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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · 5d

At 3AM Michigan’s Senate rammed through a 24% wholesale cannabis tax—on top of 10% excise & 6% sales. That makes weed more punished than booze, cigarettes, and medicine (prescriptions are tax-exempt). Small shops will fold, jobs vanish, black market thrives—all so Lansing can bleed the industry dry.

24% Michigan marijuana tax, a key piece of the legislative budget deal, has passed

After much hand wringing and consternation from lawmakers who feared detrimental effects to Michigan’s cannabis industry, the Michigan Senate voted early Friday morning by a thin margin to pass a 24% ...

www.yahoo.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · 16d

I make fun of my degree in my show and in public on a regular basis. It’s common fodder in roast battles and shows. But having a literal degree in Comedy Writing and Performance. It’s dumb and stupid, but we did do serious academic work. We studied the history of comedy and comedians and we are in an interesting inflection point.
Jimmy Kimmel will be studied by students of comedy for generations. Left, right, or center, this is a huge moment for comedy.
When you are in any study of the history of comedy the common moments of importance are Lenny Bruce and George Carlin. These are landmark cases in free speech. More recently John Oliver won in a Slapp suit regarding his comments on the coal industry.
All three of these comedians share a unique view point on current events, commentary on language, and discussion of the political regime of the era.
Jimmy Kimmel now joins that.
And here’s where that becomes academically fascinating.
That means The Man Show and Crank Yankers become an important part of comedy history. Not something I ever thought would happen. When you are a student of a particular part of history you never think that academic paper will be written about puppets making crank calls or sketches where people cosplayed drunk pilots. But that’s where we are.
This is not a rumination on free speech or a parsing of language. It’s not even an indictment of the current FCC chair and his widely condemned application of power.
It’s more of a reflection on the fact that we never know what can be history making. What seems like something benign or outrageous can fade away forever. Colbert’s cancelation was shocking but corporately justified in a way that would have been a footnote in history.
Jimmy Kimmel became a noted lesson that comedians and students of comedy will study in detail forever.

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · 16d

Trump used a memorial service to sneer that he hates his opponents & doesn’t want the best for them - openly rejecting the most basic democratic principle of shared good. A president weaponizing grief to preach spite is grotesque, dangerous, & unprecedented in American history.

'Don't want what's best for them': Trump reveals he disagreed with slain Kirk on key issue

President Donald Trump revealed on Sunday that he disagreed with slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a key issue during Kirk's memorial service in Glendale, Arizona.Trump praised Kirk's skill ...

www.rawstory.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · 18d

Trump calling negative press “illegal” is authoritarian poison. The First Amendment was written to stop exactly this; presidents don’t get to criminalize criticism. That’s authoritarian muscle, not democracy. Using the FCC to muzzle comedians & networks isn’t patriotism, it’s dictatorship in drag.

Trump: ‘It’s no longer free speech.’

The president doubled down on his claims that critical media coverage of him is "illegal."

www.politico.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Aug 2

Trump’s bragging he raked in $150B from tariffs—money that came straight from your grocery bill. Prices are up on beef, bananas, sneakers, detergent... and he’s proud of it. He broke his promise, raided your wallet, and is now taking a victory lap like he did you a favor.

Chris Hayes: Trump is bragging about raising prices for American consumers

Beneath the president’s monthslong roller coaster of tariff threats and walk-backs, Americans are paying the price.

www.msnbc.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Aug 2

Paywall free link:
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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Aug 2

Trump’s Orwellian streak escalates: Trump erased his impeachments from a Smithsonian exhibit on presidential overreach, then fired the stats chief for reporting bad job numbers—because he didn’t like them. History and math now require loyalty oaths.

The Trump administration takes a very Orwellian turn | CNN Politics

Back in March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeted at the Smithsonian Institution that began as follows: “Over the past decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted and widesprea...

www.cnn.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 25

Stephen Colbert praised South Park’s uncensored Trump episode as a “message of hope” while his own show faces cancellation. Comedy Central hosts the full clip online. Colbert’s firing sparks fears Paramount may pressure satire to ease up on Trump—South Park proved otherwise.

