Metro Times 08-03-2022

2 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

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NEWS & VIEWS Feedback We received comments in response to Lee DeVito’s story about PJ’s Lager House.

Owner PJ Ryder plans to sell the business to the building owner of the next-door James Oliver Coffee Co. He listed the building for sale for $2.2 million in 2019.

I’ve seen so many great shows at Larger House. So sad to see this venue go.

—@erinmallon918, Instagram Nooo! I’m a regular for the music. I really hope the coffee shop sees the value of what the do at pj’s as far as local music goes.

—saytes69, Instagram

@saytes69 the coffee shop is not buying it.

Their landlord is buying.

—@somethinginparticular, Instagram Hopefully it won’t mean yet another classic detroit thing dying.

—@annieofcourse, Instagram Say it with me: gen-tri-fic-a-tion.

—@victor_v_detroit, Instagram PJ is a class act. Good for him I say.

—@tony_muggs, Instagram Happy for PJ, he’s been wanting to sell for a long time now, I appreciate all that he is done. But I believe he is ready to retire.

—@luckypistil, Instagram Sound off: letters@metrotimes.com.

Vol. 42 | No. 41 | August 3-9, 2022

News & Views Feedback ............................... 4 News ...................................... 6 Informed Dissent .................. 8 The Incision......................... 10 Cover Story Detroiters turn to herbalism ............................. 12 What’s Going On Things to do this week ........ 18 Music Features ............................... 20 Food Review ................................. 24 Bites ..................................... 26 Weed One-hitters ........................... 28 Culture Film ...................................... 30 Savage Love ......................... 33 Horoscopes .......................... 34

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metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

5

STEVE NEAVLING

NEWS & VIEWS

Ex-Chief Craig whines about DPD settlement with protesters B y S teve N eavling FORMER DETROIT POLICE James Craig said he’s “troubled” that the city is offering a nearly . million settlement to protesters who filed lawsuits alleging they were brutalized by his police department in the summer of 2020.

In a meandering and misleading statement issued last wee , raig falsely claimed that his cops only used force necessary to overcome violence perpetrated against o cers.

In fact, most of the force was used against peaceful protesters for violating a curfew or rallying in the streets. Police used batons, tear gas, rubber bullets, and batons to brea up protests, leading to several lawsuits. egal observers and journalists were also thrown to the ground and arrested for being in the vicinity of the rallies.

The protests were in response to the death of eorge loyd, who was illed

when a inneapolis police o cer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes in ay . That o cer, ere hauvin, was sentenced to years in prison for murder.

The etroit ity ouncil last Tuesday unanimously approved the settlement offer to protesters and legal observers.

In his campaign for governor, raig, a epublican, has bragged about his department’s handling of the protests, baselessly claiming that his o cers stopped the city from “burning.”

In his statement, raig falsely claimed that etroit was the only ma or city in the country that did not burn. In fact, fires didn’t brea out in most ma or cit-

ies, where a vast ma ority of the protests were peaceful.

His o cers, he said in the statement, did not retreat li e in cities of Portland, Seattle, inneapolis, St. ouis and others across the country leading to endless days of violent protests that included attac s on law enforcement o cers, destruction of government buildings, property and looting of businesses.”

Craig assailed council members for supporting the settlement, which the city said was offered to avoid costly trials.

It’s shameful that the etroit ity Council would entertain such a motion using taxpayer dollars to reward a group of criminals whose goal was to create turmoil, raig said. This is disgraceful to our brave men and women who put on the uniform and risk their own lives for the safety of our community. ur police o cers deserve to be supported and clearly this is indicative of fostering support of law violators. uring the State of the ity in arch, ayor i e uggan blasted raig for his record as a police chief, noting that violent crime didn’t decline until Craig was replaced with Chief James hite in June . uggan also said raig pic ed petty fights with prosecutors and federal law enforcement agencies, eroding partnerships to fight crime. raig’s campaign as governor was riddled with missteps, and he was removed from the ballot for submitting fa e signatures, and continued to run as a write-in candidate.

Judge grants restraining order from Gov. Whitmer to block prosecutors from enforcing abortion ban B y Randiah C amille G reen

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MARC KLOCKOW

COUNTY PROSECUTORS IN Michigan are once again barred from charging doctors or health workers for performing abortions. An Oakland Country judge granted a temporary restraining order filed by ov. retchen hitmer bloc ing prosecutors from enforcing the state’s 1931 abortion ban Monday night.

The order follows a ruling by the Michigan Court of Appeals on Monday morning that allowed prosecutors to charge abortion providers despite an earlier injunction blocking the law. It’s unclear how long the restraining order will remain in effect. court filing from Circuit Judge Jacob Cunningham states county prosecutors must refrain from enforcing the 1931 ban “until further order of the court.”

The fight to secure abortion and reproductive rights in Michigan started before the U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision in Dobbs v. Jackson overturned the nearly 50-year precedent set by Roe v. Wade.

In anticipation of the landmar case’s reversal,

Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit as ing a udge to declare that the Michigan Constitution guarantees the right to an abortion and the 1931 abortion law is unconstitutional.

A temporary injunction was granted in that case by Judge li abeth leicher, effectively eeping abortion legal in the state until Monday’s Court of Appeals decision ruled the injunction did not apply to county prosecutors. hitmer’s statement noted how confusing the

back-and-forth legal battle has been.

“This lack of legal clarity — that took place within the span of a workday — is yet another textbook example of why the Michigan Supreme Court must take up my lawsuit against the 1931 extreme abortion ban as soon as possible, she said. ichigan’s, doctors, nurses, and health care systems cannot afford to wait any longer. I will eep fighting li e hell to protect women and health care providers. hearing is scheduled for ednesday.

Democrat Mallory McMorrow raises more than $1 million after fiery speech B y Lee DeVito learning about slavery or redlining or systemic racism means that children are being taught to feel bad or hate themselves because they are white is absolute nonsense, c orrow said.

She added, I want every child in this state to feel seen, heard, and supported, not marginali ed and targeted because they are not straight, white, and hristian. e cannot let hateful people tell you otherwise to scapegoat and de ect from the fact that they are not doing anything to fi the real issues that impact people’s lives. nd I now hate will only win if people like me stand by and let it happen.”

The clip swiftly went viral, garnering millions of views and praise from pundits, li e one at T he A tlantic, who noted the speech was effective because c orrow wasn’t afraid to be emotional, or even enraged.” c orrow’s husband and treasurer ay ert said contributions came from , donors from all states, including more than , from 6, contributors in less than 24 hours after the speech. eanwhile, Theis’s fundraising efforts netted a mere , according to Politico.

COURTESY PHOTO

MICHIGAN STATE SEN. Mallory McMorrow raised more than million after a video of her rousing speech aimed at hateful Republican “nonsense” went viral earlier this year, according to campaign finance filings reported Thursday by Politico.

In pril, c orrow an a land ounty emocrat who represents Ber ley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, lawson, ochester, ochester Hills, oyal a , and Troy — was falsely accused in a fundraising email sent by epublican ana Theis of Brighton of being a pedophile who was “outraged” that she “can’t groom and sexualize kindergartners” or teach that “8-year olds are responsible for slavery.

The outrageous claims were a reference to Republican bac lash, fueled by the non conspiracy theory, against the teaching of racial ine uality and BT issues in schools. ast year, Theis introduced legislation that would prevent - schools from teaching so-called “critical race theory.”

In response, c orrow too to the state Senate oor to issue a searing rebuttal.

I am a straight, white, hristian, married, suburban mom who nows that the very notion that

Former Michigan GOP executive director says Trump and Republicans should be criminally charged B y S teve N eavling ATTEMPTS BY FORMER President onald Trump and his supporters to overturn the election is li ely just the beginning of unprecedented attacks on democracy in Michigan unless the Republicans are held accountable.

That’s according to a national election e pert, state lawma er, and former head of the ichigan P. hen you have a president who seeks to stay in power despite losing an election, that is an attempt to install a dictatorship, oah Boo binder, president of Citizens for Responsibility and thics, said at a news conference Thursday. “That’s what was happening here, and the threats are ongoing.

Many of the Republicans running for local, state, and federal elections in Michigan this year continue to peddle conspiracy theories about widespread election fraud. The danger is that Republicans who lose in this year’s elections will falsely claim they were victims of voter fraud, rather than concede, a centuries-long tradition in any democracy.

Jeff Timmer, who served as ichigan epublican Party ecutive irector from to 9, said he never

dreamed that his former colleagues would disregard election results at the risk of undermining democracy. hen he was the e ecutive director of the party, he said, it never dawned on anybody to deny the reality of what happened in a campaign by refusing to accept the results.” emocracy only wor s if everyone who participates in it believes in it, he added.

The fear that Republicans will continue to undermine future elections inspired state ep. Joe Tate, - etroit, to introduce a bill last week that urges the epartment of Justice to investigate his Republican colleagues for attempting to overturn the presidential election “for the crime of seditious conspiracy.” ast year, epublican state legislators violated federal law by conspiring to overthrow the government and delay the e ecution of laws, he said. ive of the lawmakers tried to enter the state Capitol building so a group of Republicans could fraudulently cast their electoral college votes for then-President onald Trump.

In ecember , the epublican lawmakers signed on to a baseless

lawsuit filed by Te as that sought to challenge the election results in several states, including ichigan, even though they new Biden fairly won the election, Tate contended.

“My 11 Republican colleagues in the House committed crimes, Tate said.

“It’s plain and simple. Some of them conspired to overturn the election at our own state Capitol in broad daylight in clear view of the media and the world. In these moments, they braenly betrayed their oath to serve the public. Each of these lawmakers knew what they were doing. They knew they were wor ing to overturn a free and fair election to eep their corrupt, former president in power.”

He continued: efending the votes and the rights of Michiganders means prosecuting these representatives.

The five P gubernatorial candidates, along with epublican ttorney eneral candidate att ePerno and Secretary of State candidate Kristina aramo, have all alleged widespread election fraud. ll five of the gubernatorial candidates have signed on publicly, emphasized in their debates and public appearances, this notion that

there was rampant election fraud, that the election was stolen and that we need to take all these drastic measures to prevent this election fraud in the future, Timmer said. It’s all centered around lies and delusions. It’s the driving force for the epublican candidates.”

Trump and his supporters have convinced epublican voters that the election was stolen by emocrats, undermining people’s faith in democracy, Timmer said.

If you ta e a contrary position, you really are a nonstarter as a candidate, Timmer said. ou have no traction. o voters in the epublican Party seemingly will pay attention to you. ou have no chance of winning an election unless you’re a supporter of the Big ie. The abnormal has become the normal.”

Because of the damage to democracy, doing nothing is not an option, Tate said. or us to not loo into this, it reduces the faith and confidence in our election system and democratic institutions, Tate said.

Joe Biden defeated Trump in by , votes in ichigan.

