#Christopher Cosby

[80smovies]

[brokehorrorfan]

The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand will be published in hardcover and e-book on August 19, 2025 via Gallery Books.

Edited by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene, the anthology features 34 short stories based on The Stand. It includes an introduction by Stephen King, a foreword by Golden, and an afterword by Keene.

Contributors include Wayne Brady & Maurice Broaddus, Poppy Z. Brite, Somer Canon, C. Robert Cargill, Nat Cassidy, V. Castro, Richard Chizmar, S.A. Cosby, Tananarive Due & Steven Barnes, Meg Gardiner, Gabino Iglesias, Jonathan Janz, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Josh Malerman, Ronald Malfi, Usman T. Malik, Premee Mohamed, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, David J. Schow, Alex Segura, Bryan Smith, Paul Tremblay, Catherynne M. Valente, Bev Vincent, Catriona Ward, Chuck Wendig, Wrath James White, and Rio Youers.

Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television. Although there are other extraordinary works exploring the unraveling of human society, none have been as influential as this iconic novel—generations of writers have been impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of characters. Now for the first time, Stephen King has fully authorized a return to the harrowing world of The Stand through this original short story anthology as presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene. Bringing together some of today’s greatest and most visionary writers, The End of the World As We Know It features unforgettable, all-new stories set during and after (and some perhaps long after) the events of The Stand—brilliant, terrifying, and painfully human tales that will resonate with readers everywhere as an essential companion to the classic, bestselling novel.

Pre-order The End of the World As We Know It.

[lemotmo]

Let's watch 911 7x07

All right guys, let’s do this. I’m finally able to sit down and watch episode 7x07. I'll type out my thoughts and feelings as I'm watching.

Disclaimer: This is a fictional show with fictional characters. These characters go through some of the wildest things. This time we have a cheating storyline for Eddie and while, in real life, it would be a big no no, on a TV show like this it’s a narrative I can get behind. These people need to go through dramas to come out on the other side as reborn. It’s what TV is for, an escape from reality. None of it is real. So yeah, while Eddie cheats on Marisol, I will still watch this show and I’ll still be intrigued what this means for him and his narrative. Ultimately this part of his story will serve a purpose and I’m here for that.

So, let’s go!

That first call going to Maddie. She is so damn good at her job.

Oh no, they crashed!

2. No no no, Chimney! An explosion! Stay away Eddie! Oh no, she’s burned badly, isn’t she? Inhalation burns.

Where is the baby?

Why is Athena the only police officer working these cases? There is never another police officer on call.

Where is the baby? Please don’t hurt the baby!

That poor lady.

Where is the damn baby?

3. That’s right, no screens during dinner. I have the same rule at home. My son is used to it by now.

Mara! Denny knows about her baby brother, Tyson. Oh that poor sweet girl.

4. Oh, the ice cream Marisol scene. I’m afraid now! Christopher really seems to like her. That poor kid is going to go through it, isn’t he. Another woman who will eventually leave him, for good reason I know, but still…

Ooooh, fake Shannon! Cue Eddie having a flashback of Shannon. Man, grief can be so hard sometimes. The moment you think you’re doing better, something happens to throw you back in the middle of it. Imagine seeing a döppelganger of your deceased wife. That has to be hard on anyone.

5. Hen is such a great mother. I love how she talks to Mara and really understands what is going on with her.

That’s right baby! Denny is nice. Of course you miss him.

Has he been taken by the foster system?

6. What do you mean her husband is in Alaska? Who is that guy? And where is the baby???

Oh Maddie, this has to be hard for her. All of those memories. That’s right Josh, talk some sense into her.

7. Foster families are important, but it sucks how siblings are separated.

Oh… Mara’s mother had an affair. Man, there is a theme running through this episode.

I don’t think the system can do a lot in cases like this Hen. Sometimes hands are tied.

8. The burn unit. Oh, that is Amir huh? 'The only one responsible is the driver, the rest of us are left to clean up the mess.' Auwch! This is the guy who is going to go after Bobby, isn’t he?

Side note: Theo Huxtable was my favourite on ‘The Cosby Show’. I know, I know, we’re not supposed to watch it anymore and shit, but I grew up with that show, so yeah.

He seems like a nice guy. Are we sure he’s going after Bobby?

Maddie, you’re a nurse… mask up when you visit a burn victim!

9. No no no, I don’t want to see this scene! No Eddie, don’t do it!!!

Of course fake Shannon would walk out to talk to him. I would! I mean, the guy looks gorgeous.

A candle? Instant stimulation. Noooooooo, don’t do it babe! On the beach with Shannon.

Ryan, the actor that you are. Your eyes speak to me!

Nooooo, you aren’t single babe!!!! Have you forgotten about Marisol without a last name? She was right there in the beginning of the episode, eating ice cream with you.

Edmundo… really? This harkens back to Ana times.

Fake Shannon is called Kim.

But really, Kim is the spitting image of Shannon. How can he resist this? All he’s ever wanted was to be enough for Shannon and now he has another chance. Of course he’ll take it. The loveable idiot!

The S keychain… I mean, Eddie babe, she isn’t Shannon. She’s another person. You can’t just replace your deceased wife with a new copy. It doesn’t work that way. She looks like her, but she’s a completely different woman.

