Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has the reputation of being the hardest working man in Hollywood, however a new report claims that the bulk of that hype has been manufactured by the man himself. Amid delays of an upcoming Amazon MGM Studios Christmas action-adventure Red One, Johnson's alleged habitual latenesses has reportedly cost the studio millions.
This is according to The Wrap, which published a bombshell exclusive on Tuesday claiming that Johnson's chronic tardiness and lack of experience of the production company, Seven Bucks Productions, has caused the budget on the film to balloon to more than $250 million. As the publication points out, this sort of number is more along the lines of tentpole superhero blockbusters.
The film, which also co-stars Chris Evans, J.K. Simmons, and Kiernan Shipka, is about a villain who kidnaps Santa Claus from the North Pole. Johnson plays a bounty hunter who joins forces with an E.L.F. (Extremely Large and Formidable) to track down Santa and save Christmas. The film was originally supposed to have been released around Christmas 2023, but the SAG-AFTRA strike compounded with production delays has pushed back the release to November 2024.
Several anonymous sources alleged that Johnson often showed up on set seven to eight hours late—sometimes missing several days of production altogether—forcing the cast and crew to shoot around his scenes. The delays alone have reportedly cost the studio at least $50 million.
"The only thing Dwayne was consistent at was being chronically late," said one insider, on the condition of anonymity out of fear for being fired.
“It was a f–king disaster,” said another insider, while a third bluntly added: "Dwayne truly doesn’t give a f--k."
But apparently Johnson's habitual tardiness has been the worst kept secret in Hollywood. The Wrap likewise spoke with sources from a handful of other projects the 51-year-old been involved with throughout his career, such as the HBO series Ballers and Netflix's 2021 action comedy Red Notice, who all had similar accounts of working with the professional wrestler.
"They rent a location they can shoot as much as they can of other actors while they wait for him to decide if he’s coming to set," said one producer who visited the set of Ballers. A former production assistant confirmed this, saying that Johnson "was regularly three to four hours late to set. Keeping [over 100] crew members waiting for no reason."
Apparently, on the set of his 2018 action flick Rampage, one of Johnson's co-stars would actually keep a record of his latenesses. "Dwayne’s call times are never, ever published on the call sheet," said one insider. "It’s because one of the actors on Rampage was keeping a log of how late [Johnson] was to set every day.”
Another source claimed that the reason Johnson is perpetually late is due to the fact that he refuses to work a full day of shooting, even though he already factors in his daily three-hour workout routines. "It’s his absolute refusal to work more than a four-or five-hour day," a studio insider suggested.
In fact, the issue is even supposedly behind the infamous feud between Johnson and his Fast and the Furious co-star Vin Diesel. Although much ado has been made about the falling out (and apparent reconciliation) between the two alpha males, a source recounted to People all the way back in 2016 that Diesel was fed up with the prima donna behavior.
"Vin has been having problems with The Rock because The Rock keep showing up late for production," a source said at the time. "Sometimes he doesn’t show up at all and he’s delaying the production."
But that wasn't the only falling out Johnson has reportedly had with a fellow lead actor. His lack of professionalism also caused him to butt heads with his Red Notice co-star Ryan Reynolds, who picked a "huge fight" with Johnson after he showed up five hours later, causing him to storm off set. Two back-to-back sequels were announced in 2022, but there's been no word on the project since.
A spokesperson for Johnson did not respond to The Wrap when asked to comment about his behavior on the set of Rampage and Ballers. A spokesperson for Reynolds also declined to comment, however a Netflix spokesperson said: "Dwayne is the consummate professional and we’re thrilled to have worked with him on Red Notice, our #1 film."
An Amazon MGM spokesperson likewise denied all allegations of unprofessionalism or inexperience regarding Johnson or Seven Bucks Productions, respectively.
"Dwayne Johnson and Seven Bucks have been incredible partners on Red One—a film that audiences of all ages are going to love this holiday season," the spokesperson claimed. “Our testing has been very strong—the reaction from CinemaCon speaks for itself—and we couldn’t have made it without Dwayne’s constant work and support."
"Any reporting that implies that we got to this point with him showing up seven-eight hours late to set is both ridiculous and false," the spokesperson added.
An “unruly and physically combative” United Airlines passenger is being forced to pay a steep penalty after his behavior caused an emergency landing, according to a press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Maine, reviewed by USA Today.
30-year-old Englishman Alexander Michael Dominic MacDonald has been ordered to pay $20,638 in restitution fees to United Airlines after a March 1 incident on flight 883.
MacDonald was traveling with his girlfriend from London to Newark, NJ when, shortly after the flight departed at 8 a.m. local time, the flight crew was notified of an “unruly and physically combative” passenger.
It turned out to be MacDonald, who was “arguing loudly” with his girlfriend. When attendants “kindly asked him to lower his voice, as to not disturb the other passengers,” MacDonald initially complied; but moments later, they heard more “loud yelling” from MacDonald’s row.
Once again, the crew “tried to calm down” the irate passenger, but he proceeded to become “verbally and physically aggressive," threatening to "mess up the plane,” according to the press release.
At this point, MacDonald, who witnesses said “appeared to be intoxicated,” put his hands on the shoulders of a flight attendant and backed them into a corner of the plane. Passengers and crew were able to restrain MacDonald, and determined that the flight “needed to be landed for the safety of the crew.”
The plane landed at Maine’s Bangor International Airport at around 10 a.m. local time, where MacDonald was taken into custody. The flight then went on to Newark as planned. It’s unclear if MacDonald’s girlfriend disembarked with him, or continued to New Jersey.
