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

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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I'm Just Not that Into Bruce Springsteen

Scott Aukerman hosts one of the best podcasts ever created. "Comedy Bang! Bang!" is genius and one of the funniest shows out there. Adam Scott is an extremely dependable actor, and from what I've read, "Severance" is a revelation from him. I mention the two of them because they get together from time to time and do a podcast of their own where they go over a band or musician that they like and cover their catalog. They did it with REM, Talking Heads and U2. They have attempted a Red Hot Chili Peppers one, which they abandoned almost instantly to do the Talking Heads instead. They have a new artist they are covering now, Bruce Springsteen. let’s discuss.

I have never really listened to any Springsteen. I know who he is because he is wildly famous. My folks have also listened to his music. I have some older brothers who have checked him out. It is kind of hard to avoid him because he is a true deal rock star. So with the podcast coming out, and being such a fan of these two creators, I decided this was going to be the push I needed to try out Springsteen's music. I decided I wanted to give it a real shot too. I wanted to make sure that I actually tried with no preconceived notions. And I did. I gave it a real deal shot.

I started by listening to his top hits on Spotify. I then shifted to the albums they were covering on the podcast. I even went for the hits. I also thought about making a playlist of the songs that Aukerman and Scott mentioned as their favorites. But after they did the "Born to Run" record, and after I gave it a real listen, I decided that Springsteen just isn't for me.

Now, before I anger a bunch of people, Springsteen is a genius. The guy is a masterful writer. The way he puts pen to paper and writes his lyrics, he is a true poet. He is no Bob Dylan, but he is a close second. He can really paint a picture with his words. He has also written massive hits for other musicians. He is an amazing artist. He is also a very good guitar player. He can play both rhythm and lead. He integrates the guitar very well into his songs. He can shred from time to time. He is a very good band leader. He may be tough on his band members, but he gets the best out of them. He is also an incredibly hard worker. The dude is prolific, and given the fact that he writes all his own stuff, that has to take a ton of time. He is constantly making new music and has been for well over 40 years now. That is epic.

The reason I am not a big Springsteen fan is his voice. He has this gravely voice that I cannot get into at all. I will start vibing out to a song, but then he will start singing and I'm instantly out. I love the words, just not the voice it is coming from. I dig the backing band, but then he starts to sing and that completely takes over. I get what he is doing, and I get why it works, it just isn't for me. I have never been that much into the whole gravel voice, working man thing from musicians. It just isn't my thing. Again, I get it, I understand the appeal, I just prefer something different. I will say the album "Nebraska" is the most listenable one for me, but that gets too Springsteen-y for me about four songs in. I love the words, I love the imagery, I just don't like the singing. I get what makes "Born to Run" an elite album, but Springsteen's voice is too front and center. Even his early work, which outside of "Nebraska" is the best stuff he has done, his voice is too front and center.

I know I am wrong. I get that I'm in a very, very small group of music lovers that do not mess with Bruce Springsteen, but here we are. Maybe as I get older things will change, but probably not. I gave it a real chance, but it is not for me. Sorry, everyone. 

Ty

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

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Jimbo Fisher Got Paid A Lot to Be an Average Football Coach

Texas A&M has relieved Jimbo Fisher of his head coaching duties. Let’s discuss.

I have to say, I am kind of shocked by this news. It wasn't as if Fisher was lighting the coaching world on fire, but it felt like he kind of had carte blanche since taking over the job. I guess I was wrong to assume such. They did just give him an extension, and he seemed to pull in top ten recruiting classes with ease, but here we are. The recruiting may have been gang busters, but the results were not coming in the form of as many wins as the boosters and AD's wanted. When Fisher left Florida State to take this job I thought it was a bad move on his part. If anything it felt like a lateral move. FSU and TAMU are kind of similar in the college football world. In fact, FSU may be a better football school. But after winning a national title and having a couple of ten win seasons, Fisher turned that into a humongous payday and left to go coach the Aggies. But he was never really able to turn the Aggies into a national title contender like they all hoped when they hired him.

