Limelight – Page 18 – Topical Fruit

Your Dog Could Be the Next “Air Bud” Star

The search is officially on for the furry lead in “Air Bud Returns”, and yes, it’s just as adorable as it sounds.

A few weeks ago, producers announced the beloved basketball-playing pup would be returning to the big screen in a brand-new movie. Now they’re looking for the next golden retriever to step into those pawprints.

To stay true to the character, casting is only open to purebred golden retrievers. If you think your dog has the looks, charm, and on-screen presence to carry a movie, you can submit an application online.

Even if your dog isn’t chosen for the role, entering still comes with perks. Prizes include Air Bud jerseys, signed movie merchandise, and even a trip to the Los Angeles premiere.

The original “Air Bud” debuted in 1997 and became a family favorite, spawning multiple sequels and spin-offs. Now, “Air Bud Returns” is set to bring the magic back to theaters next summer — and one lucky golden will be front and center.

So if you’ve got a photogenic pup and a little patience for auditioning, this might be your chance to see your dog’s name up in lights. Just be warned: competition could get “ruff.”

Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” Tops List of 100 Classic Rock Songs by 100 Artists

Classic rock rankings usually feel like déjà vu, with the same handful of bands hogging the top spots. But UltimateClassicRock.com just gave the genre a fun shake-up by creating a list of the Top 100 Classic Rock Songs — with one important twist: only one song per artist.

That means no Beatles triple-play, no Led Zeppelin overload, and no Queen domination. Just one iconic track each, battling it out for rock supremacy.

And the crown goes to… Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion”. Released in 1975, it’s still one of the band’s most recognizable riffs and a permanent fixture on any rock radio playlist.

Right behind it at #2 is Led Zeppelin’s epic “Kashmir”, followed by The Rolling Stones’ gritty “Gimme Shelter” in third. The rest of the top five is just as stacked: AC/DC’s “Back in Black” at #4, and The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” rounding things out at #5.

Here’s how the rest of the Top 20 shakes out:

“All Along the Watchtower” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
“Bohemian Rhapsody” – Queen
“Everybody Wants Some!!” – Van Halen
“Comfortably Numb” – Pink Floyd
“Paranoid” – Black Sabbath
“Baba O’Riley” – The Who
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses
“Don’t Stop Believin’” – Journey
“Sweet Home Alabama” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
“Fortunate Son” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Born to Run” – Bruce Springsteen
“Crazy Train” – Ozzy Osbourne
“L.A. Woman” – The Doors
“La Grange” – ZZ Top
“Hotel California” – Eagles

The full list spans decades of rock history, from psychedelic ’60s anthems to arena-shaking ’80s hits. And because of the one-song-per-artist rule, it’s a much more diverse playlist than the usual “Greatest Rock Songs” countdowns.

Fans online are already debating the rankings, questioning whether Bohemian Rhapsody should be higher, if Hotel California is underrated at #20, and whether it’s even possible to pick just one Pink Floyd song without starting a fight.

If nothing else, the list is a killer crash course in rock history — perfect for building a playlist that’ll keep you air-guitaring for hours without repeating the same band twice.

When Benny Blanco Misses Selena Gomez, He Wears Her Perfume

Benny Blanco is clearly head over heels for Selena Gomez, and he’s not afraid to smell like it. In a recent TikTok, the producer casually admitted that when Selena isn’t around, he spritzes her Rare Beauty perfume all over himself to feel closer to her.

Yep, that’s right—he wears her signature scent just to keep her “essence” nearby.

The confession was part of a promo for Rare Beauty’s new fragrance line, and while Selena didn’t seem weirded out, she did call him “so cheesy.” Which, to be fair, is kind of true. But is it cute-cheesy, or “this might be a red flag” cheesy?

Fans are split. Some think it’s a romantic gesture—like playing your partner’s favorite song on repeat when you miss them. Others say it’s a little too intense, bordering on a cologne-scented cry for help.

Still, it fits with the hyper-honest and quirky brand Blanco and Gomez have built as a couple. They’ve shared plenty of open, even cringey-in-a-good-way moments online since confirming their relationship. From silly videos to deeply personal tributes, their vibe seems to be “too real,” in a way that fans (and TikTok) love.

And while Benny might be catching side-eyes for borrowing her scent, it’s worth pointing out: celebrities have done stranger things in the name of love. (Remember Angelina and Billy Bob’s vial necklaces?)

