A head cold, desire & Elliott Gould (oh, my)
Take me down to the infirmary,
There's nothing worse than a summer cold, and I'm smack-dab in the middle of a nasty one! Because of my screwy head, you'll notice this week's email is a bit shorter (and later) than usual — I hope to return to my plucky self posthaste.
What I'm into right now:
THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES. Series creator/star Danny McBride takes on televangelism and megachurch culture alongside John Goodman and Adam Devine, and I'm in it for the long haul. Shot in Charleston, it's both absurd and (for me, anyway) hits kinda close to home.
THE BEACH BUM. Now on Hulu, Harmony Korine's bizarro, funny, always-surprising tale of a sorta-slackin' stoner writer (Matthew McConaughey) is right up my alley. You'll either love it or angrily hurl a tiki tumbler at your TV.
THREE WOMEN. After overhearing some women talking about Lisa Taddeo's new non-fiction book, I had to find out what the fuss was about. Taddeo met with three very different women to create this complex portrait of female desire. Reviews have criticized what it isn't, but so far I'm digging what it is. Download a huge free sample to your Kindle, and you'll see what I mean.
Iggy Pop on Instagram. It seems like I write about Iggy Pop every week, but what's wrong with that? This video of his bird dancing to "James Bond" shows that Iggy seems to be living his best life. I couldn't be happier for him.
KITCHEN TABLE. The latest issue of this food-themed mag is out now, and it's jam-packed with comics, stories, and a detailed illustration about how to use a Japanese ordering machine. Get on it.
Popeye at 90. Our pal Dean Haspiel is the latest cartoonist to take part in Popeye's 90th birthday celebration. Flip through this archive of comics to see tons of different artists interpret the sexy sailor man.
DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD. I realize this is an unexpected entry, but I gotta tell you: This live-action movie ain't bad. Nick Stoller co-wrote the screenplay with Matthew Robinson, and it's as much for kids as it is for parents who have been tortured by this enthusiastic explorer for years. (There's even a drug-esque sequence where all the characters morph into cartoons.)
This Woodstock story. It warmed my heart to learn that the couple in that iconic Woodstock photo is still together 50 years later. Love will save the world, baby.
The PRETENDERS trailer. Another week, another trailer for a new James Franco flick. This one stars Val Kilmer's son, Jack Kilmer, as a film student obsessed with French New Wave movies. I'll bite.
The GREENER GRASS trailer. I'll take strangeness over predictability any day, and this comedy has it in spades: adults wearing braces, giveaway babies, kids turning into dogs ... this may be destined to be a cult hit.
Comics guru Robyn Chapman recommends ... true-crime podcasts!
Last week I mentioned AMERICAN CULT, a new cult-themed comics anthology edited by our longtime pal/reader Robyn Chapman. Robyn recently launched a Kickstarter to fund the book, so head over to check it out and lend your support.
Robyn was kind enough to a) send us this rad retro pic of her in the '90s wearing an MST3K T-shirt; and b) share three of her fave true-crime podcasts:
1. RUNNING FROM COPS: It's an investigative podcast about how the TV show COPS has affected policing, popular culture and the lives of those caught on its cameras. Did you realize COPS has been on the air for 30 years?!
2. CRIMINAL: My all-time favorite. The true-crime genre is usually all murder, all the time! But Phoebe Judge covers a variety of crimes in an honest and nuanced way.
3. IN THE DARK: You might have read about this in the news: Curtis Flowers was tried six times for the same crime, a quadruple murder in Mississippi. His appeal went all the way to the Supreme Court this year. Listen to Season 2 of this podcast. It's important!
Thanks so much, Robyn! (Do you have a retro pop-culture pic to share? Email it anytime to whitmath@gmail.com or text it to 929-515-1988. I may include it in a future newsletter.)
Rad birthdays:
Aug. 23: Barbara Eden, Shelley Long, Rick Springfield, Edwyn Collins, Park Chan-wook, Andy Runton, Julian Casablancas, Trixie Mattel
Aug. 24: Steve Guttenberg, Jared Harris, Marlee Matlin, Ava DuVernay, Dave Chappelle, Rupert Grint
Aug. 25: Sean Connery, Regis Philbin, Elvis Costello, Tim Burton, Dan Parent, Jeff Tweedy, Andrew Aydin, Blake Lively
Aug. 26: Will Shortz, Shirley Manson, Melissa McCarthy, Andy Dehnart, Macaulay Culkin, John Mulaney
Aug. 27: Tuesday Weld, Paul Reubens, Jeanette Winterson, Bob Nastanovich, Aaron Paul
Aug. 28: Ai Weiwei, Jennifer Coolidge, David Fincher, Jack Black
Aug. 29: Elliott Gould (pictured), Rebecca De Mornay, Anton Newcombe
This week I saw some incredible art at the Guggenheim Museum, including an exhibition of photographs by and inspired by Robert Mapplethorpe. (I love that he had frames made especially for his work. This one was created by Robert Fosdick.) Also on view right now is an exhibit of work prompted by the brutal 1983 death of artist Michael Stewart, who was beaten by police after allegedly tagging a wall in a subway station. It's incredibly moving, and at its center are several rarely seen works by Jean-Michel Basquiat. It also includes powerful pieces by Keith Haring, Andy Warhol and others.
I posted several photos from my visit on Instagram.
Dreaming of a replaceable head,
Send email to whitmath@gmail.com and texts/voicemail anytime to 929-515-1988. Also email for my mailing address or if you want to hire me as a writer/editor/speaker/window washer. My squeegee is legendary.
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May the road rise with you,
Agnes Moorehead
"When I want to find out what the new music is, I find out what parents hate."
- George Clinton
Don't forget to read my kids' book, WE MAKE COMICS, on getepic.com!