Frank Sennett
@sennettreport.bsky.social
Author of the Rafe Hendrix thriller SHADOW STATE, named Best New Novel by a Chicagoan in the Chicago Reader 2023 Best of Chicago awards. Creative writing instructor in the SNHU MFA program. Editor of Chicago Culture Authority.
Yes. And any such list with more Mike Myers than Albert Brooks entries, and that skips The Blues Brothers, is fatally deficient.
The movie listed at #1 is so incredibly misplaced that it calls into question the veracity of the entire list. It belongs on the list, yes, but SO MUCH further down. An absolute, credibility-wrecking flub. Boo, @variety.com! Boo!
variety.com/lists/best-c...
variety.com/lists/best-c...
The 100 Best Comedy Movies of All Time
Variety's list of the 100 best comedy movies of all time includes 'Annie Hall,' 'Pretty Woman,' 'Waiting for Guffman' and 'Young Frankenstein.'
variety.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Yes. And any such list with more Mike Myers than Albert Brooks entries, and that skips The Blues Brothers, is fatally deficient.
More than 200 years before the term “frenemy” was coined, Salieri & Mozart embodied it. Amadeus @steppenwolfthtr.bsky.social, directed w aplomb by @robertfalls.bsky.social, is smart, funny & assured. Ian Barford’s dynamic, empathetic Salieri is a triumph.
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/11/17/i...
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/11/17/i...
Ian Barford and Robert Falls rock Amadeus at Steppenwolf
I can’t remember the last time I’ve heard an ovation as celebratory and raucous in Steppenwolf’s upstairs ensemble theater as the one at the curtain call of Sunday’s opening…
chicagocultureauthority.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:05 PM
More than 200 years before the term “frenemy” was coined, Salieri & Mozart embodied it. Amadeus @steppenwolfthtr.bsky.social, directed w aplomb by @robertfalls.bsky.social, is smart, funny & assured. Ian Barford’s dynamic, empathetic Salieri is a triumph.
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/11/17/i...
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/11/17/i...
Reposted by Frank Sennett
Jesus Christ. This is monstrous. Absolutely sickening. The journalists in that room should walk out en masse.
Trump suggests Khashoggi had it coming: "You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it. You don't have to embarrass our guest."
November 18, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Jesus Christ. This is monstrous. Absolutely sickening. The journalists in that room should walk out en masse.
It’a not a free market when bot armies ace regular fans out of the chance to purchase during the regular onsale period. Time for the U.S. to follow suit. Squeeze the parasites out of business.
What nonsense is this? It's a free market, and people should be able to buy and sell tickets for whatever the market will tolerate. If you're desperate enough to pay £4k to see Oasis...
Also, doesn't the government have more important things to do, y'know, like balance the Budget? on.ft.com/3X0Y79i
Also, doesn't the government have more important things to do, y'know, like balance the Budget? on.ft.com/3X0Y79i
UK to ban resale of tickets above face value for live events
Aggressive crackdown on touts comes after backlash over cost of watching live music and sport
on.ft.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:46 PM
It’a not a free market when bot armies ace regular fans out of the chance to purchase during the regular onsale period. Time for the U.S. to follow suit. Squeeze the parasites out of business.
Thune was backed into a corner by refusing to negotiate ACA until government reopens. Ok, now he must negotiate in good faith and Ds have to insist on a full extension or no additional CR. Still a disaster.
This capitulation is going to cause a firestorm. The only way it possibly works out for the Democrats is if they a) put a marker down that they are giving Republicans a chance to do the right thing while easing the immediate crisis and b) absent an ACA extension by end of January, shutdown is back.
November 10, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Thune was backed into a corner by refusing to negotiate ACA until government reopens. Ok, now he must negotiate in good faith and Ds have to insist on a full extension or no additional CR. Still a disaster.
This capitulation is going to cause a firestorm. The only way it possibly works out for the Democrats is if they a) put a marker down that they are giving Republicans a chance to do the right thing while easing the immediate crisis and b) absent an ACA extension by end of January, shutdown is back.
November 10, 2025 at 2:36 AM
This capitulation is going to cause a firestorm. The only way it possibly works out for the Democrats is if they a) put a marker down that they are giving Republicans a chance to do the right thing while easing the immediate crisis and b) absent an ACA extension by end of January, shutdown is back.
I want to play poker with the Senate Democratic caucus…
November 10, 2025 at 2:31 AM
I want to play poker with the Senate Democratic caucus…
Reposted by Frank Sennett
I've been on staff for ... 38 years, and I don't remember ever feeling the paper is as focused and consequential as I do now. I can't speak to the effect, but as T.S. Eliot said, "For us there is only the trying. The rest is not our business."