In the end, it’s just perfume. And love is weird. So if dousing himself in Rare Beauty makes Benny feel close to his girlfriend, more power to him. Just maybe… take it easy on the spritzes.

William Shatner Wants to Cheat Death (Literally)

Celebrities seem to be checking out at an alarming rate lately. So you’d be forgiven for assuming that 94-year-old William Shatner might be eyeing the exit ramp with a bit of anxiety. According to RadarOnline (so, you know, grain of salt), he’s more than just concerned. He’s terrified.

The report claims Shatner is obsessed with outsmarting the inevitable and is exploring all the sci-fi-sounding options.

A so-called insider put it bluntly: “William is now looking into everything from being frozen to having his head pickled in a jar in the unlikely event he can be resurrected. He has become obsessed with ways to live forever.” Which, let’s be honest, sounds exactly like something a 90-something-year-old sci-fi icon might say with full conviction.

Now, actual immortality might still be off the table (at least for now), but digital immortality? That’s a different story.

Shatner reportedly signed with a company that will create an A.I.-powered hologram of him, designed to preserve his stories, personality, and quirks so his family can “talk” to him long after he’s gone.

He reportedly told the company, “I’ve had quite a crazy life, so I’d have a lot of stories that I don’t want people to forget.”

Say what you want about Shatner, but he’s nothing if not self-aware. The man’s been in the public eye for seven decades, playing roles from space captain to Priceline pitchman, and clearly, he’s not planning to fade quietly into the night. If he has his way, he’ll still be telling stories 100 years from now—even if it’s from inside a holographic projector.

And honestly? That feels like a very Shatner way to go. Or… not go.

Adam Sandler’s Baggy Clothes Started as a Joke

Adam Sandler’s signature fashion sense—think oversized tees, basketball shorts, and sneakers that look like they’ve run multiple marathons—has been puzzling fans for decades. But according to the man himself, there was a method to the madness… at least in the beginning.

In a recent interview, Sandler finally explained why he’s been rocking the baggy look since his younger years. Turns out, it started as a bit of a beachside prank. Back when he was in peak physical condition, he wore loose clothing to hide what he called a “beautiful body.” The goal? To shock people when he took his shirt off. “The Sandman’s ripped? I didn’t know that,” he joked.

But flash-forward a few decades—and about 50 feature films—and the fashion philosophy has changed.

Now 58, Sandler admits the oversized wardrobe serves a very different purpose: “Now, I go loose because it should be hidden.”

Honestly, relatable.

Sandler’s style has become something of an internet meme in its own right, with paparazzi photos regularly surfacing of him looking like he just rolled out of bed and straight onto a red carpet. Still, it’s hard to argue with the man’s comfort-first approach, especially when you consider how many fashion icons are secretly miserable in their designer fits.

And while his clothes may be roomy, Sandler’s impact on pop culture is anything but small. Whether he’s delivering a dramatic performance or just walking the dog, he’s managed to turn “I just threw this on” into a full-on brand.

So if you’re thinking of tossing on a 3XL tee today, just know—you’re not lazy. You’re just channeling your inner Sandman.

God Help Me, I (Kinda) Liked “The Naked Gun”

I was born in 1969. That means I was a ’70s kid and an ’80s teen. As such, the acronym ZAZ is very sacred to me.

David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker are the team of writer-directors who, from 1977 to 1994, produced some of the most uproarious comedies of all time, including “The Kentucky Fried Movie,” “Airplane,” “Top Secret,” and, of course, the “Naked Gun” trilogy.

When I heard there was going to be a “Naked Gun” remake/reboot/sequel, I didn’t freak out. Remakes can actually be good.

They can also be brilliant, like John Carpenter’s “The Thing” or Luca Guadagnino’s “Suspira.”

So my first reaction to these kinds of announcements is generally somewhere between “Who cares?” and “Let’s see what happens.”

The casting of Liam Neeson in the lead put this one firmly in the latter category for me.

Remember, before Abrahams and the Zucker boys cast Leslie Nielsen in “Airplane,” he was a serious actor, playing serious characters in serious films. Their brilliance was to take a serious actor and give him a serious character, but drop it into the most unserious scenarios they could write.

While he was only a supporting character in the “Airplane” movies, giving him the lead role in the original “Naked Gun” made him a comedy god.

Neeson, with his “very particular set of skills,” may have been the best possible bulb to screw into that socket. So when they announced him as the lead in this one, I was intrigued and, against my better judgment, a little excited.

And then came the marketing campaign, and that excitement left my body faster than all the lesbian celebrities left America after the 2024 election.

