#julian castro

[thekeypa]

“POTUS and Capitol leaders have an opportunity to demonstrate moral clarity in this moment. They should do so. The slaughter of Israelis on October 7 was wrong, and the slaughter of innocent civilians in Gaza with disproportionate force is wrong. Need a ceasefire.”

[blacksunshinebrightness]

Em eras passadas

A pouca dor era oceânica

Hoje

Muita dor é "não foi nada".

E nada se torna pois passa.

Passa mas deixa marca.

Seria porquê crescemos,

E o aquilo que nos feria

Não nos acompanhou no caminho?

"Sorria" eu digo

A cada dia com tom mais sombrio

Mais sóbrio e menos tolo

Mas prefiro parecer um

E continuar nos bastidores...

Onde há todos

Os amores e dores

Onde há odores e gostos

Cores sem fim no interno

Que infinda-se ao além

Numa música sem fim.

Voltei.

[fcxglove-a]

continued for @cbindievrs

" i know i don't. " ezra stated, allowing her features to become a little more serious for a moment. " but i'm doing it anyway so you may as well shut up and go along with it. i mean, this doesn't really look like a fun place to spend the night. "

[gothwives]

i love having muses that are connected and imagining their group dynamics esp my band boys... jules and jonah threatening to kick vance off the tour bus for blasting 100 gecs for the entire trip from one city to the next, jules and vance begging jonah to let them cover something other than the deftones, jules trying to convince vance and jonah to wear big platform boots and face paint like kiss and vance is so down but jonah would rather die

[prensabolivariana]

Julian Assange rompe su silencio Por Irene Castro | 04/10/2024 | Mentiras y medios El fundador de WikiLeaks comparece ante la asamblea parlamentaria del Consejo de Europa tres meses después de quedar en libertad tras declararse culpable por conseguir y publicar documentos clasificados. Continue reading «No soy libre porque el sistema funcione, sino por declararme culpable de hacer periodismo»

[linosaurus-ikuklk]

Part 1 of the SDNB series:

Home Is With You

“Ikakasal tayo.”

“Ha? Bakit?!”

“Para hindi nila makuha ang lupa.”

…pero bakit parang puso ko ang nakuha mo?

A Stray Kids Filipino AU!

Notes:

this au is inspired by @fleurmango's DNB series on X/twitter

this au is set on the year 2019

has texts, posts, and narratives

it contains vulgar words, suggestive content, and death

everything is made purely out of imagination

every media is not mine except for the text and post screenshots

Characters:

Michelle De Castro 21 years old apo ni lola Coring at kaibigan ni Elijah

Dominic "Dom" Dela Cruz

21 years old

taga bantay/caretaker ng bahay ni lola Coring

Julian James "Ju" Mendoza

19 years old

kaibigan ni Elijah

Elijah Santiago

19 years old

kaibigan ni Ju at Michelle

[wiiildflowerrr]

5SOS for L'Officiel USA, 2018

Full interview (published 5 September 2018).

Photography by Christelle de Castro, fashion by Julian Antetomaso.

Michael wears coat: Zadig & Voltaire, t-shirt: The Kooples, pants: Hugo Boss, boots: Christian Louboutin, jewelry: his own. Calum wears jacket: Stella McCartney, tank: Dior Homme, pants, shoes, jewelry: his own. Luke wears shirt: Issey Miyake, pants and belt: Roberto Cavalli, boots: Dsquared2, jewelry: his own. Ashton wears clothing: Dior Homme, shoes: Ami, jewelry: his own

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Menu (2022)

The Menu is a delectably unhinged horror-thriller. Even if you can guess what sinister culinary delights are on their way, you’ll never figure out every detail until the last moment. This movie has so many little revelations about its characters that knowing everyone’s fate ahead of time might make it as fun to rewatch as the initial, surprising viewing.

Foodie Tyler Ledford (Nicholas Hoult), his date, Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy), and several other guests arrive at an exclusive restaurant on a private island. They’ve booked a meal with celebrity chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes), who delivers an unsettling monologue and then serves courses that reveal this meal will be like none other.

