https://www.tiktok.com/@hasanminhaj/video/7518778568139214093?_r=1&_t=ZP-8ykJ5QdlVPT
This struck a chord with me. Maybe because I'm a child of the sixties. When thinking for yourself and sticking it to the man were the ethos of the day. Or maybe because I'm the child of my father... He worked as an engineer during the war and after getting fired he said he'd never work for anybody again, and he never did.
It's a funny world we live in today, people are afraid to speak the truth. Sure, there are negative consequences, but even more are the positive benefits of kissing the ass of the man. Sure, we can go macro, think about the shenanigans in D.C., and Congress's obeisance to Trump is a great illustration of the paradigm in this video, but this aphorism is relevant down to the most intimate levels of life.
Conventional wisdom is you get ahead via relationships, the more you make, the higher up the food chain you go.
But let me tell you, if someone does a favor for you, you must be willing to do a favor for them, with no blowback, it's owed. They may have gotten you a job, or maybe it's as simple as getting you an invitation to an elite party, and then you'll get a message...could be a day later, could be ten years later, asking you to do a favor for the grantor of said favor. And in the music business, if you say no, you're done. You've broken the code.
Now there's a lot of largesse available to those who kiss the ring. Not only parties, but fine dining and flights on the private jet. Nothing is free in this world, NOTHING! And the sooner you realize this, the more successful you will be.
Now there was a change in the culture with the Millennials. Boomers, their parents, embraced individuality, letting your freak flag fly, and we saw this nowhere as much as in music... Music is a direct medium, straight from the maker into the heart of the listener...at least it was back then, that's what blew the business up. But then the labels became part of conglomerates and CDs and MTV came along and the amount of money involved was staggering and the opportunity risk was just too high, if the label signed and released your music, they wanted it to be successful, MEGA-SUCCESSFUL!
And the aforementioned Millennials? They were perfect for this world. Because Millennials were all about being a member of the group, you wanted to be included. If you were an a*shole you were excommunicated and shunned. All the advantages came from being a member of the group...shearing off your rough edges and coloring within the lines, offending no one.
Now concomitant with this was the rise of income inequality. Millennials with a brain, especially those who went to college, didn't want to end up on the wrong end of the income spectrum. That's why they went to college to begin with. As for this present B.S. about everybody not needing a college education... Sure, become a plumber or an electrician, you can get rich. But you've got to get your hands dirty. And if you don't have a specialized skill, you'll end up in an underpaid service job, falling economically behind by the minute. College is a ticket. Corporations want to see that you graduated, not what you learned in the institution. Drink and drug your way through school and as long as you get your degree you're ahead of the game. Don't doubt me. Don't be a pawn in the pontificators' game. If you don't have a college degree, you're most likely screwed.
So being practical members of the group Millennials were beholden to the man. Forget all this about their wussy personalities. Millennials don't want to get fired. They want the fruits of their labor/commitment. They didn't go to college to be broke.
This is very different from the era of the Boomers. When you could live reasonably on minimum wage, at least in your twenties. Which allowed you to think for yourself and create your own path. But that was back when you could go to a state school for bupkes, not graduating owing so much bread that you immediately had to get a high-paying gig.
So these middle class boomers...
They were brought up in an era of opportunity. You didn't teach to the book, everybody's opinion was valid. And if you were talented and spoke your truth you could be a star.
Not that anybody liked this, other than your fans and the profit participants.
History is littered with acts who became pariahs in the eyes of many in the public. The Beatles being bigger than God, Alice Cooper...people were truly pissed. And these people were always members of organizations where they were kissing somebody's ass, whether it be a religious institution or a governmental one or a corporation that could not be aligned with these dirty stinking scoundrels.
So...
Watch the above video. It delineates the line very clearly. Either you're beholden to the man or you are not.
And all artists are not.
This is the problem with those in the music industry today. People without released records bitching about Spotify payments... Believe me, if you're successful you'll make bank, it's just that few are successful, few were EVER successful!
And then you're confronted with input. The label wants you to work with cowriters, wants you to do covers, they want to meddle with the music. Can you say no? Very few young artists can...because they want that money and fame, they can't do without it, or the possibility of it.
And then there are the sponsorships, the brands... You're inherently compromised. Deep pockets don't get involved with you if they think you're a risk. There's a morals clause...one false move and you're done. And your goal is to be rich and famous, live the superyacht lifestyle, nothing can stand in the way of this.
But an artist's viewpoint is different, they have to be true to the art.
And please don't conflate money with artistry. Just because you are rich that does not make you an artist. Selling multiple versions of the same album? That makes you a mercenary rip-off artist. Artists can say no, very few acts in the music business today can say no.
Which is why music does not drive the culture. Outsiders drive the culture, always. Which is why even hedge funders overpay to show up in their leather jackets to see Springsteen and so many acts from the front row. Because money can't buy what Bruce has got, integrity.
Maybe you're down on the Boss, doesn't matter. How about Neil Young? These guys have had careers in excess of half a century. Why? Because they were true to themselves, beholden to no one, they refused to do what was expedient.
The problems in music today are the result of a rancid culture. EVERYBODY wants the perks. EVERYBODY wants a backstage pass. EVERYBODY wants to fly private. The goal is more important than the journey. They'll do whatever it takes to get to that goal.
An artist will not.
Which is why when you brag about who you hung with and what you did...
You can fly on the private jet, but if you're not paying for the flight, the seat choice is not yours. You end up compromising all your values for empty rewards, believing you're impressing others when you ultimately look hollow. Hell, look at the performers who worked for dictators...they want that paycheck!
Will you sacrifice your soul for dirty money? Throw out everything you believe in, work for exploiters and polluters just for an exclusive hang?
Not everybody can be rich and famous. But that does not mean you have to be a quiet mouse. What do they say, all politics are local? That when a butterfly flaps its wings in Japan it affects the weather in America? Change always starts small.
