Entertainment
The Ultimate Raunchy Underdog Comedy Could Never Be Made Today, Streaming Free
By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated
These days, most comedies fall flat because they play it safe in direct-to-streaming films that pull punches with their punchlines and star some of the unfunniest people on the planet. Over two decades ago, though, we got a solidly-budgeted, raunchy comedy starring some of the funniest actors in Hollywood. If you’d like to bust a gut laughing at the kind of vulgar comedy that could never be made today, you can now stream Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story for free on Tubi.
The premise of Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is that the owner of a crappy local gym must raise $50,000 in the next month or lose his gym or get bought out by the snotty owner of the mega-gym across the street. Our schlubby hero assembles a motley crew of his employees and gym members to compete in a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament, which (conveniently enough) has a $50,000 prize. But after the rival gym owner assembles his own team of elite athletes, everything comes down to a dodgeball showdown between a group of well-funded jerks and an ersatz team of average Joes.
Big Names And Bigger Personalities
The cast of Dodgeball includes some fun surprises, including Ben Stiller (best known for Tropic Thunder) as the cartoonishly evil owner of the rival gym across the street. Justin Long (best known for Jeepers Creepers) plays a nebbish high schooler who’s hoping to make the grade and save his favorite gym, while Alan Tudyk (best known for the Firefly TV show) plays a gymgoer who just happens to dress and act like a pirate. Meanwhile, the movie is filled with big names in small roles, including Jason Bateman, William Shatner, and even Chuck Norris.
The real star of this particular show, though, is Vince Vaughn: he makes his protagonist surprisingly affable and relatable, imbuing the character with the same smirking charm that the actor exhibited in Wedding Crashers. He is basically the straight man to the wackier performances all around him, but he still manages to get his own hilarious zingers in. Vauhgn is truly inspired casting, and his experience always playing Hollywood’s archetypal everyman helps him bring the owner of Average Joe’s gym to life in a surprisingly vivid way.
The Last Movie Audiences Wanted To Dodge
It may have seemed like a silly sports throwback at the time, but Dodgeball proved to be wildly popular: against a budget of $20 million, the film earned a cool $168.4 million. Surprisingly, there was never a follow-up film, though there have been reports about a possible sequel since 2013. As recently as 2023, 20th Century Studios was reportedly working on a sequel that brought Vince Vaughn back, but there have been no updates on that film in the last few years.
When Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story came out, it proved one thing among professional critics: if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a bad review! It has a 72 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the film for its hilariously vulgar writing and winking, over-the-top performances. They also commended this movie for serving as a spiritual sequel to the kinds of snobs vs. slobs films that were so wildly popular back in the 1980s.
Plundering Nostalgia In A Big Way
The critics are quite correct that Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is an ‘80s throwback in the best possible ways, including the simplicity of the plot. It’s a slobs vs. snobs underdog story that culminates in a crazy competition between the groups, which is a plot evocative of classic films such as Caddyshack and Revenge of the Nerds. Dodgeball manages to update this tried-and-true movie formula while adding a few new twists, resulting in a film that works as an homage to yesteryear while still managing to stand on its own.
A big part of the movie’s enduring appeal is its eminently-quotable dialogue: speaking for myself, Rip Torn’s gruff delivery of “if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!” lives in my head rent-free. Meanwhile, Ben Stiller’s line delivery of “no one makes me bleed my own blood” is the perfect combo of campy and threatening. Additionally, the gag about “ESPN 8: The Ocho” was so funny that the popular sports channel has frequently held marathons of the same name that feature dodgeball and other lesser-known sports.
A Comedy That Could Never Be Made Today
In returning to Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, I couldn’t stop thinking about how this is the kind of film that we just don’t get anymore. The mid-budget film has quietly died, which is why your local movie theaters are filled with nothing but big-budget superhero slop and low-budget indies and horror films. Watching Dodgeball feels like a return to a glorious era when such raunchy, mid-budget comedies were the norm, which is great for anyone tired of the direct-to-streaming garbage that Netflix and other streamers can’t stop churning out.
Will you agree that Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is the kind of over-the-top comedy that could never be made today, or would you rather get hit in the face by a dodgeball than watch all the way through? You won’t know until you stream this campy classic for free on Tubi. Fair warning, though: once the credits roll, you may be overtaken by a powerful urge to call up your friends and play a few rounds of dodgeball!.
Entertainment
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 2, 2026
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition will require some knowledge of popular U.S. sports and pop culture.
As we’ve shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections: Sports Edition?
The NYT‘s latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication’s sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
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Here’s a hint for today’s Connections: Sports Edition categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Here are today’s Connections: Sports Edition categories
Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:
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Yellow: A Pittsburgh Athlete
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Green: Seen on an MLB Scorebug
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Blue: Teams in the PWHL Playoffs
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Purple: Horse Racing Triple Crowns
Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today’s Connections: Sports Edition #585 is…
What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?
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A Pittsburgh Athlete: PANTHER, PENGUIN, PIRATE, STEELER
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Seen on an MLB Scorebug: COUNT, INNING, OUTS, SCORE
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Teams in the PWHL Playoffs: CHARGE, FLEET, FROST, VICTORIE
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Horse Racing Triple Crowns: AFFIRMED, CITATION, JUSTIFY, WHIRLAWAY
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to today’s Connections.
Entertainment
NYT Pips hints, answers for May 2, 2026
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you’re stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play Pips
If you’ve ever played dominoes, you’ll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we’ve shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don’t necessarily have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you’ll run into across the difficulty levels:
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Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
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Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
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Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
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Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
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Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 2 Pips
Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed horizontally.
Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed horizontally.
Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 2 Pips
Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.
Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.
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Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally
Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.
Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 2 Pips
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically.
Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.
Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.
Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 1-3, placed horizontally.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.
Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.
Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Entertainment
New rules for the Oscars: AI actors are out of the race
The Academy won’t be handing over the golden statuette to robots anytime soon.
In new rules announced May 1, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has ruled that AI performances are not eligible for an Oscar. Filmmakers can still utilize AI tools in their submitted works, but only human actors and human-authored screenplays will be considered for the body’s highest honors.
The move aligns with AI agreements won during the 2023 Writers’ Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA strikes and addresses growing tension over the presence of generative AI tools across artistic industries.
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For example, a recent trailer for the upcoming historical adventure film As Deep as the Grave, featuring an entirely AI-generated recreation of the late Val Kilmer, caused widespread furor among fans who recoiled at the on-screen digital likeness. Prior to his death, Kilmer created an AI version of his speaking voice with UK tech company Sonantic. Other celebrities, like Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine, have worked with AI company ElevenLabs to clone their voices, as well.
But while some celebs are getting ahead of their AI counterparts, others are fighting back against nonconsensual deepfakes writ large. Pop star Taylor Swift recently filed for trademark of her voice and image — including the phrase “Hey, it’s Taylor.” — amid a surge of synthetic AI likenesses of her proliferating across the internet, including ones used in data phishing scams.
The Academy announced additional rule changes for international film and acting categories, generating buzz online after several contentious Oscar campaign races in recent years. For non-English films, a country can now have multiple nominated entries instead of the previous limit of one. Similarly, actors can receive multiple nominations in the same category if their performances rank in the top five.
Topics
Artificial Intelligence
Oscars
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 2, 2026
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