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EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS!

CONTENTS

SHARA CLARK Editor SAMUEL X. CICCI Managing Editor JACKSON BAKER, BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN Senior Editors TOBY SELLS Associate Editor KAILYNN JOHNSON News Reporter CHRIS MCCOY Film and TV Editor ALEX GREENE Music Editor MICHAEL DONAHUE, JON W. SPARKS Staff Writers ABIGAIL MORICI Arts and Culture Editor GENE GARD, EMILY GUENTHER, COCO JUNE, FRANK MURTAUGH Contributing Columnists SHARON BROWN, AIMEE STIEGEMEYER Grizzlies Reporters ANDREA FENISE Fashion Editor KENNETH NEILL Founding Publisher

OUR 1816TH ISSUE 12.14.23 It’s 10 p.m. on Monday night, and we won’t talk about how long I stared at a blank Google document before my fingers started moving across the keyboard to form this sentence — the screen’s white glare blinding as I searched the file cabinet of my brain for words, any words would do. Because we go to press tomorrow and we’ve got to put out two papers this week in our push to prepare for a week off for the holidays. Our team is very lucky to have some uninterrupted time off at the end of the year, but we have to hustle to make that happen — and, in our “absence,” you all still need to be able to find your copy of the Flyer out on newsstands as expected. Thanks to the diligent work of our entire staff, you shall. (And we won’t skip a beat on memphisflyer.com either; find us there with new and different content any time.) A standard computer keyboard typically has 104 keys, and infinite combinations of words that could come from them. I’ve managed to get to about the 175-word mark now. I don’t have any use for the ~ or ^, and hardly ever need the | or } keys at all — never really thought about that. Yes, I might be stalling. But maybe you can understand. There seems to be a long-standing, silently agreed-upon notion that the time between Thanksgiving and the new year is a holiday haze. Sort of like the last week of school for kids, with sweet dreams of summer knocking at the door, but for adults. When you’ve already checked out a bit after a turkey-induced coma in anticipation of the holiday break and New Year’s celebrations. Twinkling lights and tinsel, gifts and fireworks, anyone? Okay, maybe not the tinsel — unless you want to still be finding strands of it next spring. Even with visions of sugar plum fairies dancing in our heads, we’ve got to PHOTO: ALEXEY BOLDIN | DREAMSTIME.COM push on through. It’s a little odd, though, working in print media, especially now — we’re already into January in our minds and even February on some of our deadlines. (Hello, from the future. What’s today’s date again?) Several of the bylines you see in this paper are from writers who also contribute to our sister publication Memphis Magazine, which is also in a production crunch at present. Many hats worn by my talented colleagues — and I extend my eternal gratitude to them. (And do check out their work on memphismagazine.com or subscribe to the monthly print edition.) Hey, yeah! I’ve hit the 400-word mark — we’re getting somewhere! So as we wait for Santa to shimmy down the chimney, and I inch toward the end of this … whatever this is shaping up to be … we’re also inching toward 2024. Twenty twenty-four. Where has this year gone? Is it just me, or has time sped up? Wasn’t Halloween last week? Was there even a Valentine’s Day this year? Or February for that matter? Summer was a speck on my sunglasses lens. Regardless of how we’ve wound up here, we’re in the home stretch of 2023. The last mile. This year was a whirlwind, one that held its ups and downs, as all do. I’ll mark mine with the highlights — making an alligator friend on my grandparents’ land in spring, tending to hens when I house-sat this summer. I might have learned more meaningful lessons from animals in 2023 than I did from people, but that’s fine by me. I’ll take growth however I can get it. NEWS & OPINION As much as my animal connections THE FLY-BY - 4 meant this year, I’ll also always remind POLITICS - 6 AT LARGE - 8 you (and myself) that people aren’t FINANCE - 9 so bad. There are plenty of good ones COVER STORY out there. In your own holiday haze, “GAME ON!” remember that not everyone is filled BY SAMUEL X. CICCI - 10 with joy this season. Not everyone gets WE RECOMMEND - 13 a break. Show thanks to the retail workMUSIC - 14 AFTER DARK - 15 ers, delivery drivers, and all those who CALENDAR - 16 play a part in keeping spirits bright. NY TIMES CROSSWORD - 16 There are nearly 630,000 people ASTROLOGY - 17 living in Memphis, and within them THEATER - 18 infinite combinations of personalities, FOOD - 19 strife, and emotions. Be kind to them, FILM - 20 and to yourself. Happy Holidaze! CL ASSIFIEDS - 22 Shara Clark LAST WORD - 23 shara@memphisflyer.com

THE

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MEMernet

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N B y To b y S e l l s

Getting on Board

SNAPPY

Federal funds clear the tracks for planning a statewide passenger rail system.

Snappy Mart on Madison was closed last week. Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy and the Memphis Police Department said too much shady stuff had happened there and shut it down as a nuisance. One of the first images of the place in a Google Maps search is the one above — showing a man at the gas pumps … completely naked. CLOUDY Two cloud leopards now call Memphis Zoo home, specifically its China exhibit that once housed giant pandas. POSTED TO X Kamala and Rajani BY have just come from MEMPHIS ZOO the Nashville Zoo. So, the glass on their exhibit is frosted while they acclimate to their new home. But go by and see them soon. December 14-20, 2023

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Passenger rail in Tennessee rolled further down the line last week as the federal government announced a $500,000 grant to help leaders here begin planning a statewide line. In 2022, the Tennessee General Assembly asked the state-housed Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) to begin studying “the potential for passenger rail service linking the major cities in each of the Grand Divisions of PHOTO: ARIS | UNSPLASH the state.” The first line would connect Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Nashville. In March 2023, The second line would connect Nashville and Memphis. mayors of Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta submitted a proposal to the Federal Railroad Chattanooga, and Nashville. The second would connect Administration (FRA) for a passenger line to connect Nashville and Memphis. those cities. The third-priority line would connect Chattanooga, In July, TACIR’s 139-page report recommended a Knoxville, and Bristol in East Tennessee. Another line statewide rail plan. It said the Tennessee Department would improve the connectivity between Memphis and of Transportation (TDOT) should submit the report to Chicago. The final recommendation would connect support the cities’ application. Nashville to Louisville, Kentucky. Last week, the cities were awarded a $500,000 grant from TACIR’s plan would create a new rail division within the FRA, a move announced last Wednesday by U.S. Rep. the state, likely housed in TDOT. Doing this (and myriad Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) on X. other things necessary for such an undertaking) will need “Passenger rail service linking Tennessee’s major state money, and that means vetting and votes from the cities will be a major economic shot in the arm and will Tennessee General Assembly. invigorate travel and tourism across our state,” Cohen said So far, rail plans have vocal support from Tennessee in a statement. “I was pleased to submit a letter of support Democrats and at least one Senate GOP member. The for this project and am glad that the FRA has heeded my bill directing TACIR to study rail here was sponsored by repeated calls to prioritize this important project. Sen. Ken Yager, a Republican from the far-east corner “Once this service is in operation, much of the country of Tennessee (Bristol), and Rep. Antonio Parkinson, a will be accessible by rail from Memphis. This is a very big Democrat from the far-west corner (Memphis). Rail could deal, and I look forward to working with stakeholders in help both of those cities bring in people and their money. all of the route’s proposed cities to continue to move this Rail action could likely see the floors of the Tennessee project forward.” state House and Senate in its next session in January. The funds are from the Infrastructure Investment and Parkinson said that any rail idea would also need buy-in Jobs Act for the federal Corridor ID program to build from Gov. Bill Lee’s office. a pipeline of intercity passenger rail projects ready for As for federal support, Cohen gave a mantra to U.S. implementation. With the funds in hand, Tennessee leaders Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in can lay the groundwork for an overall plan, a process that September. includes a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for a Tennessee “Memphis is the center of the country,” Cohen said. passenger rail line. “We’ve got the bridge that goes across the Mississippi River. TACIR’s report recommended five rail routes We’ve got commercial aviation. We’ve got FedEx. What’s built in five phases. The first would connect Atlanta, good for Memphis is good for America.”

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The Tennessee Equality Project braces for another year of antiLGBTQ bills by the Tennessee General Assembly.

In an Instagram post regarding the proposed “Slate of Hate,” users questioned whether this would also include the Confederate flag or flags of other countries used for geographical purposes. “So you’re saying if I’m a Spanish teacher, I can’t display the flags of all the Spanish speaking countries of the world?” asked user @Joynicole12. “Recognizing flags, countries on a map, and knowing capitals are required by our standards.” The other piece of legislation on the “Slate of Hate,” HB 1614, filed by Rep. Patsy Hazlewood (R-Signal Mountain), would enact the “Protect Tennessee Minors Act.”

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The legislature convenes next month in Nashville. The bill would require a person or company that publishes or distributes a website in Tennessee to verify the ages of those accessing the site but only if that site “contains a substantial portion of material harmful to minors.” Violations to the law would be a Class C felony. A similar bill in Mississippi went into effect in July and currently provides “liability for any entity that distributes on the internet without age verification.” TEP said that while they are unsure of how “material harmful to minors is defined,” they have concerns that “it could include all LGBTQ content.” What the Tennessee General Assembly has defined as “harmful to minors” in past legislative sessions has been criticized by groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN). Regarding the proposed ban on drag shows earlier this year, ACLU-TN said “the legal definition of ‘harmful to minors’ in Tennessee is very narrow and only covers extreme sexual or violent content with no artistic value.” TEP plans to update the “Slate of Hate” as more bills become available. The group is currently hosting postcard parties against “discriminatory legislation” and is gearing up for their “Advancing Equality Day on the Hill” on February 13th. For years, TEP has issued its annual list of Tennessee bills harmful to the state’s LGBTQ community. Last year’s long list included bills that became law this year. These laws banned gender-affirming care of minors, outlawed drag performances in public, codified “sex” in Tennessee law to mean “biological sex,” allowed private schools to ban trans students from sports participation, protected teachers who don’t use a “student’s preferred pronoun,” and more.

