Tell Us How You Feel!

News • Money • Slog AM/PM • The Worst President • 2020

Slog PM: Microsoft Is Our New Neighbor, Gillis and Yang Will Meet, Yiannopoulos Banned from the Midwest FurFest

by Chase Burns • Monday at 5:20 pm

Yiannopoulos WISHES he could be this close to the fur fam.
Yiannopoulos WISHES he could be this close to the fur fam. Timothy Kenney

Microsoft is going to be our new neighbor: Well, WeWork is Stranger World Headquarter's new neighbor, but Microsoft is planning on taking up an entire floor of the new office building, reports the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. (A dad joke from Capitol Hill Seattle Blog's JSeattle: "No, Microsoft is not going to acquire WeWork and rename it Microsoft Office.") Soon, our office will probably be a WeWork, too. That is if people keep buying the company's "financial snake oil."

At a congressional hearing last week, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined WeWork's many critics: After originally being valued at $47 billion in January, WeWork is considering going public at a valuation around $10 billion. AOC isn't having it: "They had raised on a previous valuation of $47 billion, and now they just decided overnight 'Just kidding, we're worth $20 billion,'" said AOC. "You're getting fleeced," she said to the company's investors. Microsoft doesn't seem to mind the ruse. See you soon, neighbor!

New Saturday Night Live hire Shane Gillis gets fired before he can even start: Gillis was dropped from the cast after multiple separate recordings were revealed which showed Gillis using slurs against gays, Asians, Andrew Yang, and Bernie Sanders. There was other stuff but I can't keep track. Yang said he shouldn't be fired, but SNL didn't listen to him.

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Visual Art

Currently Hanging: Brandon Vosika's Portraits Of My Feelings

by Jasmyne Keimig • Monday at 4:13 pm

BLUENESS by Brandon Vosika at his show Portraits Of My Feelings.
"BLUENESS" by Brandon Vosika at his show Portraits Of My Feelings. Jasmyne Keimig

I think when we talk about "feeling our feelings," the connotation is often that we'll be slogging through trauma or complaining about significant others. But what about the feeling of cuddling up to a beloved pet? Or tucking into a spaghetti and meatball entree at Buca di Beppo? Those moments can be equally ripe with emotion and sentiment.

It's this spectrum of emotion, of feelings that Seattle artist Brandon Vosika explored in his latest body of work, which debuted this past weekend at his show, Portraits Of My Feelings. I've been a big fan of Vosika's ever since he painted 55 mini-portraits of horses and ponies for The Factory's Valentine's Day show earlier this year—I still have one at my desk. The event this weekend served as a release for his new 24-page, four-color risograph book, also called Portraits Of My Feelings, as well as a series of paintings, watercolors, prints, sculptures, and stickers. Each book, it's worth mentioning, is signed by Vosika and contains an original drawing.

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Sponsored

Isis Goldberg is Helping LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers Find a Home

This article is the latest in a series documenting the important work being done at Entre Hermanos, presented by Uncle Ike's Pot Shop.

Everyone who knows about Entre Hermanos knows that it’s the go-to organization for HIV help in the Latinx LGBTQ+ community. What fewer people know is that, in addition to being a safe place to get assistance with HIV care and counseling, the organization is also helping free trans asylum seekers from detention.

Learn more.

International

France Effectively Declares War on the United States

by Charles Mudede • Monday at 3:25 pm

French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 Summit this past August
French president Emmanuel Macron at a G7 Summit session this past August. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

As Donald Trump's administration scrambles to make sense of what exactly happened in Saudi Arabia this weekend (who deployed the drones that hit two major oil facilities and sent shock waves through the oil markets?), it might be profitable to consider France, and particularly the recent doings and pronouncements of its present leader, Emmanuel Macron. It seems he is moving to fill a void left by Trump's unwise destruction of Obama's geopolitical program, which was continuous with (and not a break from) the US's long-established foreign-policy objectives. And Macron's move to international prominence will prove to be an excellent distraction from his never-ending domestic problems—the yellow jackets movement, his fall in the polls, and so on. As a shift in leadership is occurring in Berlin (Angela Merkel is stepping down), and London is stuck in the swamp of Brexit, Paris has been presented with a golden opportunity to step on the global stage and make itself known.

