​A few months back, I wrote here about the rock and hard place the Republican Party has crammed itself into with Trump announcing he was a candidate to avoid prosecution – er, sorry, I mean to be president of the United States.
 
On the one hand, the problem is that there is a growing contingent in the GOP that believes (based on understandable reason) if Trump is the party’s nominee and standard bearer his losing streak will continue and it will crush the GOP in 2024, not only for the White House but also drag down the other races whose candidates will have to loyally support him and his white supremacist, anti-Semitic pathologically lying fascism and continue the Big Lie and support of the Insurrection to overthrow the government and democracy, all of which massively undercut the party in the 2022 Mid-terms.  This growing force doesn’t want him to win, happy to see him lose and go away.  Further, Rupert Murdoch and his Fox “News” and newspapers have already begun shifting their support to Ron DeSantis.
 
And that’s the other hand.  Because if Trump doesn’t get the party’s nomination and does go away in defeat – he will not go away.  For starters, being Trump he will already have been doing his best to undermine and weaken DeSantis – or whoever the nominee is.  And then, as the loser, and being a malignant narcissist, he will do his best to burn the GOP down.  He will likely do all he can to keep shredding the nominee and make clear to his insanely loyal base shouldn’t vote for that person.  If only 5% of his acolytes follow his lead – and it seem reasonable to think the number would be much higher – that would be disastrous for Republicans.
 
Except that’s not the worse scenario.  The worst scenario that I (and others) have suggested is that Trump could run as a third-party candidate.  And if he did that, Republicans would be crushed.  Because the only people he would ever attract votes from would be Republicans.
 
I mention this all because yesterday Trump said the quiet part out loud and gave public voice of sorts to that reality.  On his Trump Social platform, he personally posted a link to an editorial from a MAGA publication called “America Greatness” written by Dan Galenter.
 
While Galenter notes the obvious that if Trump ran in a third party Democrats would easily win.  But he’s okay with that and writes --

"I have no intention of supporting a Republican Party that manifestly contravenes the desires of its voters. The RNC can pretend Trump isn’t loved by the base anymore, that he doesn’t have packed rallies everywhere he goes. But I’m not buying it: Talk to Republican voters anywhere outside the Beltway, and it is obvious that he is admired and even loved by those who consider themselves 'ordinary' Americans."
 
To be clear, the “America Greatness” publication is a blip in the public consciousness, as is Dan Galenter.  But the fact that Trump linked to it on his platform is a foghorn with Klieg lights shining attention on it.
 
Now, of course, this could all be a TrumpBluff to scare his party into making sure he wins.  But it doesn’t matter.  Because if that happens, enough of the GOP is plenty terrified enough already that he might be their nominee.  And just as terrified that it isn’t a bluff.
 
And they should be terrified.  By both options.  Because they’re both horrible.  The only good alternative is if Trump drops out on his own, which he won’t do, unless he’s indicted – which itself would be really horrible for the GOP, because they’ve enabled Trump and the Big Lie and fascism and the Insurrection for the past six years.
 
And they brought it on themselves. 
 
Because they have enabled him for the past six years.
 
It couldn’t happen to more deserving people.

I’m not sure if I agree with their order of things – and the announcer narration ranges between fine and cloying – and wish they didn’t cut the cheering when the real person shows up, but overall (whatever the order, like having Tina Fey as Sarah Palin just an “honorable mention” and however it’s edited) this is a wonderful collection of great impressions done with the actual person participating.

This Australian video is too weird and wildly clever and funny.  The less said, the better, but it will become clear soon enough. 

I haven't found a clear explanation of how this came about, but -- I believe that the video is by Samantha May behind the camera who is the one talking to the horses.  And after it was posted, a fellow named Ethan, who goes by Ozzy Man, added the rest later.  And they deserve lots of credit, even if the work was done separately, to make it come across seamlessly as if written as a piece.  There's a third voice, though it's unidentified -- but I think it may also be Ozzy Man.

Well, there you go.  Yesterday I posted a Media Alert for those with Netflix streaming about David Letterman going to Ukraine for his series ​My Next Guest Needs No Introduction... and talking with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  As it turns out, Netflix has made the 44-minute episode available to everyone.

So, while I was spot-on, I was also premature.  And when I posted a link to it on Facebook yesterday, I thought only people with Netflix accounts would be able to access and foolishly had no idea I was actually embedding it. 

​Here it is.
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This is not part of the Holiday Music Fest this year -- that's over and done with.  But it does overlap very closely with the season, so I thought today would be a good day for it.

But before getting to the video of note, it helps to set it up with this other companion video that puts the Main Show in perspective.

Brett Goldstein plays the deeply gruff character 'Roy Kent' on the series Ted Lasso, and writes for the show, as well.  But in addition to being a pretty genial fellow, he hwas a major love for the Muppets (when he appeared on Sesame Street with them, he said he was one of his career highlights) -- and especially a great love of their movie musical The Muppets Christmas Carol.  (With songs by Paul Williams.)  In this 21-minute video, Goldstein interviews Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo (who narrates the film as Charles Dickens) and Kermit's nephew Robin about his favorite movie.

It's fun, endearing and weird watching the whole interview.  And the details sort of help with the video to follow.  But it's really just to establish the point how much he loves the movie.  So, even just a few minutes should suffice if you want to jump past.
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