#cypress interview

[rahulshettyacade]

[lunarcec24]

“Champions adjust.”

This obsessive behavior of mine is starting to get too, well, obsessive. Because that makes sense. 🙄

Anyway, I found a connection between Yellowjackets - Agatha All Along as recent as yesterday 😛

Here is the link to the full interview with both Lauren and Tawny.

Lauren and Kathryn played new age-y cult members in that Judd Apatow movie “Wanderlust.”

Annnnd of course I did a thing

[tomhardymyking]

Awww, look at them 😍💓

I was going to make a special post dedicated to 𝗧𝗼𝗺's father, 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀, but this surprise clip is so adorable 🥰💖

𝗧𝗼𝗺 and his father together 💝 We need more of them 🙏🏻💞

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Ayyy, miradlos 😍💓

Iba a hacer una publicación especial dedicada al padre de 𝗧𝗼𝗺, 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀, pero este clip sorpresa es tan adorable 🥰💖

𝗧𝗼𝗺 y su padre juntos 💝 Necesitamos más de ellos 🙏🏻💞

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[mikeywayarchive]

x

Electric Century: My Chemical Romance's Mikey Way on Blending Music and Comics

The My Chemical Romance bassist reveals the inspiration for his new graphic novel.

BY MIKE AVILA

UPDATED: APR 28, 2021 2:06 PM

POSTED: APR 28, 2021 1:53 PM

Full interview under the cut:

Mikey Way is busier than ever.

Despite having many 2020 plans derailed by the pandemic, the former bassist for My Chemical Romance (and brother of lead singer Gerard Way) revived his musical project, Electric Century, and turned it into a multimedia outlet for his creative energies. The result is EC’s self-titled sophomore album which reunites Way with singer David Debiak, as well as a new companion graphic novel written by Way and Shaun Simon and illustrated by Toby Cypress, and published by Z2 Comics.

In an exclusive interview with IGN, Way opens up about the personal inspirations behind the GN, which tells the tale of a burnt-out former TV star who winds up trapped inside a hypnotic fever dream in mid-'80s Atlantic City. Way describes talked how his childhood in New Jersey and the immense fame he experienced during the My Chem era informed key aspects of the story.

The Origins of Electric Century

EC in many ways has been a lifeline for Way ever since MCR broke up in 2013. Meant to be the outlet for his and Debiak’s love of new wave and Britpop music, the first album came out just as Way checked into rehab in 2014. That scuttled any plans for touring with the album.

Now this one is out, and Way had some big ideas for taking the new record out on the road, in a way that would bridge the worlds of music and comics he’s constantly traveling between. Except, COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill.

“There were cool plans at San Diego Comic Con [in 2020] for this graphic novel,” Way says. “We were going to play at Comic-Con, too, and then, bam! The pandemic happened. This is maybe the second time that happened where we were planning to do an Electric Century show and it didn't happened. So it was like someone was telling me, “Am I not supposed to play a show?”

The writer-musician did like everyone else did; He adjusted to the restrictions of pandemic life. After discussions with Z2 Comics, it was decided to take a more organic and less calendar-timed approach to the release of the Electric Century GN. Available directly through Z2’s website , fans can either order the book separately or as part of a package with the album and other merchandise. It’s also available through other retail outlets.

"But we pivoted and we're going to do other different, cool stuff with it," Way adds. "And the cool thing about this project is there's no timeline. We’re just going to let this organically grow.”

Of course, 2020 was also when Way was supposed to be rejoining his brother Gerard and the rest of My Chemical Romance for the highly anticipated reunion tour. Like nearly all other musical tours, those plans have been put on hold while the world recovers from COVID, so there is no practical update for MCR’s return. Given the nature of such mega-band tours, lots of I’s must be dotted and T’s crossed before things can happen, so Way politely steers clear of tour talk.

With regards to Electric Century, however, he’s an open book. The graphic novel came into play as recording for the album was nearly complete. It was conceived to be a parallel creative journey to the music that exist independently of each other. Way credits some of the inspiration for the dual project to the hitmaking virtual band Gorillaz.

“I have a lot of respect for [Gorillaz co-creator] Damon Albarn, I'm a huge fan of all of his musical projects. He always thinks outside the box, and it was brilliant what he did with Gorillaz, where it was this fictional band and video projections and screens. So basically, my mind just went from there. I started listening to the album over and over and an old idea I had for a story kind of peeked out.”

The seeds for the story that would eventually see print in the graphic novel were planted in 2014, after Way had exited rehab for drug and alcohol abuse. Seeking different types of therapy to help with his recovery, he attempted hypnotherapy, where hypnosis is used to create a state of focused attention during which positive suggestions and guided imagery are used to help people deal with issues. That experience made a lasting impression on him, especially as a potential story.

“I kind of had the idea of writing a story where somebody goes through hypnotherapy but they actually get transported somewhere and they can't get back,” he says.

Who Is Johnny Ashford?

That’s how Johnny Ashford came to be.

Ashford is the alcoholic former sitcom-star who is the main character of EC. He sees a hypnotherapist who transports him to his “happy place,” which turns out to be the Electric Century casino in Atlantic City in the 1980s. The visits to the Boardwalk spark new obsessions and before long he realizes his life depends on figuring out how to escape the Electric Century.

Having grown up in the Garden State and visited Atlantic City often, Electric Century afforded Way the chance spend quality fictional time at a place he visited often as a kid. It also gave him a chance to tap into his familiarity with the pitfalls and pressures of immense fame, having experienced it during MCR’s halcyon days.

“I used some of my personal experience [for the book],” he admits. “But I also had a fascination with eighties child stars since I grew up in that time. You know, back in the eighties, celebrity was different. If you were famous, you were like, legit famous. Everyone knew who you were, but there was intrigue. The only information was what was in magazines or on television. There was no social media, nobody was willingly giving any information about their lives on a daily basis. So these people seemed larger than life.”

For young Mikey Way, the young stars of shows like Diff’rent Strokes and Charles in Charge seemed to be kids you'd hang out with after school. Which is what he did, coming home from school to watch reruns daily.

“And then at some point, as I got older, I saw the sad side of show business and how a lot of [child stars] get discarded. That always made me sad because they were so important to people.”

Nostalgia plays an important role in Electric Century. New Jersey landmarks like Lucy the Elephant, the oldest surviving roadside attraction in America, show up in the book. But the the remembrances are soaked in melancholy.

“I wanted to play upon everyone's natural inclination to be nostalgic about something,” Way says. “That concept fascinates me because I often think if you could walk through a tunnel and be in some other time in your past, would you love it still? Or would your perspective now be, “I'm not into this anymore.” I'm a 40 year old man now; how would I process Atlantic city in 1988? No idea.”

Even though the two Electric Century projects were designed to exist separately, the track “Alive” is a seamless fit to accompany the graphic novel. It’s a song that Way wrote about five years ago – it was originally meant to be on the first Electric Century record – and he considers it one of his best compositions. “It's kind of reminding you to be alive and be in the moment,” Way says of the song. “And I think that's something I'm guilty of not doing, I think everyone in the world is guilty of not doing. I like to think about that when I hear that song to, you know, snap out of it, live in the now and stop worrying about where you've been.”

