Morning Tea: Captain Kirk Takes Up Social Media Space…

Mission Captain Kirk In Space!

Dave Chappelle!

The Black Phone! Brew a strong tea: yo!


The First Yo of The Day.

“We’re leaving together

But still it’s farewell

And maybe we’ll come back

To earth, who can tell?

I guess there is no one to blame

We’re leaving ground

Will things ever be the same again?

It’s The Final Countdown!”


Final Countdown SpiderMan.jpg

Library People

The city is is opening so slooowly.

We need to pick this up. Let’s Go!

It doesn’t matter what people’s comfort levels are: let em stay home and grumble on Twitter.

Keep opening up especially for dynamic services such as the Toronto Public Library.

Let’s get this back on track. Starting this coming Sunday, October 17, many library branches will be open on Sundays from 1:30-5:00 pm.


Don’t Deny Others Pop Culture…Life?

Netflix trans employees plan to stage a walkout next week as per the Verge and Bloomberg (the company will also host activist Alok Vaid-Menon next week. I dunno what that is but I am not gonna Google it.) Why? Of course Dave Chappelle’s comedy (I’ll say it for those in the back: COMEDY) special The Closer.

(What happened to the 80s stance of shut up and change the channel?! Change the channel was a simple recognition that this TV show…comedy special was not made for me. Move along…nothing to see here.)

We did all this before: on March 6, 2020 Hachette workers walked out in protest of Woody Allen’s excellent memoir. (It still got published. Highly Recommended Reading.) That was wrong; this is no different.

Always stand by The Creators.

They’re the ones who endlessly bless us with pop culture and with life and happiness!


Captain Kirk Went To Space

William Shatner attempting to explain seeing Earth from space is called The Overview Effect.

“The overview effect is a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts during spaceflight, often while viewing the Earth from outer space.”

The more we all go to space the more we shift; the more we shift the more than that benefits environmental causes and dilutes the poison of Twitter. So grateful for the billionaire space race: fresh hope for humanity.

Shout out and much thanks to everyone who purchased something from Amazon to fund Jeff Bezos’ wealth and give us this freshtastic moment. Well Done; Well Won. Hope, yo! #SpaceIsThePlace

And yes I know it’s only 9 minutes but dude’s 90! We still don’t know the impact of seniors in space. Even if Space Cowboys came out 21 years ago. This is a good test; build on this data.

Plus you wanna hear a senior complain for hours: “I’m cold!”

“Are we there yet?”

“Where? I can’t see it where is the Earth?!”

That’s gotta be fun to go to space. Even briefly. William Shatner has led an incredible life. Even if you acknowledge T.J. Hooker.


Canada VS UBI

Canada needs to catch up on a lot of things.

UBI is just a good logical start.

What a waste of a recent election.


Is Clickbait All We’re Gonna Net from Kyrie Irving?!

We went through all of this with Kaepernick.

Many elaborate bloggers posing as journalists cranked out shallow referendums, lukewarm POVs, clickbait and utterly inferior writing. Kaepernick generated a pop culture hot mess that was loud on personality; short on facts an overwhelming obnoxious experience.

Now in 2021 Look how much utter junk Kyrie Irving has created: junk hashtags, junk posts, junk lies etc.

“Multiple sources with direct knowledge of Kyrie Irving’s decision have told The Athletic that Irving is not anti-vaccine and that his stance is that he is upset that people are losing their jobs due to vaccine mandates.”

So here we are. Kyrie Irving’s only responsibility is to his team: End of Story. Case Closed.


#SetTheVCR: The NHL??

The burgeoning Americana of the NHL makes it oddly compelling.

Why would anyone sit through a Calgary Flames game after this?!

Sports fans don’t pay for an #NHL game or an NBA game.


#TrailerAlert: The Black Phone

Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill who gave us Sinister (and Doctor Strange!) have returned with The Black Phone.

This trailer looks good like food. It’s Joe Hill story adaptation…he’s a hack writer so hopefully Cargill improved the writing.

February 4, 2022 and I’m 100% IN.

(Ethan Hawke has had a strange career. A great one for sure but man the movies that dude decides to make are always worth a look. Brad Pitt has cranked out some strange movies (12 Monkeys etc.) but for the most part nobody is this good, this weird and this consistent as Ethan Hawke.) #FearPee


#SetTheVCR Meets New Book Alert: Welcome Netflix Book Club

I dunno who Uzo Aduba is so it’s hard to have any hope she’ll do a good job with Netflix Book Club.

Oprah’s totally obnoxious but at least she spoon feeds books to people. “Open Wide!”

If this gets more people reading and benefits good writers then this marketing propaganda is worth it.

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Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.

My Pop Culture Week: Dave Chappelle’s Unforgiven

I got a hankering for McDonald’s french fries so I’ma keep this short. Gotta find pants and car keys. I’ve been slow but expect a few My Summer Lair episodes to drop soon. I’ve been recording just been slow releasing em: taking more mental health breaks from the computer.

Mentally it’s been a long hard year with one month to go. Thankfully breaks and McDonald’s french fries make this modern life much easier.

So! A comedy check-in with my Pop Culture Week.

#EarJoy

On June 12, 2020, Dave Chappelle released 8:46 a short “comedy special” in response to police violence against African-Americans. His latest “special” Unforgiven is just under 20 minutes yet it extends his social commentary on the black experience in America. Though truly Dave Chappelle’s relationship with Chappelle’s Show is so complicated that it ah…”colours” the final product.

It’s a weird connection that probably reveals more about himself than it does for the audience: like the Will Smith beef with Aunt Viv. That’s about you; not us. Still: Dave Chappelle’s Unforgiven is stunning. I…just wow. I watched this mother twice. The callbacks, the efficient metaphors, judicious word choice: it was like watching Jordan play in the 90s. Behold The Spectacle. Wow.

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#CouchWorthy: Dave Chappelle – 8:46

Dave Chappelle – 8:46 (Anytime / Youtube via Netflix) – “Don’t think my silence is complicit.”

Easily the best line of Dave Chappelle’s latest and raw “comedy” special: 8:46. Quietly released to YouTube late last night like a comedic Batman.

Silence. Does. Not. Speak. Volumes.

It’s clear Chappelle understands he is smarter (and flat out better) than his critics.

So that’s comforting.

2 things:
The special was filmed on June 6 in Yellow Springs, Ohio (dude’s home) with coronavirus-era social distancing guidelines in place for attendees, including face masks and temperature checks. A valid question every time Dave Chappelle’s name comes up: is this what the future of comedy is gonna look like?

Also a notebook? Be interesting to know how Chappelle’s comedy work has evolved: does he write on stage? In a notebook? His word economy is precise like a sniper and his emphasis and rhythm is an infectious beat. I believe the notebook is a prop; a cue for the audience to let em know he is still working through things; this isn’t polished. (And yet: Don Lemon who Dave references…Lemon’s impressive mediocrity serves only to affirm the greatness of Chappelle’s high quality of work.)

So yes. 8:46 is raw…emotional but also as a work: he’s formulating his thoughts on the black unrest in the US. Dave can take all the time he needs to get it right.

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Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.

Celebrity Cool Candidates

Oh Snap!! Dave Chappelle endorses Andrew Yang in Democratic primary!

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#SetTheVCR: January 5-11, 2020

I kick off 2020 with 2 PBS recommendations and 2 HBO recommendations. This doesn’t mean I am classy or changed just playing the cards I’ve been dealt. Welcome back I’ve been expecting you. Shall we get started?

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