Before the surprise attack in Saudi Arabia, there was another surprise attack that happened at the G7 summit in August. Macron invited Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the event (which took place in Biarritz, France) without informing Trump's team. The US was simply blindsided by Macron and exposed as complete amateurs. And what Macron showed Europe is that France could run circles around the United States. And now this. The spectacular drone attack.

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Film/TV

In Space, No One Can Hear You Complain About Your Daddy Issues

by Erik Henriksen • Monday at 3:00 pm

shorts_ad_astra-twentieth_century_fox.jpg
Twentieth Century Fox

In Ad Astra's near future, going to the moon is so pedestrian—you can fly there commercial—that once you arrive at the spaceport, you're greeted by a Hudson News and an Applebee's. It's when you venture further out—into the sprawling no-man's-land of disputed lunar territory—that the moon buggies full of space pirates show up, and things get weirder (and bloodier) on the tense journey from the cold, austere moon to dark, dusky Mars, then on the long, airless traverse to Neptune.

"Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence," a wise man once said, and such is the case in Ad Astra, where there are a few other things, too: loneliness, failure, and enough daddy issues to fill a couple rocket boosters.

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Arts • Things To Do • Culture

The 59 Best Things To Do in Seattle This Week: September 16-22, 2019

by Stranger EverOut Staff • Monday at 2:16 pm

Ligia Lewiss gory goth fairytale Water Will (in Melody) is the final act of a triptych from the Dominican American choreographer.
Ligia Lewis's gory goth fairytale Water Will (in Melody) is the final act of a triptych from the Dominican American choreographer. Maria Baranova

Our music critics have already chosen the 44 best music shows this week, but now it's our arts and culture critics' turn to recommend the best events in their areas of expertise. Here are their picks in every genre—from the Local Sightings Film Festival to an evening with Eric Andre, and from Paula Vogel's Tony Award–winning play Indecent to the Smoke Farm Symposium. See them all below, and find even more events on our complete Things To Do calendar.

Heading to Portland or Tacoma? Check out EverOut to find things to do there and in Seattle, all in one place.

MONDAY

READINGS & TALKS
Caitlin Doughty: Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?
No one might know what happens when you die (actually, I do: nothing), but funeral director, mortician, and YouTube star Caitlin Doughty can certainly answer less ethereal questions about death. For instance: Do people poop when they die? And how do I get a Viking funeral? And, of course, will my cat eat my eyeballs out when I die alone on my kitchen floor after choking on a cupcake? Doughty’s new book answers these questions and many more, and like all her work, will help demystify the most inevitable and perhaps most mysterious part of being alive: dying. KATIE HERZOG

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News • Weed

Two More Washington Cases Connected to Mysterious Vape Illness

by Lester Black • Monday at 1:52 pm

Some vape cartridges in Washington might be making people sick.
Some vape cartridges in Washington might be making people sick. 6OKEAN / GETTY IMAGES

The Washington Department of Health (DOH) has reported two new cases of severe respiratory illness suspected to be related to vaping. That brings the total number of people believed to have fallen ill from vaping in Washington state to three after the DOH reported the first case last week.

A mysterious vaping illness has spread across the country in recent months with vaping linked to nearly 400 illnesses and six deaths. The illness involves shortness of breath, coughing, and chest pain and is suspected to be caused by additives to e-cigarettes and cannabis vape cartridges.

DOH did not have many details about the two new cases but said that they are investigating the cases further and are now calling the vape illness a “state-wide outbreak.”

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Music • Death

RIP, Ric Ocasek, Cars Frontman and New-Wave Icon

by Dave Segal • Monday at 1:30 pm

One of rocks savviest hookmeisters ever, circa the 1970s
One of rock's savviest hookmeisters ever, circa the 1970s. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Ric Ocasek, who became rock's skinniest superstar and one of its savviest hookmeisters as frontman for Boston new wave group the Cars, died in his Manhattan home on September 15. Cause of death has not been reported yet; he was either 75 or 70, depending on which source you believe. (This is strange; how can there be such a discrepancy in a person born in the mid-20th century? Anyway...)

