If there’s one lesson COVID-19 has taught us, it’s that everything is harder now. The people and support we took for granted have never been needed more, and that stress and pressure is manifesting in ways we probably aren’t even aware of yet. But some people are trying to make a difference, even in the face of the stiffer challenge.

For the parents of premature babies and newborns confined to a NICU, this can be an especially crushing time. Not only are the routines, hours and processes at the hospitals different, but the parents are also isolated from family and friends that would normally carry them through something traumatic like that.

Huggies and non-profit Hand to Hold are doing something about that. The nonprofit for NICU families announced an innovative new project, launching virtual support groups for NICU families and nurses. The virtual support sessions will be free for caregivers and families and are modeled after the in-person groups Hand to Hold used to run.

Huggies, who already sponsors a plethora of game-changing charities for parents, is sponsoring the rollout of this national program.

This is the world we’re in now, and if we’re all living on Zoom, it’s important that support resources like this are available for NICU parents.

“NICU families are facing escalating mental health challenges due to virus infection fears, additional financial concerns, limitations on when they can visit their baby in the NICU and being socially isolated from their support system of family and friends,” said Kelli Kelley, NICU parent and founder/CEO of Hand to Hold, in a press release. She said providing a “hand to hold” and emotional support for parents is vital.

These days, we all need all the help we can get, so if you know a NICU family or a parent going through the experience of a premature baby or the loss of a baby, send them to the nonprofit’s website to sign up for a session.

You don’t have to fire up your Zoom game to get support either, as the group runs a series of private Facebook groups for parents as well.

Rebecca Dunphey, President of Baby and Childcare, Kimberly-Clark North
America said the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging everyone to help however they can. “We have Huggies hospital partners and NICUs top of mind right now, and ensuring they have Huggies products and services, like these virtual support groups, available to help care for their tiniest patients is a priority and privilege,” she said.

It’s not always easy to leave the role that made you a household name behind.

Often, such a role can make it hard to get new jobs. Just look at everyone who starred in Seinfeld besides Julia-Louis Dreyfus. Or look at Jon Hamm, who has spent years veering into comedy as a way of broadening his appeal and stepping outside of Don Draper’s shadow (next up: Fletch!). Of course, not every actor wants to shed their most famous role. We recently learned that Kiefer Sutherland is game to play Jack Bauer in a new 24. Bryan Cranston is joining the cast of Malcolm in the Middle character for a table-read reunion. And the better news is that he’s also more than willing to put on the black hat and play Walter White again. (P.S. Breaking Bad was just voted the best show of the century on Twitter.)

In an interview with Collider to promote upcoming Disney+ movie The One and Only Ivan, Cranston says he’d play the meth kingpin again “in a second.”

The last time we saw Walter White was in El Camino, the Breaking Bad Netflix movie about Jesse’s post-series escape from New Mexico. Cranston appeared in a flashback scene near the end of the movie. There have also been rumors that he will show up on the acclaimed prequel/spin-off series Better Call Saul, (like Hank did) which is steadily approaching the timeline of Breaking Bad and will wrap up next season.

Cranston has already been asked to direct episodes of that show but hasn’t yet been able to make it work.

“I have been asked to direct an episode every single season and it just didn’t work out because of a commitment to doing a play or doing a movie or something, so I wasn’t able to section out the times available. But I do love the show. I think it’s a fantastic show,” he told Collider.

And then he admitted he’d love to play Heisenberg again, perhaps on Saul.

“I would be in it if Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, who are co-executive producers on it, wanted me to be in it. I would do it in a second. But it hasn’t happened yet, I can tell you, and we’ll see. I don’t know. There’s one more season to go and we’ll see what happens!”

So fingers crossed that Saul Goodman runs across Walter White before his show wraps up. I think we’d all love more Walter White in our lives! Thankfully, it seems the man who made him famous does too.

One of the biggest cliches in comedy is that the funniest performers often have the darkest inner lives. This has seemed true in a number of cases over the years, but perhaps the most shocking example was beloved comedian and actor Robin Williams, who we lost nearly six years ago.

To most of the fans who loved watching his manic performances on stage, at Comic Relief, in Mrs. Doubtfire, or as the Genie in Disney’s Aladdin, this didn’t compute. How could such a talented guy, so gifted at making other people laugh, be so sad and troubled? Mental illness is a complicated thing, and you can’t always tell when someone is afflicted and struggling.

