Crazy Eddie's Motie News

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

'Underdogs' wins two News & Doc Emmy Awards plus a late World Sea Turtle Day

I closed 'Secrets of the Penguins' wins two News & Doc Emmy Awards by telling my readers, "Speaking of Underdogs, it also won two News & Doc Emmy Awards, so I think I will cover it next." I promised that again at the end of A late National Megalodon Day. Without any further ado, I'm revisiting what I wrote in 'Underdogs' earns four News & Doc Emmy Award nominations.

The trailer alone demonstrated that Underdogs deserved this nomination. Unfortunately, I doubt it will win this award. It's competing against 2000 Meters to Andriivka with six nominations including Best Documentary, Songs from the Hole with four nominations including Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary, and The Stringer, also with four nominations including Outstanding Investigative Documentary. I expect grit will win over wit.

I was wrong; wit beat grit in Outstanding Writing: Documentary.

The #DocEmmys Award for Outstanding Writing: Documentary goes to Underdogs (Wildstar Films). pic.twitter.com/e0Za8c3VkB
— The Emmys (@TheEmmys) May 29, 2026

Congratulations!

Now for Outstanding Sound: Documentary.

Secrets of the Penguins deserved this nomination, but I doubt it will win. Instead, I think it's between Turning Point: The Vietnam War with five total nominations and Love + War with four nominations. Both are also nominated for Best Documentary. The sounds of combat would probably impress the journalists and documentarians, possibly even more than the sounds of nature or music. If the entertainment professionals in the Creative Arts Emmys were voting, they might give WE WANT THE FUNK! the advantage. Not here; electorates matter.
I think the same of Underdogs' chances for Outstanding Sound: Documentary. Given the competition in its categories, it has an apt title.

I was wrong here, too. As I wrote about Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary in 'Secrets of the Penguins' wins two News & Doc Emmy Awards, "I'm glad that nature beat warfare."

The #DocEmmys Award for Outstanding Sound: Documentary goes to Underdogs (Wildstar Films). pic.twitter.com/wiCqcKtVG8
— The Emmys (@TheEmmys) May 28, 2026

Again, congratulations! I'm never more happy to be wrong!

By the way, yesterday was World Sea Turtle Day, so I'm embedding National Day Calendar's WORLD SEA TURTLE DAY | June 16 for a late celebration.

Have you been able to see a sea turtle in times past?

May I remember to observe the day on time next year.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for an evergreen educational entry I can share in July tomorrow, followed by a string of holidays, Juneteenth, American Eagle Day, National Seashell Day, the Summer Solstice, World Giraffe Day 2025, Father's Day, World Rainforest Day, and Detroit-style Pizza Day. I love holidays!

Previous posts about the 57th News & Doc Emmy Awards

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

A late National Megalodon Day

A belated happy Megalodon Day! I feel I should have observed it yesterday. It probably would have been more fun than writing 'Secrets of the Penguins' wins two News & Doc Emmy Awards, although that was satisfying. I begin with National Day Calendar celebrating NATIONAL MEGALODON DAY | June 15.

Don't even think about getting a bigger boat! Let us know in the comments the largest fish you ever caught.

When Marlo Anderson mentioned that a Danish scientist had figured out that the "dragon's tongues" were really giant sharks teeth in 1666, I thought "that has to be Nicolaus Steno." It was.

In 1667, Danish naturalist Nicolaus Steno made a discovery that forever changed the way we viewed the oceans forever. The fossils were thought to have been the petrified tongues of dragons or snakes, but what Nicolaus realised was the truth was equally, if not far more terrifying. These strange objects were actually the fossilized teeth of the largest shark to have roamed the oceans, the megalodon.

I plan on lecturing on Steno's contributions to geology on Thursday and I will include this factoid. One of my students is really into sharks and he'll enjoy it.

I have more material, but I feel like being a good environmentalist and conserving my resources for next year. May I remember to celebrate on time then. In the meantime, stay tuned for the News & Doc Emmy Awards won by Underdogs for Wayback Wednesday.

Monday, June 15, 2026

'Secrets of the Penguins' wins two News & Doc Emmy Awards

It's time to revisit my predictions from 'Secrets of the Penguins' leads Outstanding Nature Documentaries at the News & Doc Emmy Awards for Earth Day.

This is in the same overall series as Secrets of the Whales, Secrets of the Elephants, and Secrets of the Octopus, all of which earned nominations at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. That, and its award-winning producer and director, bode well for its award chances at these Emmy Awards.
...
I'm rooting for Secrets of the Penguins...

