A Star is Bored: A Novel Book Review

Among the non-acting jobs that one can have in Hollywood, the most unique is that of a personal assistant. That person is as close to their boss as a family member or friend, but at the end of the day, they are still a paid employee.

A Star is Bored, written by Byron Lane, was just released last month. Charlie Besson is working a dead end, third shift job at a local news station in Los Angeles. Then he gets an opportunity to interview for a personal assistant for actress and writer Kathi Kannon. Over the next three years, Charlie becomes much more than her assistant. But will he able to live his own life, or spend the rest of his days living vicariously through Kathi?

I loved this book. Lane, who worked as an assistant to the late Star Wars actress and writer Carrie Fisher, uses his personal experience to tell Charlie’s story. Like her real life counterpart, Kathi is bawdy, outspoken, and emotional, but also feels deeply. Though he is aware of Kathi’s flaws, Charlie remains loyal, in spite of the nagging urge to go his own way.

I absolutely recommend it.

The English Game Review

One of the major conflicts over the course of human history is between the working class and the ruling and/or wealthy class.

The English Game premiered on Netflix earlier this year. Written by Julian Fellows (Downton Abbey), this six part series tells the story of how football (soccer for us Americans) became the sport it is today. In 1879 England, football is a game played by amateurs. The teams are made up of members of the upper class who are well, overprotective, of the game.

When they are confronted with other teams who come from the working class, the conflict becomes more than football. It represents the idea that the traditional social hierarchy is changing. Those who were born on the lower end of the hierarchy are no longer content to remain where they are. They want a piece of the action, so to speak, and are more than willing to fight for their rights.

Representing the upper classes is Arthur Kinnaird (Edward Holcroft). Standing up for the working men and women is Fergus Suter (Kevin Guthrie).

I enjoyed watching the series. Though it is a BPD (British Period Drama), the narrative is not the standard BPD narrative. It tells the story of a time in which the world was changing and the forces it took to create that change.

I recommend it.

The English Game is available for streaming on Netflix.

TikTok Users Remembering the Holocaust get an A for Effort

Most people know something about the Holocaust. It is one of the most well known events in recent history.

On TikTok, some users have released videos pretending to be victims of the Holocaust. Known as “trauma porn”, the response is outrage and disgust. The young people who are producing these videos claim that they are using this form of social media to educate their followers about the Holocaust and the murder of six million Jews.

If nothing else, these kids get an A for effort. Teaching the Holocaust is not easy, regardless of the age of the student. With the rise of antisemitism and Holocaust denial, it has become more important than ever that the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten.

But I wish they had been a little more sensitive in their portrayal of the victims. The response would have certainly, I think, been more appreciative instead of critical.

Belarus Protests: This is What Democracy Looks Like

Democracy is the kind of government that does not exist for generations or centuries without work. Time and again, history has shown us how easy it is for a country with a democratic government to secede into authoritarianism.

In Belarus, there is growing discontent with the current government. Current President Alexander Lukashenko claims that he won the most recent election fair and square, but many believe that it was rigged in his favor. Ignoring warning of violence from the army and the police, citizens have taken to the streets to protest the results of said election.

This is what democracy looks like. The average Jane or Joe gathering in large numbers to speak out against a government whom they no longer believe in.

These days, it is easy to become cynical. The negative headlines coming from the various news outlets seem to outnumber the positive ones. But there is still a glimmer of hope, represented by the people of Belarus coming together and demanding a legitimate democracy.