Slate published a lot of remarkable stories about the Orlando massacre. You can find them all collected here. I would especially draw your attention to:
- Ruth Graham’s interview with Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, who called the moments of silence that have become Congress’ standard response to mass shootings “an abomination”;
- Dahlia Lithwick’s impassioned history of the National Rifle Aassociation’s perversion of the Second Amendment;
- Mark Joseph Stern on how conservative activists spent decades fomenting anti-gay sentiment in Orlando;
- and this moving paean to the shattered safety and comfort of the gay bar by associate editor J. Bryan Lowder, who tirelessly oversaw our Orlando coverage.
This week in Trump: What do the crew members who worked for him on The Apprentice have to say about him? A sample:
There was a fat contestant who was a buffoon and a fuckup … And he would fuck up week after week, and the producers would figure that he’d screwed up so badly that Trump would have to fire him. But Trump kept deciding to fire someone else. Trump said, “Everybody loves a fat guy. People will watch if you have a funny fat guy around. Trust me, it’s good for ratings.” I look at Chris Christie now and I swear that’s what’s happening.
Not From Slate
“Interview With a Woman Who Recently Had an Abortion at 32 Weeks” by Jia Tolentino, Jezebel
“I have read many grueling personal testaments by exceptionally strong women who have, due to terrible circumstances, had late-term abortions. I thought I didn’t need to read more. I was wrong. This interview with a woman who, after an extremely difficult and medically complicated pregnancy, recently had an abortion at 32 weeks is very much worth your time.” —Allison Benedikt, news director
“She’s the Hidden Architect of Modern Comedy” by Jason Zinoman, New York Times
“Anyone who’s performed long-form improv knows the name of Charna Halpern, who built Chicago’s mecca of the form, iO, with the legendary Del Close. Slate contributor Zinoman’s evenhanded, insightful profile of Halpern paints a picture of a woman who wields remarkable power in the entertainment world and who has struggled at times to adapt to changing norms for women in comedy. —Dan Kois, culture editor
Also:
- David Rees’ Trump predictions are funny and almost certainly accurate;
- Miranda Popkey nails the appeal of novelist Helen DeWitt’s first book, now back in print;
- and Smash Mouth really needs a hobby.
Very Short Q-and-A
This week’s personal question is addressed to associate editor L. V. Anderson, whose scream was audible throughout the Slate office when she won the Hamilton ticket lottery on Wednesday.
How long had you been entering the Hamilton lottery? How were you notified that you won?
According to my Gmail inbox, I have entered the Hamilton digital lottery 46 times. Every time you enter, you get an email a few hours before the performance with a subject line like “HAMILTON June 10, 2016 8:00 pm Lottery Results: Try Again.” But this time, I got an email with the subject line, “HAMILTON June 14, 2016 7:00 pm: Lottery Results – YOU WON!” They sort of buried the lede there.
How did you react, and who did you take?
First, I screamed. Then I grabbed my wallet and entered my credit card info. Then I Slacked everyone in Slate’s New York office to brag about my good fortune. Then I texted a friend whom I’d promised to take if I ever won. As I waited to hear back, I unwisely announced to everyone in the office that I might have a free ticket, which led news director Allison Benedikt to predict a “Slate blood bath.” As far as I know no one was badly injured.
Was it any good?
It was amazing. I don’t know how to talk about it without being totally obnoxious. Our seats were in the front row, and Lin-Manuel Miranda made deep, meaningful eye contact with me several times.
I was deeply moved by the generosity of the actors’ performances. This cast has been performing Hamilton for more than a year, and they just won 11 Tonys. You might expect them to be phoning it in by now. But they all seemed so emotionally present and interested in creating something special for the audience.
Thanks, L. V.! And thank you for your Slate Plus membership, which makes our journalism possible. See you next week!
Gabriel Roth
Editorial director, Slate Plus
