culture, we need to start by questioning the stories we’ve been told about who we are and where those stories came from.

What looks like natural order is often just bad science in disguise.

Kirk Aug

Kirk is a writer, beekeeper and a fellow traveller on spaceship Earth. Follow Kirk on instagram @kirkaug

Ty's 2025 NFL Draft Preview

The NFL draft kicks off tonight with the first round. As I do every year I'm going to give my version of a draft preview. I'll pick five prospects I like, five I'm not so high on and three sleepers. I watch a ton of college football, so I do feel like I know a good amount about these guys. I'm also pretty stoked that the draft is in Green Bay this year. That's pretty cool as a Packers fan.

I'll start with the five prospects I like most.

I want to mention my first prospect that I have little to no doubt will be an eventual star in the league, Travis Hunter. Hunter is so rare and so damn good at the game of football. He is one of the top receivers in the draft and may be the top corner in the draft. He can play both ways at a very high level. He is coming off a Heisman win. He is the Shohei Ohtani of the NFL. I will be curious to see what position he ends up playing more in the league, but I fully expect him to play a good amount of offense and defense. I just hope he doesn't end up in Cleveland.

I'm going to clump my next prospect into two tight ends, Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland. Warren is more of a brute who can do a little bit of everything. He is a superior blocker. He can get separation from linebackers with ease. And he can be used in a bunch of different sets and trick plays. He is also built like a brick. Loveland is more athletic and a faster tight end. He is an okay enough blocker, but he is so much better utilized as a receiving tight end. He is tall, fast and can get away from linebackers and corners all the same. He could have a long career.

My next prospect is Kenneth Grant. Michigan has two interior d lineman that I think will be good, but I like Grant just a little more than Mason Graham. Grant, for his size, is incredibly fast. He chased down his fair share of running backs. He is an o line wrecker and a run stuffer. And once he figures it all out, he is still relatively young, he has the tools to have a productive career.

My fourth prospect I like is Tet McMillan, the receiver out of Arizona. He is big, he is fast and he has incredible hands. I hope he falls to the Packers. I'd love that. He was so productive in college, had great games against the best teams, and I personally think he is the best wideout prospect in this draft.

My final prospect I like is Cam Ward. He is, by a very wide margin, the best QB prospect in this draft. He controls the game. He has a very cool and calm demeanor that teams in need of a QB will covet. He absolutely owned the ACC last season. While at Washington State he also controlled the Pac 12. Ward is going to be a productive QB who, with the right weapons, can be a franchise cornerstone.

Now to my five prospects I'm lower on.

First, and I hate to talk down Michigan guys, is Will Johnson. Johnson was so disruptive and lockdown in his sophomore season. He and Mike Sainristil dominated in the secondary. He would have been an easy top 10 pick last year if he were eligible. He wasn't and his junior year was not as great. He was often injured after the first 1/3 of the season. He made two great plays against Fresno State and USC, but then he was basically out of the lineup. He hardly played after that. I was excited because he suited up for the game I went to see live, and he only played one series. I figured he was saving himself for the draft, but he didn't do anything at the combine and maybe even less at Michigan's pro day. He has all the tools to succeed, but he has hardly been available for over a year now, and that scares me.

Next I have James Pearce Jr. He was a projected top pick coming into this season, but he really made no noise. He could've been double and triple teamed, but no one ever really talked about him. He just kind of disappeared. I never heard about him during the combine or during Tennessee's pro day. He kind of vanished and that is not the best look.

The next guy I have is Matthew Golden, the wideout from Texas. While he is very fast, he is small and slight. That may work for a guy like Xavier Worthy, but he has otherworldly speed. Golden does not possess that kind of speed. And at 5'11 he is destined to be a slot receiver. Any team could find that in the later rounds and be happy. I just don't see him as a first round type of prospect.

