Over 17.3 million viewers tuned in for YouTube's first-ever exclusive global broadcast of an NFL game with the Chiefs and Chargers.

Just months after raising a whopping $10 billion, Databricks has confirmed another $1 billion raise at a $100 billion valuation.

As Anthropic endorses SB 53, much of Silicon Valley and the federal government are pushing back on AI safety efforts.

During a Senate hearing last week, Hillary Clinton's former VP nominee let the Democrats' philosophical mask slip when he contradicted our nation's founding document.

Ukrainian war refugee Iryna Zarutska, 23, stabbed to death during unprovoked stabbing attack at a light rail station in Charlotte, NC. Her murderer Decarlos Brown Jr. was repeatedly released as recently as January 2025 on NO CASH BAIL. Iryna Zarutska fled Ukraine, “seeking safety from the war and hoping for a new beginning” only to …

Go ahead and mark your calendars for October 10th, because Philip Bowen is a dropping a killer new record. And we have all the details. The fiddle playing phenom from West Virginia has been rolling out singles at a steady pace since March, but has yet to provide any details regarding an album, until now. Titled Appalachia Forever, Bowen’s 3rd record finds the artist vulnerably sharing his story, both the good and the bad, through 10 deftly written originals that are steeped in his Appalachian life. An extremely underrated songwriter and one of the best fiddle players in the business, Bowen has a special way of conjuring emotion through his music, and Appalachia Forever is loaded with emotion evoking lyricism. And with features from several artists, including Charles Wesley Godwin and Josiah and the Bonnevilles, among others, it’s clear that Bowen surrounded himself with top-tier talent to bring this project to life. I could go on and on about how great the album is, but no one is able to contextualize and set the scene for Appalachia Forever quite like Philip Bowen himself, so luckily he graciously agreed to a quick Q&A to give Whiskey Riff the insider information on the new album. See what Bowen had to say here: Q: You are obviously very proud of where you come from. How has your home state of West Virginia and the greater Appalachian region inspired and influenced the record? A: “West Virginia and Appalachia are in my DNA – the people, the mountains, the stories. Every song on this record is reflection of the pride, the struggle, and the beauty I grew up around. I called it ‘Appalachia Forever’ because no matter where I go, those roots stay with me. This record is full of my own Appalachian life experiences, but it’s also an homage to the region that made me who I am.” Q: In your own words, what are the common themes that tie Appalachia Forever together? A: “The thread running through the whole album is authenticity. Whether it’s about family, faith, hard work, or just getting through tough times, the songs all point back to the idea of holding on to where you’re from and the people who lift you up. It’s about resilience and connection. It’s joyful, it’s sad, and it’s all the things that life brings us. This is my best attempt at sharing my story.” Q: Half of the songs on the album include features from other artists. What was it like working with so many other talented artists to bring these songs to life? A: “From the start, I knew collaboration has to be part of this record. Including artists I love, respect, and trust – like Charles Wesley Godwin, Josiah & the Bonnevilles, Julia DiGrazia Leon Majcen, and Madison Hughes – made ‘Appalachia Forever’ feel even more alive. This is the best job in the world, and when you can work with your friends it’s even more special.” Q: Is there anything else you want the fans to know about the record? A: “This record is for anyone who’s ever felt proud of where they’re from, even if it wasn’t always easy. I hope people hear their own stories resonating in these songs. Two good examples are ‘Five Drugs’ and ‘Blue As Water.’ I hope these songs find who they’re meant to find. Finally, I just want to say thank you to everyone who’s supported me and been on this crazy journey over the last few years – you’re the reason I get to make music like this.” It is clear that this album is very special and personal to Bowen, and in my opinion, it features some of his best work to date. Check out the full set list for Appalachia Forever below, and give a few of my favorite singles released thus far a listen to get a feel for the record before it drops in its entirety on October 10. Appalachia Forever Track List: “Bulldog” “Carolina Wren” “Five Drugs” “Hurricane” ft. Julia DiGrazia “Slow It Down” ft. Madison Hughes “Sure Could Use The Rain” ft. Josiah and the Bonnevilles “Blue As Water” ft. Charles Wesley Godwin “The Wheel” “Best Pretender” “Big Fish” ft. Leon Majcen Philip Bowen has a handful of tour dates remaining this fall, and if he and his band are coming to a city near you, I highly suggest snagging some tickets and catching the show. Check out his tour dates below: Philip Bowen Tour Dates 9/11 – Westville Music Bowl – New Haven, CT^ 9/12 – Turning Stone Resort – Verona, NY^ 9/13 – MGM Music Hall at Fenway – Boston, MA^ 9/19 – Ramble at the Randall – Webster, KY= 10/10 – The Clay Center – Charleston, WV% 10/11 – The Purple Fiddle – Thomas, WV 10/24 – Night of Hope for the Nightbirdie Foundation – Heath, OH 11/5 – Santander Arena – Reading, PA^ 11/6 – MGM National Harbor – Oxon Hill, MD^ 11/7 – 1st Summit Arena – Johnstown, PA^ ^supporting Dwight Yoakam w/ The Mavericks =w/ Ritch Henderson, Lance Rogers, Josh Mitcham %w/ The Parachute BrigadeThe post Philip Bowen Shares His Life Story With Upcoming Record, ‘Appalachia Forever’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Jessica Simpson has been making a lot of returns to the stage and red carpet this year. However, one common trend with all of these appearances has