Men's Journal's Blog, page 46
July 19, 2025
Huckberry Is Selling Its $98 Utility Shorts for $49 Right Now, and Shoppers Say They're 'Perfect' in the Heat
Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Shorts are supposed to make life easier, but making sure you have a flattering pair is crucial. While denim is a vibe and hiking shorts have great tech built into them, neither is versatile enough to wear everywhere. The good news is that Proof, Huckberry's tech-savvy house brand, seamlessly blends form and function, and its bestselling utility chino shorts are on sale for under $50 during the annual summer sale.
The Huckberry Proof 7-Inch Rover EDC Shorts are on sale for just $49 at Huckberry, a 50% savings on their regular price of $98. They have nearly 50 five-star ratings, and shoppers say, “These are perfect for humid summer days.” They're available in sizes 28 to 38, but only the Salt colorway is available at this price. Despite that, it's a great neutral color you could wear all summer long.
Proof 7-Inch Rover EDC Shorts, $49 (was $98) at Huckberry
[image error]
Though hyper-functional, the aesthetics of this pair of shorts match their practicality. For starters, the 7-inch length is perfect for guys who love a pair that falls mid-thigh without being too short. The cut is slim enough to accentuate muscle mass, but there's still plenty of flexibility thanks to an inseam gusset and the cotton-polyester blend fabric with just a touch of Lycra, which also makes them breathable, moisture-wicking, extremely durable, and buttery-soft. They have seven pockets for all of your EDC essentials, including a zippered option.
“The only shorts I’ll ever need," one shopper said. "The Rover EDC 7-inch is flawless. These are not just shorts—they’re a lifestyle upgrade. The Rover shorts strike the perfect balance between rugged utility and effortless style. I’ve hiked mountain trails, biked to brunch, and dressed up in the same pair. They move with me, not against me, thanks to the buttery stretch and smart design. The fit is dialed, the fabric moves with you, and they look great doing just about anything. Clean, functional, and durable—these shorts just work.”
Another shopper said, “I wear them to work, I wear them fishing, then I wear them to dinner. They’ve held up to countless wash cycles and poor decisions. My 501s are jealous of how often I wear the Rover EDC Short.” A third shopper joked, “These shorts say, ‘I know how to build a cabin…and order espresso perfectly.’”
For under $50, the Huckberry Proof 7-Inch Rover EDC Shorts are the perfect summer pair. With a sale point this low, these will likely sell out fast, so grab yours sooner rather than later.
Phillies Mascot Coldplay Kiss Cam Reenactment Goes Viral
Headlines have been ablaze with news surrounding Coldplay's recent kiss cam footage.
Much of the internet believes it shows the now-former Astronomer CEO and another employee caught in a romantic moment, even though Byron is married.
Many believe the footage shows an affair between Andy Byron, who resigned as CEO of Astronomer July 19, 2025, shortly after Phillies mascots mocked the moment in a now viral video, and human resources executive Kristin Cabot.
The tech company also in a post on LinkedIn announced it had formally launched an investigation into the matter shortly before Byron resigned. The investigation resulted in Byron being placed on leave before he resigned.
Now, to add insult to injury, the kiss cam extravaganza was mocked at a Phillies baseball game on July 18.
The large, fury, green bird with an extendable tongue reenacted the moment with another Phanatic while the team played against the Los Angeles Angels.
Video of the Phillies game kiss cam was reposted by the New York Post here.
The two mascots can be seen "caught" by the kiss cam in what has to be a staged embrace before the girl Phanatic covers her eyes and the guy ducks out of shot, imitating almost perfectly what happened at the Coldplay concert.
The crowd went wild is the girl Phanatic turned around to try to save face.
The original kiss cam footage from the Coldplay concert on July 16 went viral and prompted a tidal wave of memes (even from big brands such as Aldi's), as well as fake statements claiming to be from Byron, Coldplay and someone claiming to have recently been fired by the company, among others.
But the Phillies mascots mocking the original video certainly isn't fake, and there were more than 44,000 real people attending the game live who can attest to that fact, according to Baseball Reference.