A new movie hopes to shed a bit of light on this discrepancy, using Robin Williams’ last few days to illuminate the issue.

Robin’s Wish, a documentary from Vertical entertainment, directed by Tyler Norwood, will be released in September, details the entertainer’s fight with Lewy body dementia, a deadly neurodegenerative disorder, through interviews with medical professionals and various people who knew him well, including his wife Susan Schneider Williams.

In a statement, she wrote: “During the last year of his life, Robin was confronted with anxiety, paranoia, insomnia, scary altered realities and a roller coaster of hope and despair. With our medical team’s care we chased a relentless parade of symptoms but with very little gain. It wasn’t until after Robin’s passing, in autopsy, that the source of his terror was revealed: he had Diffuse Lewy body disease. It was one of the worst cases medical professionals had seen. Armed with the name of a brain disease I’d never heard of, I set out on a mission to understand it, and that led me down my unchosen path of advocacy. With invaluable help from leading medical experts, I saw that what Robin and I had gone through, finally made sense, our experience matched up with the science. And what I discovered along the way was bigger than me, and bigger than Robin. The full story was revealed during the making of this film and it holds the truth that Robin and I had been searching for.”

Watch the trailer:

Then visit the Robin Williams YouTube channel to cheer yourself up.

RIP Mork, you’re missed.

Summer’s here and the grill is hot. But even the staunchest of grillmasters will tell you: a BBQ may be carried by meats and main dishes, but it’s nothing without good side game. And while mashed potatoes are amazing, a bowl of starchy carbs isn’t always ideal for a hot day in the backyard.

Side salads, once the most boring of pot-luck options, deserve a fresh new look to complete your cookout spread.  We’ve teamed up with Simple Truth® to put together some side dishes that avoid the post-meal slog with pure, simple ingredients and vibrant flavors. These dishes are all super easy, super affordable, and most importantly: they’re delicious.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad

Nothing says summer like watermelon; they taste like vacation. Gourmet Chef Brooke Williamson helped us elevate our favorite fruit by tossing with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. The result is a refined salad that will have the whole family smiling like it’s the first day of a three day weekend. Check out Brooke’s 1-minute method here.

Total time: 30 MIN Serves: 10

Ingredients:

• 1⁄2 cup Simple Truth Organic™  Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 containers (10 oz. each) Simple Truth™  Organic Grape Tomatoes 
• 6 cups cubed watermelon
• 1⁄2 red onion
• 1 cup mozzarella balls
• 1 cup Simple Truth™  Simple Truth™  Organic Basil, cut into ribbons
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper

1. In a small bowl, whisk oil and vinegar. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, watermelon, red onion, mozzarella and basil. 
3. Add the vinaigrette and combine it well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, refrigerating any leftovers. 

Fajita Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is a staple of the picnic table, but if you’re just drenching penne noodles in that white creamy stuff, people will pass it over. Spice it up with some Tex-Mex inspired spins for a more exciting option. This recipe is great because it’s flexible. Swap the chicken for more beans or throw some bell peppers in there. It’s all delicious!  

Prep time: 20 MIN Cook time: 30 MIN Total time: 50 MIN + 1 HOUR MARINATING TIME Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Simple Truth Organic™  Chicken Breast
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt, plus more for seasoning chicken
• Simple Truth Organic™ Mexican Style Al Pastor Seasoning Rub 
• 1 lime, divided
• 2 Tbsp. Simple Truth Organic™ Olive Oil
• 1 box (16 oz.) Simple Truth Organic™ Penne Rigate
• 1 bag (12 oz.) Simple Truth Organic™ Frozen Corn
• 1 can (15 oz.) Simple Truth Organic™ Pinto Beans
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup Simple Truth Organic™ Plain Greek Nonfat Yogurt
• 1 avocado, cubed, divided
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1⁄4 tsp. cumin

1. Season chicken with salt and Seasoning Rub on all sides. Place inside a large, zip-top bag. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound chicken to about 1⁄4 inch thickness.
2. Squeeze juice of 1⁄2 lime into the bag. Add oil. Seal and massage liquid into the meat. Marinate in refrigerator at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
3. Heat grill to medium-high. Discard marinade and grill chicken approximately 6 minutes per side, ensuring a safe internal temperature of 165°F. Chop chicken into bite-size pieces. Set aside; keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and immediately add frozen corn to hot pasta. Transfer back to pasta pot. Add beans, tomatoes, and onions. Stir to combine.
5. To make the dressing, blend yogurt, 1⁄2 avocado, cilantro, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, cumin, and juice of remaining 1⁄2 lime in a blender until completely smooth.

