Mashable

Sleek sex toy brand LELO is riding the red light therapy craze with the Mona Spectra, a "red light intimate wellness massager."

In dermatology, red light therapy has been studied for uses like skin rejuvenation, acne, hair growth, and wound healing, dermatologist Shoshana Marmon told Mashable over email. Marmon is an assistant professor of dermatology and director of clinical research at New York Medical College and chair of the American Academy of Dermatology's (AAD) Menopause and Women’s Health in Dermatology within AAD's Division of Science and Quality.

SEE ALSO: These Pokémoan sex toys are actually kind of cute — shop the limited first-edition drop

She wrote, "Some studies are promising, particularly for modest improvements in wrinkles and collagen production, but the results depend on the wavelength, dose, and device being used."

You've probably seen red light in the form of masks that take up someone's whole face. There are also wands and panels on the market — and now, vibrators.

The Mona Spectra is an internal toy meant to stimulate the G-spot (an area inside the vagina part of the clitorial network known to cause intense orgasms if triggered a certain way), and it's the latest addition to LELO's Mona line of G-spot vibrators. But it's the first to include red light in the wand, which, according to the product page, "stimulates collagen and elastin production, supports tissue elasticity, natural lubrication and sensitivity."

The LED light also emits thermal energy, which helps increase blood flow, the page states. "The result is a gentle yet powerful activation of your body's own renewal processes, which enhance both intimate wellness and sensation from within."

(The product can also emit blue light, which LELO states has an anti-inflammatory function, and green light, which the company states has a calming effect on the skin and may help with hyperpigmentation.)

Regarding red light, Marmon wrote that LELO's claims seem to go beyond what has been studied. The limited vaginal research has involved postmenopausal women with a condition called genitourinary syndrome of menopause or GSM, which is a condition caused by declining estrogen. GSM can lead to vaginal dryness, burning, pain with sex, and urinary symptoms, Marmon wrote.

"A few studies suggest that red-light therapy may improve some GSM symptoms or measurements of vaginal health," Marmon wrote. "However, most studies have been small, lacked a placebo group or focused on urinary incontinence. The research has not established that red light improves sexual sensitivity, and it has not been meaningfully studied in healthy women without GSM."

There's limited research on red light therapy in this area, and there's no strong evidence that a toy like the Mona Spectra improves lubrication, tissue elasticity, or sexual sensitivity.

LELO, meanwhile, told Mashable that the efficacy of red light technology is supported by a substantial body of well-documented scientific research. "Although evidence regarding its utility for chronic pain management and athletic recovery remains inconclusive or mixed, empirical data substantiates its application in several key areas," the company said, including specific wavelengths and near-infrared light that stimulate the production of collagen and fibroblasts (which makes collagen).

Like Marmon, LELO also acknowledged that research suggests red light therapy helps with acne and hair loss.

LELO clarified that the Mona Spectra isn't a medical device, and no medical claims have been made. The toy's development is based on the research from reputable institutions, the company's internal research and development department, and comprehensive testing throughout all primary phases of product engineering. 

This was all done to ensure product safety — and, according to the AAD, red light therapy use is safe in the short term.

The company is overseeing customer experience through studies, such as one currently underway in Spain. 

"Consequently, the LELO Mona Spectra is designed strictly as a wellness and pleasure device, integrating the advantages of red light technology to enhance intimate well-being via a non-hormonal, non-invasive methodology," LELO told Mashable. 

The benefits of the Mona Spectra haven't been proven, Marmon said. But, like early adopters of red light therapy masks, there might be those out there who want to be the first to try it out. LELO's Mona Spectra is available on its website for $299.

Sleek sex toy brand LELO is riding the red light therapy craze with the Mona Spectra, a "red light intimate wellness massager."

In dermatology, red light therapy has been studied for uses like skin rejuvenation, acne, hair growth, and wound healing, dermatologist Shoshana Marmon told Mashable over email. Marmon is an assistant professor of dermatology and director of clinical research at New York Medical College and chair of the American Academy of Dermatology's (AAD) Menopause and Women’s Health in Dermatology within AAD's Division of Science and Quality.

SEE ALSO: These Pokémoan sex toys are actually kind of cute — shop the limited first-edition drop

She wrote, "Some studies are promising, particularly for modest improvements in wrinkles and collagen production, but the results depend on the wavelength, dose, and device being used."

You've probably seen red light in the form of masks that take up someone's whole face. There are also wands and panels on the market — and now, vibrators.

The Mona Spectra is an internal toy meant to stimulate the G-spot (an area inside the vagina part of the clitorial network known to cause intense orgasms if triggered a certain way), and it's the latest addition to LELO's Mona line of G-spot vibrators. But it's the first to include red light in the wand, which, according to the product page, "stimulates collagen and elastin production, supports tissue elasticity, natural lubrication and sensitivity."

The LED light also emits thermal energy, which helps increase blood flow, the page states. "The result is a gentle yet powerful activation of your body's own renewal processes, which enhance both intimate wellness and sensation from within."

(The product can also emit blue light, which LELO states has an anti-inflammatory function, and green light, which the company states has a calming effect on the skin and may help with hyperpigmentation.)

Regarding red light, Marmon wrote that LELO's claims seem to go beyond what has been studied. The limited vaginal research has involved postmenopausal women with a condition called genitourinary syndrome of menopause or GSM, which is a condition caused by declining estrogen. GSM can lead to vaginal dryness, burning, pain with sex, and urinary symptoms, Marmon wrote.

"A few studies suggest that red-light therapy may improve some GSM symptoms or measurements of vaginal health," Marmon wrote. "However, most studies have been small, lacked a placebo group or focused on urinary incontinence. The research has not established that red light improves sexual sensitivity, and it has not been meaningfully studied in healthy women without GSM."

There's limited research on red light therapy in this area, and there's no strong evidence that a toy like the Mona Spectra improves lubrication, tissue elasticity, or sexual sensitivity.

LELO, meanwhile, told Mashable that the efficacy of red light technology is supported by a substantial body of well-documented scientific research. "Although evidence regarding its utility for chronic pain management and athletic recovery remains inconclusive or mixed, empirical data substantiates its application in several key areas," the company said, including specific wavelengths and near-infrared light that stimulate the production of collagen and fibroblasts (which makes collagen).

Like Marmon, LELO also acknowledged that research suggests red light therapy helps with acne and hair loss.

LELO clarified that the Mona Spectra isn't a medical device, and no medical claims have been made. The toy's development is based on the research from reputable institutions, the company's internal research and development department, and comprehensive testing throughout all primary phases of product engineering. 

