Category: Pop Culture

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American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss

It’s really important for children with disabilities to see themselves in pop culture, whether it’s movies, music, TV – or even the toys and dolls they play with. That’s why this announcement from American Girl should make a lot of kids and parents very happy. American Girl rang in 2020 with a new doll, and this one, for the first time ever, has a hearing impairment.

And the new doll is also American Girl of the Year.

Meet Joss Kendrick. Joss’s story is that she hails from Huntington Beach, California, and that she is “a fierce athlete born with hearing loss and a passion for surfing and competitive cheer.”

Joss was born deaf in her left ear and she wears a hearing aid in her right ear. The company said about Joss, “Whether she’s on her surfboard or in the gym, Joss shows girls the importance of trying new things, pushing past stereotypes, and being a good team player.”

The new doll was introduced with the help of Caroline Marks, a 17-year-old surfer who is looking to make a mark at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Women’s Surfing team (I didn’t even know surfing was an Olympic sport). Marks said, “I’m so excited to be a part of the Joss launch and share her message that passion and hard work can really take a girl places—even to the Olympics.”

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Happy times ?

A post shared by Caroline Marks (@caroline_markss) on

As part of the launch of the new doll, American Girl donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

This is a great move by Mattel and American Girl!

Congratulations and good luck to Caroline Marks at the 2020 Summer Olympics!

The post American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss

It’s really important for children with disabilities to see themselves in pop culture, whether it’s movies, music, TV – or even the toys and dolls they play with. That’s why this announcement from American Girl should make a lot of kids and parents very happy. American Girl rang in 2020 with a new doll, and this one, for the first time ever, has a hearing impairment.

And the new doll is also American Girl of the Year.

Meet Joss Kendrick. Joss’s story is that she hails from Huntington Beach, California, and that she is “a fierce athlete born with hearing loss and a passion for surfing and competitive cheer.”

Joss was born deaf in her left ear and she wears a hearing aid in her right ear. The company said about Joss, “Whether she’s on her surfboard or in the gym, Joss shows girls the importance of trying new things, pushing past stereotypes, and being a good team player.”

The new doll was introduced with the help of Caroline Marks, a 17-year-old surfer who is looking to make a mark at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as part of the U.S. Women’s Surfing team (I didn’t even know surfing was an Olympic sport). Marks said, “I’m so excited to be a part of the Joss launch and share her message that passion and hard work can really take a girl places—even to the Olympics.”

View this post on Instagram

Happy times ?

A post shared by Caroline Marks (@caroline_markss) on

As part of the launch of the new doll, American Girl donated $25,000 to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

This is a great move by Mattel and American Girl!

Congratulations and good luck to Caroline Marks at the 2020 Summer Olympics!

The post American Girl Introduces a Doll With Hearing Loss appeared first on UberFacts.

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Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans

I’m not looking forward to this one bit…

Alex Trebek has hosted the hit TV show Jeopardy! since 1984, and in those three-and-a-half decades, he’s become a beloved figure. His name and face are so synonymous with the television program, it’s hard to imagine anyone else hosting the show.

It was revealed last year that the 79-year-old Trebek has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and since then the public has been rallying by his side and hoping for a happy outcome as he has gone through multiple rounds of chemotherapy.

Trebek has said he doesn’t have a particular date in mind for his exit from Jeopardy!, but he added that when he leaves it will be “a significant moment for me, but I’ve kind of, in my mind, rehearsed it already. What I would do on that day is tell the director, ‘Time the show down to leave me 30 seconds at the end.’ That’s all I want.”

Trebek continued, “And I will say my goodbyes [and] I will tell people, ‘Don’t ask me who’s going to replace me because I have no say whatsoever. But I’m sure that if you give them the same love and attention, and respect that you have shown me…then they will be a success and the show will continue being a success. And until we meet again, God bless you and goodbye.’”

Here is the video of Trebek’s interview with Michael Strahan where he discusses his farewell.

We’re going to miss you, Mr. Trebek! Thanks for all the great entertainment throughout the years!

The post Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans

I’m not looking forward to this one bit…

Alex Trebek has hosted the hit TV show Jeopardy! since 1984, and in those three-and-a-half decades, he’s become a beloved figure. His name and face are so synonymous with the television program, it’s hard to imagine anyone else hosting the show.

It was revealed last year that the 79-year-old Trebek has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and since then the public has been rallying by his side and hoping for a happy outcome as he has gone through multiple rounds of chemotherapy.

Trebek has said he doesn’t have a particular date in mind for his exit from Jeopardy!, but he added that when he leaves it will be “a significant moment for me, but I’ve kind of, in my mind, rehearsed it already. What I would do on that day is tell the director, ‘Time the show down to leave me 30 seconds at the end.’ That’s all I want.”

