Extra Evil - Ask Away

Today’s Fortune: Speaking out yields dividends.

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Newsreel

“What if they gave a UN summit, and no one came?”

Alabama brought innovation back to state murder.

Unity reversed plans to charge game developers by the breath.

Twitter’s ashen remains may go paid.

Bill Maher stung the frog mid-river.

NASA flew a probe through plasma, as a warning shot to [CLASSIFIED].

Today's Mood

War Journal

Bloodsport has one unrealistic element: the line “Brick not hit back.” Ever punched brick? Unparalleled counter-striking. Construction’s Anderson Silva.

To clarify the intro: My birthday’s Saturday, and I’m celebrating with a Q&A post for readers/fans/cultists. You—yes, you—are invited to drop a question here, in the comments. Open season on topic and tone.

In my endless and doomed quest to be less myopic, I’ve been touring pop music. From Timberlake’s peak/trauma to the present. After decades of songs exclusively about vikings and drive-bys, it’s a trip.

Do I love it, or despise it? Was high school Dennard vindicated, or my crewmate that knew every BLACKPINK member’s blood type? Did I shrug, or has my mind touched cosmic joy? Do I owe Carly Rae Jepsen a televised apology? Am I still convinced Katy Perry’s fandom is a prank, 225 million dollars later? Are my Spotify suggestions borked forever? Does YouTube think I’m getting another divorce?

All of the above.

I should have expected that. The quality ratio’s the same in most forms. All that changes is your baggage.

The Vatican’s still picking a new Jon Stewart. I like my odds, but I’m not the only frontrunner.

The wind blew one way, until it did what the wind does. It turns out Hasan Minhaj invented a personal story, or three, or all of them.

I had an opinion, but that’s dull. The twist was my IQ dropping. My reaction had nothing to do with his words, clown bushido, or my noble thoughts on The Truth. I just jumped to my review of his act.

That’s not a great foundation for critical thought, or even gossip. It’s the warp shrinking my brain. I’m going to keep a closer eye on that.

In any case, Roy Wood Jr. is doing backflips in the street.

I’ve colonized a nook in Columbia’s 24-hour library. I might put up posters, or a kitschy disco ball. Really make it home, you know?

The Present

Look, a charming letter from your alma mater.

Let’s learn a bit about America’s image.

Is there a worse insult than a musical?

There is: your own SVU episode.

If you read Everything Abridged, you’re my best friend.

The Past

Since he had a productive week, let’s look back at some fun with Bill Maher.

The Future

The next 1-900-HOTDOG column has a retro flavor.

Long-term work inches along. After this I’m spending a month on a nameless island to regrow my brain.

I might sleep.

One Sentence Reviews

American Vandal S1: Inimitable. (5/5)

Ari Shaffir - Paid Regular: I’m missing something. (2/5)

Erin Foley - Comedy Central Presents: Extra Credit for the closer. (3/5)

Air Frying Everything: Lives up to about half the hype. (3.5/5)

Open Question

Signing off

Thanks for reading Extra Evil, the newsletter going around the sun again. Share it to overquote Mastodon.

-DD