The Filtered Excellence: October 31, 2020
Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Once a week we take a break from comedy to bring you this week’s picks of the best things to watch, the most interesting things to do, great things to try, the best picks to read, our favorite things to listen to and more.
WATCH THIS
Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine. Comedian Sarah Cooper’s spot on lip syncs of the President’s most incoherent statements helped her skyrocket in the world of comedy. Now she’s aiming for gold status with her new Netflix special. Directed by Natasha Lyonne, Cooper plays the host of Everything’s Fine, a TV morning show where she’s asked to keep a sunny disposition, even as things far from it. Her crew, which includes her PPE obsessed on set producer (Fred Armisen), weather person (Maya Rudolph), and off set producers (Eddie Pepitone and Marcella Arguello) aren’t much help, throwing more wood on this dumpster fire of a broadcast. Cooper does manage to put in her signature lip syncs of the President, including a word for word recreation of the Access Hollywood tape with Helen Mirren playing Billy Bush. Lyonne, who made her directorial debut with the short film Cabiria, Charity, Chastity, amplifies the WTF-ness of this year’s events by adding enough surrealist absurdity to it all to make you laugh to keep from crying. Cooper also displays great range, playing both straight woman for the parade of guest stars, while throwing in pointed observations regarding race, identity, climate change and corporate politics along the way. It’s the offbeat, off the wall special that perfectly captures an most unusual year. Everything’s Fine is available now on Netflix.
LISTEN TO THIS
Unplugged by Pearl Jam. When Pearl Jam performed on MTV Unplugged in 1992, they were at the height of ascension, running neck and neck with Nirvana as the leaders of the alt rock movement. Now the full performance of their iconic acoustic set is available now for streaming. It featuring stripped down versions of classic songs from their debut album, Ten, along with ‘State Of Love And Trust, which was featured on the soundtrack to the Cameron Crowe film, Singles. But what it best captures is the raw intensity of Pearl Jam’s live shows, particularly Eddie Vedder, who goes from subdued and seated, to a man nearly possessed by the music. It’s a great time capsule of a band at the birth of a Hall Of Fame career. Unplugged by Pearl Jam is available now through all major streaming services.
STREAM THIS
Jean Michel Basquiat. The Brant Foundation’s Jean Michel Basquiat retrospective was the must see event of 2019, drawing lines around the block during its two month run. Now with The Brant Foundation’s virtual tour, you can view over 70 of his paintings from your computer or mobile device. To see JMB’s most powerful works up close and personal from the comfort of your own home is a great alternative for those who were shut out of the original exhibition. Watch the greatest of his generation while passing time in quarantine. The Jean Michel Basquiat collection can be viewed by going to www.brantfoundation.org.
Public Forum: WE THE PEOPLE. As the nation prepares to go to the polls, The Public Theater will hold a pre-election gathering that will celebrate community, solidarity, and hope. Featuring Tony Award nominee Adrienne Warren (Tina) and Emmy nominee Brandon Victor Dixon (Jesus Christ Superstar) and 2020 TED Fellow Jomama Jones, the show will feature testimony, video postcards, music and poetry celebrating the power of community, the spirit of resilience and resistance. Serving as a reminder and a rallying cry, it promises to be a powerful diversion from the barrage of bad news. Public Forum: We The People will take place on Tuesday, November 2nd at 8pm through The Public Theater’s website (www.public theater.org) and the Public Theater YouTube channel.
Toshi Reagon’s Post Election Concert. Art and activism is a part of Toshi Reagon’s DNA. The daughter of Sweet Honey In The Rock co-founder Bernice Johnson Reagon, and civil rights activist Cordell Hull Reagon, Toshi combines rock, folk, blues, gospel funk and social commentary into a sonic stew that uplifts as well as informs. For her quadrennial post election performance, she’ll be joined by special guests to play songs about where we are as a nation, and what must be done to move forward. Get ready to be transformed. Toshi Reagon’s Post Election Concert will take on Thursday, November 4th at 7pm through the The Public Theater’s website (www.publictheater.org) and the Joe’s Pub YouTube channel.
DO THIS
VOTE!
Also…
Wear A Mask.
Practice Social Distancing.
Wash Your Hands.
Stay Safe.
Earl Douglas is a writer/photographer based in New York City. A frequent contributor to The Interrobang, Earl is also Executive Director for the New York chapter of The Black Rock Coalition. Earl worked in radio for nearly two decades at WNEW-FM and XM Satellite Radio, which included being the on-air producer for Carol Miller, Scott Muni and Ron & Fez, and a contributor to Opie & Anthony. Earl has also independently published a number of books including Black Rock Volume 1, Urban Abyss, Mobile Uploads, and For Shimmy. His latest project is the photojournalism magazine PRAXIS, which is available exclusively through Blurb.com.
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