Observing the absolutely unavoidable deluge of trailers, TV commercials, and social media ads over the past few months, I think I laughed once… maybe twice.

This movie looked terrible. I quickly relegated it to the “who cares” bin and went on with my life.

But then, over the past week, something bizarre and totally unexpected happened. The reviews started coming in, and they were good. Hell, some were great.

“The Naked Gun” is rated 90% fresh on RottenTomatoes.com, with a 79% audience rating. It’s got a slightly lower score of 75 at MetaCritic, which still notes that the reviews have been “generally positive.”

More importantly, some friends whose opinions I actually trusted saw it Friday night and liked it.

So now, of course, I had to see it. And I did. On Saturday afternoon, with four other people in the theater. Three of us were there by ourselves.

And we laughed. Kind of a lot.

I’m not gonna say it’s great, and I’m not gonna say it stands up to the originals. But I was entertained.

Liam Neeson was as good in the part of the new Frank Drebin (the son of Nielsen’s character from the originals) as I thought he’d be.

And Pamela Anderson, who already proved she can act in 2024’s “The Last Showgirl,” shows off some legit comedy chops. Her “performance” in the jazz club is one of the highlights of the movie.

Their chemistry is great, which is probably why they’re kickin’ it in real life, too.

The one complaint I have is the ending, which takes place at a WWFC mixed martial arts event.

There are no zany sight gags involving the fighters, no jokes about the sport or its audience; you know, the way they parodied Major League Baseball in the original, or the Oscars in Part 3. It was just an MMA event going on in the background.

Even when the entire audience starts brawling, there are no heads being punched off, no obvious dummies being tossed around… not even a random tiger attack. Mostly it’s just extras throwing punches in the background.

Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker would have never let that happen. And although they weren’t involved in this movie and didn’t seem to support it, the new guys should never had made this mistake.

Still, I did feel enough of the ZAZ spirit in this new “Naked Gun” to believe that if they should decide to see this movie, they might, against their better judgment, actually like it.

Just like I did.

Wendy’s Went Full Goth for Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’—I Waited in Line Five Hours for It

Yes, you read that right. I waited in line five-and-a-half hours for Wendy’s, but it wasn’t an ordinary Wendy’s. It was Wednesday’s.

For one day only – a Thursday for some reason 🤷‍♀️ – a location in Norwalk, California was transformed into a Wednesday Addams-themed spookfest to celebrate Season 2 of Netflix’s “Wednesday.”

“The Meal of Misfortune”

It was a themed drive-thru experience, and I got to try the new “Meal of Misfortune” a few days earlier than the rest of America.

The meal includes “Rest in 10-Piece Nuggets,” “Cursed & Crispy Fries,” a “Raven’s Blood Frosty” (vanilla with a dark-cherry swirl), and two mysteriously spicy “Dips of Dread.” There’s a total of four different sauces you can get. Oh, and they’re different shades of purple, too.

The Raven’s Blood Frosty is great!

The Frosty was probably my favorite part. It includes a purple spoon that has a handle with a raven and skull. Since it was a special event, I also received a collectible pin at the start of the experience.

Not your normal drive-thru experience

Once I ordered my meal, I drove through the foggy “Nevermore Academy” gates and into different rooms inspired by the show. At the end, a worker got your order by opening a morgue door.

You can try it too… without waiting five hours.

Wendy’s announced the “Meal of Misfortune” would be available nationwide starting Monday, August 4th, just in time for the new season of “Wednesday” premiering August 6th.

@thetopicalfruit
Yes, I waited 5 and a half hours for the Wendy’s x “Wednesday” pop-up event! 🍟👻🖤 #pov #wednesday #addamsfamily #Netflix #wendys #spooky
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Ozzy Osbourne Honored by Family and Fans in Moving Hometown Procession

Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness himself, was given a hometown sendoff fit for a rock legend as fans flooded the streets of Birmingham, England on Wednesday. His funeral procession drew thousands of mourners and music lovers alike, all paying tribute to the heavy metal icon who helped define a genre and an era.

The hearse carrying Ozzy’s coffin slowly made its way to the Black Sabbath Bench, a memorial dedicated to the band that launched his career. Inside the hearse were purple floral arrangements spelling out “Ozzy,” with a matching flower cross mounted on the roof.

Sharon Osbourne, visibly emotional, arrived with children Jack and Kelly by her side. Cameras captured the moment she stepped out, overcome with grief, needing support as she walked toward the memorial. Her other daughter Aimee and stepson Louis also joined the family, though two of Ozzy’s other children—Jessica Osbourne and Elliot Kingsley—were not seen at the procession.