Don't underestimate credibility and integrity. All we keep hearing from the music industry is the audience doesn't care about sponsorships and selling out. HOGWASH! Music works best when it comes straight from the heart of the artist, when it's pure...if you're taking tainted money, don't think people don't realize it.
So watch the above video, and ask who you are.
Not only do I know a lot of compromised people, I know a lot of people who are fearful of more powerful people, like the king in the above example/video. You're as powerful as anyone, as long as you're true to yourself. You can be a leader, and it doesn't take money, but personality and thought. The power is within you. Don't be a tool. Look inside and be unique. Then you and your work have a chance of truly resonating with the public. Or you can play the game and be just like the rest of the disposable minions.
It's your choice.
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Saturday, 9 August 2025
Stolen: Heist Of The Century
Netflix trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ_kYC14TTM
This is my recommendation of the weekend.
It's a documentary, but it's only one ninety minute episode long, in other words it's neither a big commitment nor a slog, you can start it on a whim and finish it shortly thereafter.
There are a few re-enactments, which usually rub me the wrong way, but what you've got here most is talking heads.
NO, NO, NO! Don't let that turn you off. They don't opine ad infinitum, they just tell the story.
So what we've got here is a legendary diamond heist in Antwerp back in 2003. Will you remember it from the news? Probably not, but that makes no difference.
The first focus is on how they did it. After all, it is diamonds, and Antwerp is the diamond capital of the world, and the building is dedicated to diamond dealers with a locked vault in the basement... And being diamonds, you can imagine the security!
So everybody involved is completely flummoxed. The crime appears impossible. But then there are some breaks.
So what you've got here is a twenty first century doc. You know, with cinematic bells and whistles, the split-screen and other effects that can be overdone but are used in just the right amount here to keep the story flowing. But as the story unfolds...you start to ask yourself, what's so special about this?
Which is why you have to watch to the very very end.
Having said that, these are the real people involved. The cops are especially interesting. As for the criminal...
I won't say you'll be thinking about this documentary for days, but you won't forget it or the questions it raises just after it ends.
Finish this and you'll dig this.
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This is my recommendation of the weekend.
It's a documentary, but it's only one ninety minute episode long, in other words it's neither a big commitment nor a slog, you can start it on a whim and finish it shortly thereafter.
There are a few re-enactments, which usually rub me the wrong way, but what you've got here most is talking heads.
NO, NO, NO! Don't let that turn you off. They don't opine ad infinitum, they just tell the story.
So what we've got here is a legendary diamond heist in Antwerp back in 2003. Will you remember it from the news? Probably not, but that makes no difference.
The first focus is on how they did it. After all, it is diamonds, and Antwerp is the diamond capital of the world, and the building is dedicated to diamond dealers with a locked vault in the basement... And being diamonds, you can imagine the security!
So everybody involved is completely flummoxed. The crime appears impossible. But then there are some breaks.
So what you've got here is a twenty first century doc. You know, with cinematic bells and whistles, the split-screen and other effects that can be overdone but are used in just the right amount here to keep the story flowing. But as the story unfolds...you start to ask yourself, what's so special about this?
Which is why you have to watch to the very very end.
Having said that, these are the real people involved. The cops are especially interesting. As for the criminal...
I won't say you'll be thinking about this documentary for days, but you won't forget it or the questions it raises just after it ends.
Finish this and you'll dig this.
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Friday, 8 August 2025
Israel/Gaza-SiriusXM This Week
Tune in Saturday August 9th to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.
Phone #: 844-686-5863
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
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Phone #: 844-686-5863
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app. Search: Lefsetz
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Mailbag-Ed Sullivan
Subject: Thank you for your piece on Sunday Best
Dear Bob,
A friend forwarded your newsletter on Sunday Best, and I just wanted to reach out and thank you for your thoughtful piece.
I'm the producer of the film and also Ed Sullivan's granddaughter, so this one was personal. We worked hard to tell a story that honored the artists, the moment, and the cultural impact, and it really means a lot to see it connect with people like you.
Unfortunately, Netflix hasn't done much to promote the doc, so we're relying heavily on word of mouth and social media to promote it. If you have any thoughts on folks we could reach out to who might help amplify it, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks again for watching and for writing about it.
All my best,
Margo
___________________
MARGO PRECHT SPECIALE
PRODUCER
________________________________________________
RE: The Ed Sullivan Documentary
In 1965, having been urged to audition Trude Heller's' house band/recent Epic signee The Remains, Sullivan visited the club unaccompanied. According to the band, he sat at a table by himself, watched one set, and asked them "Do you want to appear on my show?" Simple as that.
Paul Lanning
________________________________________________
RE: The Ed Sullivan Documentary
When it comes to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
I'm not a "they-should-or-shouldn't-be-in" kinda guy.
But if Dick Clark, Don Cornelius, and Don Kirshner are in---
Shouldn't Ed and/or The Ed Sullivan Show get acknowledged for non-performer influence.
I've heard lots of music podcasts, as well as most of yours...
When a musician or performer is asked what it was that inspired them to get started...
The answer is almost always about a certain performance on a certain Sunday night TV show...
And it wasn't "Bonanza."
Marty Bender
________________________________________________
Re: Ed Sullivan
Very early in my personal management career I worked for a firm that represented Richard Pryor. I was 24 years old. I was sent to New York to 'service' Richard on The Ed Sullivan Show.
There was always a dress rehearsal Sunday afternoon. Ed would watch the rehearsal and decide what the running order was to be that evening. A handwritten list was posted on an old bulletin board back stage. When I saw the list, Richard was not on the list. Ed didn't like the material and bumped him.
I had the chore of explaining this to Richard. Not an easy task. I earned some stripes that Sunday.
Jim Morey
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Dear Bob,
A friend forwarded your newsletter on Sunday Best, and I just wanted to reach out and thank you for your thoughtful piece.
