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.

Each culture begets its own storybook tropes. They’re rough outlines of plots that dictate the development of fables and stories. During much of the Middle Ages‚ princes had to undergo tests of courage and strength to win the hand of a fair princess. In the modern age‚ marketing geniuses (usually the villain) exploit mad scientists to create successful business ventures. The stories we tell about ourselves say something about our cultures precisely because they’re usually based on reality. For instance‚ Nike is the perfect example of the perfect modern storybook trope. (READ MORE: Betting on Sports: The Super Bowl of Cronyism) Phil Knight may not have been the villain of Nike’s story — but he certainly had a mad scientist to work with in Bill Bowerman‚ a track-and-field coach in Oregon with a problem. Bowerman’s problem was that his track was getting an upgrade. It was being resurfaced with a brand-new‚ modern artificial surface. That was great‚ except Bowerman’s athletes could no longer use their spikes on the track‚ which didn’t leave them with many great footwear options. Because he was a mad scientist‚ Bowerman resolved to fix the issue — and he did so while sticking his fork into a stack of waffles in 1971. (READ MORE: The Most Influential Dissidents in Sports During the Biden Regime) Inspired by the shape of the indentations in the waffles‚ Bowerman rushed off to the garage to mix up some urethane and poured it directly into the waffle maker. The waffle maker was promptly destroyed (it was a wedding present)‚ but the first‚ early prototype of the waffle trainer was created. Three years later‚ on Feb. 26‚ 1974‚ a tiny footwear business in Oregon — owned by Bowerman and Knight — patented the shoe. When it hit stores and tracks later that year‚ the shoe took off‚ quickly turning Nike into one of the most successful business ventures of the 20th century. (READ MORE from Aubrey Gulick: Exploiters Closer to Home) Today‚ Nike is synonymous with running. It’s the biggest company in the athletic-wear industry — and it’s not even particularly close. Do you need shoes? Headbands? Jackets? A training plan? Nike has it all. And it all began at the breakfast table. This article originally appeared on Aubrey’s Substack‚ Pilgrim’s Way‚ on Feb. 26‚ 2024. The post Of Waffles and Storybook Tropes appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

What was once just another “conspiracy theory” was published on Sunday in the New York Times (NYT)‚ where they have made a “very belated full admission that US intelligence has not only […]

Your grocery store is likely stocked full of Italian dressings‚ but which ones are really worth your money? We tried some of the most popular to find out.

When it comes to buttercream frosting‚ the Swiss variety has a bit of a reputation for being bland. Kick it up a notch with a blast of salted caramel.

With a pull-apart fan shape and tons of garlicky‚ herbaceous flavor‚ these are a fun and unique twist on the classic soft dinner roll.

Oftentimes‚ the name of a soup will tell you its primary ingredient. While that's true of the pumpkin-packed soup joumou‚ its name is also tied to its history.