'Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story' leads nominees for Outstanding Nature Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards

I'm continuing my coverage of the News & Doc Emmy Awards with the nominees for Outstanding Nature Documentary, which compose a large field of seven.

Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story leads the field with six nominations, including Outstanding Writing – Documentary, Outstanding Direction – Documentary, Outstanding Music Composition – Documentary, Outstanding Sound – Documentary, and Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary in addition to Outstanding Nature Documentary. As best as I can determine, it's the most nominated documentary at these awards — certainly the most nominated entry that didn't also earn a nomination for Best Documentary. Our Living World is the only other nominee with another nomination, Outstanding Cinematography – Documentary. All the rest, Attenborough and the Jurassic Sea Monster, Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons, Our Living World, Paul Nicklen & Cristina Mittermeier: Win or Die, and Silverback, have just this one nomination. On the basis of it having the most nominations here, as well as six Critics Choice Documentary Award nominations, a BAFTA Award and two other BAFTA nominations, it's the clear favorite.

Time to watch the nominated trailer, Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story | Official Trailer | National Geographic.

A heart-warming story of the love between a wild otter, Molly, and her devoted rescuer, Billy, set in the remote Scottish islands of Shetland.

That's moving and uplifting. Imagine what the full documentary is like!

Next, Our Living World | Cate Blanchett | Official Trailer | Netflix.

Discover the secret that connects us all. From the Emmy Award-winning team behind Our Great National Parks comes a revealing look at the secret network of connections that unites us all and sustains our planet’s most magical phenomenon: life itself. Narrated by Academy Award-winner Cate Blanchett, this docuseries spans the globe to showcase the extraordinary creatures and ecosystems, great and small, that work together to help restore and sustain Our Living World.

That is beautifully photographed, so I'm not surprised it earned a nomination for cinematography.

Moving on to what passes for the trailer to "Attenborough and the Jurassic Sea Monster" on Nature, The Tyrannosaurus Rex of the Seas | Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster | BBC Earth.

150 million years ago dinosaurs ruled the land, but the oceans were dominated by a mysterious sea monster. Sir David Attenborough joins two of the UK’s most intrepid fossil hunters on their perilous expedition to excavate the skull from its resting place 12 metres up in the cliffs of Dorset...

The BBC Earth title and description are more colorful than the Nature on PBS version, Discovering the Secrets of a Jurassic Sea Monster, "Sir David Attenborough uncovers the secrets of the pliosaur, a monstrous marine predator," even though the visuals are almost completely identical. This is probably my personal favorite among the nominees, simply because it's about fossils and I'm a paleontologist. It also shows the fine line between science and nature at these awards. If this had been an episode of NOVA, it might have been nominated for Outstanding Science Documentary instead.

Speaking of Nature, here's the trailer for the second of its four nominees in this category, Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons | Official Trailer | NATURE | PBS.

Known only by her research number, Grizzly 399 has been a fixture in Grand Teton National Park since 2007, becoming the world’s most famous grizzly bear. Now 399 is raising four new cubs in the face of human encroachment, a warming climate and the threat of losing protection under the Endangered Species Act. Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons premieres on May 8, 2024.
...
Update: We're saddened to share that Grizzly 399 died on October 22, 2024, after being struck by a vehicle on a highway in Snake River Canyon, south of Jackson, Wyoming. The filmmakers reconvened October 30th, 2024 to mourn her loss and celebrate her life and legacy of 18 cubs, their descendants and the countless dedicated fans she inspired worldwide...

A moment of silence for 399.

Now for the third Nature nominee, Patrick and the Whale (Trailer) - LandxSea 2023.

Embark on an awe-inspiring journey into the world of whales with marine videographer Patrick Dykstra in this breathtaking documentary. Prompted by a profound encounter with "Dolores", a female sperm whale, Dykstra immerses himself in the pursuit of understanding these ocean giants. Veteran wildlife filmmaker Mark Fletcher’s lens beautifully captures the whales' intelligence, emotional depth, and complex social bonds. Beyond the visual spectacle, Dykstra grapples with ethical questions surrounding his research and our relationship with the natural world as he delves deeper. Don’t miss this odyssey that reveals the wonder and vulnerability of life beneath the waves.

"They're as close to aliens as we have on our own planet." I agree. We don't need to leave Earth to find non-human intelligence. It's right here in the cetaceans, elephants, great apes, and cephalopods.

Speaking of great apes and cephalopods, I'm moving out of alphabetical order to showcase the fourth nominee from Nature, Nature: Silverback - The Majestic Journey of Gorillas Trailer.

Join us in this captivating episode of Nature as we explore the incredible world of silverback gorillas! Discover the majestic lives of these remarkable creatures, their social structures, and the critical role they play in the ecosystem.

In Silverback, we delve into the daily lives of a silverback leader and his troop, highlighting their interactions, communication, and the challenges they face in the wild. From nurturing their young to defending their territory, witness the strength and grace of these gentle giants.

Highlighting the connection to Oscar winner My Octopus Teacher is smart marketing. I don't know if will be enough to propel this episode over the competition.

I close the trailer portion of this post with Mobilizing the Masses | Photographer | National Geographic, which I'm using as the trailer for "Paul Nicklen & Cristina Mittermeier: Win or Die" from Photographer on National Geographic.

Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier describe how, after posting their photography to social media, the response was tremendous. They mention how the emotional response to pictures can excite people to care about the planet.

That's moving, although in a different way than the trailer for Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story. It also explains why their work is important.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the nominations for Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story and Our Living World along with the top posts about entertainment on social media during the 2024-2025 blogging year.

'Earth's Worst Mass Extinction Is Actually a Warning' for Flashback Friday on Endangered Species Day

Happy Flashback Friday and Endangered Species Day! Instead of News & Doc Emmy Awards coverage today, I'm taking a paleontologist's perspective on the national day by sharing PBS Terra telling its viewers Earth's Worst Mass Extinction Is Actually a Warning.