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roposed bills for the upcoming legislative session — dubbed as “Tennessee’s 2024 Slate of Hate” by the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) — include the banning of Pride and Black Lives Matter flags, and potential bans on LGBTQ content on the internet. As the legislative session is set to begin in January, advocacy groups such as TEP are staying vigilant as proposed bills make their way to the forefront. One bill filed by Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) would prohibit “[local education agencies] and public charter schools from displaying in public school flags other than the official United States flag and the official Tennessee state flag.” “This bill would have an impact on the flying of Pride and Black Lives Matter flags at school and many other flags as well,” said TEP.

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One of the biggest surprises of the 2022 statewide election season was the neardefeat in the Republican primary of state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson of Franklin, who barely survived a challenge from the relatively unheralded Gary Humble, a conservative GOP activist. Recently, according to Tennessee Journal editor Erik Schelzig, Johnson and political consultant Gregory Gleaves, who had run his campaign, deconstructed their efforts at a Republican party caucus and determined for the record that in significant ways affecting well-established campaign strategy, the times they are a-changin’. One of the lessons the two said they learned was that voters over the age of 65 — “baby boomers” in demographic jargon — are no longer the most dependable source of funding and electoral support for candidates pitching to the conservative mainstream. Gleaves reportedly determined that, in the case at hand, Generation X voters — those whose birth years ran from the mid’60s through the late ’70s, roughly — were a more numerous portion of the Republican voting bloc. And what are the generally reputed characteristics of Gen Xers? Among them are independent-mindedness in the realm of ideas, up-to-date attitudes toward the high-tech universe, and a general broad-mindedness in the cultural sphere. Keep in mind that the demographics of an upscale mid-state community like Williamson County would pretty much erase the distinction between a Republican primary and general election (in the same way that, in the old South, victory in a Democratic primary was said to be “tantamount to election”). All things considered, we’re talking about the same corner of the general population that accounts for the so-called “soccer mom” suburban constituency that both major political parties, and independents as well, appeal to for votes these days. Another point noted by Messrs. Johnson and Gleaves in their candid postmortem, in preparing Johnson’s mailer list, they depended too heavily on habitual voters, those used to voting in election after election. But relative newcomers — “ones and zeroes,” as consultants measure past voting habits — cast ballots in unprecedented quantity.

To bring all this closer to home, the Gen X constituency, which blurs the usual hard-and-fast boundaries of inherited loyalties, seems to have been important in the unusually diversified vote that just boosted Mayor-elect Paul Young to office in the city’s most recent nonpartisan race. • Meanwhile, the outgoing Memphis mayor, Jim Strickland, who relinquishes power at year’s end, has seen his legacy burnished by a vote of the city’s legal fraternity. The Memphis Bar Association has conferred on him the Judge Jerome Turner Lawyer’s Lawyer Award. Turner is the late federal jurist who presided over several of the most significant trials in local history — among them former Congressman Harold Ford Sr.’s acquittal for bank fraud and Dyersburg Judge David Lanier’s conviction for sexual harassment — and who in 1991 established the current judicial requirements for city elections.

PHOTO: CITY OF MEMPHIS

Jim Strickland • Strickland aide Dan Springer, who served as the mayor’s deputy operating officer, will become program manager for the MFA Program Management firm in January. • Members of both local parties are saddened by the unexpected death of longtime GOP activist and cycle enthusiast Paul Houston, who had just announced plans to run for the position of General Sessions court clerk next year. Among those who have pulled petitions for that office are incumbent Joe Brown, Rheunte E. Benson, Shelandra Ford, and Tami Sawyer (Democrats), and Republican Lisa M. Arnold.

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had occasion to visit my son and his family in Connecticut last week. The weather was soft, pleasant, very non-Decemberish for the Northeast. We walked in the woods near his house, took short drives to nearby restaurants and parks, and in general had a low-key great time. One of the more pleasant discoveries I made before leaving Memphis was that Delta flies into White Plains, New York, out of Atlanta, making it possible to avoid the insanity of LaGuardia or JFK and still land in the NYC area. The White Plains airport is tiny — one baggage carousel and one waiting area for all departing flights. You want a drink? Go to the snack bar/newsstand and order a cocktail to-go (to a nearby seat, if you can find one). It’s a long line, with the same beleaguered clerk selling bottles of water, Cheez-Its, magazines, neck pillows, M&M’s — and mixing gin and tonics in her spare time. Good luck. But despite its small size, large jets come and go into White Plains, supplying hasslefree air travel to the swells living in Greenwich, Fairfield, New Canaan, and other woodsy Connecticut ’burbs. It’s 45 minutes from my son’s house, instead of the usual two hours or more of grinding traffic from LGA, so call me a swell. (Dad Joke Warning: Despite its misleading name, not all the planes in the White Plains airport are white.) On my Sunday return flight, I had a 40-minute layover in Detroit, which is tight timing given the vicissitudes of modern air travel. My seat mate was a woman I guessed to be around my own age. We did the obligatory, “Hi,” then fastened seat belts, dug into carryons, and turned to our reading — me, a Michael Chabon novella; she, a legal-looking document onto which she occasionally scribbled margin notes. It was a short flight, and as we began to descend into Detroit, she said, “I’ve got to get off this plane in a hurry. I’ve only got 30 minutes to catch my connecting flight.” “You’ve got me beat,” I said. “I have 40 minutes.” Eye rolls and shoulder shrugs. “What brought you to White Plains?” I asked, as we bumped below the cloud cover. “Visiting my grandchildren,” she said, flashing a picture from her phone. I nodded approvingly. “Cute!” I said, returning serve with a

photo of my own. Then she asked me what I did for a living. I admitted I was a journalist, and she confessed that she was an attorney from Kansas City. After a moment of silence, she asked, “Did you talk to your children about politics? My son is 40 and he and his wife are really not excited about Biden.” “Nor are any of my kids,” I said. “They say they’ll vote for him because there’s no alternative, but they are just really tired of Boomers running things.” “I get that,” I said. “I remember in ’92 I was really sick of old guys like Ronald Reagan and Bush Sr. after 12 years. I remember being so excited when Clinton won. It seemed like a miracle. Presidents weren’t supposed to like Fleetwood Mac or wear jogging shorts. It seemed like we finally had a president we could relate to, which was mind-blowing after ol’ Ronnie Raygun.”

PHOTO: BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN

The view from White Plains “I remember Reagan was literally senile at the end,” she said. “And I couldn’t believe Clinton won either. He was the first Boomer president.” “Now he’s 77,” I said, “the same age as Trump.” “Lord help us. If Trump wins, we’re so screwed.” “And it’s weird to think about it — Biden’s older than Reagan was when he left office — but at least he’s not using astrology readings to make decisions.” “Yeah, I think Biden’s a decent man,” she said. “I know that’s a low bar, but it’s more than I can say about the other guy.” “True that.” We taxied to a stop and I bid farewell to my 10-minute friend who I’ll never see again. Maybe Biden should rebrand his campaign, I thought: “Be patient. I’m just a short layover.”

FINANCE By Gene Gard

Taxes on Social Security These strategies can help maximize benefits and lower tax exposure.

PHOTO: ALEXANDER GREY | UNSPLASH

2. Delay your benefits. If you have additional sources of retirement savings, consider drawing on those during the first few years of retirement and delaying taking Social Security. By drawing down other taxable assets, you may be able to lower your combined income in order to reduce the amount of Social Security subject to taxes. Another benefit of delaying Social Security is that you’ll likely receive a higher monthly benefit amount once you begin receiving payments. Your benefit increases by up to 8 percent each year you postpone beyond your full retirement age (up to age 70), and your cost-of-living increases will also be greater. 3. Consider a Roth conversion. Withdrawals from tax-deferred accounts (such as traditional IRAs and

4. Make qualified charitable distributions (QCDs). If your retirement goals include supporting charitable causes, you may want to consider making a direct donation from your IRA to a charity. This strategy is referred to as a QCD, and it can help lower your taxable retirement income, which can also lower your Social Security taxes. At age 73, you must begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your tax-deferred retirement accounts. Instead of receiving the distribution in your name, which would count toward your combined income for Social Security purposes, you can elect to have the distribution issued directly to your chosen charitable organization. Using this approach, not only can you lower your taxable income, but you can also maximize your charitable impact by contributing pre-tax funds. That’s a winwin for both you and your charity! Gene Gard, CFA, CFP, CFT-I, is a Partner and Private Wealth Manager with Creative Planning. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest Registered Investment Advisory firms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s financial life are working together, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit CreativePlanning.com.

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1. Be aware of the Social Security income thresholds. Social Security taxes are determined based on your annual “combined income,” which is determined using the following formula: adjusted gross income (AGI) + nontaxable interest + half of Social Security benefit = combined income. Your AGI includes income from all taxable sources, such as wages, withdrawals from tax-deferred retirement accounts (such as traditional IRAs and 401ks), and taxable investment income (such as stock dividends and interest from taxable accounts). Nontaxable interest includes income from municipal bonds. Although free from federal and possibly state income taxes, municipal bond income is counted when calculating the taxable amount of Social Security.

401ks) count toward your AGI because those assets have never been taxed. However, withdrawals from Roth sources are tax-exempt because contributions to those accounts are made with after-tax funds. In the years leading up to retirement, it may make sense to convert a portion of your tax-deferred assets to a Roth IRA. In order to complete a Roth conversion, you must pay taxes in the current year on any amount you withdraw from a traditional IRA to fund the Roth IRA. This is a significant tax event that can have unintended consequences if not carefully executed. That’s why it’s important to work with a qualified wealth manager who can advise you on the best timing and approach based on your specific financial situation. The benefit of this strategy is that, once converted to a Roth IRA, funds continue growing for your retirement and can be withdrawn as retirement income without increasing combined income and, consequently, your Social Security tax exposure.