Trebek continued, “And I will say my goodbyes [and] I will tell people, ‘Don’t ask me who’s going to replace me because I have no say whatsoever. But I’m sure that if you give them the same love and attention, and respect that you have shown me…then they will be a success and the show will continue being a success. And until we meet again, God bless you and goodbye.’”

Here is the video of Trebek’s interview with Michael Strahan where he discusses his farewell.

We’re going to miss you, Mr. Trebek! Thanks for all the great entertainment throughout the years!

The post Here’s How Alex Trebek Plans to Officially Say Goodbye to “Jeopardy!” Fans appeared first on UberFacts.

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Here Are Some Funny Responses to That Peloton Commercial Everyone Is Talking About

Unless you’ve been living in seclusion for the past month or so, you’ve seen the now-infamous Peloton commercial and you’ve heard all the blowback regarding the ad.

You know the one…

People are upset that the commercial sends the wrong message to women and that it is passive-aggressive about weight issues.

Let’s see what folks on Twitter had to say about this…

1. Come on…

2. They’re gonna be very busy…

3. That’s your problem.

4. Oh won’t you please take me home!!

5. Get Out!

6. Nothing at all.

7. She does look a little down.

8. Ransom.

9. I’ll take it!

10. Hahahaha.

11. Do you need help?

12. She’s terrified.

13. An alternate universe.

14. I’ll be waiting…

15. Both stuck in less-than-ideal situations.

What are your thoughts about this commercial and the controversy surrounding it?

The post Here Are Some Funny Responses to That Peloton Commercial Everyone Is Talking About appeared first on UberFacts.

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You Should Treat Yourself to Something off the “Friends” Secret Starbucks Menu

If you’re of a certain age, then you probably remember what life was like before you could watch a television show any ol’ time you felt like it – and for a lot of us, Thursday was the best night of the week to settle in front of the tube.

Chandler, Monica, Joey, Ross, Rachel, and Phoebe were a big part of our lives for over a decade, so if you’re someone who will always equate Thursday with the very best television, well, Starbucks has a little something to help you celebrate – a secret, Friends-themed menu.

Saw this at a local starbucks, super cute! from starbucks

Okay, okay fine – it’s not one of their official secret menus, but baristas all over the country are sharing their love for Friends and the characters on it by taking the time to craft specific drinks to compliment each one. Photos and posts have been popping up all over social media, leaving many of us to wonder just what we’re missing.

Here’s how to find out for yourself, by making a few simple tweaks to Starbuck’s regular menu offerings.

The Ross is a Flat White, or a Blonde Flat White, which are both “predictable, yet sophisticated” offerings. I’m not sure I would describe Ross as the latter, but I think he thinks he’s the latter, so I suppose that works.

This is such a cool idea! from starbucks

If you want to try a Monica, go for a Nitro Cold Brew or a black coffee with an extra shot of espresso because our girl only has one speed, and it’s constant.

A Joey is either a Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino with added White Chocolate Mocha Sauce or a Cap’n Crunk Frappuccino, which is part of Starbucks’ regular “unofficial” menu.

If Chandler is your speed, well, get ready to rev up with a Starbucks Doubleshot or a Salted Caramel Mocha.

Ordering the Phoebe means asking for a Coconutmilk Green Tea Latte, unless it’s fall, when you could go for the simple but true Pumpkin Spice Latte.

And our complicated, high-maintenance girl Rachel is going to need a Caramel Macchiato with added espresso, the iced version of the same drink, or even one “upside down,” which I am genuinely going to try.

One store in Ontario is even touting a “Friends Frappuccino,” which is inspired (according to the store’s manager) by the purple of Monica’s apartment and the iconic orange couch in the coffee shop. As best we can tell, it’s a Raspberry Creme Frappuccino blended with a scoop of dragonfruit and ringed with Pumpkin Sauce.

It really seems like you can’t go wrong – you’ve got an array of Starbuck’s typically delicious drinks to choose from, tweaked so you can pretend your favorite Friend would love to have it with you.

What could be more delicious, or more fun?

The post You Should Treat Yourself to Something off the “Friends” Secret Starbucks Menu appeared first on UberFacts.

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This ‘Star Wars’-Themed Airbnb Is Seriously Impressive

One of the best things about Airbnb is that you can rent all kinds of different places. Big houses, small apartments, tiny guest houses – pretty much anything is possible.

And that’s certainly the case with this one-of-a-kind Airbnb rental recently made available in Florida, near Walt Disney World’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The home is known as ‘Twelve Parsecs,’ and it is Star Wars-themed.

The house is HUGE. It has 9 bedrooms, 17 beds, 5 bathrooms, so if you reserve this place you can have a big old nerd fest…I mean party.

