Thrilled to have tied for 4th in this year’s Westwords Tournament! @westwords-xwt.bsky.social Congrats to @thatpuzzleguy.bsky.social on the win! It was a great time with great people, as always!

The hotel I’m staying at for @westwords-xwt.bsky.social offers free bike rentals, and riding on a greenway to a local brewery to watch a World Cup match and back made me as giddy as I’ve been in ages. #2wheelsgood4wheelsbad

Reminder that in August of last year Trump fired the person tasked with releasing jobs reports because the report was bad, and replaced her with a stooge. Now the stooge releases job reports that are "surprisingly great!" and they're just reported as fact with no context.

How is this not an announcement that Sexual Chocolate will not be playing the 250th Concert?

@johnmoe.bsky.social youtu.be/XvQHt5t7zkg?...

If you get the chance to see Carol Burnett introduce Strangers on a Train on the big screen, you should do that.

Rita Ora’s Agent Scores Singer Another Prime Crossword Puzzle Placement https://theonion.com/rita-oras-agent-scores-singer-another-prime-crossword-puzzle-placement/

If you get traumatized while voluntarily attending a leisure event run by Nazis a possible downside is a lack of sympathy.

I blogged (and spoiler: LOVED) this puzzle for Rex Parker tomorrow. Should post overnight. Solve then read!

Is some kind of algorithm telling me to get into teaching? I’m not sure I have the energy to setup a room like that… @rexparker.bsky.social @rifftrax.com

Last night was my 5th time Springsteen show and was honestly surprised at how emotional I got. After all of yesterday, being in an arena full of people channeling anger and frustration into joy was magical. Also, @brucespringsteen.net rocked as hard as I’ve ever seen him & Tom Morello just shreds!

I think people who are not cyclists do not quite understand how often those of us who bike are told that we deserve to die because we have chosen a mode of transit that isn't a car

This was, in fact, an amazing evening. My @sparksofficial.bsky.social records have been getting worn out since we got back. Always great to see @edgarwright.bsky.social , as well!

Does this have anything to do with the fact that there are 5 levels of hot sauce available for the Artemis astronauts? And if not, why not?

With the new Harry Potter trailer dropping today, now is a better time than ever to remind everyone that J. K. Rowling's name appears in the Epstein files where she calls Epstein "a very dear friend".

if Anita Bryant was still alive and promoting Florida orange juice, you couldn't pay me enough to drink it. how is Harry Potter any different? here is a timeline of JK Rowling's transphobia: web.archive.org/web/20241225... & here is where her HP money is going: www.advocate.com/news/jk-rowl...

First up in my Oscar’s themed eating and drinking tonight (fair warning, some of these will be VERY stupid): a Ginger Menace cocktail from Conan’s podcast, featuring an Orange pompadour garnish.

@rianjohnson.bsky.social and I are both crossword bloggers now. I think that makes us best friends?

Huckleberry is getting himself prepared for a career in film noir.

To any Democrat who ever said about any issue, "Maybe if we agree with Republicans just this far, they'll stop there," remember that you were wrong, it was obvious at the time, and you really should never believe that again about any issue, ever.

WeRateDogs continues to be the absolute best.

I think it’s good that Super Bowl commercials are terrible now because advertising is a cancer in this country and more people need to realize it.

USian trans people aren't telling you they won't vote for Gavin Newsom to cause you distress and despair. USian trans people are telling you they won't vote for Gavin Newsom so you don't vote for his transphobic ass in the primaries. They are giving you actionable information.

Between the Bears and Bregman, Chicago sports are surprising the hell out of me tonight, in the best possible way!

The “prosecute the former regime at every level” candidate has my vote in 2028.

When you go to a 35mm screening of The Thin Man at the Vista, there’s no choice but to dress up and make martinis (shaken in waltz time, per Nick Charles)

I’m excited as Dick to watch this! (Cc: @rifftrax.com

I love cheap Christmas cash-in songs and couldn’t believe Kenny Rogers never did a Christmas version of The Gambler. So I fixed that. For the record, this is exactly the kind of idiot I am. youtu.be/91UzUg-DOQw?...

Anyone wearing a cowboy hat who isn’t physically riding a horse is just in Western drag.

Gavin Newsom is a Republican and supporting him for president means you are, too

When @kenjennings.bsky.social asks about your one-man barbershop quartet, this is the kind of thing you have to do. With apologies to @alyankovic.bsky.social , Johnny Gilbert, and all the great people at Jeopardy! youtu.be/BbdkY_5fmYQ?...

Not crazy about this new, interactive version of The Ring I discovered on Hulu.

Fun fact about the Hulu splash screen: it’s clearly taken before the episode started taping since I am wearing my LGBTQIA+ Ally pin. It reflected too much on camera, and despite the great efforts of the crew to dull it, I had to put it in my pocket.

Oh hey Hulu

I don’t know how many people follow me here that don’t elsewhere, but I realized I never shared on BlueSky that I’m going to be on Jeopardy tomorrow (Dec 2nd, next day Hulu & Peacock)! Tune in to see how I do (and if you’re in LA and want to come to my watch party, message for details)

Looking to make a great show even better? Jeff Hiller is a great place to start!

As many have pointed out, Mamdani didn't stand apart from our trans brothers and sisters. He didn't play the "Gee, gosh, it sure is complicated," milquetoast moderate card. And he crushed. The way forward is together, not over the bodies of our own.

It’s just a jump to the left…

This morning’s NBA news is brought to you by ESPN Bet Sportsbook.

It cannot be made clearer. If you continue to support the Harry Potter franchise in any way, you are directly funding the removal of trans people's human rights in the UK.

So, did YouTube just think you could hold up a mic in the stadium and use that to broadcast performances? Haven’t heard a bit of the anthems or half time performance. Real amateur production value.

My wife got this steel book because she worked on the restoration, and a pack of 12-15 wild dads followed us home.

Holy shit. I’d never seen this version; the Tonight Show Band is INCREDIBLE!

RT if you also wish ill upon JK Rowling.

If only Los Angeles Children’s Hospital had this courage

Damn it, Rufio

Today's newsletter is my big takedown of Rahm Emanuel and his anti-trans BS. www.readtpa.com/p/the-smalle...