#Josh Siegal

[camyfilms]

THE GOOD PLACE 2016

Look. I might not have been a saint, but it's not like I killed anybody. I wasn't an arsonist. I never found a wallet outside of an IHOP and thought about returning it but saw the owner lived out of state so just took the cash and dropped the wallet back on the ground.

[davidisen]

Music Safari NYC, continued . . .

[Covers the week of January 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 & 7.]

On January 1, Neal and I got the best seats in the house for The Anderson Brothers' presentation of a few of Irving Berlin's greatest hits.

That's Molly Ryan, Will Anderson and Peter Anderson. (Or maybe it's Molly, Peter and Will.) It wasn't too late to sing "White Christmas."

On Tuesday (Jan 2), it was Mona's.

The house band was Jared Engel, Jon Thomas, Josh Dunn (back of head), Aurora, and Tomas Majcherski (not shown above, see below).

A bunch of great musicians showed up for the second set.

That's Jared Engel in the foreground, with Matt Munisteri, Aidan Grant (bartender extraordinaire), David Ostwald (if you squint), unknown and unknown looking on.

Rafael Halvorson-Castillo and Neal Siegal were in for the night.

Jan 3 was a night off . . .

On Thursday, January 4, Paula and I had great seats at Dizzy's for the Mathis Picard Sound Orchestra.

It was big, big sound - definitely one of the major highlights of this music safari.

Mathis was joyful. He's been working hard on this, and it showed.

At his last Dizzy's gig, Mathis got married in the middle of the set, right on stage!

After Mathis, I booked it down to the Village Vanguard to hear the Chris Potter trio.

He's a great player, but I must confess that the jazz he played was too abstract for my taste.

On Friday, January 5, Neal and I headed over to Barbés to catch VickiKristinaBarcelona.

VKB is a project by Mamie Minch, Rachelle Garniez and Amanda Homi that reimagines the songs of Tom Waits. I don't know as much as I should about Tom Waits, given how important he seems to be to musicians I admire, but I'm guessing the emphasis is on, "reimagine."

In a set full of surprises, the most surprising performance of the evening involved Rachelle ringing tuned ceramic hand bells - precisely and skillfully - to play a melody.

On Saturday, January 6, it was raining and the 1-2-3 subway was not running due to a derailment, so I opted to stay closer to home.

Neal and I caught yet another set of "Miss Maybell and the Jazz Age Artistes," at the Motto Hotel (by Hilton) on 24th street. That's Charlie Judkins on the keys, Brian Nalepka on bass and Miss Maybell strummin on the old banjo.

Margaret Batiuchok was dancing up a storm to Miss Maybell. She got this young dancer going . . . very charming!

On Sunday, January 7, the usual crowd was at The Ear - and the more regular players in the Ear-Regulars. Maestro Kellso on trumpet, the beard of reeds-player Scott Robinson, Matt Munisteri on guitar extrordinaire, and Pat O'Leary on bass (see below).

[libramonthlyhoroscope1]

2 22 22 meaning astrology

Today is 22/02/2022 and the internet is flooded with several posts about the Palindrome. A Palindrome Day is when a date can be read the same way backwards and forward. Not just that, it is also an ambigram as one can also read it upside down. Today’s date is rare, some are calling February 22, “Twosday.” But what is the spiritual meaning of this date in numerology?

2 22 22 meaning astrology

Also Read:

Numerology Yearly Prediction 2023 as Per Your Birthdate: How Lucky Are Your Numbers?

Horoscope Today, December 19, Monday: Cancer Should Not Neglect Work, Family Dispute Will End For Capricorn

Horoscope Today, December 18, Sunday: Taurus Should NOT Invest in Share Market, Gemini Will Get Back Lost Money

The palindromic number represents a choice where both outcomes can teach a valuable lesson. Josh Siegal, a numerologist told Bustle since the number two symbolizes harmony in numerology, it’s important that the collective takes these dual energies with stride and acceptance on Feb. 22. ‘Essentially, all things in this world have an opposite. The key to harmony is to bring balance to the opposing forces,’ he said.

Another numerologist Sandy Smith told IOL, the numbers representing today can be linked to several things on a global scale, from earthquakes, fires, and even up to transport like trains, stock markets and material gain. “If you wake up at 12 am and are actively watching the news from around the world in your day, all the way to midnight. You will be able to pick off a lot of what I said that will be happening in the events around the world,” Smith told the International website.

