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All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Restless nights can leave you with dreaded dark circles, but we found the beauty deal that may leave you with a […]
Jung Kook is about to bring the fire and set the summer alight! Good Morning America announced on Friday (July 7), that the BTS member is set to kick off the long-running show’s annual Summer Concert Series this year. “Get ready to dance!” Jung Kook tells ARMY with a smile in a brief video message […]
We’ve compiled our favorite Cardi B looks from Paris Fashion Week.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Pickleball is having a major moment, with more and more people grabbing a paddle, throwing on their sneakers and hitting the courts. The sport has rapidly grown in popularity — especially throughout America, as an estimated 36.6 million people played the sport between August 2021 to August 2022, CNBC reported.
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Even celebrities have been hopping on the healthy trend, with Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck being spotted playing Tuesday (July 4). In a tweet from @BenniferUpdates, you can see a video of the two sporting some casual athletic wear while hitting the ball across the court.
With more pickleball courts popping up, playing the sport has now become easier — but what exactly is it? If you’ve never heard of the game before or want a quick rundown on all the essential info, we’ve gathered all you need to know to get started on your pickleball journey.
Keep reading to learn what the sport is, how to play and what you need to get started.
What is Pickleball?
The sport may look like a supersized version of ping-pong, but there are a lot more elements that go into playing. The game combines elements of tennis, ping-pong and badminton, according to USA Pickleball. Since it only requires a paddle, a plastic ball with holes and a net, it’s versatile enough to be played indoors or outdoors, allowing for year-round play. A traditional court is usually the size of a badminton court and you can even play on a double or single team.
How to Play Pickleball
One of the reasons the game has become so well-loved is for how easy it is to learn. To start off, someone serves underhand diagonally (and the serve can’t go above your waist). Only one serve is allowed unless it hits the net and lands within the bounds. The serve must also bounce twice — meaning it bounces when it’s served to the other side and then must bounce again when it’s returned to the server.
Iit’s OK to volley with the team, which means you can hit it across the court without waiting for the ball to bounce. You’ll notice on the court a rectangle in front of the net, which is referred to as the “kitchen.” This area is strictly out of bounds unless you’re hitting the ball off a bounce — other than that, stay out of the kitchen!
If your team scores a point, then the server switches to the left square and serves diagonally from there. The switching and serving continues after every point until you lose possession of the ball. Games usually play until someone reaches 11 points and are typically won by two points.
If you need a visual, Pickleballerz USA has a step-by-step video you can follow below.
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Best Pickleball Gear, According to Shoppers
Before you head to the nearest court, make sure you have the right pickleball sets to get you started. If you plan to play outdoors, be sure to pack some sunscreen in your backpack and pair it with some leggings for optimum movement. Whether you have a court nearby or want to set one up in your backyard, keep reading to stock up on all the essentials.
Amazon
Tearplex Pickleball Set of 4
$29.99 $44.99 33% OFF
Tearplex’s Pickleball Set comes with four paddles in red and blue to differentiate teams if you play singles or double. The set is also labeled as an Amazon Choice for pickleball equipment with a rating of 4.6 stars — and we can see why. For those hot sweaty rounds, you can use cooling towels provided during your breaks in between rounds — or when you need to switch out balls with one of the four provided. Everything can also be carried and stored away in the handy bag provided.
Amazon
VINSGUIR Pickleball Paddles Set
$46.99 $57.99 19% OFF
Just need a paddle and spare? This popular paddle set has earned a 4.7 star rating on Amazon with almost 3,000 shoppers rating it five stars for how, affordable, lightweight and comfortable they are to use. Reviewers even label it a beginner-friendly design with one shopper saying they “strongly recommend it if you are looking for an intro set.”
Amazon
Fostoy Pickleball Net Set with Wheels
$132.99
Set up your own pickleball court in your backyard with the help of the Fostoy Pickleball Net Set. Not only does it come with a stainless steel net, but features four paddles, eight balls and a handy carrying case. It’s also an Amazon Choice product with a 4.6 star rating for its ease of setup and ability to seamlessly move from one spot to another (thanks to its built-in wheels).