I'm the producer of the film and also Ed Sullivan's granddaughter, so this one was personal. We worked hard to tell a story that honored the artists, the moment, and the cultural impact, and it really means a lot to see it connect with people like you.
Unfortunately, Netflix hasn't done much to promote the doc, so we're relying heavily on word of mouth and social media to promote it. If you have any thoughts on folks we could reach out to who might help amplify it, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks again for watching and for writing about it.
All my best,
Margo
___________________
MARGO PRECHT SPECIALE
PRODUCER
________________________________________________
RE: The Ed Sullivan Documentary
In 1965, having been urged to audition Trude Heller's' house band/recent Epic signee The Remains, Sullivan visited the club unaccompanied. According to the band, he sat at a table by himself, watched one set, and asked them "Do you want to appear on my show?" Simple as that.
Paul Lanning
________________________________________________
RE: The Ed Sullivan Documentary
When it comes to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
I'm not a "they-should-or-shouldn't-be-in" kinda guy.
But if Dick Clark, Don Cornelius, and Don Kirshner are in---
Shouldn't Ed and/or The Ed Sullivan Show get acknowledged for non-performer influence.
I've heard lots of music podcasts, as well as most of yours...
When a musician or performer is asked what it was that inspired them to get started...
The answer is almost always about a certain performance on a certain Sunday night TV show...
And it wasn't "Bonanza."
Marty Bender
________________________________________________
Re: Ed Sullivan
Very early in my personal management career I worked for a firm that represented Richard Pryor. I was 24 years old. I was sent to New York to 'service' Richard on The Ed Sullivan Show.
There was always a dress rehearsal Sunday afternoon. Ed would watch the rehearsal and decide what the running order was to be that evening. A handwritten list was posted on an old bulletin board back stage. When I saw the list, Richard was not on the list. Ed didn't like the material and bumped him.
I had the chore of explaining this to Richard. Not an easy task. I earned some stripes that Sunday.
Jim Morey
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Thursday, 7 August 2025
The Ed Sullivan Documentary
"Sunday Best" - Netflix trailer: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMc4iVMv28h/
This is not the doc you think it is... As a matter of fact, I'm not sure it would be made in today's anti-DEI environment. You think it's going to be a survey of Ed's show, the highlights, and although the Beatles do appear, really this is about how Ed was a hero to the Black community, how he featured Black artists and stood up to the man to do so.
If you were alive and conscious back then, Ed Sullivan was hated amongst the Boomer/Beatle generation. Sure, he featured the Beatles, Elvis Presley before that, but Sullivan was square. About as hip as Topo Gigio, who appeared on the show fifty times. I don't think any artist plying the boards today can compete with the ubiquity of the anthropomorphic mouse. You see we had to watch Topo Gigio's act in order to see the rock star/musical acts.
First it was Steve & Eydie, acts that appealed to our parents. However, comics were prevalent on Sullivan, Alan King was the Chappelle of the day, and Allen & Rossi were nearly as big...HELLO DERE! The comedy duo were actually on with the Beatles. But they broke up in '68 and are now lost to the sands of time.
Sullivan hosted a variety show. Something that's been extinct for a while now, which has no purchase in today's niche-based society. Variety shows were smorgasbords, a little bit of everything, to appeal to the whole family, and to offend no one.
And if you did, offend that is, you got bounced, ask the Smothers Brothers, although Tommy's gone now (do you remember the sitcom that preceded the variety show, wherein Tommy was an angel?). "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" was so powerful, it made head writer Mason Williams's "Classical Gas" a huge hit. But the Smothers Brothers triumphed in the late sixties, although they were born in the thirties, they had youthquake sensibilities. The Smothers Brothers tested TV limits, that's where you broke acts, Ed Sullivan was more of a victory lap.
But not if you were Black.
We used to make fun of Ed... A really big SHEW! This guy was the antithesis of the sixties, never mind starting in 1948. The show petered out in '71, when there was FM rock in every town and the entire country had been exposed to the world of hip, not that everybody partook. But marijuana was no longer dangerous, the war was anathema and Sullivan was out of time.
But before that...
What you've got to know is Sullivan PAID the acts! The script has been flipped today, acts pay for transportation, hair and makeup, to appear for the exposure, hoping it will make a difference. But other than SNL and CBS "Sunday Morning," it doesn't. And despite the hoopla, fewer people watch SNL than they did in its heyday in the late seventies. Then again, there's online video exposure. Then again, the show is no longer dangerous, no longer a club of like-minded people. You HAD to watch SNL, it was a tribal rite!
But before that there was Sullivan.
The show starts with Sullivan's story. How he became a journalist and fell into TV broadcasting.
And then comes the story of him airing Black acts.
Berry Gordy testifies, but the doc focuses most on Harry Belafonte, and how the two ultimately became friends.
But those Motown acts... The Supremes were a regular feature. Once Sullivan broke the color barrier, there were a plethora of Black acts who soon crossed over to AM radio and became superstars, if not wealthy.
Now the funny thing is my inbox is just starting to blow up about this doc now. Even though it launched weeks ago, I saw it weeks ago. There were reviews... But does anybody read reviews anymore, even Boomers? No, what is selling this is underground word of mouth. It seems if you were conscious back then it rings a bell and it's more than nostalgia.
"Sunday Best" is not a slog, it's only ninety minutes. Billy Joel gets five hours, but a show that truly influenced the culture gets a fraction of that time.
If you were alive back then... You may not necessarily end up loving Sullivan, but you'll no longer hate him. And you'll be reminded of the way it was back then.
You remember the sixties, don't you? When the world was our oyster, when the sky was the limit and before the Army ripped off our slogan we did our best to be all we could be?
Talk about an era in the rearview mirror... The squares want to deny it even happened, want to focus on the drugs and coloring outside the lines. But the Beatles? There's never been an act that big and that influential since. Period. And they opened the floodgates for more, music dominated the culture and if you wanted to know what was going on you listened to the radio, many turned off the television completely. And really, it all started on Ed Sullivan.
