Rec. #613: How an Ex-Cop Rigged McDonald’s Monopoly Game and Stole Millions

What: Read this article from The Daily Beast before it inevitably gets turned into a movie. The title -- "How an Ex-Cop Rigged McDonald’s Monopoly Game and Stole Millions" -- also functions as a summary.

The story really does have everything: thwarted ambitions, creeping greed, psychics, double crosses, hubris, undercover operations, and sheer jackassery.

It also comes complete with ready-made set pieces, like a Miami beach and huge McDonald's factories with game pieces being blown around.

My personal suggestion for the inevitable film adaption: I think the story should be told from the perspective of the independent auditor tasked with shadowing Jacobson. Jacobson did things like taunt her on airplanes by sending back empty alcohol bottles from first class to where she was sitting in coach.

How to get it: The Daily Beast published this McScam article this past weekend.

Rec. #612: Fun Home

What: Fun Home, the musical, is a highly deserving Tony Award-winner, and it also had stellar source material. The full title of Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir is Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, and subtitle does not lie. 

The "Fun Home" of the title is the funeral home run by her family, and that alone should be sufficient to fill a couple of books --- but within her family Bechdel also reckons with sexuality identity struggles, depression, secrets, ... and a bunch of what-ifs. 

Representative quote: "Sometimes, when things were going well, I think my father actually enjoyed having a family."

Bechdel's response to the musical adaptation: "If you can get some brilliant artists to make a musical about your childhood, I highly recommend it. It's very cathartic."

Connection to previous Wreckage: Tig Notaro uses a song from Fun Home to great effect in One Mississippi (Rec. #489).

How to get it: Fun Home, the book, is in print and readily available. It mainly focuses on Bechdel's relationship with her father, but continue on with Are You My Mother? for a deeper dive on the other parent.

Rec. #611: Revisiting Quote from a Fictional Character #24

[Originally posted March 17, 2014.]

 

"You never know who anybody is, except me. I am who I am."

--- Susan Ricci,

The Spanish Prisoner, 1997

(Personal Wreck #4 and List #28)

Rec. #610: Revisiting Quote from a Fictional Character #35

[Originally posted June 17, 2014.]

"She came leaping towards me, like Lady Macbeth coming to get first-hand news from the guest room."

--- Bertie Wooster,
Joy in the Morning, P.G. Wodehouse, 1946

Rec. #609: Blair Braverman's Sled Dog Threads on Twitter

What: Dogsled racer and author Blair Braverman has fantastic, amazing, heartwarming, sob-at-your-desk Twitter threads about the sled dogs, and isn't that just what you need on a Friday?

Representative threads:

Two litters of puppies meet one another!

Clean-up party with pups, followed by a bedtime story

Field trip to a cranberry bog

First walk off the farm

Glory makes a choice

Postcards from the pack

... all of this is just from the last month


How to get it: Follow Blair Braverman on Twitter - @BlairBraverman

Rec. #608: Swept Away

What: Remember what happiness sounds like???????

Nellie McKay, generally a master of candy-coated cynicism, will remind you.

Representative lyrics:
But now I'm swept away
Yes I'm past the sound barrier
Swept away
Yesterday's all but done
Like a novocaine
Shootin' up through my arm faster
Swept away
And today you're the one

How to get it: "Swept Away" is from Nellie McKay's 2006 album, Pretty Little Head.

Connections to previous Wreckage: More McKay at Rec. #206 and Rec. #320.

Rec. #607: Put Your Face in It

What: I do not understand video games, but I do understand dogs. NPR's Linda Holmes examines both, and how they intersect, in this short but satisfying piece.

Representative quote: "He is saying to himself, 'This could be some wonderful and magical key to a benefit yet unrealized! This could be magic! This could taste delicious! This could transport me to another dimension!'"

How to get it: All of Holmes's NPR Monkey See content recently rebranded under the Pop Culture Happy Hour umbrella. Find this article on the NPR site here.

Connections to previous Wreckage: See also List #66 for Holmes on Twitter, Rec. #503 for Holmes as writer, and Rec. #571 for Holmes as host.

Rec. #606: MFON - Women Photographers of the African Diaspora

What: In their own words, MFON "is an exclusive and commemorative publication committed to establishing and representing a collective voice of women photographers of African descent." You can see examples of the work with this gallery from The Guardian.

Images of underrepresented populations matter (representation matters!), and so does who's behind the camera. Plus, of course, the photos are really good.

