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9 great moments that made the Grammys worth watching.

Music's biggest night did not disappoint.

The Grammy Awards returned Monday night. It was an evening of catchy pop music, a few acoustic surprises, and a handful of moments that left me simultaneously applauding and crying from my couch like a woman with nothing to lose.

Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS.

Here's what everyone will be talking about around the watercooler — oh, who am I kidding? on Twitter — this morning.

1. Kendrick Lamar had a night to remember, with a performance I'll never forget.

Kendrick Lamar, who went 0-7 in the 2014 Grammys, returned victorious this year, taking home five statues for songs and performances from his album "To Pimp A Butterfly."

It was also the first time since 2013 that Best Rap Album went to a person of color. Will the wonders of this Black History Month ever cease? Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for NARAS.

Then, Lamar blew everyone's mind with a performance that was absolutely game-changing. It was beautiful, politically charged, and unabashedly black. Powerful, especially so in the wake of Beyonce's fantastic and unapologetically black performance at Super Bowl 50. In a word, it was flawless.

GIF via "The Grammys."

2. Lady Gaga performed an elaborate, moving farewell for David Bowie and reminded everyone for the second time this month that she can really, really sing.

Who better to salute a man made of stardust than Gaga? She even had his face tattooed on her side over the weekend just to prepare, which definitely beats doing the usual scales-and-tongue-twister vocal warm-ups.

Gaga (and musical director Nile Rodgers) managed to weave a near-chronological journey through Bowie's massive catalog of hits including "Space Oddity," "Changes," and "Let's Dance."

The music was paired with a multi-sensory backgrounds powered by sensors and controllers behind Rodgers' guitar and on Gaga's hands.

Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for NARAS.

To put it plainly, it was a gender-bending, genre-smashing, mind-blowing tribute to a man known for his innovative performances.

3. Stevie Wonder made us fall in love with Stevie Wonder all over again.

He also got the entire crowd, and the audience at home, talking about braille accessibility and accessibility for "every single person with a disability."

GIF via "The Grammys."

4. Adele wasn't even nominated this year, but she showed up to remind us we're not worthy.

I am totally here for any and all Adele pop-ins. Her performance was stripped down, steeped in raw emotion, and perfectly imperfect with a few cracks and pops along the way.

But damn if it didn't sound great.

Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images.

Plus she gave a shoutout to Kendrick Lamar before she left the stage. NEVER CHANGE, ADELE.

5. The cast of Broadway smash "Hamilton" completely killed it, all the way from New York City.

Their performance was live via satellite from the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York, but somehow, the cast managed to slay from 2,800 miles away. And in knickers and corsets no less. Work!

GIF via "The Grammys."

6. Taylor Swift remained unapologetically herself and reminded us all to be unapologetically ourselves too.

The country-turned-pop star opened the show with a performance of her single "Out of the Woods," and took home three gold gramophone statues, including Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Music Video for "Bad Blood," and Album of the Year.

She's the first woman to win Album of the Year twice, and after her big win, she gave an affirming speech all about resilience and the road to fame. It's a good listen for anyone needing a pick-me-up (unless your name rhymes with Sonyay Best).

7. The youngest Grammy nominee and performer was 12-year-old jazz pianist Joey Alexander.

He had the audience on their feet, and was probably feeling pretty nervous. Make 'em sweat, Joey.

Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images.

8. Johnny Depp performed with his band, Hollywood Vampires, so it seems middle-aged white guys weren't completely shut out from this year's festivities.

But don't worry, there's always next year.

See also: The Glenn Frey tribute with the Eagles and Jackson Brown.

9. At the end of the show, Beyoncé graced us with her presence.

She didn't sing, but all is forgiven since she's helping out the people of Flint, and because she's freakin' Beyoncé.

Photo by Robyn Beck /AFP/Getty Images.

And that was the Grammys.

Come for the music, stay for the bold political statements and innovative performances. Or Beyoncé. Always stay for Beyoncé.

Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS.

Pop Culture

'Wheel of Fortune' fans left shocked after contestant wins $50,000 solving impossible puzzle

“How in the world did you solve that last one?” asked host Ryan Seacrest.

Wheel of Fortune/Youtube

That was quite impressive.

