Newsletter No. 5: Costumes, country crooners, sexy spectacles, etc.
Hello, November friends!*
How's your week going? I'm still in a bit of a Halloween haze, recovering from hours of trick-or-treating and wig-wearing festivities. (Big thanks to my neighbors who were handing out wine to frazzled parents. You are doing important work.)
I have tons of tips, so let's get started!
*Essential November songs: Morrissey's "November Spawned a Monster" (best video ever), The National's "Mr. November," Gordon Lightfoot's "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (don't knock it)
11 things I'm into right now ...
1. Last weekend was a particularly tough news cycle, so on Monday I decided that anyone who texted my hotline (929-515-1988) would receive one of my favorite poems in return. Let me tell you, it's been such a thrill to send the words of Wallace Stevens, William Carlos Williams, Joy Harjo and other poets to hundreds of you all over the country. Text me right now, and I'll send you another one! Poems matter, and sometimes they give me that extra push I need to get through the moment.
2. I watched the Quincy Jones documentary this week and wow, it should've been a miniseries. I knew a lot about the work he made during my lifetime, but somehow it escaped me that he also penned "Soul Bossa Nova." (Decades after its 1962 release, the song was re-popularized as the theme to AUSTIN POWERS.) QUINCY is now on Netflix.
3. On Tuesday night I experienced a night of Bobbie Gentry covers by some wonderful artists, like Jill Sobule, Ted Leo, Ana Gasteyer and Tammy Faye Starlite. The whole shebang was hosted by the marvelous Julie Klausner and benefited Lady Parts Justice League. Wherever Bobbie may be, I hope she knows she's still adored; learn more about her in Tara Murtha's 33 1/3 book and/or the informative COCAINE & RHINESTONES podcast.
4. It's a shame FilmStruck is shutting down, but it gives me another opportunity to promote Kanopy, a streaming service that includes several Criterion, indie and hard-to-find films. If you're a college student/educator or have a public library card, there's a good chance you can use Kanopy for free. When I taught journalism, it was a wonderful resource that allowed me to assign films without making students pay for them.
5. I love RIVERDALE, even though I'm a 40-something woman with no business watching shirtless teens cavort and solve mysteries. I'm glad to see more of Molly Ringwald this season, and Penelope Ann Miller was a splendid surprise. If you've been avoiding this show but miss the good ol' days of THE O.C. and VERONICA MARS, you're missing out. (Also ... Skeet Ulrich!)
6. THE COMIC BOOK STORY OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING by Aubrey Sitterson and Chris Moreno is my jam, and I know nothing about professional wrestling! You can read the first several pages over at Penguin Random House, and on Amazon it has a perfect five-star review.
7. Did I listen to Oprah's two-part "SuperSoul" interview with Julia Roberts? Yes, I did. And while usually I can't handle how bad phone calls sound on podcasts, this one is kind of fun, because a) how often do you get a call from Julia Roberts; and b) sometimes you can hear Oprah scribbling or taking a sip of chai tea or whatever between questions.
8. If you make art or engage in any sort of creative pursuit, you might like Beth Pickens' book, YOUR ART WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE. The slim volume is packed with inspirational and useful info on how to be a working artist at a stressful time. Fans include Michelle Tea, Maggie Nelson and cartoonist Nicole Georges.
9. This week comedian Howard Kremer played the country song "David Ashley Parker from Powder Springs" on his podcast, WHO CHARTED?, and I was RIVETED. If you haven't heard Travis Denning's country tune, I urge you to listen to a verse or two. And here's the kicker: David Ashley Parker is a real dude, and he's in the music video! I may not play this track on repeat, but you gotta appreciate how country musicians are still finding new stories. (Also, I remember my own David Ashley Parker from when I was a teen; her name was Regan, and she went on to become a marine biologist.)
10. So Dita Von Teese has a sexy collection of ... eyewear! (What did you think I was going to say?) I've always loved her, and it made me think Lisa Loeb should hop on that train, too. Of course, it turns out Lisa also has an eyewear collection, and one set of frames is even called "Stay." Maybe I should get a pair so I have a fun anecdote at the next uncomfortable social event I attend. (I'm a parent; there are many.)
11. And finally, several of you have asked if I've been listening to R.E.M.: LIVE AT THE BBC, and I think you know the answer. I'm still making my way through the tracks, but I'd say a 1984 live version of "Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars)" is worth some screaming any day of the week.
The wonderful Julie Klausner (left) and Ana Gasteyer took part in Tuesday's Bobbie Gentry tribute/fundraiser at The Bell House in Brooklyn.
... And 11 things YOU'RE into right now:
I love your recommendations! If you're reading/watching/experiencing great stuff, please email me or text/leave a voicemail on my pop-culture hotline at 929-515-1988. Some things you've recommended in the last few days:
1. The TNT series CLAWS, which sounds like great fun;
2. Café Tacvba's recent Tiny Desk Concert (thanks, Ricardo!);
3. the ARMCHAIR EXPERT podcast with Dax Shepard (I loved the Johnny Knoxville ep);
4. Atlanta rockers Starbenders, who just awoke me from a mid-afternoon haze;
5. the podcast EVERYTHING IS ALIVE, which features interviews with inanimate objects;
6. Jangly Boise band The Very Most;
7. Canadian indie synth-pop band Dear Rouge, which has a particularly good song called "Boys & Blondes";
8. the SODAJERKER podcast, which interviews famous songwriters like (ahem) Paul McCartney;
9. New music from the band Stars, like the songs "Are You With Me?" and "One Day Left";
10. the documentary BOOM FOR REAL: THE LATE TEENAGE YEARS OF JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT (available to stream); and
11. the Gilda Radner doc, LOVE, GILDA, which is now in theaters, streaming and on DVD.
As always, I adore your taste! Please keep the high-quality recs coming.
Hey, look who's on a podcast! Thanks to Saul Colt for inviting me to be on his show to talk about pop culture and my ever-changing career. Listen via your fave podcast app or at joininprogress.com.
Remember how I mentioned Mold-A-Rama last week? Well, several of you got in touch to share some sweet mold memories. Among them is Clemente R., a Chicago native who got this Mold-A-Rama gorilla from Brookfield Zoo two weeks ago. "Having grown up in Chicago, it was a field trip staple," he says. "As a now (almost) 40-year-old man, it still brings a smile to my face."
I wasn't planning to dress up for Halloween, but my daughter told me if I just went out and bought a can of soup, I'd have the perfect costume. She was right!
A few more things ...
- I have big dreams for expanding this newsletter, so it would mean a lot if you could ask friends to subscribe at WhitneyMatheson.com or this link. (Also, if you might be in a position to help me take this to another level, drop me a line.)
- Feel free to send me any feedback, freelance opportunities, story tips, podcast/event requests and pancake recipes. Just email me or leave a message at 929-515-1988.
Thanks! Now go eat some leftover Halloween candy. (And I'm not talking Smarties; you deserve better.)
Let's exchange the experience,
*runs uphill*
Whitney
"We must awaken to the fact that the future is already here, to be lived in the present. In short, wake up and live!" - Federico Fellini
"Back then, it used to be like a Fellini film: nonstop drugs and sex, and then we'd happen to do a gig at some point." - Billy Idol