First plane trip with all 3 kids meant a lot of extra stuff to haul on and off, and they were all too small to carry anything substantial. Lots of kind words from fellow passengers, and then when we landed a guy grabbed several of our things and took them onto the jetway where we could regroup.

Highly recommend this Tribune story on ICE’s Chicago operation — and the brave resistance it faced here. (Gift link.) www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/28/c...

Not sure I’ve seen a dumber 2 minutes of NFL play this year than what just transpired in the Texans-Chargers game. (Caveat that I have not watched the Browns or Jets much)

Eldest child painted a medieval-style script of my full name and I think it’s one of the best Christmas gifts I’ve ever received.

I am now at or very close to the highest follower count I had on twitter, so thank you recent influx of bots and occasional actual people. I promise to remain a semi-committed poster, but not really over the next couple weeks. Happy holidays to all y’all.

When that asshole kicks, I’m gonna keep my thoughts to myself, but I sure as hell won’t blame anyone who doesn’t.

I’d like to order seven more of these games in May please.

Wemby has played 7 1/2 minutes in his first game back and is +20. Good heavens.

Noah Wyle, Motorcycle Doctor.

Joe speaks the truth.

Always here for more Hiaasen adaptations (here’s hoping the coming ones both work).

What in the ever loving shit is this, Google.

Step 1: Develop a killer Claire Danes impression. Step 2: [ ] Step 3: PROFIT!! www.instagram.com/reel/DSDXKlt...

Wrote about what the arrival of "Mad Men" on HBO Max teaches us besides "hide the vomit machine." [giftie] (But also, definitely hide the vomit machine.) www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/a...

Some more #PercyJackson stuff for today’s premiere, diving in with director James Bobin and the cast on how they filmed the chariot race using real horses on a 1/4-mile long track built for the occasion.

Resharing this now that season 2 is out. Enjoy your demigod adventures, folks. #percyjackson

It's December, which means it's time for my favorite post of the year (which will be updated all day), the cinema of 2025 as gags from 30 Rock. Starting with ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

We live in an early 2000s infomercial.

For those willing to make the commitment, the American Cinematheque @amcinematheque.bsky.social is going to screen all 48 episodes of TWIN PEAKS twice every Tuesday night at the Los Feliz 3 which will take the entire year.

I wrote a lot of words about a kids’ show that is also maybe a budding franchise and (imo) just a good piece of television. Season 2 of “Percy Jackson,” folks:

The Golden Globes are generally not as unhinged as they once were, but in planning for the nominations, I was assigned a potential story if “All’s Fair” got any. TBH that probably would’ve been a fun one to write.

Let off the hook by a horrendous trick play call. Onward JMU

Two timeouts in a tie game and they take a knee?

She had the most talked-about 3-month contract since CC Sabathia with the Brewers, so that’s something I guess.

One thing I didn’t foresee when I began a career in media in the mid-90s, then started covering the entertainment business a few years later, is that I’d be taking part in writing a collective, years-long, slow motion eulogy for both industries as they had been for decades.

I wrote a bit for McSweeney's about Isaac Chotiner interviewing Santa Claus. Just a little something for the holiday season. Enjoy!

Offer still on the table. I would love to read about something like this (and don’t feel like I have the right historical or political grounding to do it myself).

If someone has a good analysis of the propaganda intent of those televised cabinet meetings (which I don’t remember ever being a thing before), as well as the utter debasement on display from secretaries praising dear leader, I will subscribe to your publication.

It is 5:56 p.m. Central time. The “Mad Men” episode title mixup on HBO Max has been fixed, but the puke hose at the end of “Red in the Face” (s1, ep 7) is still visible.

I have never been the smoothest interviewer, and I sometimes jumble thoughts or set up my questions too much. I’m transcribing something now that, no joke, took me 132 words (ums and sort ofs included) to ask somethng that could’ve been said in 40 or 50. The interviewee got the gist, thankfully.

Fog of War 4 oz extra smoky Scotch dash of bitters splash of water Drink it straight, like a man, while you search for high-priced lawyers.

Netflix’s first-party data has “Stranger Things 5” with the best opening week ever for an English-language show on the service, and second best for all languages behind s2 of “Squid Game.” No shock that it was huge, but still: huge.

“Game of Thrones” water bottle <<<<<<<<<<<<<<< “Mad Men” puke hose

Not exactly the Muppets version of a Blanc film that Rian Johnson has pushed back on, but I'll take it.

Alert, alert, we have Muppet Benoit Blanc!

Luv too have a second bedroom with no room for a bed that’s also maybe the entryway to my house and a laundry room with two bathtubs and no washer or dryer and a set of patio doors(?, at the bottom of the pic) facing the sky.

Before

His family’s issues aside, Vance didn’t grow up in some holler with no indoor plumbing. Middletown, Ohio is a small city between Cincinnati and Dayton. The steel plant there was struggling when he was a kid and that was rough, but the town didn’t fall apart. But that’s not as good a story.

If these people just wanted to hang out with celebs at parties, pick up scandalous gossip, and hold on to stories for an insane lead time, they should have just gone into entertainment journalism ffs.

I cannot stop laughing. This is so indicative of what's wrong with these AI people and how they view art He ran into a wall where the "make art" button wasn't satisfying because it wasn't actually making good enough art, and instead of trying new things he just requests a stronger button

Nine-year finale high for “Dancing With the Stars” among all viewers, but the stat that sends me is that it’s the first show in *five (5) seasons* to score a 1.0 rating or better among adults 18-49 before streaming or DVR playback.

As I understand things, Guy’s duties and responsibilities will temporarily be taken on by the deputy mayor of Flavortown. (Also this injury sounds painful as hell. Oof.)

Sorry, got excited and didn’t do the gift link. Here: wapo.st/4846reS

Wine heist! Featuring a “bushy toupee” and high speed chase!

Did someone tell him they got a Trump shirt on TeePublic.

If there’s a thing we want in this year of our lord 2025, it’s more “Everybody Loves Raymond” content. Here, then, Q&A w/Ray Romano and Phil Rosenthal about last night’s reunion special. (The recap deal I did about the show has done crazy traffic today, so I’m leaning in)

I am “covered my junior high/high school textbooks with repurposed paper grocery bags*” years old. You? (*It was school policy to keep the actual book covers in OK shape, and also you could draw on the bags. One year my mom bought clear plastic covers and I was PISSED to lose the places to doodle)

To quote Paul Rudd in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” that’s just a good show. (Also, if you’re streaming the show don’t miss Ray Romano’s kids doing impressions of him about 9 minutes in)

I had a blast yesterday watching “Siskel & Ebert at 50: A Live Performance” in Chicago. Zack Mast (Ebert) and Stephen Winchell (Siskel) were uncannily good as the two critics and it was a really cool and affectionate way to look back at their early years and legacy.

Children by the million sing for Alex Chilton When he comes ‘round They sing, “I’m in love, what’s that song? I’m in love, with that song”