Mel Starker
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melstarker.bsky.social
Mel Starker
@melstarker.bsky.social
