Betty White: First Lady of Television Review

Hollywood is not known for being the most comforting of industries. This is especially true for women of a certain age. Betty White is one of the few actresses who has been able to not only survive, but thrive in this environment.

The 2018 documentary Betty White: First Lady of Television is the story of her career. Ms. White entered showbusiness when television was in its infancy. Since her first appearance seven decades ago, she has become an icon, a groundbreaker and a performer who has entertained multiple generations of fans. Using archival footage and interviews, the viewer is given a glimpse of the real woman behind the beloved character actress.

What I loved about this film is that it shows its subject as she is. There are some biographies that present a slick and polished image of perfection. What you see is what you get. She is a smart, salty, and extremely funny woman who at the age of 99, is as real as she ever was.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Betty White: First Lady of Television is available for streaming on Netflix.

P.S. The 2018 episode of Saturday Night Live that she hosted is for my money, one of the best in the past few years.

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Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal Review

From the time we are little, we are told by our parents and teachers that our future professional success does not come without a college degree. When we enter the working world after graduation, a good number of job listings will require that the applicant has at least a BA in something.

One of the major scandals of the last few years was the revelation that some parents from the 1% paid Rick Singer to get their children into prominent universities via the back door. The new Netflix documentary Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal premiered last month. With Matthew Modine playing Singer in a series of re-enactments and interviewing several real life participants, the film follows the timeline from the first whiff of something untoward until the explosion of the truth.

If there was one word to describe the emotion I felt it would be disturbed. The financial reality of college is that the price of tuition has skyrocketed in the last twenty years. I am forever grateful that my parents were able to put money aside so I earn my BA. But not every parent has the financial means to give their child that experience. If nothing else, the movie points out this obvious inequality that can be solved, if we are willing to put our money where our mouths are.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal is available for streaming on Netflix.

Biden Has the Balls to do What His Predecessors Could or Would Not Do: Prevent Mass Shootings

A generation ago, the mass shooting of innocent civilians was an news event. These days, it is just another headline.

Since the Atlanta shooting last month, it has become a weekly event. This week there two mass shootings: one in South Carolina and one in Bryan, Texas. On Wednesday, President Biden announced a series of executive actions to try to put a stop to this continuing senseless loss of life.

Does it go far enough in my mind? No. But it is a necessary first step that should have been taken long ago. I can only imagine how many lives could have been saved had the Clinton administration acted after Columbine. But they didn’t and neither has subsequent Presidential administrations up now.

This is not about the 2nd Amendment. While I have never been interesting in hunting as a hobby, if that is what another person does in their spare time, that is their right. But there is a difference between being of sound mind and legally owning a hunting rifle because that is what one enjoys doing and killing strangers with a firearm that is meant for the battlefield.

The problem is that any potential gun control legislation would be deadlocked in Congress. The only option Biden has is executive action. I wish that it was not the truth, but it is.

The question I have is why does it take 20+ years and hundreds of live lost for the politicians at the national level to finally do something?