Sure, you can hack your Egg McMuffin a dozen different ways, but why not skip the McDonald’s breakfast menu tricks and order a McBrunch Burger instead?
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Month: September 2026
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The 11 Best Chain Restaurant Crab Cakes
Crab cakes are beloved savory starters. Here are the chains serving up the best-quality and tastiest versions of this seafood-forward appetizer.
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Could Colin Kaepernick and Taylor Swift had ended up with their own happily ever after?
A little over two months after the singer married Travis Kelce in the “wedding of the century,” another famous football star is thinking back on what might have been.
Kaepernick reveals that, back when he was in the NFL, he got some strong encouragement to shoot his shot with Swift.
He didn’t go for it, and Swift ended up with a different hunky football star. And that suits Kaepernick just fine.
Who advised Colin Kaepernick to ask out Taylor Swift?
On Tuesday, September 15, the former football player’s memoir, Perilous Fight, hit bookstore shelves.
He spoke of how his mother, Tessa Kaepernick, suggested that he ask out Taylor Swift.
“When I was in the NFL, she told me that I should ask out Taylor Swift,” Colin Kaepernick wrote.
He detailed that this was “(long before Travis Kelce made his move).”
(Kaepernick became a “free agent” weeks before spring began in 2017.)
According to Kaepernick, his mother suggested this “because we would be perfect together.”
He apparently did not take his mother’s counsel at this time.
Kaepernick was quick to emphasize that this was no “slight to Taylor.”
However, he said that Swift “was not my type.”
This suggestion could have taken place any time between 2011 and 2016, based upon his NFL years.
He doesn’t sound like he regrets not taking the chance
Since this time, Colin Kaepernick and Taylor Swift have both tied the knot. Just, you know, not with each other.
He and Nessa Diab welcomed a baby in 2022 and have been married for years.
Though he did not intend to shade Swift, Kaepernick did make some remarks about his mother. The fact that she suggest that he ask out the singer showed him that his mother was not “capable of seeing who I really am.”
He recalled that his mother had exhibited a pattern of encouraging him to date white women. This mentality can stem from anything from status symbols to internalized racism and beyond, and is frankly very complex to discuss and process.
Notably, Kaepernick was born to a white teenage mother and was adopted by the Kaepernicks, who are also white. Like we said … it’s super complex.
Nessa and Colin Kaepernick attends the #MetGala
— SinnamonS (@sinnamonscouture.bsky.social) May 5, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Kaepernick has long history of using his platform (and his impossible-to-ignore good looks) to promote anti-racism in our deeply anti-Black culture.
He became the center of a weird, baseless controversy for “disrespectfully” kneeling about a decade ago.
It caused friction when he was within the NFL. Ultimately, he parted ways with the organization.
Kaepernick has a complex history. His advocacy for racial justice is good. His AI project to teach children how to produce hideous slop instead of learning art themselves is, to be blunt, abhorrent.
Though Swift has made questionable choices, it’s clear that Kaepernick’s issue described in the memoir isn’t with her. Rather, he cites this as an example of how he felt that his own mother did not understand him.
Colin Kaepernick Was Pushed to Ask Out Taylor Swift During NFL Career was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
After weeks of anticipation, Dancing With the Stars is officially back in the ballroom, and Season 35 kicked off with an emotional two-night premiere. Among this season’s new celebrity dancers is actress Julia Stiles, who officially made her debut on Wednesday night alongside her professional partner, Ezra Sosa. For her first performance of the season, Stiles took on one of Dolly Parton’s most iconic songs, “9 To 5.”
For premiere week, the show gave each celebrity the challenge of choosing a chart-topping hit from the year they were born and Stiles opted for the 1980 tune from the country music icon’s catalog.
Prior to taking the stage, the 10 Things I Hate About You actress revealed that this felt like an especially meaningful way to kick off the season, considering the fact that Parton herself approved the show to use her original recording of “9 To 5” before she died in August.
“Tonight I am dancing to “9 To 5” by Dolly Parton. It was only a couple weeks before Dolly passed that she approved this song specifically for me. We got to make this theatrical. I’m so honored to be dancing to her music and honoring her legacy and I want to make her proud,” Stiles stated.
She also noted that she us “truly obsessed” with the competition show and always secretly dreamed about being a part of it one day. However, Stiles clarified that she is not a professional dancer, and only played an aspiring ballerina turned hip-hop dancer in the 2001 film, Save the Last Dance.
The pair hit the dance floor with a vibrant quickstep, surrounded by a stage glowing in shades of pink. Stiles and Sosa also brought the glamour with sleek, champagne-colored costumes that matched the energy of the upbeat performance.