This date can push you to focus on your abilities to perform as a team with others, the energy of Feb 22 is concentrated in areas of partnerships, Siegal told Bustle. Number 2 represents harmony; cooperation and it reestablish a point of balance.

Not just Siegal further says that this date can also help in bringing clarity for those who are at a crossroads in their career or relationships, it can also bring harmony for people struggling in these areas of life.

“On a personal level, this could be an important date to reflect on the state of your relationship, specifically any imbalances when it comes to finding resolutions or appreciating your differences. On a larger scale, it’s important to work objectively with others rather than take an authoritarian approach,” Siegal said.

[frogs-and-oscar-brainrot]

I'm The Good Place fan, but I've never got to the second half of the final episode because of my thanatophobia. Hope I'm not alone

[roominthecastle]

“It really made us laugh that Michael would be obsessed with paperclips. There was a whole run [that didn’t make it into the episode] where Michael was like ‘Look at these things. These are amazing.’ And Eleanor’s like ‘Oh yeah, I used to do this.’ and she linked a couple of paperclips together to make a bracelet, and he was like ‘Wow! Do that again!’ like it was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen. And originally, I think, she was gonna make him a bracelet that he was gonna wear for the rest of the series.” - Josh Siegal

[harrypotterhousequotes]

RAVENCLAW: "When I'm really upset, concentrating on a table of contents helps me calm down. It's like a menu, but the food is words." –Josh Siegal + Dylan Morgan (Chidi Anagonye: The Good Place: The Trolley Problem)

[beginningspod]

It's time for Beginnings, the podcast where writer and performer Andy Beckerman talks to the comedians, writers, filmmakers and musicians he admires about their earliest creative experiences and the numerous ways in which a creative life can unfold.

On today's episode I talk to TV writer Josh Siegal. Originally from Niskayuna, New York, Josh took a non-traditional route into TV writing, but that route led to some amazing jobs on shows like Viva Variety, the original UCB sketch show, Crossballs, Monk, 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Great News and currently The Good Place, which is in the middle of finishing up its final season on NBC.

I'm on Twitter here and you can get the show with:

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[prettylittlearrowfangirl]

Final Thoughts: “The Funeral To End All Funerals”

You know what the sign of a great episode is? When you’ve spent many hours literally unable to think of anything else. When it’s constantly in the back of your brain, even when you’re trying to work. When you are just dying to talk about it with someone else and just talk for hours about everything that happened in an episode that was only 21 minutes and 29 seconds long.

Suffice to say, this was a great episode.

First of all, a major round of applause needs to go to Kristen Bell, who made her directorial debut with this episode. If this episode is any indication, she is certainly ready to direct movies or other episodes of TV shows. She did an absolutely amazing job. Keep the applause going for Emmy-nominated writers Josh Siegal and Dylan Morgan, who wrote an incredible script that deftly handled all the insanity and had some great laughs along the way.

This episode title gave me a lot of anxiety when I first saw it. I thought it could indicate a failure and that all humanity would continue to be sent to the Bad Place. When I saw the little teaser clip that Entertainment Weekly (I think) released Thursday morning, I felt a bit of ease, as one of Tahani’s lines is the title. The funeral(s) to end all funerals are all sweet and heartwarming and show how far everyone has come. It’s a genuinely lovely thing to see these characters express how much they love each other. They’re also fun and funny and a great way to break up the slightly more serious courtroom drama with the eternal beings. It’s good that the first half of the episode involves the humans and Janet just enjoying each other. The second they step into the courtroom, it’s all major plot points and twists.

If we didn’t already know that this was a 14-episode season, this would play as a series finale. This is where the Judge of the known universe makes a definitive ruling that the system is not adequately judging humans, and for a few seconds, all seems well in the universe. Good has won. Team Cockroach, against all odds, has defeated the Bad Place.

And then the Judge announces her plan to wipe all humanity from existence, and the momentary relief is ripped out from our feet, and we’re arguably worse off than ever before. If anyone tries to say that they thought this would happen, they’re lying. This is a gigantic swerve. Suddenly, the episode title takes on a new meaning, the one that I feared when I initially saw the title: the funeral of humanity.

Except with the Judge’s plan, humanity doesn’t even get a funeral. Humanity is wiped from existence with an unceremonious press of a button. There is no funeral to end all funerals--there’s just the Judge’s quick rendition of “Crossroads” and a “Bye, y’all”.

