The Grouchy Editor

I try to separate art from artist in movies. This has always been an issue in Hollywood (see Woody Allen; see Fatty Arbuckle — look him up), but never so much as in 2026.

Usually, I can divorce my dislike of an actor’s politics from the character he (or she) plays … but not always. I have to restrain an involuntary gag whenever I see a picture of Mark Ruffalo, much less watch him in a movie.

And so, I am a fan of the website Is It Woke or Not. It documents, subjectively, just how “woke” a story is, or how woke the lead actors in it are.

If Hollywood doesn’t like this site, Hollywood can do what it’s been instructing half its audience to do for years: eat shit.

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Matt Walsh has been going after Social Security and Boomers who freak out when anyone suggests changing it or (gasp!) getting rid of it.

There’s no question something needs to be done. But it seems there should be some middle ground.

When Bill Gates qualifies for benefits, and when many Boomers own not just one, but multiple homes while collecting Social Security … yeah, means testing, while not ideal, ought to be looked at. Also, raising the cap on taxable earnings.

Seems better than two alternatives: seniors spending their “golden years” sleeping on park benches, or young people never owning a house. Just one house.

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Pet Peeve of the Week

People who say “sooner than later.”

© 2010-2026 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

Some unsolicited advice for Trump: It’s time to do what the Dems have been doing for years — ignore (some) laws. Or at least ignore crackpot federal judges.

I think this began with sanctuary cities. The left decided that pot smokers and illegal immigrants should blow off federal laws meant for all of us, and then created sanctuary cities. And sanctuary states.

So Donald, just ignore whining “traditionalist” Republicans, ignore these rogue judges, and do your thing. That’s what the Dems do.

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Here in Minnesota, we have four women battling each other for governor (Amy Klobuchar vs. Lisa Demuth) and the U.S. Senate (Peggy Flanagan vs. Michele Tafoya). 

The TV commercials are interesting. Republicans Demuth and Tafoya attack their opponents for their (lack of) oversight during the fraud scandals. Democrats Klobuchar and Flanagan attack their opponents for … Donald Trump.

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This “Cornell 7” thing is annoying and depressing. It doesn’t seem like the sort of thing that should be the subject of national interest. But it is. Sex always sells. Especially kinky sex.

In other news, I keep getting emails from some girl asking me if I “want to play.” She sent me a picture. Anyone recognize her?

© 2010-2026 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

Best of Shows?

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A question: Who the hell had time to watch all of these shows, much less decide which of them was worthy of a spot on this list? Somehow, I doubt that even professional critics saw every episode of, for example, Dexter. But what the hell, everyone else seems to be weighing in on this thing, so here are my two cents:

An admission: I’ve only seen about a third of the 100 shows. Of those, I didn’t watch all episodes of every season. Again, who has time for that?

1. I’d move The Queen’s Gambit into the top ten.
2. I’d move The Shield into the top ten.
3. Some of these shows were generally great but did not stick the landing (Peaky Blinders, Ozark).
4. Curb Your Enthusiasm deserves its high ranking — but only for the first few seasons. House of Cards also overstayed its welcome. And, unless it rebounds, Black Mirror no longer shines.
5. Overall, not a bad list.

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Speaking of losing luster, Trump is not having a great year. It’s hard to understand how a guy who made big promises six years ago — and kept many of them — can be failing to do the same in his second term. Do the “powers that be” have something on him, something that might be on the Epstein list?

Below, more black pills, courtesy of Bret Weinstein:

© 2010-2026 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

TV Tidbits

You simply cannot escape wokeness, or DEI or whatever they’re calling it now. Apparently, every television and movie studio has a checklist, and no show shall grace the screen until all the appropriate boxes are checked.

I watched Blood Sacrifice on Netflix, a noir thriller from Sweden. For the most part, it was a typical series of its type, with someone killing police officers and our heroes tasked with solving the crimes. But something about the story was a bit … off.

Periodically, for no apparent reason, the plot would switch from police procedural to a subplot about one cop, a blink-and-you-miss-him supporting character. This character was married to another man, and we learn that he’s considering a career change. Several times the show halted killings and crime solving to give us a few minutes with this gay couple.

This was mystifying. The character was not essential to the main plot and was not one of the primary heroes or villains. He was a married gay man with career aspirations. That’s all we ever learn about him.

You telling me that the producers of Blood Sacrifice weren’t checking a DEI box?

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Peacock just added the Canadian version of The Traitors to its lineup. I’ve already watched the other versions available to me — U.S., England, New Zealand, and Australian offerings — so it was time to watch this one. Because of course it was.

The host of our northern neighbors’ Traitors is an actress named Karine Vanasse. Never heard of her. I did some research. Here she is in a movie called Switch, because you want to see:

You’re welcome.

© 2010-2026 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

Has Fauda Jumped the Shark?

The good news about Fauda:

It’s (finally) back on Netflix and is still a well-produced drama with tense scenes and very good acting.

The bad news about Fauda:

I’m halfway through season five, and the series is beginning to show its age — or its lack of inspiration/creativity. These are mostly script issues. There are sloppy scenes, both micro and macro. Here’s a micro: In an early episode, two good guys are tailing bad guys in their car. Good guy tells other good guy to keep his distance from the bad guys’ car, lest they be spotted. Cut to shots that show the tailing car, oh, perhaps 30 feet behind the first car. Couldn’t be easier to spot.

Another micro: We are told a bad guy always has security with him, “24-7.” This is shortly after a scene where we watched said bad guy standing, all by himself, in a crowd observing a crime scene. 

