Where To Next?

So, most of us are stuck inside for the majority of the time at the moment (thanks pandemic!). I'm not going to lie, it hasn't changed my life a great deal. I work from home, and I do not like going out at the best of times. I would much rather be at home reading a book or watching TV than going out shopping or something. I do miss catching up with friends in person (we now communicate mostly via memes), going out for dinner (I can't wait to go out for dumplings, because they're just not the same when you get them delivered), and seeing live theatre and comedy shows. But mostly, I am enjoying living my best sloth life. And I'm ahead of schedule on my Goodreads challenge for the first time ever. My husband and I have also completed two whole puzzles, so we are absolutely winning at life. So, I thought I would share what I have been watching and reading, because then I can claim it was research. Yes, it is all writing research, very important. Can I claim Netflix as...

So, most of us are stuck inside for the majority of the time at the moment (thanks pandemic!). I'm not going to lie, it hasn't changed my life a great deal. I work from home, and I do not like going out at the best of times. I would much rather be at home reading a book or watching TV than going out shopping or something. I do miss catching up with friends in person (we now communicate mostly via memes), going out for dinner (I can't wait to go out for dumplings, because they're just not the same when you get them delivered), and seeing live theatre and comedy shows. But mostly, I am enjoying living my best sloth life. And I'm ahead of schedule on my Goodreads challenge for the first time ever. My husband and I have also completed two whole puzzles, so we are absolutely winning at life. So, I thought I would share what I have been watching and reading, because then I can claim it was research. Yes, it is all writing research, very important. Can I claim Netflix as...

I have finished watching Tiger King, and it was fascinating, sad, and crazy as all hell. Just as described. I wrote about the first episode here, if you want an intro before you dive right in: https://wheretonextblog.blogspot.com/2020/03/tiger-king-murder-mayhem-and-madness.html If you haven't yet jumped on the bandwagon and watched Tiger King on Netflix then you are missing out. There will be spoilers below, so if you're planning on watching the series then go do that and come back. So, where to begin? Well, the series focuses on Joe Exotic, the owner of a "zoo" which houses over 200 big cats, mainly tigers, as well as monkeys, alligators, and probably a bunch of other animals. They delve a little bit into how Joe began his love of big cats, how he experienced homophobia from his family and was in a dark place, even trying to kill himself, and when he was recuperating he found comfort in the baby tigers belonging to a friend. He started his zoo as a memorial ...

You have probably heard people talking about the new Netflix documentary, Tiger King. Mullets, big cats, attempted murder, polygamy, it apparently has everything you could possibly want in a documentary. I love a crazy true story, and this seems like it could be the greatest thing since Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, or In Plain Sight, so I decided to check it out. I have only watched the first episode so far, and I can already tell that this is going to be a wild ride. Warning: spoilers for the first episode below. The documentary tells the story of Joe Exotic, the owner of a private zoo in America which houses a number of wild animals with the main attraction being his big cats, of which he has over 200. We meet his employees, his husband, Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle (another wildlife enthusiastic who runs an animal preserve and trains wild animals for movies), and Joe's nemesis, Carole Baskin, who runs Big Cat Rescue. Carole is a crazy (big) cat lady. T...

I. Am. In. Love. I have just discovered The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and it is freaking brilliant. Luckily for me I am late to the party, as usual, so I can watch all three seasons without having to wait! I have just finished season one, and can't wait to get stuck into season two. I actually came across it as it was being advertised on Amazon Prime (Yes, hello Amazon, your ads are working on me, congratulations), and it seemed to be getting a lot of hype around awards season, so I thought I'd check it out. I really didn't know much about it before watching, just the vague idea that a 50's housewife was trying to be a stand-up comedian. I'm really interested in stand-up comedy so that drew me in, but that's really such a small part of the show, which is rich with strong, unique characters. Come for the comedy, stay for the characters! So first of all we have Miriam (Mrs. Maisel, if you will). Played wonderfully by Rachel Brosnahan, Miriam, Midge to her f...

Vegas, baby! So, I have no self control. Instead of rationing out the series I've been waiting forever for, I binged it all in one day. ONE DAY. I wasn't even sure if I was in the mood to watch it, but I started the first episode, thinking I would watch one or maybe two, then come back to it, but I couldn't stop and had to keep watching. Suddenly it was midnight and there were only two episodes left and well of course I had to finish them. I was left feeling so many feelings. Firstly, that kind of sickly sweet feeling you get when you have eaten all the chocolate, whoops (see, no self control) and realise there is none left. Unfortunately, unlike chocolate, you can't just go out and buy more. It's that devastating feeling of the end of an amazing night, where you are elated at what has transpired but also depressed because it's gone. I also got inspired to write, which I often get when I am immersed in an incredible story, and wish I had had a part in mak...

If, like me, you grew up watching The Simpsons, have valuable space in your brain taken up by memorising all the episodes, and absent-mindedly quote them on a daily basis, then this is the podcast for you. Hosted by Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert, each episode of Talking Simpsons talks about an episode of The Simpsons (pretty self explanatory I guess!). Each episode goes into great detail about the plot of the episode, the jokes, and also what was going on in the world at the time. The guys also talk about the voice actors, writers, showrunners, and what influence they had during their time on the show. So, if you're interested in TV and comedy writing, you will find this really interesting, especially the episodes where they interview some of the people that worked on the show. If you're a big animation fan like the hosts, you'll also enjoy their discussion about that side of things, as they talk about the weird and wonderful moments of animation. Bob and Henry talk ...