This was all done to ensure product safety — and, according to the AAD, red light therapy use is safe in the short term.

The company is overseeing customer experience through studies, such as one currently underway in Spain. 

"Consequently, the LELO Mona Spectra is designed strictly as a wellness and pleasure device, integrating the advantages of red light technology to enhance intimate well-being via a non-hormonal, non-invasive methodology," LELO told Mashable. 

The benefits of the Mona Spectra haven't been proven, Marmon said. But, like early adopters of red light therapy masks, there might be those out there who want to be the first to try it out. LELO's Mona Spectra is available on its website for $299.

TL;DR: Becky G has partnered with Patrón on a limited-edition Our Rainwater Collection for National Tequila Day, including a $60 Patrón Silver bottle (available starting today, only 350 made) and a $42.99 Patrón Silver collectible tin, both containing 750ml bottles of tequila. The collab supports Patrón's funding of 200 rainwater-harvesting systems in Jalisco, Mexico, in partnership with the nonprofit Isla Urbana.

Becky G has partnered with Patrón for National Tequila Day, and it's a pretty personal collab. She's been name-dropping the brand in her recent single Patrona, and now helped design two limited-edition products with them. There's a $60 Patrón Silver bottle (only 350 exist, dropping today) and a $42.99 Patrón Silver tin, both containing 750ml bottles of tequila.

The design itself has plenty of meaning behind it — both products lean into blue and green tones meant to represent water. Patrón is funding 200 rainwater-harvesting systems across Jalisco, Mexico, in partnership with the nonprofit Isla Urbana, and the collection is a nod to that partnership. As the campaign puts it, "every drop counts."

SEE ALSO: Matthew McConaughey launches margarita ice cream for National Tequila Day

Jalisco holds real significance for Becky G since it's tied to her family's roots. In her own words: "It's where Patrón is made and where all four of my abuelitos are from. Working with Patrón on Our Rainwater Project Limited-Edition Patrón Silver gave us an opportunity to celebrate that connection, while helping shine a light on something incredibly important."

Credit: Patrón

The $60 Silver bottle is available to pre-order starting July 24. It's the same Patrón Silver we know and love — crystal clear, with fruit and citrus notes, a smooth, slightly sweet taste, and a light pepper finish (40% ABV, 750ml) — just in Becky G's custom bottle design, complete with a custom cork and wearable scarf.

The tin, meanwhile, is available at spirits retailers nationwide and on Reservebar for $42.99 while supplies last. It's got the same tequila inside with the same taste profile, ABV, and bottle size — but in a differently designed package themed around the Isla Urbana collab.

Credit: Patrón

Every drop counts, but this drop won't last — grab the limited-edition Our Rainwater Collection before it's gone.

TL;DR: Becky G has partnered with Patrón on a limited-edition Our Rainwater Collection for National Tequila Day, including a $60 Patrón Silver bottle (available starting today, only 350 made) and a $42.99 Patrón Silver collectible tin, both containing 750ml bottles of tequila. The collab supports Patrón's funding of 200 rainwater-harvesting systems in Jalisco, Mexico, in partnership with the nonprofit Isla Urbana.

Becky G has partnered with Patrón for National Tequila Day, and it's a pretty personal collab. She's been name-dropping the brand in her recent single Patrona, and now helped design two limited-edition products with them. There's a $60 Patrón Silver bottle (only 350 exist, dropping today) and a $42.99 Patrón Silver tin, both containing 750ml bottles of tequila.

The design itself has plenty of meaning behind it — both products lean into blue and green tones meant to represent water. Patrón is funding 200 rainwater-harvesting systems across Jalisco, Mexico, in partnership with the nonprofit Isla Urbana, and the collection is a nod to that partnership. As the campaign puts it, "every drop counts."

SEE ALSO: Matthew McConaughey launches margarita ice cream for National Tequila Day

Jalisco holds real significance for Becky G since it's tied to her family's roots. In her own words: "It's where Patrón is made and where all four of my abuelitos are from. Working with Patrón on Our Rainwater Project Limited-Edition Patrón Silver gave us an opportunity to celebrate that connection, while helping shine a light on something incredibly important."

Credit: Patrón

The $60 Silver bottle is available to pre-order starting July 24. It's the same Patrón Silver we know and love — crystal clear, with fruit and citrus notes, a smooth, slightly sweet taste, and a light pepper finish (40% ABV, 750ml) — just in Becky G's custom bottle design, complete with a custom cork and wearable scarf.

The tin, meanwhile, is available at spirits retailers nationwide and on Reservebar for $42.99 while supplies last. It's got the same tequila inside with the same taste profile, ABV, and bottle size — but in a differently designed package themed around the Isla Urbana collab.

Credit: Patrón

Every drop counts, but this drop won't last — grab the limited-edition Our Rainwater Collection before it's gone.

SAVE OVER $10: As of July 24, the Lego Art Vincent Van Gogh Sunflowers is on sale for $181.45 at Amazon. That's $18.54 off its full price of $199.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Art Vincent Van Gogh Sunflowers Building Set (31215) $181.45 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $18.54   Get Deal

Lego's Art line is full of amazing builds that recreate unforgettable works of art (with some incredible new sets coming soon). If you're particularly fond of the Vincent Van Gogh Sunflowers and hoping to add it to your collection, we have good news: Amazon has it on sale for $181.45.

Usually, this Lego set is priced at $199.99, so this offer saves you just over $18. It's also not terribly far off from its lowest-ever price at the retailer. Price tracker camelcamelcamel lists it at $171.16.

SEE ALSO: Lego is giving away free sports car models this month — how to get yours

This Lego set is a fun brick-built reimagining of Van Gogh's Sunflowers painting, created in collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Consisting of 2,615 pieces, you'll create the iconic artwork that features 16 bright yellow sunflowers in a vase. It even comes with a tile featuring Van Gogh’s signature that helps bring it all together.

Alongside the painting itself, you'll also piece together a removable frame for it, and there's even a hanger element on the back. With that, you can put it up for display after you're finished building it.

If the Lego Art Vincent Van Gogh Sunflowers set has been on your radar, this is an excellent opportunity to grab it for less at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

What happens when Kevin Hart, Marcello Hernández, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson, and Mason Gooding draft their dream bachelor party lineups? Pure comedy chaos!

Mashable's Executive Producer, Mark Stetson, met up with the hilarious stars from Netflix's '72 Hours' to find out who they would invite to their ideal bachelor party.

In this draft, the cast of 72 Hours picks from a star-studded roster featuring Will Ferrell, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Bad Bunny, Adam Sandler, Tracy Morgan, and more. From attempted trades to hilarious debate over who can actually handle the vibe, watch to see whose squad comes out on top!