I got my wish; Secrets of the Penguins won Outstanding Nature Documentary.

On the other hand, I was happy to be wrong about Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary, for which I wrote, "Secrets of the Penguins is in very good company, including 2000 Meters to Andriivka with six nominations including Best Documentary, which is my pick to win both that award and this category." I repeated that thought in 'Underdogs' earns four News & Doc Emmy Award nominations: "Underdogs might be more deserving than Pangolin: Kulu's Journey and as deserving as Secrets of the Penguins, but I still think 2000 Meters to Andriivka is the favorite to win Outstanding Cinematograpy: Documentary." Nope, Secrets of the Penguins won Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary. I'm glad that nature beat warfare.

Speaking of Underdogs, it also won two News & Doc Emmy Awards, so I think I will cover it next. Stay tuned.

Previous posts about the 57th News & Doc Emmy Awards

Sunday, June 14, 2026

Marsh Family sings 'Trumpy Doodle' for America250 on Flag Day

Happy Flag Day! I'm posting something tangential to the holiday today, "Trumpy Doodle" - Marsh Family version of "Yankee Doodle" for the USA's 250th anniversary antics.

"Yankee Doodle" was a traditional song (Roud 4501) that predated the American Revolution and was adapted by both British and Americans to mock one another in the eighteenth century. So we felt it was a fitting tune to repurpose on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the United States, and the No Kings musical protests occurring this weekend which happens to be the 80th birthday of Donald Trump.

The word 'doodle' likely comes from German 'Dödel' meaning fool or simpleton or nob. It may also reference Low German 'dudel' = playing music badly. So it works whether you like or hate this parody arrangement! The earliest known version of the lyrics was the 1750s when it was sung during the Seven Years' War (or "French and Indian War" in the colonies), and it had become a patriotic song for the USA by 1781, when new verses mentioned a certain George Washington, who also crops up in ours as a bringer of political or national liberty (though, of course, also a slaveholder and denier of liberty).

This makes for a great companion to Randy Rainbow sings 'A Very Stable Genius Part Two!' for Wayback Wednesday — truly patriotic musical comedy that allows us to laugh so we don't cry!

I promised another Sunday entertainment feature, so follow over the jump for the remaining most read post and top social media shares about entertainment during the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News.

SciShow reports 'Everyone On Earth Has The Same Commute,' a driving update

I'm beginning today's a driving update with SciShow reporting Everyone On Earth Has The Same Commute.

There's a lot that unites us as humans. How much we sleep, how much we eat, how much we travel... wait, what? Yeah, turns out that the vast majority of human populations have the same average amount of travel time per day. Here's what the research says about why that is, and how learning this could shape our future.

Hosted by: Madelyn Leembruggen (she/her)

78 minutes? I've been on the low side of that average time for years, but I did enough to contribute to the average 20 years ago, when I drove 48,000 miles in one year and 40,000 miles per year from 2000-2005. I'm glad I'm no longer doing that. Follow over the jump to see how I'm doing now.

SciShow explains 'How Instagram Hacks Your Brain' plus Howtown on brain rot for Flashback Friday

Happy Flashback Friday! I promised "Stay tuned for another winner at the News & Doc Emmy Awards along with a retrospective of posts on a related theme" for today and get to both of those after I lead into them beginning with SciShow explaining How Instagram Hacks Your Brain.

Do you feel addicted to social media? You're certainly not alone. Social media and our brains have a messy relationship, and researchers are working hard to understand what's going on, who might be more or less at risk, and why.

Hosted by: Hank Green (he/him)

Can't Look Away: The Case Against Social Media is the Emmy winner I'm featuring today and it's all about how social media algorithms make the platforms addictive and how they especially harm teenagers. Howtown examined another possible cognitive harm in What the actual science says about "brain rot".

Are TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts actually destroying our attention spans, or is “brain rot” just another moral panic? In this video, we dig into the science behind short-form video and attention, from debunking viral goldfish statistics to explaining real cognitive psychology experiments testing analytical thinking and prospective memory. We break down what researchers actually mean by “attention span,” how infinite scroll and autoplay feeds are genuinely different from previous forms of media, and what lab tests can and can’t tell us about the mental effects of short-form video.

As much as I have proclaimed "Behold the power of the YouTube algorithm," I at least had the choice of clicking on the preview of the intriguing video the program presented to me. With YouTube shorts, TikTok, and Instagram reels, the only choice I have is to watch the next video or stop watching unless I see the preview of the short on my YouTube home page, where I still have the choice to click. It's one of the reasons I generally avoid TikTok, the other being the ownership, both old and new. Do I think the format is making me stupid? No, although it's certainly distracting, entertaining, and surprising, especially as Instagram reels, some of which I find educational. That loops back to Hank Green's observation about Instagram hacking my brain. I like closing loops.

