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Peter Santenello’s Viral Video Explores Life in the Twin Saults Across the Border

Eric Alper
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Peter Santenello’s Viral Video Explores Life in the Twin Saults Across the Border

The border between Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario has long shaped how the twin cities see themselves. In a new viral video, travel creator Peter Santenello explores this divide by speaking directly with locals on both sides. From an employee at the Tower of History who hasn’t crossed the bridge in decades to a city commissioner balancing civic duty with shifts at Zorba’s Greek American Restaurant, the Michigan perspective often emphasizes cheaper goods and stricter regulations. Across the river, Rotaryfest provides a backdrop for Ontarians reflecting on downtown vibrancy, steel mill challenges, and the arrival of new immigrant communities.

The film captures stark contrasts: one side boasts cleaner streets and festivals, the other points to environmental oversight and economic struggles. Opinions on governance, law enforcement, and cultural pride vary wildly, but together they paint a vivid picture of two cities bound by history yet shaped by national identity. With more than a million views in under a week, the video proves how everyday voices can illuminate the complexity of life in border towns.

Tiny Chef Fans Rally After Nickelodeon Cancellation with Crowdfunding and Community

Eric Alper
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Tiny Chef Fans Rally After Nickelodeon Cancellation with Crowdfunding and Community

The end of Tiny Chef’s Nickelodeon run sparked a new chapter for the pint-sized vegan cook and his team. When creators Rachel Larsen and Ozlem Akturk shared a short video of Chef being “fired” by a fictional Mickelfodeon, fans immediately responded. The clip, which has topped more than a million views on YouTube, transformed a tough moment into a groundswell of support. Within days, crowdfunding campaigns raised $140,000 and the relaunched “Fwiends Club” subscription drew 10,000 members, proving the character’s charm reaches far beyond a single network.

What makes this moment so important is how clearly it shows the shifting power dynamic in media. By speaking directly to their audience, Larsen and Akturk demonstrated that creators don’t have to rely solely on traditional platforms to survive. Instead, they can build loyalty, attract brand partnerships, and chart their own course. Tiny Chef’s future may look different, but with this level of community behind him, it’s clear his story is far from over.

Panda Bear Brings Experimental Indie Pop to NPR’s Tiny Desk with Full Band Debut

Eric Alper
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Panda Bear Brings Experimental Indie Pop to NPR’s Tiny Desk with Full Band Debut

Panda Bear beams as his layered soundscapes finally get the live treatment. “Ferry Lady” glitters with wistful energy, while “Defense” swells with harmony. By the closing “Song for Ariel,” the set feels rare and radiant.



Jake Worthington Delivers Pure Honky-Tonk Gold on New Country Album ‘When I Write The Song’

Eric Alper
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Jake Worthington Delivers Pure Honky-Tonk Gold on New Country Album ‘When I Write The Song’

Today Big Loud Texas country traditionalist Jake Worthington releases his sophomore album When I Write The Song, a 14-song jaunt made for barrooms and honky tonks. A follow up to his critically acclaimed debut album, the new record features all-star collaborations with Miranda Lambert, Marty Stuart and Mae Estes. 

“When I Write The Song is just a testament to myself and for the better or worse it’s who I am and what I do and it’s what I love,” Worthington shares. “When I get behind the old pen and paper, it’s not always the good things that come to mind that I find the easiest to say. I revere the songwriter more than I revere anybody else in the music industry and I’m proud to have had a hand at writing these songs on this record.”

Worthington’s new album doubles down on the authentic country sound he is known for that Texas Monthly defines as “gorgeous beer-joint purism.” When I Write The Song was produced by esteemed hitmakers Joey Moi, Jon Randall and Chuck Ainlay – the forces behind some of country music’s most beloved records. The ethos of the album, sonically reminiscent of greats like Jones, Jennings and Strait, can be summed up as, “music undaunted by time” (The Tennesseean).

Unforgettable songs on the album have begun to carve out a space in the cultural ecosystem from viral “It Ain’t The Whiskey” that has racked up over 40 million listens and is nominated for Texas Country Music Association’s Country Single of the Year toditty “My Home’s In Oklahoma” that led Saving Country Music to claim, the “singles have been lights out.” Home to defining songs like Lambert collab “Hello Shitty Day,” “I’m The One (feat. Marty Stuart)” and the immensely witty “Two First Names,” the title track shines as the product of a solo write by Worthington that MusicRow describes as “a honky-tonk ballad that he invests with heart and a beautifully phrased, bent-note vocal.”

