The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

‘Oh, We’re Halfway There’

Because I don’t watch much TV except news and sports, I know almost nothing about Millie Bobby Brown, one of the stars of a popular Netflix science-fiction series, Stranger Things. As for her fiancé, well, his dad used to be kinda popular in the 1980s, and maybe still is, if you count karaoke singalongs. When […]

Another ‘Pretendian’ Exposed

This is deeply offensive to me, and should be offensive to everyone: The once-popular folk singer known as Buffy Sainte-Marie has spent decades fraudulently claiming to be of Native American ancestry. One of the telltale clues was that, at different times during the 1960s, she claimed ancestry from three different groups — first Algonquin, then […]

The Toxic Lives and Influence of AWFLs

A couple of days ago, the Google algorithm on my phone brought up one of those clickbait headlines — illustrated with a photo of a large-breasted woman — “Famous Celebrities You Won’t Believe Are Still Single.” Who was that large-breasted woman? I still don’t know, because the way these clickbait articles work, you’re going to […]

Who They Think We Are

The editor of Iowa’s Quad Cities Times has apologized for publishing the cartoon above, after being called out on Twitter by Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who lamented the “shameful” cartoon and said: “It’s sad that this is how the MSM views Republicans. I’ve met with grassroots conservatives across America & never *once* experienced the […]

I’ll Take ‘Symptomatic Evidence of Demonic Possession’ for $400, Alex

Powerful urges to engage in self-destructive violence? Hearing voices in your head? Yep, sounds like satanic spirits are at work: Elliot Page — the transgender Hollywood star formerly known as Ellen Page — has revealed that she was on a zoom call with a doctor to schedule transgender surgery “within weeks” of hearing voices in […]

Death by ‘Mommy Makeover’?

Welcome once again to that recurring feature of the blog where I have to explain who a “celebrity” is, because this status has been extended to people who aren’t actually famous in the sense that word celebrity once designated. With so many shows on so many cable-TV channels (to say nothing of social media “influencers”) […]

No Man Has Ever ‘Won’ an Argument With His Wife (Change My Mind)

Now, I heard a cryin’ man Is half a man, with no sense of pride. But if I have to cry to keep you, I don’t mind weepin’, if it’ll keep you by my side. Ain’t too proud to beg, sweet darlin’. Please don’t leave me girl (don’t you go). Ain’t too proud to plead, […]

Obscure Online ‘Celebrities’ and the Fragmentation of Popular Culture

Once upon a time (he says, as if speaking of a distant and possibly mythical past) there were three major national TV networks, which was where practically all “famous” people were seen. During the 1980s, the proliferation of cable TV channels began to change this equation, and one of the responses to the challenge of […]

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