35 of the Funniest Burns from the Week of July 1, 2024

Thanks to an exclusive first look from Vanity Fair, we finally got a glimpse at Ridley Scott’s epic Gladiator follow-up. While the sequel’s official trailer won’t hit screens until next week, the photos set some expectations that have been over two decades in the making. They featured a “pretty gnarly” clash of titans between Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, a powerfully regal-looking Denzel Washington, a bird-like Joseph Quinn and the triumphant return of Connie Nielsen. 

One quote pulled from the article pointed out that Mescal wanted to look “big and strong” for the film, which resulted in a Twitter user asking a very valid question: Did Paul Mescal’s mother say that?

That said, the timeline had its knives (swords?) out for more than just the Aftersun actor during this abbreviated holiday week. (Happy belated birthday America!) Other digital burn victims included the man with a name fit for Bridgerton, a movie straight out of 30 Rock and the quick-fire sandwich shop that’s 0-for-2 when it comes to spokespeople.