Gently heat pasta mixture on stove until warm. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Add chicken. Toss with dressing. Top with remaining 1⁄2 avocado. Serve, refrigerating any leftovers.

Crispy Chickpea and Orzo Salad

Speaking of pasta salad, Chef Brooke showed us a more gourmet upgrade that uses orzo for a fluffier, richer take. Add some crunch with roasted garbanzo beans and a creamy Goddess dressing, and you’ve got a pasta salad that won’t take up all of your leftover containers. Pro tip: To avoid clumping, wash, drain well, and toss with oil before cooking. Check out Chef’s recipe here.

Prep time: 10 MIN Cook time: 45 MIN Total time: 55 MIN Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 can (15 oz.) Simple Truth Organic™  Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 Tbsp. Simple Truth Organic™  Olive Oil
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt
• 1⁄4 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1⁄4 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 cups cooked orzo
• 1 container (10 oz.) Simple Truth Organic™  Grape Tomatoes, halved 
• 1 cucumber, sliced then quartered
• 1⁄2 cup Simple Truth Organic™  Creamy Goddess Dressing

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place garbanzo beans on a clean dish towel and gently pat dry. In a small bowl, combine beans, oil, salt, paprika, and garlic powder; toss to coat.
3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour garbanzo bean mixture in even layer. Roast 40–45 minutes, gently turning every 15 minutes, until crisp and lightly browned.
4. Add orzo to a large serving bowl. Top with tomatoes, cucumber and beans. Serve with dressing, refrigerating any leftovers. 

Keto Ice Cream Sundaes

Okay, with three salads on the books, you deserve a treat. Sanding by the grill on a hot summer days demands ice cream. So for our final side item, we’re giving the greatest BBQ the curtain call it deserves with a keto-friendly dessert that harnesses the power of the greatest flavor combination known on this earth: chocolate and peanut butter.  

Prep time: 5 MIN Cook time: 8 MIN Total time: 13 MIN Serves: 2

• 1⁄4 cup low-carb nuts of your choice, like Simple Truth™  Walnut Pieces, hazelnuts or almonds 
• 4 Tbsp. peanut butter powder
• 3 Tbsp. water
• 4 scoops Simple Truth™ Keto French Ice Cream – Coffee Chip or Chocolate Chip, each work well.
  

1. Set sauté pan over medium-low heat. Toast nuts, stirring occasionally, 5–8 minutes until browned and fragrant.
2. Stir peanut butter powder and water to create drizzle.
3. Divide ice cream evenly between two bowls. Drizzle with peanut butter and sprinkle with nuts. Enjoy, freezing any leftovers.
   

Simple Truth®  provides all-natural ingredients for fresh meals suitable for any diet. With clean snacking staples to meatless alternatives to your favorite Summer staples, the simple truth: is eating well doesn’t have to mean boring eating. So spruce up your BBQ with a selection of affordable and inspiring ingredients from Simple Truth®.

The Parents of Scary Mommy, The Dad and Fatherly Weigh In

A family BBQ is instantly recognizable, but no two are quite the same. Everyone has their own hard-earned and iron-clad opinions about everything from marinades to grill architecture. It’s the little details, the flourishes of technique, and the secret recipes that make each family’s BBQ both traditional and unique. We cornered the editorial staff of Scary Mommy, Fatherly, and The Dad to find out what makes their family BBQ the perfect BBQ.

Joel, Editor-In-Chief of The Dad

“This is a pretty major dad-confession, but I’d rather cook on a cast iron than a grill or BBQ. Please don’t publish that!”  (Sorry Joel)

“But even when I do man the grill, the cast iron’s still great for veggies. I’ll cook asparagus in bacon grease with it directly on the grill. Also, this is 100% fact: ever since we did that Kroger story last year, I swear by their BBQ rubs for steak and chicken. I even use the Memphis Rub on salmon to give it a little sweet tang. So good.”

