Enough bread, People.
Please. Someone stop me. I’m lying to myself. I keep saying I’m trying to perfect this Irish soda bread recipe but, in all honesty, I just like looking at the cooked bread and then EATING AS MUCH OF IT AS POSSIBLE, QUICKLY. I have made two Irish soda breads (three including the one that I threw away) and one Irish brown bread. I think I got it. I think. I might have to make one more brown bread.
I’m half watching this weird Oscar ceremony as I write this. I am very happy Daniel Kaluuya won. That just happened right now while I was watching. I’m not going to write about the whole thing because I want to be done with this before that. Long before that.
I will say that this year’s Oscars seemed like the most honest ceremony in years. Because of the limitations and the choices that were made by the producer Stephen Soderbergh to make it intimate and sparse it came off as small. It felt like an in-house corporate awards ceremony that could be taking place at a hotel ballroom. It looked like the people who were there stopped by before they were going somewhere else. There was nothing on the tables, no real audience, no clips, no comedy, no songs, no dancing, no pomp and circumstance or big celebrity presence. It seemed egalitarian and boring but human. This year’s Oscars make the argument to never televise them again.
Maybe what we have learned during this last year is that some institutions need to be salvaged and saved and some no longer serve the common good or interest or they just need to be what they are. It seemed that the scope and tone of this years Oscars matched their cultural relevance. Though I was happy to see diversity on all levels was being recognized. Attempted egalitarianism. Humanity sans the pomp and song and dance.
I got little Lord Sammy Red his booster shots and he reacted just like I did after my second Moderna shot. He was lethargic and not eating much for a couple days. Now he’s back on top of it and chasing his own tail. Just like me. Buster is accepting the little guy and is already starting to be a little annoyed but in a cute older brother kind of way, not in a “what about me” kind of way. It’s his karma for the hell he put Monkey and LaFonda through in their old age. I’m sure he’ll take a few shots from Sammy as well when and if they both get older together.
Today I talk to Richard Kind about being Richard Kind. He is a large presence. On Thursday I talk to the comedy genius Robert Smigel about puppets, Conan, Sandler, dentistry, family and stuff. Great talks!
Enjoy!
Boomer, Monkey and LaFonda live!
Love,
Maron