President Broken Brain held another mini-press conference next to a whirring helicopter this morning where he said a bunch of dumb shit, including bashing President Obama, Michelle Obama, Jim Acosta, and April Ryan.
In a particularly contentious moment, CNN reporter Abby Phillip asked him if he wants Matt Whitaker (his appointed Attorney General, from whom he also tried to distance himself during the informal press huddle) to reign in Mueller.
“What a stupid question. What a stupid question. But I watch you a lot, you ask a lot of stupid questions,” he replied a Phillip who had asked a perfectly reasonable question.
He also said that the White House didn’t post a doctored video of the Acosta incident (they did), he didn’t know if Acosta would be permanently banned, and that April Ryan needed to treat the presidency (i.e. him) with respect. He also added there might be other reporters who get their credentials pulled presumably for the crime of not being “respectful” enough for his liking. Cooooooooooool. Cool cool cool and completely normal and cool and not at all Orwellian or Stalinesque and cool.
Meanwhile, reporters on both sides of the political spectrum are being harassed and requiring private security because the leader of our country has labeled them the “enemy of the people” because they report facts that are not flattering to him.
“Attempts to intimidate and other abusive conduct is not acceptable. It’s not acceptable when Tucker Carlson and others on Fox News do it — and what happened at Carlson’s home and to his family is not acceptable. Period,” said the media watchdog organization.
“If you are interested in holding Tucker Carlson accountable and reducing his influence, start by first holding yourself to a higher standard and then by contacting Fox News’ advertisers and urging them to stop financially supporting racism.”
In response to the Carlson story, Fox News’ Suzanne Scott and Jay Wallace took aim at intolerance of different points of view. WHICH IS RICH.
“We as a nation have become far too intolerant of different points of view,” Scott and Wallace declared, in words that Fox News critics would agree with, for all the right and not so right reasons. “Recent events across our country clearly highlight the need for a more civil, respectful, and inclusive national conversation. Those of us in the media and in politics bear a special obligation to all Americans, to find common ground.”
Funny how only after one of their own is targeted does Fox News recognize the danger of heightened rhetoric.
There has been a lot of talk from pundits and others that we are spending too much time worrying about Jim Acosta and his contentious relationship with the White House, and not enough time on more important issues like all the other bullshit this administration is pulling. I understand this argument, but I respectfully disagree. With the events of this week — specifically stripping Acosta of his press credentials, releasing a doctored video as justification for, and threatening to takes other reporters’ access if they do not fall in line — we are no longer in the realm of Trump being a theoretical threat to the first amendment and the free press. He is actively trashing it while watching to see how we respond.
While you might think that Acosta is not blameless in all of this, that he provokes the president in part to make himself part of the story — first of all let me just point out that Acosta and April Ryan and Abby Phillips and other reporters who ask Trump questions that he doesn’t want to answer and that make him have a tantrum like he did today ARE DOING THEIR JOBS. This is not about them trying to burnish their careers, this is about them holding power accountable.
But also, the fact is that Trump said very plainly that he is considering stripping other people of their credentials, too. This isn’t just about one reporter. And if we’re not careful, if we are not paying attention, if we are not loud and angry, the only people who will have direct access to the most powerful man in the world and his administration, the only people outside of Congress who will be able to hold them accountable will be Fox News, The Washington Examiner, The Gateway Pundit and Infowars.
I hate this timeline.
In other TV news
The Satanic Temple was not just kidding around about suing Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Netflix over the use of their Baphomet statue. They filed a suit for $50 million. It’s actually an interesting case — and it sounds like the Temple is most angry that the show associates Baphomet with evil:
“This case presents, among other things, a textbook example of the hornbook explanation of copyright protection that copyright law protects unique expressions, but not the ideas themselves,” asserts the complaint. “What makes this case particularly striking and significant is that it arises in the context of Defendants who are highly sophisticated media production and distribution companies which blatantly misappropriated Plaintiff’s unique expression of an idea even though they have a long history of vigorously protecting their own intellectual property.”
