Truth
(My Very Fourteenth Newsletter)
Once you hit a certain level of fame, you need to take a vocabulary class. If I hear a celebrity say “my truth” one more time, I’m going to stab myself in the eye. “My truth” essentially means a non-truth. Truth should never be preceded by a possessive pronoun. I understand that people have different perspectives and experiences but that’s why the words “perspectives” and “experiences” exist. I blame Oprah for this. She started the whole “my truth” movement. If she ever gives the long overdue apology for bringing us Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil, she needs to clarify the meaning of truth.
Here’s another one: many Oscar winners begin their thank yous with "I am humbled.” This is a hard adjective to pull off when you’ve won a big prize for a likely high-paying gig. I’m not even sure that the losing nominees are humbled. The ones who are humbled are sitting at home watching the Oscars, wondering if they should quit acting altogether. The better word here is lucky. “I’m so lucky to have been matched with a role that I’m perfectly suited for.”
Actors love the word brave, especially when they have to gain weight for a role. “It’s amazing that Charlize Theron put on twenty pounds for that million dollar role she’s playing. She’s so brave.” “Really! Just brave” I saw somewhere that Katy Perry claimed that she took the fancy space trip because she wanted to be brave for her daughter. If you want to be brave for your daughter, volunteer to escort women who seek health care at Planned Parenthood.
Distractions:
Snacks
Yesterday a friend asked me where to get the best chocolate chip cookie in New York City. I didn’t even have to think before I answered Culture Espresso. They are very secretive about the recipe but I think they stuff chocolate chips in between two of the thinnest layers possible of cookie dough. The coffee is great too, They have three locations right near Penn Station.
TV
I just finished The Pitt and am envious of anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. Yes, it’s a hospital drama filled with gore and sadness, but there’s something magical about watching competent people working their hardest to do something good. Noah Wyle has lived his entire life to play this role. Standout performances also by Katherine LaNasa as Dana and Taylor Deardon as Mel. Fun fact: Mel is Bryan Cranston’s daughter.
Movie
I completely enjoyed Quiz Lady, a buddy pic (although the buddies are in fact sisters) about a game show fanatic who finds herself on a game show in order to cover her mother’s gambling debts. Awkafina and Sandra Oh are great together.
Book
The Most Fun We Ever Had is an engaging multigenerational novel about family relationships and secrets. Claire Lombardo’s writing is clear and the characters pop. It’s great for a trip.
Something I Learned