There is a surprising natural wonder in the middle of the vast West Texas desert: a prehistoric ocean reef built from the remains of ancient sea life. This fossil-rich landscape tells the story of Earth's most devastating mass extinction—and can help enlighten the climate threats we face today.

I haven't blogged about the Permian mass extinction AKA The Great Dying since 2018. Seven years is long enough for a reminder of what could be the sixth mass extinction with humans as the asteroid.

The video description also included this call to action: "If you’re interested in supporting PBS’ mission, visit https://protectmypublicmedia.org/ to make your voice heard!" Public broadcasting in the United States is also an endangered species.

Follow over the jump for a retrospective of the most popular science and environment posts I shared on Instagram and Bluesky that I haven't recapped yet.

'Tsunami: Race Against Time' leads nominees for Outstanding Historical Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards for Throwback Thursday

I closed 'Apollo 13: Survival' leads nominees for Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards for Wayback Wednesday by telling my readers "Stay tuned for Throwback Thursday, when I plan on continuing my News & Doc Emmy Awards coverage along with another retrospective about entertainment." I resume with the remaining nominees for Outstanding Historical Documentary, beginning with the most nominated program, Tsunami: Race Against Time, which has two nominations including Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary. Watch the nominated Tsunami: Race Against Time | Official Trailer | National Geographic.

Marking 20 years since one of the deadliest natural disasters in history which spanned 14 countries, TSUNAMI: RACE AGAINST TIME provides a 360-degree view into the heart-stopping events of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The powerful series, from executive producers Tanya Winston and Danny Horan of multi-award-winning Blast Films and directed by Daniel Bogado, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker of Nat Geo’s “9/11: One Day in America,” features personal accounts from survivors, scientists who raced against time to understand the catastrophic disaster and warn the world, journalists who broke the shocking news, and the fearless rescuers who risked their lives to save others. Told minute by minute through harrowing video and gripping stories of survival and courage – some both seen and heard for the first time – the four-part series offers the most comprehensive and immersive look at the destructive wave as it surged across the ocean, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.

I'm not teaching geology this summer, but I'm scheduled to run three sections in the fall, so I plan on recommending this series to my geology students next semester for extra credit. Welcome to blogging as professional development.

Returning to the awards, I think it's a good sign that the same people who produced 9/11: One Day in America created Tsunami: Race Against Time and that series won both Outstanding Historical Documentary and Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Documentary. On that basis and it leading in nominations, it's my favorite to win at least Historical Documentary. It helps that The Sixth was removed from this category while retaining its nominations for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary and Best Documentary. I'll get to it in a future installment of this series.

The remaining three nominees have only this nomination, so I'm going through their trailers in alphabetical order beginning with An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th | Official Trailer | HBO.

"The Oklahoma City bombing was a crossroads.”

#AnAmericanBombingHBO: The Road to April 19th explores the surge in anti-government ideals and political violence in the 1980s, leading to the Oklahoma City bombing and continuing today.

Ugh, corn pone fascists. That written, this documentary examines a critical episode in their development.

Next, The women who changed the world while flying it | FLY WITH ME | American Experience | PBS.

At a time when single women were unable to order a drink or eat alone in a restaurant, own a credit card or get a prescription for birth control, becoming a stewardess offered unheard-of opportunity and adventure. Maligned as feminist sellouts, “stewardesses,” as they were called, knew different: they were on the frontlines of a battle to assert gender equality and transform the workplace.

Featuring firsthand accounts, personal stories and a rich archive, FLY WITH ME tells a lively, fun and important but neglected history of the women who changed the world while flying it.

I agree with the video description; this looks like serious fun, especially compared to the other nominees, which are serious and scary, if not downright tragic.

Today's final trailer is Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War | Official Trailer | Netflix.

From Luminant Media and director Brian Knappenberger, comes the definitive documentary on the Cold War and its aftermath post the collapse of the Soviet Union leading to the rise of Vladimir Putin. Featuring interviews with prominent politicians, journalists, and the people who lived through history, this series is an exploration of the decades-long conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union framed by current events that reveal the Cold War continues and the world remains on the precipice of nuclear war.

Multi-Oscar-winning Oppenheimer just told the beginning of the story. The rest of the story is still unfolding, 80 years on. Like all the rest of the nominees, it exemplifies the truth of the William Faulkner quote, "The past is never dead. It's not even past." Because of the subject's continuing relevance, along with its trailer having the most views of any of the nominees, it's my pick to upset Tsunami: Race Against Time.*


Tsunami: Race Against Time is up against very stiff competition in this category, particularly Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story with six nominations, The Grab with four including Best Documentary, and Blink with two. The rest have just this one nomination. I plan on examining this category at least three more times, so I'm holding off on handicapping the nominees until I see all of them.

Follow over the jump for a retrospective of the most read entries from the back catalog with an emphasis on those with an entertainment theme.

I begin with an entry I covered in My Saturn Awards preferences and predictions vs. the winners for Flashback Friday.

'Apollo 13: Survival' leads nominees for Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards for Wayback Wednesday

Happy Wayback Wednesday! As I wrote yesterday, "I have three days of entertainment-themed retrospectives planned this week as I begin my coverage of the News and Documentary Emmy Awards nominees." I begin with the nominees for Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary.

Apollo 13: Survival has the most nominations among the nominees in this category with four. As the preview image shows, they are Outstanding Editing – Documentary, Outstanding Sound – Documentary, and Scenic Design – Documentary in addition to Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary. Because of that, it's my pick to win. Then again, Good Night Oppy had six nominations and was my pick to win this category two years ago, but it lost to How to Survive a Pandemic while still winning Outstanding Sound and Outstanding Writing: Documentary. I hope that doesn't happen to Apollo 13: Survival, whose trailer I'm sharing.

Using original footage and interviews, this documentary tells the nail-biting story of Apollo 13 and the struggle to bring its astronauts safely home.

As I wrote in Apollo 14 50 years later for Moon Day 2021, "That's a gripping story, which is probably why [Apollo 13] was a more successful film than "First Man," both at the box office and at the Oscars."

