Harried for the Holidays

This is the second straight year that Kate and I haven’t been able to go to New York for Thanksgiving, and I won’t pretend it’s okay. We have so few traditions as a couple, and having dinner at The Dutch is one I miss terribly. But there’s always next year, right?

And if I have to be thankful for stuff, let’s start with friends. Corey Mintz is one, and the publication of his new book The Next Supper gave me the excuse to get him on another episode of Someone Else’s Movie this week, talking about Adam McKay’s furious docu-comedy The Big Short and how its story of an entire industry wiped out by shell games and bad faith — and the people who saw that disaster coming — lines up nicely with what he’s learned about the restaurant industry.

You should listen to that: As always, a subscription to Apple PodcastsGoogle Play and Stitcher will get it to you immediately, or you can download it directly from the web if you’re not into long-term digital commitments. But really, if you’re reading this blog and you haven’t already subscribed, I have some questions for you.

Like: Seriously, why not? And: What about NOW What, the other podcast I make every week? Corey was on last week’s episode, as it happens, with Richard doing the formal interviewing; Richard’s back today in his official position as music editor, joining Rad and me for a conversation about the Grammy nominations and what they say about the state of the cultural landscape, and the music industry in general.

Podcasts. They never stop coming. You know what else never stops coming? Movies! Especially this time of year, when the studios start throwing awards contenders at us all willy-nilly. This week’s What to Watch page is filled with potential contenders — not you, House of Gucci — and you’ll find even more on last week’s page, and also Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Is there anything else? Did you read my Cowboy Bebop review? Because I liked it! And the December lookaheads are rolling out, with NOW’s previews of what’s coming to Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video Canada already up and Crave and CBC Gem to follow early next week. I’ll post ’em here as they arrive. It’s the least I can do.

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