A master minimalist in the pop-rock realm, vocalist/rhythm guitarist/composer Ocasek scored several hits with the Cars and fashioned a respectable solo career full of elegant, moody songs that dissected romance and existentialism in an accessible manner. He also produced records for edgier artists such as synth-punk duo Suicide (plus two Alan Vega solo joints) and hardcore punk/reggae pioneers Bad Brains, as well as indie-rock workhorses Guided by Voices and Weezer, Jonathan Richman, Le Tigre, and Romeo Void. Ocasek and future Cars bandmate Benjamin Orr also played in the prog-rock group Milkwood, which released one LP in 1972.

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Politics

Joe Biden's CornPop Story Is Crazy, but It Might Be True

by Katie Herzog • Monday at 1:00 pm

Joe Biden: Presidential hopeful and Barack Obama stan
Joe Biden: Presidential hopeful and Barack Obama stan. Win McNamee/Getty

Joe Biden, Barack Obama's biggest fan and the current front-runner (for some reason) for the Democratic nomination for president, is becoming increasingly famous for his uncanny ability to stick his foot in his mouth. Over the weekend, a 2017 video resurfaced on social media that had a lot of people asking, "What the fuck is that man thinking?"

This all started when Michael Harriot, a senior writer at the Root, posted a very funny thread on Twitter questioning the veracity of a story Biden told in his 2007 memoir about his time working as a lifeguard at a black pool in 1962. It's a long thread (read it all here), but he starts out:

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Savage Love

I'm Gay and Being Bullied By My Hyper-Religious Parents—What Do I Do?

by Dan Savage • Monday at 12:54 pm

SAVAGE-Letter-of-the-Day-STAMP-2019.jpg
I am a 16-year-old boy who was recently forced out of the closet. My mother asked me if I saw a future with a woman, I did not respond because I did not want to lie anymore, and I have regretted my silence ever since. My family is a strict Catholic and Republican household. I am the youngest of five nearly perfect siblings and I attend a all-male boarding school. So when my mother found out that I "might" be gay, we immediately had a conversation. She let me know that she and my father will always love me and never give up on me, but that they will never accept this. She kept asking me, "How do you know? You have never been with a girl. Maybe you're confused." And I agreed that I am confused. (Even though I'm pretty sure that I am not.) I said anything and everything to make the conversation stop.

All this happened back in April and now I am home from school and have found out that she told my dad. They are spinning this from a completely religious point of view and have been giving me lots of "Catholic Boy Guilt." But part of the problem is that I am still saying that I am confused and not ready to talk about anything FOR A WHILE. After the conversation with my Dad putting the religious spin on the situation, I am definitely confused. My whole life I have always worked to please my parents and I never want to disappoint them, but I cannot deny the sexual attractions I have towards men. Also in the conversation including my dad, my mom seriously thinks that the devil is inside me and tempting me. (It was extremely hard to keep a straight face and not laugh.) My parents are extremely stubborn but I know that they come from a kind-hearted place. They just have views that disapprove of me and how I want to live my life. I told my parents that this is not a choice, my mother said that it is a choice to act upon my feelings. My dad thinks that it is easier to hook up with men than women, and that I want to take the easier route.

I am still religious, not hardcore or anything. I pray, believe in God and Jesus, and I do believe that there are mistakes in the Old Testament. God did not write it and humans do make mistakes. I know that to move on from the situation, I need to confirm to my parents that I am gay and am not changing. But the situation is extremely awkward. How am I supposed to tell my parents that I basically want a dick in my mouth? I am still just a 16-year-old kid and I have to live with and be dependent on my parents. I don't want to throw the situation in their faces constantly and end up alienating them, but they (especially my mom) are constantly telling me to pray and soon they will alienate me. I have no one to talk to. My parents and I have agreed not to tell anyone, but I am thinking that I may need therapy. I may need someone outside the situation without the religious element involved, to talk to.

