As the Supreme Court prepares to announce some of its most politically explosive decisions in decades‚ two justices from different ideological wings of the court sought to assure Americans Friday that the court is not riven by partisan feuds. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Amy Coney Barrett appeared on stage together at the National Governors Association conference in Washington to argue that the Supreme Court’s practice of civil collaboration on contentious issues can be a model for other...

A singer's singer‚ according to Franklin. The post The musician Aretha Franklin said “all singers aspired to be” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

Divine inspiration from the Starman. The post Gary Numan picks his favourite David Bowie album first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

A poignant and reflective blueprint. The post Bono’s favourite John Lennon song: “I’ve been writing versions of this all my life” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

A simple little song. The post The Beatles song Paul McCartney calls “a complete tune” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

There will be not one... but four new films focused on the iconic band‚ The Beatles.

The Hollywood Reporter dispatched its senior editor of diversity and inclusion — you ever wonder why so many publications fail? — to review Shane Gillis on Saturday Night Live as “meh.” The Daily Beast and NPR declared that Gillis “bombed.” The latter’s Eric Deggans begrudgingly called Saturday’s “an okay episode” and gleefully dubbed Gillis “a middling talent.” The former’s Michael Boyle complained‚ “It seemed like SNL was engaging in its yearly cynical ratings ploy of platforming a controversial right-wing figure‚ regardless of what its regular audience members think.” READ MORE from Daniel J. Flynn: Jay Leno: Mix Politics With Comedy‚ and You Get Politics Gillis‚ like Elon Musk‚ Woody Harrelson‚ and Dave Chappelle before him‚ did not support Donald Trump. Instead‚ like them‚ he ran afoul of the thought police by recalcitrantly not embracing every progressive tenet. For this‚ NPR and its ilk label him and the lot of them “right-wing.” For this‚ NPR and its ilk reflexively pan their SNL appearances. Their reviews fail for the same reason Saturday Night Live habitually does. We know the article before we read it‚ and we know the joke before they tell it. Jokes are like ambushes. They rely on the element of surprise to work. Shane Gillis succeeded on Saturday because he put the “live” into Saturday Night Live. Two minutes into his monologue‚ one might forgive the viewer for sensing the host nervous and his standup flailing. Then he used his mother as a prop. “My mom asked me‚ she’s like‚ ‘When did we stop being best friends?’” he explained to the crowd surrounding his mom. “And she’s right‚ we used to be best friends. You remember when you were a little boy and you’re like — you love your mom and you thought she was the cool — you remember when you were gay?” Then he pivoted to talk about his niece with Down syndrome‚ how the condition “nicked” him‚ and the slow service at the coffee shop that his family opened employing mentally challenged workers. When Chloe Troast played Elise Stefanik as the villain questioning Ivy League presidents months back‚ it came across as the rote liberalism the show strangely has become known for in the last decade. The design seemed not to promote laughter but to nudge viewers toward a correct opinion. Saturday night’s host put comedy first on a program that routinely corrupts its purpose by regarding politics as the prime objective. (RELATED: I Miss Comedy in America. Just Look at Saturday Night Live.) Gillis‚ who resembles every bowler ever‚ shocked in not using bumper rails. That his set followed cast regulars — relying on a script drawn from actual quotations that made the skit‚ like so much else on the show‚ seem more journalism than humor — playing Republicans afraid to criticize Donald Trump in a hackneyed cold-open almost designed to sabotage the host in repulsing his audience actually amplified Gillis’ reorientation of the program in his monologue. In the bits that followed‚ Gillis imitated Trump far better than the show’s house impersonator‚ hilariously played Forrest Gump’s high school bully at their class reunion‚ and‚ in the best skit of the night‚ portrayed a socially clueless employee at an office sexual harassment workshop. Even his fake ad cut from the broadcast — a parody of LiMu Emu &; Doug as dirty cops — bested the stale material normally featured on the program. Nearly five years ago‚ after Saturday Night Live embraced cancel culture in firing Gillis four days after they hired him‚ show alum Norm Macdonald repeatedly torched the failed comedian who dredged up Gillis’ edgy podcast material to secure his termination. An NBC executive similarly‚ and famously‚ canned Macdonald for broaching a subject he wanted him to avoid. And Norm‚ like Shane‚ redemptively returned to host the show. Unfortunately‚ the older comic did not live to see the younger standup’s triumph. He did‚ however‚ predict it. “In a war for comedy‚” Macdonald privately messaged Gillis during his ordeal‚ “I think the ones with jokes will win.” The jokes won on Saturday night. The post Shane Gillis Made SNL About Funny — And Progressives Hate Him for It appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

The American Spectator’s Scott McKay appeared on the latest episode of Tucker Carlson’s “Tucker Carlson Uncensored” for a lively discussion of former President Barack Obama’s latest division-sowing antics. “What’s Barack Obama up to these days? Working to make people hate each other‚ as usual‚” Carlson asks. As just one example‚ Carlson points to last December’s release of Leave the World Behind‚ a thriller for which Barack and Michelle Obama are listed as executive producers. (RELATED from Scott McKay: Leave the Obamas Behind‚ Please) The film is quintessentially Obama‚ McKay argues‚ as what it most prominently lacks is a realistic understanding of social dynamics in America. Instead of demonstrating the “unity” Obama claimed to represent‚ Leave the World Behind needlessly “injects race into a thriller about the end of the world.” “This is what the Obamas think of their own voters‚” McKay states. Watch the full interview for more! What’s Barack Obama up to these days? Working to make people hate each other‚ as usual. pic.twitter.com/amy7imTuw0 — Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) February 24‚ 2024 ORDER Racism‚ Revenge and Ruin here today! READ MORE: Racism‚ Revenge and Ruin: The Hellish Forces of Barack Obama WATCH MORE: The Spectacle Ep. 51: The Anti-American Legacy of Barack Obama The post McKay to Tucker: It’s Obama’s World appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.