Displaying his honky-tonk stylings on stage, Billboard declared that a recent live set of Worthington’s, “conjured up the ghosts of country legends like George Jones and Waylon Jennings with his twangy, authentic traditionalism and big voice.” He will continue to bring pure country anthems to venues across North America, joining Zach Top as direct support on all dates of the Cold Beer & Country Music Tour, followed by supporting slots on Jon Pardi‘s Honkytonk Hollywood Tour. For tour dates, visit jakeworthington.com.

When I Write The Song Tracklist

  1. It Ain’t The Whiskey (Jake Worthington, Will Banister, Jeff Hyde, Roger Springer)
  2. Hello Shitty Day (feat. Miranda Lambert) (Dean Dillon, Jessie Jo Dillon, Jesse Frasure, Miranda Lambert)
  3. Too Much To Think (Jake Worthington, Monty Holmes, Roger Springer)
  4. King Of The World (Jake Worthington, Roger Springer, Jacob Boyd Weinschenk)
  5. I’m The One (feat. Marty Stuart) (Jake Worthington, Jenna LaMaster, Marty Stuart)
  6. Drownin’ In Whiskey (Jake Worthington, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, Roger Springer)
  7. Not Like I Used To (Jake Worthington, Monty Criswell, Derek George)
  8. When I Write The Song (Jake Worthington)*
  9. Two First Names (Jake Worthington, Wyatt McCubbin, Brett Tyler)
  10. I Only Drink When It Rains (Jake Worthington, Roger Springer, Jacob Boyd Weinschenk)
  11. I Still Believe In Miracles (Jake Worthington, Robert Arthur, Roger Springer)*
  12. I Feel You (feat. Mae Estes) (Jake Worthington, Roger Springer, Jacob Boyd Weinschenk)*
  13. My Home’s In Oklahoma (Jake Worthington, Will Banister, Roger Springer)*
  14. Get Gone Too (Jake Worthington, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, Roger Springer)

Produced by Joey Moi and Chuck Ainlay

*Produced by Jon Randall and Chuck Ainlay

Madison McFerrin Performs at NPR’s Tiny Desk with Loop-Driven Soul and Family in Harmony

Eric Alper
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Madison McFerrin Performs at NPR’s Tiny Desk with Loop-Driven Soul and Family in Harmony

Madison McFerrin stacks harmonies live, building worlds out of her voice and pure feeling. “I Don’t” lands with humor and heart as she dishes McFerrin family tea between songs. Every moment is precise, playful, and entirely her own.



20 Amazing Facts About Hermeto Pascoal, the Sorcerer of Sound

Eric Alper
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20 Amazing Facts About Hermeto Pascoal, the Sorcerer of Sound

Brazilian musical visionary Hermeto Pascoal has died at the age of 89, surrounded by family and fellow musicians. A once-in-a-century talent, he rose from rural poverty in Alagoas to international acclaim, dazzling audiences with his boundless creativity and deep connection to sound in all its forms. Miles Davis once called him “the most impressive musician in the world” — and anyone who’s ever heard Hermeto solo on a teapot knows exactly why. To celebrate his legacy, here are 20 amazing, true facts about the life and music of “o Bruxo” — the Sorcerer.

  1. Hermeto Pascoal was born in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, in northeastern Brazil — in a region without electricity at the time.
  2. He was born with albinism and couldn’t work in the fields, so he stayed indoors and taught himself music.
  3. His first instrument was the button accordion, taught by his father, Pascoal José da Costa.
  4. By the age of 8, he was already playing flute, and by 11 he was performing live with his brother and father.
  5. In 1960, he picked up the saxophone and later formed the group Som Quatro.
  6. His early recordings in the 1960s featured Brazilian legends like Edu Lobo, Elis Regina, and Cesar Camargo Mariano.
  7. In 1966, he joined Sambrasa Trio with Airto Moreira and Humberto Clayber, releasing one influential album.
  8. He later joined Quarteto Novo, whose 1967 album launched the careers of both Pascoal and Moreira.
  9. In 1971, he appeared on Miles Davis’s Live-Evil album, performing and composing three tracks.
  10. Miles Davis allegedly called Hermeto “the most impressive musician in the world.”
  11. He played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1979 and led his own ensembles for decades afterward.
  12. His performances used everything from melodicas and saxophones to teapots, toys, and live animals.
  13. He famously created Música da Lagoa, a composition played partly underwater in a lagoon.
  14. Nature and rural Brazilian folk music were constant inspirations in his music.
  15. Between 1996 and 1997, he wrote Calendário do Som — a book of 366 songs, one for each day of the year.
  16. He lived in Jabour, a neighborhood in Rio, where he hosted musicians from around the world.
  17. In 2019, he won a Latin Grammy for Hermeto Pascoal e Sua Visão Original do Forró.
  18. He was married to Ilza da Silva from 1954 until her passing in 2000; they had six children together.
  19. From 2003 to 2016, he was married to singer Aline Morena while living in Curitiba.
  20. Hermeto Pascoal passed away on September 13, 2025, from multiple organ failure — but his music will play forever.

