Who says that comedy is dead? As we write this Boldface, the primary voting tabulations are mostly in and counted for a summer and fall season full of raucous fun and laughs with John Fetterman, Doug Mastriano, Ted Budd and Dr. Oz. It’s not good, but at least it looks livelier, more gripping and overall sillier than the television/streamers’ current schedule for the 2022 fall TV season.
Speaking of television networks, if you are an animated Adult Swim fan, you’ll get the Rick & Morty references come this August. If not, work with me—for the first time on the East Coast, In Live Nation will partner with the Adult Swim Festival Block Party for a curated, three day series of individually ticketed events across Fishtown’s Fillmore Philly, The Foundry, Punch Line Philly and Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia from Aug. 5 to 7. Philly’s Tierra Whack, Run the Jewels, Dethrock and more will be the musical headliners, and expect anime-like visions of Aqua Teen Hunger Force co-stars such as Frylock and Master Shake to show. See? You don’t understand that. Just enjoy the drinks and the music, and try not to look confused.
By the way, more than a third of Philadelphians opposed Tuesday’s ballot questions referendum removing gendered language from the City Charter. It passed, and that’s good, but the numbers show that nearly 35% of Philly voters were up for less-than-fluid hard line definition. Just saying.
A Philly man’s misfortune is Tik Tok gold apparently, from the success—1 million likes, 5 million+ views—of the Soulja Boy video for “Yahhh!” with local rapper AR-ab. Currently serving a long prison sentence, Abdul Ibrahim West was a major part of this now 15-year-old Soulja Boy song from his souljaboytellem.com. Why popular now? Because Tik Tok is weird random, and good at holding 7 second attention spans.
I’m telling you this right now because I might start earlier than the 25th — #WineWednesday and National Wine Day will fall on the same date, May 25, and Philly is, of course set to represent.
Is it me, or is that Philly’s Garrett G, Love Dutton—hot in anticipation of releasing his new homespun album ‘Mississippi Philly‘ with assists from locals such as Chuck Treece and Schoolly D—appearing in television ads for Sun Bum vegan skin care products, running and playing harmonica? And isn’t that dangerous?
Crypto currency is a mess at present, but that shouldn’t stop you from considering rare NFTs as an investment option. Take South of South Neighborhood Association board member/community leader Brandon Washington who is auctioning NFTs fashioned from his 4-year-old daughter’s art to raise funds for the proposed Washington Avenue 1901 Community Center.
Six of one, half a dozen of another: Adam Volk just closed my closest-to-me fried chicken space, Redcrest Fried Chicken along the East Passyunk restaurant district. In order to open a possibly closer-to-me Redcrest Fried Chicken in Queen Village soonish. Time to pull out the yard stick.
Unmasked Philly: Bryan Buttler
The Philly-based founder of Bryan Buttler Media Relations is one of those cats, whom if they aren’t there, the thing isn’t happening. This educator, writer and publicist/communications professional can be found this month working everything from future Cirque du Soleil, Philly Fringe Fests and World Cafe Live events to 1812 Productions’ ‘This is the Week That Is‘, the upcoming engagement of ‘Freestyle Love Supreme‘ at the Kimmel Cultural Campus, and with Grammy winner Zachary James for his upcoming sounds.
When he isn’t zooming for and Zooming with clients, Buttler is moving otherwise as a self-confessed Peloton junkie. “I am obsessed with taking classes in Spanish with the fabulous Camila Ramon – she is fire – and have cycled every day since I got my Peloton back in October,” states Buttler. “I never thought of myself as an athlete—I say that there’s not an athletic bone in my body—but I’m deeply competitive. I’m also into plants and trying to create a bit of a mini-oasis at home. if there’s anything the pandemic taught me, it’s that we need homes that reflect who we are. We should want to be at peace in our dwellings.”
Buttler came out as a gay man at 16. He’s a big Brene Brown and Nigella Lawson’s cookbook reader (“I highly recommend her newest, ‘Cook, Eat, Repeat’), a lover of documentaries (‘Grey Gardens,’ ‘Paris is Burning’) and the docu-drama form (‘Golda’s Balcony’). Bryan likes a stiff drink, and is into mixology and well-crafted cocktails. He also feels blessed and makes sure to give back, dropping off goods at his local community food pantry, and buying items from Amazon wish lists for charities (“Sometimes, a $5 or $10 purchase of items that a LGBTQ youth shelter needs on their Amazon list makes my day feel a bit better”).
And along with having memorable professional moments in pairing with Philly publicist legend Carole Morganti and the incredible R. Eric Thomas, Buttler seeks to always shine the brightest lights on projects and communities that need and appreciate the exposure.