Stiles fulfilled her mission of embracing her theatrical side as she effortlessly shined with every step and kept a smile on her face through it all. She appeared to break out of her comfort zone as she matched the energy of Parton’s tune and delivered a performance that had both the crowd and judges on their feet.
When the performance came to an end, the audience gave the dancers a standing ovation while several people even wiped away tears as they became overcome with emotion over hearing Parton’s iconic voice fill the room.
Derek Hough was up first to share his thoughts from the judging panel.
“First of all, Julia, that was beautiful, graceful. You are absolutely beaming. I love to see it. I love to see it. For me, you have all that. The quick step, I just want you to take off the handbrake and move across this floor with a little more energy. It felt a little careful, a bit more gusto in the dances. So moving forward in those types of dances, the energy, I want a little bit more attack, a little more energy, but what a beautiful, fantastic dance. I love it,” he stated.
Next up, Bruno Tonioli praised Stiles for her effort in the “character-driven light comedy dance,” stating that she stayed in character and was “spot on all the way through.”
“You were playing a part and dancing beautifully, but…there is a drive that comes with a quick step. They say you should be like running on hot colds. It is that kind of feeling that flies across the floor. But I tell you, you’re a great actor and a great dancer,” he added.
Last but not least, Carrie Ann Inaba gave a rave review along with some constructive criticism.
“It was really clean and you’re very rating,” she admitted. “You’re very expansive when you perform and I like that. Your arm out of hold, sometimes just a little small. And sometimes I think you were trying to lean as opposed to extend…try thinking about extending, okay? And I think that will help you with that part.”
Just before hearing their scores, Julia Stiles once again shared how honored she was to get to perform to a song that Parton personally gave her blessing on, especially knowing what a legacy that the songstress left behind in the world.
“It was the first song we talked about. I wanted it so badly. We didn’t know that what was going to happen. She cleared it and I just feel so honored to honor Dolly. She’s such a powerhouse and the song is so great. It’s such an anthem and yeah, what a legend. She was great.”
The pair earned three sixes from the judges, bringing their total to 18 out of 30 and placing them at the top of the leaderboard at the time of their performance. Fans then had the chance to vote for their favorite celebrities throughout the night and ultimately helped Stiles and Sosa advance to the next round of the competition.
Next week, they will return to the ballroom alongside their competitors who will perform once again with hopes of earning enough votes to move on in the competition and get one step closer to earning the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy at the finale.
Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars will air new episodes weekly on Tuesdays at 8:00 PM ET/PT live on ABC or streamed on Disney+.
The post Julia Stiles Dances To Dolly Parton’s ‘9 To 5’ On ‘Dancing With The Stars’ After Country Icon’s Approval appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Cowboys of yore ate more than just beans. Their diet included this vintage, easy-to-make snack that’s similar to cornbread. Here’s what to know.
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Move over, pumpkin spice latte – Trader Joe’s has autumn covered with another seasonal favorite delivering the flavor of fall.
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Here Are the 10 Best Hank Williams Songs
His musical legacy will live on forever. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
Shifting budgets and tech priorities drive change for open source events software and government infrastructure.WordPress Planet
Out on the Rams already? What about the Packers? How far can the Giants go with John Harbaugh? Does Jalen Hurts look like an MVP? No doubt your NFL group chats are buzzing with strong opinions after Week 1. I’m here to separate the facts from the fiction. Every week, we’ll ask fans on our NFL on FOX social media accounts for their best takes after the past weekend of action. I’ll pick a handful of them, provide analysis and render a verdict. Alright, let’s dive into the Week 1 takes: Coming out hot with the takes in Week 1! I like it. Look, the Rams were flat in their season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Australia. Reigning MVP Matthew Stafford wasn’t sharp. Neither was head coach Sean McVay (what was that goal-line quarterback sneak with Stafford?). Seven points marked the lowest total for the Rams in a game with Stafford as the starting quarterback (2021-present). The hyped defense was a massive let-down too, allowing 174 rushing yards on 5.8 yards per carry and a 58% conversion rate on third down (7-of-12). The Niners scored 17 points in the final 27 minutes. And if it couldn’t get any worse, reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett — who was held without a tackle for the first time since Week 11 of the 2024 season — underwent arthroscopic knee surgery this week and will miss at least four games on injured reserve. But with all that said, I don’t think the Rams have reason to panic. They have the same starting offense as last year, when they led the league in points and total yardage. Garrett will return eventually. Aaron Donald hasn’t suited up yet. The Rams’ loss in Australia was more of an indictment on their