Perhaps ironically, The Satanic Temple states it designed and commissioned its Baphomet “to be a central part of its efforts to promote First Amendment values of separation of church and state and equal protection,” adding that the Netflix series’ “prominent use of this symbol as the central focal point of the school associated with evil, cannibalism and murder blurs and tarnishes the TST Baphomet with Children as a mark of TST.”
You can pay your respects to Frank Underwood in real life. (But only for a limited time.)
We have another hint about the Breaking Bad movie: “the storyline “’tracks the escape of a kidnapped man and his quest for freedom.’” Also, Vince Gilligan has previously hinted at what he thought lay in store for Jesse Pinkman. Could both of these stories be one and the same?
Conan talked a little about what his new show will be like, and it sounds like what his old show was like, just shorter? Maybe less monologue? I don’t know.
Oh my goodness, Channel Zero: Dream Door action figures. No thank you please.
This is a decent list of shows you should stream over the Thanksgiving break instead of fighting with your family about the election. (I’m still going to fight with my family about the election, though.)
Ned Stark, like everyone else, thinks that Arya will be the last Stark standing.
Blumhouse TV, Vida and Men in Trees are some of the first announced participants at the Austin Television Festival.
The recent election might have actual consequences for the men at the center of Making of a Murderer.
Duff Beer is going to be a thing — but only for one day only.
And you can own your own pair of white walkers soon. If you’re more Targaryen, these might light your fire.
This is just a very long piece about the making of My Brilliant Friend, if you are interested.
IMPORTANT. (If you care about seeing Chris Pine’s penis. This is only important if you care about seeing Chris Pine’s penis.)
Congratulations, Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp! It’s weird but whatever!
Time’s Up
The Women’s March and #MeToo were the seeds that blossomed into the record number of women headed to Congress next year. It’s not all terrible.
GOD DAMMIT, JOE BIDEN, YOU BETTER APOLOGIZE.
Ezra Miller revealed he was harassed by a director when he was underage.
Renewals
- Charmed, Legacies, and All American have all been given more episodes. Only Charmed was given a full season, though.
In Development
- A Loki series starring Tom Hiddleston is coming to Disney +, the new streaming service.
- The Plot Against America is being adapted into a series by David Simon at HBO.
- HBO has set a documentary about Roy Cohn.
- Our Planet is coming to Netflix.
- Prince of Fashion is being developed into a movie by Amazon.
- The Invisibles is being developed into a series.
- Inner City Pressure is being adapted into a series.
- Jeff Gaspin has signed a deal with AGC Television.
Casting News
- Max Greenfield and Patton Oswalt will be in Veronica Mars.
- Jean Smart is joining Watchmen YESSSSSSSSSSSSssssss. Jeremy Irons is also joining the cast as Ozymandias, oh my God.
- Anna Paquin is joining The Affair (and in an interesting role).
- We have the cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular: Eureka O’Hara, Jasmine Masters, Kim Chi, Latrice Royale, Mayhem Miller, Shangela, Sonique and Trixie Mattel. Yes yes yes yes yes.
- Matthew Modine is joining CBS’s Surveillance.
- Diego Luna is joining the cast of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
- John Barrowman is returning to Arrow.
- Wesley Snipes is joining the cast of Paper Empire which is a series that will also star Steve Gutenberg and Denise Richards, but doesn’t have a home? What is this?
- Jeremy Irvine and Brian J. Smith are joining Treadstone on USA.
- Robin Givens will appear in The Fix on ABC.
- Katherine Ryan is joining The Dutchess on Netflix.
- Loren Lott, a former American Idol contestant, is joining the cast of The Young and the Restless.
- Brigette Lundy-Paine and Liv Hewson are joining the Roger Ailes movie.
Mark Your Calendar
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine will premiere on NBC on January 10. NBC announced all of its January dates, including The Blacklist which will return on January 4.
- Champaign Ill will stream on YouTube on December 12.
- Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath returns on A&E on November 27.
- Inside Jokes will premiere on Amazon on November 30.
- Kingdom premieres on Netflix on January 25. It’s a Korean zombie series and it looks gorgeous:
- LEGO(R) Jurassic World: The Secret Exhibit will air on NBC on November 29.