November 8, 2025 at 4:16 PM
I've been on staff for ... 38 years, and I don't remember ever feeling the paper is as focused and consequential as I do now. I can't speak to the effect, but as T.S. Eliot said, "For us there is only the trying. The rest is not our business."
Reposted by Frank Sennett
Every company website is so desperate. You're on their page for five seconds and they want to send you notifications for the rest of your life. It's like if you asked somebody at an airport how to get to Terminal D and they told you, then got down on one knee and proposed.
November 7, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Every company website is so desperate. You're on their page for five seconds and they want to send you notifications for the rest of your life. It's like if you asked somebody at an airport how to get to Terminal D and they told you, then got down on one knee and proposed.
Good list, but I have never enjoyed Chicago Theatre as a concert venue. Musical theatre, yes, and maybe a theatrical show like David Byrne’s, which worked well at the Auditorium.
My top 10: Maurer, The Vic, Metro, Hideout, Empty Bottle, House of Blues, Green Mill, Schubas, Reggie’s, Salt Shed.
My top 10: Maurer, The Vic, Metro, Hideout, Empty Bottle, House of Blues, Green Mill, Schubas, Reggie’s, Salt Shed.
I have been to all of this top 10 except (weirdly) the Green Mill. My probably controversial take is Metro gets its rep more for its bookings than the venue, which is a frequently terrible experience. I'd add the Hideout and Lincoln Hall into my personal top 10 www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/06/b...
A music critic’s guide to the 10 best music venues in Chicago
From the Green Mill to Empty Bottle to Symphony Center, here are the best places in Chicago to see live music.
www.chicagotribune.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Good list, but I have never enjoyed Chicago Theatre as a concert venue. Musical theatre, yes, and maybe a theatrical show like David Byrne’s, which worked well at the Auditorium.
My top 10: Maurer, The Vic, Metro, Hideout, Empty Bottle, House of Blues, Green Mill, Schubas, Reggie’s, Salt Shed.
My top 10: Maurer, The Vic, Metro, Hideout, Empty Bottle, House of Blues, Green Mill, Schubas, Reggie’s, Salt Shed.
The Diplomat on Netflix has hit its stride with season three. A gripping depiction of the trials, tribulations and triumphs of a high-powered marriage. Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell are superb.
October 31, 2025 at 4:50 PM
The Diplomat on Netflix has hit its stride with season three. A gripping depiction of the trials, tribulations and triumphs of a high-powered marriage. Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell are superb.
This will end the shutdown
October 29, 2025 at 7:10 PM
This will end the shutdown
I asked David Byrne today about what draws him to creative projects like Theater of the Mind, which he’s bringing to Chicago with the @goodmantheatre.bsky.social #chicagotheater #DavidByrne #TalkingHeads #TheaterOfTheMind #GoodmanTheatre
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
I asked David Byrne today about what draws him to creative projects like Theater of the Mind, which he’s bringing to Chicago with the @goodmantheatre.bsky.social #chicagotheater #DavidByrne #TalkingHeads #TheaterOfTheMind #GoodmanTheatre
Reposted by Frank Sennett
Cap knows the score.
October 26, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Cap knows the score.
If there’s a better analog for 2025 America than 1938 Austria during the anschluss, I can’t think of what it is. So it’s timely to have The Sound of Music at the Nederlander dispensing lessons in moral courage with a classic Rodgers & Hammerstein score.
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/23/t...
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/23/t...
The Sound of Music brings a timely message with timeless songs to the Nederlander
An authoritarian leader casts a dark shadow across the land, employing intimidation to silence dissent while too many citizens stay quiet and hope for the best. If there’s a better analog for…
chicagocultureauthority.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:34 AM
If there’s a better analog for 2025 America than 1938 Austria during the anschluss, I can’t think of what it is. So it’s timely to have The Sound of Music at the Nederlander dispensing lessons in moral courage with a classic Rodgers & Hammerstein score.
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/23/t...
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/23/t...
I’m so proud of my fellow Americans today. This country’s immune system rejects authoritarianism.
“Huge crowds gathered across the country on Saturday for No Kings protests… in what appeared to be one of the largest mass demonstrations of recent years.”
Gift Link: wapo.st/3WKcFda
#NoKings
Gift Link: wapo.st/3WKcFda
#NoKings
No Kings protests against Trump draw huge crowds across the country
Gatherings had a street carnival atmosphere as demonstrators packed Times Square in New York and lined Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington on Saturday
wapo.st
October 19, 2025 at 4:59 AM
I’m so proud of my fellow Americans today. This country’s immune system rejects authoritarianism.
If you’re looking for a seasonally appropriate outing for little ones, Frederick, the first production of Chicago Children’s Theatre’s 20th anniversary season, is a good bet.
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/07/f...
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/07/f...
chicagocultureauthority.com
October 18, 2025 at 11:45 PM
If you’re looking for a seasonally appropriate outing for little ones, Frederick, the first production of Chicago Children’s Theatre’s 20th anniversary season, is a good bet.