Listen, while we all love a hilarious Wheel of Fortune fail, watching an epic win can be just as entertaining. And that’s exactly what recently happened on The Wheel when a contestant named Traci Demus-Gamble made a winning puzzle solve so out-of-nowhere that it made host Ryan Seacrest jokingly check her for a hidden earpiece.

In a clip posted to the show’s YouTube account Friday, Jan. 17, Demus-Gamble waved to her husband who was standing on the sidelines before going up to the stage for her next challenge: guess a four-word “phrase.”

Demus-Gamble wasn’t off to a great start, as only two of her given letters (“T” and “E”) made it to the board. And the odds didn’t improve much after Demus-Gamble, admittedly “nervous,” gave the letters “M,” “C,” “D,” and “O” and only two of those letters showed up once on the board.

“Again, not too much more, but who knows, you’ve had a lot of good luck tonight,” Seacrest said. “Maybe it’ll strike you.”

Then, all in under ten seconds (more like in 1.5 seconds), Demus-Gamble correctly guessed, “They go way back” like it was nothing.

Watch the incredible moment below:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

As the audience cheered, Seacrest playfully circled Demus-Gamble, as though searching for an earpiece that must have fed her the winning guess. Down in the comments, people were equally floored.

“Now THAT was an amazing solve.”

“Wow! That was impressive!”

“I couldn't solve that one to save my life, but Demus-Gamble got it like it was nothing.”

“There's only one way to describe this to me: 😦”

At the end of the clip, Seacrest opened the envelope to reveal that Demus-Gamble’s puzzle solve won her $50,000, earning her a total win of $78,650. Certainly not chump change.

As for her winning strategy—Demus-Gamble assured no cheating was involved. “I just dug deep," she told Seacrest. We’ll say.

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Joy

People with unusual laughs were put together on a TV talk show and hilarious chaos erupted

What's that beeping noise?

via Sunny Skyz Videos/YouTube

Some people with unusual laughs can't keep it together.

A French TV show, “C'est Mon Choix,” made a hilariously diabolical programming decision and put together people who have unusual laughs on the same stage at the same time in an episode entitled, “‘Mon Rire Ne Passe Pas Inapercu’ or (“My Laugh Does Not Go Unnoticed”). The funny thing is that even though the clip is in French, it doesn’t really matter if you don’t speak the language; you'll probably still find it funny.

The guests on the show were seated beneath placards with a picture of what their laughs sounded like, including a pig, car horn, horse, seagull, and rooster. But once the woman who snorts like a pig started laughing, the other people on the panel joined in, and each funny laugh forced the others into fits of bizarre laughter. The whole thing is a laugh riot that builds like a crescendo.

The show’s host, Évelyne Thomas, cannot keep it together, especially when she asks a man on the panel if his laugh has affected his romantic life. "If you are single, it is not because of your laughter?"

"I hope not," the man responded before he began laughing like a dolphin.

- YouTubeyoutu.be

Commenters on the video loved the setup and how the participants had a blast playing along. They could have easily felt insecure or ridiculed, but they seemed to be in on the joke. "Whoever came up with this concept is an absolute genius,” one commenter wrote. “I swear their laughs combined sound exactly what I think the Amazon rainforest sounds like,” another added.

"I love the fact they are mature enough to have a sense of humor about it,” a commenter said.

What’s interesting about the video was how once one person in the stage began to laugh, it had a ripple effect on the rest of the participants, the host, and the audience. Many people laughed because the bizarre cackles were funny, but as research has shown, laughter is contagious. When one person starts laughing, it physically affects those around them.



Is laughter contagious?

“Laughter is a social phenomenon,” Sophie Scott, a neuroscientist at University College London, said according to Psychological Science, who wrote a study showing that the brain responds to laughter by preparing one’s facial muscles to join in. Hence, you start to feel a tug at your lips when someone next to you begins to chuckle. “Contagious laughter demonstrates affection and affiliation,” Scott adds. “Even being in the presence of people you expect to be funny will prime laughter within you.”

"It seems that it's absolutely true that 'laugh and the whole world laughs with you," Scott said, according to Live Science. "We've known for some time that when we are talking to someone, we often mirror their behavior, copying the words they use and mimicking their gestures. Now we've shown that the same appears to apply to laughter, too—at least at the level of the brain."