72 Hours in now streaming on Netflix.

How to live stream 2026 F1 for free: Best Apple TV Deal Apple TV 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Prime Video Deal Apple TV Prime Video Channel 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Apple One Deal Apple One 30-day free trial Shop Now

This season of F1 is unlike any other. Every season of F1 has a number of fascinating storylines to follow, but due to a major set of regulation changes, there's so much uncertainty right now. And uncertainty can lead to exciting racing.

Lando Norris secured an incredible title victory on the final day of last season. Now the pressure is on McLaren to defend that title against a long list of talented drivers and motivated teams. The likes of George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Charles Leclerc, and Lewis Hamilton are all challenging for race wins this season. Mercedes are the team to beat this season, but Ferrari are not far behind.

If you are interested in watching F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is F1?

Formula One (F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars. A season consists of a series of races (Grands Prix) that take place in multiple countries and continents on either purpose-built circuits or closed public roads.

Lando Norris is the defending champion. McLaren won the Constructors Championship in 2025.

When is F1 in 2026?

The 2026 F1 season is the 77th edition of the championship. This year's championship features 24 Grands Prix events held all over the world between March and December:

1. Australian Grand Prix — March 8

2. Chinese Grand Prix — March 15

3. Japanese Grand Prix — March 29

4. Miami Grand Prix — May 3

5. Canadian Grand Prix — May 24

6. Monaco Grand Prix — June 7

7. Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix — June 14

8. Austrian Grand Prix — June 28

9. British Grand Prix — July 5

10. Belgian Grand Prix — July 19

11. Hungarian Grand Prix — July 26

12. Dutch Grand Prix — Aug. 23

13. Italian Grand Prix — Sept. 6

14. Spanish Grand Prix — Sept. 13

15. Azerbaijan Grand Prix — Sept. 26

16. Singapore Grand Prix — Oct. 11

17. United States Grand Prix — Oct. 25

18. Mexico City Grand Prix — Nov. 1

19. São Paulo Grand Prix — Nov. 8

20. Las Vegas Grand Prix — Nov. 21

21. Qatar Grand Prix — Nov. 29

22. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — Dec. 6

It's important to note that these dates are only for race days. The Chinese, Miami, Canadian, British, Dutch, and Singapore GPs will host a sprint race.

How to watch F1 for free

For the first time, Apple TV has made an entire F1 race weekend available for free to viewers in the U.S., with live coverage of the Austrian Grand Prix from June 26–28. Fans can watch every session live on Apple TV — including practice, qualifying, and Sunday’s Grand Prix — with no subscription required.

In the U.S., F1 is now exclusive to Apple TV. If you want access to the whole season, an Apple TV subscription costs $12.99 per month or $99 per year.

Apple TV Opens in a new window Credit: Apple TV Apple TV (7-day free trial) Apple TV comes with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. This is a sneaky trick, but you could sign up to watch the next F1 race and then cancel your subscription before you need to spend anything. This obviously isn't a long-term fix, but it does give you the opportunity to live stream select F1 race weekends for free. Shop Now Apple TV Prime Video Channel Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple TV Prime Video Channel (7-day free trial) Already an Amazon Prime member? You're in luck. You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels. This lets you watch select F1 races live with the Prime Video app. The subscription typically costs £9.99 per month after the trial ends, but you can cancel at any time. That means you can watch select races without actually spending anything. Shop Now Apple One Opens in a new window Credit: Apple One Apple One (30-day free trial) Apple One bundles Apple TV with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness Plus, Apple News Plus, and 50GB of iCloud Storage for $19.95 per month after a one-month free trial. Time it right and this trial could provide access to up to four race weekends for free. You do need to be a new or returning subscriber to each of the included services to get the free trial. Shop Now

It's worth noting that the best Apple TV free-trial offer comes with purchases of new Apple devices. New subscribers can get three months of Apple TV for free after purchasing any eligible Apple product, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, or Apple TVs. This special offer goes live for 90 days after the new device is activated — that's a good chunk of the season.

TL;DR: Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels to watch select F1 races for free. Watch the Hungarian GP for free with the Prime Video app.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple TV Prime Video Channel Watch the Hungarian GP for free with a 7-day trial Shop Now

Another weekend, another battle between the best drivers in the world. Seriously, what would we all do without a little bit of F1 to see us through to Monday?

This season of F1 continues to throw up interesting storylines. Mercedes is flying at the top of the standings, but there are clearly some issues between George Russell and his team. Meanwhile, Kimi Antonelli raced away from the competition to win again at the Belgian GP. He extended his lead over Lewis Hamilton, but Ferrari continues to cut the gap. Will we see another epic battle this weekend in Hungary?

SEE ALSO: ExpressVPN review: A stylish VPN service with proven privacy and a large U.S. presence

If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is the Hungarian GP?

The Hungarian GP is the 11th race of the 2026 F1 season. Here's the full schedule from the Hungaroring:

• Practice 1 — 7:30-8:30 a.m. ET on July 24

• Practice 1 — 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET on July 24

• Practice 1 — 6:30-7:30 a.m. ET on July 25

• Qualifying — 10-11 a.m. ET on July 25

• Race — 9 a.m. ET on July 26

Fans can follow all the action from this race weekend without spending anything.

How to watch the Hungarian GP for free

Most subscribers hang onto Amazon Prime for the fast shipping, Prime Day discounts, and Prime Video library. But for F1 fans in the U.S., Prime Video is a secret weapon. Because Apple TV holds exclusive U.S. broadcasting rights for F1, you can sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV directly through Prime Video Channels.

That trial gives you full access to stream select races — including this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix — for free. While the subscription rolls over to $12.99 per month after seven days, you can cancel auto-renewal in your settings right away and still stream the entire race weekend for free.

Of course, if you're already paying for Amazon Prime, calling it "completely free" is open to interpretation. But if you don't have an active membership, Amazon offers a 30-day free trial for new users. Stacking that Prime trial with the seven-day Apple TV channel trial means you are genuinely spending nothing to stream the race.

If you've already burned through that specific loophole earlier in the season, you still have a few solid workarounds:

• Apple TV: New standalone subscribers qualify for a direct seven-day free trial through Apple's app.

• Apple One: If you want more than just streaming, the Apple One tier packages Apple TV alongside Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, and 50GB of iCloud storage — and it comes with a full one-month free trial ($19.95 per month after the promotional period).

• Apple: The most generous Apple TV offer is tied to new hardware purchases. Buying an eligible iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV grants new subscribers three months of free service. You obviously have to spend money on hardware, but if you were already planning an upgrade, it effectively unlocks a massive chunk of the F1 season for free.