10. Mommy and me classes. Hen and Karen stalking yet again another parent of one of their foster children. Well, not the real parent, but you know what I mean. They’ve done this before. This isn’t healthy ladies. I understand your motivation, but it just isn’t healthy. You’ll end up being kicked out of the system if you continue like this.

11. Maddie, stop obsessing babe. It isn’t healthy. Where is Chimney?

Aaaah, that’s right! He’s her husband now!!!! YAY!

Oh, Chimney, you are the best husband. You get it. You understand her so well.

This scene is gold! GOLD!

Oh, this guy isn’t connected to the lady at all, is she?

12. OMG! He’s the neighbour! He has to be.

That poor mother.

13. Wait… is that Shannon or Kim in bed with Eddie? Please let it be Shannon! I’m not ready for a full-blown sexual affair.

Side note: it is so weird that the women on 911 always have their bras on when they have sex. Meanwhile the TV-shows that get made in my country have full-blown nudity and very explicit unapologetic sex scenes, and no one bats an eye over it.

What is going on? Is it Kim? It can’t be!

Whose room is that? That isn’t Eddie’s bed, is it?

Oh, it’s a memory… or is it? I don’t think he slept with Shannon before she saw him at Christmas, did he? I remember that scene where they had sex upside down on the bed and then she quickly had to leave because Chris came home. This is so different.

O_o Dude! No! Marisol is right there. I have no love for this women, since I hardly know her, but this is a big no no! Not in front of her salad.

14. Oh, he was a handyman. A real stalker.

Maddie is calling the sister? Isn’t that against protocol? This show just throws every single rule into the bin.

Kyle had to make a fresh start from what? Oh no, his wife left with the baby. This guy is full on psychotic, isn’t he? He’s living in a delusion where the victim and her baby are his own wife and child.

What is he feeding that baby?

Oh no, this guy is crazy! A new mommy?

Maddie, you genius you!!! I love you! You understand creepy guys like no other.

Someone save that baby!!!!!! Nooo!

Chimney knows!

Oh Buck tackled that guy! His back has to be broken! That dude is massive!

The woman is safe!

15. Oh no, Amir’s eyes! He knows Bobby. Such a great actor.

Bobby is in trouble.

16. Tyson, yes. So happy that Mara gets to see her brother again.

Of course he remembers here. Kids always do.

17. Buck is cooking. I don’t want to watch the next scene, because I know what is coming. But okay.

This is so homey and cosy. The three of them together.

Smoke though? Foreshadowing?

Good cologne? We won’t wait up for you? Oh Buck… if you only knew what your best friend was up to. You could have stopped him to talk some sense into him.

This scene though. They’re a unit, the three of them. One day…

But first Eddie needs to deal with some of his demons. Let’s go.

18. Thank God, some Madney first. I need a little break before disaster strikes. Jee is sooo cute.

No more bad dreams tonight? Yeah, maybe not for Jee. I’m about to have a full blown nightmare in 3... 2... 1... and there it is...

19. Pffff, Eddie Eddie Eddie. I’m so disappointed in you right now. Don’t get me wrong, I still love you to bits and you’re still my fav on 911, but what are you doing? Not only to yourself, but to Marisol, Kim and Chris?

If you wanted to date this woman so badly, why didn’t you break up with Marisol first? It would have been the most decent thing to do for everyone involved.

Do you think this will bring Shannon back? It won’t you know. Kim is a different woman. Next to that, you are idealising your marriage to Shannon. It’s blinding you and stopping you from moving forward in life.

You need to let go of Shannon. Lay her to rest.

But I can see that you aren’t planning for that.

This is all going to come to a very messy ending and you’ll be left in the dust my friend. I just hope Chris doesn’t get pulled into this. I don’t ever want him to know.

Wait until Buck finds out. Not looking forward to that scene. It’ll be hard to watch.

I wonder if they are going to make this in a full-blown sexual affair, or an emotional cheating affair. And how long will it last? One episode? Two? What will make him see that what he’s doing is self-destructing? I’m convinced that this man is hurting deeply and he just wants to feel happy again, no matter the cost. He has this illusion that everything was perfect with Shannon, but it wasn’t. All of this will come crashing down and he’ll be left in the dust, alone.

If we have to believe Ryan’s interview, he’ll eventually crawl out of the pit of despair as a new man. Which is a good thing. But he’s going to go through it first and I’m here for it. I'll gobble up every single scene and the gut-wrenching heartbreak Eddie will go through the moment he will realise that he has f*cked up so badly.

Side note: We have now seen three people of the 118 cheat, in different ways, on their partners by now. I wonder if there’s something in the water?

[briankeene]

F.A.Q. The End Of The World As We Know It: Tales From Stephen King’s The Stand

What follows are the Frequently Asked Questions for THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: TALES OF STEPHEN KING’S THE STAND — a forthcoming anthology edited by myself and Christopher Golden. Please bookmark this page and check back from time to time, as I will update things as they develop.

Q: What is this, exactly?

A: An original short story anthology based on master storyteller Stephen King’s #1 New York Times bestselling classic The Stand!

Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television. Although there are other extraordinary works exploring the unraveling of human society, none have been as influential as this iconic novel—generations of writers have been impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of characters.

Now for the first time, Stephen King has fully authorized a return to the harrowing world of The Stand through this original short story anthology as presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene. Bringing together some of today’s greatest and most visionary writers, The End of the World As We Know It features unforgettable, all-new stories set during and after (and some perhaps long after) the events of The Stand—brilliant, terrifying, and painfully human tales that will resonate with readers everywhere as an essential companion to the classic, bestselling novel.