Unfortunately for the Phillies though, the kiss cam might be the highlight of the game since they ended up losing to the Angels 6-5.
The Phillies do at least have a slightly better record than the Angels this season though, currently 55-42 compared to the California team's 48-49 record.
Related: Andy Byron Resigns as Astronomer CEO. He's in a Social Media Firestorm
Andy Byron, Kristin Cabot 'Coldplay Scandal' Sparked Many False Reports. Here's a List
Former tech CEO Andy Byron and his company's "chief people officer" Kristin Cabot went to a Coldplay concert together, and it changed their lives forever.
An untold number of memes and jokes later, and Byron has tendered his resignation. That is a fact; his company, Astronomer, confirmed it.
However, in a cautionary tale of the internet's excesses, a number of outright false reports emerged during the course of the scandal, and many of them had hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of viewers.
To recap, Byron and Cabot were projected on the Jumbotron at the Coldplay concert in Massachusetts, and they decided to duck. That drew the attention of frontman Chris Martin, who famously speculated about whether they were "shy" or having an "affair."
Both have been married to others, per multiple published reports; Byron is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, who subsequently deleted her Facebook page (Men's Journal viewed it before it was taken down), and Cabot has been married to Privateer Rum CEO Andrew Cabot and a man named Kenneth Thornby, according to the New York Post. The current state of the marriage to Andrew Cabot is not clear, though, and Privateer Rum did not return a request for comment.
Here's a roundup of some of the most prolific false statements:
No, Andy Byron didn't give a statement trashing Coldplay. He has not put out any statement.
Early on, a statement attributed to Andy Byron circulated widely on social media. In it, the author criticized Coldplay.
The company says that the post is fake. Byron has not made any public comment.
The false statement claimed Byron had apologized for a "deeply personal mistake." The X page that circulated it is now suspended.
It was one of two fake statements attributed to Byron that widely circulated on X and even found their way into news stories on some other sites.
"Andy Byron has not put out any statement, reports saying otherwise are all incorrect," Astronomer wrote in a legitimate statement on X.
Related: Astronomer Breaks Silence on CEO Andy Byron, 'ColdplayGate'
No, Astronomer employee Alyssa Stoddard was not at the concert.
Much social media attention focused on a woman who was seen smiling in the Jumbotron next to Cabot. Social media "sleuths" identified her as an Astronomer employee named Alyssa Stoddard.
However, Astronomer says that is false. The woman is not Alyssa Stoddard.
"Alyssa Stoddard was not at the event and no other employees were in the video," Astronomer wrote on X.
Related: Astronomer Breaks Silence on Alyssa Stoddard With Strong Message
No, a company employee named Alex Cohen was not fired.
A post by an X page in the name of Alex Cohen purported that he was an employee who was fired by Astronomer.
Only problem is, Astronomer says that isn't true, either. In an email to Men's Journal, Astronomer stated that Cohen's post is fake, and he was never an Astronomer employee.
This is what the Cohen post had claimed, “I was fired from Astronomer today. I ran our company’s events team. Turns out our CEO and Head of HR were having an affair and got caught at the Coldplay concert that I bought the company tickets to. They blamed me for getting caught and fired me on the spot. Taking some time to reflect and will start looking for jobs soon."
False, says Astronomer.
Related: Alex Cohen Post on Astronomer 'Concert Couple' Scandal Is Fake
No, Kristin Cabot is not still married to Kenneth Thornby.
Some social media posts and sites painted a man named Kenneth Thornby as Cabot's aggrieved husband. However, Thornby is not her current husband. They were divorced in 2022, the New York Post reported.
Related: Kristin Cabot Was Married to Ex Husband Kenneth Thornby: Report
No, Coldplay didn't release a statement on the incident.
A supposed X post by Coldplay also went viral in the wake of the scandal, but that's not real either. It doesn't appear on the band's actual X page.
"Starting with our next show, we're introducing camera-free audience sections for people and their sidepieces," the post states.