The second loop to close is today's featured News & Doc Emmy Award winner.

After I watched Can't Look Away's trailer, I declared, "I don't have to look at the other two trailers; I think this is the winner." I was right; it won. Congratulations!

Follow over the jump for the final loop, today's featured post from the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News, which was also about a legal action against social media.

'Prime Minister' wins two News & Doc Emmy Awards including Best Documentary for Throwback Thursday

Happy Throwback Thursday! I'm returning to the News & Doc Emmy Awards today, as I promised in 'Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller' wins 7 News & Doc Emmy Awards for World Oceans Day with the relevant paragraph from CNN Worldwide Honored with Six News & Documentary Emmy Awards.

CNN FILMS PRIME MINISTER WINS TWO EMMY® AWARDS, INCLUDING BEST DOCUMENTARY
...
CNN’s recognition extended to the Documentary Emmy® Awards on Thursday night, where CNN Films’ Prime Minister won Best Documentary and Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. The acclaimed film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, earning the Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary before being acquired by HBO and CNN Films. Released theatrically by Magnolia Pictures, Prime Minister is available to stream now at CNN.com/Watch, on the CNN app, and on HBO Max.

I declared Prime Minister as the favorite to win Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary early, but I thought 2000 Meters to Andriivka was the most likely to win Best Documentary. Surprise!

Dame Jacinda Ardern posted a thank you speech to her Instagram.

Tonight the incredible team who made the documentary simply titled “Prime Minister” won the Emmy for best documentary. From the sidelines I saw these talented directors, editors, and producers all come together to create a film (which I have still only watched it in its entirety once..) that feels like the most accurate portrayal of what it’s like to lead with your heart on your sleeve. My huge congratulations to them all, especially Michelle Walshe and Lindsay Utz who co-directed it. But here, I want to make a special mention of Clarke, the first person who picked up a camera. I wasn’t the easiest person to film, and nor through the years of being PM was I the easiest partner. But that never changed the amount of support he gave in return. Our loved ones don’t choose politics, but they are still on the front line alongside us every day, cheering us on, keeping life at home going, reminding us why we’re there. So thank you, Clarke. Now it’s my turn to cheer you on xx

Clarke spoke at the awards tonight, and he saved his final words, rightly so, to thank New Zealand. Our home. We will both forever be grateful for the privilege of a lifetime.

Congratulations to Dame Jacinda, the documentarians, CNN, and HBO!

Since it's Throwback Thursday and the subject is politics, follow over the jump for the top serious political posts written during the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News.

Randy Rainbow sings 'A Very Stable Genius Part Two!' for Wayback Wednesday

Happy Wayback Wednesday! yesterday, I told my readers "I might post another song parody tomorrow for Wayback Wednesday, as Randy Rainbow hinted at one later today. Stay tuned." He followed through with A Very Stable Genius Part Two! - A Randy Rainbow Song Parody.

Parody of “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General” from The Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert & Sullivan)

Parody Lyrics by Randy Rainbow

Song Produced, Orchestrated, Mixed, Mastered by: Michael J Moritz Jr @michaeljmoritz

Vocal Arrangement - Brett Boles
All Vocals: Randy Rainbow
Piano, Synths -Michael J Moritz Jr
Drums - Tom Jorgensen

Yes, Randy, you still got it. Unfortunately so does Donald "Pervert Hoover" Trump, although a different "it" than Randy.

Yesterday's video is an update of A VERY STABLE GENIUS - Randy Rainbow Song Parody from 2018.

THE RANDY RAINBOW SHOW:
"A Very Stable Genius"

Executive Producer:
RANDY RAINBOW

Starring:
RANDY RAINBOW

Written, Directed & Edited by:
RANDY RAINBOW

Producers:
Tanase Popa
John Retsios
Jeff Romley
Rich Super

I no longer think the Russians have pee tapes; they don't need those when the Epstein files exist.

I'm closing this section, as I have done lately for entries featuring Randy's videos, with a video of the original being parodied, The English National Opera's Major-General's Song from The Pirates of Penzance - live and with lyrics!.

The tongue-twisting I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General, performed live during Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, directed by Mike Leigh at English National Opera.

Andrew Shore plays Major General-Stanley, with Joshua Bloom as Pirate King and Claudia Boyle as Mabel in this ENO production by film director Mike Leigh.

