The Parting Shot with H. Alan Scott Newsweek Radio & Podcasts

From Hollywood to Washington, there’s one question everyone is asking: What is Joe Biden going to do? After Biden’s disastrous debate performance, prominent donors in Hollywood now want him to drop out of the race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris or other prominent Democrats like Gavin Newsom or Gretchen Whitmer. Considering the amount of money Hollywood pumps into Democratic campaigns, it's a big deal if those power players are making these kinds of threats. Newsweek’s Jenni Fink, senior national news editor, joins H. Alan Scott to talk about the state of the race and what they think Biden is going to say in that big interview he’s doing with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. 

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In the 1980s, a group of actors called the “Brat Pack” came to define a generation. Turns out, the term came from one sentence in a New York Magazine article. Now, 40 years later, one of those stars, Andrew McCarthy, is reevaluating the impact that description had in his new documentary Brats (on Hulu). “It just became the catchphrase.” In the film, McCarthy meets with fellow Brat Pack-ers like Rob Lowe, Demi Moore and Emilio Estevez—some for the first time since the ’80s—to find out why they took such offense to the moniker. All agree the article wouldn’t have the impact today it had back then. “As Malcolm Gladwell said in the movie, there is no unifying pop culture anymore.” And regarding the broad impact of the phrase, McCarthy is now able to see how the public views this crop of actors, with affection. “It took me a long time to realize that, until people came up to me on the street after so many decades. When they see me, they go, ‘Oh, my God. When I was a kid...’ I realized very quickly, they’re not talking to me anymore, they’re talking to their own youth.” 

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An op-ed written by John Mac Ghlionn titled “Taylor Swift Is Not a Good Role Model” sent the internet into a tizzy over the weekend. Basically, it said Swift isn’t a good role model because she’s single, among other things. People started to text me, H. Alan Scott, about it because I work at Newsweek. So, I figured a response was in order. I invited Kate Stayman-London, a writer and Swiftie, to tell me why she thinks Swift is a good role model and her thoughts about the op-ed.  




Here’s the original op-ed: https://www.newsweek.com/taylor-swift-not-good-role-model-opinion-1916799 

Here’s an adorable response by 7-year-old Amaya Grace Montgomery: https://www.newsweek.com/im-seven-year-old-swiftie-heres-why-taylor-swift-role-model-girls-like-me-opinion-1919851 




And here’s where you can follow Kate Stayman-London: https://www.katestaymanlondon.com/ 

Visit Newsweek.com to learn more about the podcasts we offer and to catch up on the latest news. While you’re there, subscribe to Newsweek’s ‘For the Culture newsletter. Follow H. Alan Scott on everything at @HAlanScott. 

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If you’re like basically every American today, you’re asking yourself, ‘What happened at that presidential debate and is Joe Biden ok?’ At least that’s what Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott is asking himself. So today he’s joined by his colleague at Newsweek, Alex Backus (reporter and editor), to ask every question most Americans are asking after watching that dumpster fire of a debate.  

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The trailer for ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ (June 28) shows star Lupita Nyong’o carrying a cat around moments before New York City is overtaken by aliens. For Nyong’o, the scariest thing on set weren’t the aliens, but rather the cat in her arm. “I had a deadly fear of cats. I couldn’t be in the same room as cats. I would break out in tears.” Calling herself a “scaredy cat,” the Oscar-winning actress worked with a cat therapist to get over her fear. “I can confidently say this film has changed my life.” The film, a spin-off prequel to the other two in the franchise, tells the story of the first day the aliens—attracted by noise—took over the world. Nyong’o calls New York “a character in and of itself” and “makes for a much more dexterous journey, I will say, compared to the last few films that were in a remote location.” As to how she’d fare in a world infested with noise-attracted aliens? “Not well, because when I am deathly afraid, I break out in fits of laughter. Which is the wrong thing to be doing when you’re scared, ever. So, I feel like I would die laughing, which is great.” 




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It's rare for a piece of theater to become such a cult hit that it moves from downtown to Broadway, but that's exactly what's happening with Cole Escola's ‘Oh, Mary!’ For Escola, who previously was best known for their YouTube sketches and collaborations with Amy Sedaris, "it feels like I scored a goal for the home team." Oh, Mary! is an absurd comedic send up on Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham's assassination. "It's about her hopes and dreams of being a cabaret star. It's a very stupid comedy. It's essentially a sitcom." The show has made Escola a bona fide star—they recently attended the Met Gala—something that doesn't sit well with the young playwright and actor, saying that "I don't even want to be minutely known. I don't have the constitution for it." And that's partly because this is all new to them. "This play is the first thing I've ever had produced of my first work. I'm trying to enjoy it, but it is a wild peek into a completely different level and world of the entertainment industry." Considering Oh, Mary! will run on Broadway until September, Escola's got a few months of notoriety to contend with. "I do look forward to disappearing back into the gay shadows of obscurity after this is over." 




Read full chat in the latest issue of Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/2024/06/28/cole-escolas-oh-mary-has-finally-made-mary-todd-lincoln-star-1910985.html 

Visit Newsweek.com to learn more about the podcasts we offer and to catch up on the latest news. While you’re there, subscribe to Newsweek’s ‘For the Culture newsletter. Follow H. Alan Scott on everything at @HAlanScott. 

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