Earlier this year, I watched Hunger. The films are only similar in two ways: they both feature chefs in prominent roles and avoid making the food being served appealing. It's the first sign that something is off with the dinner and/or the people. Tyler, for instance. He’s obsessed with Chef Slowik. His fanaticism makes you not like him - or the chef, in fact. Slowick is undeniably talented… but he’s forgotten that cooking is about making food for people to enjoy. It’s not about making statements about the futility of the daily struggle, or whatever. His “genius” seems more like pretentiousness at best and insanity at worst. At least Tyler seems to know what he’s talking about when he explains to his date why this dish needs to be eaten this way or how these ingredients have been selected to complement each other. Business partners Soren (Arturo Castro), Dave (Mark St. Cyr) and Bryce (Rob Yang) are there to show off; they only care about how prohibitively expensive the food is. Washed-up movie star George Diaz (John Leguizamo) wants to learn - or at least that’s what he’s telling his assistant, Felicity (Aimee Carrero). Actually, he wants to revitalize his career via an eating tour-type reality TV show. Also attending are wealthy regulars Richard and Anne Leibrandt (Reed Birney and Judith Light). He seems up to something because he’s giving Margot awkward looks. Finally, there's food critic Lillian Bloom (Janet McTeer) and her yes-man editor Ted (Paul Adelstein). How they fit in with this crowd isn't hard to figure out.

Out of everyone, the person you like the most is easily Margot because she doesn’t belong. She doesn’t have money, she doesn’t have “refined tastes”, she was a last-minute invite (something the staff seem concerned about) and the person that resembles the audience the most. This crowd of people, the weird air that’s emanating from the kitchen and Slowik’s descriptions of the dishes scream "Get out!" but what's going on?

We find out relatively quickly that the chef and his staff… have become more than a little unhinged. The why is the fun part, as is discovering what their ultimate goal is. Bit by bit, you learn all about Tyler, Margot, the chef, the investors, the critics, etc. The revelations recontextualize conversations you heard earlier or give a whole new context to something you noticed a couple of scenes back. You put yourself in the people's shoes as they realize they're trapped on this island. What would you do? Who would you reach out to for help? What would you say to get yourself out of this? You try to predict which of these people - if any - will escape, how, what detail you might’ve dismissed earlier that could be the key, etc. It’s a fun puzzle to piece together and often darkly funny. Tyler, for instance. He’s so into this experience that he is determined not to let anything ruin it. You start to wonder if he’s not insane himself. As you find reasons why everyone should get their comeuppance, Margot stands out more and more. This makes her part in this story even harder to understand.

The one aspect of The Menu that doesn’t quite work is the ending. It isn’t a complete write-off, but there comes a point where several characters accept everything Slowik has said and decide to go along with it. Their reactions don’t match what we saw previously. As the movie lays out all of its cards on the table, we’re supposed to feel a certain way about some of the guests, like George Diaz and Felicity, or Mrs. Leibrandt and the film never convinced me. It’s almost like the story by Will Tracy (who wrote the screenplay with Seth Reiss) could’ve ended in one of two ways. One made more sense and the other was funnier, so that’s what they decided to go with. Normally, that’d be the right choice, but this is a dark comedy, so “funnier” is a relative term and even though it is funny, it doesn’t add up. Right before that final decision, however, this is a devilishly clever film.

I may have mixed emotions about the conclusion, but I'm sure that's exactly the reaction director Mark Mylod wanted. The Menu is a ghoulish essay about fine dining and the points it makes could easily be extended to other industries. It takes things to such extremes you’ll have a great time cackling while rubbing your hands in mischief - when you’re not horrified, of course. (December 5, 2023)

[a-beloved-saint]

House Alfonso

Established by Carlos Miguel when he was gained the title "Duke of Moncayo" through the Battle of the Crossing, preventing the enemy army from entering the mountain pass. To continue his, married Eugenia Silva Alvarez, as three children were born from this union.

