Jason Colavito
@jasoncolavito.bsky.social
Author, researcher. Pop culture, science, & history. Bylines in Esquire, The New Republic, CNN, Slate, etc. My new book, "Jimmy," about James Dean out now!
"Brave New Breakfast by Betty Crocker"--Eggnog on Trix, 1957.
November 12, 2025 at 8:16 PM
"Brave New Breakfast by Betty Crocker"--Eggnog on Trix, 1957.
Somehow this keeps coming to mind.
November 10, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Somehow this keeps coming to mind.
The Today Show claims to have found Noah's Ark. It just ran an NBC "exclusive" with Christian researcher Andrew Jones, who is promoting the Durupinar site, as he has for years. This time he's claiming to have found "tunnels" under the natural formation that he claims are the ship's "decks."
November 10, 2025 at 12:51 PM
The Today Show claims to have found Noah's Ark. It just ran an NBC "exclusive" with Christian researcher Andrew Jones, who is promoting the Durupinar site, as he has for years. This time he's claiming to have found "tunnels" under the natural formation that he claims are the ship's "decks."
In its previous episode, "Ancient Aliens" delivered an apology for the British Empire. This week, they celebrated Japan, saying space aliens have guided and controlled its history--implicitly endorsing its murderous, expansionist pre-WWII colonial regime. www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/review-...
November 7, 2025 at 7:48 PM
In its previous episode, "Ancient Aliens" delivered an apology for the British Empire. This week, they celebrated Japan, saying space aliens have guided and controlled its history--implicitly endorsing its murderous, expansionist pre-WWII colonial regime. www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/review-...
I finished "Death by Lightning." I liked it as a sort of fantasy Victorian "West Wing," but the producers tried so hard to make clear heroes and villains for a "Passion of St. James of Garfield" that they left too much out and distorted the real people too much.
November 6, 2025 at 8:35 PM
I finished "Death by Lightning." I liked it as a sort of fantasy Victorian "West Wing," but the producers tried so hard to make clear heroes and villains for a "Passion of St. James of Garfield" that they left too much out and distorted the real people too much.
Today marks the 40th anniversary of "Garfield's Halloween Adventure," a classic that traumatized many 1980s kids when the gentle comedy suddenly takes a turn into unexpected terror.
October 30, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Today marks the 40th anniversary of "Garfield's Halloween Adventure," a classic that traumatized many 1980s kids when the gentle comedy suddenly takes a turn into unexpected terror.
Completely not bothered at all.
October 29, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Completely not bothered at all.
Seventy years ago this week, "Rebel without a Cause" opened at the Astor Theater in Manhattan. Critics of the time interpreted the film as an argument for stricter parenting, praising the ending, which they misinterpreted as Jim and Judy's parents "finally" approving their union.
October 27, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Seventy years ago this week, "Rebel without a Cause" opened at the Astor Theater in Manhattan. Critics of the time interpreted the film as an argument for stricter parenting, praising the ending, which they misinterpreted as Jim and Judy's parents "finally" approving their union.
Review of Ancient Aliens S21E16: “Mysteries of the Norse Gods,” in which the show's writers seem to have misunderstood the Wikipedia pages they cribbed from. www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/review-...
October 24, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Review of Ancient Aliens S21E16: “Mysteries of the Norse Gods,” in which the show's writers seem to have misunderstood the Wikipedia pages they cribbed from. www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/review-...
After weeks of delays getting this out of customs, my copy of the Polish edition of my book arrived today. It looks great, with lime green accents and lime endpapers. It's longer than the US edition due to fewer lines per page, larger font, and added footnotes for Polish readers.
October 21, 2025 at 9:39 PM
After weeks of delays getting this out of customs, my copy of the Polish edition of my book arrived today. It looks great, with lime green accents and lime endpapers. It's longer than the US edition due to fewer lines per page, larger font, and added footnotes for Polish readers.
"Frosted Lime-Walnut Salad." Aesthetically, this looks like it might have been good until you realize that the lime Jell-O is filled with celery and pimentos, and the frosting is mayonnaise.
October 20, 2025 at 12:25 AM
"Frosted Lime-Walnut Salad." Aesthetically, this looks like it might have been good until you realize that the lime Jell-O is filled with celery and pimentos, and the frosting is mayonnaise.
"Avocado Italiano" -- Elbow macaroni and avocadoes with radishes and carrots over lettuce. "Reflect on the glories of Rome," says the ad.
October 18, 2025 at 11:30 PM
"Avocado Italiano" -- Elbow macaroni and avocadoes with radishes and carrots over lettuce. "Reflect on the glories of Rome," says the ad.
Review of Ancient Aliens S21E15 “Britain’s UFO Files,” in which a rehash of UK UFO sightings turns into a bizarre apology for the British Empire and the aliens' supposed plan for white Anglo-Saxons to rule the world. www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/review-...