NEWS & OPINION

id you know that you may be required to pay taxes on a portion of your Social Security benefits? In fact, up to 85 percent of your Social Security income may be taxable. Fortunately, the following strategies can help you lower your tax exposure and maximize your Social Security benefits.

Game On! MEMPHIS’ BOARD GAME COMMUNITY IS BOOMING THANKS TO CLEVER CREATORS AND A PASSIONATE BASE.

COVER STORY By Samuel X. Cicci

December 14-20, 2023

aylor Herndon has a couple of board games that she’d like to recommend. Or, rather, a couple thousand. The owner of Board to Beers, one of the first board game bars in the country, has steadily amassed a huge collection of games since opening its doors three years ago. And it’s safe to say that Memphis has embraced the concept, with eager gamers rolling through on a weekly basis for some competitive face time, whether it’s to challenge each other at Uno or pull one of the rarer games off the shelf. It has become a central hub for local board game enthusiasts, a place where aspiring creators go to pitch their own ideas, and a reflection of Memphis’ creative approach to friendly competition. While a board game bar may sound like a niche concept to some, gaming industry statistics support the idea. According to Statista, the board game industry earned around $3 billion in revenue in the United States in 2022, and 10 2023 is shaping up to be even higher. Board games are big business, and

people want to keep playing. Especially if it means sticking one over on that overly competitive friend (you know who you are). “People got stuck at home during the pandemic with their families, siblings, spouses … and board games,” says Herndon. “And we saw a huge increase in sales for games and puzzles. We opened in August 2020, and three years on, we get a lot of people coming in who show interest in games that might normally have flown under the radar. So we’ve become a spot where people can try new games before they buy. I think we’re up to around 2,200 games now, so there’s really something for everybody.” She and her husband Drew have put in the time to familiarize themselves with most of the games. They’re available to help new players understand complex rules or are simply on hand to recommend a hidden gem. This writer was introduced to Ice Cool, a large game where you use your finger to flick a penguin around a large mansion and collect materials. The influx of new players has been larger than anticipated, which means Herndon is looking to upsize from her current location at 2867 Poplar Avenue. “We can hold 60 people, but we’ve had groups of 100-plus come out looking

PHOTO (TOP): COURTESY BOARD TO BEERS

Players pack a full house at a Board to Beers game night. PHOTO (ABOVE): COURTESY BOARD TO BEERS

Board to Beers owner Taylor Herndon at her mobile game trailer for a space to hang out.” A mobile game trailer allows Herndon to meet extra demand by traveling around to different breweries and other venues. A trailer dedicated to board games was another first by Herndon. “My insurance company didn’t know what to do with it,” she laughs, “so it’s insured as a boat.”

Jumping into the gaming industry in any capacity can be daunting. Beyond creative ideas, there are business challenges to contend with, like logistics and manufacturing. With that in mind, Herndon wanted Board to Beers to be more than just a space for gaming; this was an opportunity to connect with local makers and provide an incubator of sorts for their ideas. “I didn’t even know if there would be a large scene here,” says Herndon. But the section for local games at Board to Beers is chockfull of game boxes, a testament to how much the industry here has grown in a few short years. Evan Katz and Josh Roberts were her

of our brain to their potential.” Much of their early success came from party games based around witty wordplay, but their recent games have incorporated more of a strategic tilt, and some pretty snazzy looking physical pieces. Abducktion (featured in the Memphis Flyer 2023 Holiday Gift Guide) is literally a game about getting your brightly colored ducks in a row, or at least lined up in specific patterns to score points. Once that’s done, those same ducks are deposited into a large silver spaceship, a bold centerpiece for the entire game. Tiny Laser Heist, their next release slated to ship in summer 2024, dials up the zaniness, requiring players to use a pair of tiny extendable hands to navigate through a 3D museum setup complete with lasers, padlocks, and other security hurdles, in under 90 seconds. Every successful heist ups the difficulty, and shenanigans will invariably ensue. While future party games aren’t out of the conversation, it’s probably safe to expect new products from Very Special Games that incorporate wild new gimmicks and rules. “Some concepts that we have in our pipeline are departures from traditional party games,” says Roberts, “and those are the ones we have a lot of energy behind. I can go through all of our games and immediately point to cards I wrote, or what Evan did, and we don’t want to keep making the same jokes. So I won’t rule out another party game if we come up with a really fun core concept, but it’s exciting to be branching out into different directions as well.” Abducktion and Tiny Laser Heist are fairly sizable departures from Charty Party’s initial simple setup. But that change perhaps reflects the surge in interest the board game industry has seen both locally and nationally (and internationally, too, with Very Special Games distributing to European countries, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand). And Very Special Games’ continued success is good for a Memphis gaming scene that continues to bring in new players and creators. “Evan continued on page 12 PHOTO (TOP): COURTESY VERY SPECIAL GAMES

Very Special Games founders Josh Roberts and Evan Katz PHOTO (ABOVE MIDDLE): COURTESY VERY SPECIAL GAMES

Charty Party PHOTO (ABOVE): COURTESY CHRIS COUCH GAMES

Kraken Skulls PHOTO (LEFT): COURTESY CHRIS COUCH GAMES

Chris Couch Gaming founders (l to r): Nick Willis, Chris Porter, Chris Clyburn, Daniel Voss

COVER STORY m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

first connections and can take a slice of credit for really getting the ball rolling on the interest in locally made games. Co-founders of Memphis-based Very Special Games, Katz and Roberts started swapping ideas back and forth on Post-it notes as colleagues at Southern Growth Studio (now Epic Pivot). Their first game, Charty Party, provided the duo’s first crack at card-based party games back in 2019. Similar to the gameplay of Cards Against Humanity, Charty Party consists of 44 chart cards, which include a trend line and labels for the X-axis. Players are dealt seven orange cards, all of which include a potential label for the Y-axis, and every round they pick one that they think the judge will find funniest. The judge reads through the options, and whoever’s card is picked gains a point. A simple, yet reliable, gameplay loop for those who spent many a night playing games in a college dorm room, but with a focus on witty quips over crass, or even offensive, humor. Charty Party went up on crowdfunding marketplace Kickstarter, many creators’ best hope for funding, but also a notoriously crowded field. But if there were any concerns about Memphis’ and a wider market’s interest in their ideas, those fears were soon put to bed; Charty Party hit its funding goal within a week, and eventually hit five times the initial pledge request. Every game that Very Special Games has released since — Puns of Anarchy, Venns with Benefits, Ransom Notes, Abducktion — have all followed a similarly successful path to funding. Their upcoming sixth release, Tiny Laser Heist, rocketed well past its $10,000 pledge to plunder a total of $238,531, and is a pretty big clue as to how Very Special Games has blossomed into a multi-million dollar company. “We’ve been very pleased with how things have grown,” says Katz. “It’s kind of a dream come true in a lot of ways to be able to work full-time on a company like this and be able to have people all over the country playing these goofy little concepts that we’ve come up with. And it’s definitely wonderful to be working on something every day that I think we both believe in and stretches our creative parts

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continued from page 11 and Josh reached out to me when I was running my own Kickstarter campaign for Board to Beers,” says Herndon, who now manages their email marketing and social media on the side, “and so they finished up the amount that we needed before our deadline. Without them there wouldn’t be a Board to Beers. And their only stipulation was, ‘Hey, let’s work together in the future.’ So whenever we can all gather, we’ll work on new game ideas, playtest existing ideas. And other people see that, and they start thinking about making their own game, and over the years they’ve come forward with their ideas.” One such budding creator that Herndon met at the bar is Chris Porter, creative director at Baby Grand creative branding agency. Porter eventually got bit with the design bug after several visits to Board to Beers and launched Chris Couch Games with his friends Nick Willis, Chris Clyburn, and Daniel Voss. Their first game, Kraken Skulls, successfully launched on Kickstarter earlier this year having reached 200 percent of its initial funding goal, and is expected to release sometime in Q1 of 2024. “I initially got into this because we made a Marvel-themed board game as a wedding gift for my other friend Chris [Clyburn],” says Porter. “And we actually started trying to get that licensed, which didn’t work out. But Chris had this pirate-themed idea, so we started playing with that until we came up with the idea for Kraken Skulls.” Rather than taking place on one board, Kraken Skulls has a variable setup, with each player controlling a ship that moves to different ports and participates in a selection of more than 20 mini games. The first player to earn six “dread tokens,” accomplished by winning mini games and battling other players, wins the game. But watch out for the pesky kraken and the appearance of the royal navy. It’s a versatile setup that allows for lots of variation each playthrough. And it’s a game that almost didn’t happen. “Honestly, I was pretty overwhelmed by the idea of making a game,” says Porter. “It seemed really complicated and a huge undertaking, but I started to think about it a bit more when Covid hit. But what really got me over the line was when Reuben Brunson and Kyle Taylor released Rumors and Legends. I saw that regular people, if you will, could make games. You didn’t have to be part of a huge company. So seeing my friends do this and supporting them through it convinced me to really push forward.” Porter calls working with close friends one of the most fun things you can do, but also one of the most stressful. But the payoff is worth it when he sees people gathered around a table enjoying Kraken Skulls. And that close sense of community is something he’s seen firsthand during

