Negation Aspiration vol. 338

 “Things changed after my first son died,” he wrote. “I changed. For better or for worse, the rage you speak of lost its allure and, yes, perhaps I became a Hallmark card hippie. Hatred stopped being interesting. Those feelings were like old dead skins that I shed. They were their own kind of puke. Sitting around in my own mess, pissed off at the world, disdainful of the people in it, and thinking my contempt for things somehow amounted to something, had some kind of nobility, hating this thing here, and that thing there, and that other thing over there, and making sure that everybody around me knew it, not just knew, but felt it too, contemptuous of beauty, contemptuous of joy, contemptuous of happiness in others, well, this whole attitude just felt, I don’t know, in the end, sort of dumb.”

Nick Cave responds to fan who misses his anger: “Things changed after my first son died”

“For better or for worse, the rage you speak of lost its allure and, yes, perhaps I became a Hallmark card hippie”

#truecrimepowerelectronics vol. 74

cited the singer’s “pedophilic obsessions” and “violent behaviors.” 

New Lawsuit Accuses Marilyn Manson of Sexually Assaulting Teen Then Laughing at Her

‘HUMILIATED AND CONFUSED’

Booker Man is the Bastard vol. 55

 

Bray Wyatt: I’d Do Pretty Much Anything, Especially If No One Has Ever Done It Before

all the workrate zombies and the Cornette Cultists and the death match juggalos and the performatively aggrieved gatekeeping oldheads (as if the deified territory days didn't have guys like Kevin Sullivan, Kamala, Abdullah the Butcher, Ox Baker, Bruiser Brody, etc) can eat my whole ass. Bray Wyatt fucks.  

yes; even the cheeseball stuff you swear on your stack of sacred Apter Mags was dumb or goofy. 

it's freakin' wrestling, bro; IT IS INHERENTLY DUMB AND GOOFY. THAT'S THE FUCKING POINT AND THAT'S WHY IT FUCKING RULES.

it's a carnivalesque b-movie combat theater of therapeutic absurdity where sentient action figures with intermittent explosive disorder get  horny for violence.

y'all are more devoted to complaining about wrestling more than you are to wrestling. you are joyless mis-entitled posers who should leng-tche'd with envelopes and tossed into a giant champagne glass full of lemon juice. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. 

i will die on this hill and i don't fucking care. 

i really hate myself for getting sucked into this discourse, because it always inevitably ends with someone snark-screaming at me over the internet for being a wrong / stupid / crazy “art f*g” for liking something they don’t like, but whatever; i’m bored and feeling masochistic i suppose. 

i know a lot of y’all wanna die on the hill of “HE’S TERRIBLE IN THE RING”, but i’ll just say that i strongly disagree. if you go back and watch his rise in NXT and his initial run on the main roster and still can tell me with a bilious shouty-head that he doesn’t know how to work, or tell a story, then from my perspective you’re just being impossible. it might not be geared toward your preferred sensibilities, or it might not be wrestling done YOUR WAY, but he knows what he’s doing (even when the creative end of WWE management doesn’t, but i digress).

for me personally (hopefully without getting into “you-have-to-have-a-genius-IQ-to-get-Rick-and-Morty” territory); i’m a nerd for b-horror iconography and archetypes, and in Bray Wyatt’s whole package (presentation, promo work, and vignettes) i pick up a lot of quotes and references and visual ques that i wouldn’t think i’d ever catch on a dopey overproduced underwritten mainstream wrestling program. call backs to prior supernatural / creeper gimmicks (both subtle and blatant), allusions to pessimistic literature, a dash of serial killer writings… Wyatt touches on a lot of my own personal obsessions, fascinations, and fetishes in a way that not only holds my attention, but gets my imagination going… encourages my own voyeuristic outsider creative energy. 

i understand my tastes are not relevant to most (especially with regards to a lot of wrestling fans, who perhaps make me feel more alone and depressed than any other fan community) and it’s not what a lot of people like or want out of their glorified action figure carnival where weirdly aggressive meatheads pretend to kill each other over shiny giant belt buckles… but i am getting beyond sick of feeling like i have to defend my eyes from acid attacks every time i try to forge connections with others in these weird little milieus. 

yes fine ok: i do wish much of Wyatt’s character work since 2019 translated more into the matches themselves, but it would be naïve to think that a billion dollar corporate enterprise is going to take the fantasy booking of a middle aged low-traffic blogger under consideration, so i’d rather not devote energy to such scenarios. WWE is going to WWE after all. 

fuck man; i just like the guy, aight? 

as for me having a “Marvelized brain that doesn’t understand how storytelling works”; sh’yeah right ok i only have a Bachelor’s in English and have had something like 8 books published in last four years, but please enlighten me on the nuances of the writing craft, Mr. Wrestling Blog Hot Take Stepper. 

NERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRD! vol. 208

 

Fantagraphics To Publish The 1963 Annual by Don Simpson in 2023, Ish

We Are The Sprocket Holes vol. 567

 Plot details of Weapons are being kept holstered, but it is described as an interrelated, multistory horror epic that tonally is in the vein of Magnolia, the 1999 actor-crammed showcase from filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson.

New Line Wins Intense Auction for ‘Weapons,’ the New Movie From ‘Barbarian’ Filmmaker Zach Cregger

Some studios and streamers were making offers sight unseen before the script finally went out Monday — then deal-making got really interesting.

Bury All vol. 2

 

67 Ways Bill Maher Continues to Be the Worst for His 67th Birthday

#gorenoise vol. 171

 Mother-of-one Shaye Groves, a true crime fan who had pictures of serial killers such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer on her bedroom wall, is accused of having launched a 'passionate' attack on Frankie Fitzgerald at her home in Havant, Hampshire on July 17 last year.

Prosecutors told Winchester Crown Court that the 27-year-old fabricated claims that her boyfriend had abused and raped her, and had previously threatened to make his life 'a misery' by leaking videos of the pair - alleged to have started using cocaine together in the months before the killing - having sex.  

However, jurors heard that Groves was 'obsessed' with Mr Fitzgerald's 'performance in the bedroom', with the couple's sex life involving bondage, dominance, submission and masochism - and that the recordings had showed the sexual acts had been 'consensual'.

Groves had even told Mr Fitzgerald she could be woken by sexual intercourse, in a note written by the accused, the court was told.

The defendant had also blackmailed another lover with a sex tape by threatening to show the video to his new girlfriend if he didn't do what she wanted - namely, a lift into town and back for a night out, prosecutors alleged.

A note read out in court said: 'I, Shaye Groves give Frankie Fitzgerald permission to wake me up through sexual intercourse from the date of 22 March until further notice.' 

The mother-of-one was said to have owned four 'decorative' knives - with depictions of film villains Chuckie, Jigsaw and Pennywise on - which she and Mr Fitzgerald used for 'knife play' in the bedroom.

Such was her interest in murderers, Groves had framed portraits of notorious serial killers including Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer on her bedroom wall, according to Ms Baitup.

Shaye Groves had previously gone into 'great detail' about getting 'different people' jumped before she allegedly murdered her lover, the court heard today.

Vikki Baitup told jurors this was why she didn't think anything would actually happen in 'a million years' to Frankie Fitzgerald.

Speaking about Groves' threat to stab or shoot Mr Fitzgerald after he accidentally called her by his ex-girlfriend's name, Ms Baitup said: 'I never thought for a second she actually meant it.

'Not in a million years, even with a good reason I didn't see anything happening ever.'

Ms Baitup told the court she thought Groves was 'all talk'.

She added: 'It was never going to happen, I never believed it was going to happen.

'She has said so many times about getting different people jumped but it never happened.

'She's gone into great detail about it with previous people and it never happened.

'It was hot air.'

She also said Groves was such a horror movie fan, she gave housemate Lauren White the nickname of Chucky - a vicious serial killer from the Child's Play slasher film franchise.

'Giggling' mother, 27, who is accused of stabbing her boyfriend to death in his sleep 'lied to police that he had raped her and threatened to leak sex tape of them on Facebook to "make his life a misery"', murder trial hears

• Shaye Groves, 27, is accused of murdering Frankie Fitzgerald on July 17 last year
• Groves is alleged to have stabbed him 22 times, causing 'catastrophic' blood loss
• She claimed she was raped but prosecutors say their sex had been 'consensual' 
• Groves denies murdering him in a 'crime of passion' at Havant home, Hampshire

#truecrimepowerelectronics vol. 73

 It’s easy to forget that actress Brooke Shields was performing nude scenes in major films at 11 years old.

But the new Hulu documentary “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” which premiered Friday at the Sundance Film Festival, reveals the actress was objectified and mistreated by Hollywood and the media in a manner that would be unconscionable today for a kid.

Her big break came in French director Louis Malle’s controversial 1978 film “Pretty Baby,” in which Shields played a 12-year-old New Orleans prostitute when she was 11 — and had to shoot several nude scenes.

One publication called her: “America’s newest sexy kid.”

Brooke Shields talks nude scenes at age 11, on-set abuse in ‘Pretty Baby’

NERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRD! vol. 207

 So, this is the first place that the production of the market has changed: too many titles, and too much overproduction. Marvel is publishing nearly a third more titles, and by and large they’re not new characters or things aimed at expanding their audience. Rather they’re generally expansions of existing franchises, for example five distinct comics that are branded as “Avengers”. While at DC, they’re publishing 15% fewer series, but of their 49 series, a preposterous 24 of them – nearly half! – are “Batman”-family characters.

