Billy Idol!

 Billy Idol is one of those not quite great rockers that I don't understand why isn't considered great. Idol has been rocking so long and has so many hits and deep cuts that it was a shock to me that at 68 years old he's older than me. In your face, Idol! 

Idol and his band rocked the Pinewood Bowl in Lincoln Thursday night for a solid 90 minutes that got the overwhelmingly over 50 crowd home early. Just as we olds have learned to love.

Opening act, The Effect, obviously a new band, played only 4 original songs and got off stage within 30 minutes. The band has one helluva pedigree with band members including Nic Collins, son of some drummer from England and Trev Lukather, son of some guitar player from LA. No seriously, this is the kind of breeding that would make this band a favorite in any horse race. They are good.

Billy Idol took stage at around 8 pm and launched immediately into hits Dancing with Myself and Cradle of Love, my personal favorite Idol tune. We were off to the races. Idol and his guitarist Steve Stevens obviously have a chemistry from the decades of working together. Idol lets Stevens shred the guitar so often it's like getting two concerts at once. The hits were there, Mony Mony, Eyes Without a Face, and the show closer Rebel Yell. Other songs played included newer songs like Cage and the haunting Running From the Ghost, a ballad/rocker Idol wrote about his heroin addiction. 

The encore included the mandatory White Wedding which is a song not dated whatsoever.  People all on their feet singing along as Idol allowed the crowd to sing the chorus. So much fun and then at 9:30 pm he and his band were gone and we all high tailed to the car.

My only problem was we didn't hear Don't Need a Gun, my second fave Idol tune. But if that is all I can complain about, I had a great time.

Bill Idol at 68 can still get it done. Yeah, his voice isn't as strong as it was in 1986 and he can't hit certain notes but he allows the crowd to fill in the blanks and lets Stevens take control when necessary. And he can still "owwww" with the best of them.

If you get a chance, the answer is yes yes yes to see what I consider a great rock n roller. He delivers.

Nebraska Primary Day!

 It's primary day here in the "heartland", ya know where "real Americans" live and have kept the same shitty slogan for 50 years "The Good Life".  Nebraska is flyover country, for good reason, but if you live here, you can make sense of it and then leave if you can. If you're stuck here, well make the best of it, which is my choice. If you want to know what it's like to live here, watch the Alexander Payne movie, Nebraska. Thats a brilliant study of the rural parts of this state while Election may be a better study of Omaha or Lincoln. Anyway, don't worry yourself. you'll never live here.

The Nebraska primary is really nothing more than a repeat of the middle of the country as a whole. You have Republicans with a sense of delusions that MAGA is THE way and anybody with a working mind or a sense of compromise is a cuck who deserves nothing but hate. 

Earlier this year the Nebraska Republican Party, taken over in 2023 by a band of book banning fascists, decided to put out their endorsements of Nebraska's five incumbent congressional candidates, who are all Republicans.

Don Bacon is a Republican who claims to be a commonsense conservative. He's not but because he doesn't throw shit all over the Capitol walls and act like a fucking drunk baboon, he's considered a "moderate".  He is the incumbent Republican House Rep for Nebraska District 2. And because he is the incumbent with a pretty good chance of being re-elected, of course the Nebraska GOP endorsed a guy name Dan Frei, a MAGA freak who thinks Bacon is a Bolshevik and would not hesitate to shut down the gubmint. Frei isn't going to win because he's already saying he will join the kooky Freedom caucus and start sucking up to Large Marge Greene and this district voted for Biden by 6 points while crossing over to put Bacon back into that snake pit, The House.

In the 3rd district, Nebraska's permanent Republican playhouse, where men are men and women are stuck in shitty marriages to these men, the NE GOP has endorsed a dude named John Walz. Now the district hasn't elected a Democrat to Congress since the Dust Bowl, and has an incumbent, Adrian Smith, who is as vanilla as they come just like the district itself. But the Ne GOP wants Walz because Smith isn't Nazi enough. Walz answered a question on why he wants to run this way:

"In high school, my involvement with the John Birch Society spurred my fascination with America’s founding. I took great interest in the Revolutionary War, our Christian heritage, where our rights come from, and the role of governments."

What? John Birch Society? That still exists? A high school nerd Bircher? Damn I haven't seen Birch shit since my childhood dentist left the Birch pamphlets out on the waiting room table and pissed off my mother. Ok then....

The 1st district has an utter mediocrity named Mike Flood as its congressman. Flood is a former speaker of the Nebraska Unicameral and won a special election when former rep Jeff  "Googly Eyes" Fartenberry    Fortenberry was convicted of accepting illegal campaign contributions and then lying to the FBI about it. But then that was a California jury and not a Nebraska jury where he thought he could bamboozle hicks into acquitting him. He's now been re-indicted by a DC prosecutor. The Nebraska GOP made no endorsement in this race. I guess Flood is too much of a gentleman to endorse.

Senator Pete Ricketts was appointed by his bribe taker, Gov Jim Pillen, to the US Senate when previous Senator and Runza salesman Ben Sasse ran off to serve Rhonda Santis in Florida. Ricketts is a trust fund baby who buys anything he wants. He personally paid for an effort to bring back the death penalty after it was repealed by the legislature (a million or so) just so he could attempt to buy illegal drugs so he could kill a guy. Now Ricketts is bankrolling ($500k) an anti-abortion petition drive to put the ban on abortion in the state constitution, a real shitshow of a document. But the Nebraska GOP endorsed his opponent, John Glen Weaver, an Air Force Lt Colonel (retired). The guy is similar to Walz. A bomb thrower who wants to shut down government and cut social security (he says he won't cut it BUT get rid of the bureaucrats there so yeah, he wants to cut SS). He's one of those guys pushing forth the "UniParty" bullshit. Ricketts is as bad a Senator as can be imagined but for some reason (cuz he opposed Trumps choice for Governor?) the Ne GOP says nope, we need the nuttier one. 

Deb Fischer is the other Senator running for re-election. Shes as worthless as the fact you've never heard of her is. A total yes woman who does what she's told by the crazies. She's a loyal Trumper but again she may have pissed the NE GOP for some reason. Maybe she didn't show quite enough fascism for them. She has no primary opponent other than a perennial loser candidate who gets into races because he's got nothing else to do. They neglected to endorse her.

Now the Nebraska Democrats. Hoo boy, where to start. Thet didn't even put up a candidate to run against Fischer instead opting to endorse and independent, Dan Osborn. They do have Tony Vargas, a state senator who came within 3 points of ousting Bacon last time. And they have Carol Blood, another state senator with a good record. but without the chops to overcome the gerrymandered district. But at least they have a candidate.  If you are a long-suffering Nebraska Democrat, like me, you are used to this incompetency. Hell, it wasn't that long ago when this state had a Democratic Governor and two Democratic Senators. But those days went bye bye when the black man won the Presidency and scared the shit out of "real Americans" aka white Americans. Nebraska Democrats need a Fetterman, a Democrat who can relate to rural people. We have none.

The Nebraska Gop, one of those state Republican parties that have actual white supremacists onboard, would rather lose than win because it gives them the opportunity to bitch. Oh, the Republicans won't lose here, but the Nebraska Republican Party will try. It's just a shame the Nebraska Democratic Party will try and lose even harder. 

 

Final Thoughts on Boston!

