The Loop
5 things to talk about on the course: Jon Stewart, Donald Trump, and "Woman In Gold"
From sports to TV to politics (OK, so mostly the first two), we offer five hot topics that are sure to liven up your round of golf:
1. Jon Stewart: I'm not a diehard fan of "The Daily Show," but its early years coincided with my college years so naturally, our dorms were usually tuned in. That's probably why I don't remember too many details of the show, but fondly recall it always providing smart entertainment on a nightly basis in a manner that actually made younger folks interested in the grownup world of politics. Jon Stewart had help along the way, but what a brilliant man and performer. Like many, I'm looking forward to seeing what he does next.
2. Republican debate: Nine politicians and one total clown arguing with each other for a couple hours? Can we have one of these debates every week? And after seeing that, is Jon Stewart really leaving now?
3. "Woman In Gold": Being stuck on a long flight will cause you to give almost any movie a try. Sometimes you get lucky ("Nebraska" on my flight to Glasgow last year) and sometimes you get very unlucky ("Savages" on the flight back from Glasgow). Not only does "Woman In Gold" fall into the former category, but it's one of the best movies I've seen in awhile (Yes, mom, I should have listened to you). Helen Mirren is Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds delivers a solid un-Ryan Reynolds-like performance. I am a total sucker for historical dramas so this is my early pick for Best Picture.
4. Mets/Yankees: What is going on in New York?!? I go on my honeymoon and when I come back I find both of the local ball clubs are rolling. The Mets are mainly doing it with incredible pitching, while the Yankees are bludgeoning teams with surprisingly incredible offense. Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira have combined for 53 home runs. That's especially amazing since coming into this season, most people would have been surprised to see them combine to play in 53 games.
5. "True Detective": Season 2 of HBO's crime drama has been a total mess -- but I'll still be glued to Sunday's 90-minute(!) finale. Seriously, though, it's too bad it took the first seven episodes to have any clue what's going on. At least, the past two episodes were particularly entertaining (Colin Farrell being a badass while Vince Vaughn continuing to do his best badass impersonation) and we're just one more episode away from all the speculation over who will be in next year's cast. Hey, we hear Jon Stewart will have some free time. . .