I just don't know how to defend myself. I have no one to talk to. I honestly just don't want to be in this life. I don't want to disappoint my parents. But I need my happiness. Please tell me what I should say and how I could make the situation better.

Me

P.S. Please respond, at least with an email back to me. I need someone to talk to. I have no one and I am about to go insane. I am sad all the time but I have to hide it.

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Things To Do • EverOut

The Best Things To Do in Seattle: Fall 2019

by Stranger EverOut Staff • Monday at 12:30 pm

Clockwise from top left: Titians Danae (featured in SAMs Flesh and Blood: Italian Masterpieces from the Capodimonte Museum), Hanif Abdurraqib, The Lighthouse, Pilobolus: Come to Your Senses, the Seventh Annual Freakout Fest, Tinariwen.
Clockwise from top left: Titian's Danae (featured in SAM's Flesh and Blood: Italian Masterpieces from the Capodimonte Museum), Hanif Abdurraqib, The Lighthouse, Pilobolus: Come to Your Senses, the Seventh Annual Freakout Fest, Tinariwen.

Seattle Art and Performance, our quarterly guide to everything artsy happening in Seattle this fall (between September 16–December 8), is out on the streets now. In addition to the extensive calendars in the print copy, you can now also find lists of this fall's best events online, including:

  • The best theater, dance, and comedy, from a Carmina Burana/Agon double feature to Nick Kroll to Austen's Pride.

  • The best readings and talks, from Tim O'Brien to Gloria Steinem to David Sedaris.

  • The best art shows and events, from a photography show inspired by Diane Arbus to Italian treasures from a Naples museum to the New Burke Grand Opening.

  • The best music shows, from Earshot Jazz Festival to Billy Cobham's Crosswinds Project to the Who.

  • The best festivals, from Refract: the Seattle Glass Experience to Freakout to Short Run.

  • The best film releases and festivals, from Local Sightings to Parasite to The Lighthouse.

    As always, you can find everything happening in Seattle this fall on our EverOut Things To Do calendar.

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    • Film/TV

    Downton Abbey Movie Is Still Very British, but It Lacks the TV Show’s Heart

    by Blair Stenvick • Monday at 12:00 pm

    downton-abbey-.jpg
    JAAP BUITENDIJK / © 2019 FOCUS FEATURES, LLC

    The wonderful thing about watching Downton Abbey on TV was that occasionally the plot would take a turn so British and so old-fashioned that it was hard to figure out what the hell was going on. Cousins got married and it wasn’t weird, men already wearing tuxedos fretted about not being suitably dressed for dinner, and I distinctly remember one episode’s plot hinging on the question of whether a maid was lying about her ability to cook a “restorative broth”—still not sure what that was all about!

    Now available in less-convenient movie form, Downton Abbey doubles down on the maddeningly whimsical British stuff, but it lacks the grace and gentle tension of the series. That series, an ensemble drama about a fictional aristocratic family and their live-in servants at a country estate in early 1900s England, was at its best when it juxtaposed the scope and hardships of the “upstairs” and “downstairs” characters. It could even occasionally border on social commentary—but in a mild-mannered, polite way, like a few drops of acidic lemon in a proper cup of tea.

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    Theater

    A Bloody Funny Revenge Play About Literally Killing the Patriarchy

    by Rich Smith • Monday at 11:11 am

    Racine (Kamaria Hallums-Harris) and Anaia (Maya Burton) set out to kill their father.
    Racine (Kamaria Hallums-Harris) and Anaia (Maya Burton) set out to kill their father. CHRIS BENNION

    All her life, Anaia had dreams about her mother burning in a fire. It was the same fire that burned up her family home, and that disfigured her face and the body of her twin sister, Racine. When the twins reconnect with their estranged mother, whom they call She (and also God), they learn Anaia's dreams are actually memories, and that the fire was no accident.