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

7

NEWS & VIEWS

Sen. Joe Manchin confronted by climate activists in 2021. Perhaps they left an impression on him.

SHUTTERSTOCK

Informed Dissent

Did the Democrats actually accomplish something?

Well, not so fast.

Jeffre C. illman

Let’s not get ahead of ourselv

es.

There are still plenty of ways for D emocrats to screw this up — and D emocrats being emocrats, the odds they’ll find one are not small. In any ev ent, Kyrsten Sinema’s corporate owners hav e yet to render their v erdict.

B ut for now, it looks like Chuck Schumer learned how to do politics like a Republican. F or once, Mitch McConnell got played for a sucker.

On W ednesday, the Senate approv ed a bipartisan bill to inv est $ 52 billion into the U.S. semiconductor industry, an effort to eep pace with hina. The bill had long been delayed by the D emocrats’ failure to get their shit together. ( Shocking, I know.)

More recently, McConnell threatened to torpedo the legislation, a W hite H ouse priority — though it had significant support from his caucus if Senate D ems resurrected a “partisan reconciliation bill” that capped the price of some medications, taxed rich people, and funded health care and climate change programs.

B ut he appeared to hav e nothing to worry about. Two weeks ago, for what seemed like the 43rd time in the last year, talks between Schumer and D emocratic Sen. Joe Manchin blew up.

Manchin — who nev er misses a chance to thwart liberals for pundit applause — said he’d no longer support climate action because somethin somethin

in ation.

So McConnell and company, calling the semiconductor bill a “national security” issue, graciously allowed the limping B iden administration to notch a much-needed win.

And Schumer and Manchin promptly announced that they reached a deal for a partisan reconciliation bill that would cap the price of some medications while taxing rich people and funding health care and climate change programs.

Senate Republicans were issed. So pissed, in fact, that they filibustered legislation to expand medical care for v eterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits.

There are few more obv ious political own-goals than v oting against sick v ets. ( A bill mandating puppy torture? ) B ut Senate Republicans compounded their self-immolation by opposing legislation they’d supported a month earlier — barely feigning an explanation for their change of heart.

And because they’re bent out of shape, Sen. Susan Collins says they might filibuster legislation to codify same-sex marriage, too.

To recap, then: B ecause Senate D emocrats out-maneuv ered them to ( maybe! ) raise taxes on the wealthy ( supported by 6 7 % of Americans) , expand health insurance subsidies ( 6 7 % support) , cap prescription prices ( 88% support) , and fund clean energy programs ( 59% to

8 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

89% support, depending on the program) , Republicans gav e dying v eterans the finger and might oppose marriages backed by 7 1% of Americans.

Schumer — either a genius or the luckiest bastard on the planet — couldn’t hav e engineered a better trap.

And he couldn’t hav e picked a better time to spring it. Since the Supreme Court’s reactionaries ov erturned the right to abortion, D emocrats hav e been gaining in polls, sparking murmurs that maybe, just maybe, 2022 won’t be a retread of 2010 after all.

And now, D emocrats can deliv er an elusiv e progressiv e v ictory — repeat after me: ”the largest climate inv estment in the country’s history” — while Republicans get rev enge by making themselv es less popular than the plague. ( The v ideo of Sen. Ted Cruz fist-bumping his colleagues after illing the burn-pit bill is basically an in-kind donation to the D emocratic N ational Committee.)

Unless, of course, the new reconciliation deal falls apart. ( See again: Sinema, Kyrsten.)

B efore ev eryone pops the Champagne, let’s remember that The In ation Reduction Act of 2022 — the title is a masterpiece of agitprop, considering the bill will li ely have little effect on in ation is a watered-down v ersion of the watered-down v ersion of President Joe B iden’s domestic agenda,

which initially clocked in north of $ 3 trillion.

The infrastructure piece was split off winnowed down into a bipartisan bill that spent $ 550 billion in new rev enue on transportation, broadband, and utilities upgrades. The $ 1.7 trillion B iden wanted to inv est in climate change, health care, and social programs has been killed, rev iv ed, shrunk, killed, and rev iv ed sev eral times ov er the last year, until we ended up with the IRA. The bill spends $ 433 billion on clean energy technology and expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies. It raises $ 7 39 billion by setting a corporate minimum tax, closing a loophole hedge fund managers use to av oid taxes, beefing up IRS enforcement, and giv ing Medicare authority to negotiate the prices of 10 drugs.

That spending number is, of course, a fourth of B iden’s original pitch. It’s also $ 1 trillion less than the deal Manchin and Schumer agreed to a year ago, when Manchin was fretting about people snorting their child tax credits. And the climate inv estment is almost $ 200 billion less than earlier iterations of the reconciliation package env isioned.

B ut it’s something. And for a struggling W hite H ouse, something is better than nothing.

The bill promises to cut U.S. carbon emissions 40% by 2030 — B iden prev iously pledged to cut emissions by half by the decade’s end — largely through incentiv es to increase the use of electric v ehicles and solar panels. B ut as Manchin explained, the legislation will not remove dependable and affordable fossil fuel energy before new technologies are ready to reliably carry the load.”

W hich is to say, we’re in no hurry to get rid of oil or coal or natural gas.

H ope you like heatwav es!

N oticeably absent from the bill is the Clean Electricity Performance Program, which would hav e slashed carbon emissions by penalizing energy companies that failed to meet targets. Instead, Manchin’s legislation will req uire the gov ernment to permit new oil and gas leases in the ulf of e ico and off the coast of Alaska. D emocratic leaders also promised to make it easier for dev elopers to build pipelines and other energy infrastructure without interference from pesky env ironmentalists.

So while this would be the most significant climate investment in .S. history, that’s less a cause for celebration than a comment on decades of denial and apathy. A burning planet will req uire more.

F or now, though, D emocrats can take the W . Assuming Kyrsten Sinema lets them.

Get more at billman.substack.com.

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

9

NEWS & VIEWS The Incision

The pox on our house B y A bdul E l-S ayed

Last month, World H ealth Organization D irector-G eneral Tedros Adhanom G hebreyesus declared monkeypox a “Public H ealth Emergency of International Concern.” “W e hav e an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly through new modes of transmission, about which we understand too little, and which meets the criteria, ” G hebreyesus said.

PH I is defined as an e traordinary ev ent which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States [ countries outside the original country of origin] through the international spread of disease and to potentially req uire a coordinated international response.” That sounds about right.

Monkeypox has infected nearly 6, people since the first cases in the U.K. were discov ered j ust 10 weeks ago, the v ast majority q ueer men. In the U.S. alone, there hav e been 2, 900 cases across 44 states. The fact that we hav en’t been able to contain monkeypox in the U.S. demonstrates the terrible toll that COV ID has taken on our public health system. And it should put an exclamation point on the urgency of the rebuilding work ahead of us.

The rise of monkeypox probably brings back memories of the early days of the I pandemic the first time most Americans were forced to pay attention to public health. B ut let’s put it into context. The challenge of COV ID was truly staggering.

W e were dealing with a nov el v irus, meaning that we understood little about its transmission, its pathophysiology, or its natural history. There were no treatments and no v accines. Ev en our attempts to borrow from what little science we did hav e about its closest relatives was awed. S S- o - , the coronavirus that caused the S S epidemic in the early aughts, was only transmissible after symptoms dev eloped S S- o - began transmitting a few days earlier — changing its epidemiology dramatically. Conserv ing personal protectiv e eq uipment for those dealing with symptomatic patients ma es sense for S S- o it’s disastrous for S S- o - .

Unlike COVID, monkeypox shouldn’t be so hard to fight. So why have we failed to contain it?

COV ID was airborne. It could transmit in as little as 15 minutes in an enclosed space — allowing for the kind of explosiv e growth that we all watched in spring of 2020, and continue to see with ev ery COV ID surge. Scariest of all, COV ID was extremely deadly — req uiring drastic measures to stop spread immediately; measures that inev itably led to the pandemic’s politicization.

B ut monkeypox is none of those things.

Monkeypox is well understood; we’v e known about it since 1958! W e hav e effective vaccines. It has a long incubation period — up to three weeks! — which offers us a window even after exposure to v accinate people and prev ent them from manifesting infections. It’s like the v irus is giv ing us a grace period.

The fact that this outbreak has been concentrated among a tight-knit, wellconnected community should make it ev en easier to contain. B efore I go on, I want to be clear: stigmatizing any community because of diseases that happen to emerge among them is both morally bankrupt and self-defeating.

There has been a well-warranted fear that messaging that e plicitly identifies the L G B TQ + community as being at particular risk could further stigmatize them, particularly considering the brutal history of the way that H IV / AID S was used to stigmatize the community.

B ut this does not absolv e public health o cials of the responsibility to protect folks in the community. And a thoughtful engagement with the community to

10 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

tackle the outbreak from the jump was critical.

Monkeypox should hav e been easy to contain, yet the mistakes hav e been legion. W hether it’s been a limited stockpile of v accine, misallocation of av ailable doses based on disease burden, or limited testing av ailability or processing — all of these hav e left people at risk scrambling. Monkeypox data-sharing and resource coordination between state and federal public health authorities has been shoddy at best.

And nearly 10 weeks into this outbreak, the fact that we’re still scrambling is confounding.

Monkeypox is a relativ ely mild disease. To date in this outbrea , five people hav e died of monkeypox — all in sub-Saharan African countries with v ery limited healthcare access. Y et the risk remains. Monkeypox is a misnomer; it’s actually a rodent disease.

There’s real risk that monkeypox becomes endemic by jumping into local rodent populations, like rats in N ew Y ork City. If that happens, there’s no going back: Monkeypox could be with us permanently.

All of this reminds us that our public health infrastructure, already teetering from neglect and underfunding, has been decimated by the COV ID pandemic. The public health workforce is burnt out — many of its most capable have left the field entirely. recent surv ey found that ov er 40% of the federal public health workforce is planning to leave the field over the ne t five years.

SHUTTERSTOCK

Though COV ID has deliv ered a bolus of funding into many public health agencies, this funding is in e ible, tied specifically to I response.

W orse still, the politicization of public health through the pandemic has left administrators thinking twice, double and triple checking themselv es in ways that slow down an already rigid bureaucracy. Ev en an early City-led effort in ew or to halt the virus in its tracks was stymied by a sluggish federal gov ernment hoarding av ailable doses sitting uselessly in a stockpile in D enmark.

Our public health system’s inability to handle an outbreak that should hav e been as easy to ascertain and contain as monkeypox doesn’t bode well for our ability to handle more complex public health emergencies that will inev itably come down the pike.

Indeed, rather than force us to fortify our public health infrastructure, the COV ID pandemic may actually hav e left us more fatalistic about the v alue of public health interv ention to begin with.

Our society can’t handle another mass-scale pandemic like COV ID . ight now, mon eypo is showing us just how unprepared we are. The only thing standing between us and the next one is time. So we damn well better start using it to prepare.

