We are 105 days from Election Day. Someone build me a time machine already.

by Therese Odell, posted in Uncategorized


It’s another 2020 Tuesday. And I wish I could share something upbeat and happy with you, but honestly, I’m just not feeling it today.

We are at nearly 145,000 dead from the coronavirus, and in fact, in my state, we’ve passed the 4,000 death mark. It took us 53 days to reach 1,000 dead, it took us 10 days to go from 3,000 to 4,000 dead.

Meanwhile, unmarked, unidentified federal agents have occupied a major American city, arrested Americans and driven them off in unmarked cars and have attacked peaceful protestors with tear gas and “nonlethal” weapons. All because this White House knows it’s lost control of this virus, has no plan to try to regain control, and wants desperately to change the story.

I hope you’re keeping an eye on what is happening in Portland right now. President Dicktator and his toadie Bill Barr are sending various federal agents to occupy the city and violently squash protests that have been going on for 54 days straight. The occupation is in part to make the protests look more violent and dangerous than they actually are, and in part to give conservative outlets something else to focus on while the virus rages through red states. They’re desperate to change the national narrative and make Democratic states and cities appear to be violent and dangerous all for election purposes, but the truth of the matter is Portland is actually just fine. The mayor of Portland and governor of Oregon have asked the feds to remove the agents but the administration is refusing, and, in fact, threatening to do this in other “Democrat” led cities.

On Sunday, Wolf’s deputy, Ken Cuccinelli (whose official title is “Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security”), told NPR that Homeland Security would be taking these tactics nationwide. Wolf affirmed this, telling Fox News that his agency can act with or without local cooperation. “I don’t need invitations by the state, state mayors or state governors to do our job,” he said. “We’re going to do that, whether they like us there or not.”

…

A secretive, nationwide police force — created without congressional input or authorization, formed from highly politicized agencies, tasked with rooting out vague threats and answerable only to the president — is a nightmare out of the fever dreams of the founding generation, federalists and antifederalists alike. It’s something Americans continue to fear and for good reason. It is a power that cannot and should not exist in a democracy, lest it undermine and destroy the entire project.

It is these protestors’ constitutional right to protest. Never forget that.

I’m old enough to remember when conservatives believed in local governance and control and the right’s fear of “jack-booted government thugs” and federal agents occupying Texas in “Jade Helm.” Trumpism has exposed conservatism’s inherent hypocrisy once and for all. It’s not about philosophy, it’s about power. And all those jack-booted government thugs were just the right’s feverish fantasies about what they themselves would do given half a chance.

HEY. CNN. YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BLUR THE PROTESTORS’ FACES. NOT THE FACES OF THE GODDAMNED SECRET POLICE. FUCK THOSE GUYS.

Ted Cruz and Mark Cuban are having a twitter fight over the Dallas Mavericks kneeling during the anthem at NBA games because Cruz doesn’t want to talk about how COVID-19 is killing thousands of his constituents.

Cruz is just following the lead of President Humiliator:

OK.

Bubba Wallace was booed at a NASCAR race last week, and greeted with Confederate flags which had been banned by the organizations. Cool cool cool.

ABC News has fired senior vice president of talent, editorial strategy, and business affairs Barbara Fedida for being a racist and sexist asshole.

First of all, I had no idea somehow that Strahan, Sara, and Keke had been canceled at ABC, but Keke Palmer would like you to know that the cancelation had nothing to do with her activism.

Stargirl‘s Anjelika Washington reveals that on a previous (unnamed) series, her stunt double was a white woman in blackface, leaving her uncomfortable. And she has some strong feelings about the whole incident.

Going Viral

The Happy Endings reunion is here thanks to the “pandemy” and it is everything the 30 Rock special wasn’t, and NOW ALL I WANT IS MORE HAPPY ENDINGS. RENEW THIS SHOW, SOMEONE. ANYONE. NETFLIX, I’M LOOKING AT YOU.

Van Helsing has gone back into production in Canada, becoming the first drama that has resumed filming.

Alex Trebek describes some of the changes that will be made to the Jeopardy! set when they resume filming in a few weeks.

Grey’s Anatomy will be tackling the COVID-19 crisis when it resumes filming.

“Every year, we have doctors come and tell us their stories, and usually they’re telling their funniest or craziest stories. This year, it has felt more like therapy,” she explained. “The doctors come in and we’re the first people they’re talking to about these types of experiences they’re having. They are literally shaking and trying not to cry, they’re pale, and they’re talking about it as war — a war that they were not trained for. And that’s been one of our big conversations about Owen, is that he’s actually trained for this in a way that most of the other doctors aren’t.” Vernoff added that it’s been “really painful” to hear about the suffering that patients and healthcare workers are experiencing during the pandemic. “I feel like our show has an opportunity and a responsibility to tell some of those stories,” she said.

The iHeartRadio Music Festival will go on, but without an audience.

Dr. Anthony Fauci will throw out the opening pitch for the Washington Nationals on Opening Day, calling him a “true champion for our country.” PREACH.

Sex Monsters

I really hoped to take more time off from this category, but the sex monsters can’t seem to stop being GODDAMNED MONSTERS so here we are again.

Two women have sued Fox News, one accusing Ed Henry of raping her, the other accusing Henry, Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Howard Kurtz, and others of sexual harassment. AT FOX NEWS? NEVER.

The accusers went on CBS This Morning this morning and … oof.

Tucker Carlson returned to his show last night but said nothing about the lawsuit, instead claiming that The New York Times was doxing him in an attempt to kill him and his family. OK, TUCKER.