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/07/f...
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/07/f...
Why would a theater called Chicago Shakespeare produce a play based on a horror film franchise? The audience at Thursday’s opening of Paranormal Activity got a definitive answer: This taut and terrifying show gives you the willies, maybe even the shakes.
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/17/w...
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/17/w...
With Paranormal Activity, Chicago Shakes serves up a fright feast
You might ask why a theater called Chicago Shakespeare would produce a play based on a horror film franchise. The audience at Thursday’s opening of Paranormal Activity got a definitive answer…
chicagocultureauthority.com
October 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Why would a theater called Chicago Shakespeare produce a play based on a horror film franchise? The audience at Thursday’s opening of Paranormal Activity got a definitive answer: This taut and terrifying show gives you the willies, maybe even the shakes.
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/17/w...
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/17/w...
The amazing thing is, he did it at the $5 table.
JB Pritzker Won $1.4 Million Playing Blackjack in Las Vegas www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/u...
JB Pritzker Won $1.4 Million Playing Blackjack in Las Vegas
www.nytimes.com
October 16, 2025 at 9:24 PM
The amazing thing is, he did it at the $5 table.
This tool could be the plot device of the next Nightmare Alley remake.
I used an AI tool to resurrect my grandmother, and it was awful wapo.st/3J65x7H
a black and white photo of two men standing next to each other with the words `` i 'm shocked . ''
ALT: a black and white photo of two men standing next to each other with the words `` i 'm shocked . ''
media.tenor.com
October 14, 2025 at 12:00 AM
This tool could be the plot device of the next Nightmare Alley remake.
“Don’t risk suit damage.” That single sentence opens up a window into the protocols and concerns of being a furry.
I mean this with zero snark (probably why I’m a writer; fascinating to learn about different walks of life).
I mean this with zero snark (probably why I’m a writer; fascinating to learn about different walks of life).
Portland's inflatable animal protesters are doing what some furries have been doing for years.
I've been suiting at many protests this year and for No Kings Oct 18 I'm bike marshalling. Don't risk suit damage but some of these tell you the risk levels before you go.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...
I've been suiting at many protests this year and for No Kings Oct 18 I'm bike marshalling. Don't risk suit damage but some of these tell you the risk levels before you go.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...
Among Portland Protests, It’s Frogs and Sharks and Bears, Oh My!
www.nytimes.com
October 12, 2025 at 9:55 PM
“Don’t risk suit damage.” That single sentence opens up a window into the protocols and concerns of being a furry.
I mean this with zero snark (probably why I’m a writer; fascinating to learn about different walks of life).
I mean this with zero snark (probably why I’m a writer; fascinating to learn about different walks of life).
Reposted by Frank Sennett
How a Trump appointed judge exposed Trump's Lying Con #TrumpLiesEverytimeHeSpeaks
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/12/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/12/o...
Opinion | How a Trump Judge Exposed the Trump Con
www.nytimes.com
October 12, 2025 at 2:01 PM
How a Trump appointed judge exposed Trump's Lying Con #TrumpLiesEverytimeHeSpeaks
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/12/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/12/o...
Bovino saw One Battle After Another and thought Sean Penn was the protagonist.
WSJ:
...Spiked hair and muscled build, Greg Bovino has become the camera-ready face...
should be:
Poseur extraordinaire Bovino cosplays a very short tough guy in a fash haircut oozing with product. Always "ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille."
Gift link!
...Spiked hair and muscled build, Greg Bovino has become the camera-ready face...
should be:
Poseur extraordinaire Bovino cosplays a very short tough guy in a fash haircut oozing with product. Always "ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille."
Gift link!
October 12, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Bovino saw One Battle After Another and thought Sean Penn was the protagonist.
Dumbest timeline.
Punk bands played his stuff in the 80s, dipshit
Compared to Dylan and Springsteen, country-music legend Johnny Cash can seem deeply uncool. It took time for me to appreciate his profound, plainspoken strength, writes Jon Fasman.
October 10, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Dumbest timeline.
Took my daughter and her friend to Six Flags Great America and had a blast at Fright Fest and Oktoberfest. Read on for our haunted house reviews.
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/07/d...
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/07/d...
Delightful Fright Fest 2025 brings more thrilling chills to Six Flags Great America
For the second year in a row, I kicked off the spooky season by taking my teen daughter and a friend to experience Fright Fest at Six Flags Great America. Unlike last year, when we weren’t ab…
chicagocultureauthority.com
October 8, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Took my daughter and her friend to Six Flags Great America and had a blast at Fright Fest and Oktoberfest. Read on for our haunted house reviews.
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/07/d...
chicagocultureauthority.com/2025/10/07/d...