Originally published July 26 in T he Incision. G et more at abdulelsayed. substack.com.

EMPLOYMENT Electric Motor Controls Engineer, Pontiac, MI, General Motors.

Engineer & develop motor controls algorithms for high power electric drive system consisting of high voltage power converters (inverters & boost converters) &electric motors (interiormounted permanent magnet (IPM), &induction machines) using MATLAB, Simulink & SPACE HIL tools. Plan & perform calibration development & testing in highvoltage dyno, transmission, & vehicle test environment to verify functionality at Function, Controller & System levels prior to production release. Improve extensive motor characterization based on maximum torque per ampere/voltage to achieve torque accuracy & maximizing system efficiency over operating region incl. field-weakening region. Optimize motor control performance by ensuring control stability in closed-loop current control regulation under fieldweakening operation. Perform modeling & simulation of electric drives using MATLAB & Simulink tools. Master, Electrical, Mechanical or Automotive Engineering, or related. 12 mos exp as Engineer, developing or performing high voltage power converter or electric motor (IPM) electrical & thermal performance simulations using MATLAB & Simulink tools, or related.

Mail resume to Ref#29377, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

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metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

11

FEATURE

i n a sunny Monday ev ening, Mama Rav in takes participants along the D etroit Riv erwal to find edible wild plants.

F ascination and wonder spread across the group as avin points out a spindly white ower forming a curly cluster of buds that she identifies as wild carrot, or ueen nne’s lace.

Q ueen Anne’s lace ( Daucus carota) is an inv asiv e weed, but its roots and owers are edible. Some people say the roots hav e a taste similar to carrots, hence the common name.

Y ou’v e likely seen Q ueen Anne’s lace growing in parks, roadsides, empty lots, and, perhaps, ev en your own bac yard.

Mama Rav in, whose real name is Regina L awson, has been hosting her Herbal al Tal in partnership with the etroit iverfront onservancy for the past decade. The chat and chew stroll ta es participants through illi en State Par , stopping to identify edible herbs and learn their culinary and medicinal properties along the way. bushy bundle of berries provides a pop of deep red against a sea of green plants. This one is sumac, which many people know as the spice commonly used in editerranean a’atar seasoning. Turns out it’s not some distant, foreign ingredient. It’s growing undisturbed on the iverwal , though technically you’re not supposed to pic anything growing here.

The berries can also be used to ma e lemonade. ama avin is an elder in the local herbalist community who uses plants as both food and medicine. t years old, she claims the healing properties of plants have ept her from getting a cold or the u since her early s. She’s also vegan and has been incorporating bac yard weeds into her everyday coo ing pretty much her entire life.

12 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

Why so many people

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Weedeater WYWYWYWYWYWY

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are turning to herbalism and eating common weeds that grow in their backyard

By Randiah Camille Green

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f course, herbal medicine isn’t new. It’s been used by indigenous cultures around the world for thousands of years. Herbalists use plant-based teas, tinctures, salv es, and other concoctions to treat in ammation, an iety, heart conditions, and everything in between. s more people turn to plant-based diets to heal themselves and the planet, it isn’t surprising that people are e ploring alternativ e healing modalities inv olv ing plants and other natural substances, whether it’s psilocybin, mari uana, or herbs. armen alis ing, co-founder of Healing by hoice, says herbalism’s recent rise in popularity may be due to both the I - 9 pandemic, which caused people to look more closely at their health, and the desire to decoloni e medicine.

People, in general, are reclaiming and reconnecting with ancestral and cultural healing ways, ing says. The language that really too off about years ago within Indigenous ideas about deconstructing this mindset based on colonial imperialism and white supremacy maybe had some

Photos by Marc Klockow

in uence there. npac ing that had an in uence of some people thin ing about how to undo what we thin of as normal.

B ack on the Riv erwalk, Mama Rav in tells us she’s always lived a plant-based lifestyle, even though her parents disapproved.

I’ve never swallowed meat, she boasts. It was put in my mouth when I was a child, but I would spit it out and my mother beat my behind every time. But I was determined to stic to my guns and ust be the person I wanted to be. I didn’t wanna swallow no meat. I ust wasn’t going to do it, so I ust too that behind whooping every single time. I would just giv e her the switch and say, just do what you gotta do, mom.

She says the secret to her health all these years is not ust veganism, but dandelions in particular.

Y es, dandelions — that annoying plant sprouting through the cracks in the sidewalk and colonizing front lawns that most people are more interested in illing than eating. t years old, avin remembers her grandmother would ma e collard greens to feed her family of 9. To stretch the greens and eep costs low, her grandmother added dandelion leav es, a secret ingredient which only avin new about. nd those greens were good every Sunday, avin says. So my passion for this dandelion has been with me all my life and I’ve been preaching about these dandelions forever. I used to tell people in the neighborhood, would you stop cutting down dandelions because the whole plant is edible, which nobody new. But me and my grandmother new.

Mama Rav in and her grandmother may hav e been onto something. Beyond being abundant and free, dandelion greens are highly nutritious. The

Mama Ravin leads an herb walk on the Detroit Riverfront.

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

13

Ushering in the new school

lowers grow wild in a Hamtramc bac yard as a neon-green-haired woman dressed in rainbow pants leads us through a plant meditation on the grass. e connect with the arth, breathing in the o ygen from the nearby plants. s we e hale, the ora breathe in, and as we inhale, the life blooming around us breathes out. r at least, that’s what arah c erwoman the green-haired lady running the plant medicine wor shop tells us, anyway.

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Zarah Akcerwoman of Herbalists Without Borders teaches how to make a medicinal tincture with Hypericum perforatum and 100-proof vodka. Hypericum is often used to treat anxiety and seasonal depression.

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toothed leaves of the yellow ower are said to have two times more calcium, three times more itamin , and eight times more antio idants than spinach. e don’t find any dandelions on the iverwal during our trip, but we do find several other plants that can be eaten in everyday coo ing and survival situations. nother invasive weed nown as the common broadleaf plantain no, not the banana , has edible leaves and seeds that are thought to help with in ammation and digestive problems. There’s also mil weed and cattail, which ama avin says can be used to ma e panca es.

Before she was teaching people about plants on the iverwal , ama avin was simply nown as the weed lady. People getting their daily e ercise on the etroit river strip would always point out the strange, elderly woman pic ing weeds, wondering what e actly she was doing. That’s how she got discovered by the ichigan epartment of atural esources.

I was doing what I’m doing, minding my own business and they would say, There go the weed lady,’ she remembers. The epartment of atural esources heard about it and they said we gotta tal to this lady because they put all these beautiful plants out here but they didn’t now what they had here actually. So people said, get the weed lady over here and she’ll tell you.

She adds that initially, she thought the weed lady was somebody who was selling mariuana which she emphasi es she has never even smo ed , but eventually the name stuc .

Through her business, The Herbal Healing Hut, ama avin has wor ed with groups li e the , etroit iverfront onservancy, etroit utdoors, and others to preserve and share what she calls herbal medicinal and dietary traditions of our boriginal ancestors. She founded The Herbal Healing Hut in 99 and offers everything from herb wal s, coo ing classes, dietary consultations, and re e ology. The herb wal s are the most popular, and are followed up by a vegan meal prepared by avin.

This time she serves participants indigenous rice with lentils, a melody of ha elnuts, almonds, and walnuts, and a pasta salad loaded with vegetables including dandelion, of course. avin hasn’t had any formal training in herbal medicine. Instead, she says, the lifestyle she’s been living since childhood has been her greatest teacher.

I haven’t ta en any medicine since I was maybe . It’s because the food is my medicine, she says.

If you don’t eat the right food, you’re not gonna do any healing. nything that was here before us, is here to help us. It was hard coming up in my family, tal ing about healing and trying to get them to go and eat food from the bac yard, but I’m happy that now people are catching on and are open to it.

e pic a budding St. John’s wort Hypericum perforatum , the plant we’ve come to learn about today, and loo for any special characteristics before putting the ower in our mouths to create a sensory connection. c erwoman started the etroit chapter of Herbalists ithout Borders H B , a worldwide collective of herbal medicine practitioners, in the summer of in response to the Blac ives atter movement.

It was a political action to give bac to and create community around healing and self-care, she says. I loo at it through the anarchist lense. efund the police, ma e your own medicine, ta e your power bac from the medical system and big pharma.

H B etroit promotes herbal education and accessible health ustice through a series of s illshares, herb wal s, and medicine-ma ing wor shops. ventually, the group plans to install ittle ree edicine cabinets around the city, similar to ittle ree ibraries that offer boo s, instead stoc ed with herbal medicine made by the community. fter listening for any messages from the bright yellow ower, c erwoman gives us the option to eat it, which we do. It tastes li e sunshine. i e a warm and oyous yellow rainbow.

Hypericum perforatum c erwoman prefers to call plants by their botanical name is said to treat an iety, seasonal affective disorder, and mild to moderate depression. Instead of St. John’s wort, some herbalists who believe that all plants are female call it St. Joan’s wort. In similar fashion, she chooses to go by c erwoman, though her legal last name is c erman, as an act of patriarchal resistance. “ Hypericum is li e sunshine in a bottle, she says.

fter learning how to properly identify Hypericum perforatorum, we pic the ower and commence ma ing a tincture by steeping owers, leaves, and stems of the plant in proof vod a to e tract its medicinal compounds. The tincture will be available through H B’s community apothecary on a pay-what-you-can basis. hile ama avin learned about dandelions from her grandmother, c erwoman’s herbalism ourney started with her goal to have an orgasmic birth. That means e actly what it sounds li e having an orgasm during childbirth.

I was pregnant with my first and there’s this documentary called Orgasmic B irth that I got really into and I was li e, how do I do that hat can I do to promote this and maybe ma e this happen she says. I started researching more about vitamins and minerals because everyone’s always thin ing prenatal vitamins are so important, so that’s when I found out more information about herbs. hile preparing for her birth, she discovered a boo by famed herbalist Susun eed called Wise Woman Herbal for the C hildbearing Y ear. She started drin ing eed’s herbal infusions on a daily basis to prepare for her birth.

The herbal infusions have optimum vitamins and minerals and nutrition and it’s bioavailable. I had ero complications. I had a natural birth without drugs at home, she says. I was li e, wow, and ust feeling li e a powerful bitch, so I ept going.

Since then c erwoman has apprenticed under eed, who is now in her late s, at her farm in upstate ew or . eed’s harsh teaching methods are controversial and riddled with allegations of verbal abuse. c erwoman describes her si -wee apprenticeship with eed as intense, but she enoyed it so much that she’s gone bac several times,

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

15

Integrative medicine

In contrast to ama avin and c erwoman, ing from Healing by hoice is an herbalist who believes in using plants with pharmaceuticals for a more well-rounded approach. She feels li e a more ob ective voice who cautions that herbs are not a magic cure-all.