Stephen Colbert: ‘South Park’s’ Naked Trump Is a ‘Message of Hope’

Stephen Colbert praised South Park for its provocative season 27 premiere as his own show faces the axe for criticizing President Donald Trump. The show’s episode featured an AI clip of President Dona...

www.yahoo.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 25

South Park torched Paramount in its $1.5B debut—mocking Trump, Colbert's cancellation, and corporate cowardice. Aired days after Trump’s $16M settlement with the same company. White House called it desperate; creators called it business as usual.

‘South Park’ Launches Website for Naked Trump Parody PSA: ‘His Penis Is Teeny-Tiny, but His Love for Us Is Large’

'South Park' mocked Donald Trump with a parody PSA that depicts the president naked, stumbling through the desert with a 'tiny' penis.

variety.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 25

To get Trump’s penis on air, South Park gave it googly eyes so censors would count it as a “character.” After four days of debate, the bit aired uncensored: Trump naked in the desert, tiny talking junk and all. The penis says: “I’m Donald J. Trump and I endorse this message.”

'South Park' Creators Reveal How They Got That Absolutely Filthy Trump Joke Onto TV

Turns out the eyes really do have it.

www.huffpost.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 25

Last week Trump shared a fake Obama arrest video—hilarious to Trump. But when South Park used AI to mock him naked in the desert, the White House flipped. In MAGAland, jokes about Trump = NOT FUNNY. Jokes by Trump = comedy gold! Only one man gets to decide what’s funny in an authoritarian state.

'South Park' mocking naked Trump = NOT FUNNY. Fake Obama arrest video = FUNNY! | Opinion

Thanks to 'South Park' and its AI depiction of Donald Trump walking the desert naked, we're learning how our thin-skinned president defines comedy.

www.usatoday.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 23

Paywall-free link: www.removepaywall.com/search?url=h...

RemovePaywall | Free online paywall remover

Remove Paywall, free online paywall remover. Get access to articles without having to pay or login. Works on Bloomberg and hundreds more.

www.removepaywall.com

1 5

Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 23

Trump was told in May his name was in the Epstein files—he lied about it, then raged at Bondi for failing to black it out before distributing binders to MAGA influencers. He’s suing the WSJ over a letter beside a naked drawing in Epstein’s birthday album with his signature in the pubes.

Bondi briefed Trump that his name was in Epstein files | CNN Politics

When Attorney General Pam Bondi briefed President Donald Trump in May on the Justice Department’s review of the documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, she told him that his name appeared in th...

www.cnn.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 23

paywall-free link:
archive.is/sd17n

archive.is

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 23

New footage shows Trump giggling with Epstein at a 1999 Victoria’s Secret show & confirms Epstein attended Trump’s 1993 wedding—facts Trump’s goons never disclosed. When CNN called to ask, Trump sputtered “You’ve got to be kidding me” & hung up like a guilty teenager.

Exclusive: Newly discovered photos and video shed fresh light on Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein | CNN Politics

Newly uncovered archived video footage and photos reveal fresh details about Donald Trump’s past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

www.cnn.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 20

Trump hosted a Mar-a-Lago “calendar girl” party where the only other guest was Jeffrey Epstein. Now he’s stonewalling on Epstein files he promised to release—and suing over a doodle in Epstein’s birthday album. Tiny hands, big secrets.

Trump once hosted party for ‘young women’ where Epstein was only guest, says report

President under pressure to release all files related to his former friend Epstein

www.independent.co.uk

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 18

Trump is flooding the government with illegal executive orders—issuing them at 35x the rate of new laws—gutting checks & balances, bypassing Congress, punishing dissent, & consolidating power like a wannabe king. This is authoritarianism, not governance.