The truth is that the more you over-produce, the fewer people are willing to buy in. Especially when we look at the customers of the “universes” of Marvel and DC, there is a tendency for readers to want to be “all in” in those universes, because (at least notionally) the works are all interconnected. This, of course, becomes far less true as production scales up (keeping continuity on six “Batman” comics was hard enough. Keeping it on 24? Nigh impossible). If one of your primary selling points is the breadth of your tapestry, it’s very noticeable as your threads begin to fray.

Tiilting at Windmills #293: What’s Wrong with the Periodical???

Booker Man is the Bastard vol. 54

 

Rest in Honor: Jay Briscoe

We Are The Sprocket Holes vol. 566

 

Edward R. Pressman Dies: Prolific ‘Wall Street’, ‘American Psycho’ & ‘Badlands’ Producer Was 79

just look at some of the titles here - so many of the first movies i recognized as great were produced by Pressman, 

RIP. 

#truecrimepowerelectronics vol. 72

 Despite being a fan of Rick & Morty for years, I never heard the stories circulating Twitter and Tumblr about Justin Roiland. About how he slides into the DMs of underage girls. About his attempts to groom these girls into sexual acts. About how, in a very Chris d’Elia or Andrew Tate way, he manipulates them into believing they’re in a relationship rather than the latest in a string of victims. I didn’t know Rick & Morty’s premise came from Roiland’s original sketch, The Real Animated Adventures of Doc and Mharti, which featured graphic child abuse. I didn’t know his studio, Squanch Games, was sued for sexual harassment in 2019. And I didn’t know that in 2020, Roiland was arrested for striking his girlfriend so hard she required medical attention and kept her from leaving his home.

NBC News first reported on Roiland’s arrest Jan. 12 of this year, though most of the case’s details remain sealed. The assault happened in January 2022 and Roiland was charged in May and arrested in August of 2020. A protective order already exists for victim Jane Doe, and Roiland isn’t allowed within 100 feet of her, nor threaten or surveil the woman in question.

It took a long time for reports to come to light outside of specific Twitter, Tumblr, and Reddit threads. That’s not surprising. Thanks to Adult Swim and Hulu, Roiland leads an animation empire. Between the commercial success of Rick and Morty, the merchandising, the expanded stable of shows, and the popularity of Squanch Games’ newest release, High on Life, Roiland is coining it for his employers. Rick and Morty’s extensive and frankly sociopathic fanbase ensure that most stories of his alleged wrongdoing get drowned like a chicken nugget in Szechuan sauce, something else that drove them insane.

Uncomfortable sexual situations are part and parcel of the Rick and Morty universe. Roiland has spoken before about being sexually abused. If you don’t know about these allegations, it’s easy to see characters like King Jellybean, the Slut Dragons, and the Giant Incest Baby (don’t ask) as Roiland’s quirky sense of humor finding a way to process his own past experiences. But in the wake of domestic assault charges and reports of inappropriate behavior, with receipts, it takes on a different tone. Some of Roiland’s former colleagues have made statements as well, such as former Rick and Morty writer Caitie Delaney and musician Allie Goertz. Like Weinstein, CK, d’Elia, and Spacey, Roiland’s sketchy behavior appears to be an open secret among his peers.

It remains to be seen what, if anything, will come of Roiland’s arrest and prosecution. If there’s one thing at which the media culture excels, it’s welcoming back abusers. Ezra Miller managed to turn their trespassing and felony burglary charges. Accusations of grooming and child endangerment, into probation with a promise not to drink if it interferes with their work. It’s easy to see how Roiland might walk from the domestic abuse charge, given his own financial resources and the huge stake Cartoon Network and Hulu have in his success. Money talks.

So, About Justin Roiland's Domestic Assault Charges

'Rick And Morty' Creator Justin Roiland's Leaked DMs To A 16-Year-Old Fan Is Disturbing, And Several Women Have Accused Him Of Manipulating And Victimizing Them

We Are The Sprocket Holes vol. 565

 

Gaspar Noé’s ‘Irreversible: Straight Cut’ Finally Comes To The U.S. In Feb, A Chronological Restoration Of One Of Cinema’s Most Infamous Films

Books... are FUN vol. 45

 

Why are Gen Z men obsessed with Patrick Bateman from ‘American Psycho’?

Bury All vol. 1

 

Joyce Carol Oates: ‘The Fabelmans’ Is ‘Remarkably Mediocre’ and ‘Discouraging’ to Young Filmmakers

Oates tweeted that Steven Spielberg has a "superficial triteness" as a director following the autobiographical film's Golden Globes win.

GO. OUT. SIDE. vol. 86

 I was recently shown some frames from a film that I had never heard of: Alejandro Jodorowsky’s 1976 version of “Tron.” The sets were incredible. The actors, unfamiliar to me, looked fantastic in their roles. The costumes and lighting worked together perfectly. The images glowed with an extravagant and psychedelic sensibility that felt distinctly Jodorowskian.