Brooke, Top Chef Winner & Scary Mommy Contributor

“For me, the perfect BBQ includes a very balanced plate of food. But not like four separate meals on one plate – I want a sweet and a sour, a rich, and an acidic. I like to hit all the notes. If it’s a rich marbled piece of meat, then I like to have a bright, acidic slaw.”

You can see Chef Brooke’s favorite BBQ staples here, and some fresh take on sides here.

Rob, writer for The Dad

“The defining factor is the type of meat you’re going for. It’s important to know your cuts – If it’s tenderness you seek, choose a cut from low-activity muscles like the loin – tenderloin, sirloin, T-bone – or ribs. Leaner, tougher cuts are great for flavor and texture – flank steak is perfect for fajitas. And for slow cooking and braising, look for tough, heavily exercised regions – the shoulder, leg, and rump – or places where there is a lot of connective tissue, like the shank, or oxtail.”

Rachel, writer for Scary Mommy

“We celebrate my brother’s birthday every year as a kick-off to the summer season. We make these amazing ribs by turning the normal charcoal grill into a DIY smoker. You lay the charcoal bricks with pre-soaked woodchips on one half of the grill, and a tin pan half-filled with a really good apple juice on the other. Light the grill under the wood chips, and cook the meat on the opposite end of the grill so you’re smoke circulates.”

Jared, writer for The Dad 

“For me, it’s about the sauce. I grew up in Florida, so BBQ was super sweet and syrupy when I was a kid. That rib-sticking stuff is still amazing, but I wrote a piece last year about the history and background for all the regional styles of BBQ, and it changed my whole game. I’m an honorary Carolina guy now – it’s all about that sharp vinegar base. I swiped all the Private Selection® Carolina rubs and sauces from The Dad studio, and now those are the only thing I use to grill chicken wings.”

Dave, Creative Director for The Dad / Scary Mommy

“I love a classic steak as much as the next guy, but I’ve been really into trying different marinades lately. It’s fun to change up the flavor profile rather than cooking the same thing every weekend. I really love Chinese BBQ, so I’ll marinate a pork shoulder with char-sui cooking sauce. Also, chicken can go a lot further than you think when you spice it up with something like a Peruvian Aji Amarillo Marinade.”

Joanna, writer for Scary Mommy

“I love a turkey burger, but turkey is can be tricky to get right on the grill. Since it’s less fatty than beef, I’ll keep mine moist and juicy by placing an ice cube on the patty while it cooks. While it melts, the moisture gets absorbed by the meat! Or, if you want to be a little decadent, you could do the same thing with a tab of butter that you let sit in the freezer for a few minutes.”

Matt, writer & host for The Dad

Pizza stone on the grill, or even just pizza straight on the dang grill! I’ve been saying it for years! Simple Truth® has a gluten-free pizza crust mix that’s organic and non-GMO and all that good stuff. Or to turn boring ole’ weeknight frozen pizza into a *chef’s kiss* meal, there are a bunch of primo Private Selection™ pies that take just a couple minutes on the grill. Grilled mushrooms & truffle oil over a thin crust? Can’t beat it. It might not “BBQ” per se, but it’s cooking outside, and that’s what counts.”

Whether you’re throwing pizzas on the grill for a quick dinner or digging an honest BBQ pit to slow smoke something unforgettable, the heart of “the perfect BBQ” is really the joy it brings you and your family.

Kroger’s® Private Selection®  is a collection of select ingredients that elevate any dish into an experience to savor. Kroger’s® Simple Truth® provides all-natural ingredients for fresh creations suitable for any diet. We gave a lot of love for these brands in this article, and while it is sponsored content, we are honest fans.

How A Celebrity Chef & Mom finds room for everything.

This summer, Chef Brooke Williamson showed us some of her favorite dishes for the perfect BBQ. The Top-Chef winner, business owner, and mom knows the importance of sharing a meal that is suitable for all tastes while using elevated ingredients for a sensational experience. That’s why she works with Kroger’s® Private Selection® and Simple Truth® ingredients to create a Perfect BBQ. We sat down with Brooke between takes to discuss the perfect BBQ, a fear of heights, and how she got her kid to try something other than chicken fingers.