The next most nominated documentary in this category is The Space Race from National Geographic, which earned two nominations, Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary and Outstanding Writing – Documentary. Based on that criterion, it's the main competition for Apollo 13: Survival. Here's its trailer.

"The Space Race" uncovers the little-known stories of the first Black pilots, engineers and scientists that became astronauts. "The Space Race" will debut on National Geographic on February 12 before streaming on Disney+ and Hulu the following day.

That's an important story to tell, and I'm glad it included the contributions of Nichelle Nichols to recruiting astronauts of color in general and African-Americans in particular. I'm not sure it will beat Apollo 13: Survival.

The remaining three nominees have only this nomination. The first in alphabetical order is the "Anand Varma: Hidden Wonders" episode of Photographer on National Geographic. I'm sharing the clip It Looks Like a Velociraptor Foot in lieu of a proper trailer.

Anand Varma captures the development and heartbeat of a chicken embryo within an unshelled yolk. The first trial failing, the photographer eventually succeeds to the stage of what to him looks like the foot of a dinosaur.

Check out the full episode of Photographer, Season 1 Episode 2, "Anand Varma: Hidden Wonders" on Disney+! Anand figures out how to photograph an egg developing into a baby chick.

I include embryology in my lectures about evolution, so I might show this to my students. National Geographic has another clip from the show about honeybees that I might use for World Bee Day or World Honey Bee Day.

Next is the "Hunt for the Oldest DNA" episode of NOVA on PBS, which I've watched in its entirety. I'm not embedding the full documentary, just Hunt for the Oldest DNA | PBS NOVA Trailer (2024).

Two decades ago, Eske Willerslev had a radical idea: Could DNA, the fragile chemical code of life, survive intact in frozen sediment for millennia? Fellow scientists called him crazy, but the Danish biologist set out to prove everybody wrong, and his perseverance paid off.

This is the only episode of NOVA nominated and I agree it's probably the best one of 2024. It's also the nominee with the most important science. That written, it's not likely to win the most votes, since most of the electorate will judge the nominees for their cinematic and journalistic merit, not their scientific value. As I reiterate nearly every time I write about awards shows, electorates matter.

I circle back to Netflix for the final nominee, What's Next? The Future with Bill Gates. Watch its trailer.

In What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates, the tech visionary and global health and climate philanthropist invites viewers to join him on a learning journey to explore pressing issues facing our world today. Across five episodes, Gates delves into the promise and risks of artificial intelligence; the pervasive challenge of misinformation and the underlying complexity of defining truth in an era of social media; the scale of the climate crisis and the potential of cutting-edge technologies to solve it; the injustice of income inequality and the opportunities to tackle poverty; and how science and innovation is leading to cures for deadly diseases. Featuring insights and commentary from some of the world’s most renowned scientists, politicians, thinkers, journalists, medical professionals, artists and more, and executive produced by Oscar winner Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom), What’s Next? offers a glimpse into a more promising and equitable future.

I have two reactions. First, Bill Gates is a Crazy Eddie. That's a compliment coming from me. Second, of all the nominees with just this one nomination, it's the one most likely to upset Apollo 13: Survival.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the nominations for Apollo 13: Survival and The Space Race along with the most viewed entries about awards shows posted between March 21, 2024 and March 20, 2025, the blogging year just ended.

WeightWatchers files for bankruptcy, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse (and Ozempic)

I telegraphed today's topic as an aside in 'SNL' celebrates Mother's Day 2025.

It didn't take long for weight loss drugs like Ozempic to drive Weight Watchers into bankruptcy. Since they operate brick-and-mortar locations, they're now another candidate for my Retail Apocalypse coverage. Add that to my to-do list.

I begin my crossing off by sharing TODAY reporting WeightWatchers files for bankruptcy to shed $1B+ in debt.

WeightWatchers, a major cultural force that went beyond the fitness space that’s been around for more than 60 years, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a bid to shed more than $1 billion in debt and reposition itself in the industry. “We are going through this transaction to strengthen our financial foundation for WeightWatchers moving forward so that we can innovate and compete and continue to invest in our business,” president and CEO Tara Comonte says. NBC’s Christine Romans reports for TODAY.

WeightWatchers decided that if they couldn't beat Ozempic and other weight loss drugs, they'd join them. Too bad things moved so quickly that they were late to that party.

Since I live in metro Detroit, I'm adding a local perspective with CBS Detroit also reporting WeightWatchers is filing for bankruptcy.

Weight Watchers, a weight loss program with a history of over 60 years, has entered the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. WW says services for members will continue.

"All good things come to an end." I don't think WeightWatchers filing for bankruptcy will be the end of the company, at least for now. There will still be a need for its services, as the panelists on The View pointed out in WeightWatchers Files For Bankruptcy.

#TheView co-hosts react to injectable weight loss drugs becoming so popular that WeightWatchers filled for bankruptcy.

The panelists did a good job of humanizing the issue and explaining how weight loss drugs are not the answer for everyone because of affordability and individual reactions to the medications. Behavioral modification, including diet, will still be on the menu, pun intended. At least Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump is trying to do something about drug affordability, which I'm adding to ending minting pennies and daylight saving time among his few good ideas. Even a stuck clock is right twice a day, and Hoover Cleveland is definitely a stuck clock.

Stay tuned for Wayback Wednesday tomorrow. I have three days of entertainment-themed retrospectives planned this week as I begin my coverage of the News and Documentary Emmy Awards nominees.

2024's most popular baby names for Mother's Day Monday

I'm not done with Mother's Day. It's time for this year's edition of Social Security's top ten U.S. baby names of 2023 for Mother's Day weekend, beginning with the Social Security Administration's (SSA) blog post, Olivia and Liam Remain Most Popular Baby Names for 2024.

Olivia and Liam are once again America’s most popular baby names of the year. 2024 marks the sixth consecutive year that families chose to stick with both familiar names. Also, for the sixth consecutive year, Emma took the second slot for girls, and Noah for boys.