My fourth guy is Malaki Starks. This is just like the James Pearce Jr stuff. Starks was supposed to be a top 10 pick, but he just kind of vanished. He didn't do much of anything that really stood out. And Georgia's defense wasn't as good as they were supposed to be last season. Starks may be an okay enough player in the long run, but he is not the elite prospect many thought he could have been.

The final guy I have is offensive tackle Josh Connerly Jr from Oregon. He has been slipping down most teams' draft boards throughout the pre draft process. His motor isn't always the highest either. He is big, but he needs to want to dominate. I don't know if he will be able to do that in the NFL. I just don't trust a first round pick on him.

Onto my three sleepers.

First I have Luther Burden III. He was a highly regarded prospect out of high school. He dominated while at Mizzou. He made Brady Cook look halfway decent. He would face double and triple teams and he still put up productive numbers. I'd take a guy like Burden before Matthew Golden. I firmly believe that Burden is the third best wideout in the draft, behind only McMillan and Hunter.

My next sleeper is Jimmy Horn Jr. He was Colorado's number two wideout behind Travis Hunter. He put up big time numbers. Receivers are also premium players in the NFL, especially if you can get them in later rounds. Jimmy Horn Jr has the pedigree, he runs solid routes and he has good hands. He can also get separation and make big plays down the field. If a receiver needy team has a later round pick, they should go after Jimmy Horn Jr without a second thought.

My final sleeper is Andrew Mukuba, the safety from Texas. I saw him up close and personal when Texas played Michigan earlier this year. He was a beast and he dominated. He was all over the field making a ton of plays. This continued throughout his whole season. And safeties are much needed in the NFL. I would love Green Bay to take him in round three or four. That would be great for me.

There you have it, my 2025 NFL draft preview. Enjoy. 

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 "Black Mirror: Eulogy"

Episode five of this season of "Black Mirror" has been one of the best they've ever done. "Eulogy" brought all the best in everyone involved. I mentioned Peter Capaldi's performance in my write up yesterday, and while that was a great performance, the work that Paul Giamatti did in "Eulogy" is second to none. "Black Mirror" has had a myriad of great performances, but this one, at the moment, is the best I've seen so far.

"Eulogy" starts off with Giamatti's character doing some gardening and his phone rings. He goes to retrieve it, and we find out that someone he knew in his past has died and he is left thinking how to move ahead. From here Giamatti is given a chance to go back and remember his times with this person. It is essentially a robot in the cloud that can let people go into pictures and relive these moments that they have long forgotten or moved on from. Giamatti gives a wonderful, heartfelt and grieving performance. His attitude changes on a dime when he revisits his past. He is acting opposite a voice for most of the episode and he absolutely nails every single scene. I was along for the ride with him. Seeing his past life, going through this grief, trying to figure out how to process it all, Giamatti delivers every single time. I felt for him. I was angry at him. I wanted him to find peace with everything he was going through. I wanted to see this person because we had no pictures of her face. I wanted to understand more about their past. The voice on the other side of the memory device, she gave a pretty good performance as well. She pushes Giamatti. She wants him to remember this stuff. She wants some clear answers as to what happened in the past. She also may have a little secret that Giamatti doesn't know about until close to the end.

"Eulogy" is a tour de force for Paul Giamatti. When I see him give us a performance this good it makes me remember how good of an actor he truly is. Giamatti is reliable, solid and sometimes, like this episode, we get to watch absolute gold like this. He knows how to do everything on screen. He can pull from so many other things, be it in his personal life or his research on other roles. Giamatti has become an actor that everyone can rely on and expect to see damn good work from in whatever role he is playing. So when he takes it to another level, like he does in "Eulogy", it makes me respect him that much more. I am always a little skeptical when I see a big star commit to a show like "Black Mirror", but this is what makes this show so awesome. Paul Giamatti was all in and went for it. He understood the assignment and he nailed it. I would love to see him get some kind of awards recognition for this performance.

Paul Giamatti and "Eulogy" gave us one the best episodes in the illustrious run of "Black Mirror" and I'm very grateful for it. 

Ty

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

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