I was routinely bullied as a child. I was a bully magnet, a perfect storm of targetable infractions: Visibly handicapped, highly intelligent, and reliably histrionic. Bullies didn’t usually need to beat me up; it sufficed to get me upset, and I’d have an impressive tantrum all on my own. Because this usually happened on school…
Month: November 2016
Fixing Our Broken Justice System
The view supported by Black Lives Matter is that systemic racism results in higher arrest, conviction, and incarceration rates for persons of color, particularly for blacks. Given two persons—otherwise identical except for their skin tone—who commit comparable acts, the likelihood that the black person will be punished more than the white person is statistically higher….
Gilligan’s Bromance
From the beginning of comedy in movies and television, the “guy friends” relationship has been a go-to structure. In “The Honeymooners,” Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton illustrated the masculine status quo: Friends and co-workers who show affection through insults; the dynamic was repeated in cartoon form in “The Flintstones.” In “The Andy Griffith Show,” Andy…
White Men are Falling Down
After a year of increasingly divisive rhetoric, the Presidential election is finally upon us. Whatever happens on Tuesday, we will be entering another stage. Whether Mr. Trump wins or loses this election, we as a society need to keep our mind on the big question: How did we get here in the first place? How…
Man With a Plan (Review)
More often than not, TV sitcoms perpetuate stereotypes and rely on tropes for convenient laughs. With few exceptions, men are shown as being childish, self-centered, and emotionally detached. So I wasn’t optimistic when I saw a preview for CBS’s new sitcom, “Man With a Plan.” The premise is that Adam, played by Matt LeBlanc, agrees…