About The Pirates of Penzance:

With sentimental pirates, blundering policeman, absurd adventures and improbable paradoxes, The Pirates of Penzance is Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular comic opera.

A swashbuckling farce of brilliant humour and razor-sharp wit, it's chock-full of memorable melodies, including the famous tongue-twisting patter song from the Major-General.

This production was directed by directed by BAFTA-award winner Mike Leigh, who makes his operatic debut.

Randy could have been more pompous, but he has Pervert Hoover for that.

Randy isn't the only one revisiting the past. My readers gave enough page views to three posts from the 2016 election that they joined the most read entries of the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News. Follow over the jump for their stories.

Marsh Family sings 'Bile and Lies' about JD Vance for Tuneful Tuesday

I promised a musical entry for Tuneful Tuesday, so I'm sharing "Bile and Lies" - Marsh Family parody of The Eagles "Lyin' Eyes" about JD Vance views on Henry Nowak.

“Lyin’ Eyes” was written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey, released by California’s rock legends The Eagles in 1975. It was apparently inspired by their visions of many beautiful younger women with older husbands in Los Angeles, who they imagined leading double lives and lying and cheating. So it’s a story about moral reprobates, hypocrisy, double standards, and virtual self-prostitution, which made it perfect to adapt to address J.D. Vance’s latest foray into European politics.

This reads like another take on the situation that inspired "Little Girls" by Oingo Boingo, which I featured in An attack ad and drink for today's special Senate election in Alabama nine years ago. Back to the Marsh Family.

Plenty of muck-stirrers had already sought to whip up anger and outrage in the wake of the tragic murder of Henry Nowak, and the horrendous footage and troubling backstory. These included Nigel Farage, Tommy Robinson, Rupert Lowe, and Elon Musk. But Vance – who had met several of the more disturbing UK ‘politicians’ last summer – in his inimitable style took things to a new level.

Vance showed wanton disregard for the grieving Nowak family’s own stated request: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred, or tension.” He shared footage of the eighteen-year-old’s ghastly final moments, let down by mistakes by British police officers under huge stress, and crassly linked it to fears about migration, civilisational collapse, hatred, invasion and anger. It was a sick message that has been amplified on Twitter/X and, at point of writing, has over 10m views.
We didn’t even have time to get into the hypocrisy of casting stones across the Atlantic by this administration or this chameleon. But the song’s intended to express that the behaviours, ideologies and values that Vance and his ilk embody, particularly in this tragic moment, are anathema to most in the UK, and we suspect most Europeans. They are like a cancerous cell in the tissue of what we understand being ‘civilised’ means, and they are threatening to metastasise.

"This chameleon" — tell us how you really feel about JD Vance!

I'm going to turn the rest of this post into a brief retrospective of a top share of a Marsh Family song post on Instagram. Follow over the jump.

'Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller' wins 7 News & Doc Emmy Awards for World Oceans Day

Happy World Oceans Day! I'm returning to the News & Doc Emmy Awards with ABC News reporting National Geographic's 'Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller' Earns 7 News & Documentary Emmy® Award Wins & 25 Nominations.

The Walt Disney Company earned 21 News & Documentary Emmy® Awards across ABC News and National Geographic, with the award-winning content streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. Following another record-breaking year of 51 nominations — the most ever for the brand — National Geographic took home 13 News & Documentary Emmy Awards, breaking its all time record. This included seven awards for "Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller," which also stood for the third consecutive year as the most-nominated series ever. "Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller" is an original documentary series that explores the complex and dangerous inner-workings of the global underworld, black and informal markets. Each adventure follows Mariana on a mission to follow the chain of custody of trafficked goods, understand how to obtain the contraband, or see the 360-degree view of the trafficking world from the point of view of the smugglers, law enforcement and those caught in the crossfire.

I'm continuing with Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller Season Five | Official Trailer | National Geographic.

Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller explores the inner-workings of the most dangerous black markets on the planet. In each episode, she investigates a different underworld — from fentanyl and illegal street racing to the smuggling of brides and the rise of militias — to meet the players, learn the business, and better understand the world’s multi-trillion dollar shadow economy.

This trailer earned an Emmy nomination of its own for Outstanding Promotional Announcement: News. Also, eight of the ten episodes promoted earned Emmy Award nominations and six won Emmy Awards, including the one that is the reason for featuring the series today, "Shark Hunters."

Outstanding Climate, Environment or Weather Coverage - "Shark Hunters" **WINNER**

Yes, that's an ocean conservation themed episode. It's also one I can recommend to my students. Welcome to blogging as professional development.

Follow over the jump for the other five Emmy-winning episodes.