How to live stream 2026 F1 for free in 2026 Best Apple TV Deal Apple TV 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Prime Video Deal Apple TV Prime Video Channel 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Apple One Deal Apple One 30-day free trial Shop Now

SAVE OVER $50: As of July 24, the RØDE Wireless GO (Gen 3) is on sale for $146.30 at Amazon. That's a 26% discount on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: RØDE RØDE Wireless GO (Gen 3) $146.30 at Amazon
$199 Save $52.70   Get Deal

From TikTok videos and podcasts to social media clips and interviews, creators need reliable audio that won’t let them down.

While built-in phone and camera microphones can do the job, a dedicated wireless mic can take your content to the next level. If you've been looking to upgrade or add a new piece of kit to your setup, check out this latest Amazon deal on the RØDE Wireless GO (Gen 3).

As of July 24, this wireless mic is down to $146.30 from $199, its best-ever price. That's a saving of more than $50. This price applies to the purple and red models, but there are various discounts across a range of colors.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The mic is compatible with cameras, smartphones, and computers, so it's ideal for use on the go or at your desk. It uses RØDE’s Series IV 2.4GHz digital transmission with 128-bit encryption to provide a stable connection and clear audio, even over a long range.

It features more than 40 hours of 32-bit float onboard recording, allowing you to recover audio files that are too quiet or have been clipped during recording. It also benefits from Intelligent GainAssist technology, adjustable output-gain control, and a safety channel to help maintain consistent audio levels when recording directly to a camera or other device.

This RØDE deal is available at Amazon now, so don't miss out.

SAVE OVER $30: As of July 24, the Soundcore C50i by Anker open ear earbuds are on sale for $39.98 at Amazon. That's $30.01 off their full price of $69.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore C50i by Anker Open Ear Earbuds $39.98 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $30.01   Get Deal

Earbuds come in many different forms these days. If you're someone who likes to stay aware of what's going on around you rather than having the sounds of the world blocked out by noise cancellation tech, open earbuds are worth looking into. There are numerous models of these buds available, but we've spotted a great deal on the Soundcore C50i at Amazon that deserves attention.

As of July 24, you can snag Soundcore C50i by Anker open earbuds for $39.98 at Amazon. Normally, they're listed for $69.99, so this is a big 43% discount to jump on.

SEE ALSO: The 11 best wireless earbuds we've ever tested

Compared to other earbuds that fit in your ear, the Soundcore C50i have a clip-on design that hooks around your ear without blocking the ear canal. According to the store page, they have a lightweight, stable titanium FlexiClip memory build that fits any ear shape. That clip design is also helpful if you're wearing them during a long run or an intense workout, as you won't have to worry about them falling out.

They also offer solid sound quality, with the store page noting they feature 12mm drivers for deep bass and an 86dB max output. On top of that, their battery life will keep you going all day, with up to eight hours on a single charge or up to 28 hours with the charging case.

This offer may not be available for long, so act fast to save on the Soundcore C50i by Anker open ear earbuds at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

National Tequila Day lands on July 24. Major chains like Chili's, Applebee's, Twin Peaks, and On The Border are dropping limited-time deals to celebrate the occasion.

Whether you take your tequila straight or blended into a frozen margarita, today is officially your excuse to indulge (responsibly, of course). These national holidays can sometimes feel like internet fluff, but restaurant chains across the country are using the date to drop legitimately solid discounts. That matters to us.

These are our favorite National Tequila Day deals in 2026:

Applebee's

The famous $1 Dollarita is back for National Tequila Day. You can grab a classic margarita on the rocks for just $1 at participating locations every day in July.

Chili’s

Score $5 Classic Margaritas and $7 Patrón Frozen Margaritas all day on July 24. Chili’s is also running its July "Rita of the Month" — the $6 Bombshell Marg, made with El Jimador Blanco tequila, triple sec, dragonfruit, strawberry, and house sour.

Chuy’s

Grab $1 floaters (an extra shot poured directly over your drink), $1 off Frozen Patrón Pineapple 'Ritas, and $5 queso appetizers.

Cuervo Tequila

Get a free margarita on National Tequila Day. To qualify, upload a photo of your receipt for a Cuervo cocktail directly to Cuervo, and you will be reimbursed via PayPal or Venmo (up to $10).

On The Border

Specials include $4 Cuervo 'Ritas, $3 Cuervo Shots, $2 Queso Cups, and $1 Meltdowns (a shot topper for your cocktail).

Taco Cabana

Taco Cabana is running a weekend-long celebration from July 24–26, featuring $2 Margaritas & Huracáns, $20 Gallon Margaritas to-go, and $0.99 Bean & Cheese Tacos.

Tocaya

All-day happy hour running on National Tequila Day.

Twin Peaks

Participating lodges are serving $5 Peaks Margaritas, $6 House Margaritas, and $7 Tequila Sunrises or Twin Peaks Barrel Select Margaritas all day.

Elon Musk wanting to make his own "historically accurate" AI version of The Odyssey is a headline ripe for the late night picking — Kimmel guest host Colman Domingo already had his say, and in the video above Seth Meyers gleefully wades in too.

"Wow, I can't wait for that to suck," says Meyers. "Elon Musk is going to use fake actors stolen from real actors to make a fake movie that's a real version of a fake story. I'm so excited for the AI dialogue. I hope it's like ChatGPT. 'Odysseus, you must return home.' 'You got it, I can't wait to embark on this journey with you! Let's keep it light and fun! And I'm here for whatever you need.'

"Also, what do you mean historically accurate? It's a myth! Are you also making a historically accurate version of The Santa Clause?"

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

SAVE OVER $200: As of July 24, the GoPro MAX2 and accessory bundle is on sale for $369 at Amazon. That's $200.99 off its list price of $569.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: GoPro GoPro MAX2 + Accessory Bundle $369 at Amazon
$569.99 Save $200.99   Get Deal

If you're feeling adventurous this summer and want a camera that can capture your trips, look no further than the GoPro MAX2.

This high-quality action camera can help ensure you never miss a moment of fun in the sun this year, and Amazon even has an excellent bundle offer available right now to get you started for a little less.

Originally priced at $569.99, this GoPro MAX2 and accessory bundle has dropped to $369 at Amazon, saving you just over $200. According to price tracker camelcamelcamel, this is the best-ever price.

SEE ALSO: Get a free $350 Amazon gift card when you preorder the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 phones — here's how to claim

Alongside the GoPro MAX2 camera — which can capture in 8K resolution and 360-degree video — this bundle is stacked with extra accessories. Included is a four-foot extension pole, two 1960mAh Enduro batteries, two curved adhesive mounts, a 64GB SanDisk microSD card, two protective lens caps, a mounting buckle and thumb screw, USB-C cable, and a microfiber lens cloth. With all that, you'll be ready to go right away.