not been how stunning she looks or how incredible her performances have been. Sadly for the “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'” singer, she’s been faced with harsh criticism after every major appearance she’s made this year. This spring, Jessica Simpson returned to music, performing for the first time in fifteen years, surprising the crowd at Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion just outside of Austin, Texas (in addition to making SXSW appearances). The former pop star-turned-actress has stayed out of the limelight for some time, devoting much of her time to raising her children and managing her highly successful shoe brand. Before Simpson took her hiatus from performing, she attempted to do what many pop artists are doing today and give country music a try with her last studio album, released in 2008. It wasn’t exactly a commercial success. However, with her return to the studio to work on her latest EP, Nashville Canyon, Part 1, it makes sense why she is hitting the stage again. During her first TV performance in over fifteen years on American Idol, fans were less than impressed with her performance, saying the following about her stage presence: Jessica Simpson Makes First Televised Performance In 15 Years… And The Comments Were BRUTAL#AmericanIdolFinale https://t.co/1USQtq1e1Nhttps://t.co/1USQtq1e1N — Whiskey Riff (@WhiskeyRiff) May 19, 2025 Following that performance, Simpson sang for a live performance again earlier this summer on the Today show. The singer performed as part of NBC’s summer breakfast show concert series, singing a medley of songs from her catalog, including past hits such as “I Think I’m in Love with You” and “With You,” as well as her new release, “Fade.” While I thought that she delivered an entertaining performance, it was not her best, and it was certainly not a vocal performance I’d write home about, but she held her own. However, she appeared to look very uncomfortable while on stage, and as the performance progresses, you can see that she’s experiencing a major wardrobe malfunction. But that was not the only issue that occurred during that Today show performance. Page Six reported that Simpson shared in the greenroom that she was unable to control her bladder on stage, and ended up urinating herself. After reading that, you genuinely want to see Simpson have a win in the eyes of the media. I truly hoped that we would get that last night when Simpson returned to the MTV Video Music Awards for the first time in nearly 20 years, walking the red carpet and hitting the stage as a presenter during the awards show. The last appearance Simpson made at the VMAs was in 2006, where she served as a presenter of the show, which took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Last night, Simpson returned to present with a star-studded list of other industry veterans, including her sister, Ashlee Simpson, as well as Ciara, Paris Hilton, Ice Spice, Latto, Drew Barrymore, and more. While Simpson did not have any issues while on stage during the awards show, fans quickly expressed concern for the singer after seeing her on the red carpet, sporting an almost unrecognizable face. Simpson walked the carpet in a black sheer dress by Christian Siriano. The dress featured corset-style boning that revealed pockets of her skin, and she paired the show-stopping dress with silver earrings. Jessica Simpson looks INCREDIBLE as she makes her first MTV #VMAs appearance since 2006 — just WOW https://t.co/c8qLV88vDn Getty pic.twitter.com/70Vjsvxmcd — TooFab (@TooFab) September 7, 2025 However, her face looked very tight, leading fans to question who the singer was as she made her way down the carpet. Many social media users shared that they would not have realized this was Simpson without the caption denoting her presence on the carpet. It’s easy in Hollywood to get carried away with injectables and other cosmetic procedures, and sadly for Simpson, I think she’s fallen victim to this. She’s such a natural beauty, and the fear of aging has kicked in, making her unrecognizable at times. Check out what some fans had to say: Sorry, but that does NOT look like Jessica Simpson. https://t.co/z5bvrVU6fy — Michelle (@SnoopyPandaGirl) September 8, 2025 You said this is whom https://t.co/krcJQXvkOY — I’m Broke Baby (@BurnaGirlMo) September 8, 2025 This can’t be Ms. chicken of the sea https://t.co/yILX1IdB7a — WordFromTheWys (@WordFromTheWys) September 7, 2025 https://t.co/siE1XcBUot pic.twitter.com/6l7lKf1O7l — ˖°? Mercy ˖°? (@glowin_melanin) September 8, 2025 Jessica Simpson?! That don’t even look like Jessica Simpson #VMAs pic.twitter.com/B735V3LzSG — S. (@Bright_Eyes973) September 8, 2025 Jessica Simpson looks like a completely different person at the #VMAs pic.twitter.com/Zd6AK9iKjA — david (@realdavidonline) September 8, 2025 That's Jessica Simpson? Doesn't look like her! She does look great, though. I'm trying to figure out who this looks like. — Kristen (@KristenPeloton) September 8, 2025 Is Jessica Simpson in the room with us? https://t.co/nm9kSKTmri — Your Favorite Auntie (@Kittiboo2) September 8, 2025 I know that’s not Jessica Simpson — Von (@VNZWORLD) September 8, 2025 That is not Jessica Simpson #VMAs pic.twitter.com/ZdxKgnO5e6 — PJ Anderson (@yellowboyRedd) September 8, 2025 If they didn't say who this was, i would have never guessed it was her… sad. https://t.co/wCL2Qo97dy — Cherry (@ILikeTheIvy) September 8, 2025 https://t.co/5a6EPkc5qI pic.twitter.com/bAfRsdnXWZ — Mr rover (@yxnzkdlin) September 8, 2025 I’m sorry, WHO? That does not look like her https://t.co/u6pZGyfFPv — Lia (@griffxnblake) September 8, 2025 That does NOT look like Jessica Simpson. https://t.co/4lnX5OeaEG — Angela Dees (@deesy08) September 8, 2025 The post Fans Sound Off After Jessica Simpson Looked Completely Unrecognizable On The VMAs Red Carpet first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

No dad bod here. All I can think about as I begin this article is the lyrics to Fergie’s “Fergalicious,” more specifically the lines: “My body stay vicious, I be up in the gym, just workin’ on my fitness.” The catchy lines capture what Koe Wetzel has been doing since becoming a father. The Texas native has officially unveiled his first single since 9 Lives, with “Surrounded,” flawlessly expanding on the sound he established from his last studio record. Koe has spoken a little bit about his next record, noting that they were in the process of recording at the start of 2025, sharing that he’s working with songwriter and producer Gabe Simon again on this next record. “You know, I think the music that I’ve made for so long has just kind of instilled into me and just kind of soldered into me, and with this new music out, with the new record, I just kind of wanted to get a little bit more of that rock ‘n’ roll side. Back to that Texas rock ‘n’ roll. Working with Gabe Simon again, so it’s fun. You know, every time we go into the studio, it’s different. Every day is different. It’s just kind of go in there blind, having a little bit of an idea of what you’re going to write, but not having a whole outlook on it. And kind of stepping back after the day of work and go like, ‘Holy sh*t that’s, you know, that’s pretty cool actually.’” And while Wetzel revealed that they are sitting on three or four singles that they might later release while chatting on the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast, you won’t see him teasing them on social media (yet). In fact, Wetzel’s social media presence has recently shifted away from music and has highlighted many of the personal changes he’s making in his life. The East Texas boy is going back to his football conditioning roots and is putting in work to get in shape. While Koe is still highlighting many moments from his wild shows, his hype videos, which used to showcase him backstage with a beer or a whiskey in hand, have shifted to his pre-show workout routine. @koe_wetzelAnother day another dollar ♬ original sound – Koe Wetzel Earlier this year, Wetzel welcomed his first child into the world, Woods Madison Wetzel, with his long-term girlfriend, Bailey Fisher. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bailey Fisher (@baileyfshr) Fans could see that Wetzel was toning back the partying once he announced they were expecting, and now that Woods is here, he’s really locked in, and the hard work is paying off. In a recent Instagram post, fans can see the pounds falling off Wetzel as he appears to be well on his way to getting into great shape. On top of his new physique, he also shared with fans that he’s chopped his long hair for a more clean-cut look. It’s not a high and tight haircut that you see many men sporting, and it still fits Koe’s aesthetic, but it’s much more clean-cut than we are used to seeing from the “Good Times” singer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Koe Wetzel (@koe_wetzel) It took no time for fans to see the changes that Wetzel is making, and they were quick to praise him for his hard work paying off. Even Bailey Fisher was hyping up her man in the comments with a simple “Hair & Bod” comment. Check out some of the comments left on the post: “My boy is looking fit!!! Ain’t no DAD BOD!!” “Ok new hair new you!!” “Koezempic” “Oh baby, you lookin’ good.” “Hair slay!!!” “Dad looking good on ol Koe.” “Slimming down. Good for you!!” “That boy fit af!” “STUUUUUUUDZ.” “Koe back to lookin like old koe these days!” “Ol son lookin fit as hell these days!” “Looking so much healthier.” “Daym bro makes me want to lock in.” “That belly is going down!!” “Looking real fit.” “Best ya ever looked ol son.” “Koe gettin lean baby.” “He’s a brand new man.” “Riley Green build loading” I’ve got to admit, Koe looks happy, healthy, and the best version of himself. Even on stage recently, Wetzel sounds stellar, and you can tell that he has more energy as her performs. You love to see it.The post Koe Wetzel Debuts New Hair & Lean Physique, & The Fans Are Loving It: “Lookin’ Fit As Hell” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.