Herbs can be powerful medicines, but it’s more about how do you create harmony in the body, not ust the herbs, she says. It’s not li e a magic cure, and learning about herbalism helped me see that comple ity that the body is dynamic and so are the ways we have to thin about how to heal the body. e have to thin about how our sleep, and our stress levels, and environment play a role.

Healing by hoice is a group of women and gender non-conforming people of color health and healing practitioners. They offer different healing modalities ranging from rei i, tai chi, and hinese medicine, to energy wor and herbalism. ing leads herbal wor shops similar to ama avin and c erwoman. ost recently, she hosted a wor shop for llied edia onference which included an herb wal around Belle Isle.

The idea was to help us get familiari ed with what’s growing around us this time of year, she says.

She ac nowledges that everyone’s body is different and may not react to herbs the same.

I try not to be prescriptive with my herbal nowledge, she says. It’s not as straightforward where this e uals that. I’m not trying to tell people, ta e this and it will cure you, but there are these herbs that have been studied and tend to help with certain conditions. If someone is ta ing medication or has a health condition, ma ing sure that those herbs are not contraindicated is really important too.

King used the inv asiv e weed stinging nettle ( U rtica dioica) to help treat aggressiv e seasonal allergies.

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Herbal medicine tinctures.

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including during the “G reen W itch holiday” where W eed initiates apprentices as a witch.

It was definitely one of the most life-changing e periences I’ve ever had, c erwoman says. She’s a very intense, old-school teacher. I describe it as li e, the harsh tutelage of Pai ei from K ill B ill, but with compost and herbs. I’ve done the initiation ritual a couple of times because it’s really ama ing. Being in the presence of other women in ritual ma ing commitments and having witnesses in that way is super powerful, especially for strengthening your belief in yourself. c erwoman is ust getting started with H B etroit and has plans for future wor shops that include topics li e orean atural arming techni ues and herbs for women’s moon cycles. They also plan on working with B irth D etroit to prov ide herbal prenatal and postnatal support for women.

The grow your own food movement has really ta en hold in etroit than s to ama ing organi ations li e eep rowing etroit and I want everyone to now about all the weeds that grow in between and how much nutrition and healing these wild plants hav e to giv e, ” she says. “W hen you eat wild foods, you have wild thoughts and it’s truly revolutionary. Herbal medicine is the peoples’ medicine and it grows right outside your door even in the heart of the city.

I reali ed the pharmaceutical treatments weren’t really wor ing for my allergies in my s, so I started learning about herbs growing in fields through my friends, she says. ettles were one thing that helped, but I also tried different aromatherapies, acupuncture, and ev en staying hydrated which I think all helped.” ing continued learning about herbalism through a si -month course with armacy Herbs in hode Island and intensives with fellow ichigan herbalist Jim c onald. The ourney helped her connect with land that felt unfamiliar as a uatemalan woman. y family is half- entral merican, uatemalan, and I grew up in Southwest etroit where many families are immigrants, she says. inding a rootedness in a place where we don’t hav e a connection was important. Having grown up in the city in an urban area, there wasn’t really a connection to nature for me so bringing awareness of what naturally grows in etroit was one way to deepen my sense of belonging and environmental responsibility. hile ama avin serves the vegan dinner she’s prepared to attendees at the iverwal , she as s who has been vaccinated against I - 9, a loaded uestion since many herbalists distrust modern medicine. avin asserts that a blend of to 6 herbs and spices that she calls the vaccine sauce has ept her safe. ou’ve got basil, organic thyme, all of these things that if you eat them every day in your food are going to heal you, she says. That’s the vaccine right there. Y ou need to start using ev erything on that spice rack.” ing understands the lac of trust in big pharma but emphasi es that pharmaceutical drugs and herbs can wor together to heal the body.

To some degree, I am distrustful of the pharmaceutical industry, but I’m vaccinated against I - 9, she says. I have a masters degree in integrativ e health studies and I don’t think it has to be this binary thin ing. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. It doesn’t have to be herbs or pharmaceuticals. In our own grassroots way, HB is trying to create a holistic path for how people are accessing wellness information.

Know before you go

nowing there are a plethora of culinary and medicinal plants growing in the wild that you can forage for free is a strange feeling. It’s intrigue, followed by a sense of freedom and frustration. hy didn’t anyone tell us we could start to heal our bodies with plants that are ust outside our doorsteps instead of relying on drugs that harm us in the same swallow that they help us Before you get too e cited and start frolic ing around loo ing for ueen nne’s lace, however, be aware that many plants have poisonous loo ali es that can cause some serious indigestion and ev en death.

Hemloc , a highly to ic plant that can be deadly if ingested, loo s similar to ueen nne’s lace.

The dangerous loo ali e contains to ic al aloids that affect the nervous system and can cause respiratory collapse. or trained herbalists li e ama avin, c erwoman, and ing, the difference between ueen nne’s lace and hemloc may be obvious. But it may not be to someone who heads out with garden shears after reading an article online.

The three herbalists have all had several years of training and e perience. or beginners, ing recommends getting a field guide, as ing your community for guidance, and starting slow with ust a few plants. There are also several smartphone apps li e PictureThis and i aturalist that can identify plants through your smartphone’s camera.

Beginner-friendly plants in ichigan include ama avin’s favorite dandelion and common plantain, which hav e no known poisonous looali es. ou should also be conscious of the areas you’re pic ing plants in to avoid environmental factors li e pollution. o not pic herbs that are growing in the alley, construction sites, or near the road because of potential pesticides and pollution, ama avin says.

If they’re in an open field or your bac yard and you don’t spray pesticides , they’re fair game. I tell everyone to start in their bac yard.

In addition to herb wal s, classes, boo s, and apps, ing says the most important thing is to build a physical connection to plants if you’re interested in foraging for them.

Just sit with the plant, she says. If you’re curious about a plant, notice it. here does it grow hat does it loo li e at different times of year Start with that really simple sensory level. This is the most important thing. ou can learn about it in a boo and buy a tea with everything already mi ed up, but if you never get to see the plant, I feel li e there’s an element of magic that’s lost. There’s something different about seeing it, getting to touch it, harvesting it. That sensory, visual e perience tops ev erything.

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

17

WHAT’S GOING ON

A musical based on the Temptations heads to the Detroit Opera House.

COURTESY PHOTO

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Submit your events to metrotimes.com/calendar. Be sure to check venue websites for COVID-19 policies.

FRI, 8/5 Trap Karaoke If you’v e ev er wanted to take your car concerts and shower singing to the main stage, now is your chance. Trap Karaoke is a touring karaoke experience that giv es ev ent goers a chance to sing or rap into a microphone instead of a hairbrush. If Journey’s “D on’t Stop B eliev in’” is your go-to karaoke jam, this isn’t the ev ent for you. Trap Karaoke guests perform R& B and hip-hop tracks from artists like Too $ hort, Migos, Kanye W est, N icki Minaj, Kirk F ranklin, SW V , and whatev er urban music icon their heart desires.

Performance sign-ups are sent prior to the ev ent v ia email prior to the ev ent, and those slots fill up uic ly. Though performance sign-ups are limited, there’s still a chance to be picked from the crowd to perform.

—Alex Washington

The Belle Isle Art Fair.

Belle Isle Art Fair

thankfully for av id park goers, those days are now ov er) — but ev en more so during the annual B elle Isle Art F air.

This year, more than 100 juried local and national artists will be on hand, including painters, jewelers, and other craftspeople. The Mint Artists G uild will present the work of young emerging artists, the H annan H ouse will sponsor the H eritage Tent with senior artists, and the Anton Art Center will host family art activ ities. The two-day festiv al also includes an acoustic performance from Silv er Strings D ulcimers, hip-hop from the B and Mint, and urban v iolinist Kym B rady. There will also be food trucks.

—Lee DeVito

B elle Isle is beautiful year round ( well, except for the weeks spent each spring transforming it into a racetrack, but

F rom 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on S aturday, A ug.

6 and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on S unday, A ug. 7

T rap K araoke starts at 8 p.m. on F riday, A ug. 5 , at G arden T heater; 3 929 Woodward A ve., Detroit. T ickets start at $25 and are available at trapkaraoke.com.

SAT, 8/6-SUN, 8/7

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OMARI NORMAN

near the James S cott M emorial F ountain; belleisleartfair.com. A dmission is free.

STARTS TUES, 8/9 Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations F ollowing one of the B lackest seasons of B roadway perhaps, ev er, D etroit native playwright omini ue orisseau is bringing her Motown musical back home. A in’t T oo Proud: T he Life and T imes of the T emptations will run at the D etroit Opera H ouse from Aug. 9-28, presented in partnership with B roadway in D etroit. The show recounts The Temptations’ journey from the streets of D etroit to the Rock and Roll H all of F ame, with their signature dance

mov es and harmonies leading the way.

B eyond the Motown success story, A in’t T oo Proud tells the story of how the Temptations met and personal and political con icts that threatened to tear the group apart during a time of civ il unrest. Of course, the play wouldn’t be complete without a soundtrack of the group’s greatest hits like “My G irl, ” “Just My Imagination, ” “Papa W as a Rolling Stone, ” and too many more to list.

—Randiah Camille Green F rom A ug. 9-28 at the Detroit Opera House; 15 26 B roadway S t., Detroit.

S howtimes are 8 p.m. T uesdaysS aturdays, 7 : 3 0 p.m. S unday evenings, and a 2 p.m. matinee on S aturdays and S undays. T ickets start at $3 5 .

F or more information, see broadwayindetroit.com.

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

19

MUSIC

ShittyBoyz to men: StanWill, TrDee, and BabyTron.

KAHN SANTORI DAVISON

Nothing but treble

Detroit rap crew ShittyBoyz talk about their new album, chemistry, and enjoying success B y K ahn S antori Davison

The trio of rappers StanW

ill, TrD ee, and B abyTron are known as ShittyB oyz, and if you’re confused by the name, just think of how people use the phrase, “This is the shit, ” and you’ll understand that the moniker is all about being fresh and high q uality.

The group is signed to Rando B ando’s H ip-H op L ab Records and has been on a 1990 Runnin’ Rebels-type tear of late. ShittyBoy ’s fifth pro ect, T rifecta, reached 40 on Apple Music’s H ip-H op category in F ebruary, while B abyTron’s eighth project, M egatron, made it to the 11th spot that following March, and was also selected to be a part of the X X L F reshman Class of 2022 in June. That’s a lot of traction for a group of kids only three years remov ed from homerooms and graduation caps.

ShittyB oyz formed as teens, but hav e been friends for much longer. “I mov ed out to Y psi, that’s where I met them, ” says TrD ee. “Tron and W ill met in grade school.”

StanW ill had set up a little studio in his closet, and started making beats us-

ing the software F ruity L oops.

“I started making beats before I was rapping, ” he says. “Then I just started rapping ov er the beats I was making.”