Ari Melber: Trump is carrying out a power grab the likes of which the U.S. has never seen before

Once the president realized how hard it was to legislate, he turned away from it and has never really come back.

www.msnbc.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 18

CBS folds like a cheap suit, axing Stephen Colbert right after he called out their $16M payoff to Trump—a desperate bribe to bury their own shame. They claim “financial reasons,” but everyone sees through the cowardice: CBS sold out press freedom & scrapped their best voice to cozy up to corruption.

CBS cancels Stephen Colbert’s show days after Trump settlement criticism

The late-night host had scoffed at a decision by CBS’s parent company to pay the U.S. president $16 million over a disputed interview.

www.politico.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 18

CBS just axed The Late Show after Colbert dared call their Trump hush deal a “big fat bribe.” Now they’re pretending it’s “just business” as they retire the whole franchise rather than let anyone else speak. Nothing says journalistic integrity like licking Trump’s boots on the way out.

Stephen Colbert's show axed after blasting CBS-Trump deal as 'big fat bribe'

CBS will end Stephen Colbert's "Late Show" next season after the comedian openly criticized the network and its parent company, Paramount, over a settlement with President Donald Trump.CBS executives ...

www.rawstory.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 18

Paywall-free link: www.removepaywall.com/search?url=h...

RemovePaywall | Free online paywall remover

Remove Paywall, free online paywall remover. Get access to articles without having to pay or login. Works on Bloomberg and hundreds more.

www.removepaywall.com

1 5

Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 18

Trump scrawled his name in the pubic hair of a nude sketch for Epstein’s birthday, writing “may every day be another wonderful secret.” He’s screaming fake news, threatening WSJ, & unleashing Bondi to “unseal” grand jury files—as if weaponizing a cover-up will erase the perv energy of his signature.

Wall Street Journal: Birthday letter to Epstein bore Trump’s signature, drawing of naked woman | CNN Politics

A collection of letters gifted to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003 included a note bearing Donald Trump’s name and an outline of a naked woman, according to a Wall Street Journal report p...

www.cnn.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 17

A bipartisan discharge petition could force a House vote to release the Epstein files—sidestepping Trump and GOP leadership. It only takes 218 signatures. Rarely used, but the pressure’s real. Even Trump’s own party is inching toward open defiance.

Analysis: The little-known tool that could force Trump’s hand on the Epstein files | CNN Politics

President Donald Trump has gone to great lengths in recent days to quash the Jeffrey Epstein fervor in his party. It doesn’t seem to be working — and one particular effort to force the release of more...

www.cnn.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 17

The UK warns children under 7 not to drink slushies with glycerol—a sugar substitute linked to serious health risks. Kids 7-10 should limit to one small slushie daily. Parents, check labels before handing over sugary treats.

All the dangers of 'slushies' after under-sevens warned not to drink them

Children can be exposed to 'very high' levels of glycerol

metro.co.uk

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 17

Maurene Comey, who prosecuted Epstein and Maxwell, just got fired with no explanation, while Trump blocks Epstein docs and his DOJ investigates her dad. The guy who partied with Epstein is now purging the people who held him accountable. That’s corruption plain and simple.

Maurene Comey, daughter of James Comey and prosecutor of Jeffrey Epstein, is fired

Comey, who had worked in the U.S. attorney’s office for nearly a decade, prosecuted both Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

www.politico.com

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Jef with one f @monhegan.bsky.social · Jul 17

Republicans want to drag Jill Biden in to testify about Joe’s health—but that stunt could blow up in their faces. If they cross that line, Melania could be next. Even MAGA media is warning them: turn first spouses into political targets, and Melania’s oath is coming too.

'Melania is going to have to testify': MAGA host predicts GOP plan backfire

Conservative Newsmax host Marc Lotter predicted First Lady Melania Trump would be forced to testify if Republicans go through with a plan to subpoena former First Lady Jill Biden.During a Thursday int...

www.rawstory.com

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