The Modern Family Series Finale

 
The fact that Modern Family was going to be different from other sitcoms was already stated in its title. Moving away from the nuclear family going about their lives in some big city, the Pritchett-Dunphy family were blended and watching their lives unfold help to normalize different lifestyles.

That’s why near the end of its 11 seasons, the show seemed to be running on fumes. The writers finally decided it was time to pull in every storyline together for a neat, happy, blended ending. And the hour-long Modern Family series ending did just that with the cast coming into a big group hug that no one wanted to leave.
 

Every Family Goes Their Separate Ways

 
The patriarch, Jay (Ed O’Neill), found himself unsure of what to do while his wife Gloria (Sofia Vergara) was successfully working now as a way to cope with the fact that her sons no longer needed her in the same ways as they did before. So, Jay decided to learn Spanish as a surprise, which his son Mitchell could only kind of understand by the way he misspoke a phrase, but it brought laughs.

Jay warmed the audience’s hearts when he said, “both my sons are leaving,” after learning that Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) was preparing to relocate with his husband Cam (Eric Stonestreet) who had been offered the job of his dreams in Missouri. A touching sentiment that differed greatly from his first misgivings when the couple were married. And the couple’s relocation meant that they had to leave the house that they had just finished making.

Mitchell and Cam’s prospect of an empty house mirrored his sister Claire’s home that was overflowing with her now adult children. Claire (Julie Bowen) and Phil (Ty Burrell) decided to ask one of their children to move out, but ended up seeing all of them emptying the nest. But Phil reassured Claire that they’ll come back and to, “leave the porch light on.” A photo medley of each of the Dunphy’s children growing up cemented Phil’s reassurance that it was not a moment of loss, but change.
 

Saying Goodbye to the Pritchett-Dunphy Family

 
Raising children in a blended family is what kept the show going, but 11 seasons later, it was time to see everyone go off to write their own kooky, excited story endings. And although the Modern Family series finale received mixed reviews including actress Sarah Hyland voicing her disappointment, the family had said their goodbyes and left a legacy that proves that not every family looks the same.

What Is the Toosie Slide?

 
The song itself is just as catchy as Drake’s previous singles and comes with instructions, “It go, right foot up, left foot slide, left foot up, right foot slide, basically, I’m saying either way, we ’bout to slide.” Drake’s new song and dance was produced with the intention to be the next viral TikTok dance trend. Drake then took the next step and created a music video to accompany the song, but the intention of the music video comes out a bit murky.
 

The Toosie Slide Music Video

 
The quarantine-themed music video followed Drake around his newly finished mansion showcasing a home that looked hard and shiny – just like cold, hard cash. But there were few people there with Drake showing that he too is following quarantine regulations with an empty pool, bar, lounge area, and so many more rooms that you could get lost in without anyone finding you out due to the vastness of his mansion. The rapper dons a face mask while he performs for the camera and ends the video on his gigantic rooftop with fireworks to conclude.
 

Why Is the Toosie Slide So Popular?

 
For those of us out there who haven’t quite grasped the magnitude of TikTok’s influence, the fact that the social media influencer, Toosie, shared and danced to a popular rapper’s music was a big deal. The userbase for TikTok is mainly Gen Z’ers who are between the age of 16-24. And Drake directly released his song catered to his young fans’ tastes using the high activity of TikTok and lyrics with easy-to-follow instructions for video challenge purposes. Generating popularity was made easy with the combined influence of Drake, Toosie, TikTok, and YouTube.
 

Was Drake Being Tone-Deaf?

 
The Toosie Slide was a way for Drake to show solidarity with others during the pandemic, but it also showed his pricey mansion during a time where people have lost jobs en masse. And as Toronto’s “unofficial spokesperson,” it seems to be in poor taste to set the video in Toronto since Drake has never really “been there” for his city outside of supporting the Raptors.

But then the question rises of how much responsibility celebrities even have to take. Drake’s new song and dance did give his city something in the end – a new viral video trend and another distraction in the midst of social isolation.

Nowadays, he is known for memes and jokes about his legendary toughness and extraordinary skills and abilities. As one meme proclaims, guns carry HIM for protection.

He was born Carlos Ray Norris on March 10, 1940, allegedly in a hospital he built himself.

Some of His Toughness May be a Result of His Time in the Air Force

 
He served in the Air Force when he was 18, and it was in the Air Force that he got the nickname “Chuck”. It was while he was stationed at the Osan Air Base in South Korea that he started studying martial arts.

