City in Michigan Bans Pride Flag, Taylor Swift's Tour Kills Bad Ticket Fees, Bomb Threats Against Target Are...Not What They Seem, America Loses an All-Time-Great Writer (The Five for 06/16/23)
Hey, welcome to The Five.
Honestly, this issue feels like a bit more of a risk, diving a bit more personally into stories 2 & 3 in particular.
I’m incredibly thankful that this publication has enjoyed the loyalty and longevity it has, but I don’t hear back from the reader much. Just a reminder, you’re always welcome to hit me up at sethtowerhurd[at]gmail(dot)com (I write it like that to beat the spam bots that scan web pages) or connect with me over on Twitter.
Thanks for continuing to make The Five a part of your life. The fact that you continue to read and engage is truly an honor.
[one]
Woah, lots of happenings to unpack from PRIDE month that impact the wider culture—some real persecution, some perceived…and one case of incursions on the LGBT presenting a very real threat to free speech.
We’ll start with the bomb threats, which are certainly crafted to make it appear that anti-LGBT uhh…bomb makers? are targeting stores:
In reality, the threats came from a person who claims to be a part of the LGBT community, who was threatened to blow up stores. (Until this person is caught, we can’t assume anything—could be a far-right-winger attempting to frame the other side).
CBS News affiliate WOIO in Cleveland, Ohio, received an email at 12:26 p.m. Friday warning of bombs that had been placed in five different Target locations near the city. According to a screenshot of the email, which was published by the outlet, the threat was made in response to Target's decision to remove its LGBTQ+ pride collection from its shelves earlier this week.
"Target is full of...cowards who turned their back on the LGBT community and decided to cater to the homophobic right wing redneck bigots who protested and vandalized their store," read the email. "We won't stand idly by as the far right continues to hunt us down."
Regardless of who is to blame for this, it’s worth noting that The Washington Post and other outlets implied it was anti-LGBT bomb threat via their headlines…but it was a pro LGBT bomb threat.
Elsewhere, a middle school in Burlington, MA threw a Pride event, and some students defied the order to wear rainbow colors, and instead wore red, white and blue…or black and changed “U-S-A are my pronouns.” Teachers claimed students ripped up stickers.
This became a national news story…because apparently most people haven’t been around jr. high kids?! They’re pretty feral and usually contrarian.* I have zero tolerance for property destruction...so if the students did destroy property (stickers), then the teachers should handle it the same way they handle destroying school items any other day of the year.
Of course, the behavior will now be encouraged at other jr. high schools…because every teenager wants to grow up to be an influencer now. If you want to talk about spreading “messages of hate,” please point the finger at the corporate press, who amplified the bad behavior of a handful of seventh graders into something that can obviously generate 15 minutes of fame (on Twitter, at least).
Finally, a city in Michigan has banned the Pride flag. NBC Detroit reports:
The resolution proposed by Mayor Pro-Tem Muhammad Hassan stated the city would not allow any religious, ethnic, racial, political, or sexual orientation group flags to be flown on the city’s public property.
The only flags that would be allowed would be the American, state, and city flags, along with other national flags and the Prisoner Of War flag.
“I relocated from California to Hamtramck, which is really far away because I thought it was a diverse community,” said a woman.
“You don’t see my family saying, ‘We’re going to put the Lebanese flag down your throat,” said a man. “You want to put up the gay flag at your house, then put it up at your house. Do not put it on city property, and do not put it on our schools.”
Before voting to approve the resolution, city council members and the mayor commented that the vote was not about targeting one specific group, adding, “If you let one flag in, you’ll have to let all of the flags in.”
My reading here is that the Pride flag can’t be on city property at all, which would infringe on the rights of LGBT workers for the city to display their sincerely held beliefs.
The all-Muslim city council could just as easily ban personal displays of other belief systems (Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, etc) from the desks of workers, which is a half step from just openly stating (“no gays, Christians, Jews, Buddhists or non-Muslims allowed.”)
Unlike jr. high kids TEARING UP STICKERS, which has no significance whatsoever, what happened in Michigan is either an outright violation of civil liberties, or it’s quickly walking down that road (unless I’m way off on my reading of the local law).
(*Hat Tip: Kurt [last name withheld] for being both feral and contrarian in jr. high and dragging me along for the ride).
[two]
This week, one of the greatest American novelists died. The Five isn’t normally in the business of “in memorium,” but McCarthy’s life was so unusual (he had an AARP card before he had a hit novel), and the page-to-screen adaptation’s of his work are so renowned, it’s worth taking a look.
