Media, current events, politics and various blah-blah with Matt Welch, Nancy Rommelmann and whoever wanders into the Paloma Media compound in Chinatown for cocktails and talk-talk. Come on in!
Nancy Rommelmann and Matt Welch
A reading of "Persephone in New York," originally published on the Make More Pie Substack, Feb. 6, 2023
A reading of "The Collateralists," by Nancy Rommelmann, published on Make More Pie Substack on January 18, 2023.Related: "A Murder in Portland," by Nancy Rommelmann, published in Washington Examiner Magazine on December 29, 2023."A Pox Upon Portland: Progressivism is Killing the City," by Jonah Goldberg, published in The Dispatch on January 20, 2023
A reading of “How Do We Solve a Problem Like George Santos?” By Matt Welch, published at Reason Jan. 12, 2023.
A reading of "The Reality Portland Does Not Want to See," by Nancy Rommelmann, published on her Substack, Make More Pie, on December 30, 2022.Related: "A Murder in Portland," by Nancy Rommelmann (Washington Examiner Magazine)"Good Luck, Portland," by Nancy Rommelmann (Tablet)Ask a Jew podcastThe Fifth Column podcast
A reading of "A Murder in Portland," by Nancy Rommelmann, published January 3, 2023 in Washington Examiner MagazineRelated: "The Reality Portland Does Not Want to See," by Nancy Rommelmann
A reading of “In 2023, People May Finally Be Breaking Their Obsession with Politics,” by Matt Welch, published at Reason Dec. 28, 2022.
Find this and all chapters on Nancy Rommelmann's Substack, Make More Pie
A reading of, “Biden and Journalists Agree: Republicans Would Deliberately 'Crash' the Economy,” by Matt Welch, published at Reason Oct. 26, 2022Bonus: Remy "Raise the Debt Ceiling Rap"
A reading of "'The Police Van Abductions': A Response," by Nancy Rommelmann, published on Substack on Oct. 20, 2022.
A reading of “BTS's Military Conscription Is a Reminder That Mandatory 'Service' Is Servitude,” by Matt Welch, published at Reason Oct. 19.
A reading of “'Pro-Democracy' Journalism's Problem With the Facts,” by Matt Welch, a review of Margaret Sullivan's Newsroom Confidential, published at Reason Oct. 18.
A reading of “We Told You Why and How California's High-Speed Rail Wouldn't Work. You Chose Not To Listen,” by Matt Welch, published at Reason Oct. 13, 2022Bonus video: Meet the People Getting Screwed Over By Jerry Brown's High Speed Rail
A reading of, "Men Without Work," by Nancy Rommelmann, published October 12, 2022 on Rommelmann's Substack, Make More Pie.Related: Men Without Work, by Nicholas Eberstadt"All the (Unemployed) Young Dudes" (The Fifth Column)"Men Are Very Necessary" (Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em)"Americans Are Losing Their Work Ethic," by Matt Welch (Reason)"Americans Are Losing Their Work Ethic" (audio) (Paloma Media podcast)"The Code of the Cop Bar," by Nancy Rommelmann (Make More Pie)
A reading of “Americans Are Losing Their Work Ethic,” by Matt Welch, published at Reason Oct. 7, 2022Listen also to: “All the (Unemployed) Young Dudes,” over at The Fifth Column"Men Are Very Necessary" on Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em
A reading of "Punch Drunk" by Nancy Rommelmann, which first appeared on my Substack, Make More Pie.I am serializing "Forty Bucks and A Dream: Stories of Los Angeles" on Substack. New chapters drop Mondays. Below is the Table of Contents, with links to what's posted before. Please subscribe!PROLOGUEHungry TownSTARLETS1: Forty Bucks and a Dream: The lives of a Hollywood motel2: The Camera and the Audience3: Jena at 15: A childhood in Hollywood4: The Waxer5: The Biggest Dick in the WorldLEADING MEN6: Brown Dirt Cowboys: Meet your Mexican gardening crew7: Punch Drunk8: Us Versus Them: The code of the cop barLEADING LADIES9: Who She Took With Her: The husband, the son, the boyfriend… a drunk's tale10: Giving: the Hollywood way11: No Exit Plan: The lies and follies of Laura Albert, a.k.a., J.T. Leroy12: Porn for WomenBACKGROUND PLAYERS13: Sanctuary: Days and nights at the King Edward Saloon 14: Why Not to Write About the Supreme Master of the Universe: A day with the disciples of Ching Hai15: Playboy: The next generation16: J. Lo in the HouseCUT17: The Marrying Room18: Meet the Neighbors19: The Pathos of Failing20: Bite and Smile
A reading of “Public Schools Experiencing 'White Flight,'” by Matt Welch, published at Reason Sept. 29, 2022Related video: Matt Welch talks about school choice
A reading of "Hollywood's Immortal Sucking Machines: On the eternal rot in the movie Blonde," published Sept. 29, 2022 on Nancy Rommelmann's Substack, Make More Pie.See You Next Tuesday vlog, with Nancy Rommelmann and Matt Welch, (almost) every Tuesday at noon EST on the Paloma Media YouTube. Tune in live to heckle and bring your questions!