Martial Arts is Where he Distinguished Himself

 
In 1962, he left the service and began work as a karate instructor. He became the first westerner ever to achieve the rank of 8th-degree black belt in taekwondo, and earned many distinctions, honors and awards.
 

He got his Big Break from Bruce Lee

 
In 1972, he got his big break in the martial arts film “The Way of the Dragon”, where he and Bruce Lee had an iconic fight scene that established Norris as tough, when his character would not quit fighting, even with a broken arm and leg.
 

Norris has had an Action-Packed Career

 
Norris often had roles where he fought for justice against bad guys, like “Good Guys Wear Black”, and he had a series that ran eight seasons, “Walker, Texas Ranger”.

In addition to many movies and TV, he has written books on martial arts, exercise, philosophy, politics, Christianity, western novels and has written a biography.

Chuck Norris Memes Introduced Norris to Whole New Generations of Fans

 
Memes were born of Chuck Norris Facts, a series of factoids that became an internet sensation, and people applied pictures to these factoids and they became memes.

“Walker, Texas Ranger” may well have provided the seed ideas for the facts and memes, because it featured over the top episodes of Norris’ character always triumphing over the cartoonishly villainous bad guys.

These memes contain hyperbolic claims and impossible deeds that cast Norris as a super-tough alpha-male archetype. These include “facts” like, “Death Once had a Near-Chuck Norris Experience” and “In an emergency, 911 calls HIM”.

Norris has a good sense of humor about the Chuck Norris Facts that end up in memes, and has stated that his favorite is, “They once tried to carve Chuck Norris’ face into Mount Rushmore, but the granite wasn’t hard enough for his beard”.

Chuck Norris has a Soft Side

 
Chuck Norris isn’t all toughness. He has a soft side that has made him an established and long-time supporter of a number of charities which include the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the United Way.

He even started a charitable organization of his own, called Kickstart Kids. This charity uses karate to teach and empower youth to achieve their greatest potential through core values such as discipline and respect.

Chuck Norris memes make us laugh, but still have respect.

Billie Eilish’s Thought Provoking Interlude

 
In a way to avoid having the media say anything about her body, Billie Eilish purposely dressed in brightly colored clothes that were, “800 sizes bigger,” as she has said in the past. Her fashion choices have been deliberate to control the media dialogue when it comes to how she looks. At the first concert of her Where Do We Go? World Tour in Miami, Eilish took the bold step to undress and reveal her body in a video during a poetic interlude.

In the video, Eilish lowered herself into a black pool, and said, “The body I was born with – is it not what you wanted? If I wear what is comfortable, I am not a woman. If I shed the layers, I’m a slut. Though you’ve never seen my body, you still judge it and judge me for it. Why?”

Eilish reflected on the way the world tries to take ownership of her body and that no matter what she does, she’ll be shamed. The 18-year-old singer then posed the questions, “Is my value based only on your perception? Or is your opinion of me not my responsibility?” Her monologue extended from herself to every other woman judged and shamed on her appearance.

Empowering and Inspirational

 
Eilish chose to reveal herself on her own terms to protect herself as someone who had struggled with body dysmorphia and low self-esteem. Her video interlude posed the paradox women in the public eye have endured for years no matter which end of the spectrum they chose from conservative to “shamefully” revealing.

Her fans felt empowered by her message and supported her decision wholeheartedly. And just as her message foretold, headlines that read, “Billie Eilish shows some skin in a rare public display,” or “Billie Eilish seen stripping to her bra” made it to the celebrity section of publications.

Entrenched into Culture

 
Unlike Eilish, other celebrities bore and continue to bear the full brunt of the media’s scrutinization. Britney Spears’ infamous meltdown of 2007 was framed as a spoiled pop princess trying to get even more attention. In reality, Britney Spears had been objectified her entire career that she began at 16 years old. Her life since 1999 was spent stalked by paparazzi every waking minute who made a point to take distasteful photos of the pop star to use in tabloids with the captions that said, “Bimbo Summit” describing Spears, Paris Hilton, and Lindsay Lohan.

Negative attitudes that existed while Eilish was still a young child are still as strong and pervasive today. And Eilish’s powerful message brings the problematic scrutiny of women back to the public eye.