    Their father, whose name is Man, deliberately lit She and the children on fire. Now on her deathbed, She has one request of her daughters: Kill Man and everyone around him.

    The audience learns all of this information in the first 10 minutes of Is God Is, a new play by Aleshea Harris put on by Washington Ensemble Theatre at 12th Avenue Arts through September 23. The next 80 minutes of the show are a funny, bloody, twisty (but kind of predictable) revenge play that's tons of fun to watch.

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    Food & Drink

    LAST CHANCE TO SUBMIT YOUR VOTE: Who Is Your Favorite Bartender, Seattle?

    by Leilani Polk • Monday at 10:46 am

    Darci Carlson, one of 2018s winning bartenders
    Darci Carlson, one of 2018's winning bartenders Kingmon Creative

    Last year, we kicked off our inaugural Best Bartender Contest. Thousands of Stranger readers weighed in on the drink slingers they most adored and the winners were profiled with Q&As in our 2018 Happy Hour Guide. They were Marcus Emery (The Nook, The Matador), Darci Carlson (Drunky Two Shoes BBQ, Dottie's Double Wide), Amber Walsh (Saint John's Bar & Eatery), Elizabeth "Hefe" Farman (Crocodile, Chop Suey), and Karuna Long (Oliver's Twist). (Digital copy of the issue here.)

    We're reviving the survey in 2019, looking for five more fantastic bartenders whose games are ON. Please submit your answers RIGHT HERE, no later than noon on Monday, September 16. The bartenders who earn the most votes will be featured in The Stranger’s Fall & Winter 2019 Guide to Seattle’s Happiest Happy Hours, which hits the streets on October 9.

    Music • Things To Do • EverOut

    The 44 Best Music Shows in Seattle This Week: September 16-22, 2019

    by Stranger EverOut Staff • Monday at 10:30 am

    Composed of Degenerate Art Ensemble members, the new art-rock group Skeleton Flower will play songs from their debut album at the Neptune on Saturday.
    Composed of Degenerate Art Ensemble members, the new art-rock group Skeleton Flower will play songs from their debut album at the Neptune on Saturday. Artist photo

    This week, our music critics have picked everything from English synth-pop outfit Hot Chip to Elton John's last Washington tour stop ever to Kremwerk's namesake festival Kremfest. Follow the links below for ticket links and music clips for all of their picks, and find even more shows on our complete music calendar.

    Heading to Portland or Tacoma? Check out EverOut to find things to do there and in Seattle, all in one place.

    MONDAY

    BLUES/COUNTRY/FOLK
    Blanco White
    London-based musician Blanco White blends American folk with Andean and Flamenco influences. Catch him in Seattle after an opening set from Shrewsbury singer-songwriter Dan Owen.

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    News • Sports

    Hundreds of Fans Walked Out of Sunday’s Sounders Game

    by Lester Black • Monday at 10:04 am

    Picture this area of the field, except a lot emptier.
    Picture this area of the field, except a lot emptier. Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

    Sounders fans had plenty to cheer about Sunday in their team's 4-2 win, but by the end of the match the Sounders' most loyal supporters were nowhere to be seen. Hundreds of fans had left the CenturyLink stadium mid-game after officials stopped them from flying an anti-fascist flag because it was too overtly political.

    Major League Soccer (MLS) is trying to censor liberal politics at its soccer games and if Sunday’s game, or a recent game in Portland, are any signal, Pacific Northwest soccer fans aren’t ready to give up.

    Sunday’s game is the latest flare-up in a long simmering fight between MLS and the league’s fans over how political spectators are allowed to be at matches. For years, MLS has actively courted the European and South American style of soccer fandom, where supporters develop deep, almost religious allegiances to formally organized clubs. The MLS succeeded in creating these fan clubs—which has helped boost participation in the young league—but now executives are grappling with their own idea coming home to roost in the form of lefty politics in American stadiums.

    Here’s a photo of the nearly vacant fan section at CenturyLink Field (called the Brougham End) after officials kicked a flag-waving fan out.

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