  I first became aware of Andrew Rannells from his role of Elijah on Girls. I also noticed him in one of the episodes in the last season of How I Met Your Mother. Then I heard that he played Elder Price in the Broadway production of The Book of Mormon, and I thought it just seems like the perfect role for him, I would have loved to see him in it. As I'm writing this, I realise that I haven't actually been exposed to that much of his work, and it's so funny how quickly we form an opinion of actors. Whether that's falling in love with them, or disliking them for no discernible reason, these feelings become so strong from what can often be very limited exposure to them. But I digress. I really like Andrew Rannells and I was really excited to read his book. Apart from the fact that it was an entertainment memoir by someone I admire, I knew it was also a tale about being young and finding yourself in New York, and as these have turned out to be two of my favourite ca...

What if you woke up one day and discovered that nobody but you knew who The Beatles were? Their history and their songs just ceased to exist, leaving you to wonder if you were going crazy or if everybody was in on some elaborate joke? Well, that's what happens to Jack. Except, instead of booking an appointment with a psychiatrist (which I would be doing in his situation), he decides to turn his life as a struggling musician around by releasing all of The Beatles' hits as his own. As people begin to hear Jack's songs and he catapults to stardom, his feelings of guilt begin to surface. It's an interesting moral dilemma. While Jack is lying about writing all of the songs himself, no one would ever find out the truth, and even if they did they wouldn't believe him. The true geniuses behind the music technically don't exist, so who is he really hurting? It's hard to imagine what you would do in that situation. While I really enjoyed this movie; the...

Long Shot is a rom-com, with the emphasis on the com. As well as being one of the best rom-coms this year, it is also one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. It made me laugh embarrassingly loudly in public, which is always an indication of a great movie. Charlize Theron is so glamorously beautiful in a way that would make you hate her, if she didn't also seem like a wonderful, fun, down to earth person. Playing Charlotte Field, the U.S. Secretary of State, who is trying to implement a huge environmental deal and secure her place in the next presidential campaign, Charlize possesses the poise and grace of a politician, and also the comedic skills that the role requires.  Meanwhile, Seth Rogen is his usual hilarious self as Fred Flarsky, a journalist who, despite his outspoken nature, finds himself working as Charlotte's speech writer. The casting in this movie is amazing. As well as Charlize and Seth, you have June Diane Raphael (who you may recogn...

Well, the 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival has come to a close. I saw so many amazing shows, some that I just didn't get time to review unfortunately, but I wanted to end with my review of the last show I saw, Mark Gambino's The Return of Grazie Fibonacci. This show takes you on an adventure, full of wonderful and eccentric characters, some of whom wouldn't be out of place in a David Sedaris short story. The scenes are interspersed with a witty recording of a radio show, removing any possible awkwardness from those in-between scene costume change moments, while continuing the laughs from the audience. From a commercial flight, to a Ted talk, to a game show, to the wonder that is Jurassic Park, you will be taken places you didn't expect to go. Always with a fascinating, hilarious character to guide you through. Don't be alarmed, but there is some audience participation. Nothing embarrassing though, it's just the audience assisting with the sh...

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is back! One of my favourite times of year. It's just cold enough to bring out the cute scarves and jackets, but not so cold that you refuse to leave the house. The streets are full of happy people, and Melbourne seems a little bit more shiny, reminding us why we love it here. If you haven't seen Dilruk for awhile, you may be surprised when you see him, for he has lost a fair bit of weight. If you have never seen him before, well, he used to be bigger. How he made the decision to lose weight, how he did it, and the struggle of keeping it off, is the basis of this year's show. Cheat Day(s) is an honest account of weight loss. Not just the exercise and the eating, but the emotional journey that Dil has gone on, digging deep to discover why it is he put on weight in the first place. I think this is a really important show, for a few reasons. I think it's rare for people to discuss weight loss in a way that isn't prea...

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is back! One of my favourite times of year. It's just cold enough to bring out the cute scarves and jackets, but not so cold that you refuse to leave the house. The streets are full of happy people, and Melbourne seems a little bit more shiny, reminding us why we love it here. If, like me, you haven't seen Josh Earl's stand up before, apparently there is usually singing, a guitar, and a screen, which sounds really fun. This year, Josh has chosen a more pared back version, just him, a microphone, and some of his funniest stories from his life. It's classic stand-up storytelling at its best, a hilarious journey through Josh's life, from his early childhood growing up in Tasmania, to awkward sexual encounters in his teen years. I'm hoping that next year will be a sequel, where Josh will explore his life post-high school and his first foray into stand-up comedy. I would also be really keen to see some of his more ...

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is back! One of my favourite times of year. It's just cold enough to bring out the cute scarves and jackets, but not so cold that you refuse to leave the house. The streets are full of happy people, and Melbourne seems a little bit more shiny, reminding us why we love it here. Unfortunately The Big HOO-HAA! is only on for a limited run this Comedy Festival, with just three shows, each featuring a different genre (horror, musical, sexy). But don't despair! If you can't make it to next Monday's show (the sexy one!), we are lucky enough here in Melbourne to be able to see them perform every Friday night (from April 26 onwards) at The Butterfly Club. However, make sure you get tickets in advance, because they do sell out! I went along to the musical-themed night, which I was very excited about because I love a musical. It was also very fitting for my week, which has already seen me cry at the series finale of Crazy E...