Vanity Fair has a damning piece on Peter Lenkov, the CBS showrunner who was recently fired for abusive behavior:

Lucas Till, the star of MacGyver, agreed with that assessment. Just before Lenkov’s departure from CBS, Till told V.F. that, while there were periods of time in which he and the showrunner had a cordial relationship, he endured numerous instances of verbal abuse, bullying, and body-shaming that took a serious toll on him. Till said that while the showrunner rarely visited the set, he was ultimately responsible for its tone, and that he created a hostile work environment. “I’ve never worked this hard in my life, and I am fine with hard work,” said Till. “But the way Peter treats people is just unacceptable. I was suicidal that first year on the show, because of the way he made me feel. But the way he’s treated the people around me—that’s just my breaking point.”

Let’s check in on Johnny Depp’s trial, which he’s using to try to rehabilitate his image …

Heard said Depp would blame all his abusive actions on a “self-created third person, which he often called ‘the monster’”.

She said some incidents were so severe “that I was afraid he was going to kill me, either intentionally or just by losing control and going too far. He explicitly threatened to kill me many times, especially later in our relationship.”

The violence included “punching, slapping, kicking, head-butting and choking me, as well as throwing me into things, pulling me by my hair and shoving me or pushing me to the ground.”

…

“He demeaned me anytime I tried to wear anything that could be seen as sexy, calling me a ‘whore’, ‘slut’, ‘fame-hungry’ and ‘an attention whore’, but it got worse over time.

“He started saying things like ‘Well I’m going to have to watch you get raped’ and ‘I hope you get railed by a bunch of fucking fellas’. Sometimes he used racial epithets about the men I would be – or deserved to be – assaulted by.”

… YIKES.

I am shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, to learn that the Washington Redskins have been accused of sexual harassment and fostering a toxic work environment by some 15 female employees. WHERE ARE MY SMELLING SALTS??

NowThis Politics associate producer Jackson C. Davis has officially been fired after an investigation into sexual misconduct.

Sharon Stone on why intimacy coordinators should be on every goddamn set from here on out.

Hockey star Jeremy Roenick sued NBC Sports for discrimination, claiming they fired him because he’s a heterosexual man. LOL, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.

Ash Armand, who had once been on Gigolos on Showtime, has been arrested and charged with beating his girlfriend to death.

All Other TV News

I’m really looking forward to Lovecraft Country on HBO …

Hallmark promises to make some LGBTQ Christmas movies this year. OK. We’ll see.

HBO Max will be shelving the Harry Potter movies next month.

Brian Kilmeade retweeted a fake Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweet recently. True story: when one of my aunts posted the same tweet on Facebook, I pointed out — politely! — that it was a fake tweet and she defriended me. 2020 is the best year!

Tamar Braxton’s boyfriend claims that it was conflict with WeTV that led to Braxton trying to take her life last week.

Johnny Ortiz, an actor from El Camino, is facing attempted murder charges.

Cancellations

  • After Turkish authorities pressured them to remove a gay character from the series If Only, Netflix opted to just cancel the series altogether.

In Development

Casting News

Mark Your Calendars

  • Surviving Jeffrey Epstein will debut on Lifetime on August 9.
  • Connected will debut on Netflix on August 2.
  • The Weight of Gold will premiere on HBO on July 29.
  • Julie and the Phantoms will premiere on Netflix on September 10.
  • Todd McFarlane: Like Hell I Won’t will debut on Syfy.com on July 25.
  • Sugar Rush will return on Netflix on July 31.
  • 3% will return on Netflix on August 14.

  • Aggretsuko will return on Netflix on August 27.

  • Teenage Bounty Hunters will debut on Netflix on August 14.

R.I.P.

Jonathan Oppenheim, Emmy-nominated director of documentary films including Paris is Burning and Sister Helen among many others

Nina Kapur, CBS2 New York Reporter

WATCH THIS

Street Food: This is a wonderful series that looks at chefs other cooking shows overlook: street food vendors, who tell their own stories of innovation and perseverance. The first season focused on Asia, this season will explore Latin America. Netflix

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: The Emmy-award-winning sports docu-series returns with an exploration of the long and short-term effects of the pandemic on student athletes. I DON’T KNOW, MAYBE WE JUST SKIP FOOTBALL THIS YEAR, GUYS. Season premiere 9 p.m., HBO

Frontline: Covid’s Hidden Cost: A look a how the coronavirus has hit the vulnerable immigrant population, particularly those on the front lines of our food industries. 9 p.m., PBS

Late Night:

  • Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Andy Samberg, José Andrés, Perfume Genius
  • Late Night with Seth Meyers: Chris Evans, Action Bronson, Elle King, Nikki Glaspie
  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Greta Thunberg, Keegan-Michael Key
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live: Paris Hilton, Phoebe Robinson, guest host Nikki Glaser
  • The Daily Show: The Daily Social Distancing Show
  • Conan: Patton Oswalt
  • Watch What Happens Live: The Chicks

 

TUES. 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30
ABC Modern Family
(repeat)		 Modern Family
(repeat)		 United We Fall
(repeat)		 United We Fall
(repeat)		 Primetime: What Would You Do?
(new)
CBS NCIS
(repeat)		 FBI
(repeat)		 FBI: Most Wanted
(repeat)
CW Stargirl
(new)		 Bryan Callen: Complicated Apes Local
FOX Hell’s Kitchen
(repeat)		 Prodigal Son
(repeat)		 News/Local
NBC America’s Got Talent
(new)		 World of Dance
(new)

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