'SNL' mocks the NYC Mayoral Debate in its cold open

Saturday Night Live returned after a week off with NYC Mayoral Debate Cold Open.

Zohran Mamdani (Ramy Youssef), Andrew Cuomo (Miles Teller) and Curtis Sliwa (Shane Gillis) debate against each other in the race to become New York City's next mayor.

That's an all-star cast of candidates and they plus the writers certainly captured the spirit of the contest. I don't agree with Sliwa on much, but he and I have the same bagel order, minus the garbage can. On the other hand, who do the writers think Sliwa is, a luckier Jimmy Hoffa? On the gripping hand, I watched parts of the actual debates and Mamdani impressed me as being most on top of the issues. That's something one would expect about Cuomo, but he's coasting on name recognition. Of course, it wouldn't be an SNL political skit without Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump crashing the party. At least it gave James Austin Johnson a chance to sing and add some Halloween content with his Phantom of the Opera impression on top of his Trump impression.

Hoover Cleveland returns as the subject of Weekend Update: Trump's Tone-Deaf Bathroom Remodel, S.N.A.P. Benefits.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like Trump rating his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping a "12 out of 10".

At least he provided more Halloween content, even if it showed, as Colin Jost said, evidence that he never trick-or-treated in his life. He also demonstrated how innumerate he is. No wonder his businesses filed for bankruptcy six times.

The news portion took a break for interviews with Weekend Update: Two People Who Just Hooked Up Discuss the Government Shutdown.

Two People Who Just Hooked Up (Andrew Dismukes, Ashley Padilla) stop by Weekend Update to discuss the government shutdown.

The comments are all about their chemistry and I agree. Too bad that won't work for the actual members of Congress. Speaking of whom, Bowen Yang returned as George Santos on the New York City Marathon.

George Santos (Bowen Yang) stops by Weekend Update to discuss the New York City Marathon and how prison changed him.

As I last wrote in A closer look at Suozzi winning Santos's former seat and Mayorkas impeachment, "George Santos — that's a name I was hoping never to write about again," but Hoover Cleveland commuted his sentence. That put him back in the news, making another prediction of mine continue to come true: "George Santos will be a great inspiration for comedy as long as he stays in the news."

The news portion of Weekend Update returned and concluded with Prince Andrew Loses Royal Titles, Special Olympics Slam Kid Rock for Using Slur.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like a study finding that childhood peanut allergies are on the decline due to early exposure to peanuts.

The items about Kid Rock and Wicked alone qualified this as the Sunday entertainment feature, but follow over the jump for the rest of last night's show plus the rest of SNL's Emmy Awards, which will cement that status.

'SNL' mocks Hegseth addressing generals and government shutdown upon its return

Saturday Night Live returned last night with Pete Hegseth Cold Open.

Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost) gives an address to a room full of military officials before getting interrupted by President Trump (James Austin Johnson).

I'm glad to see Colin Jost standing up doing a character, and Pete Hegseth is quite the character, instead of sitting behind the desk as himself. Even so, Jost couldn't avoid being the butt of the joke here, as James Austin Johnson did his impression of Trump while upstaging Jost. Some things don't change.

Johnson as Trump mentioned the government shutdown, which was the top story of Weekend Update: The Government Shut down, Israel and Hamas Peace Deal.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like the FCC approving an abortion pill before the government shutdown.

Speaking of running jokes and things not changing, Jost claiming credit for Cracker Barrel changing its logo back fits right in. As for the government shutdown giving us all a break, I wish. The crazy keeps coming even as nonessential services are suspended. Oh, and it's the FDA not the FCC that approves drugs. I think the description writer had Jimmy Kimmel's suspension on their mind.

In the form of Eric Adams dropping out, the New York mayoral election was one of the last stories above. It's the first story listed in Weekend Update: Zohran Mamdani’s Campaign Ad, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban to Divorce.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like an A.I generated actress getting attention from Hollywood agents.

If the rest of the NYC electorate is like the studio audience, Mamdani should win easily. This isn't yet an awards show post — wait until after the jump — but electorates still matter.

Sean "Diddy" Combs being sentenced, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's pending divorce, and the A.I. actress all qualify this entry as the Sunday entertainment feature, but there's more over the jump, including SNL's Emmy Awards.

'SNL50: The Anniversary Special' leads nominees for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) at the Emmys

I decided to resume my Emmy Awards series for today's Sunday entertainment feature with the nominees for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) and the other nominations. I begin with the program category at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Variety Special (Live)

• The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar (Fox)
• Beyoncé Bowl (Netflix)
• The Oscars (ABC)
• SNL50: The Anniversary Special (NBC)
• SNL50: The Homecoming Concert (Peacock)

SNL50: The Anniversary Special leads with 13 nominations, followed by its companion special SNL50: The Homecoming Concert and last year's winner The Oscars tied at six, then The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé Bowl tied at four. The prognosticators at Gold Derby agree that SNL50: The Anniversary Special has the lead, as 93.3% of experts, 83.3% of editors, and 89.8% of users have picked it to win. The 6.7% of users along with the same percentage of experts are enough to push Beyoncé Bowl into second, while 1.8% of users is holding The Oscars down despite 16.7% of editors expecting the movie awards ceremony to repeat. I'd go with the editors myself. The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar and SNL50: The Homecoming Concert trail with 1.0% and 0.6% respectively.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the nominations for SNL50: The Anniversary Special, SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, and their competitors at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

'Saturday Night Live' earned seven Emmy nominations for its 50th season

I begin with two categories I covered in John Oliver examines 'Gang Databases' plus 'Last Week Tonight's six Emmy nominations.

