The SAG-AFTRA Strike and Barbecue Sauce

Fans of the Apple TV behemoth “Ted Lasso” show don’t just watch the show, and we don’t just watch the show once. We’ll binge watch all three seasons countless times, looking for puzzles, looking for clues, I mean, why does Isaac count to 12 and skip 8, and why so many “Cheers” references snuck in? What is the significance of the number 1,236?

(I have my own personal theory on that last one and will share it at the end of this post just for fun, Tod Rundgren.)

I mean, “Ted Lasso” watchers are maniacs, myself included. And, with good reason. Television shows this good do not litter our cultural landscape. They are occasions. The writing is excellent. (Rebecca: Oh, do you believe in ghosts, Ted? Ted: I do. But more importantly, I believe they need to believe in themselves.) or (Beard: We have a saying in Codependents Anonymous. The room: What? Beard: Oh, Jane makes me go with her.) The characters, each of them, well developed and greatly acted, from Ted himself to Paul, Basil and Jeremy.

What’s astonishing is the origins of this project. SNL alum Jason Sudeikis started it as a jokey way to promote NBC Sports’ coverage of England’s Premier League.

I mean, he and his writers could have left it there, but they didn’t. They somehow saw more in the concept. They developed it. They altered its tone (Sudeikis has said that part of this was indeed a reaction to his witnessing our increasingly hostile political climate). By 2020, “Ted Lasso” was fully realized and running on Apple TV. From that silly promo to a beloved, scrutinized television program. It’s quite a feat.

Some of those responsible: Writer and producer Bill Lawrence, previously creator of “Scrubs” and co-creator of “Cougar Town,” and “Spin City.” Jason Sudeikis, SNL writer and eventual cast member from 2003 to 2013, subsequently a film actor and eventually writer and producer on “Ted Lasso.” Brendan “Coach Beard” Hunt, theater student and Second City and Boom Chicago alum, film actor, and creator of his own one-man show, performed in Edinburgh, Aspen, Chicago, and New York. And, SNL writing staff alum Joe Kelly, also a writer and story editor on “How I Met Your Mother.”

I summarize the “Ted Lasso” creators’ credits because I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the SAG-AFTRA strike.

For various reasons, summertime is my least favorite time of the year. It’s hot. The sun is entirely too bright. The air conditioning in my apartment is useless, and the cat won’t let me put it on most of the time anyway. And, there’s nothing on television to watch. I usually spend July and August sweating a lot and waiting for football to start.

The strike didn’t help. SNL wrapped sooner than it would have, and I’ve been driven to the milquetoast legal drama “Suits,” the show what gave us. Meghan Markle. But, then again, the future the studio bosses are presenting sure does seem bleak. I mean, doesn’t quality suffer without a full writers’ room for the entire life of a show? Where does the next “Ted Lasso” or “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” come from if talented writers don’t get the experience of working on a show from start to finish, and if they’re getting paid peanuts? Not to mention if you can just spit a premise into a computer and have it barf out a script?

I note this morning that the Teamsters and UPS have come to an agreement. That is excellent; that strike really would have mucked up this incredible Biden economy. But I would have supported them, and I certainly support our writer and actor compadres. Am hoping these events portend a great wave for labor in this country.

Now, regarding 1,236. This is a number mentioned twice in season 2, episode 1, “Goodbye Earl.” It is mentioned once as the ongoing tally for Pheobe’s swear-penalties for her Uncle Roy. Keeley asks how much she’s accrued, and Pheobe says, “1,236 pounds,” to which Keeley replies, “impressive.” The second instance is in Ted’s office, where these screwballs are playing a game where they pass a crumpled up piece of paper. On her way out, Dr. Sharon Fieldstone asks what their record is. The reply is 1,236, to which the good doctor replies, “impressive.”

Ted Lasso fans are a little nuts, and all over the internet, we’ve been speculating over this number’s significance. Some say it’s a prime number, or something in numerology, blah, blah, blah. But I think I have the real poop on this one.

In 1972, running back Steve Jones, who would be that year’s Player of the Year in the ACC, became the first in Duke’s history to best a thousand yards in a season. His record: 1,236 yards.

Impressive. In fact, this record stood until it was beaten by Mataeo Durant in 2021. That, in my humble estimation, is the significance of this number in “Ted Lasso.”