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of sunglasses deals, the best speakers and portable chargers.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Walmart has been rolling out sizzling deals for summer, the latest being a deep discount on its annual membership. If you’ve been thinking about joining Walmart+, now would be a great time to give it a try because the membership is currently 50% off for new subscribers.
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That means you can subscribe to Walmart+ at a discounted rate of just $49 for the entire year. This limited deal won’t last long though, it expires on July 13.
Walmart+ typically costs $12.95 per month or $98 for the annual membership and you can cancel anytime via the Walmart+ accounts page or customer care.
What is Walmart+? The retailer’s subscription membership unlocks instant access to loads of benefits including early access to shop Black Friday deals and other mega sales, special pricing and product releases. Walmart+ members also get a ton of freebees.
Walmart+ $49 $98 50% off% OFF
What can you get for free with Walmart+? For starters, the membership includes free shipping with no order minimum, so you won’t have to worry about adding things to your cart that you might not even need just to get free shipping.
The membership also includes free grocery delivery, contact-free checkout with mobile-scan and go, free subscriptions to Paramount+ and ad-free streaming with Pluto TV.
And it doesn’t stop there. Members also get a free six-month subscription to Sirius XM (stream in your car or through the app), up to 70% off Aura digital protection (and a 30-day free trial), 50% off True Network Solutions tech support, $10 off your first three tickets purchased with TodayTix, 70% off ReadingIQ for Kids savings of up to $83.88/year on ABCmouse or Adventure Academy, a year free of Pawp pet care and lots more.
What’s currently on sale at Walmart? The retail giant is offering a bunch of great deals for Walmart+ week, which takes place from July 6-13 and is an alternative to Amazon Prime Day.
Walmart shoppers can save big on clothing starting at $10 and great tech deals like these portable Bluetooth speakers that are on sale for $39. Plus, up to 65% off flash deals and back-to-school supplies starting at less than $5.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Lifetime is back with another V.C. Andrews adaptation — and this time, it’s with her 1990 book Dawn. The limited series V.C. Andrews’ Dawn will air Saturday (July 8) and will be released in four installments every Saturday evening through July 29.
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If you haven’t read the book, the series will tell the story of Dawn Longchamp (Brec Bassinger) who grows up around humble surroundings with a loving family. After a sudden tragedy occurs, a startling discovery is unfurled causing her life to take an unexpected turn. Now, surrounded by a new family and environment, she has to adjust to a different life filled with dark secrets and betrayal.
Starring alongside Bassinger is Jesse Metcalfe, Khobe Clarke, Donna Mills, Joey McIntyre and Fran Drescher.
Keep reading for streaming options below.
When and How to Stream V.C. Andrews’ Dawn Online
V.C. Andrews’ Dawn will be available to watch on Lifetime Saturday (July 8) at 8 p.m. ET and to stream the day after on Lifetime.com.
If you’re not already signed up for a streaming platform, cable or satellite, you can stream the movie online and for free – depending on which streamer you choose.
Lifetime can also be viewed through other streaming options including Philo, DirectTV Stream, Vidgo and SlingTV. Viewers streaming internationally can use ExpressVPN to access Lifetime, Philo and more.
If you’re shopping for budget-friendly streaming platforms, Philo offers one of the most affordable plans starting at $25/month and a free trial for the first week.
Philo
$25/month after 7 days free
Philo features over 70 channels including Lifetime, MTV, BET, TLC, VH1, CMT, WEtv, A&E, ID, Trvl Channel, OWN, AMC and Comedy Central. The subscription includes unlimited DVR that can be stored for up to a year.
For additional savings, SlingTV is also offering a limited-time deal offering prices as low as $15 for your first month.
Check below to watch the trailer for V.C. Andrews’ Dawn.
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All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Lego wants to put a spell on you in the form of its latest magical set — a buildable Sanderson Sisters’ […]
While George Michael may be remembered today as a queer icon in his own right, the “Freedom ’90” singer’s former bandmate recently revealed that his delayed coming out cost the superstar dearly.