Carlos Miguel Alfonso Alcantara, 1st Duke of Moncayo Antonia Elizabeth Alfonso Alcantara of Moncayo Joaquin Eugenia Alfonso Silva, 2nd Duke of Moncayo Luis Alfonso Silva, 1st Marquess of Jerica Apolonia Alfonso Silva of Moncayo Mario Alfonso Moscoso, 3rd Duke of Moncayo Eugenia Maria Alfonso Moscoso, 2nd Marchioness of Jerica Juan Bautista Alfonso Artega, 4th Duke of Moncayo Ignacio Alfonso Portana, 5th Duke of Moncayo Alejandro Alfonso Yanguas, 6th Duke of Moncayo Maria Alfonso Yanguas of Moncayo Enrique Alfonso Martinez, 7th Duke of Moncayo Jose Maria Alfonso Espinoza, 8th Duke of Moncayo

House Rojas

Founded by Jacobo Rojas with land and title inherited through Francisa Velazquez Ximenez.

Jacobo Rojas Mosquerra, 1st Count of Belmonte Elvira Rojas Mosquerra of Belmonte Mannuel Rojas Alfonso, 2nd Count of Belmonte Lucia Miranda Rojas of Belmonte Mirtha Rojas Espinoza, 3rd Countess of Belmonte Ximeno Miranda Aisna of Belmonte Tomas Miranda Aisna of Belmonte

House Ibarruri

Established by Joaquin Victoria, inheriting the title Marquess of Jerica from his maternal grandfather at the age of 9 with Eugenia Maria as his regent. He is one of the most secretive member on the family due to his paranoia from attempted assassinations, relying on his mother for comfort eventually becoming mute.

Julian Ibarruri Olivares of Jerica Joaquin Victoria Ibarruri Alfonso, 3rd Marquess of Jerica Vincente Isabel Ibarruri Cardenas, 4th Marquess of Jerica Francisco Ibarruri Coronado, 5th Marquess of Jerica Yohan Ibarruri Espinoza, 6th Marquess of Jerica

House Castro

It was a gift from Angela's Uncle to be on good terms with the Royal Family's In-Laws

Estanislao Castro Mazorra of Lemos Bernadino Castro Garcia, 3rd Viscount of Lemos Aureliano Castro Carranza, 4th Viscount of Lemos Raimundo Castro Ibarruri, 5th Viscount of Lemos Agustin Castro Santana, 6th Viscount of Lemos Mercurio Castro Rodriguez, 7th Viscount of Lemos  Saturina Castro Espinoza, 8th Viscountess of Lemos 

House Marmolejo

A lineage coming from violent beginnings to managing complicated ties from the old era.

Isidro Maria Yarnoz Subias Damaso Yarnoz Castro Gaspar Yarnoz Pla Jorge Yarnoz Juarroz Constanza Yarnoz Cedeno Jancito Yarnoz Cedeno Emilia Llopis Yarnoz Raul Miguel Marmolejo Llopis Paloma Marmolejo Gascon, Princess Royam Garcilasco Marmolejo Gascon, Heir Apparent Anxeles Marmolejo Gascon, Duke Nuria Luz Marmolejo Gascon, Princess of Manzanilla

[alldancersaretalented]

Dancers that won both finals and titles in the same year at TDA:

Minis:

2014: Kayla Mak (Westchester Dance Academy)

2015: Avery Gay (Master Ballet Academy)

2019: Crystal Huang (The Rock Center For Dance)

2021: Kelsie Jacobson (Larkin Dance Studio)

2021: Kya Massimino (Stars Dance Studio)

2023: Malia Scott (Larkin Dance Studio)

2024: Sylvie Win Szyndlar (Club Dance Studio)

Juniors:

2012: D'Angelo Castro (Dance Town)

2014: Emma Sutherland (Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Center)

2017: Brady Farrar (Stars Dance Studio)

2018: Ava Wagner (Larkin Dance Studio)

2018: Kiarra Waidelich (The Rock Center For Dance)

2019: Keagan Capps (The Pointe PAC)

2021: Cami Vorhees (Evolve Dance Complex)

2021: Crystal Huang (The Rock Center For Dance)

2022: Kylee Casares (Stars Dance Studio)

2023: Fiona Wu (Yoko's Dance)

Teens:

