This week we focus on the ladies.
Every week I'll be here to reveal and review some of my favorite moments from the internet. Whether it be bingeing television shows, streaming sports, or simply getting lost in a YouTube rabbit hole, I'm here to give you my top picks every Friday, as well as the perfect paring to get into an optimal headspace for them. This week, we're saying a short piece about the presumptive nominee for the Democrats and then sprinting away from anything moderately political and talking about women in comedy.
The Presumptive Nominee
Recommended Pairing: A deep breath and a stiff drink.
First of all, congratulations are in order for Hillary Clinton, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Time Warner, the fleet of lobbyists, bundlers, and millionaire donors. I'd also like to thank our national news agencies for covering the past 12 months of the primaries as a foregone conclusion and refusing to concede that the democratic race was ever more than the front runners to lose.
Hillary Clinton is a savvy politician, a seemingly brilliant human, a role model and unfortunately the embodiment of a completely broken political system. She ran her campaign like a well-oiled corporate machine and in the end appears to be on the path to the presidency.
Good for her. Seriously. And good for all of her supporters. And good for all of the super delegates who pledged themselves to her before considering how the country was leaning.
All I keep thinking to myself is, "We still have a month and a half until the convention. A month and a half until the Super Delegates vote."
That is so much time for someone to get indicted, have video from a paid speech leak, or have some bombshell we haven't even thought about drop.
Romney was derailed once we heard his 47% remarks (amongst other things)
Heck, Howard Dean lost support by screaming, "Yaaaaahhh!".
As it stands, Hillary has only 375 more earned delegates than Bernie. Can we all just calm down a bit?
Nothing is over. In politics anything can happen, especially over the span of six weeks. I honestly won't be surprised if we're talking about upheaval during the conventions or even a possible legitimate third party candidate this year over the next month...
But for now I would honestly like to applaud the efforts of a strong woman for making history, despite my skepticism, I think she'll do just fine as our next president.
I mean, jesus, consider the alternative...
...
Lady Dynamite
Recommended Pairing: A fistful of crazy pills.
Maria Bamford is straight up fucking nuts. Thank god.
She's loud, weird, shifty, awkward, and absolutely hysterical in her new Netflix Original, Lady Dynamite. Like Maria, this show isn't for everyone, but it's chopped full of genuine moments and genuinely funny bits that I hope it finds a appreciative audience.
Throughout the series the show jumps back and forth in time, in and out of reality, and finds itself peeking through the corners of a new level of meta comedy that feels totally original. There's constant nods to itself throughout each episode and comedy veterans constantly pop up, then pop in and out of character as the plot moves through. Patton Oswald plays a bicycle cop that breaks character to try and convince Maria not to do stand-up within her show. "It's been done to death," he explains as she's walking up on a stage with a fake brick background. Later, John Mulaney shows up just to wink to the camera as if admitting Patton was right all along. It's really funny and easy to miss a lot of those subtleties.
I really liked it.
If nothing else, it's a beautiful and honest example of depression and anxiety told through the lens of a comic savant. The way the show weaves in and out of reality and an absurdist vision of reality is refreshingly unique while still seeming a bit heavy-handed. You almost get tired of the constant ingenuity the show demonstrates as it finds countless ways to break the fourth wall.
Having been familiar with Maria and her comedy stylings for years now, I'm glad to see that she found a vehicle that can take her comedy to places it can thrive. My only concern is that I want a second season, but I'm terrified for what she might have to go through to deliver it.
Wonder Woman as a Ninja Warrior
Recommended Pairing: An ice cold domestic brew.
I've never really paid attention to the Ninja Warrior craze. I remember the time a streaker tore through the obstacle course but that's about it.
My love of athletes running through obstacles lived and died with the early '90s American Gladiators. I don't know a single kid my age that didn't set up an Assault style obstacle course with Nerf guns and tennis balls.
This week Jessie Graff, a stunt woman for shows like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Waking Dead and Supergirl became the first woman ever to complete a course on American Ninja Warrior. The best part, she crushed the course wearing a Wonder Woman costume and a huge smile.
It's a shame the reboot of American Gladiators flopped because I'd give anything to watch her take down Crush, Ice, or even Nitro. Maybe if I set up an Eliminator course in my apartment she'll come hang out.
"Mom! Can we have bagel bites?!"