 Edgar Allen Poe was born in Boston thus they are the 3rd city to claim him. The statue is so cool. Per the trolley driver, Poe hated Boston. 

The first thing we saw after getting to the hotel in Boston was two cab drivers hollering at each other over a stolen fare. It was the most impolite moment we encountered. But it was glorious to see.

Amtrak is the way to go. I'm sure it's different during the week from NYC to Boston but our experience was perfect in the so called "Quiet car" where you cannot use your phone or talk. Perfecto!

Fenway Park, so cool. has a garden on the roof where veggies and the like are grown and served in the ballpark. Since Vegetables and me don't really click at ball games, all I had was something grown on a pig farm and swept up off the floor at a slaughterhouse, aka Fenway Frank.

In the right field bleachers there is a seat painted red. Thats where Ted Williams 500 foot plus home run landed. Nobody has ever hit one as far. The seat is in high demand apparently.

The Red Sox logo from 1950-59 displayed in the concourse is rather strange but then the 50's were rather strange..

Boston is compact. You can walk the entire city if you're in shape and young. If you're old and decrepit, take the subway or the trolley.

I 🤟Boston

Final Ramblings on New York !

Just some thoughts on New York's unimportant stuff.

Flying into New York can be impressive as you take pictures of everything you will not see when there. La Guardia airport is much bigger than I remembered. 

Times Square is a zoo of mental illness. So many weird things happened there. The Comedy Central hustler trying to get us to go to a "comedy show" then when I said no yelled that now he knew we wouldn't have helped Jews in the Holocaust. Whaaaaaa? The "comedian" who hit me up for $20 for his comedy "download". I gave him $10 cuz I felt generous which only led to other "comedians" descend on me when they saw a $10 bill. By the way the guy "autographed" the QR code so I couldnt download it anyway. I'm sure we missed nothing. The kid who asked us to buy him ice cream. I wasnt feeling generous then and told him to get lost. When he came back after failing to get another sucker to buy him ice cream he pointed at us and said "Thats the guy who wouldn't buy me ice cream" to which my reaction was "get your own ice cream" cuz I have no filter and puts forward my theory I will die in a shooting because I mouthed off to the wrong person. Yet many people commented on my beard and my Mets hat, all positive. The red bleachers which used to be easy to get pics on is now full of tourists and virtually impossible to climb on. They never leave.

The line at the half price TKTS booth has gone from walk up and buy line like in 2015 to hours long wait snakey line up and down that we bailed on and bought full price tickets to Suffs. It was worth the extra $20 or so.

Hotels that put this in your room and then dare you to pay $12 for a Reeses or $10 for a Pringles are the worst. Don't they make enough money off their outrageous rates AND "resort fees"? My advice is to not even look at it as there might be a $5 look at fee.

The incessant honking by NYC drivers is just mind blowing. It just never stops. On the Brooklyn Bridge sitting in traffic behind a truck going nowhere, some guy laid on his horn so long we yelled hey it's not doing you any good. Go early to the Brooklyn Bridge to avoid the crowds. It's mainly just joggers from Brooklyn and older people like us avoiding crowds.

The courthouse is cool seeing the very steps Jack McCoy and the gang of Law & Order people walked down after winning their latest impossible case. The federal courthouse is so closed off it's not worth it, unless you want to see the 4-5 pro Trump sign holders who speak no English and realize what a fraud he is.

Get a hot dog from a street vendor. It's kind of a performance art. And the hot dog is damn good. But he had no relish.

The delis seem to have caught on that everybody wants hot pastrami when in NYC. I did, until I saw it was $25, $10 more than anything else and got a lesser Pesto sandwich. It was great too.

The souvenir shops are reasonably priced by have too much Pro-Trump shit in them. I realize MAGA is so griftable thus making the selling of Trump bobble heads and t shirts with his mug shot on them is profitable. But some of us don't wanna see that and it makes us leave.

Feed the pigeons, even the fat ones. It keeps you humanized.

Go there for 5 days. Plenty of time to do all you want plus see some kick ass Broadway shows.

Don't pay $25 to sit on the beam at the Top of the Rock. It does go up but it never gets close to the edge, so you are never in danger. You can get a picture on a beam that doesn't move. Get TV studio tour tickets before you go. They sell out fast.

Finally, despite the scare tactics of the GOP and the fear mongering by the "liberal" media

Total number of crimes we saw-- Zero

Total number of migrants living on the street we saw--- Zero

We 💖New York.

Boston Day 3!

Fenway Park. I don't really have bucket lists because I'm not a planner. But Fenway Park was definitely on the list, if I had one. We had tickets for the game that night but decided to ride the T down to Fenway for a tour. A lil tip, get off on Kenmore and not Fenway. No idea why Kenmore is closer to Fenway than the stop called Fenway but it is. The Boston subway is fast and efficient but still has those confounded steps crawling back to the streets.

The Fenway tour is a must. Our guide was full of information and told it in a fun way. We went to the stands, found the seat with a pole right in front of it, and then climbed more steps to the Green Monstah where we could look over the baseball cathedral. Then to the press box and the suites. and finally, to the right field stands where the red seat is (Ted Williams 520-foot home run landed there). It lasted about an hour and was loads of fun. The museum contains all the Red Sox memorabilia you would want to see.

Johnny Pesky's zippo to light up heaters in the dugout. Old timey gloves that quite honestly were worthless. 

Back on the subway to hit the Freedom Trail before going back down to the ballgame. The Freedom Trail is up hill. Ugh. But we managed to get to Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Market where the food court is full of every possible combo you want. More chowda, more cannoli's and more souvenirs. Then back to Boston Commons via the subway.

Then the game at Fenway vs the Giants.

Back on the subway to Fenway with the masses of people. Got lost again and probably circled the entire stadium to find our gate. Entering the stadium and going up the ramp reminded me of the first time I ever did that, at Wrigley Field when I was a kid. I still remember the green field and this view was just as fine. Tickets just to the 3rd base side of home plate, a row of 4 seats and full of Giants fans. The Red Sox dominated the game so us Giants fans simply could take in the Fenway experience. Take me out to the ball game, the 8th inning Sweet Caroline, and the vendors including an actual chowder vendor. I was chowdered out, so we stuck to Fenway dogs, beer and pretzels. 

I cant emphasize how much fun that was for this old baseball fanatic to finally see Fenway. I almost wished for the old 3 1/ 2 hour games just to be there longer (no not really). The game ended at 9:45 and we got on the subway and were back at the hotel at 10:15pm. 

It was over. Day 3 done. Back to Omaha tomorrow. There's just not enough time. 

I want to go back already.

Boston Day Two!

 

Day 2 begins with a daily trip to Boston's finest restaurant, Dunkin, of which there is one every two blocks. Then it's off to find the Edgar Allen Poe Statue to pick up the Old Tyme Trolley to tour Beantown. We had purchased this day pass from a broker at the hotel. Don't do that, just book it online and you will save some money.

The Old Tyme Trolley is just that. A trolley with comfortable seats. The driver, Townie, was a real Bawston guy. He had the accent; he had the temperament, and he had the ability to entertain. He started busting my chops as we waited for the 9 am departure time. I guess wearing a Red Sox hat and a Seattle Supersonics t shirt might confuse people. We only went a couple of stops before hopping off at the Boston Tea Party ships. Yeah, its touristy, but it was fun to listen and participate in a rabble-rousing speech from actors playing colonial roles. You then tour the ship, go into the bowels and back up where you get to throw "tea" into the Boston Harbor. Suck it King George! You can then tour the museum with interactive films and are released thru the Abigails Tea Room where for 5 bucks you can have as much tea as you wish including the 5 teas popular in 1775. 3 of the 5 are hideous. 