Outstanding Scripted Variety Series

• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
• Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Saturday Night Live proper has seven Emmy nominations, 24 including the 50th anniversary specials and spin-offs, while Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has six. That's not a good handicap for this category or the next, as the prognosticators at Gold Derby think Last Week Tonight with John Oliver will win handily, just like last year. All the experts, two-thirds of the editors, and 84.3% of the users expect John Oliver and his producers will accept the trophy in September. One-third of the editors and 15.7% of the users are calling for SNL to win in an upset. I'm with the majority. Besides, SNL will win its Emmys for its 50th Anniversary specials.

There has been some movement since last month, with 92.9% of experts, 75% of the editors, and 89.4% of users behind Last Week Tonight with John Oliver while 7.1% of experts, 25% of the editors, and 10.6% of the using picking Saturday Night Live to upset. In general, there is more support for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver now than before.

Before I move on to the next category, I'm sharing Best of Saturday Night Live Season 50.

Check out highlights and behind the scenes from Season 50 of Saturday Night Live, including moments from sketches like Domingo: Bridesmaid Speech, CouplaBeers and more!

HAHAHAHAHA!

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series

• The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
• Saturday Night Live (NBC)

The Gold Derby odds also overwhelmingly favor Last Week Tonight with John Oliver to repeat here, too, as 91.7% of experts, 88.9% of editors, and 85.2% of users picked it to win again. The Daily Show sits in second with 8.3% of experts, 11.1% of editors, and 7.5% of users think it will upset. Only 7.3% of users think SNL has a chance. This ranking looks right to me.

Saturday Night Live's odds have improved enough to swap places with The Daily Show, but not nearly enough to pass Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, which has the support of 92.3% of experts, all of the editors, and 91.1% of users. The consensus around its victory is solidifying. SNL is now the choice of 7.7% of experts and 5.2% of users and sits in second ahead of The Daily Show, which has only 3.7% of users still thinking it can win.

Now for a category recognized at the Primetime Emmy Awards that I haven't examined before.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Ike Barinholtz – The Studio as Sal Saperstein (Apple TV+)
• Colman Domingo – The Four Seasons as Danny (Netflix)
• Harrison Ford – Shrinking as Dr. Paul Rhoades (Apple TV+)
• Jeff Hiller – Somebody Somewhere as Joel (HBO)
• Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear as Richard "Richie" Jerimovich (FX)
• Michael Urie – Shrinking as Brian (Apple TV+)
• Bowen Yang – Saturday Night Live as various characters (NBC)

Bowen Yang is the only acting nominee from SNL, but he's merely in the middle of the pack according to the odds-makers at Gold Derby. Ike Barinholtz from The Studio leads with 38.5% of the experts and 57.6% of the users, but no editors. I'm not convinced. I'm more confident in the second place nominee, Harrison Ford from Shrinking, who is the choice of 53.8% of experts, all editors, and 32.9% of users. The rest of the experts, 7.7%, and 3.1% of users think defending winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach from The Bear will repeat, which would be my default position in the absence of the odds. Yang is in fourth with 2.7% of users, followed by Colman Domingo from The Four Seasons at 1.7%, Jeff Hiller from Somebody Somewhere at 1.4%, and Michael Urie, the other nominee from Shrinking, in last at 0.6%. I will re-examine these odds when I look at the comedy series nominees next month. I expect the order of the top three to change by then.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the nominations for SNL at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Colbert, Lydic, and Meyers take closer looks at the EPA and Epstein and Kimmel goes down the rabbit hole on 'windmills'

I'm covering the Outstanding Talk Series Emmy nominees today, but first I'm featuring their monologues, beginning with Stephen Colbert's EPA Stops Protecting The Environment | Americans Need To Have More Sex | Don Jr.: My Dad Is So Hot.

The EPA is seeking to scrap limits on greenhouse gas emissions, America’s fertility rate hit an all-time low, and the president’s son weighed in on the Sydney Sweeney American Eagle eugenics controversy.

I thought Scott Pruitt, Andrew Wheeler, and Rick Perry during Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump's first term were bad enough. They didn't have Project 2025 to misguide them. Ah, the gift that keeps on giving for the EPA Chief Lee Zeldin, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Hoover Cleveland himself, and others who are living down to their reputations as "air-fouling, oil-drilling, earth-raping conservative fossil fools." It's not like the BBC, MSNBC, CityNerd, and I didn't tell you so.

I'll get back to the proposed EPA policy change when I embed the other nominees. In the meantime, I was wondering if I would need to update Listening to people worry about lower birthrates on World Population Day is enough to drive me to drink on National Mojito Day. Stephen did it for me. He also connected it to Sydney Sweeney's ad, although I think she and American Eagle are just channeling Brooke Shields.

Desi Lydic also examined the EPA decision in Trump Asks Hegseth to Cool It With the Polygraphs & Kristi Noem Goes Horse Girl | The Daily Show.

In another installment of The Worst Wing, Desi Lydic tackles Lee Zeldin telling everyone in the EPA to be more chill about climate change, Marco Rubio lighting a birth control bonfire, and Kristi Noem finding another animal to scare. Plus, Pete Hegseth's got a new addiction: polygraph testing Pentagon insiders to see who's talked sh*t about him.

This was indeed a bad week to stop regulating greenhouse gases. Between that, Marco Rubio, Kristi Noem, and Pete Hegseth, it's "The Worst Wing," indeed.

