Monday, August 12, 2025

So here's how smart I am.

I was thinking about the children's sketch comedy show, All That, which I didn't watch regularly, but I saw it from time to time, because I was a kid and it was on.

There was a young girl on that show named Katrina Johnson who did an impersonation of Ross Perot, the independent presidential candidate. Now, as fucking weird as that was, I didn't think much of it at the time. Ross Perot was in the news, and Dana Carvey was doing an impression of him on SNL, and this child actor was very likely doing an impersonation of Dana Carvey's impersonation of Perot.

But it was weird, right? Like, a kids show commenting on politics? That was weird.

But here's where I prove just how much of a genius I am. I was trying to figure out, in my head, how they came to put those Ross Perot sketches together, and I pictured the writers room of All That, and in my mind, I saw a bunch of kids sitting around a table drinking coffee and eating donuts and working out bits. I picture a little kid director, and maybe Danny Tamberelli from The Adventures of Pete and Pete sitting in as head writer.

Anyway, after thinking about that for a few minutes, I realized there were probably some adults who made decisions on that show.

Also, as a side note, I just found out that they fired that little girl from the show because she gained weight. So, anyone who tells you the 90s were a bastion of feminist freedom needs to touch grass.

So my website is almost ready! I'm just organizing the product pages for prints, then I'll be ready to launch, so that's good!

I've been posting snippets of my new story on Bluesky, so if you don't follow me there, here's a few examples!

I haven't done any drawing or watched any movies since my last newsletter, so not much to say there.

I did watch Marc Maron's new special, and really enjoyed it.

I, like most, have a long and complicated history with Marc Maron. I liked him back in the 90s (everything with me was back in the 90s apparently) when he hosted Short Attention Span Theater after Jon Stewart left. Then I started watching his stand up and I was like, jesus, this guy is too intense for me. Then I started disliking him. Then I stopped thinking about him entirely, until he reappeared with his podcast.

Over the years, I've come to find myself appreciating his openness about his struggles with mental health, addiction, and trauma. He's leaned into that even more and has been fire lately as a guest on other podcasts. He recently, notably, handed Howie Mandell his ass over "anti-woke" comedians, and I appreciated that.

In this special, he's at his best so far, I think. It was the first stand-up special that I've seen in a while that felt really memorable, in the way that Live on the Sunset Strip or A Place for My Stuff or Wild and Crazy Guy felt memorable.

Seeing him be so vulnerable in such a public way was inspiring to me. Talking about grief, mental illness, trauma and Taylor Swift, which are all things I'm deeply invested in.

Speaking of Tay, she's got a new album coming out, so I'm losing my ever-lovin' mind. I'll be fine. I just need to take a few breaths. Oops, I threw up.

Alright, that's it from me for today. I'm going to Bath and Body Works to get some room sprays, because that's how I party.

Until Next time,

PEACE AND LOVE!

Joe