The "Penultimate, take 2" Edition
Dear Friends,
I’ve been thinking.
What I said last week is true. Either way Tuesday goes, I think it’s time to sunset the LZSP. But, having called last week’s edition the “Penultimate” I may have jumped the gun, as it might be too much of a cliffhanger to leave you all today, just like that. Also it’s late-ish on Saturday and this would be a lame intro to go out on.
Fun Fact: I almost never title my newsletter editions with a tangible name. Now I remember why. They’re more boring and often incorrect. Although my usual non-sensical title can’t be deemed right or wrong, I suppose having the title only mean something to me is opaque and kind of not fun for those who see it every week.
Lots of people have asked me what I think is going to happen on Tuesday. As everyone else in the world is saying— how should I know? (Insert ‘shrug’ emoticon here). Also like most people, I do think it’s going to come down to just a few hundred people in just a few states. For instance, if people who are depending on other people to get to the polls lose their ride; or if a kid who’s supposed be in school and their parent (Mom) can’t leave; or if supposedly-motivated college students didn’t get it together to request or send in their absentee ballot; or if it’s too rainy/hot/cold; or even if people get to the polls and the line is so damn long and they can’t miss or be late to work. I think these are the things that will make a difference. #voterturnout
Maybe a penultimate pop-culture roundup, just for funsies?
I saw ‘The Apprentice’ this weekend. No one else seems to want to see this film, judging by the low low box office and the light sprinkling of folks in the theater on a Friday night. I think the marketing team thought it would be a great idea to release the film a few weeks before the election, but I wouldn’t have done it. My casual observation is that all the people who aren’t gonna vote for him can barely read a single political news story right now. And anyone who is gonna vote for him ain’t goin’ to this movie. Which was, hard as it might be to believe, really good. It’s a lesser-known story than I thought. It’s a “last days of Roy Cohn” story (with Trump as his last protegé) meets ‘70s mor-ass of broke-ass New York City. The deep dive of ‘70s/’80’s Mid-Town really washed over me. Sebastian Stan, who I just saw in A Different Man, and Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn were really, really good to watch. Like really good.
This movie is much like the candidates themselves: nothing anyone says about them will change minds. Not me, not any critic nor interview with the writer himself is gonna do it.
Or will it…Dah Dah Dah Duuuuuuuh.
Stay tuned to see who/what/how…
On a few lighter notes:
My pal wrote a super fun “etiquette” article, (in which I’m quoted). In the minority opinion, as usual.
My book is doing good, but needs sales and reviews. Vote for me! Buy a book!
Follow me on INSTAGRAM. I may not publish so much hear any more, but I am figuring out a “Story” strategy that might do the trick. It’s an absolute mess of an account right now, but I will fix that.
I am watching that Cate Blanchett/Sasha Baron Cohen series on AppleTV+. It’s the kind of show I’d likely never watch based on a book I’d likely never read (crime-ish, sex-ish, sordid-ish) called Disclaimer. But they are so good I am watching and being edge-of-seated by the whole thing.
I listened to Noble, a podicast which is also something, subject-wise, I’m so unlikely to be listening to. It’s S-Town meets “which side are you on?" justice. Find it anywhere you listen to Podcasts. (BTW when they say that, doesn’t that just mean Apple or Spotify?)
And happy time-change, here in the U.S.
Heavy on the politics side of “from politics to pop culture” today, but if not now, when? Hopefully you will be able to stomach reading something from today’s most important news by and about women, delivered straight to your inbox. At least for one more week.
I’m getting desperate! If you have a story you think I may have missed, Email me at LZSundayPaper@gmail.com.
Insert fingers crossed emoji HERE
“Once more, unto the breach, dear friends, once more…”
…see you on the other side.
PIC(K) OF THE WEEK:
VOTE:
In A Historic Election, Noone’s Talking About Feminism via Vox
’I Try Not To Get My Hopes Up:’ Campaigners Make Final Push To Save Abortion Rights In Florida via The Guardian
A Pregnant Teenager Died After Trying To Get Care In Three Visits To Texas Emergency Rooms via Salon
Here’s Every State With Abortion Laws On The Ballot via Glamour
A GOP Operative Accused A Monastary Of Voter Fraud. Nuns Fought Back. via The Washington Post
WORLD POLITICS:
Badenoch Promises Change After Historic Tory Leadership Win via The BBC
CAMPUS CLIMATE:
Women, First-Gen, BIPOC Students Less Likely To Have Paid Internship Experience via Inside Higher Ed
HEALTH:
Noone Told Me This Would Happen To My Body In My 40s via The New York Times
POP CULTURE:
Jeopardy Host Ken Jennings Apologizes To Female Contestant For Sexist Clue: ‘A Little Problematic’ via EW
FASHION:
T-Shirts For The Female Gaze via The New York Times
BOOK NOOK:
The Elements Of Marie Curie: How The Glow of Radium Lit A Path For Women In Science via Kirkus Reviews
Dorothy Parker and The Art Of The Literary Takedown via The New Yorker
OBITUARY & TRIBUTE:
Teri Garr Found The Soul In Memorable Ditsy Blonds via The New York Times
Mitzi Gaynor, Star Of The Big-Screen Musical, South Pacific, Dies At 93 via NPR
AND WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT…?:
270 Reasons To Vote Harris/Walz. Hoping That’s Enough. via 270 Reasons
