The Audacious Roundup

For the week of September 11th

Our September book club selection is Witness by Jamel Brinkley. We will be in conversation with Jamel on September 22nd at 8 pm EST/5 pm PST. Registration is open.

If you’re looking for a nice notebook, check out my Draft Writing Journal from Baron Fig. It’s pretty swank if I do say so myself. To accompany my Draft Writing Journal, there is now a pen! It’s beautiful and satisfying to hold. And if you’re looking for some writing instruction, you might want to check out my Masterclass. Debbie Millman’s Remarkable Life Deck is a useful tool for taking stock and looking forward.

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The Urvashi Vaid Changemakers Fund could use your support. And on October 7th, there will be a gathering in Provincetown, if you’re in the area.

Debbie and I are taking her incredible podcast, Design Matters, on the road. We will be co-hosting live episodes in Brooklyn (September 18th), Boston (September 19th), Washington D.C. (September 20th) and Philadelphia (September 21st). You can BUY TICKETS HERE! And even if you can’t make it, it would be a huge help if you could spread the good word to your friends and frenemies in those cities! In New York, we will be in conversation with brilliant comedian Roy Wood Jr. and co-creator of Radio Lab Jad Abumrad. Then we’ll head up to Boston to talk with bestselling author Celeste Ng. In D.C., we’re talking to the woman with her finger on the pulse of all things tech, Kara Swisher and last but never least, we will be talking with the one and only, journalist extraordinaire, Audie Cornish in Philadelphia.

On September 28th, I will be in Denver at The Lighthouse. Get your tickets now. Much more about my impending book tour is coming but things jump off on publication day, October 10th, with an event at Symphony Space in NYC with the delightful Michelle Buteau reading some choice selections before I am in conversation with an interlocutor TBD.

Speaking of Denver, Lauren Boebert was watching Beetlejuice in Denver and was thrown out for being disorderly. She was vaping (which she claimed was fog from the stage). It was not. She and her male companion were groping each other as caught on camera. So much for family values!

New work friend! What to do about coworkers smoking weed on break? How do you quit a volatile boss? Why does my boss make more than me when I am more committed to the job? What do I do about maternity leave when my company will collapse without me? I answer all of these questions so check it out!

Here is every book banned in America right now. The magazine did a whole package on this problem and it’s worth your time.

One of the stupidest phrases I’ve ver heard is “body count,” and the concept is even stupider than the phrase. Who cares? Mind your business.

Streaming’s effect on music.

Drew Barrymore, who I generally like as an entertainer, made the weirdest, most unnecessary unforced error when she decided to bring her show back during a strike. A bunch of other shows, thinking they could get cute too, have said they’re contemplating returning to air. She could never quite articulate why she was scabbing. Then, during filming, two audience members were kicked out for wearing WGA pins. She made the most ridiculous apology video while doubling down on coming back because her show is “needed” and then she took that down. And now, she is not coming back until the strike ends. SMH. Meanwhile, she was dropped as host of the National Book Awards.

Jann Wenner said some bullshit about how Black artists and women artists aren’t articulate so that’s why he only included interviews with white men in his new book. Anyway, now he is no longer on the board of the rock and roll hall of fame.

Not for nothing but, Deion Sanders is making college football interesting. Also, why is Dwayne there???

Graywolf is hiring an associate publicist.

In Libya, catastrophic floods.

The Times UK has a deep dive into allegations against Russell Brand. He seems like quite the predator. Also a creep? Justin Roiland, of Rick & Morty.

When a social media follower becomes a stalker.

This little drama was compelling AF.

Jonathan Majors, still terrible at PR.

Funny story: I was invited to be a panelist for this Bari Weiss event. I declined, obviously, and this review reflects exactly why. I knew it would be a MESS!

A review of Zadie Smith’s new novel The Fraud. And a review of Cord Jefferson’s debut film, American Fiction.

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have stepped away from their nonprofit after writing letters in support of a convicted rapist. ANOTHER UNFORCED ERROR!

I have some mixed feelings about this piece about Hasan Minhaj’s comedy and where the truth lies, so to speak.

Inside Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign where, apparently, it is very cold.

Abuela was not having the lies.

The California Senate has approved unemployment for striking workers. YAY! A lifeline while this interminable strike stretches on.

This Australian millionaire who reminds me of Megamind said that people were too comfortable and that unemployment needs to go up by like fifty percent so that us peons know our place and go back to eating shit for pitiful wages so assholes like him can stay wealthy. Basically. Anyway, now he is apologizing. This guy, of course, got his start with loans from his grandpa and boss. OF COURSE.

A look into Lauren Groff’s writing process, which is quite remarkable and not a process I can personally relate to. She’s an incredible writer so clearly, it works for her. And it’s fine that we all have different processes. So many people seemed to take this personally. It’s not about you!

Hunter Biden has been indicted on federal charges.

Social media metrics are a scam.

A powerful essay about family addiction by Jenisha Watts who is also an excellent editor!

When Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field, the NFL tried to force the game to continue. Of course they did.

Are everyone’s teeth too perfect these days?

A profile of Ben Shelton. And a profile of Adam Pally. And a profile of Jenna Lyons. And a profile of Emily Wilson. And a profile of Martin Scorsese. And a profile of Richard Osman.

Jen Shah and Elizabeth Holmes are prison besties I guess.

Congratulations, Deesha Philyaw who has earned a seven-figure deal for her next two books. I’ve read parts of both and they are excellent. We are in for some good reading.

We all approach holes in the sidewalk differently.

An excerpt from a forthcoming Mitt Romney biography. I refuse to valorize this man who does the right thing every once in a while and the wrong thing most of the time.

A review of The Morning Show’s third season. I enjoy this show, I must admit. It’s kind of ridiculous but it is well-done ridiculousness.

Tiana Clark with a poem in The New Yorker.

The drunker you are, the harder it is to pick up your cup.

New iPhones coming which means, yes, a new dongle.

A review of the new Elon Musty biography.

Danelo Cavalcante has been captured after eluding authorities for weeks. They, of course, chose to take a selfie with him.

Tim Scott has an invisible, lovely Christian girlfriend that no one has ever met or seen.

In L.A., Tarell Alvin McCraney will be taking over the Geffen Playhouse.

Racism, racism, racism. RACISM!

A man.

People in service jobs are tired of being part of your little TikTok narratives.

A political sex scandal in Virgina.

Betty Friedan and the movement that outgrew her.