2014: Julian Elia (Elite Danceworx)

2015: Payton Johnson (Jean Leigh Academy of Dance)

2019: Ruby Castro (Dance Town)

2021: Brady Farrar (Stars Dance Studio)

2023: Crystal Huang (The Rock Center For Dance)

2023: Ian Stegeman (Woodbury Dance)

Seniors:

2011: Bianca Melchior (Elite Danceworx)

2012: Jenna Johnson (CSPAS)

2016: Taylor Sieve (Larkin Dance Studio)

2017: Simrin Player (Club Dance Studio)

2018: Morgan Higgins (Denise Wall Dance Energy)

2018: Lucy Vallely (Westside Dance Project)

2019: D'Angelo Castro (Dance Town)

2019: Findlay McConnell (Elite Danceworx)

2019: Vivian Ruiz (Stars Dance Studio)

2021: Jaxon Willard (CSPAS)

2021: Alex Shulman (Danceology)

2022: Brianna Keingetti (Columbia PAC)

2023: Sam Fine (Stars Dance Studio)

2024: Sierra Drayton (Elite Danceworx)

[easthavenhq]

EAST HAVEN'S 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EVENT: THE WIND STORM

With the 1 year anniversary of East Haven's opening, we have decided to have an event that centers around a wind storm that is blowing it's way through town, inciting chaos where ever it goes. The event will start on January 5th at 12pm (noon) and end on January 15th at 12am (midnight). No new starters should be posted after January 10th.

You were placed into groups that are listed below. You will be expected to write with at least one character in that group that you normally do not write with. You are still free to do other threads with others in the group, but are required to at least one.

Participation for this event will be mandatory. Acceptances and checks will be held as usual. Reminder: Injuries need to be in by January 3rd*. You can find the form here. Details of this will be posted on the 5th.

Characters and locations are listed under the cut and will be updated with acceptances & unfollows. Please use the tag easthavenevent007.

East Haven Memorial - Maple Hills

Stevie Wagner - Kayla Johnny Wagner - K Sunny Hussan - Jennie River Jackson - Star Sarah Ruiz - El Gale Peterson - Nadine Callum Jackson - Madison Alec Kincade - Justin Aubrey Miller - Lital Wesley Levitt - K

City Hall - Downtown

Nate Clairmont - Kayla Brody Evans - Jackie Aarin Duskin - K Chantel Bedford - Katelyn Ann-Marie Seigert - Jennie Maggie Sommers - Kayla Mallory Sinclair - K Verity Wagner - Mat Max Diax - Star Isabella Castro - JimJam Andrew Jackson - Nadine

Willow Springs Apartments - Downtown

Ashi Hussan - Kayla Emre Ediz - K Orion Blakely - Justin Jude Sanchez-Khalid - Star Amerie Chen - Mat Dana Allen-Lopez - K Apollo Williams - Desi Riley Day - Marie Celine Ediz - Gigi Beyza Senkan - Kayla

Heywood University - Downtown

Liliana Santos-Blake - Nadine Cami Quintana-Lopez - Marie Cristian Hernandez - Dix Asher Spring - Kae Wyatt Wheeler - K Prue Cassidy - Kayla Marcus Reyes - K Alex Fontenelle - Madison Frederick Sullivan - Star Genevieve Hernandez - Beki

Fire Department - Downtown

Connor Bowen - K Penelope Ruiz - Nadine Benjamin Jackson - Justin Harlow Hanlon - S Eddie Castro - Kayla Ari Seong-Paterson - Katelyn Keely Seigert - Desi Brady Levitt - Jennie Roman Rhodes - G Javier Rivera - Dix Renee Thompson - K

Mount Aston Lodge - Mount Aston

Josiah Huddington - Katelyn Neena Wagner - Gigi Dilara Baysal - K Malik Farouk - Jackie Travis Jackson - Kayla Samuel Bradford - S Cameron Hatcher - Dix Mason Paterson - K Josh Pryce - Nadine Diego Castro - Star

