Paul Rieser started with stand-up, prior to his roles as the jaded Modell in the cult classic Diner, the era-appropriately smarmy villain Burke in Aliens, dotingly awkward husband Paul Buchanon in the series Mad About You and, most recently, Dr. Owens, the better of two evil scientists in Stranger Things. He’s also contributed to the […]
Henry Ellis
Henry Ellis has been a freelancer with NCJ since 2011; he has never made a deadline.
Posted inArts + Scene
Paul Reiser is Back at the Mic
Paul Reiser started with stand-up, prior to his roles as the jaded Modell in the cult classic Diner, the era-appropriately smarmy villain Burke in Aliens, dotingly awkward husband Paul Buchanon in the series Mad About You and, most recently, Dr. Owens, the better of two evil scientists in Stranger Things. He’s also contributed to the […]
Posted inArts + Scene
Poundstone on Pandemic, Politics and Priorities
There’s something calming and familiar about her voice. Perhaps it’s from having heard her regularly on NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me, or from having listened to her stand-up albums on repeat so many times over the years. More likely, though, it’s just the ease and tone of how she speaks. The nervousness I feel when […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
No-Thanksgiving
When I started writing this piece, I had grand ambitions of opening a conversation for cisgender readers. After several drafts, I decided the internet was offering plenty of organizations, memes, infographics and listicles for cisgender people to use as a resource (see below). And though there were many adorable watercolor comics online giving advice for […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Panic Room
The immediate appeal of an escape room is the allure of a real-time, interactive game. It’s the closest I can get to a holodeck without investing some real dough in a virtual reality rig. As immersive virtual gaming becomes more ubiquitous, the brick-and-mortar entertainment industry has to up its game to get you to leave […]
Posted inArts + Scene
Off on a Tangent: An interview with Steven Wright
If you don’t know his name, you know his visage and presence. His cadence and playful monotony have made him a stalwart of the standup comedy scene for nearly four decades. If you’ve somehow missed all of the last 40 years of standup, you likely still know him from any one of his multiple major […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
The Fear: Karaoke
Fear is exhausting. Constantly fighting, flying or freezing leaves me with nothing but fatigue. Everyone has fears and phobias, but I have so many: heights, drowning, clowns, abandonment, failure, Ferris wheels, horses … the list goes on. When I say I’m tired of living in fear, I’m not speaking metaphorically. It’s time to face a […]
Posted inArts + Scene
Dog People
Dogs have no respect for social norms. Sure, they can be trained to obey, but they can’t deny their true nature and they don’t pass up an opportunity to do something disgusting or awkwardly hilarious, no matter how embarrassing it may be for their human companions. While dogs are naturally occurring sources of comic relief, […]
Posted inArts + Scene
Warmed Over and Heartwarming
Reviews HOT PURSUIT. Road comedies are an easy go-to for Hollywood during the lull between award and blockbuster season. They follow a basic formula and they’re relatively cheap to make. Other than coming up with a few original slapstick gags, the only thing they really require is good casting. Hot Pursuit had neither of these […]
Posted inArts + Scene
What Do You See?
At first glance, the pencil strokes on the canvas look like the outlines of an unfinished project. “So, what do you see?” Brent Eviston asks, pointing to the abstractly posed figures of the drawing. Then it starts to pop out. It’s a rabbit. Or maybe it’s people dancing. Or maybe they’re fighting. Regardless, the figure […]
Posted inArts + Scene
Saddle Sore
Reviews THE LONGEST RIDE. This is not my first rodeo … movie. From 8 Seconds to The Cowboy Way, I’ve seen my fair share. Despite my lack of interest in actual rodeos, the film genre is usually entertaining. What’s not to like about watching people fall down, literally get back in the saddle and then […]
Posted inArts + Scene
Bloody Good
There’s so much blood. Physically and thematically, Shakespeare’s Macbeth is steeped in thick, sticky, red blood. Arguably, it’s not the Bard’s most disturbing play (Titus Andronicus takes the cake on that one because its cake is made of people), but it ranks among the top five. At its foundation, like so many of Shakespeare’s tragedies, […]