Since taking over in 2018 the Aggies never won more than nine games under Fisher. They always had the hype. They always had the next big star in college football. They always had a high preseason ranking. They always have had a major home field advantage. But it never fully seemed to come together. The best player on his 2018 team was tight end Jace Sternberger. Sternberger was fine, but not the game changer they hoped for. They also beat the teams they were supposed to, but could not get over the hump. They played number two Clemson close, but couldn't pull off the win. They got smoked by Alabama that season. And Mississippi State and Auburn beat them back to back. They did win their bowl game to get that 9th win against NC State. The season was off to a good start, but they never really built off that.

In 2019 they ended up 8-5, taking a step back. They were beaten by Clemson again. Auburn also beat them. Alabama smoked them again. Georgia took it to them and LSU throttled them. Their best player that year was a defensive tackle.

The COVID shortened 2020 season was Fisher's best. The Aggies finished 9-1 and finally beat some good teams. They still got smoked by Alabama. But, they did beat number 4 Florida. They also beat LSU and Auburn. And they took down UNC in their bowl game. Their best player that season was QB Kellen Mond. He had a very, very good year that turned him into a 3rd round draft pick. Then the regression came on strong.

They followed up their nine win season returning to 8-5. Arkansas beat them. Unranked Mississippi State beat them. They finally beat Alabama. But they were beaten by Ole Miss and LSU. They had an amazing recruiting class, but it never really panned out. Zach Caldaza was the QB. De'Von Achane was their running back. DeMarvin Leal seemed ready for a breakout. None of that happened. They never really put it together.

Last season was their worst though. They had all kinds of preseason hype. They were picked to finish second in the SEC. They had preseason all conference picks. They had an elite recruiting class. It just never worked out the way they planned it. App State beat them in week 2. TAMU was ranked 6th overall at this point. They did win two straight, over ranked opponents. But then they got beat in six straight games. Mississippi State smoked them. Alabama beat them in a close game. South Carolina won by six. Ole Miss beat them by a field goal. Florida smashed them. And Auburn beat them by three. The bleeding stopped, but barely, when they beat a very bad UMASS team by a field goal. And they closed out the season by upsetting number 5 LSU. But they never really looked all that good in 2022. Haynes King and Max Johnson split time at QB and neither was great. De'Von Achane was the lead back, but he never really got going. The wideouts never got much of a chance. The defense spent too much time on the field. It was a blown season. I do think the LSU win gave the fans and front office hope, but it was false hope.

A&M came into this year with less hype, but still predicted to be better. They had another very good recruiting class. They brought in solid transfers. They had some returning talent. But it didn't work. Miami beat them in week two by 15. Alabama beat them again. Tennessee shut them down. And Ole Miss took them down by a field goal. Sure, they have six wins, but the wins are kind of hollow. They did win their last game, 51-10, thus making the firing even crazier, but here we are.

Fisher was never able to find the success he achieved at FSU with TAMU. They hype was there, they had all the preseason love,  but it never fully came together. I think hiring people like DJ Durkin never helped as well. Jimbo Fisher tried to surround himself with elite coaches, he just picked the wrong ones. He could get elite recruits, but they either transferred or never panned out. They probably deserved better coaching.

I am curious to see where Fisher goes from here. I wonder if he will stay out of coaching for awhile, he has an extremely high payout, and I wouldn't blame him. But if he does come back to coaching I will have to think he will have to go to a mid-major style school, or become a coordinator at a power 5 school. Fisher got paid, big time, by TAMU. He took a chance on himself when he left FSU, it just didn't work out. Now we wait to see the next move. It should be interesting. 

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 Jim Harbaugh Suspension

The Big Ten commissioner has suspended Jim Harbaugh for the remainder of the regular season effective immediately. Obviously I have some thoughts on this. Here we go.