Related: Coldplay ‘statement’ on Andy Byron Goes Viral. It's Fake
KFC's Viral Response to Astronomer CEO Andy Byron's Coldplay Video
On Thursday, a video went viral of Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his co-worker Kristin Cabot being caught on the kiss cam at the Coldplay concert went viral.
The video was all over social media, and the response from Astronomer was to place both Cabot and Byron on leave with a statement from the company.
"The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly," the statement read.
Still, the clip of Byron and Cabot has been all over the internet, and there have been plenty of reactions from everywhere.
On Friday night, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) got into the fun with an out-of-nowhere post on X.
"just know our sides are always HR approved," the post read.
just know our sides are always HR approved 🥶
— KFC (@kfc) July 19, 2025
In just a few hours, the post had already registered over 675,000 views, so it went viral quickly.
Users couldn't help but take note.
"Never deleting this app," one person wrote."Leave it to KFC to come out with the best troll of the day!!" another said.
"Apologies KFC, I was not familiar with your game," said another. "Savage," another replied.
Others wondered why it took KFC so long to respond, especially with other companies joining in already.
Chipotle responded right away in a since-deleted post, and Netflix also posted something on the same day the video went viral.
StubHub and others also joined, so KFC is later than most.
Then again, as the saying goes, it's better late than never.
Related: 10 Wild Internet Reactions After Andy Byron’s Coldplay Moment
July 18, 2025
Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot Were Caught Kissing
This week, Astonomer CEO Andy Byron went viral for all the wrong reasons when he was caught on video in the midst of an apparent affair with a coworker at a Coldplay concert. Now, a new video has made things even worse.
Earlier this week, cameras at a Coldplay concert showed a man and a woman holding each other closely and intimately. When they both quickly ducked out of view of the camera, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin openly suggested that they could be having an affair.
“Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy," Martin can be heard saying on the video as the two ducked out of view.
The video of the incident quickly went viral on social media, leading to Byron deleting his LinkedIn account while his wife appeared to remove "Byron" as her last name on Facebook. Astronomer also limited replies to its posts on social media before eventually addressing the incident directly with a statement.
The fallout from the incident was swift, but it seems like the initial video might not have even been the worst of it.
On Friday, TMZ published some newly obtained footage that appears to show Byron and Cabot kissing as Coldplay performed their hit song "Yellow."
"Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR Chief Kristin Cabot were all over each other even when they weren't on the kiss-cam ... 'cause we got them locking lips before they got busted," TMZ wrote, sharing the newly-obtained video.
The video, shot from behind the couple, shows the two of them embracing each other and swaying to the music. At one point, Byron appeared to go in for a kiss.
Needless to say, this shocking update quickly turned heads on social media, eliciting a lot of reactions.
"Ok now i’m fully convinced they wanted to get caught, but why," one person wrote in a post on X.
"Such a winnable divorce case," someone else wrote.
"If it wasn't bad for them before, it sure is now! I wonder if he had a pre-nup? His wife is about to rich, lol," another person added.
"Oh the wife’s divorce lawyer is putting in HOURS," someone else commented.
"Just keeps in getting better for this dude," another person wrote sarcastically.
Neither Byron nor Cabot has directly commented on the incident.
Coldplay Kiss Cam Sends Another Couple Hiding at MLB Game
Coldplay exposed a couple of cheaters at their concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. And now another couple — this one in Philadelphia — couldn't escape another Coldplay Kiss Cam.
Yes, it was a setup — a hilarious one that — when cameras on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia zeroed in on couples during its "Coldplay Kiss Cam." Cameras zoomed in on couples who embraced each other when they saw themselves on the jumbotron, but things hilariously went off the rails when the Phillie Phanatic got caught with a female partner in a luxury box.
The parody elicited audible laughter throughout the ballpark, which only grew louder when Phanatic's partner tried hiding her face while the Phillie Phanatic himself bent down to hide from the cameras.
The Phillie Phanatic and the Phillies, of course, parodied the couple who went into hiding when the kiss cam zeroed in on them during Coldplay's Wednesday night concert in Massachusetts.