MacDonald was held in custody from March 1 until he pleaded guilty on March 22. On April 25, the U.S. District Court of Maine remanded MacDonald into the custody of U.S. Marshal deputies, who will see that he’s deported back to England.
The case was jointly investigated by the F.B.I., U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the local Bangor Police Department.
MacDonald’s guilty plea will allow him to avoid further jail time, but he’ll have to reimburse United the $20,638 in fees incurred by his tantrum. He and his girlfriend have also been banned from all future United Airlines flights.
The Federal Aviation Administration reports that there have already been 649 reported instances of unruly passengers in 2024. Reports of unruly passengers skyrocketed in 2021, with nearly 6,000 incidents, a 492 percent increase over 2020. Those numbers have been slowly declining in recent years, with 2023 seeing just over 2,000 reported incidents.
Right now, the Under Armour Project Rock 6 training shoes are on sale for as low as $78—up to 51% off the normal $160 price. These cross-training sneakers have earned over 150 five-star ratings from shoppers who say this model is "the best one yet" within the Project Rock series. The discounted styles are available in sizes 7.5 through 15 and come in three colors.
Under Armour Project Rock 6 Training Shoes in Blue/White/Black, $78 (was $150) at Dick's Sporting Goods
These shoes are designed for versatility while performing different cross-training exercises. They feature Under Armour's Clone upper, which expands and contracts and allows feet to swell without restriction during tough workouts. This model is also has a more plush midsole than other Project Rock styles, providing more comfort and shock-absorbency whether doing box jumps or a Spartan Race. But the true magic, like many other shoes in this collection, lies in its stability features. Its sole is mostly flat, providing excellent ground contact for stable weight lifting, and it wraps forward up to the toe to make push-ups and planks more comfortable as well. It also has heel clips that interweave with the laces to connect your feet to the shoe better when performing intense movements.
Many of Under Armour's cross-training sneakers are popular among gym-goers, but shoppers say the Project Rock 6 stands out for multiple reasons. "Most comfortable workout shoe I've ever had," one shopper said. "Incredibly comfortable, providing unmatched support during weightlifting and training sessions. Its sleek design adds a stylish touch to my workout gear, while its durability ensures long-lasting performance. If you're in search of a shoe that excels in comfort, performance, and style, [it] is a must-have addition to your fitness arsenal."
Under Armour Project Rock 6 Training Shoes in Black/White/Black, $93 (was $150) at Dick's Sporting Goods
Others are simply happy with what they experience when they go to work out. "I love this shoe because it has great feel and comfort, and performs at the gym," another shopper wrote. "The shoelaces grip the foot really well and avoid slipping and/or movement. Great all-around shoe." Another person agreed, saying, "Great stability and support for leg work but also exceptionally comfortable."
The Under Armour Project Rock 6 is a tried and tested training shoe that would make a fine choice as your next pair, especially while it's on sale for as low as $78. Sizes are already running out, so if you're thinking about picking one up, make sure to do it quickly.
Right now, the Brooks Hyperion Max running shoes are on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods for as low as $93—up to 45% off the original price of $170. This distance running style has earned 140 five-star ratings from runners who say it's their "absolute favorite Brooks shoe ever." They're currently available in sizes 8 through 14 and are on sale in four colors, but some have already started to sell out.
Brooks Hyperion Max Running Shoes in White/Nightlife, $93 (was $170) at Dick's Sporting Goods
The Hyperion Max is a neutral running shoe that blends two components that many distance and race runners want: speed and cushion. The sole design features a curved heel and toe, which helps propel runners forward with fast transitions from strike to push-off. The mid-stack midsole is made with the brand's lightweight, nitrogen-infused foam, helping to keep the weight low, the responsiveness high, and the feet well-protected from impact. It's the type of shoe that's perfect for race and marathon training or for anybody who wants to work on sprints.
Runners who have opted for the Hyperion Max have noted that it helps them stay fluid and fast, regardless of the incline. "Great cushioning, super light, and rocker gives you near-effortless speed on downhills," a shopper said. "Raced in them for the first time in the NYC Half Marathon and was able to conserve energy on the uphills while making up time (and then some) on the downhills. Beat my goal time by 23 minutes. This was my first race since a hip replacement four years ago, and the cushioning kept me feeling comfortable and pain-free the whole race."
Brooks Hyperion Max Running Shoes in Green Gecko, $109 (was $170) at Dick's Sporting Goods
Others compared the non-plated Hyperion Max to other similar shoes that do have plates, or an embedded strip of structured material, built into them. "I wanted a shoe without a plate for my tempo runs because my half-marathon training plan had a lot of them," a shopper began. "My first run in this shoe felt stiff for the first few miles…I stuck with it and this foam has become great, quickly. I really enjoy my runs in this shoe. It is on the firm side, but not harsh, and it gives you energy back in just the right way. Where plated shoes feel like they are sort of hard to control, this shoe really works with what you bring to it. Once you hit that 7:45-and-below pace, it really comes alive."
For those with a marathon or race in their future, the Hyperion Max is one of the shoes you need to consider as your training companion, especially now that it's on sale for as low as $93. With a ton of cushion and responsiveness, it'll keep you feeling strong, fast, and poised to crush your PR. But since other colors have already sold out, it's best to hop on this deal quickly before sizes disappear.
Since quitting pro golf for good back in 2016, Paige Spiranac has found new life as a social media influencer, with nearly six million combined followers on TikTok and Instagram, as well as her very own subscription-based website OnlyPaige, which she launched in 2023. However, there was more of a reason beyond viral fame that led the 31-year-old to give up the sport professionally, as she explained in a social media post revealing that she's found her "passion" once again.
