Norman Lear, 1922-2023

A television icon is gone at 101.

Hollywood Writers Strike Settlement

A short-term win for creatives and a longer-term loss?

Does Comedy Have to be Based on Truth?

Hasan Minhaj is a serial liar. Does it matter?

The Future of Streaming TV

The current business model is collapsing. It’s about time.

Legislative Signal v. Political Noise

The weakness of anti-drag queen legislation.

Headline of the Day

Because it deserves more than just an entry in a tab-clearing list.

Creative Class on Strike

Hollywood and the news media are roiled in labor disputes.

Trump’s Town Hall

CNN gave the former Liar in Chief a huuuge platform.

Trump, Hamilton, and the Electoral College

Don’t blame the primary author of The Federalist for our current mess.

Will AI Kill All the Jobs?

Some predict a fundamental restructuring of the economy.

Writers on Strike

They’re fighting for fair treatment. They’ll likely lose.

Are eBooks Books and eLibraries Libraries?

A pending lawsuit seeks to settle those questions.

Robert Blake, 1933-2023

The Baretta actor and acquitted murderer is dead at 89.

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Goes Bye-Bye

Disney has replaced a controversial song at its theme parks.

Raquel Welch, 1940-2023

A Hollywood star is gone at 82.

OTB at 20

A look back at two decades of blogging.

Alec Baldwin Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter

At what point does negligence become a crime?

The NFL is Taking Over

The biggest entertainment product in America is getting bigger.

The Grift is the Thing

Trump NFTs: just in time for Xmas.

The Qatar World Cup and Broad Drawing Conclusions From Unique Events

Sports fans enjoy watching sports. How much does politics impact that?

Loretta Lynn, 1932-2022

A country music icon is gone at 90.

QEII and the Empire

How much blame did the 70-year constitutional monarch share?

Queen Elizabeth II, 1926-2022

The UK’s longest-reigning monarch has passed, aged 96.

Streaming Service Consolidation

There are too many products chasing too few consumers.

Feelings Don’t Care About Facts

“America can survive the demagogues themselves, it’s their audience that will kill us.”

Bill Russell, 1934-2022

The iconic basketball player, coach, and civil rights leader is gone at 88.

This Is Why I Don’t Like Gangster Movies

You have to be suspicious of people who enjoy gangster movies a bit too much.

Tony Dow, 1945-2022

The man most famous for his turn on “Leave it to Beaver” has passed from liver cancer aged 77.

Even the NY Post

The truth is pretty obvious.

Dueling Takes on the End of Roe

So, what now?

Neal Adams, 1941-2022

The legendary comic book artist is gone at 80.

Lived Experience in Art and Journalism

What are the limits of representation?

Has Trump Finally Gone Too Far?

Republicans are aghast that he’s abandoned his principles.

Louis C.K. Wins Grammy While Canceled

Is the creepy comic’s comeback complete?

Respectability Politics

A Black columnist argues that Will Smith set back a whole race.

Ukraine War Widens

The invasion has led to a series of proxy wars.

Bob Saget, 1956-2022

The beloved comedian and actor is gone at 65.

Balloon Juice at 20

John Cole’s blog is older than dirt.

Sidney Poitier, 1927-2022

A pioneering Black actor is gone at 94.

Mayberry and White America

When life doesn’t imitate art.

Max Cleland, 1942-2021

The Vietnam War hero and one-term Georgia Senator has died at 79.

Was the ‘Rust’ Tragedy Inevitable?

Insiders argue that the era of Peak TV has contributed to shoddy practices on set.

Peter Scolari, 1955-2021

The veteran character actor has died of cancer at 66.

The Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ Tragedy

It appears that normal safeguards were ignored, leading to disaster on the set.

Let’s Go Brandon

An amusing incident highlights how far we’ve fallen.

What’s Kyrsten Sinema’s Game?

The political calculus of Arizona’s senior Senator is unclear.

Michael K. Williams, 1966-2021

The actor known for his roles on “The Wire” and “Boardwalk Empire” is gone at 54.

Is Ben Shapiro NPR in Reverse?

Oh, FFS.