From The Ringer:
Critics liked his work. No one bought it. For decades, he didn’t have an agent. What would have been the point? The sums were too small. He lived on grant money (he won a MacArthur Genius Grant in 1981) in tiny houses, in out-of-the-way southern and western towns.
He was nearly 60 before he wrote a book that sold more than 5,000 hardcover copies. In the ’90s he wrote his Border Trilogy—All the Pretty Horses (1992), The Crossing (1994), and Cities of the Plain (1998)—about two young cowboys on the U.S.-Mexico border, which gave him his first popular success. From then on, his career climbed steadily, though success and failure are equally meaningless under the uncaring glare of the sky. The Coen brothers turned No Country for Old Men, his 2005 novel about an aging sheriff tracking a sadistic killer, into an Oscar-winning movie.
In 2008 he won a Pulitzer Prize for The Road, about a father and son trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. He didn’t turn up to accept the award in person.
I don’t think there’s a bad starting place for McCarthy’s works…although I’ll admit that I will likely never read The Road again (it’s even more bleak than the movie).
Blood Meridan, considered one of the finest works in American literature—ever—is currently being adapted for the screen by John Hillcoat (who directed The Road, as well as Lawless, my 2nd favorite film of all time).
If you’re looking for some summer reading (or, watching), Cormac’s work is heavy…but worth the journey.
Finally, Ben Nichols (best known as the frontman for the country-punk act Lucero) has a heck of an EP based on McCarthy’s writing. (Hat Tip: my longtime friend/music & visual artist John Cole Born, for making me a fan of this one).
[three]
Ten years ago this week…a major shift happened in the culture of rural America when a trio of highly influential albums dropped on the same day from Jason Isbell, John Moreland and Sturgill Simpson.
At the time, all three artists were relatively unknown. No one could have guessed those albums would skyrocket the Americana movement, and influence shows like Yellowstone and (in turn) the modern western revival currently happening in TV and film.
In terms of independent country and roots music, this is like lightning striking three times in the same spot, or as uncanny as Dolly Parton writing “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” on the same day (yes, that really happened too.) Granted, most would point to Sturgill Simpson’s album Metamodern Sounds in Country Music as his most remarkable work. But High Top Mountain and it’s reception is what set the table for Sturgill’s remarkable rise, which in turn set the table for Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, Zach Bryan, and so on and so forth. High Top Mountain is also Sturgill’s straightforward traditional country record, which curries it even more favor with country listeners.
There are quite a few examples of the impact and influence of these albums, from the underground to the very top of the mainstream. Though it will make some Jason Isbell fans cringe, his song “Cover Me Up” is now a country standard thanks in part to Morgan Wallen and other mainstream artists covering the song, which speaks to the song’s reach and the scope. Chris Stapleton decided to record his landmark album Traveller live with Dave Cobb after witnessing what Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson were doing with the producer. Miranda Lambert found her affinity for John Moreland through In The Throes.
But moreover, we now live in a reality where independent country artists can create sustainable careers without having to secure permission from the powers that be on Music Row. And perhaps the best thing to ponder about all of this is where we may go from here. Independent artists aren’t nipping a pop country’s heels any more. They’re flipping the tables. And it arguably all started in earnest with these three albums.
Honestly, I’m not much of a Sturgill fan (I know, I’m “supposed” to be, whatever), but I would encourage you to listen to give two of these albums a spin.
Jason Isbell released Southeastern after a stint in rehab to face down his addiction demons. Since the release of this record, “Cover Me Up” has become an all-time country classic (although more people know it from Morgan Wallen’s cover than Isbell’s original).
John Moreland had released three albums in total obscurity, so there wasn’t much buzz when In the Throes released decade ago. But the songs became hits thanks to placements on Sons of Anarchy. It wasn’t long before John’s sound was influencing the Nashville superstar set, including the aforementioned Miranda Lambert.
In the Throes is a late 20’s confessional of a man trying to find his feet, and his place in the world (and if you don’t know what feeling—you haven’t hit your late 20’s yet). It was playing in my car on the days I buried three of my four grandparents (“My grandma still gives me/10 bucks on my birthday/and she tells me that sleep is God’s medicine).”
But a verse from “Your Spell” that captures the emotions of a formerly overlooked kid…who realizes that we all grow up to face the same big questions and challenges.
