Newsletter No. 10: Pricey art, cheap laughs, Lou Reed, etc.
What's new with you?
Holy moly, has it been a week already? I hope you've spent it loving life, giving blood, spitting rhymes, etc. etc. I just ate a bag of pretzels and watched an episode of CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND*, but I'm telling myself these things put me one step closer to achieving all my dreams (because, who knows, maybe they do).
Anyway! Step into your holiday pants, and let's ride this wave together ...
* That show really stirs up a pretzel craving.
11 things I'm into right now ...
What do I love? Free office supplies. What else do I love? Read on:
1. It took a few weeks, but THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING is finally streaming on HBO. Directed by Nathaniel Kahn, the doc examines the oft-illogical art world, where a painting can go for tens of millions before disappearing into a storage unit for the rest of our lives. Kahn follows artists in various stages of their careers, including Larry Poons, an abstract painter with a Harry Dean Stanton-esque demeanor who, for whatever reason, fell out of favor in the art market after the 1960s. Today, he's 81 and still painting his sweet heart out.
2. On Monday I went to Butterboy, the weekly comedy showcase hosted by Jo Firestone and Maeve Higgins. (Co-host Aparna Nancherla wasn't there this week, but she'll return soon.) I gotta say, every comic was a winner, and the laughs were worth far more than the $10 ticket fee. If Jes Tom, Chike Robinson, Casey Balsham and/or Byron Bowers come to your town, go see 'em. ALSO, the final ep of Jo Firestone's DR. GAMESHOW is on the horizon, but I'm certain many stellar things are ahead for her.
3. You like food, right? Consider supporting this Kickstarter campaign for KITCHEN TABLE magazine. The mag is created by Brett Warnock, former co-publisher of Top Shelf Productions, which has put out MANY of my favorite comics of the 21st century. The mag looks super-cool, and it appears to have comics! Brett is a smart guy with impeccable taste, so I'm eager to see his passion project come to life.
4. The 2018 doc WESTWOOD is on Amazon Prime, and man, Vivienne Westwood should inspire all of us to stop drifting toward boring socks and beige brassieres. The punk designer hasn't lost a bit of her fire; in fact, she denounced the film and called it "mediocre," which of course made me want to see it more.
5. Anyone else remember The Innocence Mission? I loved the band's 1989 self-titled debut, and they had a song on the EMPIRE RECORDS soundtrack a few years later. Recently, they did an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, which you can watch/hear/podcast. Lead singer Karen Peris' voice still shines like gold.
6. The holidays are a good time to promote one of my fave bookstores, The Alabama Booksmith, where every book is SIGNED. You can buy signed books online and/or even join their Signed First Editions Club, where you'll receive a new signed first edition each month.
7. Noah Van Sciver's latest FANTE BUKOWSKI book, A PERFECT FAILURE, is out now. These three graphic novels tell the hilarious, depraved, oft-depressing tale of Fante Bukowski, a guy who just KNOWS he's one of the greatest undiscovered literary talents of our time. Over at Fantagraphics, you can buy a bundle of the series.
8. The movie SORRY TO BOTHER YOU *was* free on Hulu for a millisecond, but it's still worth a rental. This strange, thoughtful flick is one of the most original films I saw this year, and it reminded me how I felt when I saw THE DOOM GENERATION in 1995 and couldn't even find the words to describe it afterward.
9. Are you watching NARCOS: MEXICO on Netflix? You should! The killer cast includes Diego Luna as Mexican drug lord Felix Gallardo. (It doesn't matter if you've seen previous seasons of NARCOS, because this one stands alone.)
10. For the small people in your life, Netflix's cheerful animated series MOTOWN MAGIC features characters belting out Motown tunes every two minutes and has turned my daughter into a big Stevie Wonder fan. Can't complain there.
11. And finally, I want to show some love for my multi-talented friend Camille, whose Belle Epoque Pottery makes a mighty fine gift. Camille takes custom orders and can do just about anything, but I'm particularly fond of her items featuring Prince, David Bowie, Aretha, Lemmy and other sonic legends.
Here's my obligatory banana photo from the Velvet Underground Experience. I think Lou Reed would've really appreciated how it's co-presented by Citibank and costs $3 to check your coat.
My blurry photo of comedian Jo Firestone doesn't do her justice! Keep up with her many activities at jofirestone.com.
... And 11 things YOU'RE into right now:
Seen/heard/experienced something great lately? Please email me or call/text my hotline at 929-515-1988.
A few of your recent recs:
1. the film BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY, which is screening in select cities;
2. the new season of the BY THE BOOK podcast (thanks, Amy!);
3. the film AMERICAN ANIMALS and its soundtrack, which includes everything from Donovan to old-school rap (thanks, Chris!);
4. the Ted Danson episode of OFF CAMERA;
5. Brooklyn indie band Rubblebucket, particularly the song "Fruity" (thanks, Herman!);
6. Season 3 of Netflix's THE LAST KINGDOM;
7. the book HOW TO BE A GOOD CREATURE: A MEMOIR IN THIRTEEN ANIMALS by Sy Montgomery;
8. the kids' book BABY MONKEY, PRIVATE EYE by Brian Selznick and David Serlin (thanks, Ilan!);
9. the Irish comedy series CAN'T COPE, WON'T COPE, now on Netflix;
10. the first season of Showtime's KIDDING (thanks, Robin!); and
11. the family board game FLASHLIGHTS & FIREFLIES.
And yes, if you happen to make art/play music/do something you're proud of that you want to share, I encourage you to tell us about that, too. Your work matters.
Next week I'll share my fave TV shows of the year. What's your No. 1?
Email or text/leave a voicemail at (929) 515-1988.
Time for the wistful sign-off ...
- Your kind messages are getting me through this sweater weather! Don't be afraid to email/text/call anytime. Once again, my hotline is 929-515-1988. I post a new recommendation/weird message every weekday.
- Need a writer/editor? I welcome freelance opportunities at whitmath (at) gmail. (And by "welcome," I mean "Yikes, it's the holidays and I have a thousand bills to pay and fruitcakes to buy.")
- If you feel so inspired, tell a friend to subscribe via WhitneyMatheson.com or this page. Thanks!
110% of your daily allowance,
*does the Watusi*
Beatle Bob (aka Whitney)
"In the end, you end up accepting everything in your life. ... It's all a movie anyway." - actor Harry Dean Stanton
"Life is a very bad novelist. It is chaotic and ludicrous." - writer Javier Marías
"Life is a song." - Various