Retro costumes, indie games, Stooges and more
Hey, sweet rolls!
How's your week going? I've been stressing/surviving/eating tacos/etc. This weekend I may attend a costume party, which has prompted a smidgen of anxiety. Do you think it would be OK if I just wore my normal clothes and told everyone I was Ric Ocasek?
The other night I went to Wonderville, an amazing "indie arcade gallery" in Brooklyn packed with rad games by local developers. I was particularly fond of this one-of-a-kind pinball machine devoted to loud 'n' fuzzy dreamband A Place to Bury Strangers, but I also rocked a game called Typing Party because, well, typing is always my weapon of choice. If you ever scoot through town, check it out. (Bonus: PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE was playing on repeat at the bar.)
Other stuff:
TV: I've finally experienced the joy of HBO's SUCCESSION, which I began watching last week and COULD NOT STOP to save my life. If you've been holding off, allow me to nudge, because I feel it was well worth the 20-ish hours of my existence.
The entire cast shimmers, particularly Kieran Culkin, whose performances are always a gift from the clouds. "Cousin Greg" is endlessly quotable, and holy wow, Season 2 features guest appearances from Holly Hunter, Cherry Jones and Jeannie Berlin! I need nothing more, and yet that's just the tip of the needle. The Season 2 finale is also supremely satisfying, but I'll stop right there, because anything more would spoil the fun. Just watch. HBO markets it as a drama about boring men yelling at each other, but it's secretly one of the best comedies on TV.
MUSIC: I've crawled inside this Replacements box set, and I'll be living there for the next several months. DEAD MAN'S POP is everything I need right now, man. I mean, I'm not someone who ever raves about "the mix," but sweet Swoosie Kurtz, the mixes here blow my fractured mind. Tom Waits appears for a surprise duet, and even the imperfect recordings sound perfect to me, because a) I've never heard them before; and b) my heart belongs to Paul Westerberg 'til the end of time. (The lyrics to "Achin' to Be" still kill me, maybe for different reasons than they did in 1989.)
YOUTUBIN': I fell down a MIKE DOUGLAS SHOW hole the other day (as we do, and I couldn't stop watching this old interview with Moe Howard from the Three Stooges. Moe is in great spirits here, and the magic of '70s television means the host never interrupts him, doesn't give a sh*t about going viral and has zero agenda other than to hear a legend tell his story. Moe died a couple years later.
PATREON: I'm slowly gaining the confidence to post strange things on Patreon, like this sorta review of Patti Smith's latest book. I've made it available for anyone to read.
Shout-out to reader Michael R. for sending this pic of his Beetlejuice costume (with his wife as Miss Argentina, the receptionist.) They wore these getups a few years ago to a Halloween event in Los Angeles that celebrated Danny Elfman's work with Tim Burton. "It took a few days to get the makeup off completely so people thought we were both sick, but it was totally worth it!" he says.
And hey -- if you wanna send me a pic of your costume from THIS YEAR, it may appear in next week's newsletter! Holler at whitmath@gmail.com.
What you're into:
MUSIC: Our pal Herman writes in with some more A-plus music recs, including:
- Cherry Glazerr and Portugal The Man collaborating with "Call Me";
- Peter Bjorn and John's "Rusty Nail"; and
- An unreleased song from OMD to celebrate being around for 40 years.
Herman also can't believe this 2013 Pop Candy link is still active! In it, he suggests a few Halloween-appropriate songs.
SHOPPING: Chris/BIG BUSINESS points us to Retro-a-go-go for tons of vintage-inspired Halloween/monster stuff. I've got my eye on those sexy pillboxes.
Longtime reader Paul W. sent us this pic of himself dressed as The Hulk in 1978, saying, "I clearly wouldn't have been mistaken for Lou Ferrigno, which is probably why my mom wrote 'The Hulk' on my ripped T-shirt." Ha! (I grew up with that same fireplace, by the way.)
Notable new releases:
TV: The great BOJACK HORSEMAN returns (Oct. 25) ... Kathryn Hahn stars in the HBO miniseries MRS. FLETCHER (Oct. 27) ... SILICON VALLEY debuts its final season (Oct. 27).
MOVIES: Nat Wolff and Alexander Skarsgaard star in THE KILL TEAM ... Make way for MAKING WAVES: THE ART OF CINEMATIC SOUND.
MUSIC: This week brings new releases from Sun O))), FKA Twigs, Grace Potter and others.
BIRTHDAYS:
Oct. 25: Marion Ross, Richard Lloyd, Chad Smith, Samantha Bee, Adam Goldberg, Craig Robinson, Zadie Smith, Bat for Lashes
Oct. 26: Jaclyn Smith, Bootsy Collins, Julian Schnabel, Cary Elwes, Natalie Merchant
Oct. 27: John Cleese, Fran Lebowitz, Simon Le Bon
Oct. 28: Annie Potts, Jame Gertz, Andy Richter, Julia Roberts, Joaquin Phoenix, Matt Smith, Frank Ocean
Oct. 29: Winona Ryder (pictured), Ben Foster
Oct. 30: Grace Slick, Henry Winkler, Harry Hamlin, Jessica Hynes
Oct. 31: Sally Kirkland, Robert Pollard, Larry Mullen Jr., Johnny Marr, Dermot Mulroney, Ad-Rock (John Candy would've been 69 today.)
Lisa R. sent in this photo of her badass KISS costume in 1979. I'd wear this tomorrow!
Let's hit it,
Email me at whitmath@gmail.com and leave me a text/voicemail at 929-515-1988. Also email for my mailing address or if you want to hire me as a writer/editor/speaker/pumpkin eater. I had a wife but couldn't keep her.
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Dressin' sharp and feelin' dull,
Tommy Tutone
"I was an idiot in terms of career-building, but I had a great time." - Sally Kellerman
Don't forget to read my kids' book, WE MAKE COMICS, on getepic.com!