The Filtered Excellence August 8, 2020
Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Once a week we take a break from comedy to bring you this week’s picks of the best things to watch, the most interesting things to do, great things to try, the best picks to read, our favorite things to listen to and more.
WATCH THIS
Breslin & Hamill: Deadline Artists. Earlier this week, Pete Hamill, a journalist, writer and and newspaper editor of the highest order, passed away at the age of 85. His extraordinary life and career was beautifully captured in Jonathan Alter’s HBO documentary, which also featured his long time friend and contemporary Jimmy Breslin. It shows how the Brooklyn-born Hamill and Queens-native Breslin, despite no formal training or college backgrounds, forever changed journalism with street poet prose, empathy and relatable candor. Hamill and actor Michael Rispoli (The Deuce) bring the words to life by reading portions of the duo’s seminal pieces on the Kennedy assassinations, the subway shooter Bernhard Goetz, The Son of Sam case, the AIDS crisis, the Crown Heights riots, The Central Park Jogger case and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The doc also covers how their personal lives intertwined with their work: Hamill’s battle with alcoholism became the basis of his book, A Drinking Life, while Breslin wrote heartfelt pieces dealing with the deaths of his first wife and his two daughters. With appearances from family members, contemporaries (Tom Wolfe, Gay Talise, Mike Lupica, Garry Trudeau), famous fans (Spike Lee, Colin Quinn) and politicos (Gloria Steinem, Andrew Cuomo), it’s a fitting tribute to two literary giants. Breslin & Hamill: Deadline Artists is available now on HBO Max.
Harley Quinn. After earning rave reviews in Season 1, DC Universe’s adult series makes the move over HBO Max. Kaley Cuoco voices the former Joker girlfriend/sidekick, who, after dumping The Clown Prince Of Crime, tries to become an A-list supervillain. She also puts together a crew that includes her best friend Poison Ivy (Lake Bell), the very unlikeable telekinetic Dr. Psycho (Tony Hale), lovable computer whiz King Shark (Ron Funches) and aspiring thespian Clayface (Alan Tudyk, who also does the voice of The Joker). But Harley’s leadership skills need work, there’s stiff competition from her ex ‘s team, The Legion Of Doom and, of course, Batman ready to foil their plans. While serving a tongue in cheek love letter to the DC Universe, this is an adult show loaded with enough rapid fire profanity-laced jokes that would make Richard Pryor proud. If you are looking for a new show to get your binge-watch on, this is it. Harley Quinn is available now on HBO Max.
LISTEN TO THIS
Blue Umbrella by Burt Bacharach & Daniel Tashian. The iconic Burt Bacharach teams up with Grammy winning singer-songwriter-producer Daniel Tashian on this new EP. All of the Bacharach hallmarks are here: intricate, haunting melodies, muted horns, and sweeping string arrangements anchoring songs about the love that got away. Tashian, who recently won the Album Of The Year Grammy for his work with Kacey Musgraves, steps into the role of singer and co-collaborator as if he’s been waiting his whole life for the moment. This is pop music at its finest, with Bacharach, who recently turned 92, already promising to continue the collaboration. A late career classic by one of the best in the game. Blue Umbrella by Burt Bacharach and Daniel Tashian is available now through Amazon, Apple Music and all major streaming services.
Love U Blind – The Ben Rogers Band. This new EP from 16 year old singer-songwriter-guitarist shifts from punk infused power-pop (Move Along, Sorry To Love You) to Stevie Ray Vaughn-infused blues (the title track); to 70s riff-heavy arena rock (If Empathy Can Keep It’s Quiet) with a grace and ease of a seasoned veteran. If this EP is just a glimpse into his talent, one can only imagine what a full length album will reveal. A dynamic debut. Love U Blind is available now on Apple Music, Itunes, and Spotify. You can also go to www.benrogersband.hearnow.com for more information.
READ THIS
The Atmosphere Of Crime by Gordon Parks. In 1957, Gordon Parks – already a groundbreaking photojournalist for LIFE magazine – went on a six-week journey that took him from New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles to document criminality and its effects on big city life. Parks’ article – which saw him shift from black & white to color film – ran a direct counter to mainstream media’s cliched view of criminal life, giving readers a much more nuanced, empathetic view of the many factors that drives one into the criminal underworld. This new book expands on the original article, with never before seen photographs from that fateful month and a half long trip. It shows Parks at the height of his creative powers, with photos full of vibrancy and detail, capturing city life in post-war America that few have done before or since. It’s another great example of why Gordon Parks was one of the photojournalists to ever pick up the pen and camera. The Atmosphere Of Crime by Gordon Parks is available now through Amazon and all major book retailers.
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