Q: Who is in the book?

A: Featuring an introduction by Stephen King, a foreword by Christopher Golden, and an afterword by Brian Keene. Contributors include Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus, Poppy Z. Brite, Somer Canon, C. Robert Cargill, Nat Cassidy, V. Castro, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, Meg Gardiner, Gabino Iglesias, Jonathan Janz, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Josh Malerman, Ronald Malfi, Usman T. Malik, Premee Mohamed, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, David J. Schow, Alex Segura, Bryan Smith, Paul Tremblay, Catherynne M. Valente, Bev Vincent, Catriona Ward, Chuck Wendig, Wrath James White, and Rio Youers.

Q: Who is the publisher?

A: Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, are publishing the hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook editions in North America. Various foriegn language editions will be published by various foreign publishers.

Q: So there will be hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook editions?

A: Yes. The hardcover and the eBook are already up for preorder via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all other booksellers. (Note: as of 10/16/24 Amazon’s hardcover link does not yet work, so check back often or use a different bookseller). You can also preorder from Overlook Connection and get a limited edition dust jacket by Glenn Chadbourne, as well as other cool collectibles.

Q: What’s the cost?

A: The hardcover is listed at $35. The eBook is listed at $16.99. The hardcover that comes with the extra dust jacket from Overlook is $69.95.

Q: Will there be a signed limited edition or a special collector’s edition of some kind?

A: Probably, but it is too early to say for sure.

Q: You listed the contributors above. Anything more you can tell us about the actual stories?

A: Sure. The book is split into four parts. Part One takes place during the initial spread of Captain Trips and the dreams. Part Two takes place between the migrations to Boulder and Las Vegas and the Hand of God moment. Part Three takes place after the conclusion of the novel, detailing the world in the decades that follow. And Part Four takes place… well, that would involve major spoilers.

Here is the finalized Table of Contents:

Foreword by Christopher Golden

Introduction by Stephen King

PART ONE: DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS

Room 24 by Caroline Kepnes The Tripps by Wrath James White Bright Light City by Meg Gardiner Every Dog Has Its Day by Bryan Smith Lockdown by Bev Vincent In A Pig’s Eye by Joe R. Lansdale Lenora by Jonathan Janz The Hope Boat by Gabino Iglesias Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time by C. Robert Cargill Prey Instinct by Hailey Piper Grace by Tim Lebbon Moving Day by Richard Chizmar La Mala Horla by Alex Segura The African Painted Dog by Catriona Ward Till Human Voices Wake Us, And We Drown by Poppy Z. Brite Kovach’s Last Case by Michael Koryta Make Your Own Way by Alma Katsu

PART TWO: THE LONG WALK

I Love The Dead by Josh Malerman Milagros by Cynthia Pelayo The Legion of Swine by S.A. Cosby Keep The Devil Down by Rio Youers Across The Pond by V Castro The Boat Man by Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes The Story I Tell Is the Story of Some of Us by Paul Tremblay The Mosque at the End of the World by Usman T. Malik Abigail’s Gethsemane by Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus

PART THREE: LIFE WAS SUCH A WHEEL

He’s A Righteous Man by Ronald Malfi Awaiting Orders In Flaggston by Somer Canon Grand Junction by Chuck Wendig Hunted to Extinction by Premee Mohamed Came The Last Night of Sadness by Catherynne M. Valente The Devil’s Children by Sarah Langan

PART FOUR: OTHER WORLDS THAN THESE

Walk On Gilded Splinters by David J. Schow The Unfortunate Convalescence of the SuperLawyer by Nat Cassidy

Afterword by Brian Keene

[lboogie1906]

Shari Headley (born July 15, 1964) is an actress and former model. She is known for her role as Lisa McDowell in Coming to America and its sequel Coming 2 America. She has appeared in the films The Preacher’s Wife and Johnson Family Vacation.

On TV she starred as Det. Mimi Reed in All My Children regularly. She starred in 413 Hope St., for which she received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series nomination. She starred as villainous Jennifer Sallison in The Haves and the Have Nots.

Born in Queens, New York City, she is the youngest of four children. In college, she was a premedical student, minoring in drama and performing in school plays.

She made her acting debut appearing in an episode of The Cosby Show. She appeared on Miami Vice, Quantum Leap, and Matlock. She had a starring role in Gideon Oliver. She co-starred in the Kojak television film series. At the 25th NAACP Image Awards, she received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series nomination. She guest-starred on New York Undercover, Walker, Texas Ranger, and Cosby.

She returned to daytime TV in Guiding Light and The Bold and the Beautiful. She appeared in the Towelhead. She had guest-starring roles on Veronica Mars, House, Castle, and Switched at Birth. She had a recurring role in On Becoming a God in Central Florida.

She married actor/entertainer Christopher Martin (1993-94) known as “Play” from the hip-hop duo Kid N’ Play. They have one son together. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[justforbooks]

Best crime and thrillers of 2023

Given this year’s headlines, it’s unsurprising that our appetite for cosy crime continues unabated, with the latest title in Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, The Last Devil to Die (Viking), topping the bestseller lists. Janice Hallett’s novels The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, which also features a group of amateur crime-solvers, and The Christmas Appeal (both Viper) have proved phenomenally popular, too.