What's Next After Electric Century?

Way has several comics-related assignments in various stages of development. Up next is a story he’s writing with his big brother Gerard for the graphic novel tribute to the Anthrax album Among The Living, which Z2 is releasing on May 12. He also couldn’t contain his excitement over one project. “I’ve got something that I'm very excited about that I'm working on right now,” he says. “I don't know where it's going to end up. We're talking to some places, but it will be very cool.”

Finding himself at this stage in life where writing comics is such a big part of his life isn’t some fluke. Way doesn’t view comics as just a fun side project to do in-between albums and tours. Like his brother, comics have been a part of his life longer than music.

“I’ve been a fan almost the entirety of my life,” he says. “When I was three, four years old, I was thumbing through comic books at the barber shop, learning how to read from comic books, because I wanted to know what they were saying instead of just asking, “Gerard, what does this say?””

The Way Brothers became hooked on comics with titles like Superman, Spider-Man, Captain America and other superhero series. But for Mikey, G.I. Joe was a major influence. He not only enjoyed the stories but studied the format and how the story unfolded over 22 pages. When it came time to do his first full-length comic, Collapser for DC Comics’ Young Animal imprint, he took the same approach he had when MCR was formed. And he’s continuing to work at the craft.

“I was a super amateur guitar player-turned-bassist for My Chemical Romance and it was something I just had to practice,” Way says. “That's kind of what is going on with me and comic books now. I'm learning from all my peers that are top-tier professionals.”

Some of the comics pros Way reaches out to for advice include DC’s Chief Creative Officer and comics legend Jim Lee.

“Jim was somebody who was very instrumental in my comics career. He'd come to me numerous times and be like, 'When are you going to write a comic?' That's kind of how Collapser came about.”

He admits to being afraid to make that jump into comics, for a number of reasons.

“I was busy a lot and I'm a bad multitasker, so I always just kind of pushed comics to the side,” he says. “I would write stuff out. But when My Chemical Romance broke up, Jim had mentioned to me, 'When are you going to do this?' And then I pitched him something, which turned out to be Collapser.”

As he continues to sharpen his comic book storytelling chops, Mikey Way is also trying his hand at yet another skill: Cooking. Being on lockdown during the pandemic motivated Way to apply his creativity to the kitchen.

“Cooking is a new thing for me. For the whole duration of My Chemical Romance, I think I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner at a restaurant. Even when I was home, I would just eat out, or I would order takeout.”

“It’s definitely fun, but it's difficult. It's very, it's very difficult,” he continues. “There's a learning curve, but my family is very encouraging to me in my endeavors. But yeah, I'm a novice. A true novice.”

Electric Century is available in bookstores now.

[akshaysharma12]

4 cypress interview questions

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man 1968

"Son of a Preacher Man" is a song written and composed by American songwriters John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins and recorded by British singer Dusty Springfield in September 1968 for her fifth studio album Dusty in Memphis. The single, released in late 1968, became an international hit, reaching number 9 in the UK singles chart and number 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 in January 1969. "Son of a Preacher Man" was Springfield's last Top 30 hit until 1987, when her collaboration with UK synthpop duo the Pet Shop Boys yielded the huge hit "What Have I Done to Deserve This?". "Son of a Preacher Man" found a new audience when it was included on the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino's 1994 film Pulp Fiction; a re-release of the single reached number one in Iceland in 1995.

In 1968, songwriters John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins wrote the song with Aretha Franklin in mind, according to a 2009 interview with Wilkins. Atlantic Records producer and co-owner Jerry Wexler, who was recording Dusty Springfield's album in Memphis at the time, liked the song and suggested it to Springfield for the Dusty in Memphis album. The song was recorded in 1969 by Franklin for her This Girl's in Love with You album. Franklin's older sister Erma Franklin also recorded the song and included it on her 1969 album Soul Sister.

Rolling Stone magazine placed Dusty Springfield's recording at number 77 among "The 100 Best Singles of the Last 25 Years" in 1987. The song was placed at number 43 among the "Greatest Singles of All Time" by New Musical Express in 2002, and in 2004, the song was on the Rolling Stone list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Samples from "Son of a Preacher Man" were used on Cypress Hill's "Hits from the Bong" on their album Black Sunday. The song is also featured in the 2016 video game Mafia III.

In 1966, Springfield topped popularity polls, including Melody Maker's "Best International Vocalist", and was the first UK singer to top the New Musical Express readers' poll for best female singer. She has been inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the UK Music Hall of Fame. Multiple critics and polls have lauded Springfield as one of the greatest female singers in popular music. In 2020, the album Dusty in Memphis was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". In its official press release, the library stated that despite its modest sales when first released, "over time, Dusty in Memphis grew in stature to become widely recognized as an important album by a woman in the rock era."

"Son of a Preacher Man" received a total of 85,4% yes votes!

[armandaughter]

Interview With the Vampire + Perfumes

i posted about wanting to make this and people were also curious, so here it is :) i absolutely have no qualifications to be making this. i just love perfumes and iwtv and wanted to combine em!! lmk ur thoughts <3 fyi this gets pretty long-winded and analysis heavy at times

louis de pointe du lac (new orleans/paris eras)

very slow world in my mind. i think he'd gravitate to the warm spice of it and the hints of whiskey. this also smells a bit like incense, which i think is fitting for him. louis' religious upbringing will always inform how i approach him. but this scent also reminds me of the clubs in new orleans, cigars and rich drinks, and that transfers over to him exploring new sides of himself in paris with photography and engaging with art and cafe scenes. i question the inclusion of the balsamic top note, it's actually much more tea-aligned! this is also quite masculine to me, which makes sense as, particularly in nola, he had to be a little overly masculine-- older brother, man of the house after the death of his father, business owner, and a black business owner in an extremely racist setting. i like this for him, i'd even go as far as to say maybe it's not quite masculine enough.

runner-ups: full incense by montale, nothing but sea and sky by une nuit nomade (this one is very bergamont heavy, which i also think he'd like) foreshadow by curatrix (this one is in my rotation rn and i am almost out because i use it SO much. musk, tobacco, incense, cypress)

louis de pointe du lac (dubai)

this one isn't similar to the above at all, but i think it sort of stays in line with what we know of louis in dubai. it's a very fresh scent, with residual fruity and cedar/fig accords snuck in there that are more noticeable with longer wear. this feels performative like most of dubai, put-together and appealing to the senses but deceptive at the end of the day. i think it's still something louis genuinely likes, but i see him, when he's happy, wearing something a bit more explicitly sweet-spicy, less wood-spicy. this is an amalgamation of the above scent and other sweeter, floral accords he'd drift to, but not quite leaning into it the way i suspect he'd be were he actually healed, had he actually confronted his past in full and emerged content with his circumstances.