Enter Video Streaming

 
Meanwhile, the internet had been ironing out the kinks of latency and quality that disrupted video streaming. YouTube made its entrance and video streaming grew in popularity so much so that people have built full-time career converting views into dollars on the platform

All of this is to say, the way we consume media has changed drastically thanks to the internet. Now, instead of TV packages with only one or two channels you prefer, you can subscribe to a streaming service that offers you an entire catalogue of TV and movies at a low monthly cost. You can watch in high-definition and without any bothersome interruptions or rushed trips to the washroom during commercials!

Choosing the Right Streaming Service for You

 
Hopping onto streaming can take some experimenting to see which service you prefer the most. YouTube, for example, is free to use and has years’ worth of content to watch but also has the option for a Premium experience at a monthly fee.

Every streaming service has a free-trial period that can be up to a month long so you have time to get a feel of the experience at no cost to you. Streaming services offer monthly subscriptions that you can cancel and restart for free! If you really like the service, some offer a discounted annual subscription.

Top Streaming Services at a Glance

 
Find out which services are worth your subscription:

YouTube

During your first free month trial, you get:

• Ad-free and background play
• Downloads
• YouTube Music premium

Monthly Subscription: $11.99

Family Subscription: add up to 5 members for $17.99

Student Subscription: $6.99

Netflix

Your free month basic trial gives you access to its basic plan:

• $8.99 for a single stream with standard quality

Standard: $12.99 for two simultaneous streams and HD quality

Premium: $15.99 for four simultaneous streams and HD quality

Amazon Prime Video

During your free month trial, you get:

• Unlimited streaming of its full catalogue

Monthly subscription: $12.99 OR Yearly subscription: $199 ($9.92/month)

• Free two-day delivery
• Unlimited streaming for TV and movies
• Amazon Music ad free
• Unlimited listening for Amazon-original audio series
• Unlimited photo storage

Hulu

During your free month trial, you get:

• Unlimited streaming of its full catalogue

Monthly subscription: $5.99 + add-ons:

• No Ads
• HBO – $14.99
• Showtime – $9.99

• Cinemax – $10.99

• Starz – $8.99

No ads monthly subscription: $11.99

Disney+

During your 7-day free trial, you get:

• Unlimited streaming of its full catalogue
• HD quality
• Four simultaneous streams

Monthly subscription: $6.99 or yearly subscription: $69.99 ($5.83/month)

Some artists don’t reveal the exact dates when they will complete their albums, so the biggest albums dropping in the summer of 2020 may not be announced yet!

Here are 5 of our guesses for the biggest new albums of summer 2020:

1. Lady Gaga

 
At one time, Lady Gaga tweeted that she was going to call her next album Adele. It was a joke, but it got people wondering – was there going to be a collaboration with Adele?

It has been announced that her actual album will be called “Chromatica”. It is her sixth album and is expected to be released on April 10^th.

She made the announcement just days after her new single, “Stupid Love”. According to a press release, it was executive produced by BloodPop and Lady Gaga.

I’m sure the summer air will be filled with music from “Chromatica”.

2. Adele

 
Her new album is expected for late summer, September, with a lead single expected in the heart of summer.

Two of her previous lead singles were “Rolling in the Deep” and “Hello”, which were huge hits. Any singles from Adele are sure to set the tone for the summer.

3. The Weeknd

 
Canadian star The Weeknd has a fourth studio album After Hours, which was preceded by the track “Blinding Lights”. This track gave him has first UK number 1 single.

After Hours has 14 tracks, which include the promotional title track and “Heartless”, a Top 10 hit. They are sure to continue to be hot into summer.

4. Jessie Ware

 
If you want 1970’s disco this summer, you will get it with Jessie Ware’s lead single “Spotlight” featured on her fourth album, titled “What’s Your Pleasure?”

What is also exciting are the artists she collaborated with: Shungudzo, Model Child, Kindness, Metronomy, Clarence Coffee Jr., Benji B, Midland and Matthew Tavares.

Set for release on June 5th, this funky album is sure to have you dancing.

5. Alanis Morissette

 
Morissette has proven herself to be a hit maker with her debut album “Jagged Little Pill”. It came out in 1995, but it was one of the biggest selling albums of all time and why not celebrate its 25^th anniversary?

Morrissette is producing a new album called “Such Pretty Forks in the Road”, with a lead single titled, “Reasons I Drink”, which came out in early December, and the album is expected to include “Smiling”, which was written for the “Jagged Little Musical” which recently opened on Broadway.

The release date for this album is May 1^st.

There are other strong contenders to drop albums that could be favorite summer 2020 albums, but their albums don’t yet have a confirmed drop date. They include albums from Cardi B, Janet Jackson, Lana Del Rey and Childish Gambino, to name a few.