The girls’ name Luna has dropped from its spot among the Top 10, replaced by Sofia which enters at number 10 for the first time.

I found two videos from The Everymom that list last year's most popular baby names down to 20th place. The good news is that they add the meanings of the names, how long they've been in the top twenty (or ten), and how many places they've moved. The bad news is that they mistakenly claim that they are this year's most popular names. Oops. The SSA won't know that until next May.

First, The 20 Most Popular Baby Girl Names of 2025.

It’s always an exciting time of year when the Social Security Administration (SSA) https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/ releases its list of the 1,000 most popular baby girl names of the year. Expectant parents might use the SSA list for baby name inspiration or parents might look to see where their kid’s name falls on this year’s list. Others might simply be curious: Will Olivia will hold onto her spot as the top baby girl name for another year? Will Luna keep inching her way up the list? Or will another celestial-inspired name climb the charts? Keep watching to find out.

Using data from each year’s social security card applications, the United States federal agency ranks the most popular names given to both baby girls and baby boys from the previous year. But if you’re thinking that you don’t want to commit your kid to a childhood of name-sharing with 20 others in her school, don’t worry. While the list brims with U.S. parents’ top picks, each name only accounts for 1-2% of all baby names given that year.

Next, The 20 Most Popular Baby Boy Names of 2025.

I remember looking for the perfect baby boy name when I was pregnant and feeling totally lost. We poured through countless baby name books, took suggestions from family and friends, and still came up empty. If you’re looking for a name, the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s list of most popular boy names is a great place to start.

When choosing a baby name, checking the Social Security Administration (SSA) website may not be your first thought. But each year, this organization pulls together the list of the most popular boy and girl names given to the prior year’s crop of newborns. The SSA baby name list https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/ is usually released right before Mother’s Day using compiled data from the previous year’s United States social security applications.

If the popularity of a name gives you pause, consider that even the top baby names account for only a small percentage of each year’s newborns. For example, Liam, the top boy baby name for the eighth year in a row, only accounted for 1.2 percent of all babies born last year.

So while your child won’t have the world’s most unique baby name, they won’t get lost in a sea of kids with the same name either. Climbing up the charts for the year are Truce, Colsen, Bryer, Halo, and Azaiah.

Whether you’re at the start of your naming journey, or in the throes of decision fatigue, take a moment to read through the boy names parents around the U.S. used the most in last year.

Mateo, which I've been tracking for a while, slipped from sixth to seventh. Xiomara, which I've also been following, fell from 402 to 432 after rising for seven years. Both of those names came from Jane the Virgin, and I guess its popularity is finally waning. At least the name Jane itself continued its climb from 281 last year to 269.

The Everymom listed the top five boy's names that increased the most in popularity, but not the girl's names. SSA's blog post at least mentioned the girl's name that topped that chart.

Each year, the list also reveals the names that increased the most in popularity. Among those rising in popularity for girls, Ailany, which means ‘chief’, topped the list. The boys’ name Truce, which means ‘peace’, rose an incredible 11,118 spots from last year’s position, cracking the top 1,000 at number 991 overall.

Here are the top ten boy's and girl's names that increased in popularity between 2023 and 2024.


Not only did Ailany come in first on this list, variants Aylani and Ailani came in second and tenth. All of them look Hawaiian or Polynesian, so I wondered if the popularity of Moana contributed to this. I could find no one by any of those names in the two films, so maybe parents searched for Hawaiian girl's names and retrieved them. If so, the effect is indirect.

I close with a quote from the SSA press release.

“As Mother’s Day nears, we remember the incredible impact that mothers have on our lives,” said Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano. “Growing up with a working mom, I witnessed firsthand the dedication, resilience, and balance it takes to juggle both career and family. Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible mothers in our lives who inspire us and set an example for future generations.”

That's a sweet quote, but it reminds me that I sarcastically asked "What shall we give up for Lent, Social Security?" That hasn't happened, yet. May Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano not be the one that makes that happen for real.

I plan on revisiting baby names for Father's Day, so stay tuned.

'SNL' celebrates Mother's Day 2025

Happy Mother's Day! I'm celebrating with highlights of last night's Saturday Night Live, beginning with Trump Mother's Day Cold Open.

A mother's day message from Kenan Thompson, Bowen Yang and Marcello Hernández gets interrupted by President Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson).

Of course Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump would make it about himself. At least the viewers got the return of Cecily Strong to play Jeanine Pirro. As I wrote two days ago, "Break out the w(h)ine!"

The Mother's Day celebration continued with Walton Goggins Monologue.

First-time host Walton Goggins talks about his character in The White Lotus and becoming a sex symbol in his 50s before dancing with his mom for Mother's Day.

That was fun, sweet, and short. I like all three!

Follow over the jump for Weekend Update and selected skits.

What Stephen Miller does in the shadows, a DailyShowography

I closed Lydic, Colbert, Meyers, and Kimmel take closer looks at the first American Pope for Flashback Friday with a program note for today: "Stay tuned for a non-retrospective entry tomorrow, maybe the one about Stephen Miller I mentioned in the footnote to 'SNL' mocks Trump's executive orders during his second first 100 days." Here's the footnote and its setup.

JD Vance...still isn't as creepy as Stephen Miller.*
...
*The Daily Show has a video about Miller, which plays up how creepy he is, that I might share.

Given that Miller has said that the Administration is considering suspending habeas corpus, that video is even more timely than ever. Watch Stephen Miller: Sucking the Blood Out of American Democracy.

From the dark halls of Santa Monica to the caves of the Trump administration, Stephen Miller has been working in the shadows as the White House Chief of Staff. From influencing election denial to mass deportations, can Stephen Miller’s vampiric bite kill American democracy?

