Disabled Person Defends Shane Gillis' SNL Monologue, Costner's Post-Yellowstone Move, Kanye #1 on Billboard, Fans "Un-Cancel" Him" Parks & Rec's Nick Offerman's Stolen Valor (The Five for 03/01/24)
Plus, "Yellowstone" featured band drops one of the best albums of 2024, the next miniseries from "Big Little Lies" author, this movie the "Sons of Anarchy" prequel fans never got?
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You never “owe” me your attention, and yet you continue to give it. I’m deeply humbled…and just wanted to say thanks.
Now, let’s dive into Culture & Commentary.
[one]
There have been a lot of rumors that SNL will cease to exist after season 50, when creator Lorn Michaels will allegedly retire (let’s pause on that—after FIVE DECADES of running a successful, live TV…incredible).
But hey, if the ratings are this good…maybe the legendary sketch late night hour will continue? Last weekend, comedian Shane Gillis (previously fired from the show before he even performed one time for an anti-Asian slur on his podcast), absolutely blew the doors off the ratings when he returned to host the show that canned him.
A very blue-collar comedian, Gillis joked that he looked like a high school football coach, before cracking about how his niece with Down Syndrome “looks like him” and the genetic disease had “just missed him.” Gillis then explains his niece has three African American adopted brothers, who will probably “wail on” any “cracker” who calls her “retarded.”
An SNL band member was clearly not amused, which has become a meme:
Shane’s episode drew in 16% more of the coveted 18-49 year old viewers for the live show than the previous week, but the think pieces abounded:
“What was SNL thinking?” Well, probably that Gillis is likely one of the top 5 most popular comedians in the world at the moment….and it’s a comedy show.
This is just one take, but I found Gillis’ monologue about his family touching, as he obviously loves his niece a lot and is trying to remove the stigmas from Down Syndrome.
But perhaps we should throw to someone who’s been on the receiving end of the “r-word.” From a Reddit Thread titled “A Disabled Person’s Perspective on Shane Gillis”
As someone with cerebral palsy who has been called the R word many times growing up, I find it quite disingenuous when I see people freaking out about the use of the world without giving context.
The context of that R word was that he hopes he's nephews will step up if his disabled niece gets bullied at school.
Obviously, I don't have the same disability that is in the monologue. But at the end of the day when that word is actually used specifically to hurt someone it is still just as effective no matter what disability. That was not what he did. I thought it was actually kind of sweet.
I get where the “grammar police” are coming from with the hot take the the “R-Word” can never be used…ever. But that kind of legalism usually does more harm than good.
There’s a strong argument that Gillis is an advocate for people with disabilities, and platforming Down Syndrome to one of the biggest comedy audiences in the U.S. right now. And since 67-85% of babies with Down Syndrome are butchered in the womb, I can only pray Gillis’ messages reach the right ears, and allow more children to come into this world…alive.
Gillis took a lot of punches online this week, but I doubt it soured his mood…because Shane’s first scripted comedy, Tires will hit Netflix. This appears to be a double insult to the elite coastal media folk, who hate Gillis in particular, and blue collar workers in general…and God forbid car mechanics could get some representation on screen via a sitcom.
Again, the rage aboundeth:
In my opinion, it’s not that Gillis is different (but I don’t follow his comedy, so take that statement for what it’s worth), but rather the calendar that changed. In 2019-2020, it was pretty easy for a vocal minority to go nuts on Twitter and cause a corporation to shrink back in terror.
A half decade later…we’re all a little exhausted from it, “protestors” included. Gillis likely won the same way Floyd Mayweather beat Connor McGregor, by simply slipping punches until the opponent reaches exhaustion.
[two]
We finally have a look at what pulled Kevin Costner to leave Yellowstone, the biggest show on TV since Game of Thrones wrapped up.
The project, co-written by Jon Baird, takes place during the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865. It “explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won — and lost — through the blood, sweat and tears of many,” according to the film’s official description. It’s “a country at war with itself” and the film is “experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.”
It also stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jeff Fahey, Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, Ella Hunt and Jamie Campbell Bower.
Costner has had the idea for 30 years, but struggled to get financing. But (probably due to the popularity of Yellowstone), Costner was able to expand the story to FOUR theatrical releases telling a single tale.
The first two entries drop June 28th and August 16th, respectively. Parts three and four haven’t been filmed yet (groan), so there will be a wait to see how Horizon: An American Saga concludes.
[three]
Kanye West done uncanceled himself, releasing his most popular album in more than a decade.
Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) and Ty Dolla $ign’s collaborative album Vultures 1 spends a second week atop the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated March 2), earning 75,000 equivalent album units in its second week in the U.S. (down 50%), according to Luminate.
Vultures 1 is Ye’s first album to spend multiple weeks at No. 1 since 2011’s Watch the Throne, with Jay-Z, spent two weeks in charge. In total, of Ye’s 11 No. 1s, three have spent multiple weeks at No. 1: Vultures 1, Watch the Throne and 2005’s Late Registration, all with two weeks atop the list.
I’ve gotta say, I’m surprised. While I’m no fan of West’s comments about Jews (as everyone in my home is an ethnic Jew except me, the dog and the cat), I also didn’t take them too seriously. I’ve never met West, (although I was supposed to early in his career, but the meeting fell through), I have several friends in Chicago who have worked with him…and whatever Kanye is, he’s always been like that.