Let’s take a look at the pics!

1. The master bedroom.

Photo Credit: Airbnb

2. Hallways have a cool look.

Photo Credit: Airbnb

3. Want to sleep on a cloud?

Photo Credit: Airbnb

4. Oooohhhhh, this is cool.

Photo Credit: Airbnb

5. Ice cave.

6. Time to race (and sleep).

Photo Credit: Airbnb

7. The dark fortress.

Photo Credit: Airbnb

8. Fancy!

Photo Credit: Airbnb

9. Ewok hut.

Photo Credit: Airbnb

10. More sleeping chambers.

Photo Credit: Airbnb

What do you think of this place?

Pretty mind-blowing, right?

What’s the best (or the worst) Airbnb property you’ve ever stayed in? Tell us all about it in the comments, please!

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The #Barbiesdarksecrets Hashtag Will Leave You Smirking About Your Favorite Toy Doll’s Misadventures

Oh, Barbie…

Barbie is sweet, innocent, wholesome, and all-American, right?

Well, I’m sorry to say that those perceptions are about to change in a major way. Because Barbie has taken a turn to the dark side. And it’s all because of the #BarbiesDarkSecrets hashtag that has gone viral.

Oh, Barbie, where did it all go so wrong…?

1. I knew it…

2. She has a bad temper.

3. Very timely…

4. Going downhill. Big time.

5. Well, that’s pretty dark.

6. Worship her…

7. Just like Hannibal Lecter.

8. Two-faced Barbie.

9. She does look very youthful.

10. OH MY GOD. Barbie!

Do you think you can add to this bad Barbie phenomenon?

Share some of the other things that this famous bombshell blonde has done in our comments! Let’s get weird!

The post The #Barbiesdarksecrets Hashtag Will Leave You Smirking About Your Favorite Toy Doll’s Misadventures appeared first on UberFacts.

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‘Peaky Blinders’ Was Named the Best TV Show of the Last Decade

I’m way behind on all the TV I’m supposed to have been watching, and it pains me to admit it, but I’ve only seen a few episodes of the hit show Peaky Blinders. I mean, I’ll get to it sooner or later, I hope. And, by all accounts, I definitely should – because it was named the best TV show of the last decade based on a poll by LADbible.

The poll included more than 29,000 voters, and Peaky Blinders, which is now five seasons into the action, got 29.4% of the vote, beating out Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, and Chernobyl as the best TV show of the decade.

Peaky Blinders debuted in 2013 on BBC Two and the fifth season hit the screen in the fall of 2019. The show is set in Birmingham, England, after World War I, and it revolves around an ambitious gang that seeks to control Birmingham’s underworld. Cillian Murphy stars as the gang’s leader, Tommy Shelby.

The creator of the show, Steven Knight, talked about where he thinks the series will ultimately go: “The destination for the whole show has always been the start of the Second World War, so the show is the story of the family between the wars. I really want to end it with Tommy being alright. I want Tommy to be good and on the side of the angels.”

That sounds like there will be plenty more seasons of Peaky Blinders in store for viewers.

What was your favorite TV show of the 2010s? Share with us in the comments!

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Vinyl Record Sales Surpassed CDs Last Year for the First Time in Decades

As someone who has collected vinyl since high school, I think this is awesome. Don’t get me wrong, I like CDs and cassettes too (I don’t currently have any 8-tracks), but I prefer vinyl records.

I just honestly believe they sound the best out of all formats.

In 2019, people bought $224 million worth of vinyl records. This was the first time since 1986 that vinyl outsold CDs.

That’s a long time for a medium to spend on the outs before it stages a takeover from its replacement format, don’t you think?

Vinyl has been competing with CDs, cassettes, and now with digital music for many years, but a resurgence in the popularity of records along with annual events like Record Store Day have made vinyl a hot commodity again over the past several years. Records have gone from practically obsolete, to objects of desire once again.

In the week that ended on December 26, 2019, 1.243 million vinyl albums were sold – the first time that’s happened since Nielsen began tracking music data in 1991.

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Recent arrivals to the shop! Lots of jazz!

A post shared by Creme Tangerine Records (@cremetangerinerecords) on

And it isn’t one generation that’s making up a bulk of the vinyl sales; Millennials and Generation Z folks are just as likely to buy records as Baby Boomers and Generation X’ers. Plus, people are buying records from artists across many generations. Currently, some of the biggest-selling vinyl artists are Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, The Beatles, and Queen.

Just for fun, I’d like to include some of my favorite record stores across the country. Check these folks out online or in-person if you’re in the area!

Creme Tangerine Records in Costa Mesa, California.

Premium Sound in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Love Garden Sounds in Lawrence, Kansas.

Go buy some records!

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