Macro: Our heroes fall into the clutches of bad guys, who interrogate them and almost immediately decide our boys are not only acceptable but should be elevated to major roles in the bad guys’ organization.

Another problem, not limited to Fauda:  Modern series need to stop this practice of waiting two, or even three, years between seasons (see picture at top). I watch the new season of Fauda and completely forget who died or who lived in previous seasons, who’s angry with other people and who is not, etcetera.

I’ll be damned if I’m going to go back to previous seasons just to jog my memory.

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This is like one of those puzzles where you are asked to find one item that’s different in two otherwise identical pictures:

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I’ve been reading about woke companies censoring, banning, or editing old movies that are now deemed politically incorrect (Revenge of the Nerds, for example). Or issuing provocative trigger warnings for “modern” audiences (Gone with the Wind).

But I had no idea they are also censoring promotional pictures, like above.

In case you can’t spot it, the dude is no longer holding her panties.

© 2010-2026 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

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When I’m feeling a bit psycho, I don’t worry too much because I know the feeling (hopefully) will pass. When other men are acting a bit psycho, I don’t worry too much because I can often relate to what makes them that way. I know it should pass.

But when I see millions of females looking like the trio above … God help all of us.

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I guess if you’re a celebrity you are surrounded by sycophants who will forever say “yes” to you and enable your delusions.

How else to explain Page’s confusion over her/his lack of job offers? Women aren’t attracted to you because you look like a small boy. Men aren’t attracted to you because you look like a small boy.

You’d better hope the transsexual movie audience is large and growing. Either that or you’d best hope Christopher Nolan makes more movies more often.

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This is why I have mixed feelings about the “transsexuals invading women’s sports” issue. It’s hard for me to feel bad for a gender that spent the past 50 years insisting that it be allowed into everything traditionally male, now complaining about trans people wanting to be allowed into theirs.

© 2010-2026 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

I admire Tim Pool. I think he’s the most effective mouthpiece against the far left in podcasting world.

I probably agree with Pool’s views, oh, 85-90 percent of the time.

But Pool (and co-host Phil Labonte) has a blind spot. You don’t see him fly into a rage very often but, when it does happen, it’s almost always when someone has the temerity to bring up income inequality.

Pool and Labonte, both quite wealthy, will see red and launch into attack mode. This doesn’t happen when the issue is abortion or gun control or illegal immigration but, man, if you want to see unfiltered anger, suggest something — anything — to alleviate income inequality.

Pool will immediately bark that, if you tax the millionaires and billionaires, or do anything to impede capitalism, it will not solve the problem. The problem will still exist. The millionaires and billionaires will simply move. Besides, many of the so-called millionaires do not have millions in cash. They often earn only, say $100,000 per year salaries.

OK, ask Joe the electrician, who also earns $100,000 per year, if he’s willing to switch jobs (and all income, current and future) with the millionaire. Of course he will, because there’s more to wealth than a yearly salary.

And given that taxing millionaires and billionaires will not entirely solve the problem of income inequality, it’s better to do nothing, according to Pool. All the little guy can do is work harder. Que sera, sera.

We’re all just stuck with the status quo.

Listen, I don’t want socialism or communism. But arguing that we can’t solve the entire problem so we best do nothing is a great way to see the masses bring out pitchforks. Pool and Labonte aren’t the only Americans who can display rage.

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Norwegian hurdler Lovise Skarbovik Andresen had her ass displayed on a European television channel (above). Apparently, multiple times. Europe wants TV stations to stop filming butts like this. But I think Lovise likes the (un)coverage. Otherwise, why doesn’t she simply cover it up? More Lovise butt below:

© 2010-2026 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

Vickie didn’t really say that, did she? Let me ask Grok.

hmmm … what she said?

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Speaking of naughty girls, sometimes I Google search people I used to know. Like the girl below.

She would be about 25 now. I guess I’m not surprised when a young hottie posts young hottie pictures. But using your real name? 

I am old, so I also had to search the meaning of “fap.” Not “ho,” though, which seems self-evident.

Anyway, so this girl I used to know wants males to masturbate to her pictures?

She certainly leaves little to — scratch that — nothing to the imagination.

Have to leave now. Have to fap.

© 2010-2026 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

Where are the real men?

Hmmmm, I wonder if anyone has the answer ….

That guy Grouchyface seems like a really smart cookie!

But seriously … it does seem that hetero men are only allowed to be “good guys” if they are stupid (Ryan Gosling in Barbie), or if they are in the film primarily to support their female co-stars (too many to mention).

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Yeah, I think we should all just forget about Woke 1.0. It was just a bit of harmless overreach. Like the Covid lockdowns and millions of illegal immigrants and abolishing the police and ICE. Just little things like that.

Let’s join A.O.C. and laugh it off like a bit of craziness that we’ve already moved past.

© 2010-2026 grouchyeditor.com (text only)

My theory about this so-called lack of interest in movie-star skin: If you like to see sex and nudity — especially if you are into some kind of kink — everything you desire is already on the Internet.

For most of Hollywood history, people (especially men) enjoyed seeing their movie stars naked. When Julie Andrews bared her breasts on the silver screen in 1981’s S.O.B., it was a big deal.

Several years ago, “America’s sweetheart,” Jennifer Lawrence, got totally naked in a movie called No Hard Feelings. America yawned.

Nobody cares anymore because, Internet.

© 2010-2026 grouchyeditor.com (text only)