For you, what is the perfect plate of BBQ?
Williamson: Variety. Definitely. I like a very balanced plate of food, and that doesn’t mean four separate meals on one plate, but I do want a sweet and a sour, a rich and an acidic. I like to hit all the notes. But to me, just a hot dog with all the fixings – ketchup and mustard and relish and onions…that can totally be a balanced plate of BBQ on its own. 

Is there a cooking style or cuisine that you are partial to or originally inspired you, and why? 

Williamson: I would say that being born and raised in Los Angeles, produce inspires me more than anything. I would say that California cuisine is what it is because produce is so prevalent and sort of the king of ingredients here. (Editor’s Note: check out Brooke’s take on veggie-forward BBQ sides

What talent would you most like to have that you don’t currently possess? 

Williamson: I would love to be able to play an instrument. My son plays the piano and I’m so jealous of his abilities. He inspires me. Or Flying. (laughter) Flying an airplane, because I’m so massively afraid of heights that I feel like maybe that would help me get over it. So, yeah. Piano and airplanes.

So many foods, particularly vegetables, had a bad rap but are seeing such a resurgence. Suddenly people are like “oh brussel sprouts are good!”

Williamson: My son’s favorite vegetable.

If you told me that in 1989, I would have said that’s insane. Do you think it’s because like…our parents’ generation just… didn’t know how to cook? 

Williamson:  My mom was a great cook, but I also think that she followed basic recipes. That is kind of what you did in the eighties. Now perhaps, people feel a bit more liberty to impart their own thoughts and ideas into their food. (Editor’s Note: Check Out Brooke’s spin on BBQ classics) I think that the realization that produce is sometimes better when left alone came to fruition, so now their’s some more personal liberty to practice some personal likes and dislikes. 

Are there any lessons you’ve learned cooking for a family that carries over into your professional kitchens? Or Vice Versa? 

Williamson: My home life and my, my business life doesn’t have a line of separation, you know? So the way that my brain works in the kitchen is the way my brain works in the kitchen. I think a lot of my structure, technique, and follow-through in the home kitchen is very similar at work. 

So, like, you have a little ticket rack for tracking orders in your home kitchen?

WIlliamson: No! Ha, but I try to cook with variety so if there’s part of a meal that doesn’t particularly appeal to someone, there are other options there. And I think that has been the best way to get my son to be open-minded about food – to provide options for him to decide for himself. You know multiple choices that aren’t chicken tenders. And it’s also sort of my responsibility to guide my customers to new dishes, without them feeling like I’m trying to educate them. 

Are there any awesome healthy alternatives to kid-favorite dishes you are partial to?

Williamson: We try to eat healthy at home because we eat out a lot. So we try to balance dining out and junk food by making a rule of not having a lot of junk in the house. But you can’t keep a kid from eating chocolate chip cookies all the time. There are concessions you make, and you find the balance somewhere else. I made this one that’s a total 180 of a classic kid food, which is chocolate pudding. I used Simple Truth Organic™ Hass Avocado. That’s an incredibly specific swap out. (Editor’s Note:  She made it for us, and it checks out. Find the recipe here.)

You’re a renowned chef, a business owner, and the youngest woman to cook at the James Beard House…a lot of accolades. But what is the hardest you’ve ever bombed?

Williamson:  I mean, just because I have all those qualifications on my resume doesn’t mean that I’m a master at anything. I fall on my face all the time! And when I fall hard, that’s when I learned the biggest lessons. I don’t have anything specific that stands out because, because I don’t take my failures to heart, you know? Even with what’s going on in the world, with the pandemic and restaurants struggling…my son actually asked me why I became a chef, because it seems so much harder than what his friends’ parents do. It seems like we’re constantly trying to figure out what to do next. And, you know, we don’t have a stable lifestyle or the huge house, or the knowledge of, you know, what next month is going to look like. But I wouldn’t trade my life for anything else in the world, because it’s what makes me happy. And if I hadn’t become a chef, I wouldn’t have met my husband. I wouldn’t have my son. So I think the biggest lesson that I’ve learned is to just sort of take everything in stride and, and know that there’s always a way to change the outcome. If I were to like fester on one specific instance where I’ve failed miserably, then I feel like I wouldn’t be able to move on.

You just burned your hand on the stove. What’s your go-to curse word? 

Williamson: Oh, “mother flower.” (Editor’s Note: She could have meant “flour”.)

