Hi, it's Whitney: Teen Wolf, Mickey Rourke, the undead & more
What color is your tank top?
Hey, how's your week going? I've been taking some walkabouts lately, first to Basquiat's grave over in Green-Wood Cemetery, then to Walt Whitman's former house. As my friend Keith used to say, "I like New York, 'cause even if I'm not doing anything, I know lots of people around me are." If you venture to a culturally significant spot in your town, send me a pic.
Onward and upward ...
What I'm into right now:
TV: I'm so psyched about the return of THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW, as is my 6-year-old. An autumn with Noel Fielding is a delicious one indeed. ... Also, the other night something prompted me to watch DOCUMENTARY NOW's SWIMMING TO CAMBODIA parody (on Netflix). Bill Hader as Spalding Gray = sheer delight.
MOVIES: The Japanese zombie flick ONE CUT OF THE DEAD opens in select theaters next week. I'm not always onboard for horror, but this is something really special (and shout-out to filmmaker Michael O'Shea for insisting I see it). Watch it if you can, and then you'll probably wanna show it to some friends, who will show it to their friends ... and so on.
MUSIC: R.E.M. shared a previously unreleased song this week to benefit Hurricane Dorian relief efforts. Thanks to everyone who emailed me with this news (and that's a lot of you)! ... And related: The MONSTER 25th anniversary reissue sounds perfect in every way.
YOUTUBE: Did you see Sinead O'Connor perform "Nothing Compares 2 U" recently? Beautiful.
READING: This Tina Turner feature ... The New Yorker's story about superfans ... The story about the kid who was bullied after designing a UT shirt (which you can preorder here -- thanks to Chris for the heads-up).
TRAILERS: Tim Heidecker's MISTER AMERICA looks intriguing (as does everything Tim does). ... DESOLATION CENTER tells the story of '80s desert happenings that inspired festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza. Some amazing bands/musicians are in this, including Sonic Youth, Meat Puppets and the Minutemen.
COMICS: This weekend marks another Small Press Expo (SPX), which I've covered/attended many times. Until this week, I didn't realize that right after 9/11, a group of New York-based cartoonists held their own impromptu expo when SPX was canceled. Jessica Abel has photos on her website and Flickr. Most of these folks are still cranking out comics and inspiring younger artists.
Step out into the light, the light: We lost a sweet, talented soul this week in musician Daniel Johnston. Greg V. in Austin sent this photo of a HI, HOW ARE YOU mural covered in loving notes and flowers.
What you're into:
MUSIC: Herman wants us to hear the Pet Shop Boys' new single, "Dreamland." Move those hips!
TV: Christi W. says she's been loving THIS WAY UP on Hulu. "Irish comedian Aisling Bea writes and stars in the series -- it’s a sweet, sad, funny six-episode journey about a lonely woman looking for connection after suffering a nervous breakdown." Count me in.
WEARABLES: Levi left a message wanting to know the pop-culture T-shirt website I used to write about all the time. I'm pretty sure he's talking about Threadless, but if you have another go-to shirt site, let us know, and I'll mention it next week.
ART: Brannon told me about the exhibit Warhol and the West, now on view at the Booth Museum of Western Art in Cartersville, Georgia. "Near the end of his life, Andy Warhol did a project called Cowboys and Indians, which was made up of 14 silkscreen images of Western subjects, such as Annie Oakley, John Wayne and Geronimo," Brannon says. "The exhibit also tries to show that Andy had long been fascinated with and influenced by the West, so it also includes several pairs of his cowboy boots, clips from his two Western movies (the short HORSE and the full-length LONESOME COWBOYS), and some of his collection of Native American art objects." See it though Dec. 31.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Send your recommendations to whitmath@gmail.com or leave a text/voicemail at 929-515-1988. They may appear in a future newsletter.
Notable new releases:
TV: ROOM 104 returns (HBO, Sept. 13) ... The dark animated series UNDONE debuts (Amazon Prime, Sept. 13) ... Alec Baldwin gets roasted on Comedy Central (Sept. 15) ... A LITTLE LATE WITH LILLY SINGH premieres (NBC, Sept. 16) ... AMERICAN HORROR STORY: 1984 arrives (FX, Sept. 18).
MOVIES: Go see THE GOLDFINCH, HUSTLERS, CHAINED FOR LIFE, THE SOUND OF SILENCE, FREAKS, ONE CUT OF THE DEAD, DESOLATION CENTER, MOONLIGHT SONATA: DEAFNESS IN THREE MOVEMENTS, RIOT GIRLS and the Darrell Hammond documentary CRACKED UP.
MUSIC: This week's releases include records from Devendra Banhart, Charli XCX, Jenny Hval, Twin Peaks and the Pixies.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
Sept. 13: Jean Smart, Don Was, Tyler Perry, Fiona Apple, Molly Crabapple
Sept. 14: Sam Neill, Ben Garant, Nas
Sept. 15: Tomie dePaola, Oliver Stone, Tom Hardy, Prince Harry
Sept. 16: Mickey Rourke (pictured), Jennifer Tilly, Mike Mignola, Seth, Molly Shannon, Amy Poehler, Alexis Bledel
Sept. 17: Cassandra Peterson, James Urbaniak, Kyle Chandler
Sept. 18: Fred Willard, Keith Morris, Jada Pinkett Smith
Sept. 19: James Lipton, Twiggy, Daniel Lanois, Nile Rodgers, Lita Ford, Jarvis Cocker, Jimmy Fallon, Tegan Quin and Sara Quin
When my friend Erika told me she once dressed up as Teen Wolf for Halloween, I had NO IDEA the result would look this amazing! The body hair alone must've taken her forever.
Do you have a fun retro Halloween pic? 'Tis the season to send it my way (whitmath@gmail.com). I'll post a few leading up to Oct. 31.
(Feel free to record your own version of this. Also, health comes first! Everything else is secondary!)
I'm always touched by your presence, dear,
Send email to whitmath@gmail.com and texts/voicemail to 929-515-1988. Also email for my mailing address or if you want to hire me as a writer/editor/speaker/vigilante of love.
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I'm crushing your head,
Peter Parker Posey
Interviewer: Where would you most like to be right now?
Daniel Johnston: I am really happy where I am. My dad designed this house and I have enough money to pay for it. I love living with my cat and all the fun we have. It's the best life I've ever had.
Don't forget to read my kids' book, WE MAKE COMICS, on getepic.com!