Season 5, Episode 7…

So. Episode 7. Spoilers, so I’ll add some space…
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What a great juxtaposition. Abe, waiting around for Ethan to exhibit a birthright of genius he claims every Maisel son exhibits at age 6, but he lights up like a star when he realizes the gift has been passed on instead to his granddaughter. But he and others adjacent are stubbornly unable to recognize or appreciate the preternatural genius of the one and only Midge Maisel. Moishe and Shirley are even now blind to the fact that Midge is a really big deal; even as they occupy front-row studio seats at The Gordon Ford Show, they are unable, I mean physically unable to accept that the tickets came from Midge. Indeed, when Abe first discovers his daughter’s new avocation, he’s not proud. He’s not impressed. He is angry with her to the point of silent treatment. Esther, it seems, will not have to fight her previously-assumed role as did her mother. Those closest to Midge still see her as the happy homemaker, recording her own measurements in a journal and crafting the best brisket in the world. Esther will have an easier go of it.



Episode 8, to air May 19, is titled “The Princess and the Plea.” I think we’re going to learn more about how Joel ended up in the slam. Too obvious? Or might it refer to Midge and Susie burying the hatchet? What say yinz?

Writers On Set

Having a writer on set is one of the big issues that is causing the Writers Guild of America to strike. While I’m really annoyed to be missing live episodes of SNL, it sounds like the writers are really facing some existential issues in their profession, as in, the studios and the streamers would really like streaming to allow the way writers have always been paid to change for their favor, as corporate America is wont to do.

Here’s a great Twitter thread explaining why having a writer on set is such a big deal and how it actually can be thought of a labor cost that pays for itself…

UNION

It’s What’s For Dinner

I often have an internal debate on if cooking sous vide is worth the effort. I mean, you season the meat, then you gotta vacuum seal it, which uses a lot of plastic, then you gotta dunk it in water and ensure that it’s weighed down, and then you gotta throw it in a hot pan for a minute so it doesn’t look quite so ugly.

I have to say, though, these days, I’m leaning toward “worth it.”


Meanwhile, how about that Marvelous Mrs. Maisel?

I have to say, I am not a fan of exposition. It’s lazy. In television, please don’t tell me, NCIS. It’s a visual medium. Show me.

But in the case of S5 Ep6, I mean, exposition was the point, and it was used smartly to bulldoze the story forward. It was couched within a story, within the event of our girl getting the honor of a lifetime, a Friar’s Club roast (this really needed a Jeff Ross cameo but okay) but I think this episode was the most talky-talk episode in the whole thing.

Yet, it was done so well, couched within a context, exposition without a wet towel smacking you in the temples, that you really didn’t notice you were being talkie-talked to. So good, and man, they moved mountains with gigantic excavators when it came to advancing this story in one simple episode.

I hope Susie gets to answer and/or make that call. Peace in our time, and tits up.

American Idol Notes, S21, E6, 605

Kaeyra – “Cold” by Chris Stapleton. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Elise Kristine – (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Sarah Mac. “Stone Cold” by Demi Lovato. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Jayna Elise – “Who Wants To Live Forever” by Queen. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Nate Peck – “Lightning Strikes Again” by Dokken. Then, “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, No.

McKenley Brown – “Love on the Brain” by Brianna. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes. Begrudgenly.

Isaac Brown – “Golden Hour” by JVKE, then “Essence” by WizKid. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Cam Amen – “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, holy shit. Platinum ticket.

Sierra Harris – “Barracuda” by Heart, then “Firework” by Katy Perry. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Phil Kane – “Osage County,” Original. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Brooklyn from Brooklyn – “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John. Lionel Richie, No. Katy Perry, No. Luke Bryan, No. Me, No.

Fire Wilmore – Again – “Love in the Dark” by Adele. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Kaya Stewart – Original – “This Tattoo.” Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Meh, nepo baby.

Oliver Steele – .”In My Life” by the Beatles, then “Change the World” by Eric Clapton. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

American Idol Notes, S21, E5

Mariah Faith Drocella – “Whenever You Come Around” by Vince Gill, “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Nailyah Serenity – “My Man” by Barbra Streisand. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Kaleigh Clark – “The Dance” by Garth Brooks, then “I Surrender” by Celine Dion. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, No. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, No.

Tori Green – “Cry Pretty” by Carrie Underwood. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, No. Me, No.

Pjae – “Mirror” by Madison Ryann Ward. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Warren Peay – “To the Table” by Zach Williams. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Meh.

Carina DeAngelo, “Good Kisser” by Lake Street Dive. Judges, Yes. Me, No

Johnny Knox, I have no idea what song he did. Judges, Yes. Me, No.

Paige Anne, “What About Us” by Pink. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, No. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Meh.

Ophrah Kablan – “Baby I Love You” by Aretha Franklin. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Kamron Lawson – “Take On Me” by A-ha, then “Truly” by Lionel Richie. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Owen Eckhardt – “Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan. Lionel Richie, Yes. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, Yes. Me, Yes.

Fire Wilmore – “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars. Lionel Richie, No. Katy Perry, Yes. Luke Bryan, No. Me, No.