No, "Mr Blue Sky" singer Jeff Lynne does not have an account on Bluesky
With Elon Musk’s Twitter suffering yet another catastrophic outage (which has seen the Tesla and SpaceX founder implement temporary limits on how many tweets we can view in a day), users are once again looking for a rival platform to evacuate to. Previously it was the likes of Post and Mastodon - the latter of which Musk hated so much he restricted users from linking to their new accounts on Twitter - but now it’s the turn of Bluesky to get all the hype. Backed by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, the platform claims to offer “an open and decentralised standard for social media” – “decentralised” meaning users don’t have an account under one ‘centralised’ company owned by one particular company, but can instead sign up to individual servers and communities owned and managed by other people. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter It's already proven popular, with surreal social media poster Dril and New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez already signed up. In fact, after Twitter’s latest blunder, invite codes to Bluesky became so lucrative and sign-ups became so intense that they had to temporarily pause new registrations (they’ve reopened them now, though, if you fancy a try). And while others are considering whether to jump ship to the rival site, or desperately hunting for the code which will let them in, some Twitter users were reminded of a legendary rock band thanks to the platform’s choice of name: Yep, for a handful of individuals, the hit track from Jeff Lynne and his Electric Light Orchestra (or ELO) came to mind – and it’s perhaps made all the more amusing considering one of “Mr Blue Sky’s” lyrics is the rhetorical question, “where did we go wrong”. If Musk were to ask that question, we’d probably say firing almost half of Twitter’s workforce and therefore making it almost impossible to deal with the demand is part of the problem. And if you were wondering, a few searches on Bluesky appear to suggest that neither Lynne or ELO are on the platform. Indy100 has approached Lynne’s representatives for a statement, but they said the musician was unavailable for comment. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-07 23:47
Who is Taylor Swift's 'Better than Revenge' song about?
Taylor Swift’s third album Speak Now was re-released today as Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) as the multi-award winning artist continues to re-record her catalogue. The new version featured all 14 songs on the original record, as well as six songs ‘from the vault’, which means that Swift wrote them for the album but they didn’t make the cut initially. The album also features artists Fall Out Boy and Hayley Williams from Paramore. When listening to the album fans noticed that Swift had changed a lyric in one of her hit songs. 'Better Than Revenge' is about Swift desiring to get revenge on a romantic rival. The lyric from the original album released in 2010 goes “she’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress.” Which some claimed to be misogynistic and “slutshaming”. So for 'Better Than Revenge (Taylor’s Version)', Swift changed the line to: “he was a moth to flame, she was holding the matches.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Many praised the change, saying it highlighted Swift’s growth, who was 21 when Speak Now was originally released, whilst some fans mourned the original lyric saying it’s exactly what an 18-year-old would write and the authenticity of it has been damaged. However, the lyric change has led many to re discuss who the song was about in the first place. Whilst it has never been confirmed, it is believed that the song is about Joe Jonas, Swift’s ex, and Camilla Belle, the woman Jonas dated after he broke up with Taylor back in 2008. Belle is an actress and model. In fact, Belle’s niece made a TikTok about the song, explaining that Belle is her dad’s half-sister and that “I love that song, even though it’s about my aunt.” Many viewers left comments asking what Belle thought about the now-changed lyric, but there’s currently been no response. @annirouth Replying to @Carolina theres literally not a lot to say about this haha In 2014, Swift spoke to The Guardian about the lyric saying the she was only 18 when she wrote the song: “That’s the age you are when you think someone can actually take your boyfriend. Then you grow up and realise no one takes someone form you if they don’t want to leave.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-07 22:59
MrBeast appears to mock Elon Musk with Tesla giveaway
MrBeast, besides being the most followed creator on YouTube, has now added a further accolade to his social media resume by becoming the most followed person on Threads in a staggeringly quick time as well as taking a swipe at Elon Musk in the process. Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson, quickly amassed more than one million followers (2.8 million at the time of writing) on the new social media app created by Mark Zuckerberg's Meta, which was launched late on July 5th. Donaldson actually has more followers than Zuckerberg who still has an impressive 2 million followers to his name. However, Donaldson was the first person on the platform to reach one million therefore the record will always stand with him. Much of this record will be down to how easy it is for Instagram users to sign up for Threads which also allows users to easily follow everyone that they already followed on Instagram. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter MrBeast, for instance, has 38.6 million followers on Instagram so expect his Threads followers total to grow and grow in the next few days. His first Thread on the platform read: "Sooooo, how long until we're also addicted to this app? Lol." He did though appear to take a thinly veiled dig at Twitter owner Elon Musk. In one post the 25-year-old wrote: "To celebrate Threads launching, I'm gonna give this Tesla to a random follower in 48 hours. Rethread so people are aware." Donaldson then posted a picture of himself next to the Tesla in question which had a huge Threads logo on the bonnet. For those that aren't aware, Elon Musk also owns Tesla and might not be too happy about seeing a rivals logo on one of his cars. There doesn't appear to be any bad blood between Musk and Donaldson as the two have previously teased a collaboration on Twitter. However, the YouTuber has also teased working with Amazon owner Jeff Bezos so he's clearly keeping the billionaires of the world close to him. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-07 21:27
Keke Palmer has fitting response to boyfriend’s comments about her outfit
The internet has been criticising Keke Palmer’s boyfriend, Darius Jackson after he publicly shamed an outfit she wore to an Usher concert, but Palmer has been praised by fans for her unbothered response. After Twitter account RNB RADAR posted a video of Usher serenading the Nope star as she wore a black bodysuit under a sheer polka dot dress, Jackson, with who she shares a baby with, quoted the Tweet writing “it’s the outfit tho… you a mom.” “We live in a generation where a man of the family doesn’t want the wife & mother to his kids to showcase booty cheeks to please others & he gets told how much of a heater he is.” Jackson said in an attempt to defend his earlier comments. “This is my family & my representation. I have standards & morals to what I believe. I rest my case.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter However, social media was unsatisfied with his explanation and continued to criticise him: Whilst some pointed out Jackson’s hypocrisy in his statement: Supporters of Palmer also went to troll Jackson on his Instagram, leaving comments such as “you’re a father, please delete this” and “it’s the outfit tho, you a dad” under shirtless pictures of him. Whilst Palmer hasn’t directly addressed her boyfriend’s comments, she did post on Instagram numerous images of herself in the outfit and fans loved it. Many wrote comments such as: “Don’t let baby daddy dictate what you wear! Put that sh** on!!!”, “Keke said ‘so anyways’”, “She said yeah yeah yeah, whatever”. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-07 19:49
Steve-O forced to correct interview claim that he was addicted to Diet Coke - because it was cocaine
Steve-O awkwardly had to correct an interview question on a new podcast appearance - by clarifying he was addicted to drugs, and not a popular soda drink. The Jackass star appeared on Steven Bartlett's Diary of a CEO, where he spoke about his addiction to getting attention, and drug addiction. Reading out an interview from 2007, Bartlett noted that Steve-O was 'living off Diet Coke, booze, and nitrous'. The stuntman quickly quipped back: "Not Diet Coke, a diet of cocaine...it's called psychosis and it's a fascinating thing". Click here to sign up for our newsletters
2023-07-07 00:23
Logan Paul says Ricochet botch 'blew' Money in the Bank match for him
Logan Paul's appearance at WWE's Money in the Bank ended with a rather nasty table landing - and now the YouTuber is addressing what happened - and passing the blame. “I’m gonna be honest, he (Ricochet) blew the f****** match for me,” he said on Impaulsive, claiming that he wasn't given enough time to figure out how he was going to land. “I walked away this time relatively unscathed", he added. Click here to sign up for our newsletters
2023-07-06 23:20
Florence Pugh compared to a 'god' after exposing her nipples again
Florence Pugh stunned in a sheer gown while attending Valentino's Haute Couture show at Paris Fashion Week – and fans can't get enough, with one likening the star to a "God". The 27-year-old actress headed to the Chateau de Chantilly setting on Wednesday (5 July) for the 2023 show, sporting a delicate lavender gown baring her chest from Pierpaolo Piccioli’s past collection. Pugh took to Instagram to showcase the sheer dress in a string of photos, with thousands complimenting the star and her ensemble. In the caption, Pugh said she felt "inspired" by the Italian designer, adding: "So grateful that we got to see the art that you and your creators and makers worked and continue to work so hard on." She continued: "Stunning again. Well done to all who graced those steps, unbelievably beautiful show. @maisonvalentino." The Instagram post was soon inundated with comments praising Pugh, with one writing: "I don't know how you do it but you always tend to devour every look." Another joked, "I'm honoured to live in Florence Pugh's time," while a third passionate fan of the Don't Worry Darling actress compared her to a God. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The dress marks the second time Pugh freed the nipple at a Valentino event, which surprisingly caused a stir online, forcing Pugh to hit back. "It isn’t the first time and certainly won’t be the last time a woman will hear what’s wrong with her body by a crowd of strangers, what’s worrying is just how vulgar some of you men can be," she wrote at the time. "Thankfully, I’ve come to terms with the intricacies of my body that make me, me. I’m happy with all of the ‘flaws’ that I couldn’t bear to look at when I was 14." She concluded: "Grow up. Respect people. Respect bodies. Respect all women. Respect humans." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-06 22:54