One of the best ways to do that is to listen to some of these great comedy podcasts that will keep you entertained all day long.

How Did This Get Made?

 
Have you ever seen a movie so bad that it’s actually amazingly hilarious? Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas watch bad films and then talk about them on their podcast, often with special guests. Their commentary is so funny that you don’t even need to watch the movie to enjoy.

Comedy Bang Bang

 
In a weekly podcast, host Scott Aukerman blends conversation and character work from today’s funniest
comedians. Though the podcast usually begins in a traditional interview-style, their open-door policy means that an assortment of eccentric oddballs can pop by at any moment to chat, compete in games, and engage in comic revelry.

Best Friends

 
In this podcast, hilarious hosts and best friends Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata exchange witty banter and share stories about life, love, and just about everything else that goes on in their lives.

Entry Level

 
There’s a lot of comedy gold to be found from the stories of those stuck working in a soul-sucking job. Host Brooks Wheelan searches for these golden nuggets as he and his guests talk about the highs and lows of their own experience working entry-level gigs.

Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend

 
It turns out that Conan O’Brien is funny both on television and in the casual setting of a podcast. Listen to Conan hang out with guests and exchange banter in the hopes of making a new friend.

WTF with Marc Maron Podcast

 
In this weekly podcast, stand-up comedian Marc Maron hosts interviews with other comedians and celebrities. Because of its popularity, a number of famous individuals have been on the show, including President Barack Obama, Anthony Bourdain, Sara Jessica Parker, and many more.

A Very Fatal Murder

 
Even if you aren’t a true crime fan, you will still find yourself chuckling at this podcast that pokes fun at the true crime genre and also podcasts as a whole. It even includes fake ads and sponsors to complete the experience. Each episode is relatively short, making it perfect for binge listening.

The Read

 
Friends Kid Fury and Crissle use their podcast to dissect and toss shade on hip hop and pop culture’s most troubled stars. As transplants to New York City, they also use the time to discuss the various difficulties they have adjusting to their new lives.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

 
Hopefully you’ll find something from this list that will get you laughing and keep you entertained while you’re stuck at home.

1. Best Motion Picture

 
“Parasite”

What makes this win so exciting is that it is the first foreign-language film to win an Oscar. 

The Oscar voters are now more open to international films and diversity, especially since the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite became viral and started a social movement to change the Academy’s membership to include more women and people of color.

 “Parasite” was definitely an underdog for the award, when you look at the films and directors it was up against. Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman”, Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and Sam Mendes’ “1917”.

There was more to the Oscar win than openness to diversity on the part of the Academy voters. “Parasite” won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the Screen Actors Guild’s ensemble award, and many critics group prizes, and was successful in the mainstream box-office.
 

2. Best Director

 
Bong Joon Ho, “Parasite”

“1917” was considered the director frontrunner, because of director and drama wins at the Golden Globes, and top prizes from the producers and directors guilds.

The director of “Parasite”, Bong Joon Ho beat out a very strong director field that included Mendes, Scorsese and Tarantino. 

Bong even expressed how he was inspired by Scorsese’s quote about what is the most personal is the most creative when Bong was young and studying cinema.
 

3. Best Actor in a Leading Role

 
Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker”

His amazing physical transformation from troubled comedian into the supervillain Joker earned Phoenix the Oscar.

But the actor himself proved to be quite a character when it comes to acceptance speeches, and people look forward to his unpredictable performances as Joaquin Phoenix.

He used his acceptance speech at the Oscars as a chance to deliver a message touching on themes of inclusion, animal rights and environmentalism. 

Part of this speech had him choking up as he mentioned his late brother River, and part of his speech spoke of his own shortcomings and his redemption from being a self-proclaimed scoundrel who was given a second chance.
 

4. Best Supporting Actress

 
Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”

Dern is an acting veteran who had two Oscar nominations in the past, one in 2014 and one all the way back in 1991. And 2020 is the year where she finally won.
 

5. Best Supporting Actor

 
Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Brad Pitt used his Oscar acceptance speech to make a political point, by saying that the 45 seconds he had allotted for his Oscar speech was 45 seconds more than were given to John Bolton by the Senate at the impeachment trial of Donald Trump. 

These were some of the major categories of the Academy Awards. The competition was tough, and it was exciting to see who won. 

In addition to the fun of seeing who won, who was there and what they were wearing, there was the additional entertainment of the acceptance speeches!

