There were two adults in the congressional hearing room; and it mattered not a tinker’s damn to Republicans. Then, I am reminded of Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. Every one of the suspects on the train was guilty. Then, the spin on Koepernicks workout is truly an allegory for American Politics: It’s sham, shaped for public consumption.
Just exactly what does Partisan Witch-hunt mean? Is it a reasoned refutation, or is it a smoke screen used to cover what is factually all too clear? When the Nazis came to power the writer Charlotte Beradt began collecting dreams. What did she learn about our subconscious? The invincible luster of the Golden State Warriors is gone; is this a cautionary tale for our times?
It’s time, America, for a heart to heart conversation. I’m not sure we deserve a democracy. A recent Atlantic article affirmed my fears: The goodly veneer of America is a lie. Despite amazing drama and missed calls, The Nationals triumph.
I took a two week vacation; nothing changed. That's not true. It's worse. Republicans turned desperate. I found analogies to these times in The Tudors, and A Man For All Seasons. Finally the World Series clash is one of the old and new.
Trump is the smoking gun. But, Let’s not confuse justice and revenge. There is more at stake. The entrenched nature of Trump’s support led me to look at the American Antihero: Life imitating art? Finally, California is challenging the NCAA - and it’s about time.
Donald Trump has played the reactionary hack his entire life; he knows nothing, nor cares to know anything about a three-dimensional human being. Now he’s fully exposed. Laura Ingrahm compared Thornburg to a Steven King novel/movie: Children of the Corn, calling her speech chilling. Finally, Antonio Brown and Placido Domingo, Twin spires of the me-too movement.
I have a conundrum: I’m not sure who to give more weight: Jon Meacham, or Shawn Rosenberg. I recall two non-fiction essays that lead me to think deeper, especially when in juxtaposition with a viral art work authored by a Kashmir female artist. The US was sent packing in the recent World Championship basketball competition. Identity again?
The Emperor may not have any clothes; but, the Republican Party is even more shabbily dressed. “The rarer action is / In virtue than in vengeance”. Prospero from Shakespeare’s Tempest. There are a couple of other works I recently discovered (non-literary) that suggest similarities to our political world. Betrayal is also found throughout sports. Betrayal is not unique; it is an ever present challenge in the Spaghetti Junction.
It’s time to forget about Trump, and focus on the agenda of the Republican Party! It’s fair to say that Tom Hiddleston is trending! His recent star-turn in Pinter’s Betrayal on Broadway is telling in the era of Trump. Both Andrew Luck and Rob Gronkowski have retired. Some have looked upon it as a betrayal. Is this a national malady?
Everything changes while remaining the same. Perspective is a terrible thing to waste! This issue of perspective arose in a Netflix series The Tudors, too. Perspective is also an issue among sports: A number of old Hall of Famers claim they can no longer watch the game.
What about the gun crisis in America? The reality is the horses are out of the barn!What are the real possibilities? I am finding seeds of our dilemma in western movies that have a Frontier justice theme. Why was Larry Nasser able to get away with it for so long? Medals and money over morals! In the Spaghetti Junction.
Is this the new normal? Defying the constitution? Ignoring constitutional checks and balances? Creating divisive wedges between segments of our citizenry? In the shadow of this noise we mourn the passing of Toni Morrison. They called him the Left hand of God; why don’t we have leaders like this in our political world?
The politics of purism makes people stupid and nasty, says Maureen Dowd. As my guest Dan Kohn opined: Once a pickle never a cucumber! Then: Ben Brantley and Jesse Green on a reclaimed Oklahoma: What’s so thrilling about this exposure of what lies beneath is that you feel it was always there, waiting to be excavated. Finally, Our sports world is a harbinger of things to come! In the Spaghetti Junction.
American Politics is currently under the placebo effect. Then, Nathen Rabin writes: What once felt creaky and old-fashioned now burns bright with fresh outrage. Finally, it's been 25 years since A League of Their Own premiered. A lot has happened; a lot hasn't.
Where is the off-ramp? Is there an off-ramp? There’s an art show in England, and one of the portraits is entitled The American Flag is Bleeding by Faith Ringgold. Finally, truthfully, I wish Wimbledon simply declared a tie!