The crew began dropping music at a steady pace, and started building their fanbase on social media. “I was dropping like one song a week for sure, ” B abyTron says. “B ut I would only make one song a week. So whatev er song I would make that week, I would just drop it.”

The first thing to understand is that ev en with B abyTron’s breakout success, that ShittyB oyz mov e and act as a unit.

There is no B abyTron “and” the ShittyB oyz — it’s just ShittyB oyz. StanW ill and TrD ee are both top-tier emcees, not the roleplayers you commonly see in other hip-hop groups. Much like the Pistons, ShittyBoy are sel ess all-stars who naturally jell together. B abyTron’s indiv idual accession has been organic, not planned.

“W e all signed to L ando at the same time, so we all just been in the studio since then making music, ” says B abyTron.

20 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

All three emcees are known for their steady ows layered with facetious punchlines full of sports and pop culture references. They hav en’t dev iated from that gameplan in their newest album, T rifecta 2, due F riday.

The lead single “Slam D unk Contestants” features all three emcees rapping ov er a bass thumping beat. O li e li a toilet the e iss d cause shit on em eat done ic ed his ass off ou can t ic on em i e miri tri in he ot a too man ri s on em sed to ric a lot no ever shot ta e a swish only,” StanW ill raps.

I feel li e we ust go with the ow, for real, ” says StanW ill. “And I feel like ev erything we make always be harder than the last shit we made.”

The song “L ion - H earted” is a mellow bass-heav y head-nodder that feels li e it could be in the first scene of an urban drama mov ie. ll this ice han in rom m nec could start an avalanche Slidin in desi ner headra s e the ali an a e ore had some ands oun do had a lan

ire om the hole loc sha e it li e Pakistian,” B abyTron raps.

W hen putting together songs, the crew says they usually choose the beats they feel the best v ibe from, and then go from there. “F irst we play the best beats we all got, ” B abyTron says. “It takes a minute. W e don’t want it to sound like something we already did.

W e probably make a song or two like that … we record it all ourselv es, not all the time, but 99% of the time.”

Perhaps no song highlights the ShittyB oyz chemistry and fun like “W W E.” The trio go back and forth, and bar for bar, with no hook for a full three minutes.

Hit him ith the ladder John orrison itch don t even mention the . . ni a ma e more than him ts li e the ot somethin to rove hen m recordin them in iami tri in ust li e Stan itch m ith orian raps TrD ee.

Ov erall, T rifecta 2 is another step in the right direction for the group. Songs “Cheers B Tch” and “G G G ” incorporate the group’s retro ’80s tech sound they’re known for, while “W in Or L ose” and “G etaway” highlight their lyrical progressions.

As competitiv e as hip-hop can be, ShittyB oyz are more into complementing each other rather than competing against one another. Ev en in the studio, the group’s energy is laid back or jov ial.

It’s li e everyone different, so I don’t be trying to think like that for real, ” says B abyTron.

“I ain’t gonna’ lie, I do be scared for real, ” says StanW ill through a laugh. “If I pick a hard-ass beat out my email, I be thinking I hope these niggas ain’t rap on it.”

TrD ee points to StanW ill and says, “If he go first on a song and he tal cra y, then I know I gotta talk crazy, too.”

Ultimately, ShittyB oyz are just trying to make as much money and music as they can. They recently performed at the Rolling L oud Miami festiv al and are set to perform again for Rolling L oud N ew Y ork in the fall, and they promise that ev en more music is on the way. F or now, they’re thankful for the fans and success so far, and hav e made it a point to not get too ov erwhelmed by it.

“W e enjoying the moment, ” says TrD ee. “It does seem like a blur, but we’re enjoying that shit though.”

“It has seemed fast, but it has been a slow grindy, ” B abyTron says. “It’s been three years with L ando, probably two years prior to that just grinding, and the whole thing has been an experience and a journey. I wouldn’t hav e had it any other way.”

Trifecta 2 dro s rida streamin lat orms.

u . on all

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

21

MUSIC

Neil “Neebo” Patterson Jr., center, and his band Downtown Brown.

DOUG COOMBE

Down, but not out

After more than 20 years, rock band Downtown Brown to play final show in Detroit B y Lee DeVito

Like many people these days,

the pandemic prompted N eil “N eebo” Patterson Jr. to q uit his job — only Patterson’s job was one that plenty of people only dream of hav ing.

W ith his band D owntown B rown, Patterson has toured the country, performing with acts like Insane Clown Posse, Andrew W .K., F ishbone, D ead Kennedys, Presidents of the United States of America, and F lipper, among others. N ot bad for what Patterson describes as a goofy “punky, funky” band from metro D etroit that featured a poop-themed superhero on the cov er of its debut record, 2001’s ridiculously named M oist & Ridiculous.

B ut now, Patterson is calling it q uits, at least as far as D owntown B rown is concerned. The band will play its final show on Saturday at the Shelter in D etroit in what is being billed as a 20th anniv ersary show for M oist & Ridiculous.

“There are things I do and say on some of the songs in an attempt at being humorous that are kind of cringey to me now, ” Patterson, now 41, tells M etro T imes. “I’m just not a 26 -year-

old guy full of piss and v inegar, trying to shit on the world and just make fun of ev erything.”

H e adds, “The songs were all written by a different person. It’s me, but it was li e a way different version of me.

The band got its start playing raucous house parties, building a fanbase that it found soon translated into ticket sales. “Once we started playing in the bars, they were like, ‘ H ey, we can ma e money off these guys,’ Patterson says. “I remember I turned years old and they gave us our first gig at the Shelter, and we outdrew the national act.”

The band also won a M etro T imes contest, earning free ad space in the newspaper for a year, which D owntown B rown used as lev erage to get on bills with bigger artists. In 2005, D owntown B rown got inv ited to join the W arped Tour — an opportunity Patterson says they immediately blew by getting too drunk, with one of his bandmates punching a festiv al employee and resulting in the band getting ic ed off the bill.

After a particularly drunken 2008

22 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

show at Saint Andrew’s H all, the larger v enue located upstairs from the Shelter, Patterson made the decision to q uit drinking alcohol.

“I couldn’t remember the gigs, ” he says. “And that was huge because, you know, you’re liv ing in the moment and you hav e these moments that you’re sharing with other people in real time, and a lot of times, it gets you higher than any drug.”

Patterson says he hasn’t had a drink in 14 years.

“The doctor said I was going to die young if I kept doing it, ” he says, adding, It wasn’t as di cult as I thought it would be, because that’s just how done I was with it.”

Patterson kept at the band, though, mov ing to L os Angeles and becoming labelmates with some of his heroes, the ska band F ishbone, on D C-Jam Records. H e also started going to therapy, and launched a podcast, S U Pcast with N eil P, where he and guests discuss mental health and addiction.

“W e’ll talk about music and life, ” he says. “It seems like anyone who’s an artist has trauma that they deal with,

usually through self-medication. And I feel like most people that seek v alidation outside of themselv es are missing something in their childhood or something, so we’re all messed up and we talk about our feelings.”

Patterson says that he made the decision to end the band recently. In recent years, D owntown B rown had splintered into two bands, one based in L .A. and the other in D etroit. The idea was that the bands would be used depending on where the gigs were booked, but Patterson says practicing with two bands had become exhausting. The pause on liv e music due to the pandemic gav e him time to re ect, and last year he and his girlfriend decided to mov e from L os Angeles to metro D etroit in search of a q uieter life.

In deciding to end D owntown Brown, Patterson says he was finally able to truly appreciate the band and its accomplishments.

“I feel like the expectations that I put on myself were so grandiose, it made me unable to enjoy a lot of the amazing things we did, because I was thinking, ‘ Oh, we should be doing more, we should be bigger, ’” he says. “I felt entitled to more success, because in my mind, I’m like, ‘ W ell, I’m working really, really hard, I deserv e more’ — when really, I was hav ing the time of my life with my best friends.”

Outside of his studio, he has a piece of paper on the wall inscribed with his mantra: “Make cool shit before you die.”

H e says, “I didn’t achiev e the type of success I wanted to, but in hindsight, I’m pleasantly surprised with all the ama ing stuff we got to do.

Patterson says he won’t q uit making music, but has made the decision not to release new music as D owntown B rown, known for hits like “Orange B itch, ” a tongue-in-cheek track about women who excessiv ely tan that Patterson now thinks should just be left as “a product of the 2000s.”

H e adds, “I’d rather not hav e to explain it. … Ultimately, I’m just sick of playing a song I wrote in 2003 about white girls who tan. L ike, am I the best person to comment on this? ” Patterson says his future music will maintain a sense of humor, but will also be a bit more serious.

“I’m also a goofy dude, so whatev er I do, after this, I’m going to be idiotic — but at times, I want to be really heartfelt, ” he says. “I just want to write from where I’m at right now.”

Downtown B rown will perform with o n ats Carmel i urdi and Hill ill ni e i ht at the Shelter . Con ress St. etroit saintandrewsdetroit.com. Doors at 7 .m. es . ic ets start at .

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

23

FOOD

The Steak Bomba sandwich from the Real Boss food truck.

TOM PERKINS

A food truck that brings bites of Argentina in southwest Detroit B y T om Perkins

Southwest Detroit’s The

Real Boss food truck scores some points for conceptual originality by trading in the cuisines of two souths: The American south and South America — or, more specifically, rgentina. on’t thin I’ve previously encountered a menu li e this.

It’s a product of father and son hris and Julian Muñoz, both of whom long ago immigrated from Argentina, a nation known for its barbecue and producing what’s arguably the world’s best beef.

They also run the neighboring Tacos del Barrio truck, which are parked at the spot formerly held by the incredible El Parian taco truck, and the lot is one of my favorite places in etroit to eat. It’s in the parking lot of a car wash owned by the Muñozes, and if the wind is blowing the right direction then you can also smell the suds. It also neighbors a massive, busy truc ing terminal and sits at the always congested i , ernor, and aterman intersection. The noise from the tire shop across the street competes with tra c noise, and the whole scene is the perfect picture of industrial etroit.

I love it. The u o es did, however, make some upgrades and soften things a bit with a new shelter, picnic tables, and giant chairs painted like Latin American ags, which serve to bloc the view of the neighboring truc terminal tra c.

The Real Boss food truck menu is built around barbecue sandwiches – some, like pulled pork and brisket, are billed as southern-style, and a few are common Argentinian options, as well as a uban.

The best territory is the Argentinian component, especially the Argentine chorizo, which is labeled on the menu as ielbasa and is a whole different game than e ican chori o. The sausage, made in-house, is packed with red wine, paprika, garlic, and pepper — a crumbly interior with snap from the casing. It’s run on the grill renders it a bit smo ey with generous sear. rgentine chori o’s fat-to-meat ratio is different from most American sausages – the higher fat content helps keep it juicy, u o says. It’s at the center of the horiboy, eal Boss’s ta e on rgentina’s ubi uitous choripan sandwich.