- MythBusters Jr. will debut on Science Channel on January 2.
- Berlin Station will return on Epix on December 2.
- Pete the Cat will premiere on Amazon on November 20.
- AMC has released information about their holiday programming.
WATCH THIS
FRIDAY
Outlaw King: Chris Pine goes full monty, y’all. Also, something something Robert the Bruce something. Netflix
Patriot: Season two of the weird spy kinda-comedy. Amazon
Westside: Netflix gets into the reality business with this new series that follows 9 young people as they try to break into the music business. Series premiere. Netflix
Room 104: Season two premiere. 10:30 p.m., HBO
SATURDAY
Love, Simon: A gay teen love story. It shouldn’t be remarkable, but somehow it is. 7 p.m., HBO
It’s Christmas Eve: NO IT IS NOT. 7 p.m., Hallmark.
Saturday Night Live: Liev Schreiber & Lil’ Wayne. Fun fact: “Liev Schreiber” is the most difficult celebrity name to spell. You’re not wrong to think it would be a Gyllenhaal, but it is actually “Liev Schreiber.” 10:30 p.m., NBC
SUNDAY
60 Minutes: This could change by the time this is published, but as of now, 60 Minutes will do a piece on the immigrant mother whose two-year-old daughter died after being held in custody at the border. This story is particularly close to my heart as my husband is one of the mother’s lawyers. It’s going to be painful, but you should watch and see what our administration is doing to people. 6:30 (ish — after football) p.m., CBS
Sally4Ever: In this British comedy, a bored woman engages in an affair with another woman on the night her dull boyfriend proposes to her. Series premiere. 9:30 p.m., HBO
The Last Ship: Chandler faces his greatest threat ever in the series premiere. 8 p.m., TNT
20/20: Becoming Michelle: A First Lady’s Journey with Robin Roberts: COME BACK, MICHELLE. WE NEED YOU. 8 p.m., ABC
You: Season (series?) finale. 9 p.m., Lifetime
The Walking Dead: OH SHIT, THERE’S A HUGE TIME JUMP. OH SHIT. 8 p.m., AMC
Late Night: Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (Friday): Mark Wahlberg, Chip & Joanna Gaines, Zac Brown Band The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: (Friday): Alexander Skarsgard Watch What Happens Live (Sunday): Kandi Burruss, Keke Palmer
| FRI. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Fresh Off the Boat (new) |
Speechless (new) |
Child Support (new) |
20/20 (new) |
| CBS | MacGyver (new) |
Hawaii Five-0 (new) |
Blue Bloods (new) |
| CW | Dynasty (new) |
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (new) |
Local |
| FOX | Last Man Standing (new) |
The Cool Kids (new) |
Hell’s Kitchen (new) |
Local |
| NBC | Blindspot (new) |
Midnight, Texas (new) |
Dateline (new) |
—
| SAT. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 | 10:00 | 10:30 | 11:00 | 11:30 |
| ABC | College Football (live) |
News/Local |
| CBS | NCIS (repeat) |
FBI (repeat) |
48 Hours (new) |
News/Local |
| FOX | College Football (live) |
News/Local |
| NBC | College Football: Florida State at Notre Dame (live) |
News/Local | Saturday Night Live (Liev Schreiber & Lil’ Wayne) |
—
| SUN. | 6:00 | 6:30 | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | America’s Funniest Home Videos (new) |
Dancing with the Stars: Juniors (new) |
Becoming Michelle (new) |
Country Music’s Biggest Stars (new) |
| CBS | NFL Football (live) |
60 Minutes (new) |
God Friended Me (new) |
NCIS: Los Angeles (new) |
Madam Secretary (new) |
| The CW | Local | Supergirl (new) |
Charmed (new) |
Local |
| FOX | Last Man Standing (repeat) |
Bob’s Burgers (repeat) |
The Simpsons (new) |
Bob’s Burgers (new) |
Family Guy (new) |
Rel (new) |
Local/News |
| NBC | Sunday Night Football: Cowboys at Eagles (live) |