So if you haven't seen it yet, or if it's not even on your radar, the consensus is in... "Sunday Best" touches a nerve, affects your soul in such a way that you feel compelled to tell others about it.
Community... This is what "Sunday Best" delivers. Because it's not pure entertainment, it's about people, choices and life.
I'm sure you watched the show, forget your preconceptions of Ed, dig in and the sinews of context will begin to form. In ways that most people can only see in retrospect. Good luck making sense of today's world, one which flummoxes many so much that they want to return to the perceived glory of an earlier era, that had great elements, but was far from perfect.
Racism, sexism... They still exist, but the big breakthroughs happened in the sixties and seventies. And Ed Sullivan helped moved the needle, he did his part. Amazing.
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This is not the doc you think it is... As a matter of fact, I'm not sure it would be made in today's anti-DEI environment. You think it's going to be a survey of Ed's show, the highlights, and although the Beatles do appear, really this is about how Ed was a hero to the Black community, how he featured Black artists and stood up to the man to do so.
If you were alive and conscious back then, Ed Sullivan was hated amongst the Boomer/Beatle generation. Sure, he featured the Beatles, Elvis Presley before that, but Sullivan was square. About as hip as Topo Gigio, who appeared on the show fifty times. I don't think any artist plying the boards today can compete with the ubiquity of the anthropomorphic mouse. You see we had to watch Topo Gigio's act in order to see the rock star/musical acts.
First it was Steve & Eydie, acts that appealed to our parents. However, comics were prevalent on Sullivan, Alan King was the Chappelle of the day, and Allen & Rossi were nearly as big...HELLO DERE! The comedy duo were actually on with the Beatles. But they broke up in '68 and are now lost to the sands of time.
Sullivan hosted a variety show. Something that's been extinct for a while now, which has no purchase in today's niche-based society. Variety shows were smorgasbords, a little bit of everything, to appeal to the whole family, and to offend no one.
And if you did, offend that is, you got bounced, ask the Smothers Brothers, although Tommy's gone now (do you remember the sitcom that preceded the variety show, wherein Tommy was an angel?). "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" was so powerful, it made head writer Mason Williams's "Classical Gas" a huge hit. But the Smothers Brothers triumphed in the late sixties, although they were born in the thirties, they had youthquake sensibilities. The Smothers Brothers tested TV limits, that's where you broke acts, Ed Sullivan was more of a victory lap.
But not if you were Black.
We used to make fun of Ed... A really big SHEW! This guy was the antithesis of the sixties, never mind starting in 1948. The show petered out in '71, when there was FM rock in every town and the entire country had been exposed to the world of hip, not that everybody partook. But marijuana was no longer dangerous, the war was anathema and Sullivan was out of time.
But before that...
What you've got to know is Sullivan PAID the acts! The script has been flipped today, acts pay for transportation, hair and makeup, to appear for the exposure, hoping it will make a difference. But other than SNL and CBS "Sunday Morning," it doesn't. And despite the hoopla, fewer people watch SNL than they did in its heyday in the late seventies. Then again, there's online video exposure. Then again, the show is no longer dangerous, no longer a club of like-minded people. You HAD to watch SNL, it was a tribal rite!
But before that there was Sullivan.
The show starts with Sullivan's story. How he became a journalist and fell into TV broadcasting.
And then comes the story of him airing Black acts.
Berry Gordy testifies, but the doc focuses most on Harry Belafonte, and how the two ultimately became friends.
But those Motown acts... The Supremes were a regular feature. Once Sullivan broke the color barrier, there were a plethora of Black acts who soon crossed over to AM radio and became superstars, if not wealthy.
Now the funny thing is my inbox is just starting to blow up about this doc now. Even though it launched weeks ago, I saw it weeks ago. There were reviews... But does anybody read reviews anymore, even Boomers? No, what is selling this is underground word of mouth. It seems if you were conscious back then it rings a bell and it's more than nostalgia.
"Sunday Best" is not a slog, it's only ninety minutes. Billy Joel gets five hours, but a show that truly influenced the culture gets a fraction of that time.
If you were alive back then... You may not necessarily end up loving Sullivan, but you'll no longer hate him. And you'll be reminded of the way it was back then.
You remember the sixties, don't you? When the world was our oyster, when the sky was the limit and before the Army ripped off our slogan we did our best to be all we could be?
Talk about an era in the rearview mirror... The squares want to deny it even happened, want to focus on the drugs and coloring outside the lines. But the Beatles? There's never been an act that big and that influential since. Period. And they opened the floodgates for more, music dominated the culture and if you wanted to know what was going on you listened to the radio, many turned off the television completely. And really, it all started on Ed Sullivan.
So if you haven't seen it yet, or if it's not even on your radar, the consensus is in... "Sunday Best" touches a nerve, affects your soul in such a way that you feel compelled to tell others about it.
Community... This is what "Sunday Best" delivers. Because it's not pure entertainment, it's about people, choices and life.
I'm sure you watched the show, forget your preconceptions of Ed, dig in and the sinews of context will begin to form. In ways that most people can only see in retrospect. Good luck making sense of today's world, one which flummoxes many so much that they want to return to the perceived glory of an earlier era, that had great elements, but was far from perfect.
Racism, sexism... They still exist, but the big breakthroughs happened in the sixties and seventies. And Ed Sullivan helped moved the needle, he did his part. Amazing.