his game’s journey from conception to production. “I think it was about a year from when we came up with the idea to launching on Kickstarter,” says Porter. “We did playtesting at Board to Beers, we had lots of input from Taylor and Drew, Evan and Josh. It’s about being plugged into the community and connecting with people, and there are so many communities here that are into board games and supportive of those who make them. “Play as many games as you can, but play them with people in your community,” he continues. “So find your local game shops, swing by, and play with other people. That’s going to be way more important in the long run than just trying to make a product. You can make a crappy game and get a lot more support because you care about the community than if you make the best game ever and no one knows who you are.” And there are plenty of spots to realize that vision along with Board to Beers. Black Lodge has an extensive board game collection available to rent, while shops like 901 Games provide a space to dive into extended sessions for complex games. Expect the selection of local offerings to keep growing, too. During my visit to Board to Beers, Herndon pointed to her section dedicated to local creators. “That section has grown way faster than I would have expected,” she says. And a cursory glance at Memphis-made projects on Kickstarter shows that Bluff City still has a healthy appetite for games made in the 901. While it won’t always be the case in a congested games market, many projects far surpass their original goal. “Memphis loves Memphis things,” says Herndon. “When there’s a new project, as long as people in Memphis know about it, it’s going to get funded if they’ve done their work and they’ve gotten it out. Chris [Porter] really tapped into that, he had a launch party here for Kraken Skulls, and a ton of people came out. That’s a win-win for us, for Chris, and for other creators who know there’s a community in place to help them achieve their goals. When I had my idea for Board to Beers, I reached out for help, but I think there was only one other place that had done this before, and it was tough. So we want to create that environment where advice and expertise is available if needed.” Beyond upsizing, Herndon has her sights set on bigger gaming-themed programming. With conventions around the country acting as a robust network for creators and consumers, she believes Memphis can host its own in the next several years to spotlight local game makers. But until then, Board to Beers will continue to invite newcomers and veterans to test their mettle. And there will always be someone sitting across the table, ready for a new challenge.

steppin’ out

We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews By Abigail Morici

RIVER CITY FLUTES SLEIGH CHRISTMAS PART 5: THE EMPIRE FLUTES BACH, LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE, 1702 MADISON AVE., MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 8 P.M., FREE.

VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES December 14th- 20th The Sissy Dicks The Green Room at Crosstown Arts, 1350 Concourse Ave., Friday, December 15, 7 p.m., $15-$20 Ho, ho, ho, here they come, come, come! The Sissy Dicks are home for the holigays, playing their first Memphis show in over a year at The Green Room. Four-time Grammy ineligible, nationally tolerated, and locally endured, they’re the queer country that no one asked for, but that your single Uncle Richard definitely listens to alone in his truck after choir practice. Come on out and get your stocking absolutely stuffed at the xxxmessiest spectacle of the season and find out why The Sissy Dicks are on everyone’s prayer list. This concert will contain explicit content.

3rd Annual Interactive Star Wars Holiday Special Screening Black Lodge, 405 N. Cleveland, Friday, December 15, 7 p.m., free The Lodge is proud to present an interactive Star Wars Holiday Special experience. There will be singing, there will be shouting, and there will be throwing things. The screening is free to all but donations to the Lodge are welcome. Star Wars-themed food will be available for purchase, as well as adult beverages (you will need those to get through this). Prop bags will be for sale at the event but are not necessary to enjoy the insanity unfolding before you.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical Orpheum Theatre, 203 S. Main St., Tuesday, December 19, 11 a.m., 3:30 p.m., 7 p.m., $30-$60 The beloved TV classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer soars off the screen and onto the stage this holiday season. See all of your favorite characters from the special including Santa and Mrs. Claus, Hermey the Elf, the Abominable Snow Monster, Clarice, Yukon Cornelius, and, of course, Rudolph, as they come to life in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. It’s an adventure that teaches audiences that what makes you different can be what makes you special. Don’t miss this wonderful holiday tradition that speaks to the misfit in all of us.

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You don’t have to watch out. You can cry, and you can pout ’cause Santa Claus isn’t coming to the Lamplighter Lounge. Instead of the big man in red, you can expect a flock of flute players in the vein of “marching band meets bad Santa” or “your office Christmas party meets some kind of drug trip.” At least, that’s how Elise Blatchford describes the upcoming fifth annual flute-forward concert at the Lamp. The associate professor of flute at the University of Memphis says that the yearly shindig started as a fundraising effort for local flute players to go to a flute convention in Minneapolis. “And then we had so much fun [putting on the PHOTO: COURTESY ELISE concert] and we decided to do it again,” she says. “Now every year we just want BLATCHFORD to do it. So it’s like members of the Memphis Symphony. There’s me and [U of M Local flute players will bring flute] students. There are sometimes alumni who are back in town for ChristChristmas tunes to the Lamp, mas.” Also performing will be Jenny Davis, Delara Hashemi, and Shantanique with a side of chaos. Moore. “It’s just like this big, weird family reunion. And if you have a flute, just bring it with you. “And you know,” Blatchford says, “flutes are having a moment the last few years — really having a moment. Flute seems to be getting cool again, which is really funny. We’re sort of banking on this being not cool.” So, this year’s edition is titled “The Empire Flutes Bach,” but don’t expect Star Wars music or Bach, just your holiday classics. (The pun was just too good not to make for their fifth performance, says Blatchford.) “Someone made an arrangement of the Mariah Carey ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ for us. That always comes out although I think people hate that song now. And we do some Nutcracker arrangements, but a lot of it is just us playing very simple arrangements of Christmas carols. “Oh, and we usually play a rendition of ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’ in honor of the Lamplighter because it’s always so smoky in there or it used to be so smoky in there. So, we have a really great arrangement of ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’ for five flutes randomly.” Admission is free, but the flutists will host a bake sale to help fund guests artists for flute at U of M. Plus, there will be kazoos for non-flutists who want to kazoo along to any familiar tunes, and Blatchford wants you to “bring your cigs and your bad attitude. If you’re grumpy, this is the event for you because we can all be grumpy together. And there’s also a drag show right afterwards. So, come for the flutes and stay for drag if you want. It’s a full-service evening.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Flutes A-ﬂuting

MUSIC By Michael Donahue

A Song for Freedom Mario Monterosso brings a message of peace through his collaborative project.

MUSIC SATURDAY DECEMBER 16

December 14-20, 2023

THE GREEN ROOM

H O P E C L AY B U R N ’ S S O U L S C R I M M AG E Y ’A L L S O LO U D A L B U M R E L E A S E PA R T Y

CROSSTOWN ARTS DOORS 7PM / SHOW 7:30PM 1350 CONCOURSE AVE $15 ADV | $20 DOOR

C R O S S T O W N A R T S .ORG

ario Monterosso first heard Bobby Darin’s 1969 song “Simple Song of Freedom” in the 2004 movie, Beyond the Sea, which is about Darin’s life. “I said, ‘Wow. This is quite a thing. Quite a song.’” “Bobby Darin is known to be a crooner of hits from the ’50s like ‘Splish Splash,’” says Monterosso, 51, a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer living in Memphis. “I didn’t know he had that kind of hippie phase of life in the mid-’60s. And he wrote beautiful songs. Completely different. And very intense lyrics.” The song was so impressive, Monterosso recorded his own version that’s available online now and produced a video that features more than 50 mostly Memphis artists. Priscilla Presley also appears. Monterosso’s “Memphis Freedom Band” video will be unveiled December 20th, 6 p.m., at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. The song’s lyrics interested Monterosso more than the music. “The music is the typical folk song from the late ’60s. There was a moment in which many artists were writing songs more or less the same way: ‘Everybody’s Talkin’’ or ‘Gentle on My Mind’ are pretty similar.” “Simple Song of Freedom” was “written for the War in Vietnam because it was 1969. When I discovered the song, the war in Ukraine hadn’t started yet.” After the war in Ukraine began, Monterosso thought, “I think that song might really be something special coming from Memphis. Still today, people around the world see Memphis as the capital of music.” He equates “Simple Song of Freedom” to the 1985 song, “We Are the World.” “The purpose of the song is exactly the same: Send a message. Because I strongly believe music, more than any other form of art, is the vehicle that goes straight to the people’s heart.” Born in Catania, Italy, Monterosso says, “My family gave me the roots, but rock-and-roll gave me the wings. It’s really something that changed my life. “Rock-and-roll put together the Black and white culture,” he continues. “It was a huge revolution.” Monterosso, who moved to Memphis eight years ago, is an active part of the music scene. He envisioned using Memphis performers in a video similar to “We Are the World.” He wanted his video to also send a message of peace and freedom. “Because that song is a beautiful prayer.” The video includes Stax Music Academy choirs, the First Baptist Church gospel

choir with Rev. Keith Norman, and a host of performers that includes Carla Thomas, Kallen Esperian, Larry Dodson, Amy LaVere, Will Sexton, Gary Beard, Benton Parker, Max Kaplan, Rachel Maxann, and Amy P. Nabors. Also performing are British singer-songwriter Pete Molinari and two members of the Coasters, Joe Lance Williams and Primo Candelaria. The song ends with Priscilla Presley quoting words of Mother Teresa. “It perfectly fits with the message of the song,” Monterosso says. “We don’t need bombs to bring peace. We need love and compassion.” Monterosso got help on the project from his Memphis friends, including Memphis Flyer music editor Alex Greene, Dabney Coors, and Marie Pizano. Pizano’s MVP3 Foundation and MVP3 Records is releasing the project, which includes the song and the video. Dorothy Kirsch underwrote the project.