Hallett’s books, which are constructed as dossiers – transcripts, emails, WhatsApp messages and the like – are part of a growing trend of experimentation with form, ranging from Cara Hunter’s intricate Murder in the Family (HarperCollins), which is structured around the making of a cold case documentary, to Gareth Rubin’s tête-bêche The Turnglass (Simon & Schuster). Books that hark back to the golden age of crime, such as Tom Mead’s splendidly tricksy locked-room mystery Death and the Conjuror (Head of Zeus), are also on the rise. The late Christopher Fowler, author of the wonderful Bryant & May detective series, who often lamented the sacrifice of inventiveness and fun on the altar of realism, would surely have approved. Word Monkey (Doubleday), published posthumously, is his funny and moving memoir of a life spent writing popular fiction.

Notable debuts include Callum McSorley’s Glaswegian gangland thriller Squeaky Clean (Pushkin Vertigo); Jo Callaghan’s In the Blink of an Eye (Simon & Schuster), a police procedural with an AI detective; Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy (Pushkin Vertigo), featuring queer punk nun investigator Sister Holiday; and the caustically funny Thirty Days of Darkness (Orenda) by Jenny Lund Madsen (translated from the Danish by Megan E Turney).

There have been welcome additions to series, including a third book, Case Sensitive (Zaffre), for AK Turner’s forensic investigator Cassie Raven, and a second, The Wheel of Doll (Pushkin Vertigo), for Jonathan Ames’s LA private eye Happy Doll, who is shaping up to be the perfect hardboiled 21st-century hero.

Other must-reads for fans of American crime fiction include Ozark Dogs (Headline) by Eli Cranor, a powerful story of feuding Arkansas families; SA Cosby’s Virginia-set police procedural All the Sinners Bleed (Headline); Megan Abbott’s nightmarish Beware the Woman (Virago); and Rebecca Makkai’s foray into very dark academia, I Have Some Questions for You (Fleet). There are shades of James Ellroy in Jordan Harper’s Hollywood-set tour de force Everybody Knows (Faber), while Raymond Chandler’s hero Philip Marlowe gets a timely do-over from Scottish crime doyenne Denise Mina in The Second Murderer (Harvill Secker).

As Mick Herron observed in his Slow Horses origin novel, The Secret Hours (Baskerville), there’s a long list of spy novelists who have been pegged as the heir to John le Carré. Herron must be in pole position for principal legatee, but it’s been a good year for espionage generally: standout novels include Matthew Richardson’s The Scarlet Papers (Michael Joseph), John Lawton’s Moscow Exile (Grove Press) and Harriet Crawley’s The Translator (Bitter Lemon).

Historical crime has also been well served. Highlights include Emma Flint’s excellent Other Women (Picador), based on a real 1924 murder case; Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s story of a fortune teller’s quest for identity in Georgian high society, The Square of Sevens (Mantle); and SG MacLean’s tale of Restoration revenge and retribution, The Winter List (Quercus). There are echoes of Chester Himes in Viper’s Dream (No Exit) by Jake Lamar, which begins in 1930s Harlem, while Palace of Shadows (Mantle) by Ray Celestin, set in the late 19th century, takes the true story of American weapons heiress Sarah Winchester’s San Jose mansion and transports it to Yorkshire, with chillingly gothic results.

The latest novel in Vaseem Khan’s postcolonial India series, Death of a Lesser God (Hodder), is also well worth the read, as are Deepti Kapoor’s present-day organised crime saga Age of Vice (Fleet) and Parini Shroff’s darkly antic feminist revenge drama The Bandit Queens (Atlantic).

While psychological thrillers are thinner on the ground than in previous years, the quality remains high, with Liz Nugent’s complex and heartbreaking tale of abuse, Strange Sally Diamond (Penguin Sandycove), and Sarah Hilary’s disturbing portrait of a family in freefall, Black Thorn (Macmillan), being two of the best.

Penguin Modern Classics has revived its crime series, complete with iconic green livery, with works by Georges Simenon, Dorothy B Hughes and Ross MacDonald. There have been reissues by other publishers, too – forgotten gems including Celia Fremlin’s 1959 holiday‑from-hell novel, Uncle Paul (Faber), and Richard Wright’s The Man Who Lived Underground (Vintage). Finished in 1942 but only now published in its entirety, the latter is an account of an innocent man who takes refuge from racist police officers in the sewers of Chicago – part allegorical, part brutally realistic and, unfortunately, wholly topical.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[musingsofmonica]

June 2023 Diverse Read

June 2023 Diverse Read

•”All the Sinners Bleed” by S. A. Cosby, June 06, Flatiron Books, Thriller/Crime

•”Lady Tan's Circle of Women” by Lisa See, June 06, Scribner Book Company, Historical

•”The Wind Knows My Name” by Isabel Allende; Frances Riddle (Translator) June 06, Ballantine Books, Historical

•”A Quitter's Paradise” by Elysha Chang, June 06, Sjp Lit, Literary

•”Rivermouth: A Chronicle of Language, Faith, and Migration” by Alejandra Oliva. June 20, Astra House, Memoir — Sociology/Cultural/Emigration & Immigration

•”8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster” byMirinae Lee, June 13, Harper, Historical 

•”The First Ladies” by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray, June 27, Berkley Books, Historical 

•”Between Two Moons” by Aisha Abdel Gawad, June 06, Doubleday Books, Literary

•”The Cherokee Rose: A Novel of Gardens and Ghosts” by Tiya Miles, June 13, Random House Trade, Historical 