"Urban Blinders," recorded 9/27/22. From the weekly See You Next Tuesday vlog, with Nancy Rommelmann and Matt Welch, (almost) every Tuesday at noon EST on the Paloma Media YouTube. Tune in live to heckle and bring yer questions!
The Crying Game, recorded 9/20/22. From the weekly See You Next Tuesday vlog, with Nancy Rommelmann and Matt Welch, (almost) every Tuesday at noon EST on the Paloma Media YouTube. Tune in live to heckle and bring yer questions!
A reading of, "Why the Political Grift Won't Stop" by Matt Welch, published at Reason on Sept. 24, 2022
Episode links:"Dispatch from Ukraine: the Hutnyks of Lviv," by Nancy Rommelmann (Reason) "Dispatch From Ukraine: Living as a Russian in Ukraine," by Nancy Rommelmann (Reason)"Dispatch From Ukraine: 'Let's Go. Let's Not Go.'" by Nancy Rommelmann (Reason)"Are those bombs or sirens?"
“My Lunch with Gorbachev,” originally published by the L.A. Times on April 17, 2007; cleaned up pretty for Paloma Media on Aug. 30, 2022.Related: “It Wasn't What He Wanted, But Gorbachev Allowed an Evil Empire To Collapse,” published at Reason Aug. 30.Watch Matt on The First TV's The Dana Show for 15 minutes on all things Gorby.
A reading of “Field of Welfare: How COVID Funds Might Build a Money-Losing Ballpark in a Cornfield,” by Matt Welch, published Aug. 10 at Reason.
A reading of "U.S. Conservatives Set To Applaud Viktor Orbán's Paranoid Anti-Americanism" and "Viktor Orbán Flatters Republicans With the Lie That Progressive Liberals and Communists Are 'the Same'", by Matt Welch, published at Reason on August 3 and August 5, respectively.Related listening: Related listening: "Hungarian Nationalism Is a Dead End," and "No Self-Respecting American Should Aspire to Hungarian-Style Nationalism
"What Man Can Do to Man: 13 True Crime Books That Get It Right," by Nancy Rommelmann Trailed: One Woman's Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders, by Kathryn Miles. More about Miles at kathrynmiles.netShot in the Heart, by Mikal GilmoreLost Girls, by Robert KolkerBlood Will Out, by Walter KirnThe Adversary, by Emmanuel CarrereColumbine, by Dave CullenDown City, by Leah CarrollI'll Be Gone in the Dark, by Michelle McNamaraSay Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern IrelandThe Journalist and the Murderer, by Janet MalcomHelter Skelter, by Vincent BugliosiIn Cold Blood, by Truman CapoteCrossed Over, by Beverly LowryUnder the Banner of Heaven, by Jon Krakauer
A reading of "The Time Has Come for a Transpartisan 'Repeal' Caucus," by Matt Welch, published at Reason on July 26, 2022
A reading of "Big-City Public Schools, Facing a 'Massive Hemorhagging of Students,' Are Reimposing Mask Mandates," by Matt Welch, published at Reason on July 19, 2022
A reading of, “Self-Defense Is Sexy,” by Matt Welch, published in the July issue of Reason magazine
A reading of "The Doom Crusades," by Nancy Rommelmann, published on Substack on June 20, 2022.
A reading of, "Another Step Backward: The Chesa Boudin Recall," published on Substack on June 7, 2022Related content: "Time's Arrow: The Chesa Boudin Recall"
A reading of "Time's Arrow: The Chesa Boudin Recall," published on Substack on June 4, 2022. Click through for various links and images, including the message a BORTAC member sent Nancy several days after BORTAC broke down the schoolroom in Uvalde, Texas and killed the murdered of 19 children and 2 adults.
A reading of, “Can a Post-'Takeover' Libertarian Party Improve on Its Historical Run of 2012–20?” by Matt Welch, published at Reason June 3.Related reading: “Libertarian Party Rebuffs Mises Uprising,” and “Ron Paul's Mistake.”
A reading of, “How a Baseball Non-Fight Illustrates Our Weird Journalistic Discourse on Racism,” by Matt Welch, published at Reason May 27, 2022
A reading of “Biden Is Right: We Shouldn't Restrict Americans in the Name of Liberating Cuba,” by Matt Welch, published at Reason May 18.
