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Weekend Edition: Spend the weekend without the news. ‘Squid Game.’ Liz Cheney. Josh Ritter, and more.
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Published: Sep 30, 2021
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Weekend
SPEND THE WEEKEND WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE NEWS
Curtis Mayfield was soul music’s Prince of Optimism — and he sometimes got depressed. When that happened, he went to the movies. Why? “Movies are dreams,” he said. “And dreams are what we live on.”
This is a good weekend to avoid despair by avoiding the news. If you’ve been paying attention — and how can you not? — media is documenting on a minute-by-minute basis a gang of elected representatives, mostly white, mostly male, mostly rich, attempting to crash the government, cause job loss and economic damage and any other mayhem they can create along the way. The point, as far as I can see, isn’t responsible leadership — it’s cruelty. They’re bullies. Why do they do it? Because they can. Because they enjoy it. As Jimmy Breslin told me in 2001, “The poor can never be made to suffer enough.” Twenty years later, that also includes what we used to call the middle class.
As it happens, this is a good weekend for movies.
MAID looks powerful, lacerating, immensely satisfying. On Netflix. Here’s the trailer.
THE GUILTY, with Jake Gyllenhaal, looks like a heart-stopper. On Netflix. Here’s the trailer.
And the biggest new release: the much anticipated “Sopranos” prequel, THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK. On HBO. Here’s the trailer.
The biggest streaming event? SQUID GAME. My daughter, who knows the news before it happens, told me about it weeks ago, after she watched it a second time. It’s now on its way to becoming the biggest hit ever on Netflix — and it’s in Korean! The story is simple. People who are hopelessly in debt are invited to play a game. The winner gets 45 billion. The losers get killed. Can a player leave the game? What do you think? It’s brilliantly conceived and filmed — the trailer is a mild introduction. A friend says this is the series of the moment because it’s about this moment: the winners in the capitalist game set the rules that crush the spirit — it’s impossible to win this “game.” Interesting theory. I do know that more people will watch it this weekend than these other films combined. And that the mask will be everywhere this Halloween. [To buy the mask on Amazon, click here.]
One inviolate weekend activity: reading. My best idea: John O’Donohue. Like this:
It is strange to be here. The mystery never leaves you alone. Behind your image, below your words, above your thoughts, the silence of another world waits. A world lives within you. No one else can bring you news of this inner world. Through the opening of the mouth, we bring out sounds from the mountain beneath the soul. These sounds are words. The world is full of words. There are so many talking all the time, loudly, in rooms, on streets, on television, on radio, in the paper, in books. The noise of words keeps what we call the world there for us…
If you want to watch the best footage of the weekend, watch the first three minutes of this.
GHEE: BETTER THAN BUTTER?
Created forever ago in India, ghee is butter that’s been heated and clarified. The milk solids caramelize, producing a nutty flavor, great for frying eggs or over rice or roasted vegetables. Its smoke point is 100 degrees higher than butter, which you’ll appreciate if you cook meat in a frying pan. Experts recommend Swad Ghee. Note: in the jar it can be solid or liquid, depending on room temperature. Not a problem. [To buy it from Amazon, click here. ]
JOSH RITTER TICKETS
I have 2 for his concert, next Friday (Oct. 8), 8 PM, at St. Anns and the Trinity Church in Brooklyn. Sad I can’t go, but you can, at my cost, $55 a ticket. Easy transfer. Write me at HeadButlerNYC@AOL.com
LIZ CHENEY
She’s the best Republican. But let’s have some perspective. Here she is, with Lesley Stahl, on “60 Minutes.”
Lesley Stahl: You have become in a way a hero to the liberals, which is kind of funny because as you say yourself, you’re one of the most conservative members of the House. You’re anti-abortion.
Liz Cheney: I’m– yeah, I’m pro-life, yes.
Lesley Stahl: You’re pro-life.
Liz Cheney: Yes.
Lesley Stahl: You’re pro-gun rights. And you voted to repeal Obamacare. Do you regret that vote?
Liz Cheney: I do not. No.
Lesley Stahl: Waterboarding, aka torture.
Liz Cheney: Well, it’s not torture.
Lesley Stahl: But you support waterboarding.
Liz Cheney: I do. Absolutely.
THE “BONER BOOSTER”
Here’s the press release:
Stripchat Offers Free XXX Private Cam Shows to Users who Receive COVID-19 Booster Shot
Stripchat, a leading webcam platform averaging 600 million monthly users, today announced it is offering free private XXX live cam shows to users who receive a COVID-19 booster shot this fall. The company is calling the promotion, “Boner Booster.”
“Brands, politicians, corporations, and more are pushing to keep the COVID-19 vaccination momentum going with giveaways for free food, alcohol, sporting tickets, scholarships and even millions of dollars,” said Max Bennett, VP of Stripchat. “What better way to encourage people to get a booster shot than by providing them with free XXX cam shows? Get a jab and receive a ‘Boner Booster.’ It’s as easy as that.”
Users interested in participating in Stripchat’s Boner Booster promotion should reach out to bonerbooster@stripchat.com. They will receive a reply email requiring them to confirm they are 18+ years old and provide proof that they’ve received the booster vaccination by providing official documentation for both.
THE KILLERS (PART 2)
I’m obsessed with one song, Quiet Town. I stumbled upon a video of a live performance that — how did we used to say it? — blows me away. Especially starting at 2:00. OMG.