•”The Brightest Star” by Gail Tsukiyama June 20, Harpervia, Historical

•”The Moon Represents My Heart” by Pim Wangtechawat, June 20, Harpervia, Science Fiction 

•”All the Right Notes” by Dominic Lim, June 06, Forever, Romance

•”And Break the Pretty Kings” by Lena Jeong, June 20, YA Fabtasy/Mythology, Harperteen

•”Gloria Buenrostro Is Not My Girlfriend” by Brandon Hoàng, June 27, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, YA Romance

•”The Queens of New York” by E. L., June 06, Shen, Quill Tree Books, YA Contemporary

•”Almost Brown” by Charlotte Gill June 06, Crown Publishing Group Memoir — Cultural/Ethnic/Biracial & Multiracial Studies

•”Much ADO about NADA” by Uzma Jalaluddin, June 13, Berkley Books, Romance

•”Holding Pattern” by Jenny Xie, June 20, Riverhead Books, Literary

•”When the Hibiscus Falls” by M. Evelina Galang, June 13, Coffee House Press, Literary — Short Stories 

•”Pedro & Daniel” by Federico Erebia, Julie Kwon (Illustrator), June 06, 2023, Levine Querido, Illustrated Book/Contemporary

[cksmart-world]

SMART BOMB

The Completely Unnecessary News Analysis

By Christopher Smart

Oct. 1, 2024

LIFE ELEVATED — TWENTY THOUSAND RUBBER CHICKENS

Utah and it's residents can be proud of a lot of things. True, the state legislature often acts like a bunch of circus monkeys, the state liquor store doesn't sell cold beer 'cause it would promote drinking and... well, the list goes on. But we have cool stuff, too. Wilson did you know that the first KFC was right here on Salt Lake City's State Street. True story. Think of it, Colonel Sanders is now worldwide — you can get drumsticks in Vietnam and India. Utah had the first department store — Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution, aka ZCMI, and it's still here. A Utah native, Walter Fredrick Morrison, invented the Frisbee. But get this: Another native son, Philo T. Farnsworth, invented TV. You're right Wilson, that is big. Here's a shocker: Loftus International based in Salt Lake City sells some 20,000 rubber chickens each year. That's a lot of rubber chickens. Why don't we have that on our “Life Elevated” billboards. Utah, of course has many natural wonders but this is not one of them although it is notable. Lake Powell — it's actually a man-made reservoir — has more shoreline than the U.S. West Coast. (Put an asterisk here, it's drying up.) Imagine what might have been if when Brigham Young arrived at the Valley of the Great Salt Lake in 1847, a soothsayer had told him all this stuff would come true. Rather than saying, “This is the place,” he might have uttered something like, “Holy shit.” Then the edifice at the mouth of Emigration Canyon would be called the Holy Shit Monument. Just a thought.

RELAXED AND DEPRESSED? YOU MUST LIVE IN SALT LAKE CITY

If you're just checking in to see what condition you're condition is in you might be interested in a new study that finds Utah's capital is one of the most relaxed cities in America. Wilson and the guys in the band are just one example of how mellow and laid back we really are — unless driving or talking to missionaries. But there is a catch, according to a study by Ben's Natural Health that analyzed 31 U.S. cities. (We are not making this up.) It found that 22.7 percent of Salty City residents suffer from depression. Bummer. But Wilson does make a good point: How do you distinguish between “relaxed” and “depressed” — some depressed people look relaxed and vice versa. One metric might be the assumption that depressed people eat more ice cream and drink more Mountain Dew than other folks. By contrast, Salt Lakers who are simply relaxed but not depressed tend toward iced caramel macchiatos. Wilson would like to make another point about herbal self- medication, but we'll skip that for now. It's not all bad news: Salt Lake City is not in the top 10 for ice cream consumption. Some other places might be even more depressed. However, we are still Numero Uno when it comes to Bill Cosby's favorite desert — Jell-O! Leaving Jell-O vodka shooters aside, you've got to believe that's a good thing. It is our state snack, after all. And like Jell-O, we do jiggle a lot.

TRUMP E-BIKES — WORLD'S BEST — GET YOURS NOW!

Hey Wilson, do you need a new watch? You and the guys in the band might want to jump on this.The Trump Victory Tourbillion watch is only $100,000. It's a deal 'cause they're already historic. How many former presidents hawked watches? Just imagine how much they'll be worth later. On second thought, never mind. “Exciting” is the only way to describe the Trump World Catalogue: Bibles - $60; digital trading cards - $99 each; gold “Never Surrender” hightop sneakers $400; Trump coins - $100 each. But wait, there's more. Soon to be released, according to unnamed sources: Donald Trump E-Bikes! These Trumpozilla E-Bikes blow the competition away. All Trumpozilla bikes come standard with the heavy-duty Mar-A-Lago frame, Stormy-D disk brakes and unparalleled E. Jean Carroll drivetrain. It's a steal for only $7,999. And get this, they have Trump's signature in gold paint. And you'll be stylin' in your Trump Apparel spandex onesie. This beautiful unisex gold cycling outfit comes with Trump's name on the front, back and down the legs. And with the purchase of any Trumpozilla E-Bike you get the onesie for only $499. Be the envy of your red state neighborhood. Get 'em while supplies last. Next week look for Don's Cheater Championship golf clubs. You'll never shoot a bad round again.