A reading of,“Race and Gender Checks Coming to a Boardroom Near You,” by Matt Welch, published at Reason May 13, 2022
A reading of, “Facing Education Crisis, Biden Admin Seeks to Restrict Charter Schools,” by Matt Welch, published at Reason May 12, 2022
Want to watch this first episode of See You Next Tuesday on YouTube? That's here. And join us each Tuesday at noon EST for the live broadcast and chat, at www.youtube.com/c/PalomaMediaNYCThe Fifth Column podcast on SubstackSmoke 'Em If You Got 'Em on Substack
A reading of, "What Man Can Do To Man: 13 True Crime Books That Get It Right," by Nancy Rommelmann, which ran May 8, 2022, on Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em on Substack. Head over there for all the deets! But quick crib/links for the books:Shot in the Heart, by Mikal GilmoreLost Girls, by Robert KolkerBlood Will Out, by Walter KirnThe Adversary, by Emmanuel CarrereColumbine, by Dave CullenDown City, by Leah CarrollI'll Be Gone in the Dark, by Michelle McNamaraSay Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern IrelandThe Journalist and the Murderer, by Janet MalcomHelter Skelter, by Vincent BugliosiIn Cold Blood, by Truman CapoteCrossed Over, by Beverly LowryUnder the Banner of Heaven, by Jon Krakauer
The girls welcome Liel Leibovitz, editor-at-large of Tablet magazine. Read Liel's essay that made people yell at him.This may have been the Jewiest episode we ever recorded, but goys fear not - we'll be back with the usual nonsense next week.Also: Please join us on Substack! Comment! Email! Give money! Or just sign up and say hey.https://askajew.substack.com/
A reading of "After the War," by Matt Welch, published in the June issue of Reason, posted online May 2.
A reading of, “COVID-19 Policies Wrecked Public School Enrollment and Student Outcomes,” by Matt Welch, posted at Reason April 27.
YouTube link to episode"American Journalism's Most Successful Politician To Step Down From Running The New York Times," by Matt Welch for Reason (audio version)Donald McNeil Jr.'s four-part series on Medium on his dismissal from The New York TimesMcNeil on Baquet's departure from the NYT and on whether or not incoming executive editor Joe Kahn realizes the paper is engaging in struggle sessionsThe Inside Man, New York magazine profile on Joe KahnDonald McNeil Jr. and the State of Play at the NYT, by Nancy Rommelmann for Paloma Media
A reading of xx, by Matt Welch, posted at Reason on April 22, 2022
"9th and Hennepin," by Tom WaitsMuseum of Jurassic TechnologyJoe Frank official website"The World is Not Filled with Monsters," by Ben DreyfussBen Dreyfuss SubstackElon Musk TED Talk 2022Benjamin Franklin by Ted Burns (PBS)The Witches, by Stacey Schiff"The Things I'm Afraid to Write About," by Sarah HepolaNormal People, by Sally Rooney"The 'Pity Me!' Personal Essay" in Gawker"The 8 Conservative Men Are Making No Apologies" in NYT
A reading of "Gatekeepers Very Afraid That Elon Musk Will Remove the Gates From Twitter," by Matt Welch, published at Reason on April 14, 2022
A reading of "The Big Labor President," by Matt Welch, from the May 2022 issue of Reason magazine, posted online April 12
"You can't just use me for social media." Jada Pinkett-Smith/Will Smith video"Dread Carpet," Bill Maher on 2020's Depressing Oscar Best Pics"I spoke up against sexual violence—and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change." Amber Heard Opinion piece (WaPo)"Julia Louis-Dreyfuss's Last Fuckable Day" "The Things I'm Afraid to Write About," by Sarah Hepola (Atlantic)"Jena at 15: A Childhood in Hollywood," by Nancy Rommelmann (LA Weekly)
Nancy Rommelmann Portland coverage for Reason"America's Shoplifting Epidemic" (WSJ)NR tweet about petty theft and consequencesHow Q-Tips are made video!Bucha's Month of Terror (NYT)Walgreen's cites theft as a reason for closing San Francisco locations (SFGate)"How SF's Black Market Thrives on Retail Theft" (SF Standard)Gibson's Bakery v. Oberlin College (wikipedia)
Fan-cam dancing to "Since You Been Gone" at Spurs game"America's Girls," podcast about the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders that Sarah Hepola co-created and narratesBlackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget, by Sarah HepolaTo the Bridge: A True Story of Motherhood and Murder, by Nancy Rommelmann"I Always Dated Tom Waits," by Sarah Hepola (Salon)"Blackouts and Sexpots" podcast with Nancy Rommelmann and Sarah Hepola
"The Things I'm Afraid to Write About", by Sarah Hepola, published in The Atlantic on March 12, 2022Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget, by Sarah Hepola
A reading of "No, We Don't Need To Become More Like Putin To Contain Him," by Matt Welch, published at Reason on March 31