Back on the trolley and we were let off near the Old North Church and the North End. A walk uphill will do ya in. Then another walk down a hill past a cemetery full of colonials. There's the Old North Church which is closed on Mondays. There's Paul Revere's house, a tiny little thing that housed 16 people. Then there's the food of the North End. Mikes Pastry has cannolis and Boston Creme Pie to die for.  Across the street is Galleria Umberto, a pizza place where you can get two slices and a pop for less than 10 bucks. The pizza is pan style and wonderful. 

Back to the trolley for the rest of the trip. Bunker Hill, Old Ironsides, Faneuil Hall, the Gahhhhden, Cheers, all the while with stories from Townie that were both informative and funny as hell.

Back to the hotel where I can tell a story in 3 pictures.

There was a Robert F Kennedy Junior fundraiser at the hotel and there were actually people going to it. The lone demonstrator across the street got a big thumbs up from us. The guy is a nut. Period.

Day 2 in the books. 

Boston Day One!

Up early for a short taxi ride to the Daniel P Moynihan Train Station for a 3-hour trek via Amtrak to Boston. I love the train. Always have. Off we went on the Northeast Express with plenty of leg room and seats in the "quiet car" which means shut the hell up. Thru Connecticut and Rhode Island and all I have to say is Amtrak tracks must go through the shitty neighborhoods in New Haven and Providence cuz woooo...it looked bleak.

Arriving in Boston and getting an Uber to the Hilton Park Plaza was easy. Unfortunately we arrived 3 hours early and to avoid a $75 check in early fee we began to walk. Now when I get stressed, I sweat and when I sweat excessively and feel like I'm going to pass out. A short stop at a cafe and some water and protein sent me to normal from I'm dying here.

The Boston Commons was right near our hotel. It was full of people laying on the grass, listening to a one-man band changing Dylan lyrics from the times they are a changin to the climate is changing. He was a trip, kind of a Wavy Gravy vibe to him. People feeding the ducks, riding the swan boats and sleeping outside, a bustle of activity. Seems like a cool place to chill.

The permeating of Cubs fans was in force. Cubs fans walking all over the place waiting for that night's game, which they lost thank goodness.

That evening a short trip to what turned out to be the hotel bar, M J O'Connors, a pub with food at 8 pm. The Sox game was on and a pint of Guinness and a cup of clam chowda was a must. 

And with that, Day one was done.

Appropriate!

 The usher led us to our seat with a "welcome to Appropriate". The poor bastard was a fill in usher, and I heard two different pedantic theater snobs correct him and say "its pronounced Appropri-ATE" to which he said I was instructed to say Appropriate. Bless their hearts.

Appropri-ATE is the story of a dysfunctional family coming together to bury their father. They must take care of the money and the dilapidated southern plantation. But what happens is anything but. 

What happens is the inevitable fights between family members with years and years of unloaded tension and grudges.

Sarah Paulson is the star playing a rather bitter toxic person Toni, without a good thing to say about anyone. Corey Stoll is her rather timid brother , Bo, a rich New Yorker without the ability to stand up to her. Michael Esper plays the addict brother Franz, a man with a 22-year-old hippie gal pal and a past of ignoring all of them. Natalie Gold (Kendall Roy's ex-wife on Succession) plays Corey Stoll's wife, Rachel, the only one willing to take on the bitter Toni.

These are great performances. Lots of dark humor cuts thru the tension and it's a welcome relief. 

The secrets of the father's life come to the forefront; he was a racist, which Toni refuses to believe. There is a tense scene where Toni calls Rachel a slur for Jewish people (the K word) that drew gasps. At the end of the first act, Bo and Rachel's little son comes downstairs in a costume he found that proves Daddy's racism. As if the pictures of lynchings Daddy left behind didn't prove that. The second act flew by and it was damn near 11 when we got out of there. It's so intense you won't notice the time.

One thing you will notice about the Music Box Theater is that the traffic sounds will permeate the inside. Honks, sirens, loud engines, more honking you will hear and not be sure at first if it's part of the play. Its not and it sometimes takes away from hearing a character's lines.

Is it Appropriate for everybody? Well no. If you want happy, go see Lion King. If you want reality, see Appropri-ATE 

New York Day 3!

 Well well well...Day 3 begins with a trip to Times Square to find the hop on hop off bus. The street hustlers descend on you like bees to the queen. Once you admit you are interested in the bus the negotiations begin. $75 each? Nah thanks I can book online for $62 ok then $62? Nah thanks I can do that online. Ok $58....sold sir.

The bus goes downtown basically past the parts of the city in lower Manhattan we've already seen. The Bridge, Wall Street, the charging bull...So we get off on the Battery Park stop and head for the best free tour ever. The Staten Island Ferry. Hustlers outside the terminal trying to sell you a ticket on the free  Ferry. This despite the signs saying don't buy a ticket from these con artists. We saw people stopping.

The Staten Island Ferry. which I'd never been on instead opting to spend hundreds on river cruises to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island is free. Have I mentioned that? You pile on like a Greyhound Bus and swiftly go up top to claim your spot (right side on the trip to SI and left for the trip back. Really, the trip is just as good as paying to see the Statue if you have no interest in getting off. Once you get to Staten Island, the masses tend to get off and get back in line to go back because nobody really wants to be where all the racists live in NYC. A man with headphones and an enthusiasm for what he was listening to with a WOO HOO every 30 seconds seemed to be mental but he also conversed with people with a huge smile so he was probably more normal than us.

Back on the bus at Battery Park for the ride back uptown. Past Union Square where a man advertised he was eating an entire container of cheeseballs. 300 people showed up. Love New York.

NYU students had a tent city set up so as to not miss out on the cause of the day. 

Pizza stop at a NY style pizza place with pictures of famous people posing with the owner including criminals like Donald Trump. Also Obama and Hillary so at least the guys an equal opportunity poser. The NY style pizza was heaven.

So off we go to the upper east side where we will find 30 Rock. Top of the Rock is $35 each to go up. A studio tour was sold out (been there done that but MM had not). Up to the top we went, posed on the beam, looked out over the city, dodged the tourists and had a great time. 

Back down and out into the streets. Walking down the block to St Patrick's Cathedral. Again, the tourists have clogged up the entrance and as we enter notice there is a wedding going on. A small wedding with maybe two pews of guests....and thousands of gawkers. Love to see those pics. The bride and groom can claim that thousands attended and they wouldn't be lying. Lit a couple of candles for deceased parents and exited. It really is a beautiful place, believer or not. I find churches peaceful and a place to gather your thoughts even if the reason for their existence is making money for the cults. 

 Down the street is the palace of evil called Trump Tower. Yeah, its right there and flipping it off is a must do for any tourist. Fuck that evil prick and his entire family. Show your disgust. We did.

Catch the subway at Central Park for the short trip back to the Square to get ready for tonight's Broadway play entitled Appropriate or as we found out....Appropri-ATE.

Suffs!