According to Michael’s longtime Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley, the “Faith” singer’s decision to keep his sexuality secret before eventually announcing it on live TV in 1998 ultimately hurt him more than it helped. “I think it is fairly unarguable,” Ridgeley told People in an interview published Wednesday (July 5). “He made the point that it had a personal cost, which I don’t think he ever quite reconciled.”
“George was thinking, ‘Yeah, I’ll just come out and say it,’ and I thought, ‘Well, how’s this gonna change anything for us?’” Ridgeley also told the publication. “The music’s still great and once the initial sort of hullabaloo is over, then it’ll probably be just that. But that was not the case, and George says that for him personally, that was the wrong decision.”
Michael’s decision to delay his coming out was based out of fear for “how his father would react, along with the press and the label,” Ridgeley said. “He was all ifs and buts, but the fact is the decision was taken not to make his sexuality public, and that personally cost him.”
Michael hid his sexuality from fans for years before he was arrested in 1998 for lewd conduct, an event that essentially outed him to the public and led him to confirm he was gay in a televised interview on CNN. Before his death in 2016, the English musician said himself that he regretted staying in the closet for so long, even though doing so likely helped his career in the long run.
“I’d been out to a lot of people since 19,” he said in a 2007 radio interview. “I wish to God it had happened then. I don’t think I would have the same career – my ego might not have been satisfied in some areas – but I think I would have been a happier man … Then AIDS changed everything. I was too immature to know I was sacrificing as much as I was.”
The difficulties Michael faced before and after coming out are covered in the new Wham! documentary, which arrived on Netflix Wednesday (July 5). But while the “Careless Whisper” musician faced judgment and scorn from some listeners afterward, Ridgeley shared with People that for him, his longtime friend’s revelation didn’t change a thing between them.
“Shirlie told me George was anxious about telling me, which I found a little surprising,” he reflected, referencing former girlfriend and singer Shirlie Kemp. “When he told me it was like, ‘Oh, well, yeah. That explains a few things,’ but it was unremarkable. It was unsensational.”
Bob Marley‘s story will come to life on the big screen with the forthcoming film Bob Marley: One Love. While fans of the late reggae legend will have to wait until 2024 for the movie to hit theaters, the first trailer — released on Thursday (July 6) — offers a first look at what to […]
When Kanye West embarked on a tirade of antisemitic comments last year, Kim Kardashian remained quietly stoic. Hesitant to speak out against her ex-husband and the father of her children, she refrained from addressing the rapper by name and instead posted in support of the Jewish community — all while Ye continued his hate-speech crusade in interviews and on social media, losing his partnerships with seemingly every brand under the sun in the process.
But now, Hulu’s The Kardashians has revealed how Kardashian truly felt about the situation, showing her breaking down in tears on the latest episode. “It’s really confusing for me that it’s so different than the person that I married because that’s who I loved and that’s who I remember,” the mogul shared in the Thursday (July 6) installment, filmed last year. “I’ll do anything to get that person back.”
“I feel so bad for him,” she continued, sobbing next to her sister Khloé. “I don’t even think he feels bad for himself because I don’t even know if he knows how. I just feel so bad.”
The reality star also revealed that she hadn’t spoken to Ye throughout the controversy, fearing that “he’ll probably go off on me.” “I feel guilty that I posted something in support of the Jewish community, then people dropped him today,” she added. “Is that my fault? That I posted that? And did that push them? And I should have just kept quiet? But I’m vocal about everything else … I never know what to do.”
The SKIMS founder was married to West from 2014 to 2022, and the pair welcomed four kids together: North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm. While speaking on the “Donda” artist’s social downfall, Kim emphasized that her biggest concern was how Ye’s actions will affect their children.
“I’m so angry, but I’m also so sad,” she told the camera on the latest The Kardashians episode. “Your instinct wants to be like, ‘Wow, I can never talk to this person again,’ but then you think of your babies. I’m having a hard time figuring it out.”
“It’s such a helpless feeling because me watching Ye is like watching a car crash in slow motion,” Khloé added. “None of us share these antisemitic views. We think it’s gravely irresponsible. We’re all very aware of the following that Kanye has, and how his words can be used to rile people up.”