First off, I firmly believe Michigan is going to take this to court. They have stated as much prior to today and I would be astounded if they just sat there and accepted this.

Second, to levy the punishment while the team is flying to their game in State College tomorrow, that is some cowardly shit right there. I'm sure the plane has wifi and I'm sure the staff heard the news when it came across, but to wait until they have left, that is spineless. That is also very petty. The Big 10 commissioner has had more than enough time to hand out a punishment. I read that it was going to happen yesterday. But then they waffled and said it may take another week. And then news sprouted that it was going to happen in the early afternoon today. But to wait until 4pm local time to Ann Arbor, that is akin to challenging to fight someone when you are a kid, and never showing up. This is cowardly, and this whole thing has been cowardly.

To say that Michigan gained any type of competitive advantage for the “crime” is absurd. I hate to burst every other fan's bubble out there, but your team does this too. They just are better at keeping it discreet. And any fan that comes at me and tells me I'm wrong, I have a bridge I'd love to sell you. This is how the game is played in this era. And if your signs are that easy to figure out, change your goddamn signs. It shouldn't be put on the commissioner of your league and the lying ass NCAA to levy punishment.

This also sets a dangerous precedent. Michigan found that the university of Ohio State and Rutgers helped Purdue figure out their signs last year leading up to the Big 10 title game. They provided evidence. They showed everything that reporters and other schools showed during their investigation. So does this mean Ryan Day and Greg Schiano and Ryan Walters are going to be punished too? It should. That is what this ruling from the Big 10 is going to start. We've already seen other coaches ever since this blew up saying that they know other teams are stealing signs. Lincoln Riley made mention of it after Utah beat USC for a third straight time. Matt Rhule, who first said it was no big deal I remind you, has come out and said that his team is 5-4, and they own that, but one team had an advantage. I think we all know who he is speaking about. Greg Schiano made a reference to all this during halftime of Rutgers' game against Michigan. This is going to become a common thing now for coaches at major jobs. No one wants to get let go from being a head coach, and with the Big 10 suspending Jim Harbaugh, they can go to their commissioner and say that the team that has beaten them a few years in a row knows their signs and they want that coach suspended. This is a slippery slope.

The problem is that no one can admit when a team is better than them now. I coach my son, who is 11, in basketball. He will never admit a team is better than us when we get beat. I can say things until I'm blue in the face, he always has an excuse. The same thing happened during his recent football season. The only reason he says that the team that won the 6th grade title this year was because they had 7th graders. It is not true, they had all 6th graders, it was confirmed by his coaches, but he had to find a reason why his team got beat that didn't involve some other team just being better.

What irks me the most about this, besides the fact that Michigan was guilty before anything was proven, and the NCAA has said they aren't including Harbaugh in their investigation anymore because they found no evidence that he knew this was going on, is the language of "competitive advantage" that the spineless commissioner used in his wording today. To say that, while handing out a suspension while Michigan is in flight, is asinine. How does saying that not instantly give Penn State an advantage tomorrow afternoon? I've been nervous for this game all season. This was my tentpole game going into the year. Penn State is a very good football team, and they get this game in State College, which is a very tough place to play. And now Michigan doesn't know if their coach will be able to coach tomorrow, they've been called "cheaters" by major reputable organizations, the players have had to field questions for weeks now, and now they have to play their toughest game of the year with this news coming down at 4pm. That is a whole lot for a group of 18-23 year olds to deal with over a game.

But hey, whatever happens tomorrow, I will always love and root for this team. I will go to bat for them no matter what. I think the way this unfolded, and how ruthlessly adults on major networks have talked about these kids is some of the wildest reporting I have ever witnessed in my life. We are talking about "sign stealing" here. This is not covering up sexual and physical abuse. This is not overworking players to the brink, or in some awful cases the actuality of death. This is not covering for players accused of having weapons. This is not fixing tests. This is the dumbest "scandal" I have witnessed in my 40 plus years being a rabid college football fan. Now we have to see how this all plays out.

Forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

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

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Somehow Carson Wentz is on an NFL Roster Again

I was talking to my son about football stuff yesterday and he told me that Carson Wentz was signed by the Rams. I did not believe him. I thought he was pranking me. We make up fake stuff all the time about players that have retired or been cut. It is a weird thing we do to have fun. That's what I thought this Carson Wentz "news" was. I just assumed he was messing with me.

When he was pretty adamant that he was not joking, I went and checked it out online and he was 100 percent correct. Carson Wentz is now a member of the Los Angeles Rams. And I do not get this signing one bit. Look, I have been as big a defender of Colin Kaepernick as there is. I fully believe the NFL black balled him, that he will be remembered in a much better light than the jerks who black balled him and that he more than deserved a shot to come back. So hearing, then reading, that Carson Wentz is back in the NFL first made me angry, then made me laugh.

Wentz is not 1/10 of the QB that Kaepernick was in the league. You can throw that one season out to me all the time, when the Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl after he got hurt all you want. As my son told me, he was playing at an MVP level prior to him getting hurt. Great. Carson Wentz had one good season while playing in the league. Big freaking deal. There are other guys who had one, maybe even two good years in the NFL that never came back or got another chance. Daunte Culpepper was a prized free agent after a few good seasons in Minnesota. He signed with Miami and was cut pretty quick after that. Dough Flutie somehow managed to stick around the league for far too long. How many good seasons did he really have in reality? Not any that I can remember. Or what about Ryan Fitzpatrick. I mean, he was more a beard than a viable NFL starting QB. And I'm sure there are guys playing right now, Tyson Bagent to name one, that will be out of the league very soon. But Carson Wentz can still get an offer and Colin Kaepernick cannot. That doesn't sit well with me.

After his one solid season, he was a total non factor. He went to the Colts after Phillip Rivers retired. He was awful. They were a trainwreck due to his poor play. He then went over to the Commanders. He was going to be their "game manager". He was going to lead this team back to the playoffs. He got beat out by Sam Hartmann and was cut pretty quickly. He was then more known for posting workout videos with gear from each team he had already played for prior to this season. He was also very vocal about his distaste for the COVID vaccine. This is just another in a long line of poor decisions made by the former number two overall pick. He is super christian, won't get vaccinated and cannot stay on the field. But the Rams saw him, after an injury to Matthew Stafford and the poor play of Brett Rypien, and thought he was a viable option to come in and play QB for them. Yet Colin Kaepernick, who had a much better career than Carson Wentz could ever dream of, is still trying to get reps from teams to come watch him workout. And they won't because Kaepernick peacefully protested police brutality by kneeling during the anthem. But since Carson Wentz loves Jesus, and I think we all know why else he is getting a fourth shot, he can slide into a starting role due to some injuries.

This is a crock and a waste of time. If I were a Rams fan with a conscience, I'd be frustrated by this signing. He is not going to win many games and he will probably say some nonsense during pre and post game interviews. This is dumb and will not work out. 

Ty

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

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Coping with the Unreality of Reality Television

I've talked about reality shows a lot on this website. I also watch, or watched, a good amount of reality shows. I still check in from time to time on reality shows my wife watches on the weekends. But I have been putting more thought into them lately, probably more than the creators, I kid. But I have been trying to suss things out about some of the shows that I watch and have watched.

As I get older I am getting a bit cynical about these "reality" shows. They don't really live up to the hype anymore. They are retreads. They are rip off shows. And they are horrible for the television industry because they put a ton of people out of work. This has been on my mind a lot lately. I find myself even thinking about these shows when they are not on. I don't know what that says about me, but here we are.