runner-ups: of true minds by liis (this is inspired by shakespeare's sonnet 116, also smells like sooo complex. floral spicy with a bit of suede) angel dust by fugazzi (cashmere, pepper, bergamont)

lestat de lioncourt

i actually took so long to decide for lestat. after consulting @operahouses (thank you for enduring my lengthy perfume character analysis) i'm happy w this. it's very very floral, mostly rose, with jasmine and iris too. there's also the underlying patchouli and according to what i read, a sort of rosewater wine-y feel about it. walks the line of intense and mysterious with an elegant softness that feels very true to lestat coming off of paris and finding his footing (and the love of his life) in new orleans.

runner-ups: l'olympia music hall by histoires de parfums (floral, also the name is very lestat in the vampire lestat to me) baccarat rouge 540 by maison francis kurkdjian

rockstar lestat

this is zoologist, which literally makes perfumes off of animal scents. i think that is so fucking cool. anyway-- this is a very bold scent that takes the sweetness of the initial perfume i shared and expands upon it with some really interesting notes. there's passionfruit, leather, teakwood, and incense. (INCENSE, which i think he'd intentionally wear for the nostalgia it could potentially evoke in louis!!) but, overall, a very impressive and borderline questionable miasma of smells. because of this, it's startlingly unique. verrrry memorable, which is kind of the desired experience of a rockstar trying to get his ex-husband back.

runner-ups: triumph of bacchus by argos (this one has such an insanely diverse array of accords i feel only he could pull off) do not disturb by vilhelm parfumerie (this leans into femininity a bunch, which i am down for with lestat. also has some questionable accords but again i think this era welcomes that)

armand

so i'm not even going to pretend i'm not projecting with my first choice for him because i am-- press gurwitz 0.3 is soooo criminally underrated. it's got the knockout combo of the cinnamon and vanilla but when the smoky spice of it hits... it HITS! it also isn't overly sweet at all. the vanilla subdues the sweet notes and leaves sort of a smoky yet clean spiciness over time. i think also the idea of him wearing a gourmand scent has a lot of interesting character connotations in it-- wanting to be desired, wanting to be almost edible, to attract that sort of temptation. if not a gourmand, i can see him preferring fresh, clean, sharp scents-- hence the choices for him as rashid.

runner-ups: milk by commodity (amber, firewood, tonka bean; ultimately the marshmallow accord felt a bittttt out of line for him but this scent is GOOD. a pinch sharp but in a way that's striking rather than obtrusive) female christ by 19-69 (eucalyptus, woody, with cashmere and cinnamon at the base notes, emerging the longer the scent is worn)

armand as rashid

this one has a lot going on but i NEED you to stay with me and hear me out. first of all-- there's notes of pineapple here, which i feel are soooo good given the 'honey and pineapple' exchange. there's also a lot of sweetness here and while the 'honey' part isn't explicit, i feel like it's still reminiscent of it. also, who's to say rashidmand doesn't wear honey body oil with this? wouldn't put that past him. otherwise, this is also pretty floral, fresh, and long-lasting. my one flaw is it is intense, especially for his playing as rashid. my defense here is this: he's already gone with the slutty shirts and the speaking out of turn, so a memorable scent doesn't seem suddenly too far, at least not to me. also, the bottom notes like the vanilla stabilize the intensity. for the first hour or two after application, i'm sure this lingers in a room (which is what he'd want) but as it fades, you'd have to be in closer proximity to notice it.

runner-ups: honey & crocus by jo malone london (this is the honeyed scent that could replace the pineapple one, with traces of saffron and lavender included too which go nicely) fleur de délice by reminiscence (VERY herbal and fresh)

daniel molloy (1973)

ok i am pretty sure i'm not the first to say this but he's SO jazz club. to me. this on top of probably perpetually smelling like cigarettes. and i've heard it's more masculine-leaning, with the rum, spice, and tobacco staying on the longest. i think in devil's minion canon armand would also be all over this like a bloodhound. not much else to say aside from boozy and kinda sexy. the kind of thing you'd wear to go out and score drugs or a fatal vampire encounter.

runner-ups: none! i stand by this one. possibly book by commodity, which uses cedar and sandalwood to come shockingly close to putting your nose in a book. also accomplishes a sort of smokiness.

daniel molloy

this is kind of like if jazz club matured a bit. from what i read (i haven't smelled this one) it's very leathery and dry with a slight sweetness at the end. it has some pine and dates in the list of accords, which works for me too. it is also a bit sensual and i think daniel would wear this in dubai to see louis for the first time since '73. not too intense, which i think he'd prefer. @operahouses suggested a new car smell and i STRONGLY agree.

runner-ups: ombré leather (2018) by tom ford (this went too herbal for me to attribute to him, but i still think leather is good for him)

claudia in new orleans

getting into headcanon territory. this scent is sweet, light, and rosy. i'm imagining this is a gift from lestat before things soured. also something to wear before she branched out and developed her own preferences. i personally think this one is a bit strong and just a tad like a bath, but then again it's very clean and satisfying when the initial scent sits for a little. the sugarcane there brings it together too. this would also contribute to the infantilization both louis and lestat force upon her, the shared--whether explicit or implicit- idea that she's theirs, only the 'girl' part of daughter and too young and naive to be the 'woman.' i feel like she'd grow to hate this smell eventually the same way she grew to resent what lestat and new orleans meant for her.

runner-ups: rose of no man's land by byredo (i didn't think the spices fit, but could be that's a stepping stone for her)

claudia (paris)

i haven't tried this scent but i do love curatrix. so i think in a similar way to daniel's progression this is an older, sultry, woody-sweet rendition of what a younger claudia would enjoy. knowing curatrix, it's probably a bit intense, but for a woman duelling with the reality she will not ever be properly seen as a woman, i think it's very fitting! the cloves and tobacco lend age to it while the honey and vanilla sweeten it up a bit, dries down into a suggestion of ginger. i think the name would attract her as well. claudia owns being a vampire-- she loves it, wants so badly to be loved by the coven for loving vampirism, so the idea of fatale is definitely something she would gravitate to in my mind.

runner-ups: hypnotic poison by dior (similar wood themes with a bit of floral and fruitiness mixed in, but mostly, the bottle is cute) carmilla by immortal perfumes (the name, naturally-- also has a blood accord!! was my first choice until i remembered fatale exists)

madeline

gets a classic. i wore this for years before i started to present less feminine. it's clean, floral, sweet, a bit powdery, and stays on forever. not too overwhelming but def alluring. one of thee ultimate femme lesbian choices to me!

runner-ups: immortelle by chloé (still white floral with some tonka snuck in. i like the name for her a lot!)

santiago

i really have nothing to say other than this scent doesn't get very good reviews and it kind of pisses me off and that's perfect for him. def wears way too much of this and it pisses off everyone in the coven. the HEIGHT of gay man who is about to infuriate you.

okay i had a lot of fun doing this. so if anybody else matched my freak ab this i would LOVE to do more.