"I played junior golf, college golf and a year professionally. After that stretch I mentally couldn’t handle playing golf and especially keeping score. I equated my score to my self worth," Spiranac wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday. "I know it sounds silly but competitive golf really beat me up emotionally."
"But I’ve found that passion again!" she continued. "I’ve started tracking my scores and grinding on my game. I’ll keep you posted here on my journey!" Spiranac added that she had shot a 73 at the round she was photographed playing at Austin Country Club, and that it was "such a fun track."
I played junior golf, college golf and a year professionally. After that stretch I mentally couldn’t handle playing golf and especially keeping score. I equated my score to my self worth. I know it sounds silly but competitive golf really beat me up emotionally. But I’ve found… pic.twitter.com/xnDU9XxEPv
"People who say golf stands for 'Gentlemen only, ladies forbidden,'" she said, listing off the things that she either hates or don't make any sense to her.
Well perhaps she'll show the haters a thing or two on her brand new journey.
Mike Tyson is laser-focused on his upcoming fight with Jake Paul. The former champ is so determined to have a good outcome that he's eliminating some vices from his daily life until he hits the ring.
In an interview on The Damon Elliott Show posted April 27, Tyson revealed that he's given up cannabis and sex. "Two and a half weeks I haven’t smoked," he said. "And I haven’t had sex for two and a half weeks." It's a big step for Tyson, who's an avid marijuana aficionado and has his own line of cannabis products.
Tyson explained his approach in a Forbes Life interview published April 26.
"Right now, I’m living my life disciplined. It’s been six weeks that I haven’t gotten high or had sex,” he said. “I haven’t done that since I was a little kid."
“I hate not being able to smoke, but I’m doing it like I love it," he added. "I hate not being able to sleep with my wife but I'm doing it like I love it."
It's not the first time Tyson has eliminated vices from his life in hopes of improving his performance in the ring. In a 2018 interview on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, the champ confirmed he'd abstained from sex for about five years. He claimed it was because he was advised it would improve his boxing performance.
"[I did it] because I'm an idiot," he said. "It's so stupid. I just went by what people told me."
As for his renunciation of cannabis, a rep for Tyson told USA Today that he was giving up smoking so he complies with the rules set for his fight with Paul. Marijuana is among the substances banned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees combat sports in the state.
Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will face off for their long-awaited match at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on July 20.
Variety reported Monday that Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have invested in Mexican soccer team Club Necaxa after their immense success with the Welsh Wrexham AFC team and accompanying FX docuseries Welcome to Wrexham.
Reynolds and McElhenney invested in Mexico’s century-old soccer team after fellow celebrity investor Eva Longoria convinced them to come into the fold. Though it’s not immediately clear what roles the Wrexham stars will play in the club’s leadership, Variety confirmed they “will work…to enhance Club Necaxa’s standing and grow its profile in international sports circles at a time of heightened TV and streaming demand for soccer content.”
Of course, that opens up the question of Club Necaxa getting the docuseries treatment in the same fashion as Wrexham AFC. However, the outlet noted that sources close to the club say it’s too early to even speculate about the idea of a series, as the team has yet to sign any such deals.
Club Necaxa’s standing is notably different than Wrexham’s was when Reynolds and McElhenney took over the team in 2020. Wrexham AFC is owned by the duo’s R.R. McReynolds Company, but their investment in Necaxa is said to be a minority stake, albeit of “significant” proportions.
While it remains unclear how much sway Reynolds and McElhenney will have over Club Necaxa moving forward, their investment is a sign of how important celebrity ambassadors have become to global sports teams. As streaming services pivot to live-streaming sports models, opportunities have proliferated for stars to invest in teams far and wide.
Club Necaxa, which is based in Aguascalientes, was founded in August 1923. Though the club has remained since its inception one of Mexico’s finest, the team hasn’t had a bonafide streak in almost 40 years, since Mexican media company Grupo Televisa purchased the team in 1988. That era saw the team rebound after decades of financial trouble and disagreements between players and management, but attendance and local interest has waned significantly throughout the 2000s.
One of the most popular regional cuisines of India is South Indian cuisine. It predominantly comprises the cuisines of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, as well as from the union territories of Pondicherry, Lakshadweep, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. You will have a variety of foods to choose from, from the popular dosa, idli, and uttapam to popular biryani, salan, and korri gassi and desserts like payasam and more. Adding to the list of many South Indian delicacies, we bring you a perfect tea-time snack. The dish is known as Butter Murukku. After every bite of this snack, you'll be craving for more because it is so delicious.
The word "murukku," which is derived from the Tamil language, roughly translates as "to twist." This is due to the fact that the Murukku's spiral shape resembles a long roll of dough that has been twisted several times. With new culinary experiments and innovations, this snack now has countless variations. Baked murukku, multigrain murukku, and many more are examples. Let's discover how to prepare butter murukku. Take a look below.
Butter Murukku Recipe: How To Make Butter Murukku
Butter murukku is a traditional spiral-shaped snack from Tamil Nadu cuisine. Butter (of course) and other spices are used to flavour it. Start by adding three tablespoons of roasted chana dal to a blender container. Blend until the mixture is finely powdered. Place aside.
Pour rice flour, roasted chana dal powder, soft butter, besan, cumin seeds, a pinch of heeng, and salt to taste into a mixing bowl. Mix until the butter is completely incorporated. Check that the dough is not cracked or sticky.
