Out for waffles at some new brunch place and don’t know how to talk about anything that happened this week? Weekend Crib Notes is your guide to news and pop culture conversations of the week, in Toronto and beyond.
Crowder Gets Clocked
The gist: Occasional FOX News correspondent, right wing shit disturber, noted longtime virgin, and (incidentally) Canadian Steven Crowder was punched in the head a bunch of times this week while trying to stir the pot at a right to work protest in Michigan.
What people are saying: Crowder himself appeared on Fox & Friends to challenge the union “thug” who cranked him to “a legal, sanctioned mixed martials arts bout,” as if labourers with real jobs and politics who actually care about things ascribe to the same bro code Crowder and his buddies cooked up in college while getting wasted on Sam Adams after their William F. Buckley reading group. Gawker’s Max Read noted that Crowder got what was coming, while others responded to that with standard, knee-jerk “Violence is bad!” tisk-tisking.
Curveball: Did you know Crowder used to voice Brain on the Canadian kids’ TV show Arthur? It’s true. Whether or not that shifts your sympathies one way or another is your call.
Pithy point: Steven Crowder tries to debunk pro-drug policy by “interviewing” children and the mentally ill. He’s highly punchable. But still…
The plot against Bieber
The gist: News break this week of an alleged (and foiled) attempt on the life of the Canadian popstar-prankster. Details include: the killer being a deranged superfan with a Bieber tattoo on his leg.
What people are saying: Blah blah blah people are obsessed with celebrities blah blah blah John Hinckley Jr.
Curveball: Reports suggest that part of the plot involved the would-be killer’s plan to castrate Bieber and sell his icky trophy off for something like $2,500/testicle. Where do you find a fence that can give you $2,500 a testicle? It’s a weird world.
Pithy point: Using a price-per-testicle yardstick, this probably makes Justin Bieber the most famous person in the world.
Golden Globe noms named
The gist: The 70th annual Golden Globe nominees are announced. Unsurprisingly, Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, which was built to be nominated for awards, was nominated for a bunch of awards.
What people are saying: No love for Beasts Of The Southern Wild? No love for TV’s Louie? No Rick Gervais?!
Curveball: Not really a curveball, but it’s pretty much acknowledged that these awards are bought and paid for by the studios, so don’t lose to much sleep over The Master not getting a Best Picture nod or whatever.
Pithy point: Make that joke everyone’s been making about Lincoln doing well in theatres…for once! Ha! (We do not endorse presidential assassinations.)
Casino consult
The gist: With the clock ticking towards to a council vote next spring on whether to bring a casino to Toronto, the city is asking for the public’s input on the possibility of setting up a little piece of Vegas this side of the 49th parallel. Starting January 9, the city will hold five public consultations across the city on the controversial proposal.
What people are saying: Odds are that the vast majority of people who take the time to come to the consultations will be passionately opposed to a casino. But in the end, that may not matter. Council will have the final say early next year.
Curveball: Toronto isn’t much fun these days (we don’t even allow pinball!), so why not plop Bellagio North in the middle of town? Could liven things up around here.
Pithy point: Casinos are for cities that are broke and out of ideas. We’re better than this.