MrBeast’s ‘7 Days Stranded at Sea’ Just Broke a YouTube Record and We’re All Just Living in His Algorithm

Eric Alper
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0
MrBeast’s ‘7 Days Stranded at Sea’ Just Broke a YouTube Record and We’re All Just Living in His Algorithm

It’s official: MrBeast has broken the record for most views in 24 hours on a non-music video. The YouTube king — whose channel now towers past 174 million subscribers — dropped a video called 7 Days Stranded at Sea and watched the views roll in like waves. After just one day? 46 million views. To put that in perspective, that’s almost half the audience of the Super Bowl. For a guy drinking seawater on a raft.

Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast) called it a dream come true. “I’m living the life I would dream of every night when I was 13,” he posted on X. It’s a classic MrBeast formula: take an absurd challenge, drop a jaw-dropping title, and deliver spectacle with heart. His last few videos have all passed 100 million views, and his Squid Game recreation sits at around 475 million. At this point, he’s not just a creator — he’s a global media empire in a T-shirt.

And sure, it’s not technically “music,” but MrBeast’s view count is proof that spectacle is the new pop. A floating survival story with a billion-dollar attention span. A thumbnail that fuels group chats. A challenge that turns into a milestone. The most-viewed YouTuber just added another trophy to the shelf — and he’s not even dry yet.

What Is “67”? The Internet’s Favorite Number Has No Meaning — and That’s the Point

Eric Alper
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0
What Is “67”? The Internet’s Favorite Number Has No Meaning — and That’s the Point

TikTok has a new obsession. It’s not a dance. It’s not a skincare routine. It’s not even a conspiracy theory. It’s a number. Just two digits: 67. That’s it. That’s the trend.

So… What Does “67” Mean?

Nothing.
Or everything.
Or maybe something in between.

It started with a track called Doot Doot by rapper Skrilla, where the phrase “six-seven” gets repeated like a secret code. That sound took off in late 2024 on TikTok — and suddenly, “67” was everywhere.

By February 2025, the song dropped officially. But the slang outlived the single. Now, “67” is said, whispered, chanted, joked about, and added to captions like it holds the meaning of life. Spoiler: it doesn’t.

Okay, But What Is It?

Some say “67” means so-so — especially when paired with the double-hand balancing motion. Think of it like shrugging, but cooler.

Others — including creator Philip Lindsay — say the whole point is that there is no point. It’s just a number. Fun to say. Catchy to repeat. Meme-worthy in its confusion.

And maybe that’s the magic. “67” is the inside joke that nobody understands — and that’s why everyone wants in on it.

Why LaMelo Ball Keeps Getting Dragged Into This

Things really took off when fans edited “six-seven” onto a clip of Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, who, yes, stands 6 feet 7 inches tall.
One clip in particular hit meme status: “I’m just realizing now that LaMelo literally moves like somebody that’s 6’1″, 6’2″, except he’s 6’7″.” Boom — the number had a face.

From there, the internet did what it does best: make it weird, wild, and wonderful.

Where You’ve Heard It

In press conferences (Paige Bueckers cracked up during hers saying “It’s felt more like 6-7”).
In jokes about test scores (“I got 67 out of 100 what abt you”).
In totally unrelated conversations that suddenly end with “67” and that one hand motion.
In your group chat — probably soon.

67 Is the New “Fetch”

Nobody knows why it works. It just does.
It’s a vibe. A filler. A non sequitur that became the main event.
It means exactly what you want it to mean — and if you ask what it means, you’ve already lost.

TL;DR

“67” is TikTok’s favorite number.
It started in a viral song.
It doesn’t mean anything.
It might mean everything.
Use it wisely. Or don’t.
67.

How Baseball’s Magic Number Works

Eric Alper
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How Baseball’s Magic Number Works

Every September, baseball fans start saying two words like it’s a chant, a countdown, or a prophecy: magic number. But what is it? Who decided it was magic? And how do teams know when to pop the champagne? Here’s how it works — no calculator required.

The Short Answer

The magic number is the combination of wins by your team and losses by the second-place team needed to clinch a playoff spot or division title.

That’s it. It’s the finish line math that says, “If we win X more games or they lose Y more, it’s over.”

The Actual Formula

Here’s the basic version:
Magic Number = 163 – (your team’s wins + second-place team’s losses)

Why 163? Because that’s one more than the number of games in a season (162), to guarantee you finish ahead.

For example, if your team has 90 wins and the second-place team has 65 losses:
Magic Number = 163 – (90 + 65) = 8

Any combo of your wins and their losses that adds up to 8 will clinch it.