The Daily Show won Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment) and has two nominations in the category this year, so I'm embedding Joe Rogan: The Path to Roganlightenment as a bonus.

From his humble beginnings in Newark to his scrappy days in Boston, Joe Rogan has always pushed his brains to the limit. Rogan's stand-up comedy led him to a career in television, eventually inspiring him to start his own podcast where he could ask the really important questions, like, "Wouldn't it be crazy if a wolf wore a fedora?" This is The Daily Showography of Joe Rogan.

This is who Spotify chose over Niel Young and is the leading podcaster? Nora Ephron was right when she wrote "no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public," even though she attributed it to H.L. Mencken.

This wouldn't be a closer look without Seth Meyers, so I'm sharing Trump "Haunted" by Epstein Questions, Says Epstein “Stole” Spa Staff as Polls Crater: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at Trump returning to the U.S. after his Scotland trip that was supposed to be a personal business trip and golf vacation that ended up being mostly about how he never had the "privilege" of going to Jeffrey Epstein's private island.

My wife and I watched this and our reaction was that none of this made him look good; he just displayed his worst side.

Jimmy Kimmel wasn't on last night, but his show earned a nomination for Outstanding Talk Series, so I'm embedding The Rabbit Hole with Jimmy Kimmel: Windmills, itself an Emmy nominee.

Jimmy Kimmel falls down the Rabbit Hole with an investigation that will blow you away about the dangers of windmills and Donald Trump’s sworn enemy: The Wind.

That's as close as I can get to Kimmel on energy and climate change.

Follow over the jump for The Daily Show's nine Emmy nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards and Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Star Wars at the 2021 Saturn Awards for Star Wars Day

Happy Star Wars Day and May the Fourth be with you! For today's cosmic cinematic celebration, I am returning to a theme I have been unable to explore since 2018, nominations for the "Star Wars" franchise at the Saturn Awards. Three different properties earned nominations, "Star Wars Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker" with twelve, "The Mandalorian" with two, and "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" with one.

As Deadline noted, the dozen nominations for "Star Wars Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker" leads all movies at the Saturn Awards. "Tenet" follows in second with nine, while "Doctor Sleep" sits in third with eight. Since "The Rise of Skywalker" and "Tenet" are competing against each other in seven categories, including Best Science Fiction Release, I am framing today's entry as a head-to-head contest between the two as well as my usual angle of examining fantastic and futuristic politics and government in film and television.

I begin with the nominees for Best Science Fiction Release from the Saturn Awards website.

Ad Astra
Gemini Man
Lucy in the Sky
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker
Tenet
Terminator: Dark Fate

Before the pandemic delayed all the awards shows except the Emmys, I was expecting a matchup between "Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker" and "Ad Astra." The latter is a more realistic depiction of futuristic politics and government than anything in the "Star Wars" universe, but it isn't as good a movie as either "The Rise of Skywalker" or "Tenet." I was planning on voting for the last installment in the literal trilogy of trilogies in this category last year and I'm still planning on voting for it this year. I also expect the Saturn electorate to vote for "The Rise of Skywalker" as well. I don't think they'll do to the culmination of the Skywalker Saga what they did to "Solo" two years ago and to "The Last Jedi" three years ago by voting for a movie not in the franchise. Remember, electorates matter and so does the field of nominees.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the nominations and my opinions, including my likely vote and whether the rest of the Saturn Awards electorate will agree with me.

'Why We Hate,' 'Cosmos,' 'Seven Worlds, One Planet' and 'Life Below Zero' — science and nature winners at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards

I know I told my readers yesterday to " Stay tuned for a drinking game, memes, and drinks for this year's Vice Presidential Debate between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence," but that turns out to be tomorrow, not today. As Rick Perry would say, "oops." Instead, I'm going to continue with my coverage of the winners of the Emmy Awards. Today's installment consists of the science and nature winners at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards other than "Apollo 11," which was the big science winner overall. I begin with "Why We Hate," which I covered in 'Tiger King' vs. 'McMillion$' — big cats and true crime at the Emmy Awards for World Lion Day.

Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

Becoming - Kamasi Washington (Netflix)
Home - Amanda Jones (Episode: "Maine") (Apple TV+)
McMillion$ - Pinar Toprak & Alex Kovacs (Episode: "Episode 1") (HBO)
Tiger King - Mark Mothersbaugh, John Enroth, Albert Fox (Episode: "Not Your Average Joe") (Netflix)
Why We Hate - Laura Karpman (Episode: "Tools & Tactics") (Discovery Channel)

Normally, I'd go with the most famous composer, who is Mark Mothersbaugh for "Tiger King" except that Laura Karpman also has a nomination for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music, so I think she's the favorite.

It turned out I was right. Watch the Television Academy's 2020 Creative Arts Emmys: Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special.

The team from Why We Hate wins the Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score).

Why is this science? Because "Why We Hate" is an application of psychology, which is a science, to solving a problem.* As IMDB describes the show, it's "an exploration into the human condition for hatred and how we can overcome it." Here's to being able to do that.

I covered the next winner in For National Presidential Joke Day, I present the variety talk show nominees at the Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series

Between The Scenes - The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee Presents: Pandemic Video Diaries (TBS)
National Geographic Presents Cosmos: Creating Possible Worlds (National Geographic)
Pose: Identity, Family, Community (FX)
RuPaul's Drag Race: Out of the Closet (VH1)

"Creating Saturday Night Live," Last year's winner, is not returning, but last year's nominees "Pose: Identity, Family, Community" and "RuPaul's Drag Race: Out of the Closet" are. On that basis, I consider them the nominal favorites, although I've been finding Samantha Bee's Pandemic Video Diaries to be hilarious and Trevor Noah won his one Emmy Award for "Between The Scenes - The Daily Show." Between the two variety talk nominees, I'd say Noah has the better shot at the award.

Watch 2020 Creative Arts Emmys: Short Form Non-Fiction/Reality Series for the actual winner.

The team from National Geographic wins the Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Non-Fiction/Reality Series.

Shame on me, I didn't even consider "Cosmos: Creating Possible Worlds" for the win, but as a scientist, I should have. I guess my focus on the variety nominees had me looking in the wrong direction. Just the same, congratulations to the show I should have been rooting for all along!

ETA: "Cosmos: Possible Worlds" also won a second Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation. Congratulations, again!

Next, a category I covered in 'The Cave' vs. 'American Factory' — Oscar nominees and other documentaries at the Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Narrator

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution (History)
David Attenborough on Seven Worlds, One Planet (Episode: "Antarctica") (BBC America)
Angela Bassett on The Imagineering Story (Episode: "The Happiest Place on Earth") (Disney+)
Chiwetel Ejiofor on The Elephant Queen (Apple TV+)
Lupita Nyong'o on Serengeti (Episode: "Destiny") (Discovery Channel)

What a list of all-star talent! Lupita Nyong'o is an Oscar winner, Angela Bassett is an Oscar nominee and Golden Globes winner, Chiwetel Ejiofor is an Oscar nominee, and David Attenborough is two-time returning winner. On that basis, I'd say Sir David is the nominal favorite, although he's up against stiff competition. The nominee I'd look out for is Nyong'o because "Serengeti" is the only series with two nominations.

That reminds me that I'm used to seeing a lot of nature documentaries nominated at the Emmys, but that's not the case this year. I suspect that's because "Tiger King" sucked up all the oxygen that would normally go to shows about wild animals.

Despite all its nominations, "Tiger King" walked away empty-handed. That's not the case for Sir David. Watch 2020 Creative Arts Emmys: Narrator to see him win.

David Attenborough wins the Emmy for Outstanding Narrator.

Congratulations to the one Emmy winner I know I've met in person!

The last winner is one that I expected, but only by accident was I reminded that it belonged here as much as it did in reality programs.

Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program

Cheer (Episode: "Hit Zero") (Netflix)
Life Below Zero (Episode: "The New World") (Nat Geo)
Queer Eye (Episode: "We're in Japan!: Japanese Holiday") (Netflix)
RuPaul's Drag Race (VH1)
Survivor (CBS)

On the other hand, "Life Below Zero" has a decent shot at repeating here, as it won this award last year. I think its strongest competition consists of "Cheer" based on the trailer and "Survivor" based on my experience of watching the show.

2020 Creative Arts Emmys: Cinematography for a Reality Program.

The team from National Geographic wins the Emmy for Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program.

Congratulations to the repeat Emmy winners for their outstanding photography of people and the harsh environment they live in!

I conclude this enty with award-winning music from "Why We Hate," Epilogue.



Now stay tuned for the drinking game, drinks, and memes for the vice-presidential debate!

*I have a story about psychology as a science to share, but today's not the day to do it.

Previous posts about the 2020 Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards

• Kerry Washington promotes 'The Fight,' a documentary about the ACLU's legal battles with the Trump Administration
• Sandy Hook Promise's 'Back-To-School Essentials' and P&G's 'The Look' among Emmy nominees for Outstanding Commercial
• 'Tiger King' vs. 'McMillion$' - big cats and true crime at the Emmy Awards for World Lion Day
• For National Presidential Joke Day, I present the variety talk show nominees at the Emmy Awards
• 'The Cave' vs. 'American Factory' - Oscar nominees and other documentaries at the Emmy Awards
• 'Short Treks,' '#FreeRayshawn,' and 'Reno 911!' - government in short form at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards
• It's Saturday night, so here are the 15 Emmy nominations for 'Saturday Night Live'
• 'Cheer' leads unstructured reality program nominees in a field that recognizes diversity
• 'Queer Eye' leads structured reality program nominees at the Emmy Awards while 'preaching love, acceptance, pride, and compassion'
• 'El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie' vs. 'Bad Education' and 'American Son' - Outstanding Television Movie nominees about crime and punishment at the Emmy Awards
• Star Trek vs. Star Wars - futuristic politics and government at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards
• 'Watchmen' vs. 'Mrs. America' and 'Unbelievable' — limited series at the 2020 Emmy Awards that examine politics and government
• 'Schitt's Creek' vs. 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' — Outstanding Comedy Series nominees that use politics and government for laughs
• Outstanding Drama Series nominees at the Emmys once again examine politics and government
• Sandy Hook Promise and Discovery Channel's Shark Week win Emmy Awards for commercials
• 'The Cave,' 'Apollo 11,' and 'American Factory' — winning documentaries at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards examined politics and government
• John Oliver examines the Supreme Court after 'Last Week Tonight' wins four Emmy Awards
• 'SNL' lampoons the debate, Trump's COVID diagnosis, and Supreme Court nomination in season premiere after winning six Emmy Awards

A drinking game and drinks for the 2020 Presidential Debates on National Coffee Day

Happy National Coffee Day! Today is also the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. As an entertainment service to my readers, I'm sharing This Bipartisan Drinking Game Will Help You Survive Tonight's Presidential Debate from Delish.

Enter: our entirely bipartisan drinking game. It includes items that happen again and again in debates and are often super cringey. Yes, the candidates are all fighting to talk, but do they have to bicker like that? And must they recount so many long, open-ended, irrelevant stories from their youths!? You get it.

Again, we kept this game extremely bipartisan, but if you'd like to add some items for things that really grate you—like Senator X's habit of gesticulating wildly or Congresswoman Y's tendency to bring the discussion back to the old days—that's your prerogative. It's your living room! Drink up!

This should be generic enough for anyone reading who is watching the debate. In fact, it's generic enough that it can be used for any political debate this season, regardless of office, from President down to county commission or even city council if it has partisan candidates. I'm an environmentalist, so I like to reuse and recycle. I also like to reduce, so I'm not proposing another drinking game, at least not today.

Now that we have the drinking game, it's time for the drinks. Follow over the jump for drink suggestions for the candidates.

Anderson Cooper shows other politicians besides Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dance on The Rediculist

For today's Sunday entertainment feature, I'm taking a brief look at the nontroversey over a video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dancing when she was in college.  As Reuters reported, the attempt to use it to shame her backfired.

An attempt to embarrass newly elected U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with a nine-year-old video showing her dancing while in college backfired when it drew a wave of support for the liberal lawmaker on social media.
...
Twitter comments broke along partisan lines, with opponents describing the dance video as showing immaturity while supporters saw it as cute.

The failed attempt maked The Rediculist on CNN last week as Anderson Cooper showed that Ocasio-Cortez wasn't the only politician known for dancing in Ocasio-Cortez gets praise from 'The Breakfast Club'.

After an old video of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dancing surfaced, CNN's Anderson Cooper takes a look back at other politicians who have busted a move on camera.

I'd rather watch Ocasio-Cortez dance than Rick Perry, that's for sure, although his inclusion demonstrates that young liberal women aren't the only politicians who can look silly while dancing.

Cooper wasn't the only one to have a good laugh at the incident.  Watch as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Dances, People Lose Their Minds on MSNBC's "All In With Chris Hayes."

An old video of newly sworn-in Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dancing as a college student emerged - but didn't quite land as the attack it was intended to be.

I'd also rather watch Ocasio-Cortez dance than Paul Ryan flex.

While the anonymous Twitter troll botched this attack, that won't stop people on the Right from continuing their efforts.  To that I say, better luck next time — or maybe not.  I'll rather watch them blow it as hilariously as they did this time.

Speculative fiction sweeps movie categories at the Art Directors Guild Awards

It was an outstanding night for speculative fiction at the Art Directors Guild Awards last night.  Speculative fiction films swept all four movie categories and half of the six television catgories as well as capturing the short format category.  That means science fiction, fantasy, and superhero movies, shows, and commercials won eight of the eleven awards.  The most that genre films and shows could have won was nine.

Deadline Hollywood has the names of the winners.

The Shape of Water, Blade Runner 2049, Logan and Coco took top film honors tonight at the 22nd annual ADG Awards. Blade Runner 2049 and The Shape of Water will face off for the Production Design Oscar March 3. Logan was not nominated.

For the first time, the Art Directors Guild included animated feature in its film categories. Coco added to its early awards season wins, taking home the inaugural trophy.
...
On the TV side, Game Of Thrones won for One-Hour Period or Fantasy Single-Camera Series, The Handmaid’s Tale’s Julie Berghoff took the trophy for One-Hour Single Camera Series, beating itself. The praised Hulu drama series was nominated twice in the category. Other TV winners were Will & Grace, GLOW, Black Mirror and Portlandia.

ADG Award career honorees tonight included Kathleen Kennedy (Cinematic Imagery Award), Ron Clements and John Musker (William Cameron Menzies Award), guild president Matthew D. Loeb (Leadership Award) and Michael Baugh (Outstanding Creative Achievement Award). Four men will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards –Norm Newberry, James Murikami, John Moffitt and Martin Kline — and Sir Ken Adam and Tyrus Wong were inducted into the ADG Hall of Fame.

In addition, Star Wars Battlefront II: “Rivalry / PS4” won for Short Format: Web Series, Music Video or Commercial.  Even though "The Last Jedi" did not win, the Star Wars franchise still took home a trophy, two when one counts Kathleen Kennedy's Cinematic Imagery Award.

Follow over the jump to see how my wishes and predictions fared.

'The Last Jedi' gets its first nomination plus speculative fiction in nearly every category of the Art Directors Guild Awards

I've twice promised to write about the Art Directors Guild Awards.  Today is the day to follow through.  Here are the nominations from Variety: ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi,’ ‘Dunkirk,’ ‘Lady Bird’ Nab Art Directors Guild Nominations.  Note that there are speculative fiction or science nominees in just about every category.  Also, "The Last Jedi" finally received a nomination from one of the Hollywood guilds after being passed over by the Writers Guild and Producers Guild, making this its first nomination.

1.    PERIOD FILM

DARKEST HOUR
Production Designer: SARAH GREENWOOD
DUNKIRK
Production Designer: NATHAN CROWLEY
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS
Production Designer: JIM CLAY
THE POST
Production Designer: RICK CARTER
THE SHAPE OF WATER
Production Designer: PAUL DENHAM AUSTERBERRY

While "The Shape of Water" is a fantasy film, it's also a period one, so it earned a nomination here.  While it won Best Production Designt at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards, those are the critics, not the Hollywood professionals, so it might lose to "Murder on the Orient Express."  I hope it doesn't; I'm rooting for the monster.

2.    FANTASY FILM

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Production Designer: SARAH GREENWOOD
BLADE RUNNER 2049
Production Designer: DENNIS GASSNER
STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
Production Designer: RICK HEINRICHS
WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
Production Designer: JAMES CHINLUND
WONDER WOMAN
Production Designer: ALINE BONETTO

Here it is, the first nomination for "The Last Jedi."  It's also up against a slew of speculative fiction films here.  I'm not sure who to root for, although I really enjoyed "Wonder Woman."

3.    CONTEMPORARY FILM

DOWNSIZING
Production Designer: STEFANIA CELLA
GET OUT
Production Designer: RUSTY SMITH
LADY BIRD
Production Designer: CHRIS JONES
LOGAN
Production Designer: FRANÇOIS AUDOUY
THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI
Production Designer: INBAL WEINBERG

Two speculative fiction films were nominated as Contemporary Films, "Downsizing" and "Logan."  The first works for me, while I found the latter a bit suspect.  Doesn't this film happen in 2029?  Still, I'm glad to see nominations for both, making a total of eight speculative fiction live-action films nominated out of possible fifteen.

4.    ANIMATED FILM

CARS 3
Production Designers: WILLIAM CONE, JAY SHUSTER
COCO
Production Designer: HARLEY JESSUP
DESPICABLE ME 3
Art Director: OLIVIER ADAM
THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE
Production Designer: GRANT FRECKELTON
LOVING VINCENT
Production Designer: MATTHEW BUTTON

I'm glad to see "Cars 3" get some recognition.  It's been generally ignored by the awards shows I've covers so far, although it has received some recognition from the Annie Awards and the Sound Editors Guild.  It might get into the Academy Awards because of all the Disney/Pixar voters.  If so, a worthy film will not make the cut.  Speaking of which, "Loving Vincent" is the one nominee that I don't consider to be speculative fiction.

That's it for films.  Follow over the jump for television and other nominees.

Seth Meyers and John Oliver on coal and hawks for Cut Your Energy Costs Day and Save the Eagles Day

Happy National Cut Your Energy Costs Day and Save the Eagles Day!  These are the two national days I promised to celebrate at the end of both 'Wonder Woman' joins 'The Shape of Water' and 'Get Out' among PGA film and TV nominees and 'The Shape of Water' and 'Coco' -- fantasy and diversity both winners at the Golden Globes.  Instead of celebrating energy conservation, I'm celebrating something that will reduce the cost of energy.  Newsy reports Commission Shuts Down Rick Perry's Proposal To Prop Up Coal, Nuclear.

The Federal Energy Regulation Commission rejected Perry's proposal to subsidize coal and nuclear plants.

Yes, that was a dumb idea that was going to add carbon dioxide, soot, mercury, and radiation to the atmosphere and cost Americans more money, too.  It was such a dumb idea that Seth Meyers made fun of it and Perry in The Check In: Rick Perry and the Department of Energy.

Seth checks in on Rick Perry, the man President Trump chose to lead the Department of Energy, an agency that Perry once wanted to abolish.

The last time I posted Seth Meyers making fun of Perry, I told my readers to expect Aggie jokes whenever I blogged about him again.  I think the clips Meyers used satisfy that promise.

Meyers mentioned Bob Murray and Murray Energy, which reminded me that I mused about "following up on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver's 'Coal,'" which won Television Episodic Comedy at the 2017 Environmental Media Association Awards for film and television.  Murray and his company play a major role in that segment, so I think now is the opportune time to post it.  Follow over the jump.

'Saturday Night Live' tied for most Emmy nominations with 22, 24 counting its web series and interactive program

I concluded 'Last Week Tonight With John Oliver' leads variety talk shows at the Primetime Emmy Awards by writing "I have one last post about "Saturday Night Live," which will be mostly recycled.  Hey, I'm an evironmentalist!"  I will recycle later in this entry, but I begin with something new (at least here) from The Entertainment Factor blog.

Variety Sketch Series

“Billy On The Street” (truTV)
“Documentary Now!” (IFC)
“Drunk History” (Comedy Central)
“Portlandia” (IFC)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
“Tracey Ullman’s Show” (HBO)

Neither of the previous winners in this category's short history ("Inside Amy Schumer" and "Key and Peele") were nominated because neither is on the air anymore, making this an open category.  I'd say "Saturday Night Live" is favored because of its number of nominations (22, tied with "Westworld"), number of previous nominations (2), and the general zeitgeist.  The two shows with the best but still slim chance of upsetting SNL are "Drunk History" and "Portlandia," the only other shows also nominated all three times the category has been offered.  Of the two, "Drunk History" has four nominations and "Portlandia" has three.  As for the rest, the next best bet is "Tracy Ullman's Show."  Other than that, this should be the beginning of the second part of an SNL near-sweep.

Follow over the jump for discussion of the rest of SNL's 22 nominations, 24 counting its web series and interactive program.

Infidel 753 and I discuss zombies

I framed Kunstler and I discuss zombies and bags of dog poop with an observation about my commenting habits.

I've been posting my saved comments other blogs to my Dreamwidth account and found three of them that are responses to the blogger or his readers about zombies.  Today, I'll post the shortest, which was a reaction to James Howard Kunstler on Death to All Zombies!...I'll get around to posting the other two later.  When?  Before "Fear the Walking Dead" returns next month.

Here's the second of the three comments, which I left at Horror movie legislation.  The quoted sentences are Infidel 753.

"These are the people who would survive a zombie apocalypse -- they wouldn't even qualify as snacks." Only if it's full of George Romero zombies who want brains. If those zombies ran into them, they'd walk in the other direction. If they're Walking Dead zombies, they don't care. They just want the flesh and these people would be among the first to die.

"I wonder if zombies can be poisoned?"  The original Haitian zombies probably got that way by being poisoned.  There is evidence that blowfish/pufferfish toxin can put people into comas that look like death, but that people can revive from with nerve damage.  Add a belief about zombies, and someone so poisoned might believe they died and came back as a zombie.  That's not really an answer to your question, as we're dealing with American science-fiction/horror zombies, not the original Haitian variety.

The answer is most likely not.  It would only work with the zombies that never died before changing, like the ones in "World War Z," "28 Days Later," and "I am Legend."  Those are alive but transformed by the disease agent, not undead.  Poison would likely work on them, just not fast enough (those are all fast zombies, too).  The ones that died first, like in "The Walking Dead," are almost certainly immune.  That's one advantage that slow zombies have over fast ones.

Yes, I know too much about zombies.

"Pinku: Well, it's nice to have the testimony of an expert.:-) "

I guess I am.  Too bad it's on a topic that only exists in fiction.

P.S. I've told "too dumb to be of interest to zombies" joke before in Next Media Animation on Canada leaving the Kyoto Protocol, plus a Rick Perry joke.  Stay tuned for the post about the Emmy nominees I promised in "13th" vs. "O.J.: Made in America" plus other non-fiction political programs nominated at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

Seth Meyers takes a closer look at Trump and climate change

In the middle of Rick Perry nominated to lead department he wanted to eliminate but couldn't name, I noted that I should have been more upset.

I should be more appalled at what Perry's policies are likely to do to the environment, but I can't help but laugh at the sheer irony of Perry as Energy Secretary.  Given what the rest of Trump's Cabinet of Deplorables looks like, Perry looks relatively reasonable, if in a conventionally awful way.

Last night, Seth Meyers examined more of Trump's Cabinet of Deplorables and their effect on the enviroment in What Trump's Presidency Means for Climate Change: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at the affect [effect] Donald Trump's cabinet picks might have on climate change.

Of course Meyers made fun of Rick Perry, as quoted by The Huffington Post.

Citing a Daily Beast story, Meyers noted that while in college Perry apparently got two C grades, a D and an F in chemistry, a C in physics, and a D in “Meat.”

“How do you get a D in Meat?” Meyers asked. “Are you a Chipotle?”

No, he's an Aggie, one who lives down to the stereotype lampooned in Aggie jokes.*

Salon's story featured more serious quotes.

“Trump confirmed everyone’s fears by scouring the country to find the worst possible choice to head the Environment Protection Energy: Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt,” Meyers said.

As I wrote, a Cabinet of Deplorables.  As for Trump himself...

“Trump’s past statements on climate change have not been promising, like his infamous claim that the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese, as opposed to Trump, who was created by and for the Russians,” Meyers noted.

I might have more on Trump and Putin's Bad Bromance in tomorrow's celebration of Festivus.  It's perfect for an airing of grievances.  Stay tuned.

*I first became acquainted with my ex-wife by telling Aggie jokes.  She went to the University of Texas, so she had lots of them.  The odd thing is that, other than Perry, all of the Texas A&M alums I've met were nice, intelligent people who didn't deserve the jokes told about them.  Perry does, though, so expect me to tell Aggie jokes from now on when I write about him.

Rick Perry nominated to lead department he wanted to eliminate but couldn't name

Five years ago, this happened.


As I wrote at the time, "Sorry, Governor, the correct answer was 'What is the Department of Energy?'"

Yesterday, this happened: Rick Perry once wanted to abolish the Energy Department. Trump picked him to run it.

That brain fart ended Perry’s presidential aspirations in 2012. But it wasn’t the end of the story: Donald Trump has reportedly picked Rick Perry to lead the Energy Department, the very agency he once kinda sorta wanted to get rid of. And while it’s not clear that Perry still wants to abolish the DOE, the climate-denying, fossil fuel–loving former governor from Texas is likely to usher in major changes to this key agency.
...
Donald Trump’s transition team, for its part, has generally signaled that it wants to tilt the Energy Department’s focus away from renewables and back toward programs that support oil and gas drilling (and possibly nuclear power). And Rick Perry — an inveterate climate denier who was governor for 15 years of one of America’s most important oil and gas states — is a natural fit to do just that.

I should be more appalled at what Perry's policies are likely to do to the environment, but I can't help but laugh at the sheer irony of Perry as Energy Secretary.  Given what the rest of Trump's Cabinet of Deplorables looks like, Perry looks relatively reasonable, if in a conventionally awful way.  Besides, Ex-Governor Goodhair is a good stuck clock, so he's right twice a day.  After all, he said this about his boss-to-be.


And this:


He's still right about both things he said about Trump.  I just hope he remembers them.  I will.

Speculative fiction on television at the People's Choice Awards 2017, part 2

"Actors tomorrow!"  That's how I concluded the body of Speculative fiction on television at the People's Choice Awards 2017, part 1.  Since it's tomorrow, actors today!

FAVORITE SCI-FI/FANTASY TV ACTOR
Andrew Lincoln
Ian Somerhalder
Jensen Ackles
Sam Heughan
Tyler Posey

My favorite among this group is Andrew Lincoln, Rick from "The Walking Dead," but Jensen Ackles, Dean from "Supernatural," is the previous winner and thus the favorite.

FAVORITE SCI-FI/FANTASY TV ACTRESS
Caitriona Balfe
Emilia Clarke
Jennifer Morrison
Lauren Cohan
Millie Bobby Brown

While I'm rooting for Lauren Cohan, Maggie from "The Walking Dead," she's competing against last year's winner, Caitriona Balfe of "Outlander."  Normally, I'd say Balfe was the favorite, but Millie Bobby Brown from "Stranger Things" might just be able to pull off an upset.  Her performance as Eleven was riveting.

Follow over the jump for acting and performing nominations from the more mainstream categories.

John Oliver and Keith Olbermann examine minor party candidates

Earlier this month, I shared how Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers mocked Gary Johnson and Bill Maher warned against voting for him even as newspapers endorsed him.  I pointed out this was exactly what should be happenning in a good year for minor party candidates.

Now, John Oliver spreads the attention and the mirth not only at Johnson, but also Jill Stein and some other minor party candidates for President in Third Parties.

Third party candidates want to be serious contenders, so John Oliver considers them seriously as potential presidents.

What I saw actually made me think better of Gary Johnson.  First, he proved he was smarter and better prepared than Rick Perry.  Asking Perry what three departments he'd eliminate led to his infamous "Oops" moment.  At least Johnson could name them off the top of his head.  Second, I didn't know he climbed Mt. Everest.  Regardless of his politics, that's impressive.  Third, he actually has the right attitude of humility about his accomplishment; one does not conquer the mountain, one merely survives the experience of visiting.  Just the same, his metaphor for expressing himself is downright strange--but that's Johnson.

As for Stein, Oliver shows she can do more musically than play the bongos; she sings better than I expected, although AutoTune may have done wonders for her.  However, Oliver exposes how she is even more tolerant of bad weird ideas than Johnson.  I found that disappointing.

While Oliver came to the conclusion that all of the candidates are flawed, so voting for Johnson, Stein, "Joe Exotic," or any of the candidates in last night's Free and Equal debate will not be any better than voting for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, Keith Olbermann actively warned his viewers against voting for any minor party candidate in This Election is Too Important Not to Vote for Hillary.

Don't like Hillary Clinton? Desperate to change the system? That's fine. But those impulses must wait.

I'm not quite that adamant.  If any of my readers live in a safely Red or Blue state, voting for Johnson, Stein, Darrell Castle, or Evan McMullin will not matter; go right ahead, you're throwing away your vote harmlessly and in the case of Johnson will likely end up qualifying the Libertarians for public election funding.  On the other hand, those who live in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, or Ohio have votes too valuable to waste.  Think hard about your vote this time, and then work to change the system between elections.  That's more likely to get the results minor party voters say they want.

As for Keith, he may be scared, but at least he remembered his tag line--"watch this space."

Jim Gilmore gone after losing to Vermin Supreme

What do all of the people in the above photograph have in common?  All of them were in the first undercard debate and all of them have now dropped out of the contest to be the Republican nominee for President.  Carly Fiorina left this week along with Chris Christie.  Rick Santorum split last week along with Rand Paul and Mike Huckabee. George Pataki packed it in and Lindsey Graham left in December.  Bobby Jindal said good-bye in November.  The candidate most ahead of the curve was Rick Perry, who said 'Oops' in September.  The last candidate to leave was the man farthest away from the camera.  Wochit News has the story in Jim Gilmore Withdraws From Presidential Race.

Former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore on Friday suspended his presidential campaign, shrinking the Republican field to six. Gilmore barely registered in polls and received zero percent of votes in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. Gilmore, governor from 1998 to 2002, said he will support the Republican presidential nominee. Gilmore's campaign said in a statement that "the difficulty of the debate structure combined with the national media coverage of the candidates made it impossible for him to continue his campaign for the presidency."

I was wondering when he'd quit.  Maybe it was getting fewer votes than Vermin Supreme, who got 256 votes in the Democratic Primary, good enough for fourth, while Gilmore got 131 in the Republican Primary, placing him last among active candidates and even behind Rand Paul and Rick Santorum, who had already dropped out.


Here's Vermin Supreme's platform.

1) Mandatory tooth-brushing laws ("Gingivitis has been eroding the gumline of this great nation of ours for long enough and must be stopped.");

2) Time travel research ("I'm the only candidate who is willing to fully fund time travel, go back in time and kill baby Hitler with my bare hands before he's even born.");

3) Zombie preparedness ("I am the only candidate who has a plan to protect America from the imminent zombie invasion and I will be harnessing the awesome power of zombies to create electric energy utilizing the latest in giant hamster wheel technology."); and

4. Free ponies for all Americans ("A federal pony identification system and you must have your pony with you at all times.").

Yeah, if I lost to this guy, I'd be embarrassed enough to quit the race, too.

Speaking of zombie preparedness, "The Walking Dead" returns tomorrow.  Zombies on Valentines Day!

Happy Wester 2015 a week late

The Wester Squirrel
At the end of Drinks for the Democratic debates: Hillary Clinton, I wrote that I would wish my readers a Happy Wester.  In the meantime, I realized that Wester was last Sunday, at least according to the formula: "Wester is the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Autumnal Equinox."  The first full moon after the Autumnal Equinox was the blood moon two weeks ago.  I missed it.  As Rick Perry would say, "Oops."


Here's to hoping you had a Happy Wester anyway.

To make up for my miscalculation, I promise to dish on myself by telling a story that indirectly involves the person who first told me about Wester.  Not tonight, however.  Instead, stay tuned for zombie drinks from Tipsy Bartender to celebrate the return of "The Walking Dead" as my Entertainment Sunday offering.