The couple was quickly identified as Astronomer CEO, Andy Byron, and Kristen Cabot, the company's head of human resources. Astronomer, based in New York, is a tech company.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Baseballer (@thebsblr)
View this post on InstagramA post shared by MLB on FOX (@mlbonfox)
This happened last night at the Coldplay concert in Gillette Stadium.
— Savage (@SavageSports_) July 17, 2025
Uh oh. 😬 pic.twitter.com/3vYAhzJrL3
Related: Andy Byron & Kristin Cabot Caught Kissing in New Video
As the couple tried hiding, Coldplay's frontman, Chris Martin, quipped, "Oh, look at these two. Alright. You're ok. Either they're having an affair or they're very shy."
Byron has since been placed on leave.
In the days that followed, Byron and Cabot's rendezvous has been parodied all over social media and even Fortune 500 companies.
FOX Sports even got in on the fun Friday, posting video of Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series with Byron and Cabot superimposed in the video and text across the video reading: "POV: Yankees fans watching Game 1 of the World Series."
LOL.
Expert Explains How to Get Cheapest Flights For Any Airline
Airline travel is expensive – that's no secret. But there is one trick you can use to make sure that you always get the cheapest fare that you possibly can, on any airline.
In a recent article for Thrifty Traveler, travel expert Gunnar Olson gave a very thorough explanation about when travelers should book their flights to make sure they get the best possible price. And it all starts with one particular airline: Southwest.
As Gunnar explains in his post, Southwest Airlines has long been the leader in the industry when it comes to setting low fares, and that hasn't changed even as Southwest has begun charging for checked bags.
"For years (or decades, even) Southwest has set the tone for flight prices—especially domestically. A big Southwest sale with $89, $69, or even $49 one-way fares almost always results in other big U.S. carriers slashing their own fares. That's why we've been telling travelers to subscribe to Southwest's promo emails for years," Olson wrote in a post for Thrifty Traveler this week.
"But even as travelers question Southwest's new bag fees and lament the end of its famously flexible fares, Southwest's pricing power remains in place. If anything, this trend seems to be accelerating: Southwest is firing off these sales more than ever … and Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, and United are just as scared of Southwest as ever."
Olson went on to explain and illustrate how Southwest's regular sales ultimately drive down prices for fares across all major airlines.
With that information in mind, Olson explains that the key to getting the best fare possible is to simply subscribe to Southwest's promotional emails and wait for them to announce their regular sales, which typically begin on Tuesday morning and end on Thursday night.
Beginning Tuesday morning, customers should notice that fares will begin to drop across all airlines in response to Southwest's sales.
"The key: Booking (or rebooking) your flights between Tuesday afternoon and Thursday night to get the best fares on any airline," Olson wrote.
So next time you're looking to book a flight, consider waiting until the middle of the week to do it in order to make sure you have the best price.
Southwest Leads in Prices Despite Ending Free Bags
Southwest Airlines has made a lot of unpopular changes over the past several months, ending its longstanding "bags fly free" policy, moving away from its longstanding open seating plan, and apparently considering significant changes for its Rapid Rewards members. But even as it makes these changes, the airline is rolling out more sales than ever before.
While customers have been understandably upset by Southwest's recent changes, highlighted by the new bag fees, Gunnar Olson of Thrifty Traveler points out that Southwest is still leading the way when it comes to cheap fares.
As it turns out, that's only increased since Southwest ended free bags and made those other unpopular changes.
"For years (or decades, even) Southwest has set the tone for flight prices—especially domestically. A big Southwest sale with $89, $69, or even $49 one-way fares almost always results in other big U.S. carriers slashing their own fares. That's why we've been telling travelers to subscribe to Southwest's promo emails for years," Olson wrote for Thrifty Traveler this week.
"But even as travelers question Southwest's new bag fees and lament the end of its famously flexible fares, Southwest's pricing power remains in place. If anything, this trend seems to be accelerating: Southwest is firing off these sales more than ever … and Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, and United are just as scared of Southwest as ever."
Olson went on to explain and illustrate how Southwest's regular weekly sales consistently trigger lower fares for all of the other airlines as well, making Southwest the leader and trendsetter when it comes to low prices.