 Suffs is a rather new musical premiering on Broadway about the suffragette movement of the early 20th century. Featuring an entire female cast, the musical gets going with the first of many catchy tunes "Let Mother Vote" sung by veteran stage singers portraying the older women of the movement pushing for gradual change. In come the youngs, not nearly as patient as the olds, egos clash and hilarity ensues.

The musical covers everything, from the resistance of women born in the 1800's who have spent 40 years accomplishing nothing, to the young white folks led by Alice Paul who want change now, and the black women who want a voice in two things, voting and civil rights.

The musical has a Hamilton vibe to it. You are learning a lot about history while at the same time enjoying the songs. 

Broadway is a bit different from the touring shows we get in Omaha. While the touring shows are great with tremendous talent, Broadway has zero weak spots in the cast. They all have earned their way to the stage in New York and blow you away. We had the understudy for Alice Paul that night and she was absolutely fantastic. Veteran Broadway actors and singers like Jenn Collela as Carrie Chapman Catt and Nikki M James as Ida B Wells, the back journalist shine. James belting out the tune "Wait My Turn" is especially moving.

The plays main message, to me anyway, is that no matter if its 1919 or 2024, humans will clash even those with a common goal will butt heads. It's apparent that though getting women the vote is the goal, sometimes this results in various factions brawling with each other. Those with political goals, those with personal goals and those with a burn it all down mentality will always fight with each other while the powers that be just sit back and chuckle.

The actors will make some sort of statement about an obscure event, turn to the audience and say "look it up". It really is a learning experience as well as a fun time.

Suffs tells you to "Keep Marching". It may just march into Tony awards.

New York Day Two!

 Day 2 begins on a subway ride down to City Hall. The NYC subway, just as you get used to it you have to leave. Its $2.90 or $11 for a day pass. Or you can put your credit card on the reader and get in that way. Except for me. So, I had to buy an antiquated paper Metro Pass. You ride the subway and can't help but wonder of the genius of it. HOW did they build this thing? Max's Mom just wanted stations with elevators cuz there are lots of steps getting back to the street from the bowels of hell. 

Wandering around the City Hall, there are tons of NYPD officers hanging around. Hmm wonder why? We find the Brooklyn Bridge just to walk across early because its not that crowded. Off we go. The Bridge is really no longer than the Bob we have in Omaha but because we are olds we need stop, allegedly to take in the view but in reality, its cuz we are old. Walk walk walk into the borough of Brooklyn where we get lost immediately. Google Maps is the devil. And I will insist 100% of arguments start over this piece of technology. But we find our way thru Brooklyn to the NYC Ferry ($4) which will take you across the Hudson or the East River to Wall Street.

More indecisions due to Google Maps so we get bagels and croissants from a street vendor and sit. The charging bull is our goal. We find the bull surrounded by tourists, mostly of the Asian persuasion and everybody wants pics so its kill or be killed. Just go up there and take your pic. Back uptown we go.

What are we looking for? Well, it's the Law & Order courthouse steps of course and the federal courthouse next to it where a certain former President is finally be held accountable for his criminal activity. Oh that is why NYPD is all over. (3 NYPD officers walk towards us, a kind of 2024 Mod Squad, one Asian officer one black officer and a woman officer, and all I hear is the Asian cop say in a perfect Noo Yawk accent "I said to da guy what da fuck are you doing man"). I'd have followed them to get the whole story, but I don't need to get arrested for stalking.

The Federal Courthouse is closed off. There is a corrections bus ready to take the Defendant to Rikers and I so hope it happens. The media is all over the street. Most of whom you recognize if you pay attention to the news. And then across the street is the pen of demonstrators kept in the park by barricades. There are 4 pro Trump demonstrators with signs, none of whom speak English which makes me wonder if they aren't paid to be there. It's really a joke that the pathological liar on trial thinks there "thousands of people" out there supporting him. We have no arguments because again they don't speak English.

The spot where the mentally ill man set himself on fire has been sandblasted but still visible. We get our jollies being there and head back to subway to get back to the hotel.

It's out first Broadway show of the trip.....Suffs.............Hey its the Jerry Orbach theater. Here's to you Lenny Briscoe!

New York Day One!

 Riding to Eppley for a long-anticipated anniversary trip with Max's Mom to New York and Boston, the Uber driver had a tiny support dog in the console and a route to the airport that contradicted google maps. This was a sign of things to come.

Onboard the Delta airplane riding in two seat Comfort Plus (I may never fly SW again) we masked up and took off for La Guardia, New York's airport for us poors. Getting into New York about 6 pm I had delusions of grandeur of perhaps getting into the hotel at Times Square before the last Broadway show began at 8 and getting tickets.

Oh yeah, that isnt happening. New York Traffic is a bitch. The taxi driver, a nice man, did his best to get us to the hotel but ran into traffic and closed off streets which added to the time and the fare. I noticed the fare counter when it was at $60, quietly thought this is gonna cost $65, then $70 then $75 then $80, holy shit just let us out and we'll walk the .01 miles it's been on my trusty google map for about 10 minutes. The fare ended up at $90 what with tip became $117. We are here and its 8:15 too late for any kind of show other than the kooks on Times Square.

We walked Times Square (is it even nuttier than 2015?) for a while encountering the Elmos and the Sponge Bobs and the Batmans. The hustlers, the con artists, the drunks and the rube tourists, Thats us!

Finding the Times Square Diner seemed like a decent place to eat. The place was heavy on the Greek and the languages we heard in there were plentiful. A family of Italians were hand talking to each other, the waiters were speaking animated Greek and a couple of English-speaking hicks were eating French toast and a beef gyro in a diner in New York while a mere 7 hours prior we were in Omaha.

This will be an experience.

Columbia!

I was in New York within the last few days while these protests up at Columbia were happening. There was a tent city set up at NYU also. It brought to mind the difference and similarities between these protests and the protests at the same school, Columbia, in 1968.

The similarities are as follows...they were both protesting wars, one directly involving the United States and one on which the United States funds a 3rd party to conduct war. Thats about it.

The differences are many. In 1968 the students at Columbia were protesting the latest illegal immoral war conducted by this nation. Kids were being drafted, enslaved if you will by a military draft that singled out the poor without the resources to go to college. The Vietnam War was lost in 1965 but as usual with politicians, they refused to be on watch when America lost its second war (1812 not a win). This infuriated a lot of America, including my WW2 veteran father and my Republican mother. So, the students took to the streets. Hell, even here in Middle America, the students at the University of Nebraska, not exactly a bastion of liberalism, took over the ROTC building. 

But here, in 2024, the "students" are not really the ones leading this sudden outburst of moral clarity. They cover their faces with masks and keffiyehs because I guess they look cool to entitled rich white kids. Look at the 1968 picture. Those young people didn't give a shit if the cops and administrators saw their faces. They were badasses.  Then look at the 2024 Hinds Hall picture. Hiding their identities why? Maybe because they aren't students? Maybe because entitled white kids don't want to be arrested and infuriating Daddy? I have no idea.