Smollett’s troubles began last year, when he claimed he was the victim of a hate crime attack. He was later found to be making a false claim and was charged, only to have the charges against him dropped. He was then investigated and charged again. This is how it all happened:
 

Smollett’s Account of the Hate Crime

 
Last year, Jussie Smollett, an actor who is gay and black, told police that while walking home two masked men approached him and made racist and homophobic insults, including telling him he was in “MAGA country” a reference to President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again”. 

In addition, they beat him and looped a noose around his neck and then fled. Smollett described at least one assailant as white.
 

Smollett’s Story Was Shown to be False

 
After several weeks, authorities alleged that Smollett paid two friends $3500 U.S. to help him stage the hate crime attack. 

The motive for the staged attack was that he was unhappy with his salary as an actor on the show Empire, and he felt the publicity would help his career, but he ended up being dropped from the show.
 

Smollett Charged with Disorderly Conduct

 
Smollett was charged with disorderly conduct for staging the attack and then lying about it to investigators.
 

Charges of Disorderly Conduct Dropped

 
The following month, the charges were dropped with little explanation, and without Smollett admitting guilt, which angered the police officials that worked on the case and even then-mayor Rahm Emanuel.
 

Cook Country State’s Attorney Kim Foxx Decided to Drop Charges

 
Foxx had calls with a Smollett relative and a former aide of Michelle Obama which were seen by some as potentially unduly influencing Foxx’s decision to drop charges. 

She did recuse herself, but continued to weigh in on the case.
 

An Investigation Was Launched to Determine Why the Charges Were Dropped

 
A judge appointed a former U.S. attorney to be a special prosecutor to look into why those charges were dropped.

A grand jury returned the indictment of Smollett as recommended by the special prosecutor after there had been nearly a year of investigation.
 

The Investigation Revealed That Smollett Had Planned and Participated in a Staged Attack

 
Staging a hate crime attack meant that Smollett had made numerous false statements to the Chicago Police Department police officers on multiple occasions.
 

Chicago Has Sued Smollett

 
Chicago has sued Smollett, in order to get more than $130,000 U.S. in reimbursement for overtime paid to those officers who were involved with investigating Smollett’s report. 

However, Smollett’s attorneys cited a payment of $10,000 that the city accepted as payment in connection with the dismissal of charges as a reason why the city should not be allowed to recover costs from him.

Smollett continues to insist that the story of his attack is true, and he has sued Chicago, accusing officials of maliciously prosecuting him.

Nothing Short of Exemplary LGBTQ+ Support

 
Dwyane and Gabrielle’s unhesitant and accepting response marks a notable moment in black trans history, especially in professional sports where a stigma around the LGBTQ+ community still persists among many generations. Wade discussed how as parents, getting information and educating themselves is the first step to help Zaya to be “her best self.” Union echoed this on Twitter saying that it’s okay to love and respect your children exactly as they are. 

Older brother, Zaire Wade, posted his message on Instagram writing, “Man, I remember bugging my mom as a kid telling her I wanted a brother so bad. I was the only child looking for company and someone to look after and take care of. I have been blessed to have my best friend, Zaya with me for 12 years.”

Wade and his family also showed their support with Union contacting the cast of Pose, a Netflix show about the ballroom culture scene among the black and Latinx LGBTQ+ community in 1980s New York City. But Wade looks to Zaya as the guide for her support telling Ellen, “I looked at her and said, ‘You are our leader. You are our leader and this is our opportunity to allow you to be a voice.'” This being a significant response that in the past would be unheard of. 
 

A Sign and Reminder of the Times

 
On Twitter, Union thanked the many people who shared their support for the family. And the audience on Ellen applauded Wade while he discussed being a new LGBTQ+ parent and ally. Zaire’s Instagram post received upwards of 300 000 like showing a positive public response to the family’s announcement. This positivity reflects the changing perspective on LGBTQ+ issues and as public figures, Wade and Union continue to encourage these changes.

But not everyone had nice things to say. Wade’s family announcement had the usual trolls, bots, and other impudent cynics. The most notable of these negative responses included an Instagram post by 50 Cent, which showed Wade alongside R. Kelly and alluded to Kelly’s numerous sexual abuse scandals with minors. Unfortunately, this sentiment is not just in poor taste, but shows a small part in the harsh reality for transgender people.

Zaya knows and is aware of the negativity that exists, and when Wade asked her about people being mean, she responded with, “I know it can get tough, definitely, but I think you push through, and you be the best you.”