Gas n Go - Sutherland Park

Shane Marshall - Jay Alice Cheung - K Bridget Levitt - Kayla James Morrison - Sam Quentin Levitt - Nadine Hunter Renner - Star Bee Bowen - El Estella Harris - Lital Julieta Alvarez - K Alliannah Vaughn - Katelyn

Animal House Shelter - Maple Hills

Evren Osman - Katelyn Morgan Fontenelle - K Alaric Farrow - S Lance Browne - Justin Roberta Rhodes - Kayla Gavin Gunther - Jackie Chanse Ainsworth - Kae Chloe Austin - Madison Mateo Torres - K Isla Ricci - Mat

South Pines - Primrose Heights

Abraham Wilson - K Julian Heywood - Nadine Luciana Medina - Kayla Owen Bentley - Star Ricky Thompson - Jennie Luna Morales - Lital Simon Heywood - Marie Matt Wheeler - Kayla Valentina Delgado - K Rohan Belton-Stone - Justin

Old Maple Way - Maple Hills

Dean Walker - Dix Nicole Peterson - Kayla Haven Sinclair - Katelyn Oliver Hensley - JimJam Aster Moon - G Hazal Senkan - K Kanyon Webb - Jackie Aindreis Blythe - Marie Yasmin Ansari - K Sydney Heywood - Gigi Demir Ediz - Lisa

Tequila Cowboy - Sutherland Park

Donovan Morgan - Star Marcel Vaughn - Mat Amayah Fontenelle - Nadine Abel Morgan - K Teagan Weatherford - Katelyn Jaslene Clairmont - K Maverick Bennett - Dix Sofia Carmichael - Kayla Romeo Clark - Jackie Graham Winters - JimJam

Maple Hills Mall - Maple Hills

Parker Campbell - K Xia Huang-Clark - Kayla Viktor Pierce - Dix Lenny Clairmont - K Nancy Lee - Kayla Nora Sinclair - Beki Tyler Day - Star Summer Cassidy - El Ali Webster - Sam Daniel Kwon - Nadine Harrison Lee - Jennie

Moose Lodge Rentals - Primrose Heights

Nick Wagner - Kayla Eli Browne - K Vivek Virani - Jackie Charlie Davis - Star Waverly Erickson - Em Cael Montgomery - Nadine Adem Sahir - Madison Jeremy Lieberman - Kayla Jo Spring - Marie Logan Walker - K

*We did change this so we could have time to talk to and plan these injuries.

[atopvisenyashill]

What kind of jobs do you think asoiaf characters would have in the real world?

jon - history podcaster, famous in lefty circles, robb keeps begging him to get a real job so the stans of his haters stop review bombing robb's law practice

dany - political twitch streamer, they have beef bc jon is an anarchist and dany is an ML.

barristan - he's an econimist and a landlord and dany gets dragged constantly for being friends with him and retweeting his shitty medium articles.

grey worm - he has A Real Job as a low level agriculture engineer but he does political commentary in his free time which is why he's friends with dany & barristan.

arya - runs a coffee shop and is everyone's favorite manager because she's super chill and drives them to protests on her days off. has a burner twitter account and ratioed barristan online once.

sansa - a small business owner that has one of those cute little storefronts where four or five small businesses band together to be one shop.

robb - has a law practice doing something Important like immigration help or something. lives in a nice apartment above his practice.

theon - literally just freeloads at robb's apartment.

jeyne westerling - receptionist at robb's practice, the power dynamic IS weird but also kind of sexy. they are both clearly fucking theon as well, ned has no idea this is happening and keeps asking about grandkids even tho jeyne has an IUD.

catelyn - she clerked for a scotus judge and she is NOT modest but she IS modest about the thanksgiving she spent at RBG's house. her instagram is dedicated to promoting sansa's business because she is sooo proud.

jeyne poole - the only non nepo baby in the group who lucked out in befriending two rich girls in the art fair circuit and got a storefront with them.

loras tyrell - think mayor pete but with more personality.