PHOTO: JAMIE HARMON

Mario Monterosso and Carla Thomas Scott Bomar was engineer, Billie Worley filmed the video, and photographer Jamie Harmon is the official session photographer. Distribution is by SelectO-Hits, which is owned and operated by Sam W. Phillips and Johnny Phillips, sons of the late Sam Phillips. “It made sense because I recorded it at Sam Phillips Recording Studio.” A portion of the income from downloading the song will go to the Novick Cardiac Alliance. But Monterosso’s “Memphis Freedom Band” will be much more than just the song and the video. “I have the entire footage of the session and the interviews of each and every single artist. So, I will put out a documentary. … We’ll put it out, hopefully, in the spring.” Monterosso wants “Memphis Freedom Band” to hit home. “This song has a goal. Which is to bring a message around the world and let people dream for at least six minutes. Dream about peace for at least six minutes, which is the length of the song.”

AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule December 14 - 20 Kameron Whalum

PHOTO: COURTESY HOPE CLAYBURN

Saturday, Dec. 16, 9 p.m.

Hope Clayburn

CENTRAL STATION HOTEL

The Sissy Dicks

$15-$20. Friday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m. THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Adria Hyde

Memphis Jones

CENTRAL BBQ

B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Ashton Riker & the Memphis Royals

Mule Man

Wyly Bigger & The Coyotes

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Tuesday, Dec. 19, 6-9 p.m.

B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

On the Outside

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Baunie & Soul

Sunday, Dec. 17, 7 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

“Buddy Albert” Nemenz Thursday, Dec. 14, 1 p.m.; Monday, Dec. 18, 7 p.m. SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S

Caleb Orr

Saturday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m. TIN ROOF

Chris Gales

Friday, Dec. 15, 4-7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16, 4-7 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 17, 3:30-6:30 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Christmas with CoroRio

A family-friendly concert centered around Home Alone. Saturday, Dec. 16, 4 p.m. CANNON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Computermane

Friday, Dec. 15, 10 p.m. TIN ROOF

David Ingle One Man Piano Show Sunday, Dec. 17, 6 p.m. SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S

Denver Massey

Thursday, Dec. 14, 8 p.m. TIN ROOF

Divercity

Thursday, Dec. 14, 4-6:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 17, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 20, 6:30 p.m. B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

DJ Ooouuuweeee

Saturday, Dec. 16, 8 p.m. TIN ROOF

DJ Stringbean

Thursday, Dec. 14, 10 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16, 10:30 p.m. TIN ROOF

Donna Padgett Bowers Presents

Variety show of Memphis talent. Free. Friday, Dec. 15, 9 p.m. WESTY’S

Drew And Ellie Holcomb Wednesday, Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m. ORPHEUM THEATRE

Dueling Pianos

Thursday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 20, 7 p.m. SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S

Friday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m. TIN ROOF

Red Thomas

Saturday, Dec. 16, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

Black Jacket Symphony

Black Jacket Symphony performs Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon. $35. Saturday, Dec. 16, 8-10:30 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Rodell McCord

Sunday, Dec. 17, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 20, 8 p.m.

GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE

TIN ROOF

Hayden Haddock

Sarah & Grant

Sunday, Dec. 17, 3-6 p.m. HUEY’S DOWNTOWN

Songwriter Showcase Friday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m. SOUTH MAIN SOUNDS

Soul St. Mojo

Wednesday, Dec. 20, 7 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Stax Museum’s Annual Holiday Concert: In the Christmas Spirit with The MDs

Stax Museum’s annual holiday celebration and performance by The MDs doing the classic: “In the Holiday Spirit” by Booker T. & The MGs. Thursday, Dec. 14, 6 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m.

Pulse-Tribute to Pink Floyd

$10. Saturday, Dec. 16, 8 p.m. NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

Rev Neil Down & Johnny “The Dolphin” Ciarmitaro Saturday, Dec. 16, 6-9 p.m. LUCCHESI’S BEER GARDEN

Sounds of the Season: Cordova High School Choir

Memphis choirs and bands will perform in the main lobby, and it is sure to get you into the holiday spirit. Friday, Dec. 15, 11 a.m.

STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC

BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY

The BB King’s Blues Club All-Star Band

Sunday, Dec. 17, 3-9 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16, 8 p.m.; Monday, Dec. 18, 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 19, 6:30 p.m.

The Settlers HUEY’S POPLAR

TiLt

$5. Saturday, Dec. 16, 9 p.m. ROCKHOUSE LIVE

The Blues Trio

Saturday, Dec. 16, noon; Sunday, Dec. 17, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Trans-Siberian Orchestra — the heavy metal, classical music, theater production, pyrotechnics, and laser light-show hybrid — will return this winter. Thursday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m. FEDEXFORUM

Vince Johnson

Monday, Dec. 18, 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Wendell Wells

Sunday, Dec. 17, 6 p.m. BAR HUSTLE, ARRIVE HOTEL

Alexis Jade

Thursday, Dec. 14, 7-10 p.m. THE SLIDER INN

Alma Russ, Alexis Jade Thursday, Dec. 14, 8 p.m. HI TONE

“A Simple Song of Freedom” Music Video Debut

Memphis musicians are uniting in song in a worldwide humanitarian effort to raise one voice to bring peace and love to the world threatened by war through a remake of Bobby Darin’s 1969 song. Wednesday, Dec. 20, 6-8 p.m. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

Bass Lodge

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Amber Violet

Featuring SpaceBass, Oh Losha, RaXx, Nodus Defect, and Dale. Saturday, Dec. 16, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.

Thursday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m.

BLACK LODGE

B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

BROOKHAVEN PUB & GRILL

FreeWorld

Elmo & the Shades, Eddie Harrison

Candlelight: Holiday Special Featuring The Nutcracker and More

Friday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 20, 7-11 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

JT McCaffrey

Jolly Jam Sessions

Friday, Dec. 15, 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16, 10:30 p.m. TIN ROOF

Holiday fun with Germantown High School Orchestra. $22. Friday, Dec. 15, 6-8 p.m. MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

Dance Party in Overton Square: Holiday Jams

Belt out the classics, the latest hits, and everything in between with a free party in Overton Square. Tonight’s theme is Holiday Jams, so be ready to swoon. Saturday, Dec. 16, 5-7 p.m.

A live, multi-sensory musical experience of The Nutcracker under the gentle glow of candlelight. $50. Thursday, Dec. 14, 8:45 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 20, 6:30 p.m., 8:45 p.m. OVERTON CHAPEL

Joe Restivo 4

Sunday, Dec. 17, 11 a.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Joe Restivo Trio

Saturday, Dec. 16, 11 a.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Lemon’s, The Hypocrites

OVERTON SQUARE

$10. Friday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m.

Emo Memphis

MEMPHIS CURRENT

18+. $10. Friday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m. HI TONE

Emo Nite

$1 from every ticket sold will be donated to Living The Dream Foundation. 18+. $16-$20. Saturday, Dec. 16, 9:30 p.m. GROWLERS

Festival of Christmas Presented by Idlewild Presbyterian Church

Celebrate the music of the season. Friday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m. IDLEWILD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Goner Presents: A Christmas Rock Show

B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

Thursday, Dec. 14, 6-10 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 16, 4 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 17, 3 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 17, 3:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 15, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

Eric Hughes

Flic’s Pic’s Band

Will Tucker Band

See festive musical stylings from Hartle Road (Columbus, MS), The Robby Grant Band (Memphis), and The Sheiks with special guest Bennett (also Memphis). Saturday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m. B-SIDE

Goth X-MAS

With DJ 5&Dime. Saturday, Dec. 16, 9 p.m. BAR KEOUGH

#LetsGetLoud Producer Showcase KingPin Da Composer presents. Free. Saturday, Dec. 16, 3-5 p.m. MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB

BAR DKDC

Mark Edgar Stuart + Blueshift Ensemble

Thursday, Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m. THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Owlbear, Deerﬁelds, Wicker

$10. Friday, Dec. 15, 9 p.m. HI TONE

Rebelmatic with Seize & Desist

$10-$15. Sunday, Dec. 17, 8 p.m. GROWLERS

River City Flutes Sleigh Christmas Part 5: The Empire Flutes Bach Monday, Dec. 18, 8 p.m. LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

TJ MULLIGAN’S, MIDTOWN

Hope Clayburn Y’all So Loud record release party

Southern Grind Sessions

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Jack Oblivian, Tyler Keith & The Apostles, Opossums Friday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m. B-SIDE

Java

Sunday, Dec. 17, 3-6 p.m. HUEY’S MIDTOWN

Jazz in the Galleries: Saturday Series

Enjoy good jazz and great times. Saturday, Dec. 16, noon-2 p.m. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

$12-$15. Thursday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m. HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY

Ken Jackson Experience Sunday, Dec. 17, 6-9 p.m. HUEY’S OLIVE BRANCH

The Charlotte Taylor Band Sunday, Dec. 17, 6-9 p.m. HUEY’S SOUTHAVEN

The Double D’s

Sunday, Dec. 17, 6-9 p.m. HUEY’S SOUTHAVEN

Friday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m.

Screamer

Hope Clayburn’s Soul Scrimmage Y’all So Loud vinyl record/ streaming release party. $15-$20. Saturday, Dec. 16, 7-9 p.m.

Joe Kaplow & Madaline Collins with Spacer

Lorette Velvette, Doughrollers

Grand Theft Audio Sunday, Dec. 17, 8 p.m.

HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY

Saturday, Dec. 16, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 20, 6 p.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Teco’s B-Day 90s Jam

$10. Saturday, Dec. 16, 8 p.m. HI TONE

Tequila and Tacky Sweater Party with Turnstyles

Monday, Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m. THE COVE

The 4th Annual CPM XMAS Party with Tom Skeemask and Three G With special guests: Byg Kurse, Mowzer, Keith Anthony, Gino White, and SAMIAM. Friday, Dec. 15, 9 p.m. GROWLERS

Duane Cleveland Band

Sunday, Dec. 17, 8-10:30 p.m. HUEY’S CORDOVA

Handel’s Messiah

Handel’s Messiah is nothing short of a miracle, and Maestro Moody’s devotion to this beloved Oratorio has made it a “can’t miss” event of the Holiday season. Tuesday, Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. GERMANTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Jad Tariq Band

Sunday, Dec. 17, 6-9 p.m. HUEY’S COLLIERVILLE

Ken Houston Duo

Sunday, Dec. 17, 6-9 p.m. HUEY’S MILLINGTON

Richard Wilson

Friday, Dec. 15, 12:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 17, 12:30 p.m. JACKIE MAE’S PLACE

Seasons Greetings Lunchbreak Concert with Memphis Symphony Orchestra

Kids from 1 to 92 come enjoy free cookies, coffee, and hot cocoa thanks to Teresa Jordan and enjoy an hour respite from the chill of winter among friends and family. $10. Friday, Dec. 15, noon-1 p.m. GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE

The Chaulkies

Sunday, Dec. 17, 6-9 p.m. HUEY’S GERMANTOWN

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

Thursday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 15, 4:30 p.m.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Saturday, Dec. 16, 6-8:45 p.m.

CALENDAR of EVENTS: Dec. 14 - 20 Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisﬂyer.com. DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY. FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVENT LISTINGS, SCAN OUR QR CODE BELOW OR VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL.

ART HAPPE N I NGS

H O LI DAY EVE NTS

“GiddyUP Glamour” Art Exhibit Opening

Cookies & Caroling in the Park

Get in the spirit of the season with a caroling sing-along and delicious treats. Thursday, Dec. 14, 5-7 p.m.

Unique photographic exhibit of impactful Whitehaven equestrian program. Saturday, Dec. 16, 6-9 p.m.

MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

OFF THE WALLS ARTS

Deck the Diamond Holiday Spectacular

“Where I Stopped and Where I Begin” Art Exhibit Opening

A larger-than-life lighting display. Select nights. Through Dec. 31.

A group show spurred by the collective effort to reclaim the sacred space of art making. Friday, Dec. 15, 6-9 p.m.

AUTOZONE PARK

Enchanted Forest Festival of Trees

OFF THE WALLS ARTS

PHOTO: VALERIE MORRIS

Winter Arts

This holiday season, AutoZone Park presents its first-ever Deck the Diamond Holiday Spectacular.

Annual showcase of exceptional and unique hand-crafted works by our region’s finest artists. Through Dec. 24. WINTERARTS 2023

Gianmarco Soresi is a New York-based stand-up comedian, actor, and creator known for his sharp societal observation and spry, energetic stage presence. $20. Thursday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m., 10 p.m.

Warm up with free hot cocoa and popcorn, and get a bell to ring, just like in the movie! Friday, Dec. 15, 5-7 p.m. OVERTON SQUARE

GROWLERS

A holiday mix of everyone’s favorite holiday music set to fantastic laser light. $15. Friday nights. Through Dec. 29.

3rd Annual Interactive Star Wars

A festive event in the Central Atrium and a free screening of Die Hard. Friday, Dec. 15, 5-7 p.m.

Experience the magic of the holidays at Shelby Farms Park’s largest event! Starry Nights brings the spirit of the season to life with dazzling displays featuring millions of lights. Through Dec. 31. SHELBY FARMS PARK

Zoo Lights

Laser Holiday Light Show F I LM

Season of Delight

Starry Nights

Chimes Square Movie Night: Polar Express

Gianmarco Soresi with Sean Reilly

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE

rience. Friday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m. BLACK LODGE

C O M E DY

A holiday tradition. $7. Through Dec. 31.

The New Holiday York Times Syndication MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY Special Screening Sales Corporation An interactive Star Wars Holiday 620 Eighth Avenue, New York,Special N.Y.expe10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Friday, March 1, 2019

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of the holiday season. Select nights. $14-$19. Through Jan. 6. MEMPHIS ZOO

P E R FO R M I N G ARTS

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! The return of a time honored tradition at GCT. Through Dec. 17. GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE

Crossword

December 14-20, 2023

ACROSS

26 “___ way!”

(words of 1 Warning about congratulation) a racket 27 Covered some 10 Stuff to collect ground quickly? and crunch 29 Bill producer, 14 Not running for short small or large, 31 Subject of in a clothing several Spanish store statues 16 Uplifting works 34 Darling 17 Neil Armstrong 36 “I’m back” or Steven 39 Upper crust Spielberg, as a 40 Language teen blooper 18 Possible reply 42 Opening round to “Who’s at a game table responsible?” 43 Payroll service 19 Stern co. competitor, 44 Figures by a once float 20 Play date 47 Writer/ participant illustrator Silverstein 21 Dummies 23 “Planet Money” 49 Absurd producer 50 Tokyo-based tech giant 24 Does nothing at 53 Held (off) all for

55 Alternative to

“?,” in some listings 56 Short-sleeved shirt 57 Pez flavor 58 Windshield clearer 61 Longtime Yankee teammate of Sandman 62 Sexennial event 63 Sandberg at second base 64 Reveler’s cry

Edited by Will Shortz 1

No. 0125

10 15

27 32

BARTLETT PERFORMING ARTS AND CONFERENCE CENTER

The Starlight Cabaret: Christmas Cabaret

ORPHEUM THEATRE

Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet. Friday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 17, 2 p.m.

The magic of the holiday returns. Friday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16, 2 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 17, 2 p.m.

The Nutcracker Ballet

The Nutcracker

A night of Christmas celebration and amazing entertainment. Saturday, Dec. 16, 10 p.m. DRU’S PLACE

S PO R TS 40

44 47

DOWN

42 45

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Houston Rockets

1 Draft pick

2 One might stop

50 55

Friday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m. FEDEXFORUM

56 60

a marathoner 61 62 3 Predict 4 Where TV’s Flo 63 64 waitressed 5 Patronized 4-Down, say PUZZLE BY ZHOUQIN BURNIKEL 6 Not registering 27 Northern 51 Word after 33 Big name in with Europe’s Gulf of president or cookware 7 Arms provider? ___ governor 35 Mint holders 8 Revolting group 28 Org chart ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 52 1995 U.S. Open 37 Glass on the air winner Pavin 9 Chinese topper R C A S A I M B A H A I S philosopher 38 Seaweed in a 53 Lasting mark 30 #24 in 24 E R I C I D L E A R A R A T Meng-___ sushi restaurant All-Star Games V OO D OO D O L L S C H E M A 10 Ring in a coffee 54 Slight, informally 41 Rival of L’Oréal S N A P E T I S A T F shop 31 Top name in a Social Security 45 Gently touches 56 Law firm aide, S E A L F OO L P R OO F 11 Shelter Administration O D D R E G I N A L initiative informally list every year 46 Passes C R I T I C A L D E C C A 12 “Just between from 2014 to 59 Film picture us” talk T OO R I C H F O R M Y B L OO D 2017 48 Get by not shot with a O P E R A M O U S S A K A 13 Sales caveat camera 32 Start of a 50 Lacking face E N C A S E S D E M 15 Life on Mars? newscast value 60 Street cred F OO T S T OO L S T A G 22 “Watch yourself A L I L E T L A N D O out there” Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past C A M E R A G OO G OO E Y E S puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). 24 Group spoiler E L E V E N I N A F L A S H 25 Parts of lumber Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay. T A X A C T F A B S H I A mills

T H EAT E R

A Christmas Carol ’23

Miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is approached by the ghostly vision of his former business partner, Jacob Marley. Through Dec. 23. THEATRE MEMPHIS

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical

See all of your favorite characters from the special. $30-$60. Tuesday, Dec. 19, 11 a.m., 3:30 p.m., 7 p.m. ORPHEUM THEATRE

Take the Soul Train to Christmas

This holiday spectacle is a time machine through the evolution of the African-American Christmas experience. Through Dec. 17. HATTILOO THEATRE

The Importance of Being Earnest

A trivial comedy for serious people by Oscar Wilde. Through Dec. 17. TENNESSEE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY

Who’s Holiday

Who’s Holiday! is bringing a whole new side of Cindy Lou Who to the stage. Through Dec. 22. CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSE

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Jack Nicholson has often played mavericks and antiheroes in his movies. His life away from the silver screen has also been less than steady and predictable. For example, he has fathered six children with five different women. His fellow actor, Carrie Fisher, said Jack was “fun because he doesn’t make sense.” A person with casual knowledge of astrology might be surprised that Nicholson is a Taurus. Your tribe isn’t typically renowned for high eccentricity. But in his natal chart, Nicholson has the brash planet Uranus near his sun in Taurus, indicating he’s quirky. Aside from that, I have known plenty of Tauruses whose commitment to being uniquely themselves makes them idiosyncratic. These themes will be in play for you during the coming weeks. (PS: Taurus musician David Byrne starred in the concert film, Stop Making Sense.) GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The platitude says that if life gives us lemons, we should make lemonade. I’ve got a variation on this theme. Consider the Neva River in northwestern Russia. It freezes every winter. During the frigid months of 1739-1740, Empress Anna Ioannovna ordered her workers to cut huge blocks of ice and use them to construct a magnificent palace on the riverbank. She filled the place with furniture and art, making it a hub of festivities celebrating Russia’s triumph over the Ottoman Empire. I bring these themes to your attention, Gemini, because I suspect that in the coming weeks, you will have substantial redemptive power. Whether you make lemonade from lemons or a palace from a frozen river is up to you. CANCER (June 21-July 22): “If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy,” wrote Cancerian author E. B. White. “If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” According to my astrological analysis, your fate in recent