This is right up there with the three DailyShowographies I embedded in Dailyshowographies of Tim Walz and JD Vance plus 'The Daily Show's Emmy Awards in terms of story-telling through creative editing and voice-over. I fully expect at least one of the segments featuring Tim Walz, JD Vance, and Stephen Miller will earn a nomination for Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment) in July. That's the good. The bad is that he's a threat to rule of law, which I think is even more fundamental than democracy in securing both liberty and security. In that way, he mirrors his boss, who has benefited from due process while denying it to others. The ugly, other than Miller himself, is that the corn pone part of corn pone fascist may not apply to him, although going to Duke University in North Carolina might qualify him, the fascist part certainly does.

That was the silly part of today's coverage. PBS NewsHour provides the serious part in Top Trump adviser suggests White House could suspend habeas corpus to deport migrants.

The Trump administration again escalated its fight with the judiciary. In stunning remarks, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said they are considering suspending habeas corpus for migrants contesting detentions. Miller’s comments come as judges across the country have blocked major parts of President Trump’s immigration agenda. Laura Barrón-López reports.

Yikes! Actually hearing Miller propose such an action, which requires approval from Congress, makes it even more chilling.

That's a wrap for today's post. Stay tuned for highlights of tonight's Saturday Night Live, which will both filter the week's news through comedy and celebrate Mother's Day.

Lydic, Colbert, Meyers, and Kimmel take closer looks at the first American Pope for Flashback Friday

Happy Flashback Friday! I set up today's post in the middle of 'Conclave' — fiction vs. reality, when I wrote "I expect I'll return to the topic once the real conclave elects a new Pope." That happened yesterday with the election of Leo XIV. Without any further ado, I begin the videos with The Daily Show's First American Pope Makes History and MAGA Catholics Already Have Issues.

Desi Lydic has the latest from the Vatican after the announcement of the first American pope, Leo XIV, including the world's reaction to a Chicago-style pope and Fox News immediately yelling at him to speak English. Plus, Michael Kosta celebrates America's conclave win.

The Pope told off JD Vance? I like him already.

Unlike Michael Kosta, Stephen Colbert is Catholic, and he weighed in with White Smoke! | The Chicago Pope | Melania Absent While Donald Handles First Lady Duties.

The new Pope is an American from Chicago, and Melania Trump is M.I.A. so her husband has taken on tasks traditionally managed by the First Lady.

"Pope-S-A! Pope-S-A! Pope-S-A!" and "Daa prayers" — classic. On the other hand, Stephen repeating Desi Lydic's line about "English being good enough for Jesus" is enough to bring out my inner pedant to say "Well, actually, Jesus probably spoke Aramaic," complete with pushing up my glasses.

As for the First Lady being at the White House for a total of two weeks out of the first 100 days, I'm not surprised. I wrote Melania Trump prefers Trump Tower to the White House more than eight years ago. Some things haven't changed.

Before I move on, the nomination of Casey Means to be Surgeon General after Dr. Janette Nesheiwat withdrew shows two things; first, the influence of RFK Jr. remains strong, and, second, things can get worse. I can say the same about the replacement of Ed Martin with Jeanine Pirro as Interim U.S. Attorney for D.C. Break out the w(h)ine!

It wouldn't be a closer look post without Seth Meyers, so here's New Pope Criticized JD Vance; Conclave Upstages Trump's Underwhelming U.K. Trade Deal: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at Donald Trump announcing a meaningless trade deal with the United Kingdom, which is the first deal he's reached after claiming he already had 200, and him getting upstaged by the new pope.

Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump deserved to be upstaged. I'm not so sure about UK Prime Minster Keir Starmer, who I mentioned here for the first time since his election, although he was boring. I hope he feels like his country got something out of the deal. Hoover Cleveland probably does; he might buy a Rolls-Royce because of it.

I close the video portion of today's post with Jimmy Kimmel's Trump Reveals First Trade Agreement, MAGA Nuts Lose Minds Over New Pope & MTG’s Dumb-assery.

A new Pope was selected and he’s American, thousands of worshippers gathered in St. Peter’s Square to welcome the new holy father, right wing social media is losing its collective mind because the new Pope cares for the poor and the sick and the plight of immigrants, Trump announced his first trade deal today with the UK, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was not able to be at the White House but he did call in to kiss some ass, Trump blamed Pete Buttigieg for all of the issues at Newark Airport, several of Pete Hegseth’s personal passwords have been compromised by cyberattacks, Klan Mom Marjorie Taylor Greene put on a magnificent display of dumb-assery, Trump has an important Mother’s Day message, and Jimmy’s wife Molly gives a helpful hint for how to make this the best Mother’s Day ever.

Not only did the new Pope criticize Vance, he criticized Hoover Cleveland. I like him even more. Speaking of criticism, fake Starmer was a lot more entertaining than the real one. So was Representative Melanie Stansbury, who showed that Hoover Cleveland isn't the only politician who can be fooled by a doctored photo and then insist they weren't fooled. "Who you gonna believe, me or your own eyes?" was a lot funnier when Chico Marx said it.

Because of the criticism of VP Vance combined with the election of the Pope, today's retrospective covers last year's most read shares of blog posts on social media about the 2024 election I haven't already covered. Follow over the jump.

Meyers, Lydic, and Kimmel take closer looks at meeting with Canadian Prime Minister on Throwback Thursday

Happy Throwback Thursday! Before I take a look back at last year's blogging, I'm sharing Carney Tells Trump Canada "Not for Sale," Trump Offends Catholics with AI Pope Image: A Closer Look from Seth Meyers.

Seth takes a closer look at Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, telling Donald Trump that Canada will never be the 51st state.

Time for me to repeat my crackpot idea about incorporating Canada into the U.S. from Meyers, The Daily Show, and Kimmel take closer looks at Trump's designs on Greenland and Canada.

I'd only be in favor of that if each Canadian province were admitted as the 53rd through 62nd states after Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. That's only slightly more likely than "a new constitution that replaces the republic with a constitutional monarchy and invite[s] Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor to be Queen." Monkeys will fly out of my butt first.

I amended that with "maybe not Prince Edward Island; they might have to rejoin Nova Scotia first." Also, anyone who thinks Canadians are nice, polite people have never seen them at a hockey game!