margaery tyrell - the third business owner with sansa & jeyne, but she uses her mother's maiden name so no one associates her with her brother's tacky lib poitics or accueses her of being a nepo baby (she definitely is, but she takes the accussation personal)

renly baratheon - a fed from a family of feds, and the FACE of a pinkwashing campaign

cersei & tyrion - political family but for local politics like the daleys or cuomos or castro brothers (as in joaquin and julian). they fucking hate loras for primarying tywin from the center and winning but also lowkey hate each other because they both want Tywin's seat as like, Lieutenant Governor or some shit.

jaime lanniser - was supposed to be in politics but got ptsd from his time in the military and became a professional hater and freeloader until brienne talked him into getting a degree and helping people instead of just giving donations to charity for tax write offs.

brienne of tarth - i have no idea what she does but she works for a non profit and is solidly middle class as a child.

the martells - they own a local chain grocery store and they have a rivalry with arya but they keep it classy. oberyn posts thirst traps all the time and doran made him put 12 disclaimsers on every social media profile about not speaking for the store but otherwise he does what he wants. yeah man pour milk over your tiddies for charity who gives a fuck.

[bearersofthecurse]

Biden being hard on Israel and being patient with the pro-palestine protesters is actually the only thing he's done to disappoint me. I know he's trying to be pragmatic too. He doesn't suck. He's the best president we've had since FDR. You show me actual FDR 2 or shut the fuck up.

First off, Obama wasn't even a good president, he's just personally charismatic.

Bill Clinton was pretty okay but also a fucking lunatic.

What about 2020?

All the other primary candidates were worse.

Unfortunately Bernie is a clown no matter how much I root for him

Kamala is actually perfectly cut out to be VP right now, but I'd be happy to vote for her to be president from next election on

Pete didn't have enough experience but I'd vote for him to be VP or President from now on, and who even were the others?

Elizabeth Warren is not dynamic.

Michael Bloomberg is a joke of a suggestion we aren't voting for some corporate rube.

Amy Klobuchar is the 'in-emergency-break-glass' candidate. boring, also weirdly off-putting

Tulsi Gabbard maybe the worst option.

Cory Booker no

Julian Castro no

Beto... you fucked up so bad bro you have to retire, sorry dude.

Kirsten Gillibrand spiky. jarring. would be an excellent candidate in france.

Eric Swalwell no no no no no. no no no. no. no no no. no.

Andrew Yang vibes are off

[lesser-known-composers]

Ricardo Castro (1864-1907) - Valse Mélancolique, Op.36/2

piano, julian ?

[mistermaxwellboucherdieasilived]

Tagged by Neptune @tboyshir ‼️‼️‼️

rules: shuffle your "on repeat" playlist and post the first ten tracks, then tag ten people!

I Am Not a Robot - Marina

Pomegranate Seeds - Julian Moon

Primadonna - Marina

Cigarettes & Feelings - The Haunt

Athena - Nova Twins

Patient Zero - Starmaxx, Brett Castro

Tantrum - Ashnikko

Stalker's Tango - Autoheart

Homewrecker - Marina

Venus Fly Trap - Marina

Idk who to tag ummm @verpaso @osyter @ruindlc if youve been tagged already sorry love you

[back-and-totheleft]

'I'm not there to prove myself a tough guy' 

Over the course of a three-decade directing career, Oliver Stone has built a reputation as a political provocateur. In narrative and documentary films, he’s presented unorthodox takes on John F. Kennedy’s assassination and Richard Nixon’s presidency, and humanized foreign leaders including Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez.

His willingness to contradict the accepted narrative of American history has led some to dismiss him as a conspiracy theorist. His latest project, Showtime’s “The Putin Interviews,” seems similarly fated to provoke controversy.

In the four-part documentary series beginning Monday, Stone sits with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a dozen conversations filmed over two years. The topics range from “Dr. Strangelove” to Russia’s track record on LGBTQ rights to Putin’s passion for judo.

Oh, and that whole hacking-the-election thing.

At a moment when much of the country is fixated by the unfolding Russian saga, “The Putin Interviews” represents a massive get for Stone and for Showtime, which has been investing heavily in politically themed documentary programming.

(By contrast, Megyn Kelly’s much-touted interview with Putin, which aired June 4 on NBC, lasted for about 10 minutes.)