Summer is the perfect time to add light and refreshing salads to your diet. Salads are full of natural, healthy ingredients that help you feel satiated while also nourishing your body with lots of nutrients. If you are a salad fanatic, here is a delicious and crunchy green salad recipe for you -- the Asian bok choy salad. For the unversed, bok choy, also called pak choi or pok choi is a type of Chinese cabbage. It has roundish green leaves and white crunchy stems. Bok choy can be used to make a variety of dishes. In this article, we will learn how to use it for a delicious salad that can make a wonderful side dish as well.
What Does Bok Choy Taste Like?
Bok choy has a mild, cabbage-like flavour. The green leaves can have a slightly bitter and grassy flavour. The white stem is crunchy and fresh. Apart from using it as a salad, bok choy is also popularly eaten as a stir-fry dish.
Photo Credit: Instagram /krua_khanun
What Are The Health Benefits Of Eating Bok Choy
Bok choy is a cruciferous vegetable like kale, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli. According to Healthline, bok choy is a good source of vitamins C and K. Other essential nutrients in bok choy include Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, Folate, and Vitamin A. Bok choy is also rich in antioxidants, which protect your cells from oxidative damage and inflammation. Also Read: Looking For A Fresh Summer Salad? Try This Irresistible Mango Litchi Delight
How To Make Bok Choy Salad | Easy Bok Choy Salad Recipe
This bok choy salad uses blanched baby bok choy, mixed in creamy, sweet, and slightly tangy toasted sesame dressing. To make this simple salad, first boil water in a large pot and blanch halves of baby bok choy for 2 minutes. Take out the pieces of bok choy and transfer them into cold water so that they do not lose their crunch. Remove from the cold water and transfer to a plate. For the dressing, first, toast the sesame seeds in a dry cast iron skillet for 2 minutes. Next, grind them and combine the smooth paste with the rest of the ingredients for the dressing. Whisk until creamy and smooth. Add the desired amount of dressing to the bok choy. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Here is the full recipe with all the ingredients. Also Read:Try This RBC Salad For Healthy Blood Count And Many More Benefits - Nutritionist Approves
If you’re looking for blended Scotch whisky that’s a little “outside the box” there are few better brands to turn to than Compass Box. Its Peat Monster has become the centerpiece of many mixologist’s smoky cocktails and the brand—founded by, gasp, an American—hasn’t been afraid to run afoul of regulators’ outdated or suppressive rules. Now, the London-based whisky maker is continuing its tradition of great and unique releases with the launch of Celestial, the final bottling in their Extinct Blends Quartet.
Launched a little less than two years ago, the Extinct Blends Quartet pays homage to some of Compass Box's favorite historic bottles. Blended whiskies from the past are often quite different from today's versions, even when they’re from the same brand. The Extinct Blends Quartet reimagined four classic blended Scotches, using some of the company's rarest stocks of whisky. The first three bottlings in the collection were Ultramarine, Delos, and Metropolis.
Inspired by a whisky produced in the 1950s and 1960s, Celestial is the peatiest release in the Extinct Blends Quartet. The brand drew upon whiskies from the Ardbeg and Caol Ila distilleries that feature tar notes that meld with an herbal character to create a signature interpretation of an older style of smoky Scotch whisky.
“Celestial’s flavor profile elicits heavyweight peat smoke,” says James Saxon, director of whisky making at Compass Box. “Behind that is a gingery richness, notes of vanilla and grilled apples. The palate is dry and oak-forward, with meaty smokiness flowing onto cooked tropical fruits.”
For the final expression in the collection, Compass Box looked to capture an epic flight through the night sky, the home of the celestial body of Pegasus. That inspiration can be found on the label design, which depicts a dramatic sky with billowing clouds and the glittering constellation.
Bottled at 50 percent ABV, just 5,532 bottles are released worldwide, priced at $375. It's available for purchase on the Compass Box website.
One lucky sports collector is about to own a piece of Yankees history, as a jersey worn by Mickey Mantle during one of the most illustrious games of his career is currently up for auction by Goldin, an online marketplace for collectibles and memorabilia. And it's expected that the iconic piece of sports memorabilia will sell for seven figures.
Mantle, who is widely regarded as one of the best baseball players and switch-hitters of all time, wore the jersey on July 23, 1957, when he achieved his only career cycle. In baseball terms, a cycle is when a player manages to hit a single, double, triple, and home run in a single game. And not only did Mantle complete the cycle, but the home run in itself was also notable.
The Oklahoma native nailed the dinger a whopping 465 feet from home plate, which the Herald Tribune famously described in a headline as being "Almost Out of the Stadium." To this day, it's one of the most talked about home runs in Yankee history.
Mantle's triple was also noteworthy, in that he scored three runs at his last at-bat in the seventh inning that helped the Yankees clinch a win against the Chicago White Sox 10–6.
"Original 1950’s jerseys are extremely rare, let alone game-worn by one of baseball’s most famous players,” said Ken Goldin, Founder & CEO of Goldin. "Not only is this jersey straight from the back of Mickey Mantle, but it was worn during one of the most significant moments in his career."
Adding to the value of the piece is that it's one of just ten known photo-matched jerseys, and just one of three worn during a home run game. At the time, jerseys were often recycled down to the minor leagues, however this one was preserved and restored by a professional authenticator. The pinstripe jersey also features stitching of Mantle’s name, his number seven, and the year '57 to highlight when it was worn.
The auction opened on April 19 and is set to commence on June 1. Currently, the bidding stands at a modest $375,000.
