Pop Culture

I think there’s been a glitch. After Ticketmaster turned the pre-sale for Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras tour into a certified shit show (e.g. fans waiting in virtual lines for hours and millions getting shut out of tickets while bots scooped up seats), members of Congress from both sides of the aisle seem to be maybe, actually working together against a common enemy.Back in November, Sen. Amy Klobuchar wrote a letter to Live Nation Entertainment—the company that resulted after ticketing giant Ticketmaster combined with the powerful venue operator Live Nation—saying the...

In one of the first times since Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck got married, Lopez, Affleck, and Affleck's ex-wife Jennifer Garner were all photographed together at an event to support Affleck and Garner's 14-year-old daughter Seraphina. Daily Mail ran photos of the three arriving at a performance hall in Santa Monica with their children to watch Seraphina perform. Lopez's 14-year-old twins Emme and Max were there, along with Seraphina's older sister Violet, 17, and younger brother Samuel, 10. Lopez was dressed fashionably in a cropped Chanel teal-gray tweed jacket, a...

The question was never if 2023 would bring an HBO hit to rival House of the Dragon or Euphoria, but when. This year, it only took a few weeks for the first winner to land: The post-apocalyptic video game adaptation The Last of Us premiered to rave reviews and thrilled audiences, who helped make it the cable channel’s second-biggest debut in more than a decade, per Variety. Starring Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal as survivors Ellie and Joel, tasked with a cross-country mission through zombie-infested America, The Last of Us...

Spoilers ahead for episode 2 of The Last of Us.She was never meant to survive; that much we already knew. In the 2013 PlayStation game upon which the HBO series The Last of Us is based, the smuggler Tess Servopoulos has only a comparatively brief amount of time to spend with 14-year-old Ellie Williams. Instead, it’s her work (and romantic) partner, Joel, who gets the bulk of the bonding opportunities with Ellie, whom he shuttles across the country in hot pursuit of the Fireflies, a rebel group intent on crafting...

Spoilers ahead.One of the freakiest sequences in the premiere episode of HBO’s The Last of Us takes place not when the hordes of mindless infected attack, but when an epidemiologist is asked for his thoughts on pandemics. During a flashback to 1968 in the episode’s opening scene, this epidemiologist—a man named Dr. Neuman—appears calm during a live talk show, in which he shrugs off any long-term concern over viruses. In his apparently esteemed opinion, viruses have always and will always attack and kill humans, but humans have the tools to...

On Saturday, January 21, Selena Gomez was spotted in new York City holding hands with The Chainsmokers' Drew Taggart. It has been rumored that the pair are dating, but Gomez recently insisted she was single in an Instagram Story. This was allegedly their second date this week; after going bowling on Tuesday, they spent the weekend night out at Torrisi Bar & Restaurant in Soho for a romantic dinner.In her declarative Story, Gomez shared a black-and-white photo of a cloudy sky, writing over it, “I like being alone too much,”...

After nearly a year, Kylie Jenner finally shared the name and dropped the first photos of her and Travis Scott's baby boy. Jenner captioned her Instagram with simply his name: Aire. The carousel of photos contained the first full shots of Aire, showcasing his face publicly.Aire is the second weather-related name Jenner and Scott have chosen for their children; their daughter is named Stormi. Aire was originally named Wolf, as Jenner revealed last year. She shared later that she was changing the name as it didn't suit him.“FYI our sons...

On Friday, January 20, Gigi Hadid shared a rare photo of her daughter Khai while on a beautiful beach vacation together. In the pics, the super model is wearing a red string bikini under floral board shorts in blue and red, with the waist band rolled up around her hips. In the first photo, she has written “Mama Hearts Khai” in the sand and is kneeling next to the words and admiring her work.In the second black-and-white photo, Hadid's back can be seen and she is carrying Khai on her...

Welcome, students of The Last of Us, to Fungus Zombies 101. In this seminar, we’ll cover the basics of what’s known as the cordyceps infection, how it spreads throughout a host’s lifetime, and why it ought to haunt your nightmares. Ready? Let’s dive in! In the new HBO show The Last of Us—and the 2013 PlayStation video game that inspired it—the zombies are not, in fact, zombies. They never died, nor were they ever reborn; instead, a terrifying fungus crawled through their insides and took over control of their still-living...

Selena Gomez embraced being more on Instagram after taking a years-long break from the platform, sharing an Instagram Story to clarify her relationship status after reports of her dating The Chainsmokers' Drew Taggart emerged. The two were photographed bowling in New York City last weekend, and a source told Page Six the pair were seen “making out” like teenagers.But Gomez is very much not taken, she made clear on her story last night. The singer posted a photo of a man looking down with the text “I like being alone...

After almost ten years together, George and Amal Clooney seem like one of the most stable couples in Hollywood—and also one of the most glamourous. Before their marriage, George did not seem very interested in settling down, and Amal was making waves as an activist and human rights lawyer. After living their very separate lives, it's now hard to imagine them apart.Hands down, these two are one of the most gorgeous and inspirational couples in Hollywood. Here's a look back at their epic romance.July 2013George says he met Amal at...

Rihanna’s boyfriend A$AP Rocky has the sweetest things to say about her and their baby boy, whom the couple welcomed last May. Rocky spoke to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 this week about Rihanna playing the Super Bowl Halftime Show and life as a dad.Rocky did not reveal anything about her show, only that she is putting her heart into it. “Oh, man,” he said when asked about it. “I’m just as excited as you guys, if not more. Yeah, I’m super excited. This is as huge. This is...

Press Play is a recurring column that looks at (and listens to) the songs that have shaped the life and work of beloved musical artists.Margo Price would love a black coffee. She admits she’s “moving a bit slow this morning,” but asks if she can steal some of my milk when two very strong Americanos appear at our table. She was out late last night after playing a set at New York’s Rockwood Music Hall. Earlier in the week, she performed here, an intimate back room at the infamous Hotel...