Do you actually say “flower” or are you censoring yourself because we’re a parenting brand?

Williamson: It depends on how painful the burn is!  I had a line cook in like the early 2000s and it was an open kitchen so he would say “mother flower” every time he was mad about something. To this day -and it actually has very little to do with having a kid because he hears me swear all the time – but if I’m just really frustrated, the first thing that comes to my mind is “mother flower.”

As a Mom Chef, what is the best meal you’ve made for your family? 

Williamson: You know what? I’m, I’m actually most happy with myself when something is perfectly seasoned and cooked properly. So like, it doesn’t really matter what I’m cooking. If I brine a pork tenderloin for the perfect number of hours or if a marinade for steak has that perfect balance….Cause I don’t really measure anything. So it’s kind of always a crapshoot. If I execute perfectly, then I’m pretty satisfied. But if I can do something well, that’s what makes me satisfied. 

Chef Brooke showed us some of her favorite BBQ dishes and sides the whole family will love using her favorite ingredients from Private Selection® and Simple Truth®.  Private Selection® is a collection of select ingredients that elevate any dish into an experience to savor. Simple Truth® provides all-natural ingredients for fresh creations suitable for any diet. You can check out more of our work with Chef Brooke here, and be sure to elevate your summer BBQ’s with Kroger’s® Private Selection® and Simple Truth® .

I keep getting bombarded with news about a new TV remake of The Fugitive, ya know, that old TV show turned Harrison Ford movie about a doctor accused of murdering his wife who goes on the run to catch the one-armed man he knows really did it? Anyway, they’ve reimagined it, of course, and this time it’s Boyd Holbrook playing the titular fugitive, accused of a terrorist bombing and pursued by the 21st century’s most relentless cop: Kiefer Sutherland.

The show is on Quibi so I’ll never see it, but if Kiefer has his way, he’ll be back playing his most famous character (no shots at David in The Lost Boys, or Lieutenant Kendrick): Jack Bauer.

Just after 9/11 hit, Sutherland reinvented himself on Fox’s groundbreaking, watercooler sensation 24, starring as Jack Bauer. Bauer was a bad-ass, whatever-it-takes counterterrorist agent hunting for his daughter, outing moles, supporting various presidents, thwarting nuclear bombs, and even exposing corrupt presidents, all in real-time.

The show eventually petered out as its politics got controversial and its gimmick got old and unsustainable. The franchise attempted a few half-hearted attempts to keep it going, both with and without Kiefer, but while doing the rounds for The Fugitive, the star says he’d be willing to play Bauer again.

He told Forbes that he’s never closed the door on the character, and would love to do a movie.

“I’ve been banging my head against a brick wall for a movie for so long that I’ve got a concussion,” he laughed. “Honestly, the form more 24 would take doesn’t matter to me as much as the quality of the story. If someone comes up with a great story that can be told in two hours, then we’re going to make a movie, but if someone comes up with a great story that could be 24 hours, we’ll do the show.”

With all the TV shows being converted into movies, and all the old ideas being repurposed into something else, this isn’t a huge stretch. We’ll see if anything comes of it.

No word yet on whether or not Elisha Cuthbert and any cougars would be willing to appear, but we’ll keep you posted.

Since the invention of cars, they have been more far more than modes of transportation. Cars are often status symbols, full of features and aesthetic enhancements that have no impact on how efficient they are at doing their jobs. Cars like Mercedes, Porsches, and BMWs are aspirational to many because they’re often seen as a physical manifestation of success. One UK man named Paul Renshaw took his ride to the next level by building himself a leveled-up version of his favorite childhood car. That’s right – Paul built himself an adult-sized motorized Little Tikes Cozy Coupe.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Paul Redshaw (@redshawpaul) on Jul 26, 2020 at 7:57am PDT

It took two months and a little under $200, but Paul’s project is complete. His new set of wheels can fit most full-sized adults (as long as you’re relatively flexible and not claustrophobic), and can hit speeds of 25mph. The car (we’re using the term loosely) has an engine, headlights, an accelerator, and most importantly, functional brakes. Marine engineer and father of two told LAD bible how this unique vehicle came to be. He explained, “A few years ago my daughter sent me a photo of a tot rod based on a Tikes car and asked me if I could build one. I immediately said yes, but I was thinking that I wanted to be able to drive it, not just push it along.”