The sausage is split down the middle

24 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

lengthwise to fill the grilled ciabatta, served with a coating of carameli ed onions, grilled red peppers, tomatoes, greens, and a slather of the tangy, creamy Boss Sauce.

Another standard Argentine sandwich is the lomito completo, which u o describes as a street food that one gets before going to a soccer match. eal Boss’s version is stac ed on a grilled ciabatta, and includes a pile of thin steak, grilled ham, a fried egg, cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, and tomato. It’s finished with a healthy amount of Boss Sauce and some chimichurri. or the uninitiated, chimichurri is an Argentine condiment often composed of chopped parsley and/or cilantro, garlic, olive oil, peppers, red wine vinegar, oregano, and salt. ne can also find the chori o in the loaded fries, a sloppy, condiment-laden dish of fries bathed in a cheese sauce with green onions, sour cream, pickled jalapeños, pickles, and bits of the sausage. eal Boss’s bris et sandwich, the Tipsy Te an, comes with tender cubes of fatty bris et, heavy on the smo e

The Real Boss 6700 Dix St., Detroit 313-575-9425 $10-$17 for sandwiches 11 a.m.-3 a.m. daily Wheelchair accessible

and soa ing in a tangy barbecue sauce. ooling coleslaw and bread and butter pic les provide crunch and acidic pops.

It’s served on a soft brioche bun that absorbs the borderline condiment soup contents but is still strong enough to hold the pac age together. e also ordered the ochiloco, a sandwich that is entirely the same thing as the brisket sandwich but with salty pulled pork in place of the brisket, and with a similar smo ey uality, pi uant barbecue sauce, slaw, and pic les. n the side, the crisp coleslaw is at the same time e tra creamy, as is the mac and cheese. eal Boss is open to a.m., catering to the local club crowd, and a third truck with housemade ice cream, churros, coffee, and desserts will oin the eal Boss and Tacos del Barrio.

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

25

‘Weird’ pizza shop Pizza Cat Max opens in Detroit’s Greektown

FOOD

SHUTTERSTOCK

More Michigan Starbucks workers move to unionize THE MOVEMENT AMONG Starbucks employees to unionize continues to spread across Michigan.

Starbuc s store in Bloomfield Township petitioned to form a union F riday morning as the labor mov ement keeps gaining momentum among baristas at the coffee giant.

In an email to Starbucks CEO H oward Schultz on F riday, the workers at the store at 6 420 Telegraph Rd. complained of low wages.

“Our wages are next to nothing compared to the massive profit that Starbucks generates each q uarter, ” the employees wrote. “Unionizing is the only course of action that partners can take to ensure that their rights as laborers are not infringed upon, and it is the only process in which we are guaranteed a seat and a v oice at the table.”

An “ov erwhelming majority” of the workers signed union authorization cards, according to W orkers United.

The petition was filed with the N ational L abor Relations B oard. Once approved, wor ers can hold an o cial election to unionize.

“Starbucks is a multimillion dollar corporation that tries to pride itself on working in partnership with its employees, all while silencing the workers and denying them their right to union representation and a collectiv e v oice, ” United W orkers International V ice President Kathy H anshew said in a statement. “Starbucks calls its employees ‘ partners, ’ but it is abundantly clear that this so-called partnership is one of conv enience for the company, that leav es many employee concerns un-

heard. It is time for Starbucks to do the right thing, acknowledge the v oice of their ‘ partners, ’ and allow their workers to unionize without interference.”

At least 200 Starbucks stores nationwide — and 10 in Michigan so far — hav e v oted to unionize. A Starbucks store at 56 55 Pickard St. in Mount Pleasant also petitioned to form a union last week.

A v ast majority of store’s employees signed union authorization cards, according to W orkers United.

In an email to Schultz, the store’s union organizing committee wrote that “it is time that we all face the inexcusable reality that we hav e been giv en this status ( of partners) in title only, without also being granted the opportunity to experience true partnership by prov iding feedback and perspectiv e on wages, benefits, and wor ing conditions.”

L ast month, employees at a Starbucks store in Clinton Township went on strike after they say the company refused to negotiate with their union in good faith. In June, employees at the store v oted 8-3 to form a union.

In May, a store in G rand Rapids became the first Starbuc s in ichigan to v ote in fav or of unionizing.

Since then, Starbucks stores in Ann Arbor, Y psilanti, L ansing, Clinton Township, F lint, and East L ansing v oted to unionize. < H ED > Oak H ouse D eli to open second location in Pontiac B y Randiah Camille G reen Oak H ouse D eli is bringing its v egan pastrami and Reubens to Pontiac.

26 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

The Royal Oak deli known for both its v egan and non-v egan sammies will be opening its second location inside the Crofoot concert v enue. H ours will be 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through F riday.

Seeing as sev eral v egan-friendly staples in D etroit like Cass Cafe and H armony G arden Cafe hav e announced their closing in recent weeks, this is much-welcomed news for us non-meat eaters. N ow if only they’d open a location in D etroit proper, we’d be set.

The new Oak H ouse shop will be located at 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac; oakhousedeli.com.

–S tev e N eav ling

N ew pizza spot Pizza Cat Max o cially opened in the former eady Player One arcade owned by B edrock in G reektown.

According to the Pizza Cat website, they serv e up a “deliciously weird menu” that includes pizza, chicken, and more. Some of the toppings include F lamin’ H ot Cheetos, pickles, Carolina brisket, and other o eat offerings. The spot also sells steamed bagels with pizza toppings.

F or the Toledo-based restaurant chain, etroit is its first location outside of Ohio. The company also plans to open a new location in Jacksonv ille, F lorida, though a date has not yet been announced.

Andre Robinson, a partner in Pizza Cat Max, says in 2017 he was such a fan of the pizza sauce he tried to buy it from the owner for another brand that he was working with at the time.

Instead, the owner offered Robinson the opportunity to own a franchise location. That’s how Robinson got the idea to open a location in D etroit.

“The owner and I created an unstoppable bond, ” Robinson says.

“W e found a great location together inside of the B edrock building, and it offers everything that we need.

Pizza Cat Max has a full bar, arcade games, and ev en has a nightlife program curated by H ot 107 .5’s D JB J 3525.

“Me and D re hav e been in the

Midtown Detroit’s Harmony Garden Cafe closes after 30 years DETROIT HAS LOST yet another longstanding v egan dining option this month.

H armony G arden Cafe closed permanently after 30 years in business.

“D ue to lack of labor and rising expenses, we will be permanently closing, ” a post on the cafe’s Instagram reads. “Our last day of serv ice to our community will be on July 25, 2022. W e will miss all our wonderful guests. Keep your eyes on our social media for updates on what we will be doing next.”

The Mediterranean restaurant “with a twist” was located near W ayne State Univ ersity’s campus and is known for its v egan and

vegetarian-friendly offerings. Beyond the typical falafel and tabbouleh, H armony G arden Cafe also serv es v egan burgers and cheese, but the real treat is its house-made v egan desserts.

It’s the second v egan-friendly D etroit dining scene staple to close last month following Cass Cafe, which shuttered after nearly 30 years on July 17 .

The cafe could not be immediately reached for comment, but mentioned plans to offer its vegan and gluten-free desserts, falafel, and artisan teas at other local cafes on F acebook.

–R andiah Camille Green

that they put in their mouth beside their tongue is Pizza Cat pizza.”

Robinson says he sees all of the positiv e things happening throughout D etroit and he wants to be a part of it.

“Pizza Cat is placed in a walkable area, ” Robinson says. “D etroit, I think, has come alive in the last five years, and it’s only going upward. W e want to be a part of that fast, unstoppable growth.”

Pizza Cat will be open 10 a.m.-midnight Sunday-Thursday., and 10-2 a.m.

F riday-Saturday at 407 E. F ort St. in D etroit. More information is av ailable at pizzacat.com.

–D arlene A. White

STEVE NEAVLING

RANDIAH CAMILLE GREEN

nightlife business for a long time, ” says D JB J 3525, whose real name is B rian Jackson. “W e are happy to be able to curate a facility that we can create the v ibe instead of add to it. I hate going to v enues that’s hard to get in, maybe because of the ov erhead. So me controlling the nightlife is a long time coming, but well worth it.”

Pi a at’s menu offers different items to fit all dietary needs, including multiple dairy-free, v egan, v egetarian, keto, and gluten-free options.

“W e want our customers to feel like this is the best pizza that they’v e ev er eaten, ” Robinson says. “The best thing

The Peterboro closes for the summer DETROIT’S CASS CORRIDOR is losing another dining option for the rest of the summer.

The Peterboro, which has been serv ing contemporary Chinese American fare for the past sev en years, is closing its doors for the next few months.

G eneral Manager for D etroit Optimist Society Adam Russell said in an email the goal is to reopen the space as a new concept after a series of repairs and upgrades. D etroit Optimist Society runs sev eral other D etroit restaurants including H onest Johns, G randma B ob’s, and Mutiny Tiki B ar.

The Peterboro’s last dinner serv ice ( for now) was on F riday, July 22.

“The Peterboro has made the

di cult decision to close its doors for the remainder of the summer, ” owners announced in a press release.

“D uring these trying restaurant times we will be using the next few months to reimagine the space and work on much needed upgrades.”

They added, “Thank you to ev eryone who has supported and lov ed The Peterboro for the past 7 years, including the ama ing staff. e loo forward to seeing ev eryone again soon! ” At least the closing is only temporary, unlike other D etroit restaurants Cass Cafe and H armony G arden Cafe, which both recently shuttered after serv ing the community for decades.

– Randiah Camille Green

Little Liberia wins $100,000 Comerica Hatch Detroit contest

HATCH DETROIT/FACEBOOK

AFRICAN FUSION POP-up L ittle L iberia is the winner of this year’s Comerica H atch D etroit Contest. W ith a $ 100, 000 grand prize in tow, L ittle L iberia is hoping to open a brick-and-mortar location in either Midtown, Corktown, or G reektown in D etroit.

L ittle L iberia started as a pop-up in 2016 combining African, Caribbean, and Antebellum-South African merican avors in authentic iberian cuisine.

It would be the first iberian restaurant in ichigan according to a press release.

Owner and founder of L ittle L iberia Ameneh Marhaba beat out four other small businesses in the Hatch etroit finals including etroit arm and Cider, G ajiza D umplins, Colfetaire, and L ily’s & lise. arhaba was crowned the winner after finalists pitched their business idea to a panel of judges.

Public v oting was also a determining factor.

The annual competition helps support the growth of small businesses in D etroit, H amtramck, and H ighland Park. B eyond funds to secure a physical space, Marhaba will also receiv e free accounting, legal, IT, and public relations support from H atch D etroit and its partners.

“W e are eager to support and spotlight L ittle L iberia as the newest addition to the city’s growing small business env ironment, ” V ittoria Katanski, executiv e director of H atch D etroit, said in the press release.