[sizeofyoursoul]

"There's no doubt that my life and my writing have been shaped by grief. I think I was grieving for my mother before she ever died, and that was when I was 14. After the death of my daughter in 1972, I wrote INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, without ever realizing I was writing about loss. I was writing about my daughter's loss. And I was writing about my loss of Catholic faith long before that, because I had lost my faith in the year 1960, when I first went to college. And in losing my faith, I lost my whole view of the world. My whole rich and hopeful and really lovely view of the cosmos as a just place, in which nobody's suffering was ever wasted or lost. In which God knew every tear that was shed. Then as I moved on through life, I lost other people. My father. I remember sitting for two months in the hospital with him at night, watching him get delirious, going out of his head on Morphine. Talking to his dead brothers and sisters and beg for them to come and get him. I watched the great Berkeley fire, on the television, as I sat in that hospital room in New Orleans; he never escaped that hospital. I was dreaming that very moment, that he was dying, I was dreaming of somehow getting him out. Wheeling the gurney out and rescuing him someplace else. And I saw a house that I'd lived in, a magnificent Tudor house on Yorkshire Drive in Oakland, I saw that house go up in flames on TV. I was sitting there in that cold hospital room with my father and I saw it. I thought for sure it had to be someone else's house; but it wasn't. Not long after that, I went to the ruins of that house. I went to what was left of that house and I climbed the front steps to find the basement a great big hole, and it was frilled with the chopped up remains of the magnificent Monterey Cypress tree that had once stood on that hill. The whole area had been devastated by the Oakland/Berkeley fire. These losses obsess me. As a writer I'm driven by grief. I think it's important that we as writers, find out what drives us. Not so much that we find out; what's important is that we give in. That we don't fight it. That we just say "Yes, we will go with this pain. Yes, we will endure this. Yes, we will explore this." We must try, in our work, to make a meaningful universe in the pages we write. We'll try to do that. We'll have that faith, we'll have that strength. Sometimes, it's so dark and so difficult when you have to grasp things, you have to look for signs, you have to look out the window and see a sign in the way the flowers are blooming on a tree."

Anne Rice, from her Facebook page.

[tayalla]

okay, a shitpost for the Gorillaz fans quinquennially coming out of hibernation phase 8 headcanons:

2D experiences twink death, goes bald, grows a blue stubble/beardstache (he's 46 ffs). full on identity crisis, takes up Mongolian throat singing

Noodle gets tired of Murdoc's shenanigans, finally puts him into a nursing home. Murdoc steals painkillers and hits on the nurses, after a while gets bored and starts plotting his escape

in the midst of said identity crisis 2D takes shrooms, goes through ego death and realizes Damon and Jamie are not just some guys they worked with, but their creators. Noodle thinks about scheduling him a psych eval, but then a nice cuppa peppermint tea sets him straight (only figuratively speaking)

meanwhile Russel takes creative direction of the band. gives extensive 3 hour long interviews. each song on the new album has an eight minute percussion solo

Noodle uncovers embezzlement at the nursing home, is told to stop digging, otherwise Murdoc will be 'put on the wrong meds'. Noodle assassinates the entire board and busts Murdoc out, with the help of 2D in panto dame drag distracting the security

in the meantime Russel has published a book, started a weekly podcast and hosts his own emmy nominated cooking show (recipes include eel). that's what he deserves

the new album has collaborations with Fatboy Slim, Lambrini Girls and Cypress Hill, and the full 13 min explicit version of Do Ya Thing as a bonus track

[scaredpigeons]

Aqua Regia I: cutting through the darkness, bouncing off the walls.

Next chapter

Neuvillette x fem!reader

Word count: 2.2k

You become the assistant to the new ruler of Fontaine. (Set after the Fontaine archon quests, so spoilers if you haven’t already done it.)

Authors note: its finally here! I’ve separated it into chapters out for ease of reading. It should all be up within the next week or so. This is mostly sfw, a little suggestive at times, but the final chapter will contain nsfw content. Series name and chapter titles are from my literal favourite song ever, aqua regia by sleep token. It’s a very fitting song for this story. Enjoy!

———————————

The sun had not even reached its peak in the sky, dew still glistening on the cypress trees in the gardens outside, and already Neuvillette was pinching his brow, eyes feeling heavy as he slaved over the seemingly endless pile of paperwork that was stacked upon his desk. 

Sedene entered his office without knocking, a common occurrence, and one that never bothered him before— only worrying him now because he didn’t want her to see the way his shoulders slumped slightly— an incredibly unprofessional posture. 

“Monsieur Neuvillette, your 10 o’clock appointment has arrived.” She said, eyeing him from her spot in the doorway. 

He nearly jumped, but kept his calm facade as he shuffled around the papers on his desk, looking for his schedule for the day, but it seemed it was lost to the void of unfinished work he was drowning in. 

“My apologies, Sedene, I seem to have misplaced the itinerary I had written out for the day, would you remind me who it is I am meeting with?”

Sedene smiled, her eyes soft. “It’s Miss Charlotte, from The Steambird. You agreed to an interview with her last week, Your Honor.” 

“Sedene, please,” Neuvillette sighed, though his tone remained light and pleasant. “The formal honorifics outside of the courtroom are far from necessary.”

“Alright, sir.” The melusine smiled. “Shall I send her in?” 

Neuvillette tried to right himself, stacking his finished documents and unfinished work in separate piles to seem organized, though he would probably regret it later. 

“Yes, please.” He said. “And if you have the time, perhaps some tea? I’m sure she’ll be here for a good while.” 

Sedene nodded, turning to leave, before the Iudex called out to her again. “Sedene?” 

“Yes, sir?” 

“I believe…” he let the tension fall from his shoulders finally, giving up on trying to hide his weariness from her. “I believe I’m in need of some aid, if I am to continue this way.” 

Sedene just hid a chuckle behind her soft hand. “Perhaps you should ask Miss Charlotte to put an ad in the newspaper?”

With his final acceptance of his situation, he nodded. “Perhaps.” 

—————

“—And then I told him that there was no need, I had the perfect candidate in mind, and if he did not like you, then I would put the ad in the paper— although I told him there was absolutely no way he wouldn’t completely adore you altogether.” 

You listened to your friend talk animatedly, finally hearing her take a breath without continuing her thought. You certainly loved Charlotte, but conversations about things like work and her other passions tended to be relatively one-sided. 

“I’m sorry, just to reiterate, you personally recommended me to the chief justice for a position as his personal assistant?” 

“Of course! You were a PA at the steambird for so long, and you did so well there, everyone loved you!” She grinned, taking another sip of her tea. 

The café was rather packed today, and your macarons sat perfectly stacked in a cute pile on your plate. Your favourite desert by far, and café Lutece’s were second only to the treats made by Miss Navia herself. 

“Yes, but that was the Steambird.” You said, tracing a finger over the delicate shell of the top macaron on the pile. “We’re talking about the chief justice here— the new ruler of Fontaine— how are we even supposed to address him now?” 

You started to panic a little, not used to interacting with nobility, let alone the person of the highest social status in all of Fontaine— overlooking the love the citizens still held for lady Furina, of course. 

“I’m not sure, but you’ll get to ask him tomorrow!” Charlotte exclaimed, making you gawk at her. “I knew you were free so I arranged a meeting for you tomorrow at noon! Isn’t it exciting?” 

Your heart dropped into your stomach, then did a couple loops around there before it lurched into your throat. 