Look I get it. I am a child of the 60's. I believe in peaceful protest. I believe in the energy of youth and the influence that quick talking leaders have on that youth. I believe that the police overreact and take joy in cracking heads and discharging weapons and gassing kids. I mean come on now, the cops are not exactly the good guys here. They never are when it comes to demonstrations, unless of course its them beating on DC cops and Capitol Police and furthering the mission of a fascist. But a lot of this pro-Palestinian feeling is the cause of the day. It's the chance to be on the right side of history like their grandparents were on Vietnam, or their parents were on South Africa. Sorry kiddos, there is no right side here. The only side to be on is both sides.

Fuck Netanyahu and Fuck Hamas are compatible.

Free Palestine and Never Again are also compatible.

It's not that hard to recognize evil.

Kristi Noem!

If two assholes ever belonged together it's these two. Both hate animals, both are phony pandering shitheels and both are MAGA faves.

As we all know, Kristi Noem (Asshole-SD) decided to write a book showing her bold new initiatives and what a strong woman she is. Making the tough decisions nobody else but her will make. Well, that didn't work out for the toothy extensions enthusiast. The book tells tales of Gov Noem, at one time an actual Congresswoman, of her meeting Kim Jong Un and standing up French President Macron. Both of which didn't happen per uhhhhh everybody.

But the real shitstorm occurred when it was revealed that a portion of Noem's future bargain bin resident book is dedicated to another "tough decision". The day when she decided the best way to handle a 14-month-old pup named Cricket, who didn't fit her hunting needs, was to shove the poor dog in a gravel pit and shoot it dead. Ya know, like the Nazis did. But instead of cutting her losses, she doubled down with yet another story of a goat she shoved into the gravel pit and blasted but didn't quite kill it so she ran back to her truck to reload...as the goat suffered Noem pointed her weapon at it again and wasted it, farm style. And a construction crew working at the time witnessed it all, snuck away and left the premises before Buffalo Bill Noem decided humans were next.

Look, I've despised Kristi Noem for years. She comes across as an eye batting seductress with a knife in her hand waiting to kill you. She does infomercials for Texas dentistry places that she got free teeth from. She changed her face, she put in extensions to accentuate her rather dull actual hair, and she is banned from Indigenous reservations because well, she's a racist.

All this was out there. But the dog story has done her in. Hey, I'm ok with that. Better late than never. She's a cooze with "family values" and "faith in God" who has allegedly participated in an affair with Trump goon Corey Lewandowski. Noem is the exact kind of Republican that gets MAGA men all excited. She's purty, speaks softly and think maybe they have a shot.

Noem's book is a trashy disaster for her. But like the man she is auditioning for, an apology or a Mea culpa is not possible. To apologize is weakness. So, Noem, like her hero, doubled down. The story got worse not better. Cricket went from untrainable to vicious to the second coming of Cujo. The goat went from mean to a rabid beast. And Noem revealed her true colors. A narcissistic dog hating asshole.

Turns out the book wasn't so much a voice to the future, but the end of the line. Cuz her name is not Trump, she won't get away with it. Even the cult like dogs. 

The book was written not for the masses but for one man. Her fellow dog hating asshole. But Kristi. he cant read. 

Pretty Boy and The Scarecrow!!!

 There are some real shitbags in the "Greatest Deliberative Body on Earth". Usually in the past, it was a group of statesmen with a few dopes who weren't all the smart but had a streak of decorum they adhered to. Then came Bill Clinton and the right wing went fucking nuts. First the House went under the spell of eye rolling nuts out there and a few IQ challenged nitwits entered the House and began throwing their feces at the wall. Here in "Ne 02" after years of moderate Republicans and some moderate Democrats representing us, the electorate went crazy under the influence of newly formed right-wing media and elected John Christensen, voted the dumbest member of Congress year after year. We wised up after two terms of this cretin and elected a Republican whose greatest achievement was outlawing cruising on the main drag of Omaha (yeah we ARE the worlds biggest hick town) but at least he wasnt nuts. 

Anyhoo, The US Senate has caught up with the morons running the House by accepting dipshit voters electing dipshit after dipshit to the Senate. It has also caught up by accepting downright evil people elected by other evil people. 

For once Ted Cruz, perhaps the most evil man to have ever been elected to the Senate, is not the focus of what I am about to write. Oh Cruz probably agrees with them but he's too busy being an Islamophobic bigot right now to win re-election.

Nope I'm talking about the Senator from Virginia   Arkansas and the other Senator from Virginia Missouri. Senator Tom " If I Only Had a Brain" Cotton and Senator Josh "Run Away" Hawley. These two jackboots are really upset with students at Columbia sitting around listening to loudmouths with bullhorns (non-students of course) scream about Gaza and genocide. These two guys, who would both look cool in Waffen SS gear, are so upset with peaceful protesters they just cannot hold in their inner Nazi. 

Cotton, who wanted to call in the 82nd Airborne to squash BLM protesters back in 2020 drawing no quarter (this means killing everybody in your way arms up or not) now wants Joe Biden to call in the National Guard to go bust heads up at Columbia which shouldn't be tough since the protesters just sit on the grass and listen to crazy people. Cotton has such a yearnin to kill his fellow Americans he just can't stand the reluctance by reasonable people to let the protests yell themselves out. In other words, Cotton cannot wait for another Kent State.

Now Hawley, a "Missourian" whose only tie to the state is his sisters Ozark fun house, has joined Cotton to wish for a massacre of them dirty hippies. Hawley has equated the deployment of the Guard in 1957 to protect black children from mobs of white racists and thugs to Columbia's really loud screeching into a bullhorn lamebrains with an agenda of antisemitic nonsense.

Hawley and Cotton are the herpes simplex of the Senate. They won't go away as long as their constituents keep enabling them. Cotton bamboozled Arkansas voters in 2022 into sending his scarecrow looking ass back to DC. Hawley is running this year in a state that has become exactly what America thinks it is. Jed Clampett, Lil Abner and Daisy Mae. So, he'll be sent back to try and further his 2028 presidential ambitions.

But the fact these two misanthropic blood lusters pretend to be so concerned about Jewish students they want to turn the campus into Gaza itself with death and destruction is concerning. If they get away with the bullying bloodlust without consequences (which of course they will), it will only encourage them in the future, and if somehow Trump wins perhaps those Waffen SS unis will be ok to wear in the Senate.

The Trial Of The Century??!!

 The trial has begun. The trial of the century ( JFC stop already). Florida Phony and bad human Donald Trump has actually gone on trial in a New York courtroom for fraud. Why fraud? Well in his payments to Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougall and some doorman who knows all about his love child with a Trump Tower maid, Donald Trump, stable genius and shitty businessman wrote off the $300K plus as "legal expenses". Sorry Donnie but that's misdemeanor illegal on its surface BUT if it's done to further a subsequent crime well then its a felony. Welcome to Felony World!

Trump has gone into court two straight days. Falling asleep, rolling his eyes and being the nightmare client his lawyers know him to be. Trump has been gagged by the judge in the case because Donnie can't stop bragging, insulting and putting jurors and courtroom family members in danger from the actions of Trumps more mentally ill fans. He's been gagged and he does not stop. He puts the Judges daughter out there to be harassed, he rails against the judge's wife and the judge himself on his worthless Truth Social. He has a young lady he has hired (get the cash up front sweetheart) just to peruse the internet for positive stories about him, print them out, and hand them to him as he leaves court so he can have a stack of unnecessary papers to wave around claiming they are all from "legal scholars" who have exonerated him. He violates the gag order literally minutes after being ordered not to. He rants about his martyrdom, his unfair prosecution and exactly what he's been ordered to not discuss. Yet he gets away with it. 