The GoPro MAX2 is a tiny but mighty camera. Its compact size makes it easy to take on the go, and it also has replaceable lenses. According to the store page, these are made from strong optical glass and are water-repelling, so there's no need to worry about them being easily damaged.

This bundle is currently marked as a limited-time deal, so be quick to save on the GoPro MAX2 and accessory bundle at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

TL;DR: The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (2025) gaming laptop is on sale for $1,699.99 at Amazon, down from its $2,099.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (2025) Gaming Laptop $1,699.99 at Amazon
$2,099.99 Save $400.00 Get Deal

Gaming laptops do not usually look much like tablets, but the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has always been built around doing both jobs. Now Amazon has made that unusual setup considerably more affordable by taking $400 off the 2025 model for a limited time. 

As of July 24, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 with the AMD Ryzen AI MAX 390 processor is available on Amazon for $1,699.99 — down from $2,099.99, a 19% savings on the list price. The listing is sold and shipped by Amazon, with free delivery currently set for July 29, while Prime members may be able to get it as soon as July 25. 

If you haven’t heard of the Flow Z13 before, the best part of this laptop’s package is its 2-in-1 design. 

With its detachable keyboard and adjustable kickstand, you can use it as a traditional laptop at a desk, then strip it back into a 13-inch touchscreen device when you want something easier to carry around. The kickstand can move through 170 degrees — giving you more freedom to position the screen for gaming, drawing, watching videos, or getting through work. 

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

In terms of specs, AMD Ryzen AI MAX 390 combines a 12-core processor with RDNA 3.5 graphics, so the machine does not need a bulky separate graphics card to deliver its gaming performance. ASUS pairs that chip with 32GB of fast LPDDR5X memory and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, leaving plenty of headroom for multitasking and a decent-sized game library.

You’ll be able to run even demanding triple-A titles with ease — including Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, and Black Myth: Wukong. That also includes the usual go-to multiplayer games like Fortnite and Valorant.

No matter what you play, the 13.4-inch ROG Nebula touchscreen will make everything look nice and sharp with a 2560 x 1600 resolution, a 180Hz refresh rate, and a 3ms response time. As for technical specifics, it reaches 500 nits of brightness and covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color range, which should help games, films, and creative projects look extra vibrant. 

One of the downsides of being president is you get asked to do a lot of things, and Donald Trump wants you to know he's done with all the incessant nagging.

In the Daily Show clip above host Desi Lydic plays a clip of the president at a recent rally in Georgia, moaning about how the press were asking him what he planned to do about high prices on his very first day in office. "I said 'I just got here!'" says Trump in the clip. "Give me a break!"

"Give me a break, I didn't expect to jump into work right away, I just ran to stay out of prison!" responds Lydic. "What do you mean you just got here? You already had the job for four years. You probably still had old pens in the desk. Guy's acting like he was expecting an onboarding. 'This is Joe B., you're gonna spend the day shadowing him.'

"Look I do get it, he just wanted to spend his first day settling in, putting his stuff down, pardoning January 6thers..."

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Booster Display Box is available at Amazon for $195.48 (including delivery), down from its $279.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Booster Box $195.48 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $84.51   Get Deal

Chaos Rising’s biggest sealed box has taken another sharp fall at Amazon, bringing all 36 Pokémon TCG booster packs below $200 for the first time we’ve seen — even after the delivery charge is added. 

As of July 24, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Booster Display Box is listed at Amazon for $189.99, plus $5.49 shipping for a $195.48 total. That wipes $90 off its $279.99 list price and gives collectors a 32% discount before shipping, with price-tracking site camelcamelcamel confirming this is the lowest Amazon price we’ve ever seen. 

The listing is sold and shipped by third-party seller Glaceon Island, with delivery currently estimated for July 30 to Aug. 13. However, if you want yours guaranteed to arrive before the end of this month, the listing sold by venado comes as soon as July 26 — for a slightly higher total of $197.99.

Even with delivery included, each of the 36 Chaos Rising packs works out to roughly $5.43 before tax. Based on the $189.99 product price alone, that drops to about $5.28 per booster — comfortably below the $6.09-per-pack rate from Amazon’s previous $219.55 low.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Outside Amazon, TCGplayer’s lowest unopened English boxes start at $190.01 with shipping included; that goes slightly above the Chaos Rising Booster Display Box’s $188.82 market price, saving you even more if you don’t mind shopping beyond the traditional retailer. 

No matter where you buy, you’re still getting a display box with 36 booster packs from the Pokémon TCG’s Chaos Rising expansion. This is a 120-plus-card set that includes more Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, over 25 Trainer cards, and more than 35 Pokémon and Trainer cards with special illustrations. 

Those three-dozen packs will give you plenty of chances to pull Chaos Rising’s most valuable chase cards (or buy individually off TCGplayer) — including SIR Mega Greninja ex, MHR Mega Greninja ex, SIR Cinccino ex, SIR Mega Dragalage ex, and SIR Mega Floette ex.

SAVE $200: As of July 24, the Alienware 15 gaming laptop is on sale for $1,299.99 at Amazon. That's a 13% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Alienware Alienware 15 Gaming Laptop $1,299.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $200   Get Deal

Gaming laptops don’t come cheap, especially when you’re looking for the power and performance needed for a smooth gaming experience. If you've been shopping around for a good deal, don't miss out on this latest Amazon discount on the Alienware 15 gaming laptop. As of July 24, this laptop is down to its lowest-ever price of $1,299.99. That's a savings of $200.

The Alienware 15 is a portable gaming laptop ideal for gamers who want performance on the move. It is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 220 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU with 6GB GDDR6 VRAM. With 16GB DDR5 RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD, it offers fast loading times, responsive multitasking, and ample storage for games and apps.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Connectivity options include USB 3.2 Type-A and Type-C ports, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, and a 3.5mm headset jack, alongside WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connections. It also benefits from a built-in HD camera, dual-array microphones, and an Alienware white backlit keyboard. Inside, the laptop runs Windows 11 Home with Copilot AI features.

You can find this gaming laptop deal at Amazon now.

When Roborock and Dreame announced their flagship robot vacuums for the year at CES, I was immediately dreading trying to choose between them.

Now that I've spent a month with the Saros 20 Sonic in my apartment, I've officially tested the trifecta of the most powerful robot vacuums on the market. As someone who spent most of 2025 vehemently recommending the Roborock Saros 10R, I'm shocked to be Team Dreame this year.