Prev ious H atch D etroit winners include Sister Pie, L a F eria, B aobab F are, L iv e Cycle D elight, Meta Physica Massage, and 27 th L etter B ooks.

– Randiah Camille Green

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

27

WEED

Cannabis Regulatory Agency executive director Andrew Brisbo awarded Grand Rapids dispensary owner Casey Kornoelje with the state’s first Social Equity All-Star Program “gold” award.

COURTESY PHOTO

Grand Rapids dispensary receives ‘gold’ award for social equity program This award comes at a time of hardship for the state’s cannabis industry B y Lee DeVito

A Grand Rapids dispensary

that runs out a small green-painted house in the city’s southwest side has earned the state Cannabis Regulatory Agency’s highest honors for its new social eq uity program.

The Social Eq uity All-Star Program “gold” designation was awarded by the CRA executiv e director Andrew B risbo to Pharmhouse W ellness owner Casey Kornoelje on W ednesday.

In 2001, Kornoelje receiv ed felony charges for illegally cultiv ating cannabis, which he says led to discrimination in finding a corporate ob. But when Michigan v oters approv ed cannabis legalization for adult use in 2018, the state and municipalities enacted social eq uity programs to help those harmed by the war on drugs get a leg up in the new legal industry through licensing

discounts and other benefits.

“Unfortunately, I hav e a felony on my record for the cultiv ation, manufacture, and distribution of cannabis, which is a bit ironic, because here we stand today doing exactly that, ” Kornoelje tells Metro Times. “My, the times hav e changed.”

To q ualify for the gold lev el, a licensee must publish their social eq uity plan, their corporate spend plan, and their community reinv estment plan on the CRA website. The plan should include employment, educational or mentorship programs, monetary assistance, or training, with a dedicated percentage of the business’s annual spending going to suppliers owned by people of communities most impacted by the racism of the war on drugs. L icensees must also dedicate v olunteer time to charities or

28 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

nonprofits that benefit communities harmed by the war on drugs.

“W ith the All-Star Program, basically, it puts the onus on the operators to be more v isible and transparent about exactly what their social eq uity programs are doing, ” Kornoelje says.

“W e published all the information and data of our social eq uity program, and thankfully, and humbly, the state of ichigan identified us as a gold star recipient.”

H e adds, “W e are just completely honored and priv ileged for the award.”

To help him craft a social eq uity plan, Kornoelje partnered with L ynee W ells from Aligned Planning.

“She’s been doing a lot of the heav y lifting as far as implementation, neighborhood engagement, outreach, and the actual execution of some of the

projects, ” Kornoelje says. “I know cannabis, I know how to retail it, I know how to grow it, but I’m not an urban planner. I’m not as big into urban dev elopment. W e were thankful to hav e some really good partnerships with professionals here in G rand Rapids to help us mov e our plan forward.”

As a social eq uity operator, Pharmhouse W ellness receiv es a 7 5% annual reduction on licensing fees, which Kornoelje has agreed to inv est into the neighborhood through beautification and dev elopment projects. So far, that has included planting about 50 trees in the community, building bat boxes to help increase biodiv ersity, commissioning art installations along the business corridor, and a Thanksgiv ing turkey giv eaway.

Pharmhouse W ellness is also working with the D owntown D ev elopment Authority to improv e pedestrian mobility in the community by building a bike lane and increasing bus stops.

“It’s something that I, as somebody who has been disadv antaged by cannabis in the past, to be able to turn those disadv antages into positiv es, that was something that I felt strongly about right out of the gate with the business, ” Kornoelje says.

The Social Eq uity All-Star designation comes at a time of hardship in Michigan’s cannabis industry, especially for small operators. W hile many products hav e been seeing price in ation in recent months, a growing number of cannabis growers in Michigan has led to a downward trend on the price of marijuana, leading some companies to lay employees off and shut down facilities.

B ut Kornoelje says it’s important to him to continue to make social eq uity a priority, despite the changes in the industry.

W hen he opened Pharmhouse W ellness in 2020, they were one of a few retailers in G rand Rapids. N ow there are about 20 other operators in the city.

It also opened at a time of federal economic stimulus due to the COV ID -19 pandemic, and those funds hav e since dried up.

“B oth from a federal monetary standpoint, and a competition standpoint, the retail env ironment has changed significantly, he says. However, the commitment to social eq uity has remained steadfast. And that is something I hope to continue to do, regardless of the economic headwinds and trends that are out there, because it’s important to me, and it’s important to the company.

I don’t know what the future of it looks like … but I think that regardless, there’s got to be a steadfast commitment to social eq uity, in whatev er form that may be.”

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

29

ornate silhouettes, the film still stands out for its remar able sense of design. ith its puppeteered figures managing to feel both ornate and remar ably solid whether in the midst of acrobatic transformations or swooning articulation, the film rewor s portions of One T housand and One N ights laddin among them to form a tale that freely spans the globe. hile Prince A chmed does bear certain orientali ing mar ers of its time particularly in some of its characters’ designs it synthesi es a wide range of design motifs in a way that’s plainly remar able, and should prove all the more inviting for the fact the screening is free.

CULTURE

Faust F riday, A ug. 19 Detroit Puppet C ompany A mphitheatre

A still The Adventures of Prince Achmed, argued to be the oldest animated feature still with us.

COURTESY PHOTO

(Some) strings attached

Cinema Lamont and Detroit Puppet Company bring a month-long puppet film series B y G eorge E lkind

Throughout August, metro D etroiters will hav e a chance

to see a range of free and pay-whatyou-can puppet-centric films each balmy riday night of the month. collaboration between inema amont and etroit Puppet ompany featuring an eclectic suite of works, each entry in the series will screen at : p.m. at the etroit Puppet ompany’s amphitheater at arpenter ve. on the etroit-Hamtramc border save for an afternoon showing of T he A dventures of Prince A chhmed on Saturday, ug. and a live-streamed performance of Tom ee’s T he G reat Z odiac A nimal Race on Saturday, ug. , both at the etroit ilm Theatre .

The showings span nearly a century of wor , from 9 6’s silent T he A dventures of Prince A chhmed, rendered by otte eininger in elaborate paper cut-outs, to ’s T he Plastic B ag S tore, a musing loo from ust last year about how our descendants might regard the mess we leave behind. cross these works — as often with the craft of puppeteering both the material nature and v isible labor behind each film color what’s e pressed onscreen. In each, whether they’re hybrid wor s as with F aust or immersive stop-motion ones, ey physical features of the films’ respective worlds are built from the ground up, allowing for the presentation of a distinct aesthetic world in each. ith that in mind, what follows is

a prev iew of the works showing: one which attempts to grapple with the array of aims and styles featured among them.

something The orrugation of reams also showing does in its own behind-the-scenes portrait of the work involved.

The Plastic Bag Store

Anomalisa

F riday, A ug. 5 Detroit Puppet C ompany A mphitheatre

F riday, A ug. 12 Detroit Puppet C ompany A mphitheatre

Often presented as part of a larger

Both e istential and romantic in the v ein of so much of harlie aufman’s wor , ’s A nomalisa captures the drudgery of alienating white-collar e istence with an irony-light, disarmingly tender style.

The corporate meetings, the serpentine hallways, and a sense of oneself as alone and powerless all feature, with the film treading like ground to shows such as E nlightened and S everance both before and since. eploying a medium in the film’s committed use of puppets more often used for things fantastical for a corporate conference, the very definition of the bra enly mundane, aufman aims to get to the heart of feelings more easily evo ed than described.

installation. obin rohardt’s T he Plastic B ag S tore prov es hearty enough as a stand-alone feature on its own. eering between a variety of at and three-dimensional puppeteered modes and embracing satire alongside more meditative aspects, the film provides an overview even within itself of the many modes of puppeteering developed over centuries. By integrating different styles of presentation which span so much of human history, the film which wasn’t available in full by the time of filing seems well-suited to its timeless subect, which will surely outlast us all.

Screening alongside it, too, is rohardt’s short IT B a cardboard it carraldo , which plays on the erner Her og feature in which a crew of wor ers managed, gallingly, to pull a ship over a mountain. or ing in playful dialogue with this, rohard shifts the register of the film’s labor from the monumental to the minute, granting it a different ind of weight. more intimate collaboration is spotlighted here, placing it in opposition to the original’s consciously grand efforts

30 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

The Adventures of Prince Achmed S aturday, A ug. 13 Detroit F ilm T heatre ften argued to be the oldest animated feature still with us, otte eininger’s T he A dventures of Prince A chmed released in ermany in 9 6 remains as much a marvel as it ever was. one in layered cut-outs of both solid and translucent paper backlit to create

ecuted in a hybrid style employing both stop-motion, elaborate costume, and life-si e marionettes, the ech master Jan van ma er ma es his ta e on F aust a ind of e tension of what the story’s always been about. ith its titular scholar attempting the slippery tas of bargaining with the devil, his efforts often prove upended in manners as surprising and disturbing in their renderings as they do richly e istential in emotional effect. truly free wor for how it slides between theatrical presentation, blea realism, and alternately buoyant and arring forms of fictive reality, F aust can be a di ying, overwhelming wor at times but the e perience is more than worth the time.

Puppet Shorts F riday, A ug. 26 Detroit Puppet C ompany A mphitheatre suite of seven global short films including the uay Brothers’ immortal, in uential Street of rocodiles and rist bal e n and Joa u n oci a’s similarly macabre stop-motion wor The Bones produced by Hereditary’s ri ster , the range of wor s and subects in the showcase demonstrates the reach of puppet-centric work beyond ights of whimsy. Touching on matters as wide-ranging as death and the afterlife to the Blac Panthers’ activism 9 ’s Puppet Show, by ay st edia to Japanese fol lore 9 ’s The emon. by ihachir awamoto , the showcase re ects the same aspirations, range, and mature sensibility of the series as a whole.

Tom Lee’s The Great Zodiac Animal Race S aturday, A ug. 27 Detroit F ilm T heatre live-streamed performance by ew or -based and orean-born director and puppeteer Tom ee and thus unavailable prior to filing , G reat Z odiac wor s with the materials of the artist’s own past to retell a traditional tale. The screening looks to prov ide a chance to en oy the artist’s craft at a scale that’s sure to atter, employing a menagerie of shadow puppets and accomplished artistic techni ue to render an old story new.

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

31

CULTURE Savage Love

That Husband Over There

By Dan Savage This is a preview of this week’s Savage Love. The full version is now exclusively available on Dan’s website Savage.Love.

Q: I’m a 3 6-year-old married woman

who fantasiz es about her husband of 10 years being intimate with other women. T his isn’t a new thing for me.