He belongs at Rikers Island yesterday.

Sleepy Donnie!

Sleepy Donald went to trial this week in New York for paying hush money to Stormy Daniels to shut her up two weeks before the 2016 election. Oh, it is much more than that, it's an "accounting error" where Trump took the $130K payment as a write off for "legal expenses" also. But what it really is is the same thing The Defendant keeps typing in CAPS over on his plunging to hell Truth Social. ELECTION INTERFERENCE! Sleepy Don tried to cover up his payment to the porn star for sautéing his mushroom-like toadstool. He also paid money (thru a third party named Pecker) to one Karen McDougall to shut up about their affair while Melania was knocked up with the future gigantic. Barron Trump. 

So, what we have here is a trial about good old fashioned cover up of a sexual affair. Would it have mattered in 2016 had the public known of this creeps philandering? Of course not, but Tired Trump probably thought so or the payoffs wouldn't have occurred. He survived the pussy grab tape, he survived the making fun of the disabled guy tape, he survived all of it because of his cult members total devotion and their inability to tell truth from fiction. This has only gotten worse among the faithful and even a trial isn't going to change their screechy fandom of this sleepwalking scumbag. Racism and homophobia are powerful motivators among the assholes who crawled out from the Under World they'd been existing in since 1968 when they loved George Wallace.

Now comes the jury selection part of this trial. As the Defendant sits in a courtroom falling asleep because he cant have his 12 Diet Cokes a day, jurors are screened. Their social media is screened, their lives are upended, their employers are revealed and the right-wing media publishes it all. Guys like the despicable Jesse Watters, who claims the jurors are all left-wing plants, and the deplorable talking puppets on Newsmax and OAN will all point the jurors out to the goons of MAGA, this information dump results in harassment and death threats from the Trump thugs. So, if Trump, who apparently thought he could challenge all 1.6 million residents of Manhattan called for jury duty with strikes, cant strike enough jurors, his surrogates can with threats of violence to their families and employers. Its the tactics of a mob boss, which of course Drifting Donald is.

This trial has already gone off the rails. And it hasn't even started yet.

Much like the 2016 election did.

Pretty Woman!

 I must confess. I remember watching the movie Pretty Woman in 1990 with a friend and sitting there listening to people def jam laughing and wondering what the hell is so funny? I also can't stand the ballady guitar solo heavy music of Bryan Adams. Thus, I put it out there before I tell you what I thought of the Broadway tour version of the musical Pretty Woman that hit Omaha last night for a weeklong run.

The story everybody knows and quite frankly who cares? It's My Fair Lady, its Pygmalion, its every love story ever made. Two misfits hate each other, they like each other, then they fall in love. In this case it's a hedge fund manager and a street hooker. He wants no strings attached companionship; she needs money. Oh, how romantic. A greedy scumbag who destroys lives and a prostitute who walks the streets of Hollywood, remains beautiful with no addictions or diseases and who wouldn't want those two crazy kids to get together? The story is ridiculous. Vivian and Edward. Pass.

In cases like that, where I don't care about the main characters at all, I look to the minor characters to care about. And in the case of Pretty Woman there's plenty of minor characters who are actually major characters.

Adam Du Plessis is Happy Man, the hotel manager, a street guru, a piano player, a store manager and a crazy opera conductor. This guy dominates. He is immensely talented in comic acting, singing and sincere empathy. The guy does it all. He makes you wish the two main characters would get off the stage so he can reappear. 

Connor Kabat as Guilio, the bellman. He has the moves of a contortionist. He is a joy to watch. He's funny and he isn't onstage enough. His scenes with Du Plessis as the hotel manager are absolutely the best part of this musical especially the ballroom dancing scenes. Hilarious.

Rae Davenport as the hooker roommate of Vivian, Kit DeLuca. She isn't in a whole lot of scenes but when she is, holy schnikes. Her voice is powerful. It's like going to church in a play about hookers and scumbags. Her scenes with the Happy Man towards the end were a delight.

Finally, Sara Wang isn't up there a whole lot, But the opera scene and subsequent scenes showcase her operatic chops. She's impossible to not want more of. 

Finally, the main characters. Yeah, they're fine. Ellie Baker as Vivian does her best Julia Roberts snort and laugh. But to be honest, when she and Chase Wolfe as Edward are onstage there's really no chemistry. It was tolerable but for Maxs Mom and I, we both wished them to finish so we could see more of the Happy Man, Kit, Guilio and the ensemble.

Should you see it. Sure, why not? It's two hours of fun. It means nothing, it's not Les Mis or Hamilton, hell it's not even Mamma Mia. but there's enough up there to make it enjoyable despite the grumpy old guy next to me who never applauded once and seemed like he'd rather be at Monday Night Raw. 

PS--the applause at the curtain call was heavy for the same characters I just mentioned and not so much for the main characters Edward and Vivian. Maybe the rest of the crowd agreed with us. And the booing of the greedy lawyer was spot on. Chefs kiss!

Nebraska It's Not For Everyone!!

 The Nebraska Legislature. Oh, last year was bad what with the filibusters and the anti-gay and anti-trans garbage that rolled thru like shit through a unisex bathroom. Last year was a total clown show. I know cuz I was there when they passed the anti-transgender anti-abortion anti LGBTQ hybrid bill that turned this state into an embarrassment. Watching a tiny little man (School Board member Kirk Penner) walk around packing a gun on his hip to keep us "leftists" in hand was truly the most ridiculous thing I may have ever seen.

Then came 2024. How could it be worse? Well, it can be argued it really is. The Nebraska Unicameral is unique in its makeup. There are 49 state senators, period. There is no House, no Senate, it's a one house body. 49 people. Elected from cites like Omaha and Lincoln. Also elected from counties with dozens of people and its these people, along with the West Omaha Republicans that run the place. There are no parties, per se', but it's one of the most partisan things you will ever see.

This year has seen very little happen in comparison to last year. But the things that have happened are horrific at best and criminal at worst. The standard bill, written by outside interests of course since most rural Senators couldn't write their names, was to ban "porn" from the school libraries. What's "porn"? Anything that doesn't fit the Christian nationalist definition. Keep the kids dumb, keep them on the farm, and avoid all talk about reality. The bill caused quite a ruckus. Senator Steve Halloran, a tiny little man with a Napoleon complex, read from Alice Seybold's  Lucky, a book that features a graphic description of her own rape. Halloran read from the book, then inserted a female Senators name into the reading (give me a blow job Senator Cavanaugh). Female senators and a few male senators called for the little prick to resign. But because the majority of men and a few women have an MAGA agenda absolutely nothing was done. He was "reprimanded" which is nothing. Halloran remains unrepentant.

This event has caused a tension that hangs over the entire session. 

And then came the last 7 days. Charlie Kirk, a balloon headed 30 something talk show host who likes to hang around college kids and try and convince them old white Republican men are the future, learned about a bill in the legislature regarding changing Nebraska's electoral vote from district to winner take all. Nobody gave a shit about this bill until Kirk and his goons found out about it. And then came Trump. Trump also ordered the bill to pass and all the MAGA morons, from the Governor on down to a lowlife like Halloran, all fell into line to fast track this bill to satisfy their Orange god. The marching orders had come in from MAGA HQ. Kill Nebraska's electoral district vote and do it now to give Trump the electoral vote.

