Just wanted to post to thank everyone who helped me with this @charcorn video (link in bio). I love Charlotte’s songs. They’re droll and heartfelt and always hit me from an unexpected direction. They reminded me in that way of Hal Hartley’s movies, so I borrowed (ripped off) a memorable scene from Hartley’s Simple Men and back-filled a narrative that to me felt like it rhymed with what’s going on in Charlotte’s lyrics.
It was very fun to make, thanks to these talented people…
Starring: James Urbaniak @jamesurbaniak , Charlotte Cornfield, Michel Lichand
Director Of Photography: Stephen Tringali @stephen.tringali
Produced by Rob Hatch-Miller & Puloma Basu @robhatchmiller@puloma_b
Editor: Joe Lee
Choreographer: Libby Buchanan @ybbilb
Co-Producer: Caitlin Linden @caitmonstar
1st AC: Loie Russell-Templeton
Gaffers: Ash Bhasin, Andrew L’Heureux
Hair & Makeup: Danielle Haxton
Colorist: Logan Highlen @lhighlen
Visual Effects: Justin Sarceno @justinsarceno
In 2023 I recorded a few of my songs. It was very fun and fulfilling. The producer was @jarvis_taveniere , who’s brilliant and super patient and plays with the band Woods. Thanks to him, and to @rebeccaschiffman (who sings on one, and who encouraged me to push through the terror and share them) and to Leo, who got the first of these songs stuck in his head for like a month, which was probably the most gratifying creative win of my adult life. Link in da bio!
In 2017 @rebeccaschiffman and I visited Russia (it was before Leo, when we would do things like casually visit Russia). We met a couple there who worked in the Russian entertainment industry. In terms of their tastes they might as well have been from Silverlake — they listened to WTF, had Game of Thrones opinions… they were fans of Bob’s Burgers. They’d carved out a nice little bourgeois niche for themselves in Moscow, but of course it was with the understanding that if they used their platforms to say or do anything that pissed off their government, it would all go away. That’s the America the current regime is trying to build. Many of us would still be free to live life much as we’ve been living it — bingeing podcasts, drinking cold brews, buying stuff, poking at our phones — but if we voiced dissent, or even if our bosses voiced dissent, it would be at the risk of our livelihoods. America’s a huge country. They’re not gonna round up the roughly half of us who don’t like Trump and put us on a chain gang. That’s not their authoritarian vision. But they do have an authoritarian vision and it’s playing out before our eyes.
Rebecca’s new album, reviewed lavishly by British music magazine Uncut. A truly epic 9-minute song of hers is on the CD — on US newsstands soon! The album is brilliant.
Brand new video out today on @thefader (link in biooo). Starring the brilliant ‘n’ hilarious Mark Proksch. For a great band from London called @_the_tubs_ , whose debut is the album I’ve listened to most this year.
This was a lotta fun, thanks to the talents and ever-flowing generosity of @stephen.tringali , @robhatchmiller , @puloma_b , @patrcklwrnce , and the folks tagged above. LET’S GO TUBBIN’. And check out the band on @bandcamp . They’re fab.
Happy Mother’s Day to @rebeccaschiffman ! We’re very grateful for you. (And you took this photo but it somehow manages to be better than any photo I’ve ever taken so I’m using it.)
My dad was deeply kind. Kind to animals (he lavished affection on his dogs), kind to us, kind in his perspective on the world. He was also sarcastic. And corny. He was emotional but somehow also emotionally guarded. I think you could say he was shy. He had a 38-year career as a dentist for the Veterans Administration Hospital, and he took great pride in his work for veterans. His own brother was killed in action in Vietnam, a tragedy that I believe informed everything my dad did. In his later years my dad pushed hard to honor his brother’s memory, like it was his life’s work.
I have memories of my dad standing up for me. And of him supporting me even when you could tell he thought what I was doing was a really bad idea. My last words with him were on Father’s Day, when we told each other “I love you.” He passed away unexpectedly Sunday while returning from a visit to his hometown — he had seen family there and attended a dedication for a Vietnam War memorial that included his brother. Earlier in June he celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with my mom. He had many last “I love yous” before he went, and many goodbyes. I’ll always miss him.