weeks has been more challenging than seductive. You’ve been pressed to work on dilemmas and make adjustments more than you might like. But this rhythm is about to change. Up ahead, life is seductive, welcoming, and appealing. Are you prepared to drop any unconscious attachment you have to your interesting discomfort so you can smoothly make the transition to more ease? LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I want to prepare you for the delights of the coming days. I want to make sure you are fully alert for them and primed to appreciate them. So I give you the thoughts of Leo psychologist Carl Jung. “It is important to have a secret, a premonition of things unknown,” he said. “We must sense that we live in a mysterious world — that things happen and can be experienced that remain inexplicable; that not everything can be anticipated; that the unexpected and incredible belong in this world. Only then is life whole.” VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Have you taken a refreshing break lately? Maybe even a soothing sabbatical? Have you treated yourself to a respite from the gritty grind? If not, please do so soon. And while you are recharging your psychic batteries, I ask you to give your fantasy life ample room to wander wildly and freely. In my astrological opinion, your imagination needs to be fed and fed with gourmet food for thought. For the sake of your soul’s health, I hope you dream up fantastic, unruly, even outrageous possibilities. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): My Uncle Ned advised me, “The best gift you can compel your ego to accept is to make it your servant instead of your master.” An early Buddhist teacher sounded a related theme when she told me, “The best things in life are most likely to come your way if you periodically shed all hope and practice being completely empty.” The girlfriend I had when I was 23 confided, “You may get more enjoyment from the witty ways I confound you if you don’t try to understand them.” I offer these three ideas to you, Libra, because you’re in a phase when the moral of your story is that there is no apparent moral to your story — at least until you surrender your notions of what the moral of your story is. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I believe you Scorpios are the zodiac sign mostly likely to benefit from being empathetic. By that I mean you have substantial power to thrive by reading other people’s moods and feelings. You are often able to figure out angles that enable you to gather what you want while helping others to gather what they want. You are potentially a genius at doing what’s best for everyone and getting paid and rewarded for it. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, this

Christmas Music Bingo!

knack of yours will soon be operating at peak levels. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Screenwriter John Patrick Shanley writes, “Life holds its miracles, good erupting from darkness chief among them.” I predict a comparable miracle for you, Capricorn, though I suspect it will arise out of confusion or inertia rather than darkness. My advice: Don’t be so bogged down in the muddle that you miss the signs that a great awakening is nigh. Start rehearsing how you will feel when deliverance arrives. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Before he reached the height of fame as a novelist, Aquarian Charles Dickens experienced financial instability. When he was 31, the situation got desperate, and he resolved to take extreme measures. For six weeks, beginning in October 1843, he obsessively worked on writing the story A Christmas Carol. It was published on December 19th and sold out in a few days. Within a year, 13 editions were released. Dicken’s economic worries were over. Dear Aquarius, I think the near future will be a favorable time for you, too, to take dramatic, focused action to fix a problem you’re having. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Many religious people believe God can hear their prayers and intervene in worldly affairs. Other religious folks think God can hear their prayers but may not intervene. Then there are the nonreligious folks who don’t believe in God and think praying is useless. Wherever you might be on the spectrum, Pisces, I’m pleased to reveal that you will have extra access to support and benefaction in the coming weeks — whether that’s from God, fate, nature, or other humans. So seek out blessings and assistance with alacrity. Be receptive to all potential helpers, even unlikely ones.

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 1849, Harriet Tubman escaped from enslavement on a plantation in Maryland. She could have enjoyed her new freedom in peace, but instead resolved to liberate others. During 13 bold forays into enemy territory, she rescued 70 enslaved people and ushered them to safety. She testified that she relied on her dreams and visions to help her carry out her heroic acts. They revealed to her the best escape routes to take, the best times to proceed, and information about how to avoid the fiendish “slave catchers.” In alignment with astrological omens, I invite you to be like Tubman and seek practical guidance from your dreams in the coming weeks — to solve problems or seek bliss.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun died over 3,300 years ago. When his mournful entourage placed him in his tomb, the treasures they left included a pot of honey, which was meant to sweeten his travels in the afterlife. In the early 20th century, archaeologists excavated the ancient site. They dared to sample the honey, finding it as tasty and fresh as if it had just been made. Amazingly, this same longevity is a characteristic of most honey. I propose we use this as a metaphor for your life. What old resources or experiences from your past might be as pure and nurturing as they were originally? And now could they be of value now?

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY By Rob Brezsny

T H E AT E R B y C o c o J u n e

Soul Train to Christmas The Hattiloo production is everything theater is supposed to be.

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here are those who are wildly passionate about theater as art simply because it can encompass almost every other art form within its presentation. When executed successfully, theater can seamlessly blend storytelling, dance, music, and of course the high-stakes thrill of live performance. Hattiloo Theatre’s Take the Soul Train to Christmas feels like everything theater is supposed to be. It’s a show that incorporates not only different forms of performance and art, but also different styles within those forms, and it manages to pull off an effect that is cohesive rather than chaotic. Written by Hattiloo Theatre’s founder Ekundayo Bandele, Take the Soul Train to Christmas is a unique opportunity for Memphians to see local artists coming together to create something that can’t be seen anywhere else. The story is presented through three voices. There are the narrators commenting on the play throughout, the main characters who are experiencing the story, and the ensemble performing vignettes through time. The concept of the play is simple: Three children struggling to write their assigned school paper on how the Black celebration of Christmas has changed throughout history get help in the magical form of a train that can move through time, operated by Grandad, who acts as their guide. Commenting on the show’s structure, P.A. Bomani, who plays Grandad, says, “I love the different storytelling elements we use. The singing tells the story and sets the mood. The narrators speed up the journey. The eras covered encompass a large part of the African-American experience.” Grandad leads the children through hundreds of years of history, making stops in the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement, and the era of funk in the 1970s, just to name a few. One of the major successes of this musical is how it combines the frivolity and joy of the Christmas setting without ever compromising the seriousness of the subject matter. “Christmas has never stopped injustice” is a line that stood out in particular. This play balances both grief and hope on a knife edge. During the a cappella number “We Shall Overcome,” I was immediately moved to tears, while just a few

minutes later, I was cheering along with the rest of the audience as we were encouraged — almost demanded — to participate in judging an onstage breakdance battle. Somehow this jump in mood did not feel in any way incongruous. The play evokes a full range of emotion from its viewers, and as my friend Rhett Ortego put it as we left the theater, “A show that can make you laugh, cry, and sing along is always the best.” Take the Soul Train to Christmas is performed “in the round,” although, in this case, “in the rectangular” would be a more apt description. In any case, the stage, a center platform bordered on two sides by the audience, provides a space in which performers are constantly in motion. It is a dynamic viewing experience, accentuated by the times throughout the performance when the fourth wall is broken and the audience is encouraged to participate. It is a credit to the strength of the ac-

PHOTO: ANDREA ZUCKER

Hattiloo’s production transports audiences to different eras. tors that the space was utilized to its fullest extent. Indeed, the cast of this show is called upon to switch between styles of movement, music, dance, and elocution many times throughout the play, a challenge that the ensemble collectively rose to with seeming ease. I found Take the Soul Train to Christmas to be a culmination of everything I love about theater. Here are local artists at all ages working in harmony to bring together different styles of art, from ballet to poetry to breakdance. “The joy in telling this story is amazing,” says Bomani. “Through entertainment we preserve important elements of our collective story.” Take the Soul Train to Christmas was entertainment at its finest, and I left feeling grateful to have been able to watch it. Take the Soul Train to Christmas runs at Hattiloo Theatre through December 17th.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

FOOD By Michael Donahue

An Oasis In The Heart Of Midtown

Kitchen Conﬁdential

PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE

Carolyn Rudgley There were “always fruit trees. My dad, Joe Henry Davis, would slaughter the animals. My mother would grow a garden.” Her mother cooked “Southern comfort food” — fried chicken, green beans, pot roast, and other items — from scratch. “Whenever they would have a party, she would make these cute little tea sandwiches using pimento cheese, chicken salad, tuna. I remember her trays being very creative. Festive colors. Really beautiful. She liked to throw parties where she entertained. I think I got that from her.” Rudgley recently created a colorful feast for an open house for the new offices of the West Cancer Center. “We had pimento cheese. Some were little sandwiches on pita toast. I had chicken salad. I had a cheese tray. I had maybe six or seven different cheeses. I did a charcuterie board that night with summer sausage and beef sausage. I had rosemary breadsticks. I had a lot of things going on that board. A lot of different berries.

Pomegranate. I had baked Brie with a balsamic reduction on it.” Becoming a professional cook wasn’t Rudgley’s first ambition. When she was 17, she moved to Memphis, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Memphis State University, now U of M. She then worked for First Tennessee Bank for a few years until she got married. Later, she says, “I was trying to find out how I could stay at home with my children and still earn money.” Cooking popped up. “A friend needed someone to cook for her. I had cooked for her before and she really liked my food.” Rudgley had cooked for people in the past but did it for free. This time, the woman paid her. “I was shocked she paid me. I thought, ‘If she paid me other people would enjoy this and would pay me too.’” Her catering business began. To augment catering, Rudgley began a weekly meal prep plan, which is tailored to meet a client’s specifications. “If they have dietary requirements, for example. If they are vegan. If they want lower carbs.” The “grab-and-go” meals are “basically one entree and two sides. They may be something like blackened salmon with fresh, Asian-style green beans and roasted asparagus.” Rudgley began selling some of her cuisine, including enchilada pie, meatloaf, and creamed spinach, eight years ago at local farmers markets. “I love having that grassroots following. I love meeting customers. I talk and share and learn from them.” She is about to move into a space which she’ll use for her catering and other cooking jobs. And, one day, she’d like to open a restaurant. Rudgley recently completed the Goldman Sachs Black in Business program, an intensive 12-week course. A year ago, Rudgley acquired a food truck, which she plans to use more often after the holidays, to sell her “elevated comfort food.” “Elevated comfort food, to me, is the healthier version of the food we grew up eating. For example instead of using beef, I use turkey, which is a leaner protein. I use beef, too. But my mom would have made things with lard. And now I use things like olive oil and just cut it with butter.” People “feel lighter” after eating her food, Rudgley says. “Not as heavy and weighed down. When I was little and we were done eating, you’d be over. Done for.” To contact Rudgley, call 901-268-9951, or go to her website, your-personal-chef.com.