“Charlotte! I really appreciate you doing this for me, but I am woefully underprepared for this? What am I supposed to do? What will I even wear? Do I need to bring a resume? List of references? What—“

“Woah, woah,” Charlotte reached across the table, running a soothing hand down your forearm. “It’s not that serious, he’d just like to meet you over some tea at the Palais. He’s not all that intimidating after you meet him, hun. I promise you I wouldn’t have put you up to this if I wasn’t one hundred percent confident in you.” 

Your breathing settled a bit as she comforted you, though your mind was still racing. 

“You’ve got this in the bag.” Charlotte smiled, and you hoped she was right. 

——————

You smoothed your hands over your skirt nervously as you made your way to the steps outside the Palais Mermonia.

You wore the nicest outfit you owned that didn’t stray into formal wear territory, not that you had many dresses of that caliber. 

A dress, cut just above the knee, a beautiful deep blue color. A matching ribbon tied around the collar of the white puff sleeved undershirt, and a navy waistcoat cinched tightly in the back with a bow. Paired with your nicest stockings and a lovely pair of boots that Miss Navia had gotten you last year for your birthday, you looked every bit the part of an upper class citizen of Fontaine. 

Your insecurities ate at you, but you fixed a stray hair and smiled at the cute little dog dressed in a guard uniform that was trotting outside the lift. You were on high alert, but seeing everyone standing around, acting normally, enjoying the sunshine— well that made it seem a little better. 

You greeted Liath as she skipped around the entrance, feeling even better as she smiled brightly at you. You made it a point to personally get to know all the melusine around the city, finding them to be extremely fascinating beings, and upon doing so, learning that they were among the sweetest, kindest people you’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. 

“I heard you’re going to be working here!” Liath said, throwing her arms out in excitement. “That will be so lovely! I will get to see you every day!” 

You giggled a bit, not wanting to burst her bubble. “It’s just an interview, Liath. Nothing is set in stone just yet.” 

“Well I just know you’re going to get the job, you’re so very lovely.” 

You pressed a hand over your heart, feeling your face heat up. 

“You always say the kindest things when we speak, I'm very flattered. I hope I get the job too.” 

She wished you good luck and sent you off, and you entered the building with your heart once again in your throat. 

You walked through towards the head office, nodding at the gestionnaire ladies who were working diligently at their tables before you heard your name ring out from the end of the hall. 

Sedene scurried out from behind her station, coming to greet you. 

“Sedene!” You exclaimed. “It’s been a while, you look so beautiful! are you doing something new with your hair?” 

She smiled sheepishly, pawing at her hair under her hat. “Miss Seigewinne got me some new hair oils, imported from Liyue! They’re very lovely, and smell just heavenly!” She leaned towards you, tilting her head in offering. “Here, smell!” 

You giggled again, a little taken aback, but leaned in to smell her anyway. True to her word, Sedenes hair smelled just lovely, sweet and floral, yet unlike anything you’d ever smelled here in Fontaine. 

“Oh, wow, that's beautiful!” You said. “The next time I go to see the Duke, I’ll have to ask Seigewinne where exactly she got it from.” 

Sedene agreed, and pointed towards the door to your right. “He should be ready for you, I brought the tea in just a moment ago.”

Dread tried to creep its way back into your throat, but Sedene reached up to take your hands into her soft paws. 

“I wouldn’t worry if I were you,” Was all she said before she smiled and skipped back to her station. 

You walked swiftly to the doors, and before you lost your nerve creaked them open and peaked inside. 

The chief justice was at his desk, eyes flitting over a document held loosely in his hand. He looked so regal and intimidating, his clothes finely pressed and tailored to fit him exceptionally well. Upon your entry, his gaze snapped up, and you swore you could see the faintest hints of embarrassment cross his face. 

Your name fluttered past his lips as he stood, and you shivered a bit at the way his voice uttered the word. 

“My apologies, I did not hear you enter. My attention seems to be scattered as of late.” 

“No, no, please.” You said, stepping further into the room as the door closed audibly behind you. “It’s my fault, I should have knocked first.” 

“Your arrival was anticipated, and Sedene must have sent you through, therefore there was no need for you to knock, I assure you.” 

Neuvillette walked closer to you, holding out his hand for you to shake. You took it,  trying to remember everything you were ever taught about shaking someone’s hand during interviews, but taken aback at how large his hands seemed compared to yours. 

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Neuvillette said, his hand grasping yours just a beat longer than normal before he pulled away, gesturing to the chair he had set up in front of his desk. “I’ve heard so much about you, please, have a seat.” 

He pulled the chair out, the perfect gentleman, pushing it back under you as you folded your hands under your skirt to tuck it under your bottom, sitting down. 

He rounded the desk and said down, pouring you a cup of tea before sliding the tray of additives closer to you. 

“All good things, I hope?” You said, adding your preferred mixture of extras to your tea. 

“Pardon?” Neuvillette seemed a bit distracted, his eyes jumping back to you from where he seemed to be zoning out. 

“You said that you’ve heard a lot about me,” you said, smiling over the rim of your teacup. Your confidence grew with each passing moment in his office, he just seemed so… normal. A bit scattered—as much as he seemed to try to hide it, which made your chest feel light and airy—but so normal. “I was just hoping they’re all good things.” 

He blinked at you, gears finally clicking into place, before a bit of a sheepish look crept onto his face. 

“Ah, well— yes.” He said, picking up his teaspoon and stirring his tea despite not putting anything in it. “You came highly recommended by Miss Charlotte, and upon hearing of this meeting, a multitude of melusines came to sing your praises, which shocked me a little, but I have heard them speak of you in passing, so I suppose my surprise was short lived.” 

“They speak of me?” You asked, feeling a bit flustered. 

“I’ve heard your name more than once.” He said, taking a sip of his tea. “The girls tend to talk about those who are kindest to them quite a lot, they are all rather fond of you.” 

“Are you close to them?” You asked, already knowing half the answer. “They all speak quite fondly of you.” 

He smiled a bit brighter. “I like to think I am. They are the pride of Fontaine, and therefore I take much pride in them as well.” 

You found yourself staring at his smile. 

You’d only ever seen Neuvillette in the occasional trial you attended. He was always stone faced, serious, and oh so untouchable. High, high up in his seat, looking down on all others. Seeing him here, you couldn’t help but think he looked so very human. 

“To the matter at hand,” he said, clearing his throat and sitting up a bit straighter in his seat. “I will not lie to you, since Lady Furina stepped down I have had an influx of responsibilities to take on, and while I am fully prepared to do so—I find myself in need of…” 

He seemed a bit lost, maybe a bit embarrassed. 

“Some help?” You said softly. 

He sighed. “Yes. Even with all of her frivolity and splendor, Lady Furina did take on her fair share of duties when it came to making sure Fontaine stayed well functioning and stable.” 

Neuvillette seemed a bit wistful then, slightly sad, staring off into the space just beside your head. 

“Monsieur?” 

“Ah, forgive me.” He seemed to shake himself out of it. “I am deeply honored to be entrusted with the care of his nation, but it seems like some assistance would be extremely beneficial to this transitionary period in time, and likely beyond as well.” 