If you enjoy exploring alcohol varieties, nothing compares to a nice mug of chilled beer, especially in summer. Beer is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages worldwide. Whether you are staying in to unwind after a hard day at work or are out partying and socializing, a chilled beer can be your perfect choice of alcoholic beverage. Did you know different beers complement various occasions and foods? This can depend on the amount of bitterness, carbonation, finish, flavour notes etc.
Here are 5 beer types for different experiences:
1. Ale For Beachy Vibes
Ales, full-bodied with a strong, bitter flavour, are perfect for beach vacations. Relax on a nice beach chair, soak in some sun, and enjoy the strong flavours of ale that hit your tongue with every sip.
2. Lager For BBQ Nights
Lagers, with their light, crisp taste, pair well with BBQ nights. They are mellower, less bitter, and more carbonated compared to ales. Enjoy them with chicken, seafood, and hotdogs, making them a great addition to your BBQ night.
3. Stout For A Relaxing Evening
Stouts, balanced between sweetness and bitterness, are ideal for relaxing evenings. These dark beers, typically medium to full-bodied, offer common flavours like chocolate, coffee, and caramel. Enjoy them while unwinding after a hard day at work, perhaps with chocolate mousse or brownies. Also Read: Weekend Special: 6 Foods That Are Best Served With Beer
4. Pilsner For A Fancy Dinner
Pilsners, with their golden colour and clean finish, elevate fancy dinners. Known for a certain malty sweetness and a moderate amount of herbal flavour from German hops, they go well with most dishes, whether it's salad, seafood, or something spicy, oily, or light.
5. Wheat Beer For Game Night
Wheat beers, smooth and creamy, enhance game nights. Highly carbonated with notes of banana, toffee, and clove, they're flexible when it comes to food matching. Enjoy them at home while watching your favourite game and ordering in some mouth-watering snacks like chicken, salad, barbecue, or Mexican food. Also Read: 5 Surprising Health Benefits Of Beer You May Not Know
Which of these is your favourite beer type? Share your preference in the comments section.
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Experience the delightful flavours of Nepal with Chukauni - a tantalizing potato yoghurt salad that's as versatile as it is delicious. Quick and easy to prepare, Chukauni is a perfect dish for those warm summer days when you crave something light yet satisfying. Whether served as a salad, a side dish with rice, or paired with traditional Nepali snacks like Sel Roti or Bara, Chukauni promises to elevate your dining experience with its vibrant flavours and textures.
What is Chukauni?
Chukauni is a Nepali dish that combines boiled potatoes with creamy yoghurt, creating a refreshing and flavorful salad. This dish is typically seasoned with a blend of spices such as chilli powder, cumin powder, and roasted sesame seeds powder, along with optional additions like Sichuan pepper powder and mustard powder. The recipe for this dish was shared by chef Vinny Shukla
on her Instagram page. Variations may include the addition of ginger and garlic for added depth of flavour. Each Nepali household has its own unique recipe for Chukauni, making it a beloved staple that's cherished for its simplicity and taste. Also Read: Jhol Momos, Thukpa And More: 6 Nepalese Recipes That Will Make You Drool
To prepare Chukauni, start by taking yoghurt in a bowl and adding sesame seeds powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, and salt. Then, mix in cooked potatoes, chopped onions, green chilli, lemon juice, and chopped coriander, ensuring all ingredients are well-combined. For the final touch, prepare a tadka by heating oil and adding fenugreek seeds and turmeric powder. Once the tadka is ready, pour it over the Chukauni mixture, imparting a fragrant aroma and irresistible flavour. Serve Chukauni as a refreshing salad alongside rice or enjoy it on its own for a satisfying snack that's bursting with Nepali goodness. Also Read: Looking For Unique Potato Recipes? Try These Delicious Potato Salads
With its simplicity and versatility, Chukauni exemplifies the essence of Nepali cuisine - humble yet deeply flavorful. Whether enjoyed as a side dish, salad, or snack, Chukauni offers a delightful combination of creamy yoghurt, tender potatoes, and aromatic spices that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more.
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Bhakta Spirits, the company created by ex-WhistlePig founder Raj Bhakta, just released Bhakta Bourbon 2014, a new whiskey finished in armagnac barrels. The brand has gone all in on the concept of vintages with a series of recent armagnac-finished releases, like Bhakta 1928 Rye Whiskey and Bhakta Bourbon 2013. But the 2014 bourbon features a few key differences.
Bhakta 2014 Bourbon was distilled at MGP Ingredients in Lawrenceburg, IN, in 2014 from a mashbill of 99 percent corn and one percent malted barley, which is fairly unusual, given that bourbon usually has about 10 to 20 percent rye in the recipe. It was aged for nine years and then finished for 125 days in 1973 vintage armagnac casks before being bottled at 105.4 proof. Bhakta sourced the barrels directly from the eponymous region of France, where they were originally used to make $400 bottles of armagnac, so the wood used for the whiskey's secondary maturation is well-seasoned to say the least.
The new bourbon is the perfect mix of fruity, spicy, and earthy. With that amount of corn in the mashbill, you might expect this to be a sweet sipper, but the secondary maturation, as well as nearly a decade in new charred oak barrels, has tempered that and imbued the whiskey with notes of fig, dried cranberry, grape jelly, a range of baking spices from cinnamon to nutmeg, and a touch of grass notes on the finish. At $150 per bottle, this might be something most people would want to save for sipping instead of mixing. But if you’re feeling decadent, try this in a Manhattan—slightly reducing the amount of vermouth—and you’re in store for a fantastic cocktail.