I think my biggest issue as of late is the fact that these shows are not actual, true "reality" shows. There is nothing real about them at all. If they were factual, if they were real, they would be tiring and very boring. Think about your everyday life. How boring is it really? I know that if I were to be filmed for a reality show, and if they stuck to actual reality, it would be a total snooze fest. The cameras would see me go through my routine. I get my kids ready for school in the morning. I run errands or have coffee with my dad and friends. I come home and do chores around the house. I go for a run. And then the night is filled with taking kids to sports, having dinner and going to bed. Pretty tiresome huh? That is how I know these reality shows are actually real. Real life is boring. But if you do a few takes of a conversation, add alcohol and try to start a conflict, that is a recipe for intriguing "reality" shows. I have read that these reality shows have copious amounts of alcohol just laying around. I feel like the producers of the shows think that if there is alcohol around, and most of the people enjoy alcohol, they will loosen up and let it fly a bit. That is why there is rarely ever a person on a reality show that has chosen to not drink. I would never be in a reality show because I choose to not partake in alcohol. I would, as I am prone to say in this piece, be very boring.

Take a show like "Love is Blind". My wife is very much into this show and I will sit down with her and watch or listen in the background while I am doing something around the house. This is the fakest "reality" show on tv. They go so far as to have everyone drink from the exact same style cup. The cups are all the same, even when they go to stores, parties or are at their home or their parents homes. That is for continuity. Which leads me to another point. The fact that the glasses have to be the same, so as not to show drinks being consumed, that means they do multiple takes of supposed "real" conversations. There was a very big blow up the other night and the fact that someone cried, I was completely taken out of it because I noticed the glass. This made me question how many times they asked this girl to cry, or how many times they had this dude call her horrible names. And that happens all the time on these shows. It looks like it is a conversation unfolding in real time until you start to think about tv and the fact that they need the correct lighting and that they have to be able to fully hear everything and that the clothing has to be the same, it is all made up.

You could even put cooking competitions in this conversation. I cannot believe that a "Chopped" contestant can think on the fly as fast as these competitors do on the show. They come up with these crazy dishes in a matter of seconds. I have to believe that they have a little bit, at the very least, of an idea of what is coming in those baskets. And they also have to make multiple dishes in an allotted time. Stuff has to get messed up that we never see in the finished product on our tv's.

I could go on and on with other reality shows, but these two came straight to my mind when I thought of this piece. Reality shows are not based in reality. Sorry if that bursts people's bubbles. But I'm not here to tell you not to watch them. If you like reality shows, watch as much as you want. That may be your steez. They just aren't for me and I am going to continue to see what other things I notice while watching them. I will just keep it to myself when I watch with my wife. 

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 Pistachio Croissant

Today while I was out for coffee with my dad and a buddy of mine I decided I was going to get some breakfast. This happens from time to time. On coffee days I decide to skip breakfast at home and decide I want a pastry. We went to a coffee shop that we hadn't been to in a bit and they had new pastries on the menu. So I decided to go for it, as did my buddy. We both got a pistachio croissant. Let’s discuss.

I enjoy a good croissant. I like how flaky and delicious they taste. I enjoy the sweet and savory croissants as well. I will more likely go for sweet if that is an option. That is what the pistachio was today. It looked very good on the countertop, so I figured it was going to be tasty. I was right. The look was that of a classic croissant, but it was covered in pistachios and powdered sugar. It also had a crust on top. I was sold on the "you eat with your eyes" thing first. Then we were given the croissants, and man did we both enjoy them. They were very good. They are definitely one of the better croissants that I have ever eaten. My first decision was to rip a piece off the end of the pastry and give it a taste. This was the correct choice. The inside of the croissant was like any other one, but there were pistachios and a pistachio glaze. The first bite was pretty great. It was soft with a crunchy exterior. The inside of the pastry was nice and chewy. The pistachios added an excellent crunch. And that glaze was to die for. The glaze was sweet with a hint of saltiness. The pistachios must have been ground together with sugar or something to form a jelly-like texture. That went throughout the entire croissant. It was something else in a very, very good way. Then we have the outside of the croissant. The crunchy top was akin to a crumble top. It was like the best part of a cinnamon crunch bagel or a pie crumble. It was sweet and added some wonderful taste. The pistachios were all over the outside of the dish. It had big pieces, it had slivered pieces and it had crushed pieces. And it all worked to perfection. The powdered sugar wasn't all over it either. I like that. When a coffee shop makes pastries and they add sugar on top it sometimes comes out too sweet. The sugar on top can overpower the rest of the dish. That didn't happen this morning. The powdered sugar was like a dusting of snow. It was enough to taste it, to get a little bit of sweetness, but that was it. It added to the flavor. It helped to bring out the other flavors of the croissant. It was a nice finishing touch on my breakfast.

