Firehose #150: Dancin’ in the Rain

And: Iran, Iran so far away

Look, just because the universe brings you rain, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dance (and sing!). As exclusively reported on Episode #511, the motley assemblage of Fif’ stalwarts pictured above demonstrated to an insufficiently enthusiastic Yankee Stadium on Thursday the proper method for waiting out a rain delay, which -- who knew? -- includes MAGA Mary giving Dancing Barry a run for his money. Never learn not to party for your right to fight!

* Since both the Internet and some nice Yankee-fan ladies were complimentary of my patriotic/WTF Angels shirt above, let me give all credit to the Angel-fanatic family of Ask a Jew co-pilot ChayaLeah Sufrin, whose own Exodus this week was the stuff of New York Post headlines. Like, “Hundreds of Young Americans on Israel Birthright Trips Evacuated by Cruise Ship After Surviving Ballistic Missile Attacks by Iran.” Let’s see, were all those college kids on a Mediterranean cruise ship being appropriately somber given geopolitical events? Haha, there will definitely be Birthright Babies.

While ChayaLeah was busy chaperoning, Yael Bar tur brought on the great Israeli journalist, Jewish Insider political correspondent for Lahav Harkov, to talk “Iran, Israel, Trump, Bibi, sexy war planes, and what it’s like raising a family in war.”

* Much Iran talk this week also on The Moynihan Report. First up was Roya Hakakian, author of Assassins of the Turquoise Palace:

* Then came a debate between intervention skeptic Justin Logan and Menachem Begin fanclub president Eli Lake (veteran of #52, #65, #141, #174, Special Dispatch #51, #326, #368, #407, Members Only #184, and M.O. #244), which was followed by an “Ask Moynihan Anything” segment:

* Two more, if ever-so-slightly older, Iran-related bits from our lot’s editor-at-larging work: 1) Kmele, on Tangle’s Sunday podcast, discussing our #509 interview with Sen. Rand Paul, plus “the challenges faced by Democrats in responding to protests and immigration issues,” “the role of the National Guard in civil unrest, the impact of public perception on political messaging,” “the recent arrest of Senator Padilla,” “the potential for dramatic confrontations,” “the complexities of political criticism, the evolving relationship between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, and the implications of Tulsi Gabbard's recent remarks on AI and nuclear war.” 2) Me on Monday’s Reason Roundtable, doing Iran/Israel + ICE protests, No Kings, and Trump corruption:

* Speaking of the Roundtable, we’re taping live in NYC at The Village Underground on July 15; get your tickets here. Other upcoming events include a June 24 Reason Versus debate in Washington, D.C., on whether to legalize all drugs, with Billy Binion and Jacob Sullum on the freedom side; City Journal’s Charles Fain Lehman and Rafael Mangual arguing for The Man. Then on June 25 there’s a Reason Speakeasy in NYC where Nick Gillespie (S.D. #72, #379, M.O. #251) will talk to our colleague Elizabeth Nolan Brown about her recent cover story, “Anti-Vax and Protein-Maxx: Does RFK Jr.'s MAHA movement want to loosen the government's grasp on food and medicine—or use government power to impose blueberries on everyone else?”

* On #511, guest Harry Siegel surmised that this was his third appearance on The Fifth Column. LIES! It’s actually numero quatro. The gravelly voiced New Yorkologist was on #3, way back in April 2016 (“Clinton vs Sanders, Incarcerating Climate Skeptics and Police Shooting Stats in Chicago”); #116 in October 2018 (“Soros' Paid Protest Mobs, Team Woke vs Team Resentment”); and #320 in June 2021 (“Bonfire of Insanity, The Unmaking of a Mayor, CRT IRL”). Those wishing to see or hear Siegel’s recent mayoral-related content are advised to consult The City podcast (“New York Times, You’ve Gone Rogue”) June 16, the Daily News (“NYC’s Lousy Election Rules Create Lousy Choices”) June 14, The City podcast again (“Is Cuomo Choking?”) June 2, and the Daily News again (“Mamdami’s Moment for Momentum: The Surging Socialist in the Democratic Mayoral Primary”) on May 31.

* Quick visual reminder of certain summertime height requirements:

* Speaking of tall ladies, there have been many recent controversies around WNBA mega-star/hate-magnet Caitlin Clark. You can bet your sweet patootie that having an opinion on said subject is our sportsball pal Ethan Strauss (#185, #333, #383, M.O. #151, #408), with a two-fer of “Does the NBA Secretly Want to Clean Up the WNBA?” and his latest Random Offense episode with guest Mike Pesca (#343, #418, #467):

* I know some of you are turned off by music talk around here. But also! Many more of the subset that provides direct feedback seem to like it, so here’s my suggestion for the former (also applicable to those who despise certain guests, or other random topics): Skip the parts that don’t interest you! We produce 90+ podcasts a year, in addition to 60+ written thingies (including a Listener Clapback listing all your favorite four-album runs!), a handful of live shows, various meetups (see the top of this missive); additionally, the broader Fif’ community generates copious extra-curricular product/activity in the Comments, Chat, on various WhatsApp grouplets, other podcasts…. Just sample from the best, ignore the rest, and I daresay you’ll still find plenty of value for your buck. If not, the freebie pod still beckons!

Throat thus cleared, I mentioned on M.O. #263 that a few years back I painstakingly assembled (with the generous assistance of many Fif’ listeners!) a month-by-month Spotify playlist for that revolutionary year for both music and geopolitics, 1989. Listener punk frog asked for links, so I’m reproducing those here. Scroll past if you don’t care! Though also, here you’ll find MUCH less Boomer rock, much more of the new green shoots of rap, grunge, nu country, industrial, skate punk … plus a whole lotta metal.

January: Sick of You

February: Lord Can You Hear Me

March: Crown of Thorns

April: Endless Rain

May: I Am the Resurrection

June: Epic

July: Nothing Ever Happens

August: Slipping Away

September: Ring Them Bells

October: Road to Your Soul

November: I Want to Conquer the World

December: Gutter Ballet

* Comment of the Week comes from Is It Aliens?:

Welch, as a millennial raised by a Beach Boys dad, who, if alive, would have geeked out on this episode as well…I loved it and actually wanted a Q and A. I may need to listen again. Thank you!

As a Weezerhead (pretending that is a thing) and a Beach Boys lover (you had to pick them or the Beatles and I chose my side of this debate long ago), you’ve explained to me why Weezer does its albums they way they do. It’s an investment in the music that came before: Van Weezer and Pacific Daydream, specifically. The latter includes a song titled “Beach Boys,” which would have been a better song to get my young kids hooked to than “Zombie Bastards” (you live and learn, I guess).

My Q for the Q&A would be: what about Queen? Didn’t they do some masterful vocal harmonies? You said it wasn’t close. Love to hear why.

A: These are all matters of opinion, of course! But the constant counter-melody/harmonies/overlapping-WTFs, a capella AYFKMs, plus that familial warm butter, just cuts above for me.

Walkoff: Having discovered to my horror in the aftermath of M.O. #263 that I have been mis-nationalizing the great Matthew Sweet for lo these past 35 years, here’s an older clip of the Nebraska stalwart (currently recovering from a stroke!) giving tribute (along with Darius Rucker) to his “by far, number-one musical idol”: