'Prime Minister' leads nominees for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards

Happy Throwback Thursday! As I wrote yesterday, I'm resuming my series on the News & Doc Emmy Awards. Today's topic is Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. One nominee stands out, Prime Minister with two nominations as the preview image shows, Best Documentary and Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. The rest of the field has only the one nomination for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. On that basis, I'm declaring Prime Minister the favorite. Watch Prime Minister | Official Trailer | HBO.

“World leaders have rarely been captured with as much intimacy” - @variety

A rare and unfiltered portrait, #PrimeMinisterHBO chronicles the unexpected journey of Dame Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s 40th Prime Minister. Premieres September 30 on @hbomax.

I found Jacinda Ardern inspirational while she was Prime Minister during the pandemic, and I felt that way again watching this trailer.

Now for the nominees with just one nomination in roughly alphabetical order, beginning with Bodyguard of Lies | Official Trailer | Paramount+.

Bodyguard of Lies is the first unvarnished documentary on the Afghanistan War, exposing the falsehoods told to Americans and the secrets kept. The film reveals the staggering cost of deception: thousands of lives lost, trillions spent, and a truth buried for decades.

Watching that reminded me of what I wrote in Colbert and Meyers take closer looks at the Taliban taking over Afghanistan.

I expressed what a waste of time, money, and lives the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan was ten years ago in We could have had the Moon, instead we get Afghanistan. Seeing this collapse a decade later demonstrates that I wasn't disgusted enough at the squandering of blood and treasure in "the Graveyard of Empires" at the time.

It was even worse than I thought and the people in charge knew it.

Speaking of Afghanistan and "worse than I thought," I'm moving HOLLYWOODGATE - Official Trailer (2024) up to examine the aftermath.

Unprecedented and audacious, HOLLYWOODGATE is the riveting result of the year director Ibrahim Nash'at spent with the Taliban in the wake of the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Risking his life in the war-torn nation, Nash'at is on the ground with the Taliban when they enter an American base loaded with a portion of the roughly $7 billion worth of U.S. armaments left behind. Driving towards an astonishing and chilling end, Nash'at tracks Taliban leaders as they attempt to transform from a fundamentalist militia into a modern military regime, employing Hollywood-style propaganda to achieve their goals.

That's depressing.

I moved The Dark Money Game | Official Trailer | HBO to get the two Afghanistan nominees together.

Money Changes Everything.

#TheDarkMoneyGame: Ohio Confidential & Wealth of the Wicked by Academy Award Winner Alex Gibney premieres Tuesday, April 15 and Wednesday, April 16 at 9pm on @hbomax.

That's two nominated documentaries from Alex Gibney. The man is a powerhouse.

I close with The Making of a Japanese - Trailer (2023).

Which are the distinct attributes sculpting the Japanese identity? What makes you Japanese? In order to figure out the answers, the British Japanese filmmaker closely follows 1st and 6th graders for one year at a public elementary school in Tokyo, as well as their teachers, unveiling how teachers and students interact and shape one another. The outbreak of the pandemic and its restrictions constitute just another controlling measure. The kids in Japan are after all forged by their homeland's culture through a strictly defined education process which is in pursuit, with unwavering focus, of the appropriate equilibrium between individual progress and harmony of the society as a whole. Offering a unique hybrid perspective, the filmmaker critically examines a culture that is equally familiar to her as it is foreign, while she peruses the school environment in terms of an industrial production plant, in which the raw materials for processing are the students.

One of the points I make when I cover shows about government is that public education is government, too. I'm glad to see the News & Doc Emmy selection committee recognize this.

Now for Prime Minister's second category.


2000 Meters to Andriivka leads with six nominations, Turning Point: The Vietnam War follows with five nominations, Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time, Life After, and Love + War tie at four nominations, and Black Snow and Union tie at this one nomination. I had 2000 Meters to Andriivka penciled in to win this category because of its awards history, especially its wins at the DGA and WGA Awards, but seeing it lead this category, if not all nominees, in nominations inks that prediction in.

I'll probably examine Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time tomorrow. In the meantime, follow over the jump as I continue my retrospective of top posts about the Emmy Awards during the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News.

'Andor' earns a Hugo nomination for Revenge of the Sixth on Wayback Wednesday

Today's celebration of Revenge of the Sixth, the dark side of Star Wars Day, hearkens back to 'The Mehdi Hasan Show' examines the politics of ‘Andor’ for Revenge of the Sixth and 'Andor' vs. 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' and 'Severance' for Best Science Fiction Television Series at the Saturn Awards. Star Wars News on Instagram reported, "Andor Season 2 has been nominated for the 2026 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation – Long Form! It’s the only TV series nominated in a category that otherwise features only movies." Here are the rest of the nominees in this category.


Andor isn't likely to win, as it's not also nominated for the The Ray Bradbury Nebula Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation. Instead, I think the three Hugo nominees also nominated for the equivalent Nebula Award, KPop Demon Hunters, Sinners, and Superman, are most likely to win. Of the three, I think Sinners is the favorite.

Andor can take some consolation from Andor wins the BAFTA for Special, Visual & Graphic Effects | BAFTA TV Craft Awards.

Andor wins the BAFTA for Special, Visual & Graphic Effects at the BAFTA TV Craft Awards with Samsung OLED.

Presented by Chris Chung.

Congratulations!

Follow over the jump for the nominees for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form and Best Game or Interactive Work plus a retrospective of the top entertainment entries from the back catalog, excluding those about the Emmy Awards.

HISTORY's 'Cinco De Mayo Foods: Tacos'

¡Feliz Cinco De Mayo! I'm being more light-hearted today than last year by taking advantage of the holiday falling on Taco Tuesday with History Channel's Cinco De Mayo Foods: Tacos.

Join Famous Fat Dave as he interviews a cook who knows how to make a great taco for Cinco de Mayo.

Yeah, I know combining Cinco De Mayo and Taco Tuesday is a bad dad joke, but I couldn't resist. Besides, I have lots of final exams to grade, so I'd better get to work. See you tomorrow for Revenge of the Sixth.

'The Mandalorian and Grogu,' 'Maul: Shadow Lord,' and Galaxy's Edge Disneyland changes for Star Wars Day

Happy Star Wars Day and May the Fourth be with you! I'm returning to 'Rise of Skywalker,' 'The Mandalorian,' and 'Galaxy's Edge' — New Star Wars for the Revenge of the Sixth for inspiration. I begin with Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu | Final Trailer | In Theaters May 22 from Disney, Lucasfilm, and Star Wars.

The old protect the young, and then the young protect the old.

Grace Randolph and others criticized the earlier trailers as being too juvenile to be a big success. I think this trailer addressed those concerns. Just the same, I think being a family film might actually help it.

Next, Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord | Official Trailer | Streaming April 6 on Disney+.



Let us have our revenge.
Maul was too good a villain to waste after one movie. I can see why Disney revived him in the end credit scene of Solo. Now he has his own series!

I close with Brickey Vlog's Galaxy’s Edge Just Changed… And It Feels Very Different!

Today is the first day of the Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge changes at Disneyland. This video covers how these changes instantly made the most controversial land at Disneyland instantly feel very different.

I've never been to Galaxy's Edge on either coast. Now I might have a reason to visit both versions, since they are now different experiences.

That's a wrap for today's Star Wars holiday. Stay tuned for Cinco De Mayo followed by Revenge of the Sixth. I have something more serious yet still fun planned.

'SNL' opens with a Hegseth-Patel press briefing about Iran war and FBI

I told my readers to stay tuned for highlights of last night's Saturday Night Live as today's Sunday entertainment feature. As I wrote in March, "SNL has lots of news to laugh at so we and they don't cry..." I begin, like the show, with Hegseth and Patel Iran Press Briefing Cold Open.

Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost) and Kash Patel (Aziz Ansari) answer reporters' questions about the war in Iran.

Colin Jost's Pete Hegseth bullying the press reminds me of Biff Tannen. Coincidentally, older alternative universe Tannen from Back to the Future Part II is based on Donald Trump. No wonder the two of them get along! Also, Aziz Ansari's performance made me glad I already had a Kash Patel label. If I didn't, I'd have had to create it!

Weekend Update: White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting, Hegseth Says Iran War Costs Reach $25B picked up where the cold open left off.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like King Charles meeting New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani.

I now have Spirit Airlines going bankrupt, again, and shutting down operations on my to-do list. On the other hand, I've already covered the royal visit. I just wish people would stop picking on Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, who was born only a few miles from where I grew up and is my favorite royal. On the other hand, keep picking on the Andrew formerly known as Prince. He deserves it.

Mentioning the opening weekend box office for Michael already earned this entry its status as the Sunday entertainment feature. Good thing, too, as Weekend Update: Sex Offender Named "Cookie Monster" Arrested, Coors Releases Non-Alcoholic Beer had more technology and crime than entertainment.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like a woman damaging a statue in Italy while trying to touch its genitals.

On the other hand, Weekend Update: Kam Patterson on Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson's Breakup used a juicy gossip story involving both entertainment and sports as a MacGuffin.

Kam Patterson stops by Weekend Update to discuss Megan Thee Stallion breaking up with Klay Thompson.

*SNORK!*

Olivia Rodrigo did double duty as host and musical guest, so I'm closing the portion above the fold with her monologue.

First-time host Olivia Rodrigo talks about getting her start as a child actor before performing a new song about a big event in her adult life.

That's quite the comment on Real ID, which makes me glad I didn't have that much trouble getting mine.

Follow over the jump for the top posts about SNL during the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News.

Vox and MS NOW explain 'The voting rights case that could set us back 60 years'

I'm returning to current events by embedding Vox explaining The voting rights case that could set us back 60 years.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a very big deal. It transformed America, marking the end of the Jim Crow era and effectively banning racial discrimination in elections. Finally fulfilling the promise of a multiracial democracy, Black voter registration increased, and political representation across the nation better reflected America’s diverse population.

60 years later, a key pillar of the Voting Rights Act is at risk of being erased. In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court has sided with the plaintiffs in a redistricting case out of Louisiana called Louisiana v. Callais. The case focused on Louisiana’s legislative maps, which were amended after a 2022 lawsuit in which civil rights groups and community members sued the state of Louisiana, claiming the maps drawn after the 2020 census didn’t properly reflect Louisiana’s Black population.

Once the new map with two majority-Black districts passed in the Louisiana state legislature in 2024, a group of “non African-American voters” filed a lawsuit that alleged the new map was unconstitutional and racially gerrymandered, intended to cut white voters out of power. Following the Supreme Court ruling, Louisiana must redraw that map.

What happens next could ignite a widespread gerrymandering effort that would alter electoral maps across red states and have major effects on minority political representation in the United States at every level of government.

I haven't blogged about the Voting Rights Act since 2023's FiveThirtyEight asks 'How Impactful Was This Supreme Court Term?'* Then, I wrote, "I think America dodged two bullets to democracy in the decisions about the Voting Rights Act and the 'Independent State Legislature Theory.'" I can't write that today; the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shot multiracial democracy in America in the leg, if not an even more vital part of the body. The bullet is still traveling, injuring tissues and organs on its way. MS NOW documents the damage in ‘They’re fighting hard because we were winning’: Stacey Abrams on GOP gerrymandering surge.

“They want our weariness to turn into paralysis.” This week, The Supreme Court delivered a massive new blow to the Voting Rights Act that greenlights GOP gerrymandering efforts. Stacey Abrams joins The Weekend to break down what comes next, where we have seen these actions before in authoritarian regimes throughout history, and how to use people power to brace against fascism.

In response to Jonathan Capehart, Jacqueline Alemany, and Eugene Daniels, the hosts of The Weekend, outlining Louisiana suspending its primary election and the legislatures of Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee going into special sessions to redistrict their states, Stacey Abrams outlined an ambitious pro-democracy agenda. I'm here for all of it.

The Weekend on MS NOW continued on the topic in ‘You are no longer in the democracy that was promised’: South redistricts ahead of midterms.

For decades, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act acted as a guardrail, preventing Republican-led state legislatures from carving Black voters out of political power. But, in the words of Justice Elena Kagan, the Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais has weakened the provision to “all but a dead letter.” MS NOW legal analyst Melissa Murray and President & CEO of Democracy Forward, Skye Perryman join “The Weekend” to discuss.

I agree with Skye Perryman; people in favor of multiracial democracy are going to have to vote in large enough numbers this fall and in 2028 to overwhelm the forces trying to send the U.S. back 60 years or more. May we succeed.

That's a wrap for today's topical post. Stay tuned for highlights of tonight's Saturday Night Live as today's Sunday entertainment feature.

*The video in that entry has been made private, just like every video I've embedded from FiveThirtyEight. Disney/ABC didn't just disband the unit, it hid its history. That's a great loss that makes me sad, angry, and powerless. I don't know what news consumers can do to get it back. Sigh.

Boston Crusaders 'Animal Farm' for a drum corps May Day

A happy drum corps May Day on Flashback Friday. For today's drum corps holiday retrospective, I'm following up on a suggestion I included in my response to a comment on 1979 Santa Clara Vanguard's maypole in motion for a drum corps May Day to use Boston Crusaders "Animal Farm." I think its time has come. Watch The Controversy Series, Part 2... 2014 Boston Crusaders by Marching Arts Network TV.

In part 2 of this series exploring controversy in DCI, we take a close look at the Boston Crusaders, and specifically the time they decided to call out DCI to their faces... some would say at the cost of competitive success!

I am quite familiar with "Napoleon's" proposals. I wrote for Drum Corps World from 1996 to 2008 and wrote two articles about them. One led directly to the other and the outcome disgusted me. Both also led to the G7 proposal, so I wasn't surprised it elicited such a public backlash. CNN even reported on it! "Napoleon" wanted more mainstream media attention for the activity and he got it, twice. He should have been more careful what he wished for.

I was feeling like posting this show for today at least one month ago. Then I found out that a new Animal Farm movie is being released today. Watch Animal Farm | Official Final Trailer | Andy Serkis | In Theaters Now | Angel.

We're about to change the rules.
Animal Farm — A Cautionary Tail. Takes over theaters May 1, 2026.
...
Starring Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Laverne Cox, Kieran Culkin, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons, Andy Serkis, Kathleen Turner & Iman Vellani

Perfect timing!

Follow over the jump for last year's top posts featuring drum corps, nearly all of which were also top posts on Facebook.

Meyers, 'The Daily Show,' Kimmel, and the Marsh Family take closer looks at the royal visit

Happy Throwback Thursday! Before I look back at last year's top posts, I'm returning to current events, namely the royal visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Take it away, Seth!

Seth takes a closer look at Trump getting roasted by King Charles III over his $400 million golden ballroom, which Republicans are now insisting should be funded by taxpayers.

I'm repeating what I wrote yesterday.

Donald "Hoover Harding Cleveland" Trump doubling down on his ballroom and going after Kimmel and James Comey is just him persuing his pet projects. It's also an example of "never let a good crisis go to waste." It's just a shame that the projects being pursued are so petty.

Even more of a shame that he's getting so many to go along with him, including shifting its funding from private donors to the taxpayers. Ugh.

By the way, I'm not surprised at the beehive shaped like the White House. Queen Camilla is a beekeeper and I'm sure this was her idea.

Seth didn't mention the new indictment of James Comey, but The Daily Show did in Trump Indicts Comey Over Seashells & King Charles Is King of Congressional Comedy.

King Charles visits Congress for open mic night, and Trump tries to out-tyrant His Majesty with another indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, this time for the "crime" of posting a photo of seashells spelling out "8647." Josh Johnson breaks down MAGA world's feverish accusations against Comey, and Grace Kuhlenschmidt decodes other treasonous hidden messages at the beach.

I'm old enough to retire and in all my years I don't think I've ever written that the King is funny, but he is, and not unintentionally like Joseph II, the Austrian Emperor in Amadeus. Oh, we're getting a remake of that, too.

On the other hand, the second indictment of Comey is both serious and ridiculous. The Daily Show managed to get the right level of comedy out of this personal vendetta disguised as an official act.

Speaking of personal vendettas, I'm returning to Jimmy Kimmel, who both Melania and her husband have called to be canceled, for Trump’s Totally Unhinged Assault Rifle Pic, Big Night with King Charles & James Comey Vendetta.

King Charles and Queen Camilla spent the day in New York, last night they were honored with a lavish dinner at the White House, Charles is here trying to mend the fractured relationship between the U.S. and everyone else, he gave Trump a big shiny golden bell, his MAGA-sty offered some remarks about the royal mess he’s made in Iran, he posted a truly unhinged picture of himself this morning holding an assault rifle, the State Department is planning a limited edition passport with Trump’s face on it, Donald welcomed the astronaunts from Artemis II to the White House, he has an absolutely pigeon-brained vendetta against former FBI Director Jim Comey, and with everything going on it’s very clear that Trump isn’t well, but help is a TrumpRX prescription away!

I need a new passport, but I'm definitely not going to Washington D.C. to get one with Hoover Harding Cleveland's face on it. Yuck!

Stephen Colbert is off this week, so I'm embedding The Marsh Family singing "The British King is Here!" - parody of "The British Grenadiers" about King Charles's US state visit.

King Charles arrived just a few hours ago on a diplomatic mission that has been ludicrously overegged, given the track record of the man he is visiting. So here's our adaptation of a classic British Army marching song (that developed in the seventeenth century and became a staple in the eighteenth - including in the colonies and the Revolutionary War that saw the USA declare its independence). The British Grenadiers is a rousing tune - for many still a regimental quick march - and often a feature of the Trooping the Colour ceremony. Before people wring their hands at adapting it, it's been a recurring theme throughout its history - including notoriously by Joseph Warren (his was called "Free America") in 1774, just before the War of Independence began. We kept to some archaic language to give it the right feel, and had a stab at our own arrangement for who had instruments at home - though a hasty one, on a school night. There are references in there to scrofula, a recent UK ambassador and we removed powwow but kept kowtow after checking about usage and implications - but apologies if any offence caused. We're thinking about recording a few like this in the run-up to the 250th anniversary, so this is a kind of test case :)

Hah! Make more like this!

Follow over the jump for a retrospective of the top posts featuring late-night talk-show hosts during the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News.

Wayback Wednesday Déjà Vu as Melania and Donald Trump call for Kimmel to be fired

Happy Wayback Wednesday! Today's blast from the past is Jimmy Kimmel on Melania & Donald Trump Demanding His Firing & The White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Jimmy responds to both Melania and Donald Trump saying he should be fired by ABC over a light roast joke he made on the show three days before The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and talks rejecting hateful and violent rhetoric, what unfolded on Saturday after the gunman was captured, RFK Jr. leaving his wife Cheryl Hines in the proverbial dust, an attendee who continued to eat his salad while others were taking cover, newspeople who were at the event reporting on the story in tuxedos and ballgowns, Trump arguing that this is why we need his new ballroom more than ever, Trump sitting down for an interview with 60 Minutes, and in honor of King Charles and Queen Camilla arriving at The White House today we present a special King Charles Edition of Lie Witness News.

Here is the relevant segment with the offending joke: Jimmy Kimmel Roasts Trump & His MAGA Minions at Our Alternative White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

The NFL Draft is tonight, the Trump administration is reportedly hashing out a deal that would give the U.S. Government up to a 90% stake in Spirit Airlines, Ghislaine Maxwell sent a mysterious USB to the Department of Justice a week after that surprise press conference by Melania Trump, Melania made an appearance at the First Lady’s Luncheon today, Trump is planning to go The White House Correspondents' Dinner for the first time as President, Oz Pearlman the Mentalist is set to be the host, and since there is no comedian this year Jimmy steps in to tell all of the jokes Trump is too scared to hear.

I'm with Kimmel; this is about the age difference between the two and the apparent distaste the First Lady has for her husband. That latter might be an incorrect perception. Based on her reaction, maybe Melania loves him after all.

I'm giving MS NOW, formerly MSNBC, the last word in this section by embedding rump, apparently oblivious, makes the same joke he wants Kimmel fired for.

Jen Psaki shows Donald Trump making the same joke about how much older he is than Melania as the joke Trump and Melania claim is so offensive that Kimmel should be removed from his job.

Jen Psaki is right; Donald "Hoover Harding Cleveland" Trump doubling down on his ballroom and going after Kimmel and James Comey is just him persuing his pet projects. It's also an example of "never let a good crisis go to waste." It's just a shame that the projects being pursued are so petty.

Follow over the jump for a retrospective of the top posts about the last time Hoover Cleveland tried to get Kimmel canceled, literally.

Bette Midler and friends sing a Woody Guthrie song for Tuneful Tuesday

"I have some music planned for Tuneful Tuesday..." That's how I closed yesterday's post and that's what I'm doing by sharing Bette Midler and some of her friends singing ALL YOU FASCISTS (Bound to Lose).

You know I've been around a long time, but I have never lived through what we are living through now. The great Woody Guthrie wrote this song many years ago. I changed some of the words to fit our times, and I hope you'll sing it when you are marching. Because sometimes people, sometimes you just gotta SING OUT!

That's a perfect song for No Kings. May we all sing it on May Day or whenever the next No Kings protest is held.

That's a wrap for Tuneful Tuesday. Stay tuned for Wayback Wednesday!