John Moe

Me driving the other dads to the Dave & Buster’s out by the old mall:

How behind on my email am I? In the span of meaning to get back to an editorial assistant at a small publisher, that person became a best-selling author who I can no longer reach.

Is it worth getting a liberal arts degree when, decades after graduation, you're doing an interview about mental health and the guest starts talking about Schopenhauer?

Yes!

It's come in handy a million times before then but would've been worth it for that alone.

I don't know. I used to be in radio. I'm still enamored of hearing a human explain something and then letting my mind come up with the visuals.
And yeah, what about MTV, John, we've been through this before. Sure, I love Falco, MY GOD WHO DOESN'T, but MTV doesn't show videos anymore.

I'm fully open to shifting my priorities if I see clear evidence it's the right move. I've been wrong before, will be again. But I also treasure the simple intimacy of a voice explaining something to you in a smart and engaging way. I'd hate to give that away in an effort to make compelling visuals.

I make 3 weekly podcasts, hosting 2, producing 1. None are on video. I'd like to put them there but have neither the resources nor time to easily do so and it just hasn't been a priority. Everyone I know listens to pods while they're doing something other than watching a screen, so it's audio only.

I really hope Amy isn’t simply taking Homan’s word for it here. I hope she knows better than that.

Ball pit like at IKEA with a double slide.

What if we're all misunderstanding what he means by a massive $400 million ballroom?

That's why I never fault Wes Anderson's films or John Slattery's acting roles. They keep doing the same thing but I like the thing.

Fair.

(I am very fortunate to know Rhett personally so of course I've asked him about Robert and he's told me. But that's his to reveal, I have no license to do so.)

Yes! I love a lyric that references something that we're supposed to know but of course we have no way of knowing.

"'Cause if Robert's dad is right
We might not make it through the night" - @rhettmiller.bsky.social / Old 97s, "Big Brown Eyes"

Who's Robert?! We never find out! I love that!

What is the best Hold Steady song and it is "Hornets! Hornets!".

Some people knock BlueSky as a place where everyone agrees with you but to me that's among it's best features.
Don't need to borrow trouble.
I have enough conflict and disagreement and friction with, you know, EVERYTHING, so a bunch of nice people who nod their heads and make gentle jokes? Fuck yes.

I mean, how could she not?

May her heart be filled with cheer.

Maisy, a blonde mutt, smiling.

I’m cursed with really bad stress dreams, recurring too so the plots are boring, and loads of full-on nightmares. It sucks, I’ll keep trying potential solutions.

But last night’s dream: introduced Jack Black to Tim Walz, they hugged, then they napped with my dog Maisy.

Improvement!

LORNE was on bonanza, battlestar galactica, and sold alpo

Too many game show sketches also.

They’ve had brilliantly creative people on that show whose abilities were finally showcased after.

I realize there are constraints to making a show but it doesn’t have to be so repetitive.

And the hero worship thing is gross.

Why does the fact that there’s a documentary about Lorne Michaels, called LORNE, make me so angry?

Well, I can now think of a bunch of reasons. Decades perpetuating the buttering edge of comedy, promoting a narrow channel of performers’ and writers’ huge talents while breaking their spirits.

Eileen, I’m so glad you didn’t spend much money to get your dog on Martha’s Vineyard and it’s a fascinating story with the owner and shots. Cool.
I think this must have happened a very long time ago.
Prices are higher today.

“As George Orwell once said, “Jump back, what's that sound?
Here she comes, full blast and top down
Hot shoe, burning down the avenue
Model citizen, zero discipline
Don't you know she's coming home to me?
You'll lose her in the turn
I'll get her, ah!
Panama
Panama
Panama
Panama.’

How true that is.”

Oh no. He still needs to go to Iran. It’s the third act!

I will abandon my Texas U.S. Senate campaign if Senators agree to finance and produce a third season of Patriot.

Our departing Senator throws elbows freely. Peggy, our current lieutenant governor, is running to be the next Senator Elbow Thrower.

That, as they say, is my boy!

At first, he was hesitant to call himself a journalist. "All I do is look things up, dig through tax records and corporate filings, and reach out for interviews and comment from people."
I told him that's more than many journalists do.
He's also a full time reading tutor at a public school!

His work has led to a feud with billionaire David Sacks, who called Charlie an "opposition researcher" (Charlie's just a young man in Saint Paul with internet access), a recent appearance on Chapo Trap House, and a deal with Means TV.
It's pretty cool.

Moss Planet Video essays adapted from my substack, Mossplanet.news.

Charlie has a YouTube channel called Moss Planet - www.youtube.com/@MossPlanet and a newsletter of the same name.
It's really hard to break into media and journalism jobs so he just started making his own opportunities. Get fascinated, do TONS of research, tell people what you found.