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Wayne Forte-This Week's Podcast
This is Wayne Forte's fiftieth year in the business. As an agent he's represented acts as varied as David Bowie and Tedeschi Trucks Band. We discuss his career as well as NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) and the lobbying for and distribution of monies during Covid.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wayne-forte/id1316200737?i=1000721027462
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YFnp54rBsO1tC8TRBXdD5?si=1y7AAjNBQ8OP0Doyc5gVhw
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/wayne-forte-288846807/
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/ff38a328-4dfe-44d5-b9ff-fd6490c7f01d/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-wayne-forte
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https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wayne-forte/id1316200737?i=1000721027462
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YFnp54rBsO1tC8TRBXdD5?si=1y7AAjNBQ8OP0Doyc5gVhw
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/episode/wayne-forte-288846807/
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/ff38a328-4dfe-44d5-b9ff-fd6490c7f01d/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-wayne-forte
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Culpability-2
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DT6ZMKXQ/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
This is really going to be about the book "Culpability." Really. But I'm going to start by telling you how I got there, how I ended up reading this book.
You see I read "The Compound," which has gotten great reviews but was basically a joke, a fictional version of "Love Island," a waste of my time.
And then I got involved in a couple of girl books.
Hmm... "Girl books," what do I mean by that?
Well, when you look at the reviews on Amazon none are from respected publications, they're at best from fashion rags, and a lot of the author's friends are testifying. They might by endorsed by Jenna, or be a GMA book, but rarely is that first class fiction. And then there are books that seemingly all the women have read and they testify about them, say how great they are, but once again none of the traditional reviewers have weighed in, never mind uttered a good word. They may be bestsellers, but...
I don't know why I reserved "Culpability" on Libby. Once again, I get my reviews from the Sunday "Times" Book Review, Ron Charles's WaPo newsletter and "The Week." Some other outlets too, but those are my mainstays. But by time the book finally arrives, I don't recall why it interested me. And in this case, not wanting to start a loser, one of the aforementioned "girl books," whose titles I choose not to reveal for fear of angering readers, I decided to research "Culpability" before I started it.
Turns out it's an Oprah book. And despite the James Frey and "American Dirt" controversies, she usually endorses worthwhile books (and "American Dirt" was pretty good!).
And it had 4.5 stars on Amazon, which is rare.
But doing more research I learned that it was about AI...which sounds about as interesting a book on JavaScript.
But Oprah said: "I was riveted until the very last shocking sentence."
Don't wait for it. The last sentence is not shocking, as a matter of fact, the book kind of peters out about 95% through, but before that...
"Culpability" is about the ethics of the algorithm. We make them, but AI is a black box, nobody knows exactly how it works, truly.
But the context is a family story. There's a plot and AI is laid down on top of that.
You see it all comes down to whether the algorithm is responsible, does it take all the blame, or are we, the constructors of said algorithm, responsible.
And a lot of the issues arise around products that are here now. Like self-driving cars and drones. Forget legislation, forget hysteria, these products driven by algorithm will come into play more and more...who is responsible for their actions?
But the story could survive completely sans the AI overlay.
Of course you've got the family dynamics...three kids who alternately love and hate each other, a genius mother and a genial father. Then throw some tragedy into the mix...
And a billionaire techie... Who thinks the rules don't apply to him and throws money at every problem all the while denying any culpability.
And the law...
"Culpability" is highly readable. This is not dense literary fiction that has you looking up multiple words on every page. This is the kind of book you can discuss with your friends.
But you have to read it first.
I recommend you do.
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This is really going to be about the book "Culpability." Really. But I'm going to start by telling you how I got there, how I ended up reading this book.
You see I read "The Compound," which has gotten great reviews but was basically a joke, a fictional version of "Love Island," a waste of my time.
And then I got involved in a couple of girl books.
Hmm... "Girl books," what do I mean by that?
Well, when you look at the reviews on Amazon none are from respected publications, they're at best from fashion rags, and a lot of the author's friends are testifying. They might by endorsed by Jenna, or be a GMA book, but rarely is that first class fiction. And then there are books that seemingly all the women have read and they testify about them, say how great they are, but once again none of the traditional reviewers have weighed in, never mind uttered a good word. They may be bestsellers, but...
I don't know why I reserved "Culpability" on Libby. Once again, I get my reviews from the Sunday "Times" Book Review, Ron Charles's WaPo newsletter and "The Week." Some other outlets too, but those are my mainstays. But by time the book finally arrives, I don't recall why it interested me. And in this case, not wanting to start a loser, one of the aforementioned "girl books," whose titles I choose not to reveal for fear of angering readers, I decided to research "Culpability" before I started it.
Turns out it's an Oprah book. And despite the James Frey and "American Dirt" controversies, she usually endorses worthwhile books (and "American Dirt" was pretty good!).
And it had 4.5 stars on Amazon, which is rare.
But doing more research I learned that it was about AI...which sounds about as interesting a book on JavaScript.
But Oprah said: "I was riveted until the very last shocking sentence."
Don't wait for it. The last sentence is not shocking, as a matter of fact, the book kind of peters out about 95% through, but before that...
"Culpability" is about the ethics of the algorithm. We make them, but AI is a black box, nobody knows exactly how it works, truly.
But the context is a family story. There's a plot and AI is laid down on top of that.
You see it all comes down to whether the algorithm is responsible, does it take all the blame, or are we, the constructors of said algorithm, responsible.
And a lot of the issues arise around products that are here now. Like self-driving cars and drones. Forget legislation, forget hysteria, these products driven by algorithm will come into play more and more...who is responsible for their actions?
But the story could survive completely sans the AI overlay.
Of course you've got the family dynamics...three kids who alternately love and hate each other, a genius mother and a genial father. Then throw some tragedy into the mix...
And a billionaire techie... Who thinks the rules don't apply to him and throws money at every problem all the while denying any culpability.
And the law...
"Culpability" is highly readable. This is not dense literary fiction that has you looking up multiple words on every page. This is the kind of book you can discuss with your friends.
But you have to read it first.
I recommend you do.
--
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--
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-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
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Culpability
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DT6ZMKXQ/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
I really wanted to write about this story "Trojan Whores Hate You Back" from Eric Puchner's collection "Last Days on Earth."
You see that's the name of the band, punks who are reconnecting to go on the road decades later. The lead singer Alistair says he's doing it for his buddy Glenn who just got out of rehab and is destitute. They're driving to the final show of their tour at the Wiltern. Yes, they have an audience, but they've never heard a song of theirs on the radio until the drive down.