How to get it: Read more about MFON on their website.

Rec. #605: Quote for These Times #15

 

"Ray, this 1987. Did you know that a girl can be whatever she wants to be?"

"I know -- my mom's a plumber."

--- Watts (and Ray),

Some Kind of Wonderful, 1987

(Rec. #101)

[Note: Of course John Hughes movies are often problematic (this one less than most, I would say), but it's interesting that the role women have in negotiating around men (as shown in movies, at the very least) has not really progressed ... at all in the last 30 years.]

 

Rec. #604: Revisiting Quote from a Fictional Character #54

[Originally posted November 17, 2014.]

"You can't threaten an atheist with hell, okay? It doesn't make any sense. It's like a hippie threatening to punch you in your aura."

--- Josh,

Please Like Me, 2013

(Rec. #307)
(SSoW #23)

Rec. #603: Revisiting Quote from a Fictional Character #66

[Originally posted May 4, 2015.]

"I'm sick of being a trademark married to a slogan."

--- Gilda Farrell,

Design for Living, 1933

(List #20: (Some of) The Best of Edward Everett Horton)

(List #42: In Praise of the American Screwball Comedy)

Rec. #602: Accidntel Deth

What: The prettiest violence you'll ever hear.

Clear voice, dry words, and sweeping music are from Jenny Lewis, with a Postal Service-y atmosphere courtesy of Jimmy Tamberello.

Representative lyrics:
There's blood spilled on the floor
Everyone's staring at you
What for?
Till you realize the blood is probably yours

How to get it: "Accidntel Deth" (yes, with that spelling) is from Rilo Kiley's More Adventurous.

Connections to previous Wreckage: Hear (and see) more Jenny Lewis with "Just One of the Guys" (Rec. #428) and "Head Underwater" (List #62).

Rec. #601: W1A

What: I love this show very, very much. W1A is a spin-off from the limited series Twenty Twelve (about the London Olympics) and is a satire about the working life of BBC employees.

Almost every line is quotable, and each character's verbal tics often weave together into an impressive villanelle of jobspeak clichés.

Comparable to: Think Armando Iannucci, but with a bit more heart.

Representative quotes:

"There's something about the place as soon as you come in. You're aware that you're at the centre of something genuinely important. And the really exciting thing is to think that part of my job is going to be trying to establish where that centre is and also exactly what it's in the middle of."

"I'm not being funny or anything, but it's literally genocide in the press office, and not in a good way."

"Meanwhile, Izzy and Jack are coming to terms with the possibility that Will may have managed to find a solution to the BBC's Wimbledon problem by accidentally having a sister."


How to get it: All three series (seasons) are streaming on Netflix. Of course, it's British, so that means the entire episode count is a snappy 14. That's only 7 hours total!

Rec. #600: Quote for These Times #14

"Well, so [is] thunder, sad as if everything had gone wrong for the last time."

--- The Fountain Overflows,

Rebecca West, 1956

(Rec. #224)

Rec. #599: The Hidden Flag

What: Six activists took advantage of the World Cup to travel through host country Russia (which is rife with homophobic discrimination) as a living Pride flag. Their plausible deniability? The colors came from their footsoccerball shirts.

How to get it: See the full photo series and hear from the participants at TheHiddenFlag.org.

Rec. #598: Amy vs. Nick - Craft Pun-Off

What: In this promo for the forthcoming series Making It, Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman sit across from each other and make craft-related puns for about 90 seconds.

Please be good, Making It. Please, please, please, please be good. It is one of the few things in the relative future that I am anticipating with actual pleasure.*

Representative quote: "I macra-made you and I can macra-break you just as easily."

How to get it: This video is on YouTube. Making It premieres July 31. Mark your calendars and cross your fingers.






* It's pretty much this and the return of The Good Place at the end of September. If I can't have Leslie Knope as president, at least let me have these.

Rec. #597: Revisiting Quote from a Fictional Character #70

[Originally posted June 30, 2015.]

"Every criminal knows what his accomplice is capable of and knows that his accomplice knows exactly the same about him."

--- Maria Dolz,

The Infatuations, Javier Marías, translated by Margaret Jull Costa, 2013

(Rec. #384)

(List #35)

(QfFC #15)

Rec. #596: Revisiting Quote from a Fictional Character #77

[Originally posted September 8, 2015.]