Music is a very subjective experience, but for many people (myself included), Kanye makes records that sound like they were mailed back from the future. There are no hard-and-fast rules here…but it seems like all Kanye needed to do was post a rambling apology to Jews, and drop yet another great album six weeks later. Like the Gillis story above, West seems to have just hung around until his critics got bored and moved onto being mad about something else.
Don’t be at all surprised if he makes a fashion comeback next, given how much money he previously made for Adidas and Gap, pre-cancellation.
[four]
Nick Offerman set the social media platforms ablaze this week due to an acceptance speech of (I can’t even remember which awards show, check the link if you care) about a gay character he played in The Last of Us.
“Thank you so much. I’m astonished to be in this category, which is bananas. Thanks to HBO for having the guts to participate in this storytelling tradition that is truly independent. Stories with guts that when homophobic hate comes my way and says, ‘Why did you have to make it a gay story?’ We say, ‘Because you ask questions like that. It’s not a gay story it’s a love story, you asshole!”
Some context here: the show is based on a hit video game on Playstation, and Offerman’s character starred in an episode that had nothing to do with the rest of the show. Claiming that some viewers hated it due to “homophobia” is a bit much, as there was a lesbian character in another episode, which ruffled zero feathers…so some viewers probably hated it because it was a storytelling cul-de-sac. I personally didn’t finish the episode, as it appeared to be nothing that The Walking Dead didn’t do better a decade ago. (Also worth noting, TWD had a bevy of LGBT characters on for a decade and zombie fans didn’t bat an eye).
I’m somewhat suspect of the fact that no news outlets discovered this “homophobia” on their own, except for a handful that picked up on Nick Offerman’s Twitter account where he claimed the homophobia. Were all of the alleged homophobes so careful about their homophobia that they only DM’d it to Nick Offerman directly, and didn’t post it to social media?
Hunter S. Thompson once wrote in Rolling Stone about “a rumor” that Senator Ed Muskie was using a risky drug in 1972. Later, Hunter confessed “and I started the rumor.”
Offerman’s unlikely (but not impossible) claims of homophobia feel the same…like he started the rumor, which has no tangible evidence to back it up. And if the Park & Rec alum made it up…it’s doing wonders for his career. More clicks=more job offers in Hollywood.
Also, we have a straight guy claiming to be the victim of homophobia?
In military terms, I believe that’s called “stolen valor,” and detracts from real victims of a very real crime.
[five]
As always, let’s head into the weekend with a pop culture roundup.
I was pretty “meh” on Big Little Lies (the twist was great though and the cast was great—just—boring) and skipped Nine Perfect Strangers all together…but the third book-to-screen adaptation from author Liane Moriatry looks pretty compelling. Sam Neil (Jurassic Park, Thor: Love and Thunder), Anette Benning (American Beauty, Captain Marvel) and Alison Brie (Community, The Lego Movie) lead what looks to be a strong cast.
Catch it on Peacock 03/14.
The second trailer for THE BIKERIDERS dropped…and I’m elevating this to my most anticipated film of 2024. Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception), Austin Butler (Masters of the Air, Elvis) and Jodie Comer (The Last Duel, Killing Eve) are swinging for the fences (and awards season) here.
For years, Sons of Anarchy fans have pined for First 9, the alleged prequel to the motorcycle drama, set in the 1960’s about the origins of the club. But this based-on-a-true-story set in Chicago may be the closest thing we get…and it may be better.
Millennials and Gen-Z tend to love Stand By Me and The Goonies because Gen X got all the good coming-of-age films. But Riddle of Fire looks like it could be a coming-of-age flick for the ages.
Or, pretentious indie garbage. Heck of a logline though:
“On a quest to deliver a pie, three mischievous rascals embark on a woodland odyssey to battle a witch, outwit a huntsman, befriend a fairy, and become best friends forever in this charming debut.”
This hits theaters 03/22…before heading straight to Video on Demand pretty quick, if I had to wager. I definitely have interest.
[new music]
Newcomer Zandi Holup certainly has a unique strategy to build a fan base, mainly releasing song clips…rather than full songs. But if she can keep up this top-shelf songwriting and smokey vocal delivery, you may just be looking at the next Zach Bryan in a skirt (errr…dress from Target or whatever, I’m not a fashion writer, alright?)
No word on a release date for her debut yet.
Shane Smith & The Saints had been kicking around the Austin, TX red dirt scene since 2011, but didn’t hit the national radar until Taylor Sheridan fell in love with the smokey vocals and orchestral arrangements and featured the quintent heavily in Yellowstone. A single playthrough of a record isn’t enough to fairly judge it…but at first impression, this is one of the best of 2024 to date.
[book]
I’ve been friendly with Rob Henderson on Twitter for a few years now. The Cambridge PhD grad first gained national attention when he wrote about “luxury beliefs” for the New York Post in 2019 (seriously, go read that), and I’ve been waiting for his first book ever since.
Rob’s account of a turbulent childhood in foster care, only to be adopted and abandoned multiple times…before entering the Air Force, then Yale and Cambridge, is a difficult, but breathtaking read.
Grab it wherever you buy books.
Until the next one,
-sth