The Daily Show examined the meeting in Canada PM Carney Friend-Zones Trump & Real ID Brings Out the Karens the night before.

Desi Lydic recaps Trump's oblivious reaction to getting friend-zoned by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and prepares for a summer of s***ty air travel as the Real ID deadline approaches and Newark Airport spirals into more chaos.

"You never met her, because she lives up in Canada — oh, that excuse doesn't work." That sounds familiar — "my girlfriend goes to another school/was in summer camp with me/lives in Canada, so you don't know her. I resemble that last remark; the ex-girlfriend I write about the most was living in Canada while we were dating." As for the rest of the segment, I'm glad I got Real ID two years ago and the crash in January was only the beginning of problems with air travel.

I close the above the jump part of this post with Jimmy Kimmel's monologue, Trump Makes Hollywood Great Again & Canadian Prime Minister Shuts Down Becoming 51st State.

The stars came out for the annual Met Gala last night and there were many creatively-preposterous outfits on display, Jimmy has thoughts on people using the word “giving,” Trump met with new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House, he is planning to slap a 100% on any movies filmed outside the United States, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent might need to be unplugged and plugged back in, Trump had a press conference to announce that the 2027 NFL Draft will take place on the National Mall in DC, he signed an executive order aimed raising awareness for mental health, Skype is now in internet heaven, and in honor of Teacher Appreciation Day we give Americans the chance to apologize to their teachers.

Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump's proposal to assess 100% tariffs on movies produced overseas will hurt Canada, especially Vancouver, who benefits from American studios shooting films and TV shows there, as I described in Vox explains 'Why your favorite movies fake their locations' plus the Leo Awards. That might not work out the way Hoover Cleveland thinks it will. I might get to that later. In the meantime, follow over the jump for a retrospective of last year's most read comedy posts about the 2024 election where Hoover Cleveland was not the focus, just to remind my readers of the alternative.

'Last Week Tonight' examines 'Trump & Deportations' for Wayback Wednesday

Happy Wayback Wednesday! I'm featuring Last Week Tonight with John Oliver examining Trump & Deportations, which I could have used for Cinco De Mayo but I'm happier to use it today.

John Oliver discusses the recent deportations by the Trump administration, the conditions in the facility people are being sent to abroad, and why even Henry Winkler could be in danger of being expelled from the U.S. Yeah, even national treasure Henry Winkler.

Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump insisting that the photoshopped "MS-13" on Kilmar Abrego Garcia's hand is real reminds me of what I've written before, "the voices in his head are not reliable sources. Neither are the real people he listens to." All of them are advocating for "speed, volume, and spectacle" in the service of "the cruelty is the point." All of them, especially Hoover Cleveland, have gotten worse this time around. This includes going after citizens, mistakenly or not, and denying due process to those targeted for deportation. As Oliver said, this is an outrage.

Follow over the jump for a retrospective of the top posts on social media featuring Last Week Tonight with John Oliver between March 21, 2024 and March 20, 2025 that I missed in Vox asks 'RFK Jr. is in charge of vaccines. What now?' A Wayback Wednesday special.

Randy Rainbow sings 'Incompetent!'

Change of plans — instead of Revenge of the Sixth, I'm featuring Randy Rainbow singing Incompetent!

Parody of “Impossible” from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein)

"Let me just get this gay: Are you telling me sir, that you looked for these loose lipped leakers? After your lapse leaked the logs that launched a liability? And now you and your loyalists are loudly labeling these leakers legally liable for leaking libelous leaks?" LOL! Randy likes alliteration even more than I do! Also, what Randy was mocking serves as yet another example of Projection is the Right's favorite defense mechanism. As I wrote in Colbert, Meyers, Kosta, and Kimmel take closer looks at Mike Waltz being fired on Flashback Friday, "Once a leaker, always a leaker, often a leaker.' Yeah, Kegseth, you'd know."

Randy turned his satirical sights on more than Pete Hegseth, targeting RFK Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, JD Vance, Kristi Noem, Pam Bondi, and the rest of Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump's cabinet, as well as Hoover Cleveland himself. Good, they all deserve it.

I wanted to see if the Marsh Family had anything to say about Whiskeyleaks and they did. Watch and listen to "You Were Not Supposed to Message It Through" - Marsh Family parody of the Bee Gees on #Signalgate.

Here’s a song about #Signalgate – the flamboyant US security breach – adapted from one of our all-time favourite Bee Gees tracks, titled “You Were Not Supposed to Message it Through!” A quick parody turnaround, but only five of us singing as Alfie (actually our hands-down best fake Bee Gee) is currently away, and will be annoyed. One day we’ll have a proper go with instruments live, but for now this will have to suffice as a post-work / post-school knockup.

The fantastic original, "Gotta Get a Message to You", with its uplifting modulations and incredible layered harmonies, was released in 1968 and got to number one in the UK and the top ten in the US. Apparently it’s actually about someone on death row, though we never realised this until today. Nor that there are some other lower harmonies in later verses that are a bit raspy, which we had fun with.

Looking forward to the promised remake, if not more from Kegseth.

I can't completely ignore today's Star Wars special day, so I'm closing with Nerdist's ALL ABOUT THAT BASE (Star Wars Parody - Meghan Trainor's All About That Bass).

Nerdist Presents Team Unicorn's Star Wars parody of Meghan Trainor's All About That Bass. No Rebels.

May the Farce be with you!

Stay tuned for Wayback Wednesday tomorrow.

Cinco De Mayo parades canceled in Chicago and Philadelphia because of ICE fears, but go on elsewhere, including Detroit

¡Feliz Cinco De Mayo! Despite the cheerful greeting, this is not an entirely happy holiday. ABC7 Chicago explains why in Chicago Cinco de Mayo Parade canceled over Trump immigration policy fears, organizers say.

The 2025 Chicago Cinco de Mayo Parade in Little Village is canceled due to fears over President Donald Trump's immigration policies, organizers said.