"Oh, big issues. Liberty. Rights. Justice. Kings died, kingdoms fell. I don't regret the kingdoms --- what sense in borders and nations and patriotism? But I miss the kings."

--- Maude

Harold and Maude, 1971

(Rec. #45)

... happy Bastille Day?
 

Rec. #595: Alexis Says "David!"

What: If you haven't already, I suggest you get past the unfortunate title and embrace the joy of Schitt's Creek. It's good-hearted and snarky and clever, with a very Canadian sensibility. It also has Catherine O'Hara (!) and multiple members of the Levy family.

With this video, though, the spotlight is on Annie Murphy as Alexis, and the many and varied ways she says her brother's name.

Representative quote: "You know what, David? You get murdered first for once."

Most typical Alexis quote: "Ew, David."

Connections to previous Wreckage: Schitt's Creek was part of List #59 and List #65. You can see more of the magic sibling chemistry between Annie Murphy and Dan Levy with Rec. #490.

Also, this particular video might call to mind another favorite compilation video - the classic "What Ho."

Rec. #594: Please Consider Megan Amram (For Something)

What: This profile of Megan Amram, the Comedy Hero We Need Now, is ostensibly tied to her Emmy campaign for the aptly named An Emmy for Megan, but it is both broader and deeper than that.

The article nods to a laundry list of Amram's creative accomplishments, from show writer to Twitter maven to New Yorker writer to web series auteur, and it also backtracks to her education (Harvard) and upbringing (her twin brother was the class clown).

Representative quote: "The enthusiasm is sometimes laced with menace, as though its purveyor is mere seconds from a breakdown. Her toothy smile is too wide, almost face-splitting. Her attitude is light, but her humor is black."

How to get it: "Please Consider Megan Amram (For Something)" was published in FLOOD magazine on July 10.

Connections to previous Wreckage: Amram's work has shown up in Rec. #401, Rec. #427, and Rec. #445.

Rec. #593: Dean's Room

What: Have some summer. Have some oscillating fans. Have some dancing in a white dress. Have some tangerine nail polish in an inflatable pool.

Allison Crutchfield, young veteran of many indie bands, gives us all that and more with the video for "Dean's Room." The song itself captures the dreamy hook of summer breezes with the low, dragging pulse of summer humidity.

Representative lyrics:
There are no photographs of us
There's nothing left for us to discuss
You crawl around on your belly
And you ask for forgiveness
All while maintaining your innocence

How to get it: The song "Dean's Room" is from Crutchfield's full-length solo debut, Tourist in This Town.

Rec. #592: Travel Man - 48 Hours in Paris

We're interested in the two people making funny faces, not the dude on the right.

What: Richard Ayoade's series Travel Man is de-light-ful. The concept is this -- go someplace cool for a mini-break with another famous-ish person (usually a comedian, usually British, but not always!).

This particular episode gives us Mel Giedroyc showing off her Cambridge French degree with Ayoade in Paris. He is delightful. She is delightful. These twenty-three minutes are delightful. I would watch this sitcom.

Representative quote: "Anyone wearing a pink shirt I trust. Because it's a choice --- it didn't just happen to you. So you're thinking about life."

How to get it: YouTube

Connections to previous Wreckage: I previously recommended the whole Travel Man series (Rec. #396), but some episodes do deserve a special shout-out. Also, Mel and Richard were both on List #63: People in the Media I Actually Liked in 2016.

Rec. #591: "Hong Kong's 'Villain Hitters' Use Sorcery to Vent Political Anger"

A villain hitter beats a paper effigy with her shoe. Photograph: Benjamin Haas for the Guardian

What: This article in The Guardian is from early last year, and it really seems like this industry should have caught on here in the U.S. by now.

As one of the villain hitters herself explains, "During the hitting, we ask the gods of heaven and earth to punish the villains, to make them less dominant."

Rec. #590: Revisiting Quote from a Fictional Character #81

[Originally posted November 3, 2015.]

 
 

"Maybe I'll just sit here and bleed at you."

--- Brendan Frye,

Brick, 2005

(Rec. #62)

Rec. #589: Revisiting Quote from a Fictional Character #92

[Originally posted August 17, 2016.]

"Genius is an infinite capacity for causing pain."

--- Boyce,

The Robber Bride, Margaret Atwood, 1993

(Rec. #105)

Rec. #588: List #67 -- Podcasts So Far

Finishing up Podcast Week with a reminder of all the podcasts I've featured already, going back to 2013.