I’ve fantasiz ed about this for years, but we’ve never acted on it. He is intrigued but afraid that it might somehow damage our relationship. B ut I’ve done some research on it and it’s something I’m eager to try. ( With my husband’s consent, of course! ) B ut in all my research, ve ound different and sometimes con ictin de nitions o hat it means to be a “ cuckq uean.” I’m interested in watching my husband pleasure and be pleasured by another woman in a purely physical way. I’m not interested in ein cheated on. o irt te ts no unsanctioned coffee dates. ve read accounts of women who are turned on by the humiliation and insecurity of their partner being with others, often women the husband knows “ in real life,” either through work or through social life. In my case, I would rather my husband not even know the name of the other woman. A nd he would only be able to sleep with her with my consent and I would want to be “ in control” of the situation. S o, what does that make me o cuc ueans come in all different proclivities? I feel like the end result is the same — my partner bedding someone else — but my motivation is different than hat ve seen.

—What T he Cu c k Am I ?

A: “The scenario W

TCAI describes sounds more li e hotwifing with the gender roles reversed than cuc olding, said enus, host of T he Venus C uckoldress Podcast. “She’s interested in hothusbanding et’s uic ly define terms: a man into hotwifing en oys sharing his wife with other men, T I, and a woman into hot husbanding en oys sharing her husband with other women. ( All

32 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

this sharing, of course, is consensual. uc olds, on the other hand, aren’t sharing their wives. They’re being cheated on by their wives. nd cuc ueans aren’t sharing their husbands.

They’re being cheated on by their husbands. uc olds and cuc ueans, by definition, don’t j ust wanna see their spouses fuc ing another person, they also want their partners to humiliate and degrade them. I put cheated on in uotes because the cheating is consensual and symbolic li ewise, sharing is in uotes above because spouses aren’t property.

But cuc olding and hotwifing have a really wide spectrum of practices and dynamics, said enus. Some cuc s are submissive and get into degradation and some cucks really aren’t subs or into degradation at all. I don’t see why hothusbanding cuc ueaning can’t be ust as varied. Humiliation, submission, and degradation don’t have to be involved enus is right: there are guys out there who call themselves cuc olds but aren’t subs and don’t wanna be humiliated or degraded. But I would argue that these guys aren’t cuc olds, T I, ust as I would argue that you aren’t a cuc uean. e have lots of words to describe letting your partner fuc other people open, monogamish, swinging, mate-swapping, hotwifing, hothusbanding, stag and vi en, but we only have one word to describe letting your partner fuc other people while getting off on being humiliated and degraded: cuckolding.

And since most people understand cuc olding to involve humiliation and degradation, telling someone you’re a cuckold when you’re not into those things is li e telling someone you’re a power bottom when you don’t like anal or telling someone you’re into impact play when you don’t li e having your ass so much as tapped. It confuses rather than clarifies. hat’s worse, tell someone you’re a cuc old cuc uean and they might start degrading you while they’re fuc ing your partner,

which would ruin everything for everybody. s for setting up a se date for your husband with an anonymous woman, enus had a practical suggestion.

“There are a lot more men out there loo ing for casual se than there are women, said enus, which ma es T I’s fantasy di cult to pull off.

But I now a woman whose wife wanted to be blindfolded and then have a group of women come in all strangers to her and go down on her. ot an easy fantasy to pull off either So, they hired a se wor er to facilitate things and it was amaz ing. Perhaps this would be an ideal solution hiring a se wor er because then T I would be in total control. inally, T I, re-reading your letter ust now it sounds to me li e what you really wanna do is whore your husband out. It’s an e pression I’ve heard gay men use to describe setting up an anonymous encounter for their boyfriends or husbands. ou find someone you wanna see fuc your husband ta ing care to find someone your husband would wanna get fuc ed by and all your husband needs to know is when and where.

Cuckolds and cuckq ueans are subs and a sub can top from below, as the saying goes, but at least o cially a cuc doesn’t have the power. Someone who’s whoring his husband out, on the other hand, has all the power. nd that’s what you want, right F ollow Venus on T witter @C uckoldressV, and check out her podcast, blog, dating advice, and more at venuscuckoldress.com.

Q: I am a woman married to a man.

M any years ago, I told him that I was attracted to a mutual friend of ours…

Go to Savage.Love to read the rest.

Ask: questions@savagelove.net. Listen to Dan on the Savage Lovecast. Follow Dan on Twitter @FakeDanSavage.

metrotimes.com | August 3-9, 2022

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CULTURE

Free Will Astrology

By Rob Brezsny

ARIES: March 21 – April 19 Aries poet Ada Limón advises us to notice and love “the music of the world.” She says that praising and giving attention to the good things “are as important and necessary as witnessing and naming and holding the grief and sorrow that comes with being alive.”

This is always a crucial principle to keep in mind, but it will be extra essential for you in the coming weeks. Your ability to attract the in uences and resources you need most will thrive if you focus on and celebrate the music of the world. P.S.: I encourage you to sing more than usual, too.

TAURUS: April 20 – May 20 Here’s my hope for you in the coming months: You will cultivate a specialty for connecting people and situations that need to be a liated but aren’t yet. ou will regard your air for blending as a gift you offer generously. an you picture yourself doing that? I think it will be fun and will also benefit you in unexpected ways. So here’s my proposed plan: onspire to heal fragmentation and schisms. Unite heavenly and earthly things. Keep the far side and the near side in touch with each other. Never let

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the past forget about the future, and vice versa. One more thing, Taurus: Be gleefully imaginative as you mix and conjoin and combine.

GEMINI: May 21 – June 20 In a play by Gemini philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, a character says, “Hell is other people.” What did he mean by that? One interpretation is that our fellow humans always judge us, and their judgments rarely align with who we really are and who we imagine ourselves to be. Here’s my solution for that problem: hoose allies and companions whose views of you match your own. Is that so hard? I suspect it will be easier than usual for you in the coming months, Gemini. Take advantage of life’s natural tendency to connect you with cohorts who appreciate you. Be picky as you avoid the hell of other people.

CANCER: June 21 – July 22 The people most likely to succeed as entrepreneurs are those with a high degree of analytical intelligence. Right?

Well, it’s more complicated than that.

Reasoning ability and problem-solving skills are key skills, but not as important as emotional intelligence: the power to understand and manage feelings. I mention this, ancerian, because the coming months will be a favorable time to advance your ambitions by enhancing and expressing your emotional intelligence. Here’s some reading to foster your powers: 1. tinyurl.com/EmotionSmarts 2. tinyurl.com/SmartFeeler 3. tinyurl.com/WiseFeeler 4. tinyurl. com/BrightFeeler LEO: July 23 – August 22 In the coming weeks, Leo, I urge you to always be confident that ARE THE PARTY! Everywhere you go, bring the spirits of fun and revelry. Be educationally entertaining and entertainingly educational. Amuse yourself by making life more interesting for everyone. At the same time, be kind and humble, never arrogant or insensitive. A vital part of your assignment is to nourish and inspire others with your radiance and charm. That formula will ensure you get everything you need. I foresee bounty owing your way PS: egularly reward your admirers and followers with your magnanimous hesire-cat grin.

VIRGO: August 23 – Sept. 22 In my Astrological Book of Life, here’s what I have inscribed about irgos: ou may not always find the perfect solution, but you are skilled at finding the best solution available. This will be an especially valuable knack in the coming weeks, both for yourself and others. I trust you will scan for practical

34 August 3-9, 2022 | metrotimes.com

JAMES NOELLERT

but compassionate answers, even if they are partial. And I hope you will address at least some of everyone’s needs, even if no one is completely satisfied. ou can be the master of creative compromise that we all need. Thanks in advance for your excellent service!

LIBRA: Sept. 23 – Oct. 22 Everyone knows that “balance” is a keyword for you Librans. However, there are many interpretations of what balance entails. Here’s how I define it for you during the coming weeks: 1. an openness to consider several different ways to capitalize on an opportunity, but to ultimately choose just one way; 2. the ability to see and understand all sides of every story, while also knowing that for pragmatism’s sake you must endorse a single version of the story; 3. the capacity to be both constructively critical and supportively sympathetic; 4. the facility to be welcoming and inviting while still maintaining healthy boundaries.

SCORPIO: Oct. 23 – Nov. 21 “Life is enchanting for me because I have so much control over what I think,” my Scorpio friend Daria told me.

If I decide to atter myself with comments about how attractive I am, I can do just that. If I would like to imagine a good fairy visiting me while I sleep and giving me a dream of having an orgasm with my lover while we y over the Serengeti Plains, I can.” I asked her about the times when worries gush forth unbidden from her subconscious mind and disturb her joy. She said, “I simply picture myself shoving those worries in a hole in the ground and blowing them up with an exploding rose.” I bring Daria’s mind-management expertise to your attention, Scorpio, because the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to raise your mastery over what you think.

SAGITTARIUS: Nov. 22 – Dec. 21 People might impatiently advise you to relax and settle down. Others might tell you to stop dreaming such big visions and formulating such adventurous plans. Still others might give you the

side-eye because they imagine you are having too much fun and brainstorming too wildly and laughing too loudly. If you receive messages like those, give the complainers a copy of this horoscope.

It will tell them that YOU WILL NOT P ITH I HIBITI I TI S. our astrologer, me, authorizes you to be as vast and venturesome and enterprising and spontaneous as you dare. In doing so, I am speaking on behalf of the cosmic rhythms. Your plucky audacity has been heavenly ordained.

CAPRICORN: Dec. 22 – Jan. 19 In accordance with astrological omens, I hereby authorize you to worry, worry, and worry some more. Stew and simmer and ferment as you weigh all the options and mull the correct actions.

But when the time is right, end your fretting with crisp decisiveness. Shake off any residual doubt that still clings to you. And then undertake robust action to transform the situation that provoked your righteous brooding. In my astrological opinion, what I have just described is your best plan for success in the coming days.

AQUARIUS: Jan. 20 – Feb. 18 “I was looking for a love unlike my parents’ love or my sister’s love or the love on a foreign itchen oor, writes Rebecca Dinerstein Knight in her novel T he S unlit N ight. “I wanted to forgive my mother and father for their misery and find myself a light man who lived buoyantly and to be both his light and his dar . I offer you her thoughts, Aquarius, in the hope of inspiring you to expand and deepen your ideas about the love you want. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to revise and reinvigorate your definitions of intimacy and togetherness. You will have extra power to see new truths about how best to create maximum synergy and symbiosis.

PISCES: Feb.19 – March 20 “Even raw and messy emotions can be understood as a form of light, crackling and bursting with energy,” writes Jungian psychoanalyst larissa Pinkola Estés. For example, “We can use the light of rage in a positive way, in order to see into places we cannot usually see.” Likewise, confusion might be a healthy sign that a long-held misunderstanding is dissolving. Disappointment may herald the demise of an unrealistic expectation. So let’s unleash a big cheer for raw and messy emotions, Pisces! I suspect they will soon be your gateway to clarity and renewal.

T his w eek ’ s homew ork : A sk for something you’ve never had the clarity or chutz pah to ask for until now.

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