I want to go back and get this croissant more and more. I hope it isn't a seasonal thing. I love the taste of pistachios and the way they made a jelly-like substance out of the extra pistachios. This is a home run dish. I highly recommend you get a pistachio croissant if you have the chance. It is very, very good. 

Ty

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

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"Little Big League" Stands as One of the Greatest 90s Sports Movies

It was my pick during date night for the movie and I went with another sports movie from the 90's that I adored. The movie was "Little Big League”. A quick synopsis of the movie, the owner of the Twins dies, gives the team to his grandson who is 11, grandson takes over as coach and after the team buys in, he leads them to a turnaround. It is your typical 90's sports movie story. But there is one big difference. And this difference is why I think this may be the best 90's kids sports movie. Let’s discuss.

First off, the movie is good on its own. It has some cliche stuff in it, but not as much as other 90's sports movies. The kids in this one aren't as precocious as other kids. The adults are funnier and looser in this movie. The baseball players, some real MLB players, don't have to actually act. They can just be themselves, and that is the best use of their talents. But the best thing about this movie is the ending. Spoiler alert for a movie that came out 30 years ago, but the Twins do not win in the end. They don't even make the playoffs.

That is what I instantly loved about this movie, even when I first saw it as a 12 year old. "Little Big League" shows everyone that you can still have a good time even if you don't win it all in the end. The fact of the matter, the way they portray the Twins at the start of this movie is that they need a miracle to even have a chance at the playoffs. And the way they show the progress, the frustration, the ups and downs of a long season, it is all about as realistic as any 90's kids sports movie that has ever been made. Major League Baseball has a grueling 162 game season. That is a ton of time. So there are going to be good times and bad times. This movie shows that.

Another this movie also shows how tough it would be for a bunch of professional baseball players to buy into an 11 year old coaching the team. I do not think any player would ever truly buy in, but in the fantastical world that this movie made up, the idea of these guys deciding to play for him, it works. The main character has a vast knowledge of baseball. He knows the game inside and out. He is smarter than some of the coaches on staff. It works. But it is that final game that makes this movie as great as it ended up being. The Twins and Mariners have to play each other to get in the playoffs. They have a deciding playoff game to see who gets the last Wild Card spot. And it goes back and forth. Ken Griffey Jr blasts a three run homer early on to give the Twins a 3-0. The Twins find their way back into the game with some base hits and then one of their players hits a three run homer to tie the score. Then it is back and forth. Neither team scores until they end up in the 12th inning. The Mariners get the go ahead run on a single. So it is 4-3 in the bottom of the 12th. The Twins come to bat and quickly get two outs. This is another thing I like about this movie. There is no pomp and circumstance. The count doesn't go to 3-2 every single time. The Twins ground out and line out on a few pitches. Then a guy gets a base hit and the Twins best batter comes up. He and the coach have a little chat and he comes up to hit, but not before the Mariners bring in Randy Johnson as a reliever. This would have been a perfect time to really milk the count and make the scene hyper dramatic, and I totally would have bought it. But this movie zigs whenever I think it will zag. The first pitch is high and tight and then Lou Collins, the Twins star player, crushes a 1-0 pitch to left center. It looks like it is going to clear the fence and put the Twins in the playoffs with a 5-4 win. All the while though, Ken Griffey Jr is chasing the ball down. They pan from Collins to Griffey Jr a few times before Griffey Jr robs the home run and ends the Twins season. It is exhilarating and unexpected. I love that. The Twins didn't have to win to make this movie as awesome as it ended up being. The crowd still loved the team. The Mariners respected their opponent. The players grew to love the 11 year old coach. They were all super bummed when he announced he wasn't coming back to coach the next year. And the crowd was still there waiting to give the coach and the team a standing ovation. Again, the Twins didn't even make the playoffs. But they rediscovered their love for the game and made the team fun to watch again.