What's special about the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic?

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete, Roborock Saros 20, and Roborock Saros 20 Sonic were all being advertised as ultra-slim vacuums with ultra-high suction power and the ability to scale thresholds close to 3.5 inches tall. With such similar specs and dock designs, the only real wild card was the Sonic's extendable vibrating mop.

I miss the Saros 10R's sleek mirrored dock. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

We've seen this D-shaped mopping plate from Roborock a lot in the past. The VibraRise system is known for scrubbing with strong downward force and tiny, speedy sonic vibrations. Most notably, the newest version of the mop can stretch out past the vacuum's circular body to scrub closely along flat edges — and ideally, compete more closely with the corner mopping abilities of dual spinning mopping pads.

The Sonic's small obstacle avoidance is top tier

Navigation technology is the other major difference between the Saros 20 and Saros 20 Sonic. In theory, the Saros 20's AI camera-based technology should be slightly more reactive around smaller, irregularly-shaped obstacles than the Saros 20 Sonic's traditional LiDAR tower. But the Saros 20 Sonic has an immaculate obstacle avoidance track record in my household.

This would be a terrifying view for a more basic robot vacuum. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Saros 20 Sonic always recognizes the jumble of cords under the TV stand. Credit: Screenshot / Roborock

Any shoes or slippers, pieces of laundry, cords, and even bags of recycling that need to go out have been correctly identified in the app. The Sonic even knows when it's approaching one of my cats. Like other premium robot vacs, the Saros 20 Sonic offers livestream video and two-way audio with someone who's not home.

Is the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic good at mopping?

The Saros 20 Sonic's sonic mopping seems a little overhyped to me. That's not the result I expected from a robot vacuum literally named after its mopping skills.

The Sonic does accurately sense walls and furniture edges and scoots the mop out accordingly. But the Sonic's mop plate still sometimes rescinds too early when the vacuum is changing direction, resulting in corners literally being cut.

The Saros 20 Sonic did a pretty good job at wiping up body oil and conditioner. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Sonic thoroughly scrubbed crystal cat litter dust and paw prints off my bathroom floor. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Sure, roller mop robot vacuums like the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow also have a tendency to reel the roller in too early. However, I feel like I give them a pass because of how much I appreciate their real-time rinsing abilities. This allows for cleanup of larger liquid spills without dirty water being used to mop the rest of that room. But the Saros 20 Sonic's mop is essentially relying on absorbency.

SEE ALSO: The Shark UV Reveal's blacklight found stains that other robot vacuums missed, but I still have a gripe with its mop

I toggled on "Intelligent Auto-Remop" in settings, alerting the Saros 20 Sonic to automatically go back to extra slimy areas after washing the mop. This worked well for some wet spills but not others, so I wish there were more flexible options to customize the frequency of mop pad washing in the app. Unfortunately, the Saros 20's AI mess detection doesn't feel as detailed as the Narwal Flow 2's, which is $200 cheaper.

Compared to spinning mopping pads, the Sonic's vibrating plate is better for eating away at actual dried stains or wiping up residue. The elbow grease and flat microfiber surface is the closest you'll get to a human wiping with a towel. The Saros 20 Sonic's heated water did well with oily droplets and syrup without leaving much of a sticky trail.

The Roborock Saros 20 Sonic is also great for pet hair on hardwood and tile. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Saros 20 Sonic's very first test was to clean up the shoe prints and general outside germs near my front door. I recently got a nice tufted wool rug for the entryway that's not supposed to be vacuumed. So, I simply shook it out to test the mop's dusting abilities on hard floors. I always feel like a damp cloth is more likely to pick up fine hair and dander stuck to the floor than pure suction power alone.

So much more dust and cat fur fell out of the rug than I care to admit. I sprinted to crank the air purifier immediately, then watched the Saros 20 Sonic do such a thorough job that my Dyson vacuum's laser could barely find a speck left behind.

Is the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic good on carpet?

I've been incredibly pleased with the Saros 20 Sonic's performance on plush carpet and flat rugs alike. Compared to the Saros 20, the Saros 20 Sonic has been tougher on pet hair, crumbs, and powder on my various rugs — despite the two having the same 36,000 Pa suction power.

I spread around 10 tufts of fur onto the rug. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Sansa was shocked that more of her fur didn't show up on the lint roller. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I tasked the Saros 20 Sonic with cleaning my medium pile living room rug after two days of no vacuuming. (Pet owners know that two days feels like two weeks in terms of how quickly shedding builds up.) To up the difficulty for this powerhouse of a vacuum. I ChomChom-ed the cat tree, took out some clumps of cat hair, and pressed them into the rug. The lint roller test afterward showed nothing more than the expected rug fuzzies and a hair or two.

On a fluffy rug, the Saros 20 Sonic handled every type of debris I threw at it with ease. The rug was covered in long human hair, more cat hair, cardboard shavings from a nearby cat scratcher, and a handful of dry chia seeds. Its initial single-pass test on max suction was enough to pick up around 98 percent of the unrealistic mess, so my normal two-pass routine would have gotten a pretty perfect result.

Not all robot vacuums are compact enough to drive between these table legs, but the Sonic is. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable This rug was a complete mess beforehand. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable More factors to consider

The Saros 20 Sonic has a few other quirks that probably shouldn't be present with a $1,699.99 robot vacuum. Like, why does the strongest robot vacuum you can buy in the U.S. still struggle with sucking up debris along rug edges?

A mess of sprinkles, Cheetos, dry cat food, and dryer lint. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Rug performance was great, but too many sprinkles were missed along the flap. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Sonic's AdaptiLift chassis is constantly raising and lowering when there's not a rug or threshold in sight to climb over. Just up and down, over and over again. The Sonic is already a slow cleaner as it is, so the random lifting every few seconds can be a drag.

It's not that the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic isn't a good robot vacuum. It's just that there are more good robot vacuum mop combos competing with Roborock in 2026 than there were in 2025, and a few are more reliable and a few hundred dollars less.

Roborock Saros 20 Sonic $1,699.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Roborock

This week, Samsung announced a new addition to its foldable family, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and so far, it looks like a very impressive device. It should be very competitive with Apple's still-unannounced iPhone Fold Ultra, which is rumored to have a similar design.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 finally made its big debut at Galaxy Unpacked, meaning all eyes are now on Apple's inevitable-feeling folding iPhone announcement in September. We've gone hands-on with the Z Fold 8 and can confirm it's pretty neat, to the point where we're wondering if Apple can keep up in a couple of months. Here are some of the best features the Z Fold 8 comes with that Apple will need to work hard to top.