Great wealth insulates people from consequences. We are waging a pitched battle for who and what this country represents; and, money is winning the day! Next, What David Levinthal’s Photos of Toys Reveal About American Myth and Memory. Then, Kevin Durant’s messy exit from the Warriors seems all to familiar.
Traditionally, we celebrate the birth of our nation invoking the non-partisan principals and purposes of our founding fathers; this year we celebrate Donald Trump, and bogus strength. Amid the squalor, squawking, and unspeakable atrocities at the border this week, John Leguizamo who is touring a one man show entitled Latin History for Morons. Finally, follow the money in sports, and politics. The money is getting ridiculous. The Nike situation is worse… It’s time for the Spaghetti Junction podca...
So, tell me: who is the basket of deplorables? The current revival of All My Sons ranks pretty high among revivals. Why is it so popular? Rockets respectfully disagree with NBA's MVP announcment. No, it's not respectful at all. It’s time for the Spaghetti Junction Podcast.
An existential challenge? Our history is more nuanced than we admit. Integrity does seem in short supply. A revisiting of Scent of a Woman, reveals the vulnerability of integrity, while game six of the NBA Finals provided not only a thrilling matchup, but two commodities in short supply within our political world: integrity and grace.
Impeachment is a form of mutiny; it is not a coup. John Dean lays out the entirety of Donald Trump’s corruption, but nobody seems to listen. Is Trump Captain Queeg? I’m reminded of the bitter political divide when Kevin Durant goes down with an Achilles heel injury and Raptor fans cheer! Next on the Spaghetti Junction Podcast.
The high church of the low blow: I’ll explain what that is and how we got there. In the face of all this trauma, we need a little humour, and I have a recommendation, maybe two. Finally, there is humor in sports, too. Like a good story, movie, or novel, they show the humbling humanity of us all.
Robert Mueller may be a straight arrow; but that straight arrow may only be an excuse to avoid tough decisions! Secondly, Does real life become a fictionalized narrative when you put a camera to it? Is MEDIUM COOL a cinematic Guerrnica? The recent deaths of Bart Starr and Bill Buckner reinforce this fictional narrative impact by media.
There is never a bad time to do the right thing. We feast on “Talking Points”that are at worst lies, and mostly distortion, At the root of all this is a drive to rewrite history! The movie American Beauty, tells the story of Lester Burnham’s disallusionment and fall. This disillusionment surfaces again with the Warriors sweeping the Blazers. Time for impeachment in the Spaghetti Junction.
What do Warriors/Rockets, the Kentucky Derby, William Barr, and American Idol all have in common? More than you think, and we’ll explain in this week’s episode #87!
To the Republican Party leadership: Gentlemen, we need a kahuna! Consider then two movies, Scarface and The Wolf of Wall Street: empty, bullying and an overblown B movie. Finally, game one between the Rockets and Warriors was an insult to basketball and exposes a game gone awry in ways that mirror our political life.
Abraham Lincoln persuaded me against impeachment, not the investigations, but against impeachment. Next, two films foreshadow troubling endgames, while baseball speaks to our mental health in Episode #85.
For many Americans, Thursday of this week bore all the magical hope of Christmas in April -- don't hold your breath. Next, a new movie The Best of Enemies and new Broadway play through steely light on this era. Finally, sports exposes yet again the underbelly of this society -- greed.
Why is it hard to admit incompetence, stupidity, and corruption when it stares us in the face? We also find parallels in this political sphere when looking at two films that chronicle Bonnie and Clyde. Finally, the echoes of this same dysfunction are found in sports — and the NCAA Tournament. It’s time for Episode #83 of Spaghetti Junction Podcast.
We refuse to see what stares us in the face: There is a paucity of ideas, especially on the right that must be called out. Next, we reference another flick from the dark side of a dream, Elia Kazan’s A Face In the Crowd. Finally, my dreams of a Duke/North Carolina Championship crashed. These are challenging times… in the Spaghetti Junction!
It was a climactic weekend: the Mueller report and its potential squashing by the DOJ. I discuss my mixed emotions with Paul Kelley, we turn next to the media coverage of this event and a Frank Capra film of 1941 that resonates profoundly. Finally, allow me to wax sentimental about amateur sports and the NCAA Tournament… it’s time for the Spaghetti Junction, Episode #81!