The big takeaway from this story is that if you laugh, the whole world will laugh with you. But if you have a ridiculous laugh that sounds like a car, pig, or a horse, the world will not only laugh with you but probably fall on the floor, guffawing ‘til their stomach muscles ache.

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Joy

Service dog sees his favorite character on a Disney cruise and utterly loses his cool

Pure. Joy.

Photo credit: Canva

Service dogs deserve vacations, too.

Service dogs are professionals who are trained to be attentive, helpful and extremely well-behaved for their owners who rely on them for everyday living. They aren't easily distracted and have solid control over their impulses because their job performance is vital to humans who need them. No one wants a service dog going rogue.

But underneath all of that self-control and professionalism, service dogs are still dogs, as an adorable reunion on a Disney cruise ship makes delightfully clear.

Ashton McGrady is a content creator who shares her adventures with her Golden Retriever service dog, Forest, who has an affinity for Disney characters. In one video, she shows Forest choosing his own stuffy at a Disney gift shop, even putting the money on the counter to pay for it himself. But another video of Forest being reunited with his favorite character, Pluto, has people the world over feeling his joy vicariously.

Watch:

@radiantlygolden

proof that distance won’t keep the very best of friends apart ❤️🚢✨ we love you pluto!!! #servicedog #servicedogteam #disneytiktok #disneycruiseline #disneycruise #hostedbydisney

Ashton calls Forest her "best pal and lifesaver," and it's clear from her videos that they make a great team. People loved seeing the good doggo get to let loose and enjoy a romp with Pluto and how the cast member interacted with him as well.

"Those dogs are such good pups and work so hard to keep their owners safe, it’s nice to see them play for a bit ❤️"

"This is the most golden retriever golden I’ve ever seen 🥰🥰🥰"

"i just know the actor under the costume was having the best day ever."

"DID PLUTO WAG HIS OWN TAIL??? This is the best thing I’ve seen all day"

"It's like the Disney hug rule applies to dogs...but it's play with them until they are done."

The "Disney hug rule" referenced here is an apparently unofficial "rule" that DIsney cast members when dressed in character don't end a child's hug until the child let's go—basically letting the child hug the character as long as they want to. It's not an actual rule, but it's a thoughtful practice some cast members use to make sure their young guests don't leave a character meet disappointed.

For Forest, the equivalent is playing until he (or his owner—he's on the job, after all) decides he's done.

This isn't the first time Forest has had a touching reunion with Pluto. Ashton shared another video with a similar interaction—it's clear that Pluto truly is Forest's bestie.

@radiantlygolden

I just want to go back to this moment 🥹 if you’re friends with pluto and you see this, you made our entire day ♥️ #waltdisneyworld #wdw50 #epcotfestivalofthearts #festivalofthearts #epcot #charactermeetandgreet #disneytiktok #distok #servicedog #servicedogteam #servicedogsatdisney


Ashton also uses social media to educate people about service dogs, as there are a lot of misunderstandings out there about what service animals are, how they work, and where they are allowed to be.

Though service dogs and their owners will often naturally form a bond, a service dog is not a pet; it's a working animal that assists a person with disabilities or health conditions. In fact, service animals are considered medical equipment, in the same category as a wheelchair or an oxygen tank, and they are allowed to go anywhere the person they are serving would normally be allowed to go—even if other animals are not allowed. As the Americans with Disabilities Act website states: "Under the ADA, State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is allowed to go."

Service dogs are sometimes confused with emotional support animals, but they are not the same thing. Service animals are trained to do specific tasks related to mitigating a person's disability, which could range from recognizing when their owner is needing medical attention to reminding them to take a medication to guiding them around an obstacle or across a street.

@radiantlygolden

If a business is not pet-friendly, they may only ask these TWO questions! note: “emotional support” is NOT considered a valid answer to question 2. thank you @Disney Parks for this great example of how it should be done. #servicedog #servicedoglife #servicedogteam #disabilitytiktok #disneyparks

There are some guidelines and laws that govern how the general public as well as private businesses should interact with service animals. First, no one should pet a service animal unless their handler specifically invites them to. Second, there are only two questions a business owner or their staff members are allowed to ask a person with a service dog: 1) Is the dog a service animal who is required because of a disability? And 2) What work or task has the dog been trained to perform? They are not allowed to ask for documentation, ask what disability the person has or ask that the dog demonstrate what they can do.