Bhakta 2014 Bourbon
Courtesy of Bhakta
While Bhakta touts the spirit as "vintage," using the word to describe a product is not exactly new in the whiskey world, where it essentially refers to the year that the spirit was distilled. Nicole Austin, general manager and distiller for Tennessee whiskey brand George Dickel, introduced a series of bottled-in-bond vintage expressions a few years back that have been superb, and over in Scotland, Bruichladdich releases vintage single malts each year that are distilled from barley varietals grown in specific regions or even on single farms.
Last year’s inaugural Bhakta 2013 Bourbon release sold out, and based on the flavor of this new whiskey there’s reason to believe that might be the case this year as well. The whiskey is currently available from the Bhakta Spirits website, so head on over to buy a bottle and try this excellent new sipping bourbon for yourself.
If you're on a weight loss journey, you're probably stepping on a bathroom scale frequently to check in on your progress. It turns out that just how often you step on that scale might have a correlation to how much progress you're making.
A study recently published in the Obesity journal sought to find connections between how often someone trying to lose weight weighs themselves and how much weight they actually end up losing. The researchers studied 74 overweight or obese adults with an average age of 50 and tracked them over a nine-month maintenance period after they completed a three-month weight loss program. Participants were asked to monitor their weight, food intake, and activities as well as record which days they weighed themselves every week.
In the end, they found that those who weighed themselves at least three days per week were more likely to have maintained their weight loss at the end of the nine months. Those who tracked their stats for five days or more each week were likelier to continue losing weight. Meanwhile, tracked the info just one or two days per week was associated with "significant weight gain."
The sweet spot for weight maintenance appeared to be three to four days per week.
"Patterns of self-monitoring may be important beyond the total number of records completed; associations observed after controlling for total number of records kept during the maintenance period suggest that a 'slow and steady' approach (e.g., consistently self-monitoring at least three to five days per week) may be more beneficial for weight-loss maintenance compared with shorter 'bursts' of higher levels of self-monitoring (e.g., some weeks of monitoring seven days per week but others of only one to two days per week)."
The study also opened the door for more research, as there were some limitations with the findings. "Results cannot be interpreted causally," the scientists acknowledged. Still, the research is "unique in its exploration of thresholds for self-monitoring of dietary intake among individuals who were encouraged to continue daily self-monitoring during a post-intervention maintenance period."
There's no harm in weighing yourself, but if you want to embark on a weight loss journey, talk with your doctor first.
Though Downey said in a recent interview that he would “happily” reprise the role of Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, the Russo brothers aren’t eager to welcome the character back to the MCU. Stark famously died at the conclusion of Endgame, for all intents and purposes leaving Spider-Man (Tom Holland) as his successor.
“I don’t know how they would do it,” Anthony remarked. “I don’t know what the road to that would be [laughs].”
“I mean, we closed that book,” Joe added, “so it would be up to [Marvel Studios] to figure out how to reopen it.”
The Russo brothers aren’t the only Marvel creatives to balk at resurrecting Tony Stark. Kevin Feige weighed in on the debate last December, expressing doubt that bringing Downey back would be a good move for the franchise.
“We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again,” Feige said at the time. “We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”
Though Downey has seemingly dissed Marvel a few times in the past, the star told Esquire earlier this month that he would “happily” don his Iron Man suit again.
“Happily. It’s too integral a part of my DNA,” Downey said of the character and Marvel. “That role chose me. And look, I always say, ‘Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige.’ It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.”
Downey is currently appearing on HBO’s The Sympathizer, in which he plays four different roles. It’s currently streaming on Max.
Chris Maxwell seemed like any other Nigerian university student. He sat through lectures, most of the time with limited interest. He had a vibrant social life and many friends. But as one of three siblings, his parents, both civil servants, were stretched thin by putting even one child through university, let alone three. As costs piled up during his first year, Maxwell couldn’t afford necessities like rent, textbooks, or food.
“I just decided I needed to make money so that I can get some basic things for myself,” Maxwell, now 25, tells Men’s Journal.
During his second year, he sought a job to help pay the bills. But instead of being a desk attendant at the campus gym or cashier at the university bookstore, he opted for a different and dangerous enterprise—one that was much more lucrative than typical college jobs and allowed him to work flexibly around his studies. With the help of a how-to guide he received from an acquaintance on WhatsApp, he concocted a fake online persona to romantically coerce middle-aged women out of tens of thousands of dollars.
Romance scams occur when a criminal uses a fake online persona to gain trust and emotional attachment from a victim. Scammers ultimately take advantage of the close relationship to steal money. In 2023, over 64,000 romance scams were reported to the Federal Trade Commission, costing victims a total of almost $1.14 billion.
Romance scams are illegal. In the eyes of the law, perpetrators are committing theft and fraud. But in Nigeria, there's a dearth of scammers, which a WIREDreport attributes to unrest in the 1990s due to a jump in unemployment, lack of national social security, and rise of cybercafes providing widespread access to the internet. As the romance scam industry grew into the 21st century, scam operations began to act like semi-legitimate businesses, some decked out in offices with desktop computers and smartphones. Others, like Maxwell, act individually from their own devices.
For these scammers, the risk of fines and arrest is worth the reward. Nigerian GDP per capita, the economic metric that measures a country's economic output on a per person basis, is just $2,163 compared to the U.S.'s $76,330. And 133 million Nigerian people (more than half the population) are considered “multidimensionally poor," a United Nations Development Programme term that refers to lack of educational opportunity and basic societal infrastructure as well as money.