Senator Julie Slama, who had earlier demanded Halloran to resign, fell back into line and brought the bill up as an amendment to a different bill. It failed badly. But it's not over because Kirk is bringing his traveling bullshit show to Omaha (the state capitol is in Lincoln you dumb fuck). It is being held at a church (tax exempt status anyone?) next Tuesday. Oh, there's still time for these sneaky bastards to get this bill back to the forefront. As of now, it doesn't have the votes, but death threats and bullying tends to work here. So, its not dead enough. 

Meanwhile a state senator named Mike McDonnell, a first responder union boss from Omaha, changed parties from Democrat to Republican causing mass erections from out of state interests who know nothing about this state. Its nonpartisan you idiots. McDonnell, a real rat bastard, votes with the conservatives all the time anyway so it matters not. He's a professional Catholic that cares about abortion and only about abortion. The Nebraska Democratic Party, which is a real shitshow, had "censured" McDonnell for some reason. And again, though it doesn't matter, McDonnell changed parties. Yeah, big fucking deal. 

Today it's the standard bathroom bill. Senator Kathleen Kauth, a real sourpuss, has taken her win from last year and doubled down. No men in women's sports, use the bathroom of your birth certificate gender, and cause mass panic on an issue that truly doesn't exist in Nebraska (there a grand total of ZERO trans athletes in Nebraska schools). 

So here we go. Turn Nebraska into Alabama, Do Trumps bidding. Discriminate even further against LGBTQ folks.

Nebraska used to have the worst fucking slogan for tourism ever "Nebraska...It's Not For Everyone."

No shit. Other than white males and their female co-conspirators, who the hell would come here? Get out Kids. Keep the brain drain going. Or stay here and try and stop these bigots that run the place. I choose #2.

Update---the anti trans bill died a grisly death today as there weren't enough votes to stop a filibuster.

The Winner Take All Bill apparently also is dead as only 4 days remain in the session and there's no time to rig the 2024 Nebraska election. 

So Stay Home Charlie Kirk

Frampton Comes Alive!!

It was 1976 and Frampton Comes Alive was issued to every white kid west of 60th Street and we all loved it. The moppy haired 25 year old Frampton, already a guitar legend to those of us enamored with Humble Pie and Framptons Camel, was a freakin golden god. His live album was the rage, new fans came to be, and he was milking it for all it was worth. His tour included the Civic Auditorium in Omaha, a giant cement 1950s arena with terrible sound (I swear you could still hear sound from the Buddy Holly tour bouncing around if you listened closely). August 1976. I secured two tickets by standing in line at the box office (remember those "good" old days?) and my buddy and I couldn't wait. Anyway, Frampton was phenomenal, running around stage and gawking at the love he was getting. When he sang Show Me The Way and the line "I cant believe this is happening to me" you could tell he meant it. He was glorious.

The 73 year old version came to Omaha last night and dammit his voice sounds 25, his guitar sounds 25 and his songs are timeless. He has the disease Inclusion-Body Myositis , a muscle disease that affects his hands and he at one time claimed he was done playing. Well thru physical therapy and pure will, Frampton hobbled out with a cane, sat in a chair and played and sang like he was the healthiest man on Earth. He's still glorious.

The setlist ranged from Humble Pie (Shine On) to Frampton's Camel (Lines on My Face featuring a pictorial retrospective of Peters life) to Winds of Change (All I Wanna Be Is by Your Side) To Frampton Comes Alive (Show Me The Way). The man is one talented musician.

People may love the hits like Baby I Love Your Way and Show Me the Way which he did. But the last song of the set, Do You Feel Like We Do, brought the crowd to its feet. All of us Frampton fans know that song is HIS masterpiece. From the opening notes, to the lyrics sung by the crowd, to the middle jam session, to the talk box which amazed us in 1976, to the ending this was the ultimate experience. It was a fantastic concert and I hope his health gets better so we can hear him for years to come.

Now the crowd. Some people go beyond the cheering, the woo hoos, and the applause. When Frampton picked a "random" seat to give away a signed vinyl, the "winner" ran to the front of the stage and made it all about herself (which I guess it was) hopping up and down and screeching until she was basically forced back to her seat. Then he gave away another signed vinyl to a fellow IBM sufferer, a lady in a wheelchair and that was moving. A woman behind us kept screaming whenever the roadie brought out a new guitar and it was red would screech "Reds my favorite color!!!" The third time she did this virtually everyone in front of her (Like me) turned around and hollered "Yeah we know". We didn't hear from her again. 

Anyway, Peter Frampton is a good as ever, from the opener Golden Goose to the closer Do You Feel Like We Do. Go see him if you get a chance. He's still coming alive!

The Lion King!

 I am not by any means a Disney fan. In fact, until Ron DeSantis picked a stupid fight with them, I thought Disney was a cult. Well, it is, but they also are harmless, unless taking your money and holding you hostage pisses one off. 

The Lion King is in Omaha for one more week after opening a month ago. I've never seen it; Max's Mom and Max have so it was my turn. I expected nothing other than typical Disney over the top entertainment I was ready to hate it. Oops. I loved it.

The familiar story of the King Mufasa, the evil Scar, the young Simba and Nala, the grown-up Simba and Nala, the comic relief of the parrot Zazu, the wise cracking warthog Pumbaa and the even wiser cracking cat Timon, along with the crazy hyenas. The story is murder, a power grab, a flight to safety, and the return to claim a rightful crown. Thats it.

The spectacle of the set, the costumes, the animals, the puppeteers, it is really mind boggling. From the opening of the familiar chant from the storyteller Rifiki, and the parade of characters down the aisle, I was hooked. Enchanted maybe. I watched in wonder, and I really have no wonder any longer. There were fewer songs than I thought. But the music was constant, including drummers in the Lincoln seats right in front of us, including a brief appearance by Zazu. It's a freakin must see.

The performances were great. Peter Hargrave as the evil Scar has a deep and powerful voice. Gerald Ramsey as Mufasa has a sense of power onstage during his Act One only scenes. But the unsung heroes of this massive production are Mukelisiwe Goba as Rafiki and 10-year-old Mase Lawson as the young Simba. Goba's chanting and singing, and narration is something you cannot get enough of. And this kid, Mase, is a phenom in his powerful voice and is even better acting. You will be hearing from him. Christ, he's only 10?

There's only 4 days left to see this. As a professional Disney cynic, they finally beat me. Beat me like a drum.

Oscar Night!

 Its Oscar night. At least it starts early, huh? I've seen all 10 of the Best Picture nominees all of which were a pleasant experience and though I enjoyed some more than others, at least I come from experience in rating them. So, let's go.

Oppenheimer is brilliant as is virtually all movies made by Chriostopher Nolan. The story of Robert Oppenheimer, the man who pushed America to develop the atomic bomb before the Nazis, ya know bac when America hated Nazis. It covers it all, his youth, his relationship with Einstein, his personal life, his black listing and his regrets. It truly is a masterful work.

Poor Things features acting chops from Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe. Unfortunately, I found the actual story to be lacking like every other film made by weirdo director Yorgos Lanthimos. The story of a highly sexualized sort of Frankenstein's monster becomes a story of yeah yeah I get it. And yes, a guy gets turned into a goat. But Emma Stone is fantastic in it.