For people who need them, service animals like Forest are a vital part of living a full life. They are also working professionals who deserve a break now and then, so it's fun to see this good doggo having the time of his life with his buddy, Pluto.

You can follow Ashton on TikTok and YouTube.

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Family

Dads bond over the books and movies that “destroy” them now that they have kids

The Road by Cormac McCarthy hits different after fatherhood.

Photo credit: Canva/Knopf Doubleday

Some media can impact you differently when you become a father

Have you ever revisited a favorite book or a movie and your reaction to it is different than it was before? Or you finally got to read or watch something you’ve been looking forward to for years, only to realize “wow, I’m taking this harder than I thought”? This dad on Reddit shared his experience when he finished the post-apocalyptic science-fiction book The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The Road is known for being a very bleak story featuring a father and son trying to survive a cruel world rife with cannibalism and other heinous acts. He asked fellow fathers for their thoughts.

“I just finished reading The Road. Jesus! I thought I knew what I was getting into. I had no idea how emotionally devastating it would be! Are there any other books that killed you after having a kid?” Other fathers jumped in with their recent literary experiences that left them “destroyed”:

“Just read it (The Road) a few months ago - I couldn’t help but picture my son and myself in every scene 😢”

“Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Absolutely broke me.”

“Simple one, but The Giving Tree. Crushes me every time.”

“The introduction to Appetites by Anthony Bourdain brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. He writes so beautifully about becoming a father late in life and wanting to be there for his kid, and that's difficult to read when you know what happened later.”

“Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance f**ked me up now that I’m a dad.”

Dad reading to daughter on his lap next to an image of the book cover for The Giving TreeEven books meant for children can be more emotionally impactful for dads than non-dads.Photo credit: Canva/Shel Silverstein

Other dads discussed movies and other media that they view differently now that they’re fathers.

“Pet Sematery. I felt that dad’s pain in my soul.”

“Trainspotting. The whole Baby Dawn storyline. F**k.”

“Nobody mentioned videogames. Death Stranding hits harder after becoming a parent.”

So what’s the deal here? Some of these men could probably fall asleep on the couch watching slasher films before they had kids. What gives?

A scene from Trainspotting and a man hiding behind a movie theater seat.Don't look up "baby scene from Trainspotting" on YouTube if you're a parent.Photo credit: Polygram Entertainment/Canva

Well, it’s because they’re a different person than they were. Literally! Psychologists and doctors state that men who become fathers go through hormonal changes that alters their brain chemistry. They tend to have less testosterone than childless men, not because they’re weak or such nonsense, but researchers believe it lessens because the man has achieved the primal brained goal of breeding. Testosterone helps direct the sex drive within men that also eggs on aggressive behaviors in order to compete against others to attract a mate. Once that goal is accomplished, the brain figures that the male doesn’t need as much testosterone anymore.

Along with that, new fathers get a boost of oxytocin and dopamine that is usually curbed by the presence of abundant testosterone. These two hormones reward men with “feel good” chemicals when they physically cuddle and bond with their youngsters along with just being more chill and empathetic in general.

This isn’t to say that these men didn’t feel something when reading about or seeing a child in danger during their childless media consumption. They’re not sociopaths in the least. But because of the hormonal differences after having a kid, those violent or traumatic moments in a book, film, TV show, or video game hit much, much harder. In many ways, these fathers could be actually stronger in that they’re able to feel and endure more of the emotional weight of not only the cruel actions of certain characters in the entertainment they consume, but the weight of their own decisions in their real lives, too.

Dad hugging daughterPictured: StrengthPhoto credit: Canva

It makes them built for parenthood since their brains are altering to ones that can better protect their offspring, making them more alert to the needs of their families due to increased empathy along with being chill and less frustrated when teaching their children something like potty training. It also makes the small good stuff like a hug or kiss from you kid explode your feel-good sensors in your brain, tenfold. It also makes the dark stuff feel darker and the heinous stuff even more heinous. Depending on how you feel about that, it could make you reconsider some media choices or feel even more intrigued about them.