With the help of Nigerian police, international intelligence agencies such as Interpol and the FBI have cracked down on financial scams coming from Nigeria over the last decade. Last year, 60 Minutes Australia looked inside one crime syndicate, while Interpol's Operation Killer Bee took down another in 2022. But that hasn’t stopped this underground romance scamming industry from flourishing.
In most cases, romance scammers begin by stealing someone’s identity. At least 18 women claimed that British man Steve Bustin dated them due to a mass romance scam using his image. Army sergeant Stuart James, whose image had been used to scam people for over decade, has received hundreds of angry calls and texts from strangers. Criminals used New York City-based sports reporter Harry Cicna’s likeness in a Match.com scam, posing as army sergeants stationed in Afghanistan.
From his apartment, Maxwell donned the persona of a deployed army officer looking for love back home. Using a stolen image of a white blonde-haired bodybuilder with the handle ‘hey_milkshake,’ his persona acted out the typical life of a service member: moving base to base, from Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas to Korea.
Maxwell created a fake account under the username hey_milkshake to seduce vulnerable middle-aged women.
Courtesy Images
Using the playbook he received from an acquaintance titled How to Make a White Woman Fall in Love With You From an Online Chat, Maxwell followed step-by-step instructions on how to build trust and manipulate victims. Over 40 pages, riddled with spelling and punctuation errors (ironically, the section dedicated to grammar is misspelled ‘grammer’), the guide recommended he “... go for those over 40. They are working hence they have the money you need. Also, being single at 40, they are eager for love.”
Underneath sections titled ‘Bring Things Up’ and ‘Compliment Her,’ the playbook offers surprisingly solid conversational dating advice. But just a few pages later, innuendo takes center stage: “I’m jealous of your heart. ‘Cause it’s pumping inside you and I’m not.”
After months of trial and error, Maxwell finally found success, following the advice of the guide’s ‘Take Your Time’ section: “Spend days talking about random things, learn a lot about her. The more you know about her, the better it will be for you.”
“It's like a full-time job. It takes a lot of time. You need to be consistent and texting, constant conversation,” Maxwell says.
Maxwell received the crude, pixelated "scammer Bible" pictured above from an accomplice via WhatsApp.
Courtesy Image
After building trust, scammers like Maxwell introduce an urgent need for money. An example reads: “Instead of asking her for money for mortgage. When she asks about your day you can tell her it was bad. Then tell her you are broke, you are behind [on] your mortgage, and they will kick you out next week, and you have exhausted every means to get money. By herself, she will offer to give you money.”
Over a few years, Maxwell successfully siphoned victims' money into his pockets. It wasn't solely for school expenses, however. He says he stole between $70,000 and $100,000 total from multiple women, upgrading his lifestyle with fancy clothes and lavish nights out.
But one victim, a woman in her late 50s, changed Maxwell. He approached her on Facebook before escalating their contact to daily conversations on Instagram and WhatsApp. For his victim, it seemed like a dream come true: A handsome, steady military boyfriend.
She was quick to help when Maxwell, as hey_milkshake, told her he lost his gun and needed money to buy a new one before his supervisors found out. She wired him increments of $800 to $1,000 through Western Union, or sometimes sent him Bitcoin or digital gift cards. She wasn't wary that they couldn't meet in person; after all, he was deployed, and wouldn't receive leave time for years.
But when her losses piled up to $15,000, with no timeline when she would see her mysterious online boyfriend, she began to feel skeptical. She contacted Social Catfish, a small, California-based tech company that verifies identities through a combination of reverse image searching and background checks to help law enforcement agencies bust scammers. Her suspicions were correct; she'd been scammed.
Seeking justice, Social Catfish connected her with Nigerian authorities, who found his location by reverse image searching the pictures on hey_milkshake's Instagram page, pinpointing Maxwell’s IP address. They discovered that a common location from where the fraudulent images were uploaded—a computer at Maxwell's residence and a phone registered in his name, leading authorities right to his apartment.
They busted down his apartment door to apprehend him and called the victim, handing Maxwell the phone. He revealed himself on video, ending the facade, while she sobbed on the other end of the line. In that moment—the veil of his fake identity torn away in real time—Maxwell finally realized the consequences of his actions.
Over a Zoom call with Men's Journal, Chris Maxwell told his complicated tale of money problems, scams, and remorse.
Andy Hirschfeld
In most situations, scammers pay a fine, and that’s the end of the case. But after paying an undisclosed amount, Maxwell's renounced scamming for good, intending to change his life. But he was just one small fish in a very big, very shady pond.
A recent study in the Journal of Economic Criminology spoke with 10 victims of Nigerian romance scams, all middle-aged women, revealing the psychological trauma underpinning their cases. One victim said they felt intense love for her scammer because he feigned emotional care she never received from exes.
“He was fully involved and often showed interest in my affairs,” she told researchers. “I have two daughters, and he will spend long hours asking and talking about them. Something that their fathers don’t bother to do.”
Three victims even admitted to discussing marriage with their scammer, while all of them experienced “... sexual abuse through cybersex,” says the study.
Ultimately, once the scams were revealed to them, the victims experienced severe physical and emotional consequences, including heavy alcohol and drug consumption, unhealthy eating, poor hygiene, sleeplessness, and depression. According to the study, some of the victims sought the help of doctors and psychologists to recover.
To handle their emotional pain, the women fought back. Seven took legal action against their scammers. Five even flew to Nigeria to testify at the criminal trials against their scammers. While it doesn’t erase the abuse or return dollars to their bank accounts, most of the women believe the fight has eased their trauma.
