The Late Night Podcasts, Pop Music, and Sandler Family Comedies That Got Us Through the Week

As the writers’ strike is about to hit four months, some late night big-wigs launched a podcast to raise money for their staff and crew members. Strike Force Five brings together Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon to shoot the shit and tell stories about celebrities with the caveat that they are less funny without their beloved writing staffs. I had very low expectations (looking at you, Fallon), but I listened to the entire hour of the inaugural episode, in which Colbert says he owns a pair of pants that used to belong to a dictator. The podcast is sponsored by liquor company Diageo and Ryan Reynolds’ Mint Mobile, and all proceeds go to the hosts’ workers. If you’d prefer not to listen to five white guys—though, as they note, one does have a British accent—you can donate to support striking workers directly at the Entertainment Community Fund. —Susan Rinkunas

The only high art I consumed this week was this viral video of multiple women fighting at a Morgan Wallen show, and yes, let’s get one thing straight before I proceed: White women bedecked in fringe halter tops, cutoffs, and Jeffrey Campbell cowboy boots beating the ever-loving shit out of each other at a country concert is high art.

At Wednesday night’s gig, a brawl broke out near the porta potties and, as about five women threw punches and plastic cups at each other, a bystander recorded the whole thing. It remains unclear what prompted the dust-up, but I have to imagine one of these prizefighters wasn’t particularly happy that someone cut the line (or, they’d just seen Bottoms). As a survivor of many a line-cutter at a concert, I get it. Sometimes a dirty look just won’t do! The liquor may talk, but fists tend to get the last word, etc., etc.

Anyway, I’ve watched this 52-second video close to 52 times now, and with each viewing, I’m more awed by the woman wearing the denim romper. Strength! Speed! Agility! I don’t know about you, but if that woman’s pulling me by the hair out of a plastic pisser, I’m just letting it happen. —Audra Heinrichs

Adam Sandler fans assemble!! In what could conceivably be considered an extension of the Uncut Gems universe, Sandler and Idina Menzel reunite to play the parents of Sandler’s real-life daughters, one of whom is trudging through the agony and mania of middle school. Stacy, played by Sunny Sandler, is planning her bat mitzvah alongside her best friend Lydia, who is also envisioning her dream celebration. The beats of the flick, based on the book by the same name, follow your standard YA BFF narrative: friendship is bliss, friendship is betrayed, friendship is SO over, friendship is SO back. But there’s something comforting about that, no? A film that scratches the itch you need it to scratch.

Notably hilarious is SNL’s Sarah Sherman, who plays the kooky and crushable Rabbi Rebecca and who sings a song called “God Is Random” at one point. It’s a very sweet, surprisingly funny film that features a cathartic and hilarious scene of a father and daughter scream-fighting in a way that made me feel very seen. —Kady Ruth Ashcraft

The Kyliessance rages on with the latest gay club-ready banger from the veteran pop star (whose handful of hit singles in the U.S. makes her something of an underdog on these shores). It’s a seductive mix of explicitly sexual lyrics (“Almost there/Touch me right there”), stuttered vowel sounds, and rolling pianos that would be appropriately deemed 90s-ish if only they hadn’t been incorporated into so much dance-pop in the 30 or so intervening years. It’s hard to say so soon if this will be as huge as “Padam Padam”—there’s something slightly less gimmicky and more low-key about “Tension,” though it’s so teeming with hooks it’s practically knit—but should it enjoy success similar to Kylie’s comeback single, it’ll be hardly a surprise. If nothing else, Minogue is once again an attention thief in the crowded space of gay Twitter–baiting electro pop, and that attention alone could fuel her career for years to come. —Rich Juzwiak

This Friday marks the second anniversary of Texas’ SB 8 law, which empowers citizens to sue anyone who helps someone get abortion care for at least $10,000. The abortion ban, which came months before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, gave Texans a draconian preview of what was to come in other states across the country and inflicted mass suffering on pregnant people within the state—including some who are now suing Texas for endangering their lives. This weekend, consider observing that anniversary by, of course, donating to abortion funds in Texas—but also treating yourself to some of their delightful, very stylish merch, like the range of graphic t-shirts and sweaters designed by Texas’ Buckle Bunnies Fund. —Kylie Cheung

I love a sad, slow breakup song, but I love, love a breakup song that’s dripping in the type of twinkling synth production that can turn a depressing sentiment about losing someone into an empowering, dizzying anthem that almost makes you want to lose someone—just so you can relate to the song a little bit more. (Think the entirety of Lorde’s perfect sophomore album Melodrama, specifically “Supercut.”)

Enter “Vertigo” by Griff—a rising artist I’ve been excitedly following since she released “Shade of Yellow” in 2021. That single’s album, One Foot in Front of the Other, had zero skips, and each single she’s released since—“Head on Fire,” “One Night,” “Walk”—have all equally surprised me while still sounding like something that no one else but Griff could make. And “Vertigo,” a song about losing someone because they weren’t ready, is the type of pop song that—if you were suffering from a broken heart—would make you want to go dance alone under a disco ball, rather than cry alone in the dark.

“You felt alive, that’s chеmical/ You felt secure, that’s called a home / Couldn’t take the heat, that’s Mexico/You’re scared of love, well, aren’t we all,” she sings. The only thing I’m scared of is Griff not becoming the global pop phenomenon she seems destined to be. —Lauren Tousignant

A year ago today, we were blissfully following the drama unfolding at the Venice Film Festival around the very messy cast of Don’t Worry Darling. Chris Pine spitting, allegedly, on Harry Styles. Chris Pine disengaging from our understanding of space and time. Florence Pugh skipping a press call and not posing with Olivia Wilde. Etc.

This year, because studios are greedy, most actors aren’t promoting their work and Venice Film Fest is a snooze fest. Which brings me in a very roundabout way to my rec: the 2018 Netflix movie Outlaw King. It stars Pine as a Scottish lord fighting for independence against England (relatable), and Pugh as his new English wife. They don’t meet until their betrothal is official. Their families are at war with each other. He’s shy! Can they make it work???

So this movie is an action period piece, and a super gory one at that, but it’s also a chance to see Pine and Pugh, the standout stars of Don’t Worry Darling, have great chemistry. And to think, in just a few short years, they’d be at the center of the biggest celebrity gossip cycle of the year 2022. Afterwards, you can watch Don’t Worry Darling, which is newly streaming on Netflix this weekend—shot, chaser. —Sarah Rense

Oh, where do we begin? “Pompeii” was that perfect song in 2013. It could turn around an entire night and make a bar go nuts. Through the years, Bastille has revisited the song that made the English group into a world-famous rock band, most recently with a 10th-anniversary edition of its album Bad Blood released this summer. Now, coming from a slightly different place in life, a full symphony orchestra’s take on this banger, composed by Hans Zimmer, is my recommendation of the week. I’ll forever love the vocals of lead singer/writer Dan Smith and am excited to listen to the music he creates with his pals over the next 10 years. —Caitlin Cruz