Category Archives: arts

Halloween songs (I DO believe in spooks!)


Swamp Rabbit wasn’t happy with my new playlist. “You’re a sick pup, Odd Man. Most of these songs ain’t got nothin’ to do with Halloween.” I shook my head and pressed the “Play” button on my phone. “Au contraire, my … Continue reading

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Jann Wenner’s R&R ‘masters’ are all rich white guys


Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner’s book of interviews he conducted with famous rock ‘n’ roll artists will be published next week. It’s called The Masters, and its subjects are Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Jerry Garcia, Pete Townshend, Bono … Continue reading

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Robbie Robertson (1943-2023) and the rock of ages


Swamp Rabbit and I were talking about the death at age 80 of Robbie Robertson, lead guitarist and main songwriter in the Band, one of the most artful and influential acts in rock ‘n’ roll history. I’m tempted to use … Continue reading

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DeSantis: Let’s look on the bright side of slavery


I showed Swamp Rabbit recent articles about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who backs the state requirement that middle-schoolers in Texas be taught that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” The requirement, part … Continue reading

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Behold! Seven-headed dragons just up ahead.


I was telling Swamp Rabbit about former VP Al Gore’s recent comments on global warming, which included this one-liner: “Every night the TV news is like taking a nature hike through the Book of Revelation.” “That’s pretty funny,” Swamp Rabbit … Continue reading

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Now showing: TCM vs. corporate philistines


“Zaslav is at it again.” I was telling my neighbor Swamp Rabbit that the same high-level hatchet man behind the mission to make CNN more rightwing recently took action to dumb down, or perhaps destroy, the only TV outlet that … Continue reading

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DeLillo’s ‘airborne toxic event’ is still unfolding


My neighbor Swamp Rabbit dropped by on Sunday to wish me a happy Father’s Day, but we ended up talking about that strange day earlier this month when the air smelled like burnt toast and the skyline looked like a … Continue reading

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Mother of Mercy, is this the end of Donnie boy?


Donald Trump is much taller than Edward G. Robinson was and not as convincingly tough, but how could any movie fan not think of Robinson last week when the Department of Justice indicted Trump on 37 criminal counts? I’m talking … Continue reading

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Supreme Court sullies Clean Water Act


I was lecturing Prayers, my favorite feral cat. The news is hardly ever new, I told him. At best, it’s a reminder that the people who run this country now might be even less enlightened than the idiots who, generations … Continue reading

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Martin Amis (1949-2023) braved the moronic inferno


My neighbor Swamp Rabbit was drinking beer on his porch when I told him that British author Martin Amis died last weekend.   “Okay, but what’s that got to do with the price of eggs?” he said, referring to the … Continue reading

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