The day before the show Alistair decides to drive with Glenn back to Claremont, where they grew up, shared the same sensibility, became infatuated with the music and started to make it. But as they're driving around, as Alistair is pointing out how the old landmarks have been replaced with new ones, Glenn doesn't react. And then Alistair realizes although they were buddies once, their lives have deviated, they're no longer on the same page.
As for the gig at the Wiltern... The venue is not sold out, but it's full enough, it's a triumph, which Glenn celebrates by hitting the bottle. And as they're standing there outside, they see a kid with a blue mohawk standing up through the sunroof of a Prius while the radio blasts a song with the lyric "F*ck you and your Hampton house/I'll f*ck your Hampton spouse/Come on her Hampton blouse/And in her Hampton mouth." To quote the book, "It made Trojan Whores look like the Wiggles."
If you're fiftysomething are you truly a dangerous punk? Hasn't that ship sailed? Sure, people might want to come and see you, to relive the era, but what about you and your life?
Alistair cannot only not relate to Glenn, but the other two members of the band. They're all on different pages. This is not living your life for rock and roll, this is being lost.
They go on TV for the exposure and the young host makes fun of them.
WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE?
Then Alistair calls his wife up in San Francisco, who's about to break up with him after nearly two decades together. She just can't handle the adolescent behavior anymore. She wants to be an adult, she IS an adult!
And all this made me think of real life. When I go to the show and I see the old guys with their long hair and their black leather motorcycle jackets. I mean really? Who are you kidding? I laugh inside while my brain says GROW UP!
And then there are those who live to see the dinosaurs, again and again and again. Guys on stage...and it's almost always guys, oftentimes with plastic surgery and wigs, to give you the illusion that they're the same as they were in their twenties, but they're not. They're playing your favorites of yore, they're veritable jukeboxes, there's money in it, but it's positively soul-crushing. And being on the road at twenty five is one thing, after fifty? To say it's a slog is charitable.
So what's a poor boy to do?
Most don't want to look at themselves. They just go on living blindly. Like in that trade publication that's the same today as it was back in the eighties, the only thing that's changed is the names of the bands. How can you live in such denial?
As for the new acts... They're mostly for young people. But it's not like you can trade your allegiance. Because there's rarely anything there. They're famous, but so were those acts before the Beatles.
It's a conundrum. And it all became clear reading "Trojan Whores Hate You Back." That's why you read fiction, to illuminate life.
Now "Last Days on Earth" is comprised of previously printed stories, so I thought I could find it online and you could see for yourself, but it's not available anywhere.
But I haven't been able to get the story out of my head.
Next time "Culpability."
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I really wanted to write about this story "Trojan Whores Hate You Back" from Eric Puchner's collection "Last Days on Earth."
You see that's the name of the band, punks who are reconnecting to go on the road decades later. The lead singer Alistair says he's doing it for his buddy Glenn who just got out of rehab and is destitute. They're driving to the final show of their tour at the Wiltern. Yes, they have an audience, but they've never heard a song of theirs on the radio until the drive down.
The day before the show Alistair decides to drive with Glenn back to Claremont, where they grew up, shared the same sensibility, became infatuated with the music and started to make it. But as they're driving around, as Alistair is pointing out how the old landmarks have been replaced with new ones, Glenn doesn't react. And then Alistair realizes although they were buddies once, their lives have deviated, they're no longer on the same page.
As for the gig at the Wiltern... The venue is not sold out, but it's full enough, it's a triumph, which Glenn celebrates by hitting the bottle. And as they're standing there outside, they see a kid with a blue mohawk standing up through the sunroof of a Prius while the radio blasts a song with the lyric "F*ck you and your Hampton house/I'll f*ck your Hampton spouse/Come on her Hampton blouse/And in her Hampton mouth." To quote the book, "It made Trojan Whores look like the Wiggles."
If you're fiftysomething are you truly a dangerous punk? Hasn't that ship sailed? Sure, people might want to come and see you, to relive the era, but what about you and your life?
Alistair cannot only not relate to Glenn, but the other two members of the band. They're all on different pages. This is not living your life for rock and roll, this is being lost.
They go on TV for the exposure and the young host makes fun of them.
WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE?
Then Alistair calls his wife up in San Francisco, who's about to break up with him after nearly two decades together. She just can't handle the adolescent behavior anymore. She wants to be an adult, she IS an adult!
And all this made me think of real life. When I go to the show and I see the old guys with their long hair and their black leather motorcycle jackets. I mean really? Who are you kidding? I laugh inside while my brain says GROW UP!
And then there are those who live to see the dinosaurs, again and again and again. Guys on stage...and it's almost always guys, oftentimes with plastic surgery and wigs, to give you the illusion that they're the same as they were in their twenties, but they're not. They're playing your favorites of yore, they're veritable jukeboxes, there's money in it, but it's positively soul-crushing. And being on the road at twenty five is one thing, after fifty? To say it's a slog is charitable.
So what's a poor boy to do?
Most don't want to look at themselves. They just go on living blindly. Like in that trade publication that's the same today as it was back in the eighties, the only thing that's changed is the names of the bands. How can you live in such denial?
As for the new acts... They're mostly for young people. But it's not like you can trade your allegiance. Because there's rarely anything there. They're famous, but so were those acts before the Beatles.
It's a conundrum. And it all became clear reading "Trojan Whores Hate You Back." That's why you read fiction, to illuminate life.
Now "Last Days on Earth" is comprised of previously printed stories, so I thought I could find it online and you could see for yourself, but it's not available anywhere.
But I haven't been able to get the story out of my head.
Next time "Culpability."
--
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--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
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Wednesday, 6 August 2025
The Marc Maron Special
HBO Max trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwBW3do9yqc
He's not afraid of pissing off the Trumpers.
