‘revenge’
Whenever the Trump era finally ends, what I can’t miss is the sight of liberal magazine reporters bravely venturing into the heart of the flyover to immerse themselves among the savage MAGA tribes. .
When BJ Novak’s Vengeance was released in the summer of 2022, I thought it was going to be a feature film version of these useless, self-indulgent travelogues. When I finally watched it several months later, I was disgusted by the opening rooftop party scene in which Novak and musician John Mayer (playing himself) secretly exchange notes about their “dating” lives, and within 10 minutes I was disappointed. I almost stopped watching. But I stuck with it and soon realized that my reaction was intended. Novak’s treatment of his peers is ruthless.
This movie also cured my allergy to Ashton Kutcher, who was perfect for the role of small-town music impresario Quinten Sellers. Quinten is an outsider, much like Ben, Novak’s protagonist, a shallow “New Yorker” writer who wants to parlay the tragedy of rural West Texas into a successful “dead white girl” podcast. A league alumnus, he pretends to be too humble to mention his alma mater. name. Unlike her Ben, Quinten has learned to adapt to her surroundings with a kind of hipster cowboy look that nods to her local customs while distinguishing herself.
What our self-expression reveals or conceals is an ongoing concern in Novak’s comedic western noir. Sometimes appearances can prevent us from completely understanding each other. We find out when it turns out that the local plump line-dancing woman knows more about Chekhov’s plays than the condescending, name-calling impostor. And sometimes our own appearance prevents us from understanding ourselves. In pursuing this latter concept, “Revenge” achieves surprising depth and displays a surprising willingness to skewer the likes of director and audience.
“Vengeance” is available on all regular streamers.
Vintage Tonight Show clip starring Johnny Carson
Getty Images/NBC
“They have abdicated their moral authority!” That’s what Stephen Colbert said last night as he lectured the audience about the Supreme Court’s decision to hear President Trump’s immunity request. Anyone who still goes out of their way to check in on late-night talk shows knows that this kind of programming is the norm.
It would be tempting to say that everything has gone downhill since 2016, but the reality is that it’s been a long, slow decline.
By the time Conan O’Brien finally appeared on “The Tonight Show” in 2008, it wasn’t quite the prestigious job it once was. Of course, cable TV was cutting into viewers, while the advent of social media and YouTube signaled further demographic decline. It’s been nearly 15 years since O’Brien’s dreams were brutally shattered by Jay Leno’s nefarious machinations, and one can’t help but wonder if all the public angst was worth it. Compared to its pre-digital heyday, the venerable TV station and its competitors are fighting for scraps.
To stay relevant, today’s late-night show hosts must pander to an increasingly fickle and distracted public, resulting in near-viral gimmicks, toothless promotional interviews, and shrill It’s a flamboyant, enthusiastic mishmash of political humor.
Just a visit is enough to remember what was taken from us. johnnycarson.com Play one of the many vintage clips provided.Just like that, we snuggled inside our Barca loungers, pulled the tab on a fresh Schmidt can, and enjoyed the incomparable Don Rickles She waltzed along to Johnny’s set, “surprised” her best friend Frank Sinatra with a kiss on the lips, and broke the news of her Jersey City “bro” by saying, “He drove off with your album playing.” I started it and am now driving on the highway.” The light-hearted and effortless banter between the three men will lull you into a satisfying snooze…
“Wake up! ‘Karaoke carpool’? ‘Mean celebrity tweets’? What are you talking about? It’s 1976 and the TV station terminated your contract an hour ago! Let’s go to bed.”
