Andy Lewis/The Optionist
@andyblewis.bsky.social
Looking for great IP? Read the Optionist on Substack. Also wrote the civil rights history The Shadows of Youth, UVA Phd, Hollywood Reporter alum, lapsed college prof, retired fencer, once on KUWTK
The record for a comic is $6M. This is already at $8.4M with a few hours left in the auction! It has a heartwarming backstory: It was found by 3 brothers in an attic after their recently deceased mom bought it as a young girl living in SF's Chinatown. www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/ar...
November 20, 2025 at 4:43 PM
The record for a comic is $6M. This is already at $8.4M with a few hours left in the auction! It has a heartwarming backstory: It was found by 3 brothers in an attic after their recently deceased mom bought it as a young girl living in SF's Chinatown. www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/ar...
Netflix is rebooting the 80s hit A Different World & now we learn that not only is the streamer paying Bill Cosby money b/c he was technically the creator they're paying him extra to keep his name off of it. Sure pays (maybe $1M) to be an (accused) rapist. h/t @puck.news @kimmasters.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 4:55 AM
Netflix is rebooting the 80s hit A Different World & now we learn that not only is the streamer paying Bill Cosby money b/c he was technically the creator they're paying him extra to keep his name off of it. Sure pays (maybe $1M) to be an (accused) rapist. h/t @puck.news @kimmasters.bsky.social
For Veteran's Day, I wrote about how Alan Alda wore the real dog tags of two WWII soldiers on M*A*S*H. He alway wondered who they were. I found them and told their stories.
It's a moving, inspiring story of two anonymous GI's with a bit part in TV history. theankler.com/p/secret-his...
It's a moving, inspiring story of two anonymous GI's with a bit part in TV history. theankler.com/p/secret-his...
November 11, 2025 at 2:56 PM
For Veteran's Day, I wrote about how Alan Alda wore the real dog tags of two WWII soldiers on M*A*S*H. He alway wondered who they were. I found them and told their stories.
It's a moving, inspiring story of two anonymous GI's with a bit part in TV history. theankler.com/p/secret-his...
It's a moving, inspiring story of two anonymous GI's with a bit part in TV history. theankler.com/p/secret-his...
Perfect for Veteran's Day: It turns out the dog tags Alan Alda wore on M*A*S*H belonged to real soldiers but he knew nothing about them. I found them and told their stories. It's a feel-good story about two ordinary G.I. Joes theankler.com/p/secret-his...
November 9, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Perfect for Veteran's Day: It turns out the dog tags Alan Alda wore on M*A*S*H belonged to real soldiers but he knew nothing about them. I found them and told their stories. It's a feel-good story about two ordinary G.I. Joes theankler.com/p/secret-his...
@litbowl.bsky.social I was wondering the same thing. I generally use the built in checker on my mac but wondering if you have suggestions for other ones (*non* AI) that might be better, especially good on grammar? Thanks!
October 30, 2025 at 4:29 PM
@litbowl.bsky.social I was wondering the same thing. I generally use the built in checker on my mac but wondering if you have suggestions for other ones (*non* AI) that might be better, especially good on grammar? Thanks!
Who wore it better?
October 29, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Who wore it better?
Licht had a more legitimate track record than Weiss, who we can see is full of good ideas
October 29, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Licht had a more legitimate track record than Weiss, who we can see is full of good ideas
Not to mention that Trump underwater on everything. Biden's numbers which were substantially better generated endless copy but with Trump mostly crickets
October 26, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Not to mention that Trump underwater on everything. Biden's numbers which were substantially better generated endless copy but with Trump mostly crickets
It's the 50th anniversary of the greatest World Series game ever and it also produced one of the best pieces of deadline sports writing ever, written in the early morning hours after a 12 inning marathon.
October 22, 2025 at 2:50 PM
It's the 50th anniversary of the greatest World Series game ever and it also produced one of the best pieces of deadline sports writing ever, written in the early morning hours after a 12 inning marathon.
Scenes from today's #NoKings in Beverly Hills. Good crowd - more than a thousand I would guess - considering there were dozens in LA today
October 19, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Scenes from today's #NoKings in Beverly Hills. Good crowd - more than a thousand I would guess - considering there were dozens in LA today
The best thing you or any other American can do right now to combat Ttump's authoritarianism and ICE lawlessness is show up to a rally on Saturday. #nokings
October 17, 2025 at 2:51 PM
The best thing you or any other American can do right now to combat Ttump's authoritarianism and ICE lawlessness is show up to a rally on Saturday. #nokings
No Kings. Be there or be square
October 15, 2025 at 1:54 AM
No Kings. Be there or be square
A rare bit of headline clarity from the NYT
October 9, 2025 at 10:24 PM
A rare bit of headline clarity from the NYT
The convergence of real billionaires and Montgomery Burns continues apace
October 8, 2025 at 6:25 PM
The convergence of real billionaires and Montgomery Burns continues apace
The convergence of real billionaires and Montgomery Burns continues apace
October 8, 2025 at 6:25 PM
The convergence of real billionaires and Montgomery Burns continues apace
Watching Malcom-Jamal Warner tonight's Murder in a Small Town in what must be his final performance is so bittersweet. He carved out a great second act the last decade and he's gone far too soon.
October 8, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Watching Malcom-Jamal Warner tonight's Murder in a Small Town in what must be his final performance is so bittersweet. He carved out a great second act the last decade and he's gone far too soon.
The number of times Trump has referenced ABC's $16M payment as justification that he was right and the reason he's continuing to go after the media *should* convince executives of the futility of trying to appease him. .
September 24, 2025 at 1:38 PM
The number of times Trump has referenced ABC's $16M payment as justification that he was right and the reason he's continuing to go after the media *should* convince executives of the futility of trying to appease him. .
It's amazing how bad the NYT is at this.
September 7, 2025 at 1:11 AM
It's amazing how bad the NYT is at this.
Find a distinguished service member in this situation who is being screwed out of their retirement pay and reverse welfare queen them as the poster child for the unfairness of it all.
August 8, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Find a distinguished service member in this situation who is being screwed out of their retirement pay and reverse welfare queen them as the poster child for the unfairness of it all.
This romcom probably hits too close to the truth for lots of young professors:
Sadie & Jonah have been academic rivals in the lit dept since undergrad. Now that a highly coveted teaching opportunity has come up, their rivalry hits epic proportions.
Sadie & Jonah have been academic rivals in the lit dept since undergrad. Now that a highly coveted teaching opportunity has come up, their rivalry hits epic proportions.
August 5, 2025 at 4:41 PM
This romcom probably hits too close to the truth for lots of young professors:
Sadie & Jonah have been academic rivals in the lit dept since undergrad. Now that a highly coveted teaching opportunity has come up, their rivalry hits epic proportions.
Sadie & Jonah have been academic rivals in the lit dept since undergrad. Now that a highly coveted teaching opportunity has come up, their rivalry hits epic proportions.
I've read the comic so no thanks www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/s...
August 2, 2025 at 2:46 PM
I've read the comic so no thanks www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/s...