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arolyn Rudgley’s mother, the late Virginia Davis, was known for her good cooking in Clarksdale, Mississippi. But she wouldn’t let Rudgley help her in the kitchen. In fact, Rudgley had to stay out of the kitchen when her mother was cooking. “My mom had no patience for us being in the kitchen helping her,” Rudgley says. “None. So, I would stand at the kitchen door and pry and look at her and see what she was doing. “I have two sisters and a brother and we can cook really well. And it’s a wonder.” Rudgley is now owner of Your Personal Chef. She caters events and sells her prepared meals at local farmers markets and online. Her family lived off the land when she was growing up, Rudgley says. “We lived on the outskirts of Clarksdale, which is really country.”

2023

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A childhood kitchen ban couldn’t stop Carolyn Rudgley from pursuing a culinary career.

Open 7 Days a Week 7am-7pm Happy Hour M-F 5pm-7pm

FILM By Chris McCoy

Return of the King Godzilla Minus One is an instant kaiju classic.

ou probably think of Godzilla as a lovable giant pet lizard with a crew of equally freaky frenemies who tear up Tokyo when they get into tiffs and occasionally fight aliens with questionable fashion sense. But that was not the creature who appeared off the coast of Japan in 1954. Director Ishiro Honda’s Gojira is an anti-war tract disguised as a monster movie. Godzilla was a symbol of nature’s wrath, awakened and mutated by American nuclear bomb testing in the Pacific. The scenes of fiery devastation as Godzilla levels Tokyo with his atomic fire breath would have been familiar to millions of Japanese who had lived through the American bombings at the end of World War II. Considered in this context, the ending, where a scientist creates a super weapon to defeat Godzilla then kills himself to prevent the technology from falling into military hands, becomes especially poignant. The King of the Monsters may have

This Godzilla is not a guy in a rubber suit stomping on a model train set. He knows the stakes. lost his edge over 37 features by a number of studios, endless merchandising, and a big-budget series from Apple TV, but director Takashi Yamazaki was determined to take the big guy back to his roots with Godzilla Minus One. The picture opens with the familiar spectrum logo of Toho, the Japanese studio that pioneered kaiju movies 70 years ago. It’s 1945, and a battered Zero lands on a ruined Pacific runway with a bomb still conspicuously attached. It’s flown by Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), a kamikaze who refused at the last minute to kill himself for an obviously lost cause. Around the time mechanic Tachibana (Munetaka Aoki) figures out that Koichi was faking technical issues, a monster attacks the airfield. The locals

Most impressive of all, Yamazaki does it all on a budget of just $15 million. call it Godzilla, but it’s much smaller than the building-smashing bruiser we love. It’s just a regular-sized T. rex, which is still big enough to kill the entire garrison except for Koichi and Tachibana, who witnesses our hero run instead of taking a shot at Godzilla with his plane’s 20mm cannon. After the war, Koichi returns to find

Tokyo in ruins, and his family dead. The poor souls scavenging through the wreckage don’t let him forget he was supposed to die in the war. He takes in a street urchin named Noriko (Minami Hamabe) and Akiko (Sae Nagatani), an orphan baby whose dying parents entrusted to her. Over the next few years, they build a life together, as Tokyo struggles to return to normal. Koichi gets a lucrative but hazardous job clearing mines from the harbor in a wooden boat in order to build a home for them. This long middle passage resembles the social realism of Yasujiro Ozu, whose masterpiece Tokyo Story was

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vanguard of the fight against Godzilla, the director turns a Jaws riff into an indictment of blind patriotism. Asked to once again risk their life for emperor and country after surviving a brutal war, a weary sailor mutters, “This country never changes. Maybe it can’t.” Most impressive of all, Yamazaki does it all on a budget of just $15 million. For comparison, Legendary’s vastly inferior Godzilla vs. Kong cost $200 million. Godzilla Minus One is the best kaiju film since Ishiro Honda’s 1975 swan song, Terror of Mechagodzilla. When it comes to big lizards, sometimes less is more.

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released the same year as Godzilla. Just as you’re getting attached to Koichi, Noriko, Akiko, and their eccentric, longsuffering neighbors, Godzilla shows up and threatens to burn it all down again. If there’s one thing that makes this film different from other giant monster movies, it’s that this one has real stakes. It’s fun to watch a guy in a rubber suit stomp on a model train set. It hits different when the little people who live there just had you over for a delightful dinner. Giant monster/robot films are not noted for their acting, but Kamiki carries the film on his back with a committed, harrowing performance as a man wracked by guilt, looking for redemption, and finding very little. Yamazaki’s script is sharp and political. When Koichi’s minesweeping job puts him on the

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THE LAST WORD By Andrew Moss

The Union Idea

THE LAST WORD

American workers made great strides in 2023. Autoworkers, UPS drivers, Kaiser health workers, screenwriters, and actors all scored significant gains in earnings and benefits as a result of their respective unions taking tough, assertive stances in strikes and other forms of workplace activism. The agreements emerging from these actions will mean substantial PHOTO: REDWOOD8 | DREAMSTIME.COM improvements in the lives of hundreds of thousands of workers and their families. But daunting obstacles face millions of other workers who’ve been attempting to unionize their workplaces or simply secure a fair and just contract when a previous contract expired. Global companies like Starbucks and Amazon, for example, have managed to avoid any kind of contract settlement with unionizing employees, and in my home city of Los Angeles, where existing contracts expired on June 30th for over 60 hotels, the largest hotel worker strike in U.S. history continues to drag on, soon into its sixth month. Only five hotels thus far have come to any tentative agreements with workers. A major problem, particularly for workers seeking to unionize their workplaces for the first time, is that U.S. labor law places workers at a serious disadvantage with respect to employers. The latter can, for example, subject employees to “captive audience” meetings that promulgate anti-union messages, and can indefinitely drag out collective bargaining with virtually no penalties — a process that can simply wear workers down by attrition. In a broader sense, however, the U.S. — unlike many advanced industrialized countries — is pervaded in its political culture and institutions by a deep anti-union ideology. Extending in the modern era as far back as the passage of the 1935 National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act), this ideology has guided a wide range of efforts to unravel the New Deal endorsement of government as a regulator of corporate power and as a protector of workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively. As early as the 1940s, business groups and conservative politicians advanced “right-to-work” legislation and litigation undermining unions by preventing them from requiring membership or dues from workers at sites where the unions represented all workers in collective bargaining. These legislative and judicial efforts portrayed right-towork as a defense of workers’ rights and as a counter to union racketeering and corruption. Since then, 26 states have adopted right-to-work legislation. In addition, union busting emerged as a sophisticated way of countering union influence. Labor historian Nelson Lichtenstein documented how an attorney and Walmart executive vice president named John Tate helped perfect, from the early 1970s on, a highly effective strategy that fended off the most assertive efforts to unionize that retail giant’s stores. As Tate declared in 2004 to a meeting of assembled Walmart executives and managers, “Labor unions are nothing but blood-sucking parasites living off the productive labor of people who work for a living.” Noting that unions represented a third of all workers in the private sector 50 years earlier, he said, “I am part of the reason that today they represent 9 percent.” Since Mr. Tate uttered those words, the public approval of unions has shifted upward in the wake of a major recession, an ever-widening inequality, and a devastating pandemic. In these altered circumstances, therefore, it’s instructive to read a recent Harvard Business Review (HBR) article entitled “The Labor-Savvy Leader,” in which three management experts associated with the Aspen Institute and MIT’s Sloan School of Management advise corporate leaders to work with, rather than against, organized labor. These experts (Roy E. Bahat, Thomas A. Kochan, and Liba Wenig Rubenstein) argue that companies choosing greater collaboration with labor can reap such benefits as improved employee satisfaction and retention, while companies seeking to bust unions can expose themselves to “existential risks,” including harm to their corporate brands, i.e. as consumers become more aware of companies’ treatment of workers. This advice to corporate leaders is well-taken, but anti-union ideology is so pervasive that it will take a lot more than savvy corporate leaders to change the culture. The HBR authors may write that union busting poses an existential risk to companies that practice it, but a glance at the boiler plate language of corporate annual reports will find that unions themselves are often perceived by management as the existential risk. Marriott International, for example, the largest hotel chain in the world, tells stockholders in its most recent report that labor disputes and increased demands from labor unions could, among other things, “harm our relationship with our associates [employees], harm our relationships with our guests and customers, divert management attention, and reduce customer demand for our services.” For the striking hotel workers, these “increased demands” are for contracts that ensure economic stability and security. In this regard, workers are striking on behalf of the union idea, a concept that, by and large, informs all struggles for economic justice. Uniting the values of solidarity and social freedom, this idea affirms that all working people, no matter their background or educational status, have the right to lives of dignity and well-being. The struggle for this idea, for the values of solidarity and social freedom, plays out on the picket line — and in courtrooms, legislative chambers, think tanks, educational institutions, and places of worship. For the hotel workers I know, the idea translates into the right to enough compensation that one needn’t sleep in one’s car or work two or three jobs to make ends meet. It means having time and resources enough to care for an elderly parent or disabled family member, enough to be with one’s children and see them grow. At the individual, human level, this is what’s at stake in the struggle for the union idea today. Andrew Moss, syndicated by PeaceVoice, writes on labor and immigration from Los Angeles. He is an emeritus professor (nonviolence studies, English) from the California State University.

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