And just as her finger is about to hit the button, it vanishes.

And the spotlight shifts to Janet. And then Bad Janet. And then all the Janets.

Throughout the episode, during the funerals, Janet shows just how much she’s grown throughout the show, how much she’s learned from the humans despite having all the knowledge in the universe. But it’s the end of the episode where we see her growth most. She stands up to the most powerful being in the forking universe. She actually directly denies a request, and says the word “no”. And then Bad Janet enters, and we see that she’s not the only Janet who’s grown. And then an entire Janet army bursts through the portals, and they’re ready for combat.

Based on the ending scene, next week will be a Chidi-heavy episode. The fate of humanity was just lifted from Team Cockroach’s shoulders, and now it’s going to be placed on one man. Whatever happens next week will be left in the air until January. But regardless of what awaits us ahead, this was a truly incredible episode of an incredible, unusual half-hour of American network television.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Congrats to the winners of the 2019 Hugo! Kowal, Wells, Cho, Harrow, Chambers, AO3, Liu, Dozois, Wolfe, and more!

The 2019 World Science Fiction Convention is being held in Dublin, and tonight, the con presented the annual Hugo Awards, voted on by the attendees and supporters of this year's con.

The winners included:

Best Novel: The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)

Best Novella: Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells (Tor.com publishing)

Best Novelette: "If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again,” by Zen Cho (B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, 29 November 2018)

Best Short Story: “A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies,” by Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine, February 2018)

Best Series: Wayfarers, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)

Best Related Work: < ahref="https://archiveofourown.org/">Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Best Graphic Story: Monstress, Volume 3: Haven, written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)

Best Professional Editor (Short Form): Gardner Dozois

Best Professional Editor, Long Form: Navah Wolfe

Best Professional Artist: Charles Vess

Best Semiprozine: Uncanny Magazine

Best Fanzine: Lady Business

Best Fancast: Our Opinions Are Correct

Best Fan Writer: Foz Meadows

Best Fan Artist: Likhain (Mia Sereno)

Best Art Book: The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition, illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin (Saga Press / Gollancz)

Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book: Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt / Macmillan Children’s Books)

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer: Jeannette Ng

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, screenplay by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman (Sony)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: The Good Place: “Janet(s),” written by Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan, directed by Morgan Sackett (NBC)

https://boingboing.net/2019/08/18/calculating-stars.html

[quipsandwitticisms]

The sooner you quit something that stinks, the sooner you find something that doesn’t. Save your hope for that.

Josh Siegal and Dylan Morgan; Kimmy Gives Up!

[katoska]

From The Good Place The Podcast Chapter 47 (The Funeral To End All Funerals):

Josh Siegal (aka Glenn): [...]how much this moment means for humanity, how much it means to Michael as an entity to finally win this thing that he’s been fighting for, for y’know, hundreds of years or so..

MEJ (aka Shawn, in a “Shut up, Glenn!” tone): No, one year, Josh. 

Josh: Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry!

MEJ: He’s been fighting for one Earth year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bolding mine.

Thing is, it has been longer than one year. Michael made the argument to Gen that people can change and therefore shouldn’t suffer forever all the way back in season 2. Eleanor spent a year one Earth, trying and failing to stay good, before a mysterious bartender nudged her towards Chidi. The study then took at least another year, the soul squad spent a few weeks or so Trying Anyway... until the New Experiment started, which did last one Earth year.

All in all, it’s been more like three years if you assume Michael saw nothing wrong with the system until he joined Team Cockroach. And hey, he said the system was perfect multiple times in season 1, and why would we assume he wasn’t being honest /sarcasm.

Then there’s Shawn’s:

“Face it Michael, you lost. Everything you’ve done, this experiment, the original neighborhood, sending your little Cockroach buddies back to Earth, all of it was for nothing.”

which sure sounds like Shawn believes that Michael’s been trying to change the system for a long time now.

And like, I had the theory before that Michael might have been trying to built purgatory and change the system all along - either because he always cared about humans or because he wanted a Good Job (Good Place Architect) - and so his 14-million-point plan was about getting 14 million points off his humans. He only ever rebooted them when they found out that they were in hell and their motivation for getting better was corrupted, never because they were happy, or bonding, or improving.