October 17, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Review of Ancient Aliens S21E15 “Britain’s UFO Files,” in which a rehash of UK UFO sightings turns into a bizarre apology for the British Empire and the aliens' supposed plan for white Anglo-Saxons to rule the world. www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/review-...
It looks like someone read the book I sent him. Brandon Flynn discussed playing James Dean in a recent interview with Variety, and his response is a rather neat summation of the last two chapters of "Jimmy." variety.com/2025/film/co...
October 13, 2025 at 11:16 PM
It looks like someone read the book I sent him. Brandon Flynn discussed playing James Dean in a recent interview with Variety, and his response is a rather neat summation of the last two chapters of "Jimmy." variety.com/2025/film/co...
I'm not sure how I am supposed to trust the Cato Institute's Jonah Norberg as a historian of imperial decline if he accepts the idea that the Roman Empire "fell" when Romulus Augustulus was deposed "that day in 476 A.D." archive.ph/7S9IV
October 13, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I'm not sure how I am supposed to trust the Cato Institute's Jonah Norberg as a historian of imperial decline if he accepts the idea that the Roman Empire "fell" when Romulus Augustulus was deposed "that day in 476 A.D." archive.ph/7S9IV
Hot Buttered Tomato Juice: "The taste sensation is a surprising 'wow'!" It's a drink made from tomato juice, melted butter, and Worcestershire sauce.
October 13, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Hot Buttered Tomato Juice: "The taste sensation is a surprising 'wow'!" It's a drink made from tomato juice, melted butter, and Worcestershire sauce.
"My Tuna Tacos are approved by the U.S. Government and the varsity."
October 12, 2025 at 10:24 PM
"My Tuna Tacos are approved by the U.S. Government and the varsity."
My review of Ancient Aliens S21E14 “Aliens in Our Midst”--a total embarrassment in which Travis Taylor humiliates himself by claiming some balloons are actually a Grey alien flying with a jetpack. www.jasoncolavito.com/ancient-alie...
October 10, 2025 at 1:50 AM
My review of Ancient Aliens S21E14 “Aliens in Our Midst”--a total embarrassment in which Travis Taylor humiliates himself by claiming some balloons are actually a Grey alien flying with a jetpack. www.jasoncolavito.com/ancient-alie...
I think those scenes were supposed to be Gein's fantasy (though there is no evidence he had any interest in her) and were drawn from pulp men's magazine portrayals of "sexy" Nazi women. However, the comic Gein reads in the show is made up and the real magazines came a decade later.
October 5, 2025 at 8:19 PM
I think those scenes were supposed to be Gein's fantasy (though there is no evidence he had any interest in her) and were drawn from pulp men's magazine portrayals of "sexy" Nazi women. However, the comic Gein reads in the show is made up and the real magazines came a decade later.
I finished "Monster: The Ed Gein Story," and I can't believe what I watched. Not only is it an apology for Gein, it ends by turning him into a saintly figure, benevolently presiding over the world of serial killers, including TWO fantasy sequences where famous killers salute him.
October 4, 2025 at 1:48 AM
I finished "Monster: The Ed Gein Story," and I can't believe what I watched. Not only is it an apology for Gein, it ends by turning him into a saintly figure, benevolently presiding over the world of serial killers, including TWO fantasy sequences where famous killers salute him.
Cable TV has basically ceased to exist. These are the Nielsen ratings for every cable channel with more than 350K viewers--all 8 of them. The numbers are so low in a country of 340 million people that, effectively, no one is watching. theankler.com/p/cable-tv-n...
October 3, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Cable TV has basically ceased to exist. These are the Nielsen ratings for every cable channel with more than 350K viewers--all 8 of them. The numbers are so low in a country of 340 million people that, effectively, no one is watching. theankler.com/p/cable-tv-n...
Chicken a la Cheez Whiz with Cheez Whiz Dumpling Soup.
October 2, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Chicken a la Cheez Whiz with Cheez Whiz Dumpling Soup.
"Chicken Almondzini": Baked macaroni and mayonnaise with chicken and almonds.
October 2, 2025 at 2:55 AM
"Chicken Almondzini": Baked macaroni and mayonnaise with chicken and almonds.
Tonight, to mark the 70th anniversary of James Dean's death, TCM is presenting a special showing of James Dean's three films, preceded by a rare showing of "Life Sentence," a 1953 episode of "Campbell Summer Soundstage" starring James Dean.
September 30, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Tonight, to mark the 70th anniversary of James Dean's death, TCM is presenting a special showing of James Dean's three films, preceded by a rare showing of "Life Sentence," a 1953 episode of "Campbell Summer Soundstage" starring James Dean.