John Cena left looking dejected after backstage interaction with Rhea Ripley
John Cena is going viral for his hilarious interaction with WWE's Rhea Ripley at Money in the Bank over the weekend, when the pair were spotted backstage chatting. Fans joke that in the clip Cena appears to be 'shooting his shot' with the 26-year-old, before she walks away with her belt and he turns to the camera, staring down the lens looking super sad. 'I hope Rhea is ok, standing there talking to herself', one commenter joked, referencing the iconic John Cena meme. Click here to sign up for our newsletters
2023-07-06 18:16
OceanGate website reveals Macklemore went on submersible dive to find sharks
Macklemore once went down in an Oceangate submersible, similar to the one that recently killed five people, it has been revealed. The rapper, who is also a shark enthusiast, travelled 400-feet underwater back in 2014, to go and find some sixgill sharks, in Elliot Bay, Washington. "Our objective was to find the elusive sixgill sharks that roam the deep waters in Puget Sound and fulfill a lifelong dream and ambition of Macklemore, a devoted shark enthusiast," OceanGate's website said. Their mission was a success. Click here to sign up for our newsletters
2023-07-06 17:57
Colleen Ballinger in fresh controversy after blackface performance resurfaces
Colleen Ballinger has faced renewed backlash after old footage reemerges appearing to show her performing in blackface to a Beyonce song. Ballinger is also known for her online persona Miranda Sings who became popular in the 2010s by sharing satirical clips of her singing. Recently, she has faced accusations of grooming minors and was criticised by former fans for turning an apology into a “joke” after posting a video singing and playing the ukulele while referencing the situation Now, the 36-year-old has faced significant backlash for appearing to perform in blackface in a video posted on her YouTube five years ago which remains up as an unlisted clip. In the video, she can be seen wearing a black leotard and is flanked by two male backing dancers as she does an awkward performance of Beyonce’s Single Ladies with what appears to be a black substance painted on her face. A clip from the video was shared on Twitter by British social media influencer Paige Christie, who wrote: “I’m gonna need someone to explain the black on her face…” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The clip left viewers shocked, particularly after Christie did some investigating and found the video had been uploaded as recently as 2018. One person responded: “WHAT?! How has she only now been cancelled pls and the people laughing. I feel sick.” It’s not the first time Ballinger has been accused of racism and racial stereotyping and in 2020, the singer apologised in which she pretended to be Latina. In a video, she said, “It is not funny, and it is completely hurtful”. She continued: “I am so ashamed and embarrassed that I ever thought this was OK. I was a sheltered teenager who was stupid and ignorant and clearly extremely culturally insensitive… Racial stereotypes are not funny, they’re not a joke, and they should never be joked about.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-06 16:22
65 People and Their Famous Last Words
Poignant, funny, sad, weird, or mean—last words can make quite the impact as we shuffle off the stage of life. Here are 65 notable examples.
2023-07-06 06:52
Taylor Swift fan goes viral for nailing Eras tour choreography
Swifties attending Taylor Swift's The Eras tour are going all out, whether that be with their outfits inspired by the singer's different looks, or making Swift-themed friendship bracelets. And also learning stage choreography is all part of concert prep, like one fan who was spotted nailing the dance routine from her seat and the video has since gone viral on TikTok. In the clip posted by Aubrey (@a.n.m.44), Swift performed her song Ready For It? from her 2017 album Reputation on stage at one of her Cincinnati shows. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter And one fan in the audience was definitely ready for it (pardon the pun), judging by her dancing... Viewers noticed a small figure in the background as she danced her heart out to the track and her moves were in sync with Swift's too. @a.n.m.44 she can be my jailer #tserastour2023 #cincinnatinight1 #cincinnati #erastour #taylorswift Since sharing the video, it has received 1.7m views and 214,000 likes with people loving the fan's dedication to the dance along. One person said: "The girl in the back doing the choreo with Taylor makes this entire video." "PLS THE GIRL IN THE BACK I LOVE HER," another person wrote. A third added: "Girl in white shorts was READY for this." "The girl in the white shorts is LIVING!!!!" a fourth person replied. Someone else commented: "The girl in the back ATE," and a different commenter similarly responded: "girl in the back is SO REAL i was the only one in my section doing the dance!!!!" The dancer in the video has since identified herself as Ashley Casebolt (@Ashley_8123) who duetted the original video and put a spin on a Taylor Swift lyric: "It’s me, hi, I’m the dancer, it’s me." @ashley_8123 #duet with @aubrey It’s me, hi ?? I’m the dancer, it’s me. ?? #CincyTSTheErasTour #swifttok #taylorswift #erastour Elsewhere, pregnant Taylor Swift fan documents waters breaking at concert and Taylor Swift fans most extreme strategies to get UK tour tickets. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-05 21:57