Remember the prom kings and queens
Praised from afar
And how the lights inside the high school
Made them look like movie stars
Well you were the queen of my condition
I was the king of the ignored
You talked just like East Texas
Looked like an angel from the lord
I thought we'd bust out of Broken Arrow
Holding hands on our way to hell
You always did have me under your spell
And all those pretty girls who looked like movie stars
They look pretty ordinary, 28 years old
Checking out at Walmart with babies in their arms
If you enjoy anything about the modern western revival or have recently discovered the alt country movement…you can't go wrong with either one of these records. I've really enjoyed the positive cultural turn in telling the stories of rural Americans that they kicked off.
[four]
Well, whatdya know. Taylor Swift’s current tour is so big that it caused a massive outcry about hidden fees on tickets. Now, two major ticket vendors have folded on unethical practices, due in part to the Biden White House.
Ticketmaster and mobile-ticket vendor SeatGeek will no longer hide fees from total ticket costs amid pressure from President Joe Biden for companies to ditch so-called "junk fees."
The moves come after Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of Ticketmaster, faced criticism from the White House and Congress in January over tickets sales for pop star Taylor Swift's tour that included exorbitant hidden fees and platform outages, preventing some fans from buying tickets.
Biden will tout the steps taken by Live Nation, SeatGeek and other companies during White House remarks Thursday that will also recognize ticket sellers like TickPick that already provide upfront pricing to customers with no hidden fees, according to a White House official familiar with the announcement.
While the companies' moves are voluntary, Biden has been on a crusade against "junk fees." He threatened to take action in this year's State of the Union address, saying "Americans are tired of being played for suckers.” The Department of Justice intensified an investigation last year into Ticketmaster, which controls entry into a majority of the nation's live events.
[five]
As always, let’s head into the weekend with a pop culture roundup:
Extraction 2 hits Netflix today, which looks like the 2nd entry in what can become a very large franchise for the streamer. Here’s to hoping Chris Hemsworth bails on Marvel after the abysmal Thor Love & Thunder to focus on more grounded action fare. It’s sitting at 77% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing, but could still tip over to “Fresh” (80%).
Sheesh, what a lineup. Richard Gere (Pretty Woman, Chicago), Susan Sarandan (Thelma & Louise, Dead Man Walking), Diane Keaton (The Family Stone, Father of the Bride) and William H. Macy (Fargo, Shameless) star alongside Emma Roberts (We’re the Millers, American Horror Story) and Luke Bracey (Little Fires Everywhere, Point Break) is one heck of a cast.
It’s tough to sum up Maybe I Do without a heavy word count…but suffice to say I’m interested, and I’m not a romantic comedy type of guy. But perhaps the 90’s format to this story is hitting a nostalgia note for me.
This one hit theaters in January (I didn’t even notice), but fell way short of expectations with $4.4 million box office. However, some critics on Rotten Tomatoes absolutely love it, so it may be worth a chance.
Streaming on Hulu today.
Well, that’s interesting. The Hunger Games prequel, A Ballad of Songs and Snakes, an origin story of President Snow, is getting enough buzz that…original quadrilogy lead Jennifer Lawrence said she would be open to taking up the mantle of Katniss Everdeen once more in future films. There are currently no novels to draw from for Katniss to return…and the series hasn’t gone off-page ever (all five movies, including the forthcoming one, are based off the novels of Suzanne Collins).
Westerns are all the rage right now (thanks to the Yellowstone saga), so I’m not suprised Max (formerly HBO Max—such a stupid name) is giving is reviving Warrior, a pretty solid show that failed to become a hit, and was canceled during COVID.
The series blends the Western movie esthetic with the bones of Bruce Lee martial arts films (the idea for the show was even based on Lee’s writings).
Set in 1870’s San Francisco when anti-Asian prejudice was at an all time high, the series follows a young martial arts prodigy who immigrates from China to find his sister, who he believes was kidnapped into the city’s vast criminal underworld. Battling corruption, both literally and figuratively, along with some very cool battles with knives and hatchets, commences.
NEW MUSIC
Chicago rapper Vic Mensa returns with…a mash up of singles and one-offs from the last few years. Mensa, originally the frontman for the short-lived hip Kids These Days. Mensa lost a lot of fans when he called out other rappers for domestic abuse, a gutsy move, especially considering his streaming numbers never recovered. But I hold immense respect for spitting bars on what others would not.
While we’re on the subject…Vic has an incredible side project 93PUNX is, well, a hip hop spin on a 90’s punk record (although it’s much more punk than hip hop). This one dropped just before COVID, then got lost in the cultural aftermath of the shutdown, sadly.
It’s worth a spin.
Until the next one,
-sth