 

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Steering test on the #littletikes #cozycoupe #crazycoupe #totrod #hotrod

A post shared by Paul Redshaw (@redshawpaul) on Oct 9, 2017 at 1:36pm PDT

Paul began collecting parts to build his (not so) Little Tikes knockoff including scrap metal, an engine from a floor sweeper, and other pieces given to him by friends. The body was challenging because he was too large to fit in the actual Cozy Coupe. Using fiberglass, rivets, and two Cozy Coupes mushed together, Paul got the job done.

 

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A post shared by Paul Redshaw (@redshawpaul) on Nov 3, 2017 at 12:52pm PDT

The project was undoubtedly time-consuming, and likely took a lot of trial and error to get the final product. To Paul and anyone who encounters his ridiculous ride, the effort was well worth it. The reactions to the Big Tikes (patent pending) Cozy Coupe have been predictably positive. “It brings a smile to everyone and the kids love it,” Paul said. “A lot of kids have Cozy Coupes at the back of their garden so when they see a bigger one with an engine they all want to drive it – same goes with all the adults, it reminds them of their childhood.”

Over the past 30 years, the movies have suffered from the lack of a compelling version of what was once the most famous superhero in the world. There have been a lot of Supermans and almost-Supermans over the years, and mone of them have lived up to Christopher Reeve’s (and director Richard Donner’s) take on the character.

Brandon Routh and Henry Cavill followed him to… less success, and Nicolas Cage was all set to play a weirdo Superman in Tim Burton’s dark take, but at this point the problem is less the casting than the project itself. If only Superman were a Marvel character instead of mired in the mess that is DC (no offense to the Snyderhive), perhaps he’d be in better standing.

Well, Marvel does have a version, and he may be appearing at some point. And he may be played by Brad Pitt.

According to the movie website, We Got This Covered, who’ve seen many of their scoops come to pass on the big screen, the MCU is eyeing Brad Pitt for the role of Hyperion, an Eternal who bears something a resemblance to the last son of Krypton.

Purposefully modeled on Superman, Hyperion is an Eternal – whom we’ll see explored in Chloe Zhao’s forthcoming movie, which has been delayed by the pandemic – and the leader of the Squadron Supreme, which is likewise modeled on the Justice League, with members based on other famous DC heroes (e.g., Nighthawk (Batman), Power Princess (Wonder Woman) and Whizzer (Flash)).

The Hyperion movie was first rumored back in the spring, but Brad Pitt’s potential involvement is a new wrinkle. Pitt has yet to don the tights/cape ensemble – unless you count his fleeting cameo in Deadpool 2 – but he would certainly be an interesting choice for a Superman-esque figure. He definitely has the looks for it, not that our yellow sun would affect the symmetry of one’s face.

Or would it? I’m not a doctor.

Have you ever wondered what SpongeBob’s life was like as a child? Of course you have, and now you will get a little bit of an answer as the SpongeBob prequel series “Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years” has a new home.

ViacomCBS announced Kamp Koral will premier on CBS All Access, its streaming offering which is relaunching itself in 2021. This is terrific news for parents who desperately needed yet another streaming service to add to the rotation. But, it is cool news if you have kids who swear by SpongeBob since this is the first spin-off series in franchise history (which includes 10+ seasons of the original show and a few movies).

“Kamp Koral” will focus on 10-year-old SpongeBob Squarepants and friends at a summer camp doing underwatery summer camp things (fishing/swimming/etc.). CBS All Access will have some other quality programming, including Nickelodeon’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” the regular SpongeBob show, and a pair of legendary Comedy Central shows, “Reno 911!” and “Chappelle’s Show” in addition to other titles.

So, come for the SpongeBob, stay for the classic sketch comedy shows, perfectly digestible for the streaming era.

The show was originally slated to premiere in July on Nickelodeon but was shifted to CBS All Access as part of a Viacom move to beef up the streaming option (which just got about 3,500 episodes of Comedy Central/Nickelodeon/MTV/BET shows added to its library).

When the show was first greenlit, a Nickelodeon spokesperson said there was “an incredible universe to expand upon” and the show’ was a “testament to the strength and longevity of these characters known and loved by generations of fans around the world.”

The show doesn’t yet have a specific premiere date on the streaming service.