It's not just Chicago. Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reported St. Paul Cinco De Mayo parade still planned after Chicago, Philly cancel over ICE.

The St. [Paul] Cinco De Mayo parade is still planned even though some in the community have concerns about the prevalence of ICE during festivities.

The parade happened, as WCCO - CBS Minnesota reported in St. Paul celebrates Mexican heritage with Cinco de Mayo festivities.

Cinco de Mayo celebrations were taking place in St. Paul with food, music, dancing and culture.

It also happened where I live, as CBS Detroit reported Cinco de Mayo parade in Detroit attracts thousands despite rain.

This year marks the 60th annual Cinco de Mayo parade in Southwest Detroit, which commemorates Mexico’s victory over France in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

Looks like the attendees in both St. Paul and Detroit had a fun time in defiance of Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump's xenophobic immigration policies. They didn't allow Hoover Cleveland and his Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to mess with their entertainment. As I first wrote in 2011, "America is quite clear about its screwed up priorities­. My experience has convinced me that the surest way to get Americans to act is to mess with their entertainm­ent."

That was a positive ending to this sad story. Let's see if it's happy enough for me to skip ahead to Revenge of the Sixth or if I feel like I need to write a drum corps holiday post to cheer me up more. Stay tuned.

'SNL' mocks Trump's executive orders during his second first 100 days

As I telegraphed twice, I'm sharing highlights of last night's Saturday Night Live. I begin, like the show itself, with Trump Executive Orders Cold Open.

President Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson) shares his accomplishments for his first 100 days in office and signs new executive orders.

SNL managed the difficult task of making satire more ridiculous than realty, but watching this skit reminded me that a lot of Trump's executive orders have implemented Project 2025. Also, "bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes" may seem silly — Columbus Day never ceased being a federal holiday — but I'm sure Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump is serious about reversing the trend to celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead. I'm sure he disliked it when Christopher Columbus was one of the targets in 2020, when I observed I haven't seen this many statues fall since the end of the Cold War.

James Austin Johnson's "Trump" told a Conclave joke. Johnson just threw away the line, but Weekend Update: Trump Shares AI Generated Image of Himself as Pope turned it into a top story.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like Elon Musk stepping away from D.O.G.E.

I second what Colin Jost said, from the AI image of Hoover Cleveland as the Pope being disrepectful to staying away from JD Vance, who still isn't as creepy as Stephen Miller.* The rest of the segment replayed the week's greatest hits with the exception of Mike Waltz being fired. As I observed in 'SNL' mocks the Signal group chat in its cold open and Weekend Update, "Where's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz? Didn't he start the group chat? I guess he's not known, disliked, or funny enough to be parodied in the skit." I guess we'll have to wait until Pete Hegseth loses his job.

Kanye West complaining about his dentist qualifies today's entry as the Sunday entertainment feature, but the lead story in Diddy’s Trial Kicks Off, US Navy Loses Fighter Jet cements it.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like Uber offering free rides for teens to prom.

So does the minting of Superman coins and medals, which has been in the works since last year. Hoover Cleveland deserves neither credit nor blame. That goes to Joe Biden.

The first interview returned to serious topics with Michael Longfellow on Real ID.

Michael Longfellow stops by Weekend Update to explain why he refuses to get a Real ID.

"What is wrong with you?" "How much time do you have?" "No more." Darn.

Weekend Update ended with Two Applebee's Barflies Darlene and Duke.

Two Applebee's Barflies, Darlene and Duke (Bowen Yang, Sarah Sherman), stop by Weekend Update to discuss the recent string of casual dining restaurants declaring bankruptcies.

No, Applebee's itself isn't joining Hooters, Red Lobster, and TGI Fridays in bankruptcy, but at least two of its franchisees have and closed locations. The Retail Apocalypse, restaurant division, strikes again!

Follow over the jump for more highlights.

1978 Madison Scouts for Star Wars Day

Happy Star Wars Day and May the Fourth be with you! For this year's celebration, I'm returning to drum corps after last year's 'Star Wars' political signs for Star Wars Day 2024 with Madison Scouts 1978 @ Miscellaneous Corps SIngles Star Wars.


As I wrote two years ago, "I love my 1978 North Star, but I wanted to hear another corps take on the material today."

Stay tuned for highlights of last night's Saturday Night Live.

Elissa Slotkin on 'The Daily Show' plus her being the most 'establishment' Senator

I closed the body of Colbert, Meyers, Kosta, and Kimmel take closer looks at Mike Waltz being fired on Flashback Friday with a recycled program note.

I mentioned that "Slotkin has replaced Kyrsten Sinema as the most 'Establishment' Senator caucusing with Democrats. That deserves a post of its own" in Stewart, Meyers, Colbert, and Kimmel take closer looks at Trump's first 100 days for Wayback Wednesday. I might write that tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Here's the clip that inspired me to write that, Sen. Elissa Slotkin - Alpha Energy, Tuning In & Responsible vs. Reckless Change | The Daily Show.

“We don’t have the right to tune out when previous generations fought and fought and fought.” Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, the youngest Democratic female serving in the U.S. Senate, joins Michael Kosta to share her perspective on the current state of national security and the Democratic agenda moving forward. The senator explains why voters are looking for Democrats with alpha energy (“You don’t have to be a male to [have] alpha energy,” she says), how President Trump’s tariff policy is “slow-rolling us into a recession,” responsible vs. reckless change, and the importance of tuning in during challenging times.