Post script — That's a wrap for another beautiful week here at Smart Bomb where we keep track of LDS general authorities, so you don't have to. Here's an interesting headline from The Salt Lake Tribune: “He’s a Democrat and an environmentalist. How did he end up an LDS general authority?” Just shocking! Here in Zion, Democrats and environmentalists are thought to be in league with Beelzebub. The headline more than suggests a liberal tree-hugger. Of course, we're talking about Steven E. Snow, the former historian for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He once said climate change is real and he still has a Temple Recommend. This could be a breakthrough Wilson. Other Mormon environmentalist might think it's safe to come out of the closet. They might say stuff like, it's OK to save the Great Salt Lake. Well, maybe that's going a little too far. If God wanted to save the lake he'd tell legislators that it's time to stop using Bear River water to grow alfalfa that is shipped to China. Maybe start with something a little less in your face, like regulations aimed at reducing industrial pig-farm waste. It's a slippery slope (no pun intended). Here's a headline from the Deseret News: “Former GOP Sen. Jeff Flake ( a Mormon) explains his endorsement of Kamala Harris.” Next these rebels will be singing “This Land Is Your Land,” a known socialist anthem directly in conflict with free market capitalism. What's next, Social Security and Medicare? Oh wait...

Well Wilson, your pal Kris Kristofferson has ridden off into the sunset after 88 years on planet Earth. He was one helluva singer/songwriter and a good movie actor to boot. One of his many songs became a popular anthem that still resonates today, “Me and My Bobby McGee” — made famous by his friend and fellow Texan, Janis Joplin. So what do you say Wilson, get the band off their duffs and let's send old Kris off in style:

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train I was feeling near as faded as my jeans Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained And rode us all the way to New Orleans I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana I was playing soft while Bobby sang the blues Windshield wipers slapping time, I was holding Bobby's hand in mine We sang every song that driver knew Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose Nothing don't mean nothing honey if it ain't free, now now And feeling good was easy Lord, when he sang the blues You know feeling good was good enough for me Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee From the Kentucky coal mines to the California sun Hey, Bobby shared the secrets of my soul Through all kinds of weather, through everything that we done Hey Bobby baby kept me from the cold One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let him slip away He's looking for that home and I hope he finds it But I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday To be holding Bobby's body next to mine Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose Nothing, and that's all that Bobby left me, yeah And feeling good was easy Lord, when he sang the blues Hey, feeling good was good enough for me, hmm hmm Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee (Me and My Bobby McGee — Kris Kristofferson)

[dankusner]

Louis C.K. is back —

sort of Controversial comedian seems tentative, tired and halfway there during Chicago Theatre show

The Chicago Theatre marquee displays comedian Louis C.K.’s sold-out shows in Chicago on Friday. Lou Foglia/Chicago Tribune Louis C.K. performs in 2014 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. In 2017, the popular comedian was accused by five women — including two Chicago comedians — of sexual misconduct. Brad Barket/Invision 

By Christopher Borrelli | Chicago Tribune

Who goes to a Louis C.K. show in 2023?

In Chicago, about 7,200 people. His two appearances at the Chicago Theatre this weekend were not his first in the city since being publicly disgraced in 2017 — he quietly played Zanies in Rosemont in 2019, The Vic in 2021 — but his State Street concerts were his most high profile here in six years, and nearly a snapshot of the admiration once shown for the pre-canceled, lovable slob Louis. The 12,000 bulbs on the theater’s fabled marquee screamed: ”Louis C.K. Tonight SOLD OUT.” Beneath, on the sidewalk, the crush of fans to get in were not rushing past, huddled under their coats, perp-walk style, for fear of being recognized.

There was no shame. So I had to ask: Did they have qualms about coming? One man smiled tightly, nodded yes but said no. A woman said she got over it. A man said the ugliness was blown out of proportion. 

A woman said she was sick of “all the woke idiots in the world.” A common refrain was to let Louis C.K. do his job, just move on — enough.

If only it were so easy.

About a dozen years ago, when he headlined the now-defunct Just for Laughs Chicago festival, he was seen widely as the complete stand-up package. He called to mind, I wrote then, “the deconstruction of a Carlin, the eye of a Seinfeld and the provocation of a Pryor.” His FX series was ambitious and excellent. His vibe offered sheepish decency.

Now when he walks out on stage, there’s a standing ovation, then the room grows unsettled, more awkward than expectant. He tries to get in front of this — Friday night, from behind a curtain, he announced the show was “partially canceled” and would now only be his two openers. A joke. Except “partially canceled” also seems right. In 2017, when every week seemed to bare another rancid crop of creeps, Louis C.K. was accused by five women — including two Chicago comedians — of sexual misconduct. He lost his management team and TV deals; movies he completed were shelved. He went from the most admired practitioner of his profession to practically scrubbed from it. When he did get on a stage, he described strangers flipping him off, and eating alone in restaurants.

Six years later, in a couple of weeks, he’s playing Madison Square Garden again.

Also, comic Chris D’Elia — who faced his own sexual misconduct accusations — is playing the Chicago Theatre next month. Singer Ryan Adams — more sexual misconduct accusations — played there last fall. Even Bill Cosby is trying to book a tour.

Cancel culture, predictably, carries a sell-by date.