Comprehensive creator tools Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET Group

Samsung has gone hard on courting creators in recent years, and the Z Fold 8 is no different.

Specifically, the Z Fold 8 comes with something called "My Fan Cam," which uses AI to track a particular subject in a horizontal video and automatically crop a vertical clip for ready-made social clips. Between that and all the fun camera tricks you can do with the average foldable, people will probably get up to some fun nonsense once this phone is in the public's hands. On top of that, Galaxy AI and Gemini already offer a ton of great photo editing tools for creators.

To be fair, the Z Fold 8 doesn't have the most powerful cameras in the world, so any software-level assistance is going to be massive for creators.

SEE ALSO: Samsung unpacked: New foldable phones, watches and more Gemini out of the box

Speaking of Gemini and AI, Apple has been behind the curve in the department for a few years now.

However, the Z Fold 8 (and other new Samsung devices) has access to Gemini right out of the box thanks to a partnership between Google and Samsung. The conversational AI chatbot can help you perform tasks across apps, and it's a lot more advanced than what Apple offers on any of its devices right now. It should be noted, though, that Siri AI looms large over this discussion. It could, theoretically, get Apple up to speed once it launches in September.

As an added perk, the Z Fold 8 comes with six free months of Google AI Pro, giving users access to a bunch of premium creative tools and lots of cloud storage without having to pay anything...for six months. Galaxy users also get free access to the popular Gemini Notebook tool (formerly NotebookLM), which comes pre-installed on the Z Fold 8.

It's real, real thin Seriously, it's tiny. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Samsung has recently mastered the art of creating ultra-thin, lightweight foldables, and the Z Fold 8 is no different. It measures in at 9.7 mm of thickness when folded and a mere 4.5 mm when unfolded. It also weighs just 201 grams. We don't yet know the physical dimensions of the iPhone Ultra, but Apple is going to have a tough time beating that.

The crease is invisible

Lastly, Samsung is using a new proprietary display technology for its latest foldables called Flex Titanium. Using titanium (duh), Samsung has been able to create more durable hinges and creases that are more or less invisible to the naked eye, at least when the phone is brand new. The verdict is still out on this new tech, but Samsung has a good track record in this regard.

Of course, Samsung Display is also making the flexible screens for the iPhone Ultra Fold, so the folding iPhone could match Samsung for the most part.

Powerful performance

Finally, the Z Fold 8 is built for multitasking and supports power users. It comes with 12GB to 16GB of RAM and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset. Apple has powerful processors of its own, and the iPhone Ultra certainly won't be a slouch in this department. However, it's a steep hill to climb, and Samsung has far more experience optimizing the foldable experience for multitasking.

One last note: Samsung has the experience

Don't forget, as excited as we are for the first foldable from Apple, Samsung has been making excellent foldables for many years. Apple could nail this form factor on the first try, but both Motorola and Samsung have had to spend years working out kinks to get these devices right.

Josh Greenbaum has swiftly become a pillar in modern comedy, having helmed such hilarious offerings as Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Will & Harper, and Strays. Next year, he'll be at the helm of the long-anticipated sequel Spaceballs: The New One. But this week, comedy nerds can rally around his latest, the pickleball comedy The Dink.

Produced and headlined by Jake Johnson, The Dink focuses on a washed-up junior tennis pro, Dusty "The Hammer" Boyd. With his glory days long behind him, this middle-aged goofball works as a tennis coach to bored rich kids at the tennis club run by his tough-as-nails father, Chuck, played by Ed Harris. The only thing they seem to have in common is a love of tennis and a hatred of pickleball. But when an injury pushes Dusty to try out the fastest-growing sport in America, he unexpectedly befriends Candace (Mary Steenburgen), a recent divorcee looking for new friends and new hobbies.

SEE ALSO: 'The Dink' review: Apple's pickleball movie is a laugh-out-loud crowd-pleaser

An underdog story about pickleball becomes one of friendship and evolving identity, which keeps The Dink in line with Greenbaum's other heralded films, both narrative and documentary.

Ahead of The Dink's debut on Apple TV, Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko sat down with Greenbaum in a video call to talk about this hilarious movie, how it connects to his broader filmography, and the intense comedy prowess of Ed Harris.

Mashable: Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Will & Harper, Strays, and The Dink all focus on tight-knit friendships. What draws you to this recurring theme in your work across documentaries and narrative films? 

Josh Greenbaum: I was fortunate enough to have some really meaningful friendships in my life. My best friend from childhood is still like my best friend now. And we're lucky enough that we live in the same city, even though we're both from across the coast. 

I think there's something very special in friendships, because it's like all the things you need in a romantic relationship, without the baggage of what a romantic relationship brings. There's an unconditional love that can come with it. Like, the way my friend and I look at each other and talk to each other, even back when we were in school, we could see the best version in each other. Which is very sweet, right? 

That's what a great friendship is — any good relationship. They force you to be the best version of yourself. 

I explored that in Will & Harper. I think [what] may be relevant to The Dink was this idea of identity and what happens when you change your identity. What happens to the friendships that existed prior to that identity change? And what does that mean for my friendships and relationships? 

The relevancy to The Dink is that there's certainly lots of friendships and relationships. Obviously, Dusty has a very unique relationship with PJ (Aaron Chen). It's a very odd, unique friendship, which I love. And he has a relationship with his father, which is not so much a friendship as a paternal one. But he forms this new friendship with, like, the least likely person, you know, a woman a few decades his senior — 

Mary Steenburgen and Jake Johnson in "The Dink." Credit: Apple TV

Who he has previously cussed out publicly —

— and banned from the club. And he forges this relationship in, like, the last locale he ever would think he would be in, which is on a pickleball court. Dusty's relationship with Mary Steenburgen, who plays Candace... I think that friendship and that relationship is probably, to your point, like one of these things that draws me into a film, where they're kind of two lost souls. 

They didn't know each other prior. They're both grappling with identity, right? With Dusty, he's the Hammer, and he was this ex-pro junior pro tennis player that really never made it. And he's still holding out on that, even though that's clearly not serving him. 

"Serving him" — good wordplay. 

Thank you. I didn't hear it until after you pointed it out. And then Candace is coming off of a divorce and grappling with, "Who am I? I was Mitch's wife, and that's all gone."

She's trying all sorts of new hobbies to figure out who she is and who she wants to be. And these two lost souls find each other, and it gets more complicated as you see in the film. It's not purely a friendship. There's more that happens, which complicates things. But I guess I'm just drawn to that universal emotional relationship that friends provide us. They become our surrogate families as we become older, right? We leave the home that our our mom and dad were at, and we fill that void with friends. So, I guess to your point, you're right. Barb and Star and Will & Harper and Strays are all about friends becoming family. So I guess that's without realizing it, it's a theme that I very much like, and I'm drawn to.