However, Mr. Jodorowsky, the visionary Chilean filmmaker, never tried to make “Tron.” I’m not even sure he knows what “Tron” is. And Disney’s original “Tron” was released in 1982. So what 1970s film were these gorgeous stills from? Who were these neon-suited actors? And how did I — the director of the documentary “Jodorowsky’s Dune,” having spent two and a half years interviewing and working with Alejandro to tell the story of his famously unfinished film — not know about this?

The truth is that these weren’t stills from a long-lost movie. They weren’t photos at all. These evocative, well-composed and tonally immaculate images were generated in seconds with the magic of artificial intelligence.

THIS FILMFILM
DOESDOES NOTNOT EXISTEXIST

Booker Man is the Bastard vol. 53

 Given the speed of all this news, if it does turn out to be a sale to Saudi Arabia, it’s hard to believe Vince didn’t have this in his pocket before he ever sent that letter to the WWE board informing them that he was breaking down the door. And, if all this happens, Vince has ripped his company away from his daughter (and probably his son-in-law) to sell it to a murderous and oppressive regime. Which… in character.

No one should be surprised that one of the worst people on Earth has reportedly done one of the worst things possible. It’s just a level of filth that no one ever wants to contemplate. And yet here we are, because the thing about people this shitty is that they can always get shittier.

Saudi Arabia may be buying WWE, Stephanie McMahon resigns as CEO: report

NERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRD! vol. 206

 

Secret History: Marshal Law The Movie Options

We Are The Sprocket Holes vol. 564

 

‘Thanksgiving’ – Eli Roth Finally Carving Up His ‘Grindhouse’ Spinoff!

AHHHHHHHHHH vol. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 Trump’s ineffectual insertion of himself into the speaker ruckus is only one marker of his decaying political powers. His fervent support of Mehmet Oz, Herschel Walker, Adam Laxalt and Blake Masters for Senate seats bombed at the ballot box. On Election Night, Fox News, once a steadfast ally, labeled him “The biggest loser tonight” for the Republicans’ poor results. His acid tongue, once corrosive enough to end the careers of his foes, has become impotent: His attempt to brand presidential rival Ron DeSantis “Ron DeSanctimonious” backfired, making Trump the object of derision instead of DeSantis. In December, he hit a seven-year low in his standing with voters. His desultory 2024 presidential campaign has drawn only yawns from the press and politicians, setting him up for a devastating magazine profile by Olivia Nuzzi that portrays him as a sad duffer living in the opulence of the past like Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard.

This is not to say that current events have completely husked Trump and dumped him in the compost. He still commands a core of supporters and a demonstrable ability to fundraise, so let’s keep his political obituary in the prewrite bin for now. But every politician is born with a sell-by date pressed on his forehead, and Trump is no exception. If he’s starting to stink of irrelevance to politicians like Boebert and Matt Gaetz, people he more or less invented, then his political time might be drawing to an end.

Trump’s Worst Fear Is Coming True: He’s Being Ignored

Booker Man is the Bastard vol. 52

 

Vince McMahon Removes Three WWE Board Members as Return to Company Takes Shape

Booker Man is the Bastard vol. 51

 

Wrestle Kingdom puts NJPW back on track, maybe on some new ones too

Omega and Osprey put on a classic and the former Sasha Banks debuts (with a botch, but who cares?)

Booker Man is the Bastard vol. 50

 There are multiple layers to this bout. Muto and Sanada share a long history that includes a mentor-protégé relationship. It is within reason to view Naito as the spiritual successor to Masahiro Chono as New Japan’s “Dark Ace.” Chono and Muto were eternal rivals, which began in New Japan when Chono defeated the Great Muta in 1994, igniting a flurry of battles.

Another element is that Naito is seeking to avenge his Wrestle Kingdom 6 loss to Muto, so it would make sense for either Naito or Sanada to pin Muto for the win. The world may also finally learn who the better mist-spitter is between Muto and Bushi, another reason to look forward to this six-man tag.

Hiroshi Tanahashi Is Ready for Keiji Muto’s ‘Wrestle Kingdom’ Send-off

More than a decade after their first Tokyo Dome meeting, they will team up in Muto’s final NJPW match.

#truecrimepowerelectronics vol. 71

 

Bryan Kohberger stalked Idaho victims before murders, wore gloves in grocery store weeks afterward: report 

BTK Killer's Daughter Sickened To Discover Bryan Kohberger Studied Father 

Family of alleged Idaho killer Bryan Kohberger releases statement

Bryan Kohberger's Teacher, Who Taught Him About Serial Killers, Speaks Out

We Are The Sprocket Holes vol. 563

 

Celebrating Vinegar Syndrome: Ten Years and Counting