Hilary Duff makes her first SI Swim cover, Carrie Underwood rocks with Mötley Crüe and defends Banana Ball

There’s something I’d like to get off my chest: I don’t understand the hate for Savannah Bananas.

Every time a new Banana Ball video starts making the rounds on the internet, all the huffs and puffs go off duty to complain: It’s stupid. It’s corny. It’s not real baseball!

Obviously. That’s kind of the point.

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That would be like pissing off the Harlem Globetrotters for not showing the importance of basketball. Or going to “The Book of Mormon” on Broadway and waiting for a church service.

So, naturally, when country star Riley Green sang a song and hit a single at Bananas in Atlanta yesterday, all the big men took to Twitter/X to throw insults and keep “dancing and singing to my baseball!”

In fact, most of the comments I can’t repost. Because they say, in such sweet terms, that everyone on the Savannah Bananas roster is gay.

Don’t be bitter because your wife thinks Riley Green is hot.

Now, I’m not saying that Banana is for everyone. It’s okay if you’re not in them. I, personally, have never bought tickets to a Banana Ball event. But I also don’t turn my hatred towards them into a personality trait. If you have young children and are looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon, why not check out the game?

Besides, if it’s good enough for Maggie Sajak…

Anyway, all I’m saying is that some of the sadder people on the internet need to learn to accept a little joy and gloom in their lives. There are bigger problems in this world than grown men doing choreographed dance numbers on a baseball diamond.

And I’m looking forward to ignoring all those problems starting on Friday when I fly down to Florida to firmly plant my bare back in the sand for a week.

So I regret to inform you that I will not be participating in next week’s Nightcaps. The good news, though, is that my friend and colleague Matt Reigle will be here, and he’s a hell of a beater.

Even better than Savannah Bananas.

So grab yourself a fruity rum drink and a little umbrella in my honor. Let’s get to it.

Hilary Duff makes her first SI Swim cover

What a comeback year for Hilary Duff. He was a professional 20 years ago – with a hit Disney Channel show and a music career. Then, he just said… he left. She had a couple of kids, enjoyed a private life and burst back onto the scene a few months ago.

She’s got a thriving music career, she’s a fit mom and… she’s officially an SI Swim cover model.

Hilary was one of four women announced as 2026 cover models. And don’t worry, I’ve got the rest for you, too.

Alix Earle:

Tiffany Haddish:

Nicole Williams English:

I actually had no idea who Nicole Williams English was until today. But I learned that he is 41 years old.

Carrie Underwood rocks the ‘American Idol’ stage with Mötley Crüe

Oh, and I read something else recently. People still watch “American Idol.” It’s unbelievable, isn’t it?

Last night after work and the gym, I stopped by my local pub to grab a beer with my girlfriend. And when I first entered, I thought my eyes and ears had deceived me. Surely they don’t show “American Idol” on every TV screen with the sound blasting through the speakers? At the bar. It’s not, is it?

Well, friends, they really were. It seems like a bunch of people came in so excited to watch the season 24 finale (!!!) that the bartender just turned on all the TVs and kicked them up.

A woman named Hannah Harper took the crown. Or a record deal, or whatever they get from that show. And this, I am told, is a big deal because she is the first female country singer to win “Idol” since Queen Carrie Underwood won season 4 in 2005. 2005!

Speaking of Carrie, the highlight of the night was her performance on stage with Mötley Crüe.

Carrie Underwood performs during the grand finale of American Idol on May 11, 2026, on ABC. Alicia Keys appears as a guest mentor and performer, with special performances from other music legends and superstars. (Eric McCandless/Disney)

Oh, and it turns out I’m dumb. The reason why everyone in my neighborhood is boozing up this “American Idol” finale is because one of the finalists, Jordan McCullough, is from Murfreesboro, Tennessee! The whole dang town – except me – apparently has a memo to sing and cheer for him.

Shame, as I should be on top of the news or whatever.

So please forgive me, Jordan. I didn’t know he was a local hero. And congratulations on your second place finish!

Would you try hang gliding?

Last week, I revealed that I went to Lookout Mountain Flight Park in northwest Georgia for the first time.

When I posted the picture on Instagram everyone had questions. How was it? How does that thing even stay in the air? Are you crazy?

Maybe. But since inquiring minds wanted to know, I went ahead and wrote down the whole experience. You can read about it below and watch videos on YouTube. Check it out and let me know what you think! Can you try it?

HANG GLIDING LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN: WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE TO AERO-TOW 1,700 FEET ABOVE GEORGIA

Check out the GoPro footage from the plane:

Let’s open the mail bag.