I gave up listening to Marc Maron's podcast years ago. He's talks too much and he's too uninformed. But having listened before that, I know that he's pissed off a lot of people. You see Marc had an edge, as if angry that everybody he knew was more successful than he was.
He tried to rectify this with the twentieth century paradigm of a sitcom. But that ship had sailed, there were too many options and no one needed another self-centered show seen as a vehicle to boost the rep and the status of its star.
But then Maron was a secondary character in "Glow" and the show was a surprise hit and he got good reviews. And in "Stick" he's positively revelatory, all his prior anxiety is gone, he's the curmudgeon with a heart of gold, smarter than everybody else but not constantly rubbing it in your face.
As for his standup special?
I was shocked that he dove straight into politics. Almost nobody else has the balls, because of the insane blowback. It makes an entertainer question themselves, is it worth risking their audience, to take a stand on this subject that may be near and dear to their heart but is not the essence of their work?
And then comes the kicker:
"Progressives have really got to figure out how to deal with this buzzkill problem. You do realize we annoyed the average American into fascism."
BINGO!
I'd say that Maron is an equal opportunist offender, but that is untrue. He represents those of us who are solidly on the blue side of the line and are overwhelmed with Trump and his antics yet feel powerless. And we can see that the Democrats were, and to a great degree still are, their own worst enemy. Pronouns? Trans women in sports? Sure, we want to respect every individual, but can we use a little common sense?
You watch this special and you feel that Maron is coming from where you are. He resembles nothing so much as the guy who lives down the hall in your dorm. Who is not scraping off his rough edges to get along, but is speaking his truth, unafraid of those who disagree, yet possessing underneath a warmth and an understanding of the human condition.
Maron is not Chappelle. Sure, they both tell stories, but Chappelle is sly and builds up to an hysterical punchline. Maron is more of a storyteller, he's got more in common with Spalding Gray than he does with most of the comics plying the boards. You only laugh out loud a few times, but you still enjoy the show.
And the exhibition of his neuroses... We all have them, but today you either hide them or build your whole carer on revealing them.
But mostly Maron is finally comfortable in his own skin. He feels like he's made it. He knows he's not an arena act, but he's got his fans.
And isn't that what it's all about?
Entertainment is not a team sport. It is not us vs. them. But that does not mean you can't have an identity, can't take a position. But it's so hard for most to make themselves vulnerable to the blowback.
But the truth is it's all about your fans, nobody else matters. Everybody is not going to like you, but if you're good enough, you'll have enough followers to sustain a career.
Jokes are interesting, but real life is special, it's what truly resonates.
Maron is on the right path here. And the funny thing is so many of his contemporaries are pulling their punches.
Then again, Bill Burr has been opining about politics recently, speaking his truth unafraid of anybody.
But Burr is in-your-face, he's got a bigger presence, his act is more everyman, whereas Maron is an intellectual.
Maron has finally arrived. Kudos!
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He's not afraid of pissing off the Trumpers.
I gave up listening to Marc Maron's podcast years ago. He's talks too much and he's too uninformed. But having listened before that, I know that he's pissed off a lot of people. You see Marc had an edge, as if angry that everybody he knew was more successful than he was.
He tried to rectify this with the twentieth century paradigm of a sitcom. But that ship had sailed, there were too many options and no one needed another self-centered show seen as a vehicle to boost the rep and the status of its star.
But then Maron was a secondary character in "Glow" and the show was a surprise hit and he got good reviews. And in "Stick" he's positively revelatory, all his prior anxiety is gone, he's the curmudgeon with a heart of gold, smarter than everybody else but not constantly rubbing it in your face.
As for his standup special?
I was shocked that he dove straight into politics. Almost nobody else has the balls, because of the insane blowback. It makes an entertainer question themselves, is it worth risking their audience, to take a stand on this subject that may be near and dear to their heart but is not the essence of their work?
And then comes the kicker:
"Progressives have really got to figure out how to deal with this buzzkill problem. You do realize we annoyed the average American into fascism."
BINGO!
I'd say that Maron is an equal opportunist offender, but that is untrue. He represents those of us who are solidly on the blue side of the line and are overwhelmed with Trump and his antics yet feel powerless. And we can see that the Democrats were, and to a great degree still are, their own worst enemy. Pronouns? Trans women in sports? Sure, we want to respect every individual, but can we use a little common sense?
You watch this special and you feel that Maron is coming from where you are. He resembles nothing so much as the guy who lives down the hall in your dorm. Who is not scraping off his rough edges to get along, but is speaking his truth, unafraid of those who disagree, yet possessing underneath a warmth and an understanding of the human condition.
Maron is not Chappelle. Sure, they both tell stories, but Chappelle is sly and builds up to an hysterical punchline. Maron is more of a storyteller, he's got more in common with Spalding Gray than he does with most of the comics plying the boards. You only laugh out loud a few times, but you still enjoy the show.
And the exhibition of his neuroses... We all have them, but today you either hide them or build your whole carer on revealing them.
But mostly Maron is finally comfortable in his own skin. He feels like he's made it. He knows he's not an arena act, but he's got his fans.
And isn't that what it's all about?
Entertainment is not a team sport. It is not us vs. them. But that does not mean you can't have an identity, can't take a position. But it's so hard for most to make themselves vulnerable to the blowback.
But the truth is it's all about your fans, nobody else matters. Everybody is not going to like you, but if you're good enough, you'll have enough followers to sustain a career.
Jokes are interesting, but real life is special, it's what truly resonates.
Maron is on the right path here. And the funny thing is so many of his contemporaries are pulling their punches.
Then again, Bill Burr has been opining about politics recently, speaking his truth unafraid of anybody.
But Burr is in-your-face, he's got a bigger presence, his act is more everyman, whereas Maron is an intellectual.
Maron has finally arrived. Kudos!
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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Monday, 4 August 2025
Two Videos
These two TikTok clips really need no introduction, but I'm going to give them one. If you're time-challenged, just scroll down to the links and watch them. They're the best explanations of the topics they concern that I've seen all week.