But it leaves the residue of a freak show. At least for Louis C.K. Regardless of how you feel about him, you don’t look at him the same way — and he knows you don’t look at him the same way. He doesn’t know how to get around that yet. He sounds more tired now. He began his Friday set speaking slowly. And more surprisingly, launching into embarrassingly hacky material — jokes about farts, diarrhea, the TSA, sticking his arm inside of a cow. He never did get to the disgraced elephant in the room — to be fair, he has on a couple of comedy albums — but rather, more interestingly, he brought up the idea of “moral confidence,” the certainty that if faced with a historical atrocity (slavery, for instance), you would know better. This seemed promising, a backdoor approach to addressing what some feel is the rise of a sanctimonious choir of culture critics, eager to be offended and punish bad behavior. I sat higher in my seat. Indeed, much of his material touched on smart questions of guilt, hypocrisy, punishment, right and wrong.

But unlike Chris Rock or John Mulaney these days — whose own material lately has addressed similarly queasy feelings with self-lacerating honesty — Louis C.K. meandered and veered away from anything revealing, rarely gathering any steam.

There were flashes of the old C.K. — he brought out a Bible and did an inspired stretch on Catholicism and language and how the guy who was running the wedding where Christ turned water into wine was probably annoyed because he needed to serve some water.

The theater convulsed.

But rarely rocked.

The old joy is missing now. 

Once C.K. could move you through the rough terrain of your ugliest thoughts, creating knots of scary reasoning so tightly wound, the subsequent unraveling and arrival at some horrifyingly audacious destination left you breathless with laughs. You felt rewired. That momentum is gone now; he seems uninspired — oddly.

There is six years of the knottiest material just waiting.

He could ask hard questions about his persona and himself. He could be as real about what happened to him as he once was about divorce and parenting.

Mulaney, Rock — their new material is more confessional than funny, but you don’t feel them stagnating. You feel them changing.

Louis C.K. was once the pragmatic scold of double standards and piety, the guy who joked about being a creep because you bet, deep down, he was decent. Recognizing the moral high ground in his shows counted, otherwise the jokes — and his stage persona — wouldn’t work.

What does it mean to lose that high ground?

Fart jokes, apparently.

I guess I’m waiting for Louis C.K. to transcend himself now, to take this opportunity to be as edgy as he once seemed, to truly own his ugliness and in the process, reveal something new about ourselves. The audience is there. Before the show, I was taking notes and a guy leaned over and asked if I was judging this audience for being here.

“Should I?” I asked.

“Oh, I don’t know,” he laughed. “Stones and glass houses and all that, right?”

[entomoblog]

Christophe Cazenove (aut.), François Vodarzac (aut.), Cosby (dessin.) : 7, Les Insectes en BD - tome 07

See on Scoop.it - Variétés entomologiques

Découvrez et achetez 7, Les Insectes en BD - tome 07 - Cosby - Bamboo sur www.librairielarbousier.fr

  La BD « pro-bourdon » qui ne manque pas de z'ailes ! Savez-vous que des coléoptères se dirigent grâce aux étoiles et qu'il existe des mouches transparentes ? Savez-vous que des fourmis se constituent de véritables armures minérales ? Et connaissez-vous toutes ces petites bêtes qui servent à élucider les crimes encore mieux que les gendarmes ? Embarquez pour un voyage fascinant au pays des insectes avec ce nouveau tome où on apprend des tas de choses sur les petites bêtes à six pattes tout en s'amusant ! La seule BD sur les insectes qui chasse le cafard ! Inclus : un cahier documentaire.

[pieaterpieater]

10 years since game changer album 'Not Art' by Big Scary was released - to celebrate we've pressed a limited edition transparent orange vinyl, available via our shop or your fav record store. Order limited edition transparent orange vinyl

This album opened many doors for Big Scary and ultimately led to the official beginnings of Pieater. We have much to thank for the music behind the monstera leaf.

'Not Art' allowed Tom Iansek to develop his production skills, he explored sounds, textures, techniques and got to work with some incredible NYC talents first via gospel singers at Broadway Inspirational Voices and then Tom Elmhirst mixing the album. Jo also began navigating the industry beyond solely a musician, foraying into developing management skills and business nous, to make her one of the most talented & well rounded industry professional today. 

We threw a party at our first HQ 'Mixed Business', released in the US with Barsuk Records, toured OS multiple times, got nominated for awards, won awards, played many fantastic festivals, grew the live band with Gus Rigby, Christopher Port, Callum Barter (FOH). We thankfully had the belief of Justin Cosby (Vale) and Mark Dodds at Inertia, Evan Davis at Village Sounds, Grant Gillies at GaGa, Natasha Bowron & Melody Forghani. It was these passionate early team members who helped make the difference to enable Big Scary to grow.

10 years on the music still sounds incredible, my current fav is 'Invest' and I truly can't wait to watch Jo and Tom perform this record again one day. Go give the brilliant ‘Not Art’ another spin, very happy listening 🧡

[thel1ndz-blog]

Hi everyone!