📩 Email: amber.harding@outkick.com (Submit your thoughts, stories, tips, pictures and photos of your dog.)

🐦 Twitter/X: @TheAmberHarding

📸 Instagram: @amberharding

Weirdos come out at the Met Gala

Eric P. writes: I appreciate the stupid Met Gala photos and videos that for some reason think they look good, dirty or .I don’t know.. What I do know, is that I’m out of the trap of being the last person at the end of the Cabo bar conga line and I look at myself in the mirror and think “you’re the stupidest son in the world.”

Amber:

I couldn’t agree more, Eric. Seeing all the ridiculous outfits at the Met Gala gave me the confidence to leave my house barefoot and wearing a lamp shade as a hat.

Readers weigh in: do dogs belong in bed?

Last week, Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston said they both let their dogs sleep in their beds. And while I certainly get it, my husband and I (very cruelly) need our 80 pound German Shepherd to sleep somewhere else… like on our big comfy sofa or in his expensive memory foam dog bed.

So I asked: do dogs stay in bed?

Cindy F. in KS Writes: A resounding YES! Of course there is dog fur all over the bed, scratches from dogs that climb on top of me and push me off the bed in the middle of the night. But there’s also the comforting feeling of a dog curled up next to me, a dog to hug and kiss, and my companion when I’m sad or sick in bed. The love, joy and fun a dog provides far outweighs extra cleaning and a damaged body. Dogs are special…there’s a reason God is spelled backwards. ☺️

“My beautiful, sensitive, soft, sweet angel Daisy crossed the rainbow bridge in January. I miss her so much.” -Cindy F. (Photo courtesy of reader Cindy F.)

“Pepper is funny and very loving. He took this picture the day before Thanksgiving. He looks like a turkey on a plate.” -Cindy F. (Photo courtesy of reader Cindy F.)

“Chewy (found him in our yard during the storm). He ‘entered’ our hearts.” -Cindy F. (Photo courtesy of reader Cindy F.)

Fred H. writes: This is Tate, my Hangin Tree dog. He is a cattle dog and like most cattle dogs he is completely devoted to the wife and me. Everyone else not so much. His life goes with me. I am a farmer so there is no job where he cannot go. I go outside and he goes. He is not underfoot but he is close. I look after the cows, which is his favorite, he goes. I entered the house where he entered, do you think I will tell him that he cannot sleep in the bed?

Hangin Tree Tate Dog (Photo courtesy of reader Fred H.)

Nebraska Niemo writes: First, thank you for everything you do for this community. You definitely make me smile! As the owner of three Golden Retrievers (one Red, one Tan and one English Cream…we like to think of ourselves as cross-cultural) I never let our dogs into the bed. Yes, we offer sofa cuddles. I don’t have enough room for three 75 lb muscle balls with legs/claws…

the muscle balls in question (Photo courtesy of student Nebraska Niemo)

Imagine waking up with that face. (Photo courtesy of student Nebraska Niemo)

Gene in the Rock writes: Lexi came out at 38 pounds, a little heavier than I would have liked but all is well, she is still young enough for me to pick her up. He is not a bed hog but he would be upset if he couldn’t sleep at our feet. The fun part is that some part of his dog brain thinks he needs to stay where I’m going to sleep, so every night I need to pick up the edge of the blanket and literally pull him out of the way like Kvapil in Kansas. It’s funny. I think you think it’s some kind of doggy carnival ride, but I’d really hate that for an 80 pounder like Rocky!

Gene’s Malinois rescue mix, Lexi (Photo courtesy of reader Gene in the Rock)

Jon C. writes: We currently have two Shih Tzu mixes and they sleep on the bed. They both have their blankets/stains on their feet. Until he passed away a few years ago, we also had a shepherd mix. But he had his dog bed next to our bed. Unless there’s thunder or fireworks Then it’s just one big pile in the middle of the king’s bed.

Jeff M. writes: Attached is exhibit A as to why our dogs are not allowed in the bed. This is how they spend their days, and it is a chore to keep them clean enough to walk around the house. In addition, with their consumption of goat skittles, horse dung, and their favorite chicken manure, their gas is a toxic waste of energy for the industry. It wouldn’t be nice to wake up to that in the middle of the night.

Don’t want this (slightly dirty) baby jumping on your duvet? (Photo courtesy of reader Jeff M.)

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Mike L. writes: This little guy is Arlo, and he’s 16 lbs. the bed is small enough. He is camping between me and my wife and has stairs to get up from the bed.

Arlo does not take up too much space. (Photo courtesy of reader Mike L.)

Things I Liked

The last one is my dog. 😊

OutKick Nightcaps is a daily column scheduled to run Monday through Friday at 4 p.m