So, I don’t know if Michael planned this all along or just made it sound like it in the manifesto - which Shawn seems to have read, hence the “cockroach buddies” comment - but I think we might be getting an implication in future episodes that Michael has been working towards a system change for some time now. We likely won’t get 100% confirmation - after all, Michael did want his picture in TBP hall of fame next to the guy who invented bees with teeth, and he told the gang in early season 2 that he would pretend to change to get into the Good Place. But ambiguity has always been what made Michael so interesting. His fate has been tied to his humans, so he might have been trying to save his own neck all along, but he might also have tried to save humanity all along. Or it’s as we’ve seen and he started out purely self-interested and turned far more selfless, but Shawn’s comments together with Josh Siegal’s slip-up (?) makes it sound like there’s more at play.

[davidisen]

NYC December 2023 - Part 1

[Updated to cover seven nights, December 19-25]

My winter music safari took me from New Orleans to Laguardia on Tuesday, December 19. I arrived at Mona's just a bit after the jam started. Here's the video - credit Dennis Lichtman. Fast forward to the music, 9 minutes:

On Wednesday night I had the amazing good fortune to catch both sets at Smoke. From L to R, the band was Emmet Cohen, Jon Webber, the great George Coleman, Joe Farnsworth and Peter Bernstein.

In the first set, my seat was right by Joe Farnsworth's left elbow.

I definitely have a better understanding of jazz drumming than I used to have. And I got some great shots from that angle.

I had a better view for the second set.

Here's Peter Bernstein.

This was probably my best photo of the night.

The music was bebop, not quite in my sweet spot. But it was absolutely delightful. Each of these guys is a master craftsman and inspired artist.

On Thursday, I ventured out to far Red Hook, to Sunny's Bar to hear Samoa Wilson sing. To my pleasant surprise, she was backed by Michaela Gomez, who I have not seen since before the pandemic, on guitar, and Brian Nalepka on bass.

Michaela's guitar work was strong. Samoa's singing was a perfect match for the jazz standards she sang.

On Friday night, I went to hear Jeanne Geis at Frankie and Johnny's on 37th. Her band consisted of Joe Cohn (guitar), with Mark Lewandowski (bass) and Paul Bollenback (guitar).

Joe Cohn is the father of Shaye Cohn from Tuba Skinny.

I had not seen Jeanne in many years.

I hadn't seen her in many years. Listening to an old friend sing, sitting on the corner of the bar, chatting with a few other friendly jazz fans. It felt familiar and comfortable.

On Saturday night, I went to hear Tatiana Eva-Marie at The Whitby Hotel on 56th Street. She was flawlessly accompanied by Paul Sikivie on Bass and Felix Lemerle on guitar.

Sunday,December 24 began with a trip downtown to hear Tamar Korn's brunch gig at the Temple Court. It's not a temple or a court. It's a hotel, with a delicious, expensive brunch.

The band, L to R, is Sam Chess (trombone), Jared Engel (bass) and Josh Dunn (guitar). The music was stunningly well-executed. Tamar's version of "Do the New York," which is usually kickass, was restrained by the genteel surroundings.

The usual Sunday evening jam at The Ear was typically excellent.

That's Tal Ronen (bass), Jay Rattman (sax), Chris Flory (guitar) and Jon Erik Kellso (trumpet).

Neal and his friends, Dr. Janet Sora Chung and Joe Jones (bassoon, not drums) enjoyed the show.

Musician friends Brennen Ernst and Jen Hodge were at the bar . . .

. . . until Maestro Kellso invited them to play a few tuned. They both leaned in with serious energy.

In the foreground, that's Phillup Debucket - a major supporter of the band. Phillup eagerly accepted my input.

On Christmas Day, Monday, December 25, Neal Siegal and I got the best seats in the house for Tamar's reprise Temple Court gig. It was a new lineup.

That's Tal Ronen (bass), Tomas Majcherski (tenor, clarinet), Jared Engel (4-string, 3-cone, resophonic not-a-banjo), and Tamar, vocals.

I never heard Tomas Majcherski play before. His playing was delightful and deep.

Tamar's singing seems to capture the rapt attention of the youngest listeners. I've seen it before. Now I've got a photo:

Neal and I spent the entire rest of the day looking for the great music, but a strange hush had descended on New York . . .