Recommended earlier:

Front Row (Rec. #425): "Amazingly, the show produces stunningly good, balanced, and wide-ranging content daily."

Mystery Show (Rec. #403): This is the best podcast ever. Fight me.

Pop Culture Happy Hour (Rec. #571): "Now twice a week, the show is masterfully facilitated by Linda Holmes, a pop culture writer/editor for NPR."

Welcome to Night Vale (Rec. #303): "This is probably how the local news in Sunnydale reported on each Big Bad that crawled out of the Hellmouth."

Recommended this week:

The Bright Sessions (Rec. #587): "It's got the eerie sci-fi tones of Welcome to Night Vale, but it's much more linear and plot-driven."

Dr. Gameshow (Rec. #585): "The success of any given episode rests fairly heavily on who the guests are and a little bit on what the games are."

The Good Place - The Podcast (Rec. #586): "Do you miss DVD commentaries? I do, too! And that's pretty much what this podcast is."

Standard Issue (Rec. #584): "The baseline assumption is feminism/human decency, which is so goddamn refreshing."

Rec. #587: The Bright Sessions

The podcasts continue apace ...

What: The Bright Sessions is an audio drama with the tagline "therapy for the strange and unusual." It's got the eerie sci-fi tones of Welcome to Night Vale (Rec. #303), but it's much more linear and plot-driven.

Sentence you are likely to hear: "I can't help you if you don't tell me the truth."

Details: There are four seasons of episodes. Each episode is usually 15-30 minutes, although the mini-episodes can be as short as 3 minutes and the season finales are as long as an hour. Transcripts of each episode are also available on the Bright Sessions website.

Rec. #586: The Good Place - The Podcast

Podcast Week still!
 

What: Do you miss DVD commentaries? I do, too! And that's pretty much what this podcast is. Each podcast episode focuses on one tv episode of The Good Place (Rec. #401), and guests are a balance of people from behind the scenes and in front of the camera.

Learn about the extreme lengths the set designers go to! Hear about Manny Jacinto's real-life dance experience! Vaguely wish that Jameela Jamil, a professional presenter, was the one hosting this!

Sentence you are likely to hear: "Michael Schur is a really good guy."

Details: The Good Place - The Podcast has new episodes every Friday. The episodes are 30-60 minutes. No commercials.

Rec. #585: Dr. Gameshow

Podcast week continues ...

What: The concept of Dr. Gameshow is so spot-on for a podcast --- the host and her sidekick play listener-submitted games with their guests (usually comedians) and call-in contestants.

The success of any given episode rests fairly heavily on who the guests are and a little bit on what the games are. (Nota bene, Janeane Garofalo is an excellent guest.)

Sentence you are likely to hear: "It's okay. No big deal. Think later."

Sentences you will hear from Janeane Garofalo:
"I choose to play against a cruel and indifferent world. And a universe that does not tilt toward justice."

"I'm not mad at you, I'm just speaking in strident tones."


Details: Dr. Gameshow is available from Earwolf, which also gives us, among other things, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Queery, and With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus. New episodes come out on Wednesdays and are usually a bit longer than an hour.

Rec. #584: Standard Issue Podcast

I hereby declare this Podcast Week! At least some of you are probably driving somewhere, right?

What: Regular episodes of the Standard Issue Podcast have a news magazine format. (It began as an online magazine.) Contributors discuss current events, produce topical segments, and interview experts. The content is reliably interesting, funny, and informative -- with the added benefit of being from a female perspective.

The baseline assumption is feminism/human decency, which is so goddamn refreshing.

I'd particularly like to highlight the "gigcast" episodes that capture their live shows. Comedians, writers, and journalists answer questions like, "What always makes you laugh?" and "What's the most frustrating thing about your working life?" The conversation is always hilarious and insightful. It also actually makes you feel good about (some) humans.

Sentence you are likely to hear: "The best thing about getting older is you stop giving a fuck what other people think."

Details: Regular episodes are weekly, with special episodes in between. Episodes range from thirty to ninety minutes. No commercials.

Rec. #583: Revisiting First Sign of Murder #6: First Hit of the Season

[Originally posted October 9, 2012.]

"Like most of Jocelyn's domestic resolutions, this one was doomed to come to naught, but this time for the worst of reasons. Just as they were about to go for their coats, the door of the study burst open and Jason Saylin came staggering into the room, looking like a puppet who'd just been electrocuted."

--- First Hit of the Season, Jane Dentinger, 1984