“I needed to fight him legally and get his memories off my mind in the process,” said one victim. “That way I won’t have any emotional attachment towards him.”
It’s not just middle-aged women that scammers victimize, however; Maxwell says to be wary of anyone who posts limited personal details on their social media profiles or asks for financial help via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or cash. And although a 2022 AARP survey found that 53 percent of the public identifies victims as “culpable and blameworthy” for being scammed, Gallup research from last year states that “no subgroup of Americans is exempt from being scammed” (though the rate is higher among vulnerable populations like low-income households). The study found 15 percent of U.S. adults say that at least one member of their household has been scammed before.
Fueled by remorse, Maxwell reached out to Social Catfish—the organization that took him down—for a job. On paper, he's a contracted consultant. But in reality, he's a private investigator and criminal informant that performs reconnaissance and reports back to the company so authorities can take action. Likening it to the plot of Catch Me If You Can starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, Maxwell travels across Nigeria to meet suspected scammers in person, verifying their addresses and identities while disguising his own.
Maxwell hopes he's making a difference (due to ongoing criminal investigations, Social Catfish declined to offer specifics). Because he knows that until such operations are dismantled for good, scammers' pockets will be lined with the money of innocent victims—leaving psychological trauma in their wake.
Chris Pine spoke with People at Wednesday night’s premiere of his directorial debut, Poolman, telling the outlet how Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford inspired his career in equal measure.
Speaking about the celebrities he idolized as a kid, Pine told the outlet, "I remember being eight years old and dressing up in a fedora and a three-piece suit and pretending to be a character in Bugsy Malone,” he said of Alan Parker’s 1976 spoof which cast children as adult gangsters.
“Or taking a pencil and pretending I was Tom Cruise in Top Gun," Pine continued. "So all of the business appealed to me and all the characters."
Pine went on about his other acting inspirations, which included some unexpected names. "But certainly…I guess I simultaneously wanted to be Harrison Ford and also wanted to be, like, Gary Oldman or Lee Marvin, or Walter Brennan," Pine said.
Marvin and Brennan were character actors known for playing cowboys and villains. Marvin died in 1987 and Brennan in 1974, long before Pine began his career in earnest.
Poolman stars Pine as a burnt-out pool cleaner who solves local Los Angeles crimes in between shifts at his tiki-inspired apartment complex. The Star Trek star was motivated to make the film, an homage to The Big Lebowski and Elmore Leonard novels, as a tribute to the same stars who inspired him, and the city in which he was raised.
"I saw the highs and lows of the industry,” Pine, the son of CHiPs star Robert Pine, admitted. “And I grew up around people that were living the dream and people that desperately wanted to be in the dream," he continued. "So this is really my tribute to that part of Los Angeles."
Poolman hits cinemas on May 10. You can check out a trailer below.
A Lufthansa Airlines Boeing 747 was forced to abort its landing at Los Angeles International Airport this week, after the plane dramatically bounced twice on the runway. And the wild video shows just how scary it was.
The footage was posted online by Airline Videos Live, which livestreams from LAX. The account is run by Los Angeles-based television news photojournalist "and long time plane spotter" Kevin Ray, who could be heard expressing his disbelief at what he was witnessing.
"Don't miss the dramatic moment as a Lufthansa Boeing 747-8i performs a touch and go in front of Airline Videos Live cameras at LAX on Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024," he captioned the clip, posted to X.
Initially, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, until the wheels of the plane touched down and a cloud of smoke emerged from underneath the landing gear, causing it to bounce back up. "Oh, whoa whoa!" Ray could be heard exclaiming over the footage. "Are we getting that? Holy moly!"
After bouncing twice, the plane took back off into the skies, where it circled the airport before attempting the landing a second time without issue.
"Going around, I think that is the roughest landing we've ever caught on our broadcast," Ray adds in the full video of the botched landing, posted to YouTube. Later in the video, he says that he could even smell the burnt rubber from the jet’s wheels.
A spokesperson for the airline told Los Angeles' KTLA 5 News late Wednesday that there had been 326 passengers and 19 crew members aboard the flight, which was apparently a "training flight," and that there had been no injuries reported.
“Following an assessment by the cockpit crew, a consultation with the technical department on site and in Frankfurt and an initial visual inspection, the aircraft flew back to Frankfurt," the spokesperson said. "There it will undergo an additional inspection."
You can watch the full, nearly four-minute-long video, below.
Golden retrievers are beloved dogs that are fiercely loyal to their owners and families. Their adorable looks make them a popular choice for people looking to welcome a furry friend into their home, as well as their stunning color. But one golden retriever puppy in Florida took its beautifully colored coat to the next level.
Carole DeBruler owns Golden Treasures Kennel in Pensacola, Florida and frequently shares glimpses of kennel life on TikTok. In a recent video, she shared a video of a lime green puppy that was born to a golden retriever mom. She was given a fitting name for her unique hue: Shamrock.
"Little Shamrock was born lucky," the kennel wrote in the video and went on to explain the phenomenon. "She is a rare pup whose white fur was stained in the womb with biliverdin." Biliverdin is a green bile that is sometimes found in dogs' wombs.
Another video showed the adorable light green pup at three days old. "She is smaller than her siblings, but happy and healthy," the kennel captioned the video.
Another video clarified that the condition isn't permanent and is simply an effect of being stained with bile in the days and weeks after birth. "Her green color will fade over time," the clip explained.
A few days later, Shamrock began looking more like a normal golden retriever. "Shamrock's green hue is starting to fade, but her feisty personality is just getting stronger," the video said.