But while some might be hoping for a tense showdown — especially given the show’s title, which consciously evokes David Frost’s Watergate-era “The Nixon Interviews” — Stone’s goal was understanding, not grilling.

“My role is really to go to him and ask him to explain how he sees the world and what he thinks,” Stone says by phone. “By listening to him, we may not agree with it, but it’s important we hear it.”

The project emerged during research trips to Moscow for “Snowden,” Stone’s 2016 narrative film about former National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden. The director met with Putin to discuss the Snowden affair, and it eventually led to a series of conversations — a total of about 20 hours of footage — filmed as recently as February.

“No questions were banned, there were no need to see the questions beforehand. It was totally in our control,” says Stone, who made the series with his longtime documentary producer Fernando Sulichin.

As to why Putin, who has rarely given such access to Western reporters, agreed to participate, Stone says, “He knew who I was. I’m sure that ‘Platoon’ made quite an impact there. And ‘JFK.’” He also points to his behemoth 12-part documentary series, “The Untold History of the United States,” which offered a critical look at American involvement in World War II and the Cold War.

The series marks Stone’s second collaboration with Showtime, after “The Untold History,” and it’s another in a string of timely documentaries to land at the premium cable network. President and Chief Executive David Nevins has made a priority of political programming that offers rare access to newsworthy figures.

It’s possible to trace the bizarre tale of the 2016 election through the channel’s documentaries, beginning with “Weiner,” the Sundance favorite that cast a spotlight on scandal-prone politician Anthony Weiner and his wife, Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin, and continuing with “The Circus,” Mark Halperin and John Heilemann’s behind-the-scenes look at the campaign and, now, the Trump White House. July brings the premiere of “Risk,” Laura Poitras’ critical portrait of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

“People want to understand, and I think the great promise of what we bring is greater depth than you can get on a basic cable news show,” says Nevins, adding that he approaches nonfiction shows in much the same way as scripted series: “from a place of character and personality.”

“Whatever you think about Oliver’s politics,” he says, “he lets Putin speak for himself and lets you judge.”

In Stone’s portrayal, Putin emerges as a shrewd and highly disciplined leader, if also a macho showboat who makes cringe-worthy jokes about showering with gay people and women’s menstrual cycles. (He has some good lines too, as when Stone gives him a DVD of “Dr. Strangelove” as a present, only to discover the case is empty. “Typical American gift,” he says.)

In the two episodes made available to the media, Stone broaches some fraught subjects, most notably Russia’s track record on LGBTQ rights. But he also makes the case that the U.S. and its European allies are partly to blame for the increasingly frosty relations with Russia, and argues that Putin, who has been accused of ordering the killings of his opponents, has been unfairly vilified by the Western media — a point he stands by.

“Even Hitler was more popular,” he says.

Stone is also on the record as a skeptic regarding Russian interference in the election. He told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour last year that the hacking of the Democratic National Committee was “a great fiction” and speculated that it was an “inside job.” On social media, he has criticized the Washington Post and the New York Times for reporting that reflects a “stagnant Cold War vision ... where the Russians are to blame for most everything.” (His son, Sean Stone, also co-hosts a show for Russia Today.)

Stone’s stated aim is to provide historical perspective “so you don’t overblow the hacking issue. It’s a thing that I think happens in America, we tend to run into the headline-grabbing thing in the moment. The tyranny of now.”

Though some critics thought Kelly, NBC’s new star hire, was out of her depth with Putin, Stone thinks she erred by “establish[ing] a hostile relationship with him. If I had done that [with Putin], it wouldn’t have lasted. You have to have a relationship with your subject and a sense of trust. I’m not there to prove myself a tough guy. That’s not going to get me anywhere.”

Some have accused Stone of being a Putin apologist. Writing for the Daily Beast last week, Marlow Stern suggested the filmmaker liked “cozying up to dictators” and engaging in “hero worship.”

Stone disputes the claim.

“I just love dictators. I really do,” he says with a sarcastic laugh. “Hell, I like peace. I’d like to see the world in harmony. I think the U.S. and Russia could be great partners.… Why has it deteriorated to this point?”

-The Los Angeles Times, June 12 2017