Another Week: Number 89

Impolitic with John Heilemann: Nicholas Kristof

I enjoy John Heilemann frequently on MSNBC, and now and then I’ll listen to one of his podcasts. Since June he’s been hosting Impolitic, and his guest on the August 30 episode was New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, one of the most thoughtful writers working today.

Kristof’s new memoir came out in May. It’s called Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life.

The two cover a lot of ground, ranging from the current election to Kristof’s world-roaming work that brought attention to international sex trafficking and the war in Darfur. He talks about the “multiplication of good luck and bad luck” that carried him to the Times while some of his neighbors became drug casualties. He admits sometimes getting things wrong.

The topic from the conversation that really hit me, though, was the discussion of Kristof’s August 5 column, “The Truth About Your Bacon,” regarding the intelligent personality and horrific life and death of the typical pig that’s cut up and sold in your local supermarket. Kristof grew up on a sheep farm in Oregon, so he knows both sides of this moral quandary.

Jonny Lyons & the Pride at Paddock Lake

On Tuesday night, I joined my sister Karen and her husband Kevin for the final “Rhythm on the Lake” concert of the season at Old Settlers Park on Paddock Lake.

It was two hours of music from Jonny Lyons & the Pride, an oldies cover act out of Elgin, Illinois whose chops and energy surprised us.

According to his website bio, Jonathan Lyons developed a Johhny Cash tribute act as a kid, later added Elvis Presley, and has released at least one album of originals. At Tuesday’s performance, he also covered Ray Charles, Jackie Wilson, Dean Martin, Frankie Valli, and more. He sings, dances, and plays guitar. He’s backed by a a lead guitarist, saxophone, bass, and drums.

The show moves rapidly from one number to the next, and Jonny is constantly in motion — tricky Las Vegas footwork, arms gesturing, guitar swinging, mic stand tipping — all the moves. Meanwhile, he’s a good singer, belting and crooning away, limber-lipped through an accelerating version of the Johnny Cash/Hank Snow gantlet “I’ve Been Everywhere” complete with localized lyrics at superhuman speed, and only rarely running short of breath despite his constant dancing.

This performance was rescheduled to Tuesday night after a mid-August rainout, so the crowd was smallish, and — in typical Midwest fashion — we set up our chairs a good twenty yards away from the stage. No matter — Lyons and his saxman made frequent wireless forays out to the lawn to dance with the shy people.

Leaving the park, I pondered the situation of someone so talented and polished performing music that was popular six decades ago. That audience has to be dwindling.

But if, for instance, I was making a movie that was set in 1959, Jonny Lyons is one guy I’d want to include.

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears

Amy and I watched a bunch of the previous seasons of Hard Knocks, and now the series has finally come to my favorite team, the Chicago Bears — too late, unfortunately.

In past seasons, behind-the-scenes footage has brought character and depth to players and coaches normally seen only during games. Time has been spent with families, or going deep into a player’s background or upbringing.

But, as time has gone on, NFL teams have become more and more leery of opening themselves to HBO’s prying lenses. They seem to regard participation as a rotating, mandatory hiccup to get past.

Despite the centerpiece of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, this installment of Hard Knocks was largely just surveillance footage of the Bears’ Lake Forest offices, with players and honchos fretting over roster positions.

Yes, there were clips of Bears safety Jonathan Owens watching his wife Simone Biles win gold in Paris. We learn that they own French bulldogs.

Yes, there were rookie initiation performances of popular music. Yawn.

Yes, we got to see Mr. and Mrs. Matt Eberflus strategizing about his personal grooming at their impressive-yet-dorky lakeshore mansion.

No, we did not hear the Chicago Bears swearing, ”out of respect for the McCaskey family.” Okay.

Overall, these five episodes of Hard Knocks added up to no gain.

Faye (2011)

My mom is fascinated by movie stars, and Max has the recent Faye Dunaway documentary, so we watched it together on Saturday night.

Directed by her son’s friend Laurent Bouzereau, Faye is an authorized profile that includes interview bits with the actress herself, her son Liam O’Neill, and actors Sharon Stone and Mickey Rourke, among others.

Although it’s a fairly standard chronological recap, the film is stunning for the number of landmark performances its subject has delivered. Dunaway famously has a reputation for being “difficult” to work with. This is not a bio that lingers on gossipy details, but it is where she reveals her bipolar disorder and how it has figured into her behavior.

Overall, Faye conveys that Dunaway’s stellar career is the product of a lifetime of hard work and strong will. My mom said she learned a lot.