I think Senator Slotkin did well in one of the friendlier interviews I've seen on The Daily Show — fellow Michigander Jordan Klepper might have been as cordial, but Desi Lydic and especially Jon Stewart might have grilled her harder — but Kosta avoided asking about her suggesting that Democrats should avoid mentioning oligarchy, which got Bernie Sanders and AOC to tell her off. It also garnered a lot of hostile comments on the YouTube upload, only one of which I'll repeat, eyuin5716: "Slotkin needs to go home. I’m not interested in playing footsie with the modern day Kyrstin Sinema." EYuin, you have no idea, especially which Senator Sinema, the Democrat or the independent, you're comparing Slotkin to. If it's Sinema the Democrat, the better comparison in the current Senate would be John Fetterman, who Voteview describes as "the most conservative Democrat of the 119th Senate." He's moved up and to the right since 2024. If it's Sinema the independent, then you're on to something. Slotkin is not only the youngest female Democratic Senator, she's also the most "establishment" (conservative on Voteview's second dimension) Senator, Democrat, Republican, or independent. Look at the chart below.


This is nearly identical to her position on the second dimension when she was in the House, so her Senate voting record should come as no surprise.


It should also come as no surprise that Slotkin would come into conflict with AOC, who, along with the rest of "The Squad," are at the opposite extreme along the second dimension, making them the most anti-establishment members of the House. The establishment politician would support the current power structure, especially regarding national security and foreign policy, while the anti-establishment ones would oppose it. The current power structure would oppose mentioning oligarchy, while its opponents would make it a central issue.

I have two "for what it's worth" observations about this. First, at least between Slotkin and "The Squad," this is not a Left-Right (first dimension in Voteview) issue. Slotkin's ideological (first dimension) score both as a Senator and as a House member is -0.338, more conservative than 63% of Democrats in the 119th Senate and more conservative than 65% of Democrats in the 118th House. In contrast, AOC's ideological score is -0.319, more conservative than 66% of Democrats in the 119th House and 71% of Democrats in the 118th House. Yes, AOC is to the right of Slotkin, at least according to Voteview's algorithm. Surprise!

Second, this is a fight over tactics and tone, not goals. Slotkin, Sanders, and "The Squad" all oppose Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump and the threat to democracy and the rule of law he poses; they're just arguing over the most effective way to do so.

Stay tuned to see if I blog about Star Wars Day or the highlights of tonight's Saturday Night Live. Maybe I can do both!

Colbert, Meyers, Kosta, and Kimmel take closer looks at Mike Waltz being fired on Flashback Friday

Happy Flashback Friday! I'm revisiting 'SNL' mocks the Signal group chat in its cold open and Weekend Update and LegalEagle contrasts 'Signal War Plans vs. Hillary's Emails' for Throwback Thursday today, beginning with Stephen Colbert's monologue, Trump Ousts Mike Waltz | Stockpiling Toilet Paper | Bondi's Fentanyl Formula | Gorilla vs. 100 Men.

President Trump ousted National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and gave the job to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, officials are hoarding supplies ahead of an expected spike in prices, someone needs to check Attorney General Pam Bondi's math, and Stephen weighs in on a question that is burning up the internet.

First, as I wrote in John Oliver examines RFK Jr. & HHS, "Hoover Cleveland will only do the right thing for the wrong reasons." Instead of firing Waltz for using Signal instead of government email, I'm sure he replaced him with Marco Rubio because he included Editor of the Atlantic Jeffrey Goldberg and let the public know about the chat. Second, nominating Waltz to be Ambassador to the United Nations is a promotion, not a firing. I don't know if he'll be an improvement over Elise Stefanik. Probably not.

I'll get to Pam Bondi later. In the meantime, officials hoarding toilet paper is a bad sign of trouble ahead, even if China has very little to do with toilet paper. Also, I'm a biologist, so I'm supporting what the experts are saying about gorillas, as much fun as 100 men vs. a gorilla sounds.

I turn next to Seth Meyers in Trump Ousts Waltz After Signal Scandal, Says Kids Don’t Need Toys Affected by Tariffs: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at turmoil and confusion in Trump's White House after he announced he was moving his scandal-plagued national security adviser to a different job.

"Once a leaker, always a leaker, often a leaker." Yeah, Kegseth, you'd know.

Hoover Cleveland's callous remarks about Christmas presents is another bad economic sign. It's also enough to earn him the nickname "Donnie Two Dolls." Now I'm thinking of Sugar and Spice, Two-Face's girlfriends from Batman Forever.


That may not be as effective as comparing Hoover Cleveland to The Grinch or Marie Antoinette. I'm looking forward to the memes already.

I'm continuing with The Daily Show's Mike Waltz Leaves the Group Chat for a U.N. One & Trump’s Town Hall Gets Racist.

Michael Kosta continues TDS coverage of Trump’s 100th day in office with reports from NewsNation’s town hall, where the president racially slighted Stephen A. Smith, as well as details on Mike Waltz’s exit and subsequent United Nations promotion, and Pam Bondi’s ridiculous claims about fentanyl deaths.

Stupid racism from Hoover Cleveland at a town hall? I'll let Iago respond for me.


Speaking of stupid, Bondi's math on fentanyl rests on very shaky assumptions, and it just gets worse. That doesn't stop him from believing it. As I've said before, "the voices in his head are not reliable sources. Neither are the real people he listens to." That includes Bondi.

I close with Jimmy Kimmel's Trump Fires His First Cabinet Member, Gets Protested Across Country & Called a "Man of DEEP FAITH!"

Thousands of concerned citizens joined shoulders across America to protest our dear leader and his minions, employees at the FEC will soon be required to report their location every day, Trump headed to Mar-A-Lago today for another three day weekend, Elon is dialing back his DOGE duties to focus on his own disaster of a company, Don Jr is co-founding an exclusive members only club in Washington D.C., all of America’s most prominent religious figures were at the White House today for a “National Day of Prayer,” Dr. Phil claimed that Trump is a man of deep faith, NewsNation had a town hall where Trump talked about how much people who are “Black” love him, a deal was signed with Ukraine for rights to their rare earth minerals, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz is OUT, longtime anchor Steve Doocy made a major announcement this morning on Fox & Friends, and it’s time for our now-beloved tradition, the “Can You Believe What Month it Is” montage for May.

I'm glad to see Jimmy K. report on the May Day protests. All the other late-night hosts missed them in their monologues, but they're on the East Coast. Jimmy is southern California, so he has three more hours to catch up on the news.