Mary Steenburgen and Jake Johnson in "The Dink." Credit: Apple TV

I appreciate the details in your movies. Like Harper, even though she's changed, still loves Natty Light. And here Candace has her hobbies. 

One of my favorite scenes in [Will & Harper] was not just the the Natty Light, which started it all, but then later on, Harper buys her and Will these beer koozies that are little jackets. And the two of them proceed to make up characters for their beers and their jackets and talk to each other in character. Their love language is this comedy. That's how they connect, and that's how they will always connect. Regardless of anything else in the world, and certainly Harper's transition. 

Similarly, in The Dink, you've got these tactile touch points, like when Dusty finally goes over to Candace's house later on in the film. He's learning about her, and she's got this cookie jar that she made, and it is horrible. Nothing is right about it. It's dented; it's poorly painted. 

I love that Candace is just like not ashamed of her hobbies, even if the results are not good.

What I love about that whole scene is, she is a person who is embracing her flaws and doesn't hide them, and [she] finds beauty in the flaws. She turns to that cookie jar — that's a disaster — and she says, "It's a diet cookie jar. It helps you eat less cookies, because you can't fit that many cookies in it." 

That philosophy is so at odds with Ed Harris' character in The Dink, who is really holding on to this idea that, like, you strive for perfection. You are a winner when you win, and when you are a champion, you defeat everyone. That might sort of work in sports, but what happens when you don't? What happens to the other 98% of people who don't win Wimbledon or whatever it is? How do you deal with your failure? How do you deal with your flaws? Do you face them? Do you own them? 

I think that's what Candace shows Dusty in the film, is flaws are a part of you. And you should embrace them. You should look at what maybe they give you. What's the positive spin on them? 

You look in her house, and you're like, "This is someone who's trying to figure out who they are. Clearly, they've tried like a dozen different hobbies. They haven't quite landed on one, but they like doing all of them." And that's also okay. Like, embracing the ambiguity of your identity and being like, we're all trying to figure out who we are, and there's never really an answer because you're constantly evolving. She's okay with that uncertainty. And I think Dusty, on the flip side, has been holding on to this identity probably for fear of, if he lets go of it, who is he? If he's not the Hammer, this guy who was a junior tennis pro, who is he? And that's scary to him.

I think we all do that. We all kind of hold onto identities we maybe want to let go of, but we're fearful of what might happen if we do. 

Better the devil you know, right? The Dink also reflects with Candace's hobbies —including her love of country western music — a certain devil-may-care attitude in your film. Where it's like, if it makes you happy and it's not hurting anyone, who cares what anyone else thinks?

Yes, totally. That's a great point. When I read Sean [Clements]' script, part of what I loved about that whole country music storyline is that's exactly my wife [and me]. My wife's from Northern California, and I'm from upstate New York. And when I met her, I would get in my car and be like, "The weirdest thing happened, sweetie, but my car radio is on this, like, terrible country music station." She's like, "No, I turned it to that."

She's like, "How dare you?"

Luckily, she didn't slap me the way Mary Steenburgen slaps Jake in the film. But yeah, what I love about that is my wife knows in L.A., it's not cool to love country music. Although I will say it's getting a little trendier at the moment, which is not a bad thing for our film. And look, there is great country music, and I love it. But what was so funny is my wife used to say, "The reason I like it is it tells a story." And that's in our film. When I read that line in the script, I was like, "Oh my god, that's exactly what my wife says." Meanwhile, I'm listening to the esoteric lyrics of Radiohead. She's like, "What does this mean?" And I was like, "I don't really know."

In that vein, The Dink has been described as "the pickleball movie," perhaps because of the popularity of the sport making a movie about it feel inevitable. But this doesn't feel like a film cashing in on a trend. For one thing, pickleball isn't treated like a punchline. 

If you're gonna be the first movie set in the world of pickleball, you should embrace that you're probably [going to be] called "the pickleball movie." But I was excited [to have pickleball] as a backdrop. There's a lot of great sports films, because they provide a really interesting backdrop to explore humanity and to explore universal human themes of underdogs and striving and identity and trying to be the best version of yourself, and how do you deal with failure? All these are things we can all relate to, even if we don't play the sport. 

My very first film was a feature documentary called The Short Game, in which I followed the best little kid golfers in the world. They're like seven- and eight-year-olds, and very funny as they trained and competed in the world championships in junior golf. 

I wasn't a big golfer at all. But I knew that I could make the film speak to everyone, because it's, like, little kids trying their best at this thing. And also, when you listen to a seven- and [an] eight-year-old, there's a lot of wisdom you can gather from them. 

[The Dink being] set in the world of pickleball really just provides the backdrop for a very human story. But it also provides a lot of comedy [because] the reality right now is the tennis world is at war with the pickleball world. And that's very funny. 

That PowerPoint presentation— 

I mean, getting Ed Harris to deliver a speech where he basically calls pickleball "a cancer on society" is a joy to watch. I remember giving him the direction. He has not really done any comedy before. He's obviously an unbelievable actor, and I felt so lucky to have him in our cast. My only advice to him in terms of doing a comedy is, don't play the comedy at all. Like, play it as though you're in the world you're in. This is very, very serious. The stakes cannot be higher. "So, if you can deliver that speech," I remember saying to him, "the same way you delivered your incredible speech in Apollo 13, it will crush comedically." 

And he did. He didn't even need that advice from me.

Jake Johnson and Ed Harris in "The Dink." Credit: Apple TV

How did it even come about that you guys were like, obviously Ed Harris?

Jake Johnson and myself, and probably Sean the writer and Ben Stiller, our producer, were like, who would be the funniest, scary, [most] intimidating dad? Who is Jake Johnson's dad, who doesn't respect him for the choices? 

Ed Harris is the dream, but it's like, [let's look for] an Ed Harris type. You don't think you're going to get Ed Harris. And lo and behold! I want to say most likely Ben Stiller connected us, and then Jake Johnson and I drove to Ed's house, where we did a read-through of the script. It was incredible. [Jake and I] were both very, very intimidated. On the drive over, I was like, "You're nervous, right?" He's like, "Incredibly." 

I've met Ed, and he's lovely, but also he's so big in my mind —

There's an intensity to him that is sort of unrivaled with any other actor that I've worked with. It's hard to put into words, but there's an energy and intensity that you know he brings to his work that I love. But when you're close to it, [it] can be a little intimidating.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

The Dink premieres on Apple TV on July 24.