The Vibe

It’s like playing poker with the standings.
Your team wins — it drops.
Their team loses — it drops.
The moment it hits zero? You’re in. You pop bottles. You start debating playoff rotations. And somewhere, a player dumps Gatorade on a coach wearing expensive shoes.

The Tiebreaker Era Is Over

This used to get messy. In past seasons, a tie in the standings meant a Game 163 — a one-game showdown to settle it. But MLB ended that in 2022. Now tiebreakers are head-to-head records, so the math is a little cleaner — and the magic number means a little more.

Why We Love It

Because baseball’s long. It’s a 6-month saga. And the magic number turns the stretch run into a race against the clock. It gives fans permission to hope, scoreboard-watch, and overanalyze every half-game shift like it’s life or death.

And when it gets to one — just one — it’s not magic. It’s momentum.

TL;DR For Your Group Chat

The magic number = the mix of wins and rival losses needed to clinch.
When it hits zero, your team is in the playoffs.
Baseball math never felt so electric.

Everything You Need To Know About The 2025 Emmys (Without Googling It)

Eric Alper
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0
Everything You Need To Know About The 2025 Emmys (Without Googling It)

(Without Googling It)

TV’s biggest night is almost here, and you don’t even need a red carpet to get involved. Whether you’re tuning in for the speeches, the memes, or to yell at your screen when your favourite loses, here’s your guide to the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards.

1. When Is It?

Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.
Set your alarms, cancel your plans, microwave your popcorn.
Starts at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT
Watch it in Canada on CTV
Stream it on CTV.ca or the CTV app
U.S. viewers can watch on CBS or stream via Paramount+

2. Who’s Hosting?

Nate Bargatze — the stand-up king of clean comedy and deadpan delivery — is your host for the night. He’s up for two awards himself. That’s right, he’s funny and nominated. No pressure.

3. Who’s Leading the Pack?

With 27 nominations, Severance is walking in with the most heat.
The Penguin (24 nods) and Seth Rogen’s The Studio (23) aren’t far behind.
The White Lotus is still thriving like your rich friend’s vacation budget.

4. Shows You’ll Pretend You’ve Watched

Best Drama Series includes:
Andor, The Diplomat, The Last of Us, Severance, The Pitt, Paradise, Slow Horses, The White Lotus

Best Comedy Series contenders:
Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Shrinking, What We Do in the Shadows, Only Murders in the Building, The Studio, Nobody Wants This (but apparently, the Emmys do)

5. Red Carpet? Oh, You Fancy

Here’s where to get your fashion fix:
E! starts at 5:00 p.m. ET — think glam, sequins, and celebrity small talk
People Magazine’s livestream begins at 6:00 p.m. ET — available on social platforms and YouTube
Entertainment Tonight rolls in at 7:00 p.m. ET for that final sparkle shot before showtime

6. Stars on Stage, Not Just On Screen

This year’s presenters list is stacked like a Hollywood block party.
Here’s a taste: Tina Fey, Pedro Pascal, Sofia Vergara, Jenna Ortega, Adam Scott, Sydney Sweeney, Jeff Probst, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Martin Scorsese.

7. Special Tributes: Cue the Nostalgia

25 years of Gilmore Girls
40 years of Golden Girls
50 seasons of Survivor
All getting a moment in the spotlight — including appearances from Alexis Bledel, Lauren Graham, and Reba McEntire. It’s okay if you tear up a little.

8. Canada Watch Party Checklist

CTV on your cable box
CTV.ca on your laptop
CTV app on your phone
Paramount+ is not available in Canada for this broadcast
Twitter/X for instant hot takes
Your group chat to scream about the snubs

9. A Quick Shoutout To Some Nominees

Drama Kings & Queens
Sterling K. Brown, Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal, Adam Scott, Kathy Bates, Britt Lower

Comedy Royalty
Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, Jason Segel, Jeremy Allen White, Seth Rogen, Jean Smart

Limited Series MVPs
Cate Blanchett, Michelle Williams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Stephen Graham, Cristin Milioti

Scene Stealers
Catherine O’Hara, Bryan Cranston, Olivia Colman, Harrison Ford, Parker Posey, Bowen Yang

10. So Who’s Going to Win?

That’s the fun part. We don’t know.
But we do know this: The Studio could sweep the comedy categories, The Bear might keep roaring, and Severance is the one to beat in drama.

Final Word

The Emmys are a celebration of the shows we binge, the stories we obsess over, and the stars we pretend are our best friends. Whether you’re tuning in for awards, outfits, or chaos — it’s going to be a night to remember.

Follow along.
Watch live.
Yell about snubs.
And don’t forget to thank your group chat in your acceptance speech.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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