I am reactivating my Tumblr as another platform to share my thoughts on books that I’ve read! I have had a book blog on Instagram for two years and it’s doing pretty well. My handle on there is @linslovesbooks if you wanted to give it a looksie! I read pretty much anything. Some of my all time favorite books are:

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

The Daevabad trilogy by Shannon Chakraborty

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

My Pen is the Wing of a Bird Anthology

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

The Golem and Jinni by Helene Wecker

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

The Whisper Man by Alex North

The Shining + Doctor Sleep (duology) by Stephen King

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Call Me By My Name by André Aciman

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I’m hoping this will be an equally fun platform to post and discuss books on ☺️ I’m looking to follow similar tumblrs on here so definitely send me any suggestions ❤️

[briankeene]

The End of the World as We Know It: Tales of Stephen King’s The Stand

I am pleased to finally be able to announce THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: TALES OF STEPHEN KING'S THE STAND, edited by myself and Christopher Golden -- an original short story anthology based on the highly influential and seminal work of apocalyptic fiction and good versus evil; featuring an introduction from Stephen King himself and new fiction from a world ravaged by the virus "Captain Trips" and the minds of Josh Malerman, Paul Tremblay, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Joe R. Lansdale, Maurice Broaddus and Wayne Brady, Bryan Smith, Somer Canon, Hailey Piper, Jonathan Janz, V. Castro, Bev Vincent, David J. Schow, Gabino Iglesias, Meg Gardiner, Usman T. Malik, Cynthia Pelayo, Catriona Ward and many, many, many others. (Chris and I had the idea to make the anthology as big as the novel — I’m not going to list everyone because I want you guys to have more surprises between now and the release).

Thanks to Stephen King for entrusting Chris and I with this task. Honestly, we didn’t think you’d say “Do it!” nor did we think you’d say it so enthusiastically. You rock.

Now, since this announcement there have been many questions. With the understanding that for most of this past year, Chris and I have been working behind the scenes to make this happen, there is still a lot that we can’t say. But I will try to answer some of the more common questions here — from one Constant Reader to the other Constant Readers — and at more length than I have on social media.

Q: Who is the publisher? A: Gallery Books - a division of Simon & Schuster

Q: When will the book be available? A: Too early to give a firm date. My best guess is that it will be up for preorder around this time next year, with an early 2025 release date? But that is only my guess and should not be taken as gospel. Could be earlier. Could be later.

Q: If it won’t be out until then, why announce it now, you jerks? A: Because it’s been a crap year for many, and we thought perhaps horror fans and Stephen King fans could use a little bit of good news to brighten their days. Our apologies for trying to make things better.

Q: Will there be foreign language editions? A: Almost certainly.

Q: Will there be a signed, limited edition? A: It is too early to say. Keep in mind, we have not released the full list of contributors, but this is going to be a BIG book. Signature sheets would be a massive undertaking, as would production and printing costs. There are several small presses who could handle that. But that’s not something that is currently in the works. It has taken us most of the year just to get the line-up and the initial contracts sorted out.

Q: Are you open to submissions? A: We are not. And sadly, for those of you who sent us stuff yesterday when you saw this announcement, those were all deleted unread, for legal reasons. Our sincere apologies.

Q: Will you and Chris have stories in the book? A: No. Like we did with THE DRIVE-IN: MULTIPLEX, Chris and I don’t want to take up slots and space that could go to one of our peers. As we did on that anthology, we will simply serve as editors, and will guide and shape the overall project. Sure, we’d kill to write a story set in the world of THE STAND, but that wouldn’t be the right thing to do.

Q: Wayne Brady the comedian? A: Yes, Wayne Brady the comedian.

I think that takes care of most of the common questions. And now you all know why I’ve been singing “Among the Living” by Anthrax for most of 2023…

[lboogie1906]

Kristoff St. John (July 15, 1966 – February 3, 2019) was an actor known for playing Neil Winters on The Young and the Restless from 1991 until his death, which earned him eleven Daytime Emmy Award nominations, two Emmy Awards, and ten NAACP Image Awards. He was known for his role as a young Alex Haley on Roots: The Next Generations.

He was born in New York City and grew up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Los Angeles. His father, Christopher St. John, is a producer, actor, and director, while his mother, Marie, is an entertainer.

He had a featured role on Big John, Little John. He made a small appearance as Booker Brown on Happy Days, as well as a boyfriend of Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show. In his first major role, he appeared as Charlie Richmond Jr. in Charlie & Co.

His first major soap role was Adam Marshall on Generations. He originated the role of Neil Winters on The Young and the Restless, and played the character for 28 years; no African American actor had appeared on the series more than he. He won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series for his role. He hosted CBS Soap Break.

He became a special host for the TV Guide Channel. He received his fifth Daytime Emmy nomination. He was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor. He won his second Daytime Emmy, as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

A Man Called God, a documentary that he co-directed with his father, debuted at the San Diego Black Film Festival. The film was awarded there and at other festivals such as the American Documentary Film Festival, and the Beverly Hills Film Festival.

His final appearance as Neil aired on February 6, 2019.

He was a vegan and animal rights advocate; he appeared in two PETA ad campaigns. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[cinesludge]

Movie #62 of 2020: Bloodsport

Boxer: “Jackson, you going to go to Hong Kong?”

Jackson: “I love anything full contact. I need a few more scars on my face.”

Boxer: “But I heard you can get killed at that Kumite.”

Jackson: “Only if you fuck up.”

[moviesandmania]

Hellboy is out on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital and Amazon Prime in July

Hellboy is out on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital and Amazon Prime in July

A recently released overview of the titles being made available in July via Amazon Prime Video instant streaming shows that on July 23, the very same day that Hellboy makes its way to Blu-ray/DVD and digital platforms for purchase, it will also be available to stream for free for Prime subscribers.