Cartoons Monday! Plus, Ringo and T Bone
Plus music from Ringo Starr and T Bone Burnett, and "SNL" updates.
Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books and now writer/director of three award-winning films aired via PBS, including “Atomic Cover-up” and “Memorial Day Massacre.” Now watch trailer for acclaimed 2025 film “The Atomic Bowl.” Before all that, he was a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy. At Blue Sky and Twitter: as @gregmitch. You can still subscribe to this newsletter for FREE. Sustain this newsletter by ordering one of his books.
Just so you are caught up, and missed SNL’s “Weekend Update,” here are the first four minutes, on Trump’s tariffs, Cory Booker’s speech, RFK Jr. and more. Earlier, in the cold open, “Trump” called his tariff plan “actually even better than a plan because it’s a series of random numbers. Like the numbers on the computer screen in ‘Severance.’ You have no idea what the hell they mean.” Meanwhile, John Oliver’s main segment on HBO explored the debate and politics over trans athletes.
Speaking of weekend updates, I revealed Saturday morning that I would be attending T Bone Burnett’s first concert in Manhattan in 20 years (they say) that night at Town Hall, and it turned out to be a great one: almost 3 hours (including a 20-minute intermission), with the first part being his entire, terrific, current album. The second half: tunes from his past (going back more than 50 years), and covers, including, surprise, Leonard Cohen’s “Tower of Song.” Among the band members, ace guitarist Colin Linden and mandolin/violin player David Mansfield, who we first saw (with T Bone) during Dylan’s Rolling Thunder tour when he was barely 19.
T Bone, as usual, warned about government surveillance. Offered several funny lines, as when he noted only scattered applause when he mentioned that Rolling Thunder tour: “Only five people remember it, and one of them is not Bob.”
One highlight was what he called his “ecology” song, “It’s Not Too Late,” written with Bobby Neuwirth and Elvis Costello (who was in the audience).
Let’s take you back to youngish T Bone with his classic “River of Love.”
T Bone, busy as ever as a producer, did the honors for Ringo’s comeback album this year, which made it to #1 on the country charts, and here the ex-Beatle warbles the fine title song, “Look Up,” (another political message for today) with Molly Tuttle and T Bone on guitars.
Lifetime drummer for Blondie, Clem Burke, has died at 70. Also played on albums by Dylan, Pete Townshend, Iggy Pop, and more.
Video Shows Search for Missing Gaza Paramedics Before Israelis Shoot Rescuers, Called a War Crime
From Tunes to Toons
Steve Brodner:
Some very on point cartoons. I learn so much from your blog, and remember some too
Great selection of apocalyptic cartoons, especially Patrick Chappette, Ella Baron, Morten Morland, Marshall Ramsey, Christopher Shields, and always Steve Brodner and Nick Anderson.