I love this movie and I loved it even more on this rewatch. Go check out "Little Big League" and find out what makes it so incredible for a 90's sports kids movie. 

Ty

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

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Not a Great Start to the NBA Season for the Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are having a very rough start to the 2023-24 NBA season. They are currently the only winless team in the NBA. The Rockets have a win. The Pistons have two. The Trailblazers, tonight's opponent, have two.The Spurs have three. Even the Wizards have a single win. But the Grizzlies have that big goose egg. They are 0-5 and they have looked bad in almost every game so far this year.

I think a lot has caused this to happen. First off, missing out on Ja Morant, who deserved his suspension, has been very clearly an issue. The Grizzlies cannot generate much at the rim. The guards are not getting to the basket. There is no one to suck the defense into the lane and open up the outside. These are the things that Morants excels at as a basketball player. They are clearly missin Tyus Jones as well. He was the best backup point guard in the NBA and he helped to stabilize this team when Morant would miss games here and there. He was a vet the entire team trusted. I do like that they went out and traded for Marcus Smart, and I do think that it will work in the long run. But right now he has not had any impact. The Grizzlies were also dealt a blow when Steven Adams went down before the season with surgery. Losing Adams the whole year is going to make it difficult to scrounge out some wins due to his toughness. They cannot rebound the basketball without him in the lineup it feels, and him being gone has caused way more of a problem than I ever imagined it would. Brandon Clarke has not recovered from his torn achilles yet either. These two guys are crucial to their front court and it is showing how important they are without them playing. The Grizzlies are so thin in the front court that they went out and gave Bysmack Biyombo five million to finish out the season there. That is a desperate move in my eyes.

With Morant being suspended for 20 more games, with Adams done for the year, with Clarke not being ready until well after the all star break, I do not know how they recover from this bad of a start. I don't know how they are going to salvage the season. Smart has been average since the trade. His defense is still very good, but his shot looks bad. Jaren Jackson Jr is still fouling far too much. He is the reigning DPOY, but if he cannot stay on the floor it doesn't matter how good he is on that end. Desmond Bane is being asked to do way, way too much. The dude can score, but the number one option is not a suit that fits him well. He is so much better when he is not the focal point of the opponent's defense. Luke Kennard has been a total zero. I fear Kenny Lofton Jr was a nice story last season but is now being exposed. David Roddy doesn't play defense. Jake LaRavia can't get minutes. Ziaire Williams has been below average. Xavier Tillman has not progressed. Derrick Rose is older and hurt. Sant Aldama looks like he has taken a step back. The Grizzlies have a myriad of and it has shown in the first 5 games. The offense is stagnant. The defense is slow and fouling too much. Taylor Jenkins is a good coach. He should be able to fix this. But whatever his game plan is right now, he needs to change some stuff up. I know he didn't expect to see Morant suspended for 25 games to start the year, but they have won without him before. I know he was hoping one of Brandon Clarke or Steven Adams would be on the floor to start the year, but he found a way to stay the 2 seed last season when they both got hurt. I know he wants to trust some of the younger guys, but they haven't proven trustworthy. I feel like they can get out of this funk, but it needs to happen very fast. Being 0-5 in the Western Conference, and I fully realize it is very early in the season, can be a death blow to your playoff chances if they don't start stringing together some wins right now. I still have faith, but it is dwindling with each passing day. Hopefully they right the ship. 

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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