“If I may say so, sir, I think you’re doing a wonderful job already.” You thought about how well the crisis of the flood was handled, the aftermath, the reparations. “I would be honored if you chose me to be the one to aid you in this.” 

He smiled again, softly, and you hoped you’d be able to see it more in the future. 

“Thank you,” he said. “I would be so very grateful.” 

[yuzurujenn]

[2025.03.06] Hochi special interview for Notte Stellata - Nomura Mansai

The encounter that "SEIMEI" gave birth to: From "Profession: Nomura Mansai" to "Profession: Yuzuru Hanyu": Interview Part 1

Kyogen performer Mansai Nomura (58), who will be appearing as a special guest in the ice show "Yuzuru Hanyu Notete Stellata 2025" (7th to 9th) featuring professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu, gave an interview to Sports Hochi on the 5th. The article was published on two consecutive days, and in the first part he talked about "SEIMEI", which led to the two meeting, and "Profession: Yuzuru Hanyu".

Mansai and Hanyu first met in 2015. In the 2015-16 season, Hanyu performed his free program "SEIMEI," which used a song from the movie "Onmyoji," starring Mansai. Mansai, who is someone Hanyu looks up to, vividly remembers their conversation at the time.

　"Hanyu was a young man of 20 at the time, but I remember that he reacted very strongly to what I was saying. I put into words the things that he had been thinking, wondering about, and feeling on a daily basis but found difficult to put into words. When I said, 'It's like this, isn't it?' I remember him nodding deeply."

　During the conversation, he gave advice such as, "Be aware of all directions - heaven, earth, and man - and surround yourself with sound," and, "Use your body after swinging it in the opposite direction of the direction you want to move."

　"It's about using space and time. Controlling the venue. I remember when he came to see my performance, the first thing he said to me was, 'You have incredible control over the venue.' How do you control the venue? It's the same on the ice, as on our Noh stage, and on our cypress stage. I think it's about how you manipulate the space and time to give the audience a good experience."

　Hanyu performed "SEIMEI" at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, winning his second consecutive gold medal. Immediately afterwards, Mansai sent him an email to congratulate him.

　"He was injured at the PyeongChang Olympics. I remember sending him a message saying, 'You gave it your all and won the fierce battle.'"

This first joint performance was made possible after an offer from Hanyu himself. They met for the first time in nine years in October last year to discuss plans for the show.

　"He became a professional skater. He was very good at putting his ideas into words and communicating to others how he wanted to do things. He's had a varied career. He seemed to me to be not only an athlete, but also an artist."

　Immediately after Hanyu turned professional in July 2022, he gave him the name "Occupation, Hanyu Yuzuru" on his radio talk show "Occupation, Nomura Mansai" (an audio distribution service) and sent him his encouragement.

　“I remember hearing that Hanyu was worried about his title. I remember him saying something like, ‘Profession: Hanyu Yuzuru.’ I think he’s going to walk the path of that from now on. It’s not just being an athlete, it’s something that only he can do, like contributing to the community, and it’s his own artistic view of the universe, and things like that.”

　As Mansai continued to take on new challenges, he came to be known as "Profession: Nomura Mansai."

　"I myself have been doing various directing and trying various genres, and there was a time when I thought there was no one else like me, and I wondered what to do. I took "Profession, Nomura Mansai" from the name of Shuji Terayama, who calls himself "Profession, Terayama Shuji." I wanted Hanyu to achieve a world that only he could achieve, so I asked him, "Profession, Hanyu Yuzuru?" (Continued in the second part)

◆Nomura Mansai Born April 5, 1966. 58 years old. Originally from Tokyo. Studied under his grandfather, the late Nomura Manzo VI, and his father, Nomura Mansaku. Debuted on stage at the age of three. Active as an actor in films such as "Onmyoji" (2001), "Seven Conferences" (2019), and the drama "Promise with Death" (2021). Head of Kyogen Gozaru Noza. Designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property.

Mansai Nomura and Yuzuru Hanyu "share the same DNA" - Today marks their first joint ice show interview (Part 2)

This is the second part of a two-day interview with Kyogen performer Mansai Nomura (58), who will be appearing as a special guest at the ice show "Yuzuru Hanyu Notete Stellata 2025" (7-9, Sekisui Heim Super Arena, Miyagi) by professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). The two, who have both mastered their own paths, talk about the DNA they share as performers.

In order to perfect his profession, 'Mansai Nomura', he makes an uncompromising effort every day. He continues to fascinate audiences with his diverse expressions that go beyond the boundaries of Kyogen.

　"Of course, one's own specialty is the core of one's work, but at the same time, one must have a broader perspective. Human life and death. The venue for Notte Stellata (Grande 21) is also a place of great significance [Note 1]. In that sense, Hanyu himself is contemplating the issue of human life and death, and giving great thought to what he can do in the midst of this."

He also touched on Hanyu's "determination."

　"I think he has gone beyond the framework of a mere individual or an athlete. He has something to carry on his shoulders. This may be a little self-serving, but I would like to use Kyogen as my core, and while carrying the weight of Kyogen, I would also like to carry Japanese culture somewhere. Hanyu is also someone who takes on such a broader perspective, challenging himself to do things that include broad genres, and I believe he is someone who is able to do so."

　"Profession: Nomura Mansai" and "Profession: Yuzuru Hanyu." As fellow artists, how does he view Hanyu?

　"He himself is a fan of my work 'Onmyoji', so he included 'SEIMEI' in his performance. I think it's about how you express something like a view of the universe. I think he would think that the skating rink is also a universe. I spoke at length about it in our interview (in 2015), including the idea of controlling heaven, earth and man. It seemed to really resonate with him. In that sense too, I get the impression that we share the same DNA."

　I asked Mansai about what "expression" means to him. He said that it involves sharing "life" with the audience.

　"From the performer's perspective, I think it's a pursuit of a certain beauty, but ultimately it only exists because of the audience. When the audience sees living people performing, they feel glad to be alive, and the performers are glad to be alive too. After all, it is live performing arts. What's wonderful is what happens on the spot - 'live' and 'alive'. It's like 'I'm glad I went to see it', and on top of sharing that time and space, and the emotions, it makes you feel 'I'm glad to be alive'. I think that's what it means."

　This show will be performed in a different space than usual. Before rehearsing at the skating rink, the group first practiced in a gymnasium to get a feel for the spaciousness.

　"I realized it was very big (laughs). I was a little surprised. It was a distance you could cover while wearing skates, but if I were to walk, it would be a considerable distance in a straight line, so I was a little taken aback. But I was prepared for it from the training stage onwards."

　In addition to performing in the collaborative performance, he also serves as the director.

　"I have my own thoughts about the disaster. I would like to share those thoughts with Hanyu and create a worldview together."

　The collaboration between these two top-class performers transcends genres to create new chemical reactions.

　"We have exchanged emails since our conversation in 2015. I sent him a congratulatory message on his second consecutive Olympic victory, and in return he sent me flowers at my performance in Sendai. So we have a connection, and this time we have a direct collaboration, you could say. We are able to combine the art of skating with the art of Kyogen. I am happy that we can concretely express ourselves together this time."