preparation for a single game — arriving in Melbourne the day before the game never made much sense — than their title chances. This is still arguably the NFL’s best team, even if they were overhyped entering the season and Garrett’s absence in the short term hurts. Fact or Fiction: Fiction The Giants got a tremendous boost from the Cowboys’ putrid defensive showing in Week 1, but there’s a lot to like in New York. The first thing that jumps out to me is that the Giants can own the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, a trademark of winning teams. They had 165 rushing yards and four drives of 10-plus plays against the Cowboys, including three straight to end the game. That’s what imposing your will looks like. Then defensively, edge rushers Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux generated consistent pressure on Dallas QB Dak Prescott, even if it didn’t result in any sacks. Guard Francis Mauigoa and linebacker Arvell Reese, the Giants’ 2026 first-round picks, had strong debuts. John Harbaugh & Co. prioritized building a physical football team this offseason, and it’s looking like that will pay off. Then there’s quarterback Jaxson Dart, who looks poised for a breakout Year 2. So much of the conversation around him as a rookie was his inability to properly protect himself, and on Sunday night, we saw a player who made smart decisions as a runner, getting down or out of bounds to avoid big hits. As a passer, he was decisive and precise, completing 79.3% of his passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. So the Giants appear to be in great shape, and stack up well with the NFC East. The Cowboys have some serious work to do defensively before they can be the team they were hyped to be in the offseason. The Eagles won their opener over the Commanders but have concerns on the offensive line and are breaking in a first-time offensive playercaller (more on that below). The Commanders also have a first-time offensive coordinator. Even with a new coach, the Giants seem to have the fewest questions of any team in their division. Fact or Fiction: Fact The Packers have very real reasons to be concerned. In its season-opening loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay blew yet another large lead under coach Matt LaFleur. Including their wild-card playoff defeat to the Bears last season, the Packers have lost five games since the start of 2025 that they led in the second half by at least two possessions. And the 2026 outlook is bleak on both sides of the line of scrimmage. The offensive line was dysfunctional in Week 1, allowing quarterback Jordan Love to be pressured on a career-high 50.0% of his dropbacks. The Vikings presented a unique challenge because of how much they blitz under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, but other defenses will undoubtedly draw from what worked with Minnesota. There was nothing to like in the Packers’ run game, either. The team had just 66 rushing yards on 3.1 yards per carry. Defensively, we knew Green Bay would be short-handed with Micah Parsons (ACL) out to start the year, but Vikings backup quarterback Carson Wentz was way too comfortable in place of Kyler Murray, who suffered an early concussion. Wentz had three touchdown passes and a two-point conversion to lead Minnesota, which scored 29 unanswered points to win 39-22. I think the Packers will be fine on defense when Parsons returns, expected to be around mid-October. But Green Bay’s offensive issues may not be fixable, even after just one week. LaFleur’s game management late in games continues to be problematic, and Green Bay appears to have a below-average offensive line in both pass protection and run blocking. Fact or Fiction: Fact There was a lot to like from Hurts in the Eagles’ Week 1 victory over the Commanders. In many ways, Philadelphia didn’t seem to miss star receiver A.J. Brown, who was traded to the Patriots in the offseason. Hurts had three completions of at least 30 yards, including a 64-yarder to Dontayvion Wicks. The Super Bowl LIX MVP went 6-of-9 on downfield throws (10-plus air yards) for 176 yards and three touchdowns, according to Next Gen Stats. His completion rate left much to be desired (56.0%), but he was effective as both a passer and as a runner. It was a great season debut for Hurts with a new, first-time playcaller in Sean Mannion. The offensive line is worth keeping an eye on moving forward, though. Legendary OL coach Jeff Stoutland parted ways with the team after last season, and three-time Pro Bowl guard Landon Dickerson was placed on injured reserve. Offensive line issues were one of Philly’s biggest problems last season, and the stage is set for hiccups early in 2026. That could put a lot of pressure on Hurts. Also, there are so many other quarterbacks around the league who I think are better positioned to flourish this season. The Bears’ Caleb Williams is in his second year with offensive-minded head coach Ben Johnson. Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence is in his second year with offensive-minded head coach Liam Coen. And 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen is in lock step with new Bills head coach Joe Brady, who has been Buffalo’s offensive playcaller since midway through 2023. Those QBs and others will make it difficult for Hurts to have staying power in the MVP conversation, even if Mannion’s offense turns out to be a great fit for him. Fact or Fiction: FictionLatest Sports News from FOX Sports
Starbucks’ new Snoopy Glass Cold Cup has gone viral, and the chain has released two new Peanuts-themed Frappuccinos along with it. Are they any good?
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