Let's Give a Cheer for E. Jean!
Plus, other v. good things
Something amazing has happened: For the last two days, we have woken up to GOOD news.
(Before you channel my father the scientist who would respond to my comment as we drove past a field of sheep, “Oooo, look at all those fluffy, white sheep!’ with“How do you know they’re not black on the other side?" Yes, there was plenty of bad, nay, terrible news these past few days. But, the important part, my deep-thinking friends, is that so much good news felt like a windfall.)
Imagine you scroll on your phone first thing in the AM, while doing the jaw-loosening exercises necessary after another night of sleep with clenched teeth, open BlueSky and see Zohran Mamdani has won, no-question, the New York City primary. Instead of reading hateful posts from people suggesting Mamdani will turn New York into a socialist Islamist caliphate, you focus on the articles about the groundswell of effective, genius political campaign management by people two-thirds the age of Chuck Schumer. You dwell in possibility: What if what even some of what Mamdani wants to do happens? You look at the photo of his mother, director Mira Nair, wiping her lipstick off his cheek and feel this odd sensation. Is that one small knot of anxiety loosening itself?
You hurry by an ALL CAPS tweet by an old man yelling about something, and land on a link to the website of the Kara McCurdy, Mamdani’s campaign photographer since his days running for state assembly. There you soak in the photographs of Rama Duwaji and Mamdani on their wedding day, as they take the subway to City Hall to get married, because, of course they did. You stop short of a complete fangirl episode and go about the rest of the day, a little spring in your step. Maybe, just, maybe, as you tootle down the hedgerowed country lanes of Herefordshire*, you and your family listen to “Empire State of Mind,” loud enough to startle the magpies.
And this morning, what triumphant news do I see in my inbox? An email from Best Beloved E. Jean Carroll sharing that her new book, Not My Type: One Woman vs the President, has debuted at number two on the New York Times bestseller list. Her book is brilliant, honest, funny and it feels as if E. Jean is sitting with you, over an ice-cold martini (three olives), telling the entire story straight to you. If you haven’t already had the pleasure of reading (or listening to … she whispers it directly into your ears), may I politely recommend you get yourself a copy?
So for my former cheerleader friend, I mused over a bit of a cheer for her:
🎉📣A Cheer for E. Jean📣🎉
She told the truth! She took the stand!
She stood up to that awful man!
Hey, hey, what do we say?
Truth and justice win the day!
Tell him! Tell her!
E. Jean is a bestseller!
Whose our Goddess? Whose our Queen?
Eeeeeee Jean! Eeeeeee Jean!!
GO TEAM E JEAN!
Fight! Fight! WIN!
(Well, at least the feeling is strong if the rhymes aren’t.)
And while I don’t have a fresh recipe for you this week, may I remind you of E. Jean’s favorite birthday cake?
Did you find pleasure in something this week, large or small? Share, please!
*I’m currently in Hereford, England. More on that anon
Um, speaking of bestseller lists, it sure would be amazing if you could pre-order my book. The more pre-orders, the more likely bookstores are to carry it, which is why authors are always begging you to pre-order their book. Also, I truly believe you will use and enjoy the cookbook.
I’m reading her book! It’s so good!
I’m grateful Mamdani won. It’s time for a new generation of democrats to take over. Actually it’s way past time. I supported and voted for Harris, but I’m tired of donating and losing. I will buy E. Jean’s book. Seems like it is a good read.