In a heartfelt nod to the rocker’s legacy, each family member wore a symbolic accessory: Sharon wore Ozzy’s wedding ring on a chain around her neck; Kelly channeled her dad’s iconic look with round tinted sunglasses; Jack wore a silver cross pin; Aimee had a bat-shaped brooch; and Louis sported a purple tie adorned with skull-and-crossbones.

After spending time at the memorial, Sharon turned to face the crowd and offered a signature Ozzy-style peace sign, a gesture that drew cheers and tears from fans.

The Black Sabbath Bench—located in Birmingham’s Broad Street Walk of Stars—has long served as a pilgrimage spot for fans of the band that pioneered heavy metal in the 1970s.

Photos of the family’s private yet public goodbye have spread rapidly online, with fans praising their understated tribute to a man who never did anything quietly.

As Ozzy Osbourne’s music continues to live on in playlists, documentaries, and headbanging memories, the funeral procession served as a powerful reminder: Birmingham never forgot its wildest son—and never will.

(You can watch footage of the event here. Sharon steps out of her car around the 1:20 mark.)

Winona Ryder Embraces Aging, Questions Cosmetic Surgery Fads

Winona Ryder is staying natural—and a little bewildered—when it comes to the cosmetic procedures younger women around her are embracing.

Now 53, she recently opened up about aging in “Elle“ magazine. She said she’s noticing some changes in the mirror, especially on her forehead, but she’s totally fine with it.

What she’s not fine with? The growing trend of young women getting “weird s*** done” to their faces.

She didn’t point fingers or name names, but “Elle” clarified she was referring specifically to buccal fat removal, a cosmetic procedure where fat is sucked out of your lower cheeks to give that sharp, chiseled look that’s trending all over social media. Winona’s reaction? Total disbelief.

“I thought they were kidding,” she said. “I want to say, ‘In ten years, you’re gonna want that back!'” Ryder didn’t call out anyone in particular, but the internet did a little guesswork anyway.

Some fans have speculated she could be referring to young co-stars from projects like “Stranger Things”—Millie Bobby Brown or Natalia Dyer come to mind—or maybe Jenna Ortega, who plays her daughter in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”.

All three have sparked cosmetic surgery speculation online (fairly or not), but to be clear: Winona didn’t say a word about any of them.

Her comments land at a time when cosmetic tweaks—especially facial contouring surgeries like buccal fat removal—are gaining popularity among Gen Z. And while everyone’s free to do what they want with their own face, Ryder’s stance is a refreshing reminder that aging naturally still has a place in Hollywood.

Winona has always been a bit of an outlier in the industry, keeping a low profile and focusing more on craft than on glam. And while some people chase youth with needles and scalpels, she’s choosing a different route—one with a few lines, a little forehead texture, and a whole lot of cool.

Kim Kardashian Created Shapewear for Your Face

Skims is coming for your face next.

Kim Kardashian’s shapewear empire has already tackled everything from built-in booty padding to bras with, uh, built-in headlights. But her latest launch might be the most out-there yet: shapewear for your face.

Yes, you read that right. Skims just dropped the “Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap,” a $48 compression mask designed to hug your jawline like a clingy ex. It promises strong compression and ultra-soft jaw support using collagen-infused fabric, and comes in two colors: clay and cocoa.

Think of it as a post-surgery-style head wrap, but make it fashion.

The wrap fastens with Velcro at the crown and the back of your neck, with holes for your ears—so you can still hear the collective “wait, what?” from the rest of the internet.

According to Skims, the face wrap is meant to be part of your nightly routine. Their official description calls it a “must-have” for sculpting and lifting, although there’s no actual science cited to back up any facelift-like results. It’s definitely more about vibes than verified dermatological benefits.

Still, it’s on brand for Kim, who’s long been a master of turning viral curiosities into sellouts. Love her or roll your eyes, she knows how to get people talking—and apparently, how to get them wrapping their heads in compression fabric before bed.

Whether this is the next big thing in skincare or just something to terrify your roommate with, one thing’s for sure: Kim’s not done innovating in the “slightly unhinged clothing” space.

Would you wear facial shapewear to bed? Or is this just a Kardashian-level prank on our wallets?

(For those curious or tempted: You can join the waitlist now on the Skims website. Prepare to look like you’re either recovering from a facelift or starring in a sci-fi reboot.)