[pilotseason2020]

SOMEONE OUT THERE (ordered to pilot)

based on Spanish series “Pequeñas Coincidencias,” created by Javier Veiga

Two set-in-their-ways adults are challenged by very unexpected strangers to become the best versions of themselves in order to find love and possibly each other.

Cast (thus far)

Ryan Hansen (Veronica Mars) as Derek, a film composer who thinks he has it all. (Mar 3)

Aimee Carrero (Young & Hungry) as Chloe, a no-nonsense bridal boutique owner. (Mar 3)

Neil Casey (Making History) as Boyd, Derek’s sad sack brother. (Mar 3)

Kimia Behpoornia (Abby’s) as Sydney Koh, a hipster who is Chloe’s assistant. (Mar 6)

Producers: Josh Siegal, Matt Hubbard, Emiliano Calemzuk, Gonzalo Sagardia, Javier Veiga, Dylan Morgan

Studios: Universal Television

Genre: Romcom and Single-camera

[scifigeneration]

2019 HUGO AWARD WINNERS

The winners of the 2019 Hugo Awards have been announced! 

The Awards were presented on Sunday, August 18th, 2019 at the 77th World Science Fiction Convention in Dublin, Ireland, hosted by Afua Richardson and Michael Scott.

Full list of winners follows below. Congratulations to all winners! If you haven’t read or listened to any of the below, now you know, so let’s get started! 

Best Novel

The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)

Best Novella

Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)

Best Novelette

“If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again,” by Zen Cho (B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog, 29 November 2018)

Best Short Story

“A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies,” by Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine, February 2018)

Best Series

Wayfarers, by Becky Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton / Harper Voyager)

Best Related Work

Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Best Graphic Story

Monstress, Volume 3: Haven, written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, screenplay by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman (Sony Pictures Animation)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

The Good Place: “Janet(s),” written by Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan, directed by Morgan Sackett (NBC)

Best Professional Editor, Long Form

Navah Wolfe

Best Professional Editor, Short Form

Gardner Dozois

Best Professional Artist

Charles Vess

Best Art Book

The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition, illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin (Saga Press /Gollancz)

Best Semi-pro zine

Uncanny Magazine, publishers/editors-in-chief Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, managing editor Michi Trota, podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky, Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction Special Issue editors-in-chief Elsa Sjunneson-Henry and Dominik Parisien

Best Fanzine

Lady Business, editors Ira, Jodie, KJ, Renay & Susan

Best Fancast

Our Opinions Are Correct, hosted by Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders

Best Fan Writer

Foz Meadows

Best Fan Artist

Likhain (Mia Sereno)

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

Jeannette Ng (2nd year of eligibility)

Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book

Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt / Macmillan Children’s Books)

1944 RETROSPECTIVE HUGO AWARD FINALISTS

Best Novel

Conjure Wife, by Fritz Leiber, Jr. (Unknown Worlds, April 1943)

Best Novella

The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (Reynal & Hitchcock)

Best Novelette

“Mimsy Were the Borogoves,” by Lewis Padgett (C.L. Moore & Henry Kuttner) (Astounding Science-Fiction, February 1943)

Best Short Story

“King of the Gray Spaces” (“R is for Rocket”), by Ray Bradbury (Famous Fantastic Mysteries, December 1943)

Best Graphic Story

Wonder Woman #5: Battle for Womanhood, written by William Moulton Marston, art by Harry G. Peter (DC Comics)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form

Heaven Can Wait, written by Samson Raphaelson, directed by Ernst Lubitsch (20th Century Fox)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman, written by Curt Siodmak, directed by Roy William Neill (Universal Pictures)

Best Professional Editor, Short Form

John W. Campbell

Best Professional Artist

Virgil Finlay

Best Fanzine

Le Zombie, editor Wilson “Bob” Tucker

Best Fan Writer

Forrest J. Ackerman

[petesmediadiary]

November 15th 2019

Podcasts: Why Won’t You Date Me? -- 103 A Nightmare Wedding Experience Beautiful Followups -- Tears In Your Cranberry Sauce (#17 - Early Onset) Scam Goddess -- 7 The Airbnb Bamboozler The Good Place: The Podcast -- ch. 47: Josh Siegal, Writer | Dana Powell, Actress | Kimberly Wannop, Set Decorator Never Not Funny -- 2505 Kevin Nealon (video) TV: The Good Place -- 4x08 The Mandalorian -- 1x02 Superstore -- 5x08