Or you can just go to my WordPress page and view the videos immediately here: https://lefsetz.com/wordpress/2025/08/04/two-videos/
Yes, on TikTok. The dirty little secret is late night TV's goal is virality online. That's where you see the shows' best work. And the standard for virality is high, which is why Jimmy Fallon so often fails. Online edgy works, bland is overlooked. In the days of three networks, bland was the standard, in the era of unlimited choice, you must cause a reaction in the consumer. You must make them laugh or get their blood to boil, to the point where they'll tell everybody else about your work. The music business used to sell edge, it specialized in this, but now it has sacrificed the bleeding edge to TikTok. As for why your music doesn't go viral...does it have an edge, does it say something? The audience has got no time for commerce, they want something that affects them.
Now when it comes to politics, those in authoritarian countries say the only thing that works against leaders is humor, that they can't handle it. The following clip is not about Trump, but it is about the red/blue divide.
The clip comes from "The Daily Show." To tell you the truth, I don't know the host's name, even though I could look it up. She's got the sneer down pat. She ends up rising above the argument, which is what all cool people do. Now in truth, despite being on TV only one day a week, Jon Stewart is the king of late night virality. We keep hearing about Colbert, but online Stewart rules. His show airs on TV Monday night and for days thereafter the best clips are viewed online by a plethora of people. I don't pull Stewart's words, they're pushed to me, they always come up in my feed. Stewart sometimes gets down into the trenches, but what is most appealing is when he's separate/above it all, as if saying "look at these doofuses."
Enough words, please watch this "Daily Show" clip about Sydney Sweeney and the jeans controversy. It nails the issues and the hypocrisy:
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedailyshow/video/7533586266227559693?q=daily%20show%20sydney%20sweeney%20megan%20kelly&t=1754337669567
Now the other clip I'm going to link to is one about electric cars. It's a slam dunk. If everyone in America viewed this also humorous clip, they'd get the message, they'd get on board.
This is a gigantic issue in America today. The entire world is moving to electric.
I know many of you hate the "New York Times," but I point you to an article in today's "New York Times":
"Trump Will Slow, but May Not Stop, the Rise of Electric Vehicles - President Trump and Republicans in Congress are eliminating federal incentives to buy electric vehicles, but carmakers need to keep selling and investing in them."
Free link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/03/business/trump-electric-vehicles.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bk8.7xED.9N54uIc9O82S&smid=url-share
Here's the nougat:
"U.S. electric vehicle sales rose just 1.5 percent in the first six months, according to Cox Automotive. But globally sales rose 28 percent to 9.1 million vehicles"
"Carmakers that ignore this fast-growing market may not be in business 10 years from now"
The problem is we live in a world economy, where electric is triumphing, led by the Chinese. Anway, here's the video, please watch it:
https://www.tiktok.com/@thefinanceinfo/video/7532506945819823382?_r=1&_t=ZP-8yZkgRMuSrP
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
Or you can just go to my WordPress page and view the videos immediately here: https://lefsetz.com/wordpress/2025/08/04/two-videos/
Yes, on TikTok. The dirty little secret is late night TV's goal is virality online. That's where you see the shows' best work. And the standard for virality is high, which is why Jimmy Fallon so often fails. Online edgy works, bland is overlooked. In the days of three networks, bland was the standard, in the era of unlimited choice, you must cause a reaction in the consumer. You must make them laugh or get their blood to boil, to the point where they'll tell everybody else about your work. The music business used to sell edge, it specialized in this, but now it has sacrificed the bleeding edge to TikTok. As for why your music doesn't go viral...does it have an edge, does it say something? The audience has got no time for commerce, they want something that affects them.
Now when it comes to politics, those in authoritarian countries say the only thing that works against leaders is humor, that they can't handle it. The following clip is not about Trump, but it is about the red/blue divide.
The clip comes from "The Daily Show." To tell you the truth, I don't know the host's name, even though I could look it up. She's got the sneer down pat. She ends up rising above the argument, which is what all cool people do. Now in truth, despite being on TV only one day a week, Jon Stewart is the king of late night virality. We keep hearing about Colbert, but online Stewart rules. His show airs on TV Monday night and for days thereafter the best clips are viewed online by a plethora of people. I don't pull Stewart's words, they're pushed to me, they always come up in my feed. Stewart sometimes gets down into the trenches, but what is most appealing is when he's separate/above it all, as if saying "look at these doofuses."
Enough words, please watch this "Daily Show" clip about Sydney Sweeney and the jeans controversy. It nails the issues and the hypocrisy:
https://www.tiktok.com/@thedailyshow/video/7533586266227559693?q=daily%20show%20sydney%20sweeney%20megan%20kelly&t=1754337669567
Now the other clip I'm going to link to is one about electric cars. It's a slam dunk. If everyone in America viewed this also humorous clip, they'd get the message, they'd get on board.
This is a gigantic issue in America today. The entire world is moving to electric.
I know many of you hate the "New York Times," but I point you to an article in today's "New York Times":
"Trump Will Slow, but May Not Stop, the Rise of Electric Vehicles - President Trump and Republicans in Congress are eliminating federal incentives to buy electric vehicles, but carmakers need to keep selling and investing in them."
Free link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/03/business/trump-electric-vehicles.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bk8.7xED.9N54uIc9O82S&smid=url-share
Here's the nougat:
"U.S. electric vehicle sales rose just 1.5 percent in the first six months, according to Cox Automotive. But globally sales rose 28 percent to 9.1 million vehicles"
"Carmakers that ignore this fast-growing market may not be in business 10 years from now"
The problem is we live in a world economy, where electric is triumphing, led by the Chinese. Anway, here's the video, please watch it:
https://www.tiktok.com/@thefinanceinfo/video/7532506945819823382?_r=1&_t=ZP-8yZkgRMuSrP
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
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