So if you become a dad and choose to revisit some darker media, get prepared. You might be impacted or appreciate a work differently than you did the first time.

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Community

Judge determined to help homeless defendant reach family after finding out he's a lawyer

"I was an attorney for 15 years."

Photo credit: Canva

Judge realizes homeless defendant is a lawyer, works to reunite him with family

There are often sayings about how close average people in America are to becoming homeless. Many Americans are a brief layoff away from being homeless as savings accounts are depleted with inflation. So it's not always surprising when someone ends up without a home and with people living further away from their parents or extended family, help isn't aways just down the road.

One man found himself standing in front of a judge with a court appointed attorney to plead his case. The defendant was arrested after allegedly throwing something through a store window in retaliation for a verbal altercation he had with the owner. Mr. Lane is currently homeless living in Houston, Texas, appearing in court with an acquaintance who was arrested alongside Lane.

It didn't take long to discover that Lane didn't fit the stereotypical image of a homeless person that many people might imagine upon hearing the word. Before Judge David Fleischer addresses the man, he is intently studying the paperwork in front of his lawyer. Upon hearing what the two defendants are charged with, Fleisher asks, "what are you doing with yourself these days Mr. Lane?"

All Rise Nbc GIF by Law & OrderGiphy

The man's response stuns the judge and likely everyone else in the courtroom, "presently? I'm not doing anything, I'm unemployed. I was an attorney for 15 years in Chicago, Illinois and I moved here in July, late June."

Lane admits that he is unaware if his license has officially expired in Illinois, but before moving to Texas he was a practicing attorney. The judge is visibly shocked by this revelation, wondering aloud how a lawyer from Chicago becomes homeless in Houston. In reality, homelessness can happen to just about anyone in America without adequate savings and family support.

Home Equality GIF by INTO ACTIONGiphy

Homelessness has reached a record high, increasing 18% from 2023-2024 with 34% of the homeless population being families with children. But of all the over 700k homeless individuals, 69% of them are men. People who couch surf, reside in homeless shelters or sleep in their cars are all considered to be homeless, and moving to a new state makes some people more vulnerable to the risk of homelessness.

Relocating is expensive which can deplete savings. Oftentimes people relocate for employment or better opportunities, but jobs can fall through and opportunities may be harder to come by than originally thought. This reality can cause many people to rely on whatever they have left in savings to make ends meet. In Lane's case, he claims to have relocated at the behest of his extended family members but once arriving to Houston he became overwhelmed with the process of getting his Texas bar license.

Angry Dick Wolf GIF by Wolf EntertainmentGiphy

"I love being a lawyer," Lane exclaims before answering the judges next question. "In order to practice here, which is my my new home, it would've been a process of I think taking a bar...three days you guys have. Yeah, and uh...I had some other things going on in my life that producing..." he says before being cut off.

As Lane continues talking Judge Fleischer finds out the man comes from a family of lawyers. His parents and younger sister are lawyers in San Fransisco and it sounds as if his older brother is also in the legal field but he has not informed them of his predicament. It's then that the judge becomes determined to get the man in contact with his family members so he can get help to get back on his feet.


"Here's the problem Mr. Lane, it's that we gave you a free bond, you picked up a new case and the last thing I want is to just let you go and you're going to be roaming the streets of Houston. It's just not a good place to roam and if you've got nowhere to go, you've got nothing to do, it could be a recipe for trouble and that's why I want to let you out but not just to the street. If you have a place to go to, if you have family, if someone's willing to take you in, then we can work something but for you to just be let out on the street," Judge Fleischer shrugs.

Instead of just handing down a sentence, Fleischer goes back and forth between Lane and his lawyer to find a way to attach release to contacting family support. Lane, who is clearly well versed in courtroom proceedings is not opposed to having the lawyer contact his family.

In the end, it was decided by all three men that Lane's lawyer would reach out to family members as a condition to be released. Hopefully contacting family helps the man start moving back towards a more positive direction. We never find out why he didn't return home after realizing he was not going to be successful in Texas but thanks to Judge Fleischer, Lane has a second chance.

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