I recently took a bold step into the future: I’ve “cut the cord”—that is, I no longer have cable TV service. I did this in part to save money and in part due to pressure from various magazine articles about […]
Tag: brett yates
All the president’s writers
When E.L. Doctorow died last week in New York at the age of 84, Barack Obama took to Twitter to honor the late author: “E.L. Doctorow was one of America’s greatest novelists. His books taught me much, and he will […]
The late addition
Why is the new judge on “Masterchef” so annoying? For anyone who doesn’t know, “Masterchef” is a reality TV show and amateur chef competition—billed as the quest to find America’s best home cook—that has aired on Fox since 2010. Each […]
A fly in the ointment
Are you a man? Do you own more than one pair of jeans? If so, you’ve probably wondered at some point why some manufacturers use button flies instead of zippers. Here is the answer: these jeans companies hate you and […]
Lip wars
“Lip Sync Battle”—the half-hour viral sensation that pits celebrities against one another in fake karaoke contests—is about to enter its “second season” (only a month and a half after the conclusion of its first) on Spike TV, which seems as […]
Back by popular demand
As you may or may not remember, the sci-fi comedy “Back to the Future” was released in theaters on July 3, 1985. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the film is currently touring North America and Europe in a series […]
Good vs. evil on the hardwood
I’ve been a basketball fan of fluctuating devotedness all my life, and every year, I have managed to despise at least one of the two teams in the NBA Finals—until this year. In the 2015 NBA Finals, I actually wanted […]
Dressing for success
It must be the warmer weather and its resultant skimpier clothing: one of several issues about which the Internet’s think piece-industrial complex has been especially vocal lately is school dress codes. Here, as elsewhere, America seems to be liberalizing, and […]
Fashion and basketball
Stephen “Steph” Curry is the 27-year-old star point guard for the Golden State Warriors, who are currently facing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Curry is the NBA’s reigning MVP and the all-time record-holder for three-pointers made in a […]
Take a stand by sitting down
We’re getting into the season of summer stock, theater festivals, and outdoor Shakespeare performances: from now until the end of August, someone between here and California will always be doing “Oklahoma!” or “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” I am, anachronously, a […]