Welcome back to The Weekend Press! Today, our reporter Gabe Kaminsky drinks milk with RFK Jr. Suzy Weiss watches the much-maligned “Melania” documentary. River Page and Kat Rosenfield consider what two very raunchy TV series tell us about the state of the culture. And more! But first, Free Press book czar Jillian Lederman wants to introduce a remarkable excerpt from an upcoming tome about the stories we need to live well and rest in peace:
Think about the first story you were ever told. It probably began a simple way: Once upon a time. These four words have opened the door to thousands of fables and fairy tales—stories steeped in magic and wonder, meant to pass down the moral architecture of a flourishing society to generations of children.
But according to mythographer Martin Shaw, those stories are slipping away.
You may remember Martin from his essay, published on Christmas Eve, about how, one night several years ago, he found God in the woods. But long before that fateful day, he had been traveling the world bringing ancient myths to contemporary audiences, pushing back against a hyper-technological age that promises happiness through ruthless efficiency and instant gratification—often contradicting the wisdom of our most trusted stories.
Now, Martin has compiled those stories into a forthcoming book, Liturgies of the Wild, which is out Tuesday. We’re thrilled to bring you an exclusive excerpt today, tackling an aspect of life too many of us try to ignore: the end. There are those of us, Martin says, who spend all our time fearing death, chasing medical innovations and cosmetic interventions in desperate pursuit of immortality. A few days ago, our government gave the green light to the first human clinical trial of a therapy designed to literally reverse the aging process.
But if we look to ancient cultures, he writes, “the importance of not cheating death is a theme that rears up . . . time and again.” To show why, Martin begins his essay with the old tale of a young healer who tried to trick Death. . . .
What do you drink with the man who’s trying to “Make America Healthy Again?” Two delicious all-American whole milks, of course. Our man in the swamp, Gabe Kaminsky, met up with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania. They chatted about legalizing marijuana, which cabinet secretary would benefit most from heeding MAHA advice, and whether he actually ate that Big Mac on Air Force One.
It’s the documentary that was causing drama before a single screening thanks to its controversial director, chaotic conditions on set, and high-value distribution deal. But is Melania any good? Suzy Weiss was one of dozens of reporters sent out to review it as soon as it hit theaters. Her biggest takeaway? She’s still not sure if Melania Trump even wants the job she has.
What do you do if you’re a not-Mexican actor being yelled at online for daring to take the part of a half-Mexican character? Odessa A’zion, who shot to fame for playing the sort-of love interest in “Marty Supreme,” immediately caved—quitting the job and telling her critics this week: “I AGREE WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! This is why I love you guys.” Suzy, who’s feeling prolific this week, couldn’t resist reacting to this; in her view: It’s better to be canceled than a coward.
People are being really, really weird about “Heated Rivalry,” Netflix’s new hockey-themed gay romance. The show finished airing a month ago, but this past weekend, Zohran Mamdani suggested New Yorkers sit out the storm by bingeing on the book from which it’s adapted, and the stars got to carry the Winter Olympics torch as if they’re actual athletes. But to River Page, the weirdest thing is that the show’s rabid fans are mostly women, not gay guys. He has a message for these ladies.
“Heated Rivalry” is not the only steamy streamer on our minds this week. As “Bridgerton” returns for its fourth season, Kat Rosenfield marvels that Netflix has managed to enchant a generation of very feminist millennial women with what is essentially a very, very conservative show. “ ‘Bridgerton’ presents a powerful fantasy: that a modern woman could find satisfaction in a return to the traditional courtship and chivalry of an earlier era,” she writes.
Several years after her husband cheated on and then left her, reader Cassie has met a new guy she can genuinely see a future with. “The difficulty is my oldest daughter,” she writes. “She struggles deeply with the idea of me dating or remarrying” and “shuts down whenever I mention my boyfriend.” What should she do? Abigail Shrier has some Tough Love.
How should you spend your weekend? We asked our associate editor Madeleine Kearns for some recommendations . . .
📚 Read . . . I recently read The Children of Men by the English writer P.D. James, mainly because two writers I admire, Ross Douthat and Louise Perry, kept referring to it as prophetic. It’s set in 2021—which, given the book was written in the early ’90s, is THE FUTURE. In it, the world is in total demographic collapse owing to universal male infertility and sinister yet soft-mannered authoritarian rules in the UK, where the elderly are killed in a program of state-sponsored suicide. Lovely. I think I’ll read some nonfiction next, to cheer myself up. Probably Kathleen Stock’s upcoming book, Do Not Go Gentle: The Case Against Assisted Death.
📺 Watch . . . My husband and I have been on what can only be described as a total binge of Homeland, the show from the 2010s about the CIA starring Clare Danes and Inigo Montoya (a.k.a. Mandy Patinkin) from The Princess Bride. I won’t lie. It’s been a rough ride. Some real gems have died horrible deaths. Some incredible episodes have been followed by total duds. Danes’s character is the worst kind of crazy. But we just keep going back for more. Incidentally, lovers of the show may enjoy this hilariously accurate Saturday Night Live skit.
🍳 Eat . . . Okay, so I know this columnette (can I call it that?) is not exactly meant for recipes, but trust me on this, you’ll thank me. Get yourself some ground beef, honey, soy sauce, Huy Fong chili garlic sauce, and Terry Ho’s Yum Yum Sauce. Brown the ground beef in olive oil, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add several large splashes of soy sauce, a couple of tablespoons of chili garlic, and a drizzle of honey. Once thoroughly cooked, serve the beef over rice with a side of roasted cauliflower and broccoli florets and a drizzle of Yum Yum Sauce. This is the perfect 15-minute dinner you never knew existed. You’re welcome.
🎵Listen . . . Parenting an infant, you become well-versed in the art of distraction. After a long drive to visit family out of state, we discovered that our baby girl is well-placated by ABBA: “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!,” “Fernando,” and “Dancing Queen.” Once the waterworks start, just crack out Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid, and you’ve just bought yourself at least 30 seconds.
Finally, we remember Emmy Award-winning comic actress Catherine O’Hara, who passed away yesterday at 71. For decades, O’Hara brought viewers joy and countless laughs through her iconic work in films like Home Alone, Beetlejuice, and more.
That’s all, folks! Have a great weekend.
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You should have mentioned Schitt's Creek instead of that other slop when mentioning Catherine O'Hara. She was phenomenal throughout.
TFP would do itself a grand favor by reporting on issues like today’s Roca News, We-the-66 piece on immigration double talk from politicians. Read it, I’m not pushing Roca but they have some great stuff about real America. Most of Free Press is just “so much fluff,” as Jerry’s brief gf says. Hilarious, “but you’re a cashier!”