Barbie was a pleasant surprise. The Greta Gerwig directed story of a doll was so much more. Featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, it's a real feminist screed. Much like Taylor Swift, young girls loved this movie and for that I'm fine with. Girls need role models like Barbie, Caitlin Clark and Taylor Swift. What they don't need is Katie Britt.

Zone of Interest is a Holocaust movie without the Holocaust. No violence takes place onscreen. The story of the camp commandant and his family simply going thru life as millions die within yards of their house. The indifference and the utter disdain for Jews (the house maids are ignored as if they didn't exist). It's all in German and after a while you realize how important that is. And it features a black lab in virtually every scene. The dog deserves a Canine Oscar.

Anatomy of a Fall is the story of a dead husband, a wife suspected of his murder, a marriage in deep trouble and the resulting effects on a deaf child. Did she kill him, did she not? You have to decide. And yet another dog stealing scenes. Doggie Oscar 2.

American Fiction is the story of an unsuccessful black writer who on a lark writes a script with every black stereotype imaginable. It becomes a hit much to his chagrin. The white condescension is really the point as the white liberals kiss his ass. The point is basically hammered home. Jeffrey Wright is wonderful as aways. 

The Holdovers is Alexander Payne's best film. Story of a bitter private school professor stuck looking after the holdovers during Christmas break. The holdovers being the kids with no hime to go back to, much like him. Paul Giamatti should get a lifetime achievement Oscar as well as an apology for not being nominated more often. The guy is fucking great in anything he does. But Da'Vine Joy Randolph as the grieving mother of a dead kid killed in 'Nam who comes to bond with them all is a godsend.

Killers of the Flower Moon is important to see as its a little-known history of white men breaking promises to the Native Americans of Oklahoma. Put em on the dead ass unfarmable land and when oil is discovered move in, kill them and steal the oil. The story of America. Lili Gladstone as the wife of Leonardo DiCaprio and her obvious pain is brilliant. Does he love her or is she simply there to murder her and take her money? She's Oscar bound.

Maestro isn't nearly as important as it thinks it is. Yes, it's a good story of the conflicted Leonard Bernstein, but it's also self-important and over the top. Bradley Cooper has made a good movie here, but not a great one.

Past Lives is one of those human stories that everybody can love. The story of a Korean immigrant who left her childhood friend behind and moves on with her life. Marrying a man and living a new life. But her childhood buddy can't let her go. When he finds her online, they begin the relationship in a new light, and he decides to visit her. What results is jealousy, heartbreak, self-doubt and finality. The ending is heartbreaking. This movie was my favorite of the ten.

Ok that's it. But what were my Top Ten of 2023? Presented without comment.

10) Dumb Money

9) You Hurt My Feelings

8) Killers of the Flower Moon

7) American Fiction

6) Anatomy of a Fall

5) The Holdovers

4) Oppenheimer

3) Zone of Interest

2) Past Lives

1) Godzilla Minus One

Yes, Godzilla was a masterpiece that I enjoyed more than any of them. Past Lives I've watched 3 times. It's this year's Moonlight. 

Honorable Mention.

Quiz Lady, Somewhere in Queens, Taylor Swift the Eras Tour, Rustin, Yogi, Freedoms Path, The Starling Girl , The Blackening, Reality, and The Beekeeper. 

Google em and watch.

Onward to tonight.

Killer Joe!

 Sleepy Joe became the Scranton Slugger last night. Dodging and countering, handling the Republican hecklers like a professional standup comedian, speaking for 68 minutes without a breath. Senile my ass. Cognitively impaired my ass. Joe is sharp and determined and ready to take on the Florida Fraud in a phone booth if necessary.

In fact he was so on target, the Republicans were taken aback. Thus, the talking point became instead of Dementia Joe, he became Drug Addict Joe. What's he on? Did he let Hunter coke him up? In fact, down at Bed Bug A Lago, the Defendant said in full caps as usual, "THE DRUGS ARE WEARING OFF!" Now I have no idea if the Mar A Lago Moron meant he needed more Adderall, was shouting out to Captain Doctor Ronny Jackson to refill his prescription, or simply had a senior moment.

Joe Biden won the night right at the beginning. No not because he joked he should leave, but walking down the aisle shaking hands he suddenly came upon the sight of a red hatted clown named Marge. Marge was dressed like a carnival barker running a con on the rubes. Red MAGA hat, Say Her Name button, red jacket over a white t shirt, Marge tried for attention so hard that Biden looked at her and reacted like he just saw a clown which of course he did. A whoaaaaa look, and she turned back into a loudmouth pumpkin knowing she lost that one. It was over. Disarming the screeching baboon from NW Georgia aint easy for much younger people since she just keeps screaming, but Old Joe took her ammo away and shoved it up her ass.

Fightin Joe took on the GOP and without naming him once, Trump (which I'm sure really triggered the old rapey bastard). Ukraine, drug prices, tax cuts for billionaires, the border bill the House GOP killed, democracy, NATO, Putin, MAGA, Jan 6th, Israel, Gaza, and abortion. Looking straight the Supreme Court Trump hacks, he addressed presidential immunity and Roe V Wade. The Republicans screeched he "threatened" the Court. Oh, my stars, he's senile, no he's a thug, no he's on drugs, no no no. GOP heads exploded.

Scrappy Joe ended the speech with an age joke that even cracked up Lindsey Graham (and I saw you grin, Mike Lee). 

Now the hecklers. Wisconsin House drunk and teenager harasser, Derrik Van Orden screamed "lies". Ok not real clever, but classy as always. Then came Marge, who hollered "Say Her Name", in reference to Laken Riley, an unfortunate young woman murdered by some guy who was here illegally in Georgia. Comic Joe said her name, offered his condolences, and offered to speak with the family. Large Marge was put in the corner with a dunce cap replacing her red MAGA hat. Some maniac in the gallery screeched about Afghanistan. And Lame Duck Lauren Boebert was surprisingly silent much to everybody's relief.

It was a great speech. It disarmed the old sleepy Joe crowd. They got nuthin. 

Then came the GOP response. Some Senator from Alabama named Katie Britt, live from her kitchen back in Bama. Looking like a middle school chick running for class president, smiling a lot, pretending to get emotional. losing her breath, real Tracey Flick shit. Britt was atrocious with her audition for the lead in the GOP musical. Over the top. Bad actor. I was hollering like a theater director watching some kid trying too hard, thank you, we'll be in touch and rolling my eyes. But she kept going. Get the fucking hook for chrissakes. Britt was the worst responder since Marco Rubio about drowned himself. But she's purty and looks about 18 and Republicans think that wins arguments. Sorry folks, she's a dunce. But at least she truly can claim to be the smartest Senator from Alabama since Tuberville exists. The whole kitchen thing was also appropriate since that's where MAGA thinks all women should stay.

Way to go, Killer Joe. You kicked MAGA, the House GOP, and SCOTUS right in the nuts. They may never recover.

And oh yeah Mike Johnson. We all saw you applauding underneath your desk at times. We all saw you attempt to keep that smug look on your face for 68 minutes. It's all an act. We know that you probably wont survive the Speakership long. But for chrissakes, show some guts once in a while. Don't go down a wimpy lil homophobic Christian Nationalist. Go down fighting. Like Joe showed you.