Elton John, a cat named “Hercules,” an “Indian Sunset,” and the persistence of my lovely wife

Before the age of political correctness, they used to say that behind every successful man was a special woman.  While this is true for me, I don’t think it was intended to apply to expanding one’s taste in music. Shortly before I got married, a colleague asked me to describe my future wife in three… Continue reading Elton John, a cat named “Hercules,” an “Indian Sunset,” and the persistence of my lovely wife

I am William Shakespeare about to write Hamlet

It’s the year 1600 and I am already an accomplished playwright, having written plays and created characters like Romeo and Juliet that would be revered for centuries. This might have been enough for any other artist, but I am not any artist by any means. I am William Shakespeare about to write Hamlet.  It’s the… Continue reading I am William Shakespeare about to write Hamlet

David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and the birth of two genres, at least

In an era where TV rarely ventured beyond the dreaded “To be be continued…” ending, Mr. Lynch and Mr. Frost placed a bet that people wanted more, that the mystery was important for the sake of the mystery, that not everything needed to be explained, and that sometimes things are better without an ending.  In… Continue reading David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and the birth of two genres, at least

How Kenneth Branagh changed a fantasy geek’s life and transformed him into a Shakespeare fanatic

The British actor and director released his first film, Henry V in 1989, when I was a tender thirteen years old.  It passed without notice for me during its theatrical run, but the video rental store, that monument to entertainment, where most families made at least a weekly pilgrimage before the rise of streaming, was… Continue reading How Kenneth Branagh changed a fantasy geek’s life and transformed him into a Shakespeare fanatic

Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and why the world must be peopled

We cannot know the wellspring of the emotion we call love, neither where it comes or where it goes, but we should embrace it, lest the entire species should falter.  Such is the weight of our dalliances, which are about a lot more than nothing – as is the play itself. Much Ado About nothing… Continue reading Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and why the world must be peopled

HBO’s House of the Dragon and woke casting, you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t

Once upon a time, HBO’s House of the Dragon was praised for its commitment to diversity, and anyone who disagreed was attacked as a racist, but suddenly the woke have completely changed direction, and they’re now claiming black story lines haven’t been given the proper respect, wondering whether black people should watch the show at… Continue reading HBO’s House of the Dragon and woke casting, you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t