　[Note 1] The place where many victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 were laid to rest.

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20250305-OHT1T51268.html?page=1https://hochi.news/articles/20250306-OHT1T51206.html?page=1

[tomhardymyking]

𝗧𝗼𝗺 hinted ahead of time in a 𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒄 interview that there was going to be a surprise related to 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲 🤭, and last week we saw that he was voicing his adorable little dog in new videos announcing that 𝙅𝙤 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙣's Cypress & Grapevine is now available as a candle, body & hand wash, and body spray 😍💖

Seeing this, I wonder what 𝗧𝗼𝗺 bought when he was seen carrying a 𝙅𝙤 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙣 bag at London airport after filming 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 in 2022 👀

(A video about the "ball gag" coming soon 😂

⠀⠀⠀⠀

𝗧𝗼𝗺 insinuando antes de tiempo en una entrevista de 𝑬𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒔 que iba a haber una sorpresa relacionada con 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲 🤭, y la semana pasada pudimos ver que se trataba de que él ponía voz a su encantador perrito en unos nuevos vídeos donde ellos anunciaban que Cypress & Grapevine de 𝙅𝙤 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙣 se encuentra ahora disponible como vela, gel de ducha & manos, y espray corporal 😍💖

Viendo esto, me pregunto qué compraría 𝗧𝗼𝗺 cuando se le vio llevando una bolsa de 𝙅𝙤 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙣 en el aeropuerto de Londres después de rodar 𝑩𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒍𝒂 𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒍 𝒂𝒔𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒐 en 2022 👀

(Vídeo sobre la "mordaza de bola" próximamente 😂

⠀⠀

[weird-mostly]

Hello members of the tumblr-verse

I have never done this before but after some encouragement from a friend I have decided to make this post in hopes that some people would be able to help me.

A month ago, I left my job because I was experiencing racism and harassment. I had just moved into a new apartment and was working on getting myself out of debt, but my time there as a Black queer person took a huge toll on my mental health and it just kept getting worse so the only choice I had was to leave.

Since then, I have been trying to find work again but I haven’t even gotten so much as an interview and now we are at the point where I’ve run out of money and I have no prospects. I don’t have anyone I can turn to, my family is unable to help me, and I am terrified of what will happen if I don’t find work soon.

I started a ko-fi [https://ko-fi.com/celestialcypress] if anyone is able to donate, even $1 helps. I know times are hard for everyone, so if you are unable to donate I reblog would mean so much.

I’m also considering selling tarot readings so if you are interested in that, please send me a message.

I am incredibly grateful for any help you can give me.

[thoughtportal]

During the first 10 minutes of John Mulaney’s interview for Rolling Stone’s “Last Word” column — where pop-culture icons reflect on their work, success, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way — he holds forth on the following topics: Eurovision, the campy, annual global pop-song contest; the Songwriters Hall of Fame; and the memoir of Jimmy Webb, the songwriter-composer behind “Wichita Lineman” and “MacArthur Park.”  

“Please feel free to include literally anything we discussed,” Mulaney says before we jump into the real interview questions, “because it’ll be far more interesting than anything about my career.”

Mulaney’s restless brain ricochets seamlessly between the highbrow and lowbrow. He’s hardly short on confidence, yet even when he says, “I’ve always been so famous in my own head,” you can see the wheels turning on how that remark might be misperceived. 

But being both a cultural omnivore and a frank truth-teller have served him well. Over the past 15-plus years, his star has risen steadily to the point that he now dominates every medium he enters, from voiceover movie work to TV appearances to his own specials and, as of last year, late-night. His Netflix talk-variety show, John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A., was a six-episode absurdist experiment that blended wildly disparate guests, musical acts, pre-taped bits, and esoteric performances (“Why is Waingro from Heat doing standup?”). It was intended to be a one-off as part of the streamer’s semi-annual Netflix Is a Joke festival. But it was such a sensation, they invited him to keep it going. 

With Wednesday’s release of Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney, the comedian expands on the show’s initial premise, with Michael Keaton, Joan Baez, Fred Armisen, Cypress Hill, and personal finance columnist Jessica Roy joining him for the first episode. Here, some words of wisdom from the host himself, delivered live from Los Angeles, by Zoom.

Editor’s picks

What are the most important rules that you live by? Never plan more than three months in the future. “Live by,” not “work by.” Don’t eat crackers or anything like that in bed. Even if you keep the plate right under your chin, they end up at your feet. And an easy one, but: Nobody knows nothin’. 

No one’s an expert. [We have a] complete inability to ever discuss scenarios that actually will happen, and we are often on the wrong thread. 

Give me a real-life example of that. One of my first agents, Hugh Fitzpatrick, we had this call in 2005 [about how] ABC was hearing pitches from comedians that were 23 years old for mini-pilot ideas. I asked him, “What types of shows do they want?” And he paused and said, “Oh, they want hits.” And that really stuck with me, like, “Oh, right, they just want whatever would work, and they want the thing that no one else would do that seems like it won’t work, but then works.” 

The “horse being loose in a hospital” joke was about President [Trump], but it’s more of a joke about [how] we’re not good at predicting anything. Seven minutes before 9/11, we were all looking for Chandra Levy. We’re just not really on it, and we’ve never been on it. I guess there were these psychics back in the day who would make their New Year’s predictions and some of them would come true. But that’s probably not true, either.

Did any psychics in 2019 predict Covid? This is what I will be Googling after this interview. I was told that Sylvia Browne, the woman who was, on the regular, unmasked on Montel as being not psychic…

She’d tell parents of missing children if they were alive or dead and be completely wrong. Oh, yeah, I think that was her bread and butter. I don’t know why I’m saying to a major publication that she predicted Covid way earlier.

Related Content

Who are your heroes?  [SNL music producer] Hal Willner. Hal was a total completist. Any interest of Hal’s, he researched to the nth degree. He chased down every lead in a large project of knowledge that involves ventriloquists, John Cassavetes movies and TV shows, Nelson Riddle and Captain Beefheart albums, and obscure comics. Just this catholic knowledge of stuff that can only be described as “stuff Hal was into.” He liked so many things so much … He cared about a lot of stuff a lot, and people that are really into what they do really inspire me. 

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?  My dad told me if you’re on the phone with someone in a business conversation and you don’t like what they’re saying or how they’re countering, just say nothing. Silence makes people crazy. They’ll pause waiting for you to talk; you won’t. Then they’ll continue to talk. And then they’ll go, “Are you still there?” And you’ll go, “Uh huh.” And then they’ll start talking again. And he goes, “They’ll probably walk back everything they said or meet you at the terms you wanted, or they might even go above what you wanted, because they’re so uncomfortable.”

Have you ever tried that in your career? [Smiles.] Yeah.

Has it worked? [Smiles.] Yeah.

What’s the worst advice?  I won’t name them but [in 2015], an extremely powerful person in Hollywood was telling me that I have to always own all my IP, which is not possible. And the guy’s looking at me and goes, “I know people who are famous and not rich, and they’re miserable. And I know people who are rich and not famous …” and I, John Mulaney, say, “And they’re happy.” And he goes, “No, they’re miserable.” And he looks at me and goes, “You need both. You need to be rich and famous.” It was like a parody of meeting this person. I was like, “Is this a cut scene from The Devil’s Advocate?” 

You were fairly famous at this point.  Not enough for this guy.

What advice do you wish you could give 2008 John Mulaney who’s auditioning for SNL and working on his first special?  As soon as you’re ready to leave Saturday Night Live, stay one more year. I wish I had. I didn’t realize that when you feel burnt out is not the moment to make a decision like that. In terms of other stuff, there were obviously a lot of twists and turns [in my life] after 2008-9, but I don’t know if the advice would’ve stuck. It wasn’t really an “advice would’ve solved that” situation. [Laughs.]I did get a lot of encouragement on various other problems.

What do you wish someone would have told you about being a celebrity growing up? I would have said to my child self, “It’s exactly like you picture it.” And I would have said to my 20-year-old self, “It’s exactly like you picture it.”

Why do you say that? [Pauses.] I hope this doesn’t come off badly, but I’ve always been so famous in my own head [laughs] that I don’t think my younger self would have been fazed at all. I just kinda was always a famous comedian in my head. The amount of times as a little kid I would interview myself — I was always, no matter at what stage, for some reason, processing the highs and lows of it.

Have you always been comfortable with fame? I’m a little embarrassed to say yes. I was always comfortable. It’s a little like living in a small town. “Hey John, how you doing?” “Hey, John.”

What comedians move you the most? There’s a Moth story with Taylor Negron talking about getting a pet monkey when he was a kid. And I watch it a lot for stage presence. He has the mic in the stand the whole time, and I’ve been doing that more lately. I just like his whole vibe in it. That story really touches me.

I really feel for this kid who wants a monkey, and then his uncle Ishmael finds a monkey that fell off the truck for Circus Vargas and he brings the monkey home, and the monkey would shit in people’s purses and make love to them.

What are the best and worst parts of success?  The best part is easy: It’s what you think. The audacious headline you dreamed up in your head once is actually written. And it just feels good. The worst part is your instincts were rewarded, but your instincts aren’t always right. I guess the lesson could be, “Everything I think of is good” [laughs]. It breeds a total confusion. I don’t walk away going, “I’m great at doing that.” I go, “How did he” — meaning me, one month in the past — “nail that?” And then I go, “I just kept doing whatever I wanted. But that can’t be it.” 

In your career, you’ve never rested on your laurels. What drives that?  A bored John Mulaney is a dangerous thing. It’s more the curiosity of it and a very childish, “But I already did that.” Not always the most prudent motivation. My son says that, actually — “We already did that.” “I thought maybe you’d want to go back.” “No, we already went there. Find another indoor gymnasium.” 

Do you get impostor syndrome?  No. Listen, one of my problems is not that I don’t feel really at home doing entertainment. I have other problems.

Your son, Malcolm, is three. Has fatherhood impacted your work? That’s a constant thought of “will I talk about this onstage?” But when my son was born — I have no distance from the relationship. I’ve talked about him onstage, but in a limited way. I have no take on him. I’m Hal Willner and he’s an R. Crumb comic. It’s total. There’s just no distance. I’m totally absorbed. He’s my guy.  

At your first post-rehab show at New York’s City Winery in 2021, you told the audience, “You’re the longest, most intimate relationship of my life.” People applauded before you added, “That’s not a good thing.” How does it feel when a disconnect like that happens? I should have learned that most times when you mention the audience, they will applaud. [Laughs.] It’s a thing I learned the very first time I emceed at a club. Like, any reference to them, they will applaud. It’s that, “Saturday night, people are wild tonight. I don’t need to tell you that in Youngstown, though.” And they’re like, “Yeah!” You could say, “I’m so sick and so addicted to your praise.” And just by saying “you” and pointing…

Did that moment strike you as odd? I thought it was funny. It’s actually the perfect reaction. The only thing I would regret is [when I said] that’s not a good thing. Why editorialize?

You’re on a group text with Jimmy Kimmel and Nick Kroll about the band Kiss. What comes up the most? It’s mainly the [Gene Simmons Vault] Experience, which was something Gene was pushing for a while where you could go be amongst Kiss merchandise. When Nick and I were on Celebrity Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, I memorized a bunch of Gene Simmons quotes and I used them throughout the segment. There’s [also] a thread of me, Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, and Jimmy Kimmel that’s all about Van Halen and David Lee Roth and Alex and Eddie [Van Halen]. Interviews with Alex and Eddie about David is the platonic ideal. 

Are you a fan of Kiss and Van Halen? How seriously or ironically are we treating this? Granted, [Kiss] have this body of work, but it’s always interesting to me, the people who got into anything like that for any reason other than enjoying the music. That’s certainly not Alex and Eddie [Van Halen]. I like Van Halen a lot, and I like Diamond Dave’s bluegrass album of covers [2006’s Strummin’ With the Devil]. I’m embarrassed to say, it’s kind of in my shuffle. 

Billy Joel once said, “I met more girls by playing the piano and not trying to have a clever pickup line. And I realized the power of this stuff.”  That is very surprising. I would have thought he was like a piano prodigy who knew jazz and classical and rejected it for rock. That’s knowing nothing about him. If I were to pull that out of my hat, that would be my diagnosis.

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Will Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney be similar to Everybody’s in L.A.? I don’t know. It was this six-night pop-up show tied to a festival, and it was really fun to try. I felt like a lot of instinctual things worked out. I’m very committed to diving into irrelevance, never being relevant. This ties into a few things: recklessness, overplanning, and taking calls. A lot of stuff we did in the first six, we’ll continue.

The overriding sentiment seems to be that it was a show that shouldn’t have worked, but did.  Yeah. [Pauses.] Except that everything that shouldn’t work always does.

[first-class-feral]

readme

I've been on a Brad Dourif hyperfixation for like six months now. The restorative power of staring at this one hot guy has somehow pulled me through a profound creative burnout.... and here are the results! (See #my bradrot for the latest)

🎧 prettyboy music videos

Supercut of hottie moments (Boys)

The X-Files (Shinigami Eyes)

Spontaneous Combustion (You Spin Me)

Death Machine (Wrecking Ball)

✍️ unstable gif essays

Scrungly feature analysis: Brad Dourif's eyes

Popping the headlights (a certain way directors light his eyes)

🎨 BD characters as classical art

Saint Sebastian | Le génie du mal | Perseus with the Head of Medusa

🧰 meme templates

Drake yes/no meme generator | Tucker Cleveland's truck templates

🤨 other shitposts, drawings, stuff

Brad Dourif movie bingo!

BDE (Brad Dourif Energy) memes

Rotoscoped Miami Vice intimidation gif

Listen here u little shit (Cypress Edge)

Brad Dourif mlem cam (Progeny interview)

i sleep / real shit, Dourif vamp edition

And maybe some fics... someday? 🫣

P.S.: I don't repost fundraisers and stuff here because this is my fun stupid side account. I do those things on main; this is more of a release valve. Big love to those doing the work on here, though.