Even when the world feels upside-down, some things still make life awesome. Here’s a running list of stuff we love right now — shows, podcasts, music, games, and people who make us smile.
JOY of the MOMENT
Comedy is one of our most powerful tools against authoritarianism. Silencing comedians and parody is straight out of any fascist playbook. First it was Stephen Colbert, then Jimmy Kimmel. Now Trump is “predicting” NBC will cancel Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers next.
But comedians are not rolling over. Late night or otherwise, they are speaking truth to power and making us laugh while doing it. Colbert, who has zero chill, recently won an Emmy for being both hilarious and on point. Same kudos to Jon Stewart and the Daily Show team, Seth Meyers, our hometown favorite, John Oliver, Jimmy Fallon, and others.
And just to be clear, yes, private companies can make decisions about employees’ behavior or speech. Using the government to threaten companies into silencing criticism of a leader is a whole different level.
TV
Have I Got News for You: It’s news but a game show. Think vulgar Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me.
The Daily Show: Jon Stewart is back. Could it be any better?
The Pitt: OMG IT’S IN PITTSBURGH AND IT’S SO GOOD. If you have any healthcare friends — like me, they will probably tell you how incredibly medically accurate The Pitt is without being boring. Noah Wyle! Local shots and references! Life Flight! Presby! Fine Wine & Good Spirits! “We need to laugh, otherwise we'd never stop crying.” 😭😭😭
The Righteous Gemstones is a comedy about three spoiled adult children running a megachurch with their dad, the brilliant John Goodman. A+ for the show, R+++++ for the adult language. (I had to Google some stuff.) But still heart-warming.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver:Like the Daily Show, but darker and more British.
Murderbot: Based on The Murderbot Diaries, this smart sci-fi show is <30 minutes per episode (#noattentionspan), but leaves you wanting more. Especially more of Alexander Skarsgård, even with a bad robot haircut.
PBS’s All Creatures Great & Small:Trick Woo (real name Derek!) is the real star of this heart-warming show about vets in rural England in the 1930s-40s.
Podcasts
POD Save America: Per Charlie Kirk, MAGA influencer, it’s “just like a bunch of Obama bros agreeing with each other for 90 minutes and saying, 'We're not very smart.'" Insightful, funny and very smart. 5/5 Obamas.
Ologies: I feel smarter every time I listen. Come learn about crow funerals or thyroids.
The Dollop: History + stand up comedy.
Sawbones: Learn about weird medicine. Not like medication, be the art/science/horrors of medicine.
No Such Thing As a Fish: British people making you feel dumb with only one fact each. But even after 10 years, there will never be enough.
If Books Could Kill: Evil book reviews. Top review: Hillbilly Elegy.
Behind the Bastards: Learn about terrible, terrible people. Like Elon Musk.
Music & Musicals
Come From Away: Do you want to see a musical about 9/11? Probably not. But you should! It’s a musical about the true story of how the people of a small 10,000-person town in Newfoundland, Canada took in 7,000 strangers from diverted planes on 9/11/2001. USA, take note.
Little Shop of Horrors: The team who wrote the music for The Little Mermaid brings you a simultaneously gruesome and beautiful musical with a terrifying dentist, a murderous alien plant and still-relatable working class dreams.
SIX: Six wives. Six kick-ass women.
Come From Away: A musical about 9/11 (!) that gives you faith in humanity.
NPR Tiny Desk Concerts: Reason alone to keep NPR. (I can listen to Chappell Roan all day.)
Games
The Quacks of Quedlinburg: BEST BOARD GAME EVER
Duolingo: Learn a new language! Dutch is fun!
Secret Hitler – Social deduction, deception, and chaos. Perfect for a group of friends who love politics, strategy, and a little dramatic backstabbing. Hilarious, tense, and endlessly replayable.
People
(*a new category for fangirling!)
Kat Abughazaleh: A 26-year-old journalist/influencer running for congress in Illinois, who is “radically transparent” with a video titled “What if we didn’t suck?”
Summer Lee: Bad-ass bitch and my Congresswoman, nbd.
Lisandra Vázquez: Comedian in Atlanta and Instagram, FB, TikTok star with amazing daily press briefings where she impersonates Karoline Leavitt with such brilliance. Humor will save us.
David Hogg – Gun violence activist and fearless advocate for change. Smart, persistent, and unapologetic, proving that young people can move mountains.
Random Stuff
Effin Birds! I’m old now, so I love birds! A daily comic by Aaron Reynolds that keeps winning awards despite being nothing more than birds and curse words.