So while you may now have to pay for your checked bags whenever you fly with Southwest, the truth is that Southwest has only accelerated its deals when it comes to its everyday fares, which is a pretty significant move that benefits customers.
REI Is Selling Big Agnes' $300 Backpacking Tent for Only $180 Right Now, and Campers Say It's 'Super Light'
Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.
REI members, make some room in your shopping carts: The retailer just launched an under-the-radar outlet sale on some coveted outdoor gear items. Through July 21, you can shave an extra 20% off select REI Outlet items from Big Agnes, Salewa, Outdoor Research, and more. There are quite a few tents included in the sale, and this Big Agnes shelter caught our eye—with the promo code applied, it’s under $200.
The Big Agnes C Bar 3 Tent is on sale for $180, a 40% discount from its normal price of $300. The tent has an initial markdown of 25% off, and then REI members can use code OUTJUL25 for an additional 20% off, yielding the full discount of 40%. This tent is well-known among backpackers, but it's only earned a handful of reviews from shoppers on the REI site. Despite that, they've given overwhelmingly positive feedback.
If you want to score this tent but you're not an REI member, signing up is easy and costs just $30 for a lifetime membership (even with the fee, you’d still save money on this tent by signing up).
Big Agnes C Bar 3 Tent, $180 (was $300) at REI
[image error]
The C Bar 3 is a three-season, three-person tent that offers a good blend of low weight and durability. It packs down into a 21-inch by 6.5-inch bundle, and it weighs 4 pounds, 13 ounces—light enough to carry in a backpack. It’s constructed with a single door and vestibule, and inside, a large ceiling pouch and multiple interior loops give you convenient spaces to stash or hang gear and accessories. The rainfly has pre-cut tensioners and guylines to streamline setup and takedown, and the floor and rainfly are both made from waterproof polyester taffeta fabric to keep raindrops and dew from soaking you while you sleep. Once set up, the C Bar 3 offers 39 square feet of floor area—plenty of room for two people plus some gear.
REI shoppers appreciate the C Bar 3’s “idiot proof” setup and “super light” design. One shopper called it “one of the most underrated tents on the market.”
“It strikes a great balance between being lightweight enough for backpacking while maintaining excellent durability for various terrains,” they said. They also loved its “excellent wind and temperature protection” and loved that it “packs down incredibly small.”
With its simple-yet-spacious design and sturdy fabric, the Big Agnes C Bar 3 tent is a great choice for backcountry camping, and at just $180, it’s a superb deal, too. Grab yours today, though, because the promo code disappears on July 21.
7 Underrated 'Superman' Movies Are Suddenly Streaming For Free on YouTube
While many have praised James Gunn's new Superman movie as being very faithful to the DC Comics from which the character comes, the next-best-thing to reading a comic book is probably an animated superhero movie. Over the years, there have been a slew of animated movies that directly adapt big storylines from across the entire DC comics pantheon. And now, seven animated Superman movies are suddenly streaming on YouTube, totally for free.
To be clear, none of these animated movies are designed for children. Instead, these are more serious, direct adaptations of different Superman stories from the comics. The biggest stand-out here is probably All-Star Superman, a 2011 animated take on the 2005-2008 comic book series of the same name. In terms of tone, this story was one of the big inspirations for the new James Gunn film. Another big one on this list is Superman: Red Son, which tells the alternate universe tale of baby Kal-El landing in the Soviet Union, rather than the United States.
Here's a full list of the free Superman movies on YouTube right now.
All-Star Superman (2011)Superman: Red Son (2020)Superman vs. the Elite (2012)Justice League vs. the Fatal Five (2019)Justice League: Gods and Monsters (2015)Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2020)Superman: Doomsday (2007)Catch these movies for free while you can! It's possible that the moment of YouTube offering these Superman movies for free will be gone faster than a speeding bullet.
Superman (2025) is in theaters now.Related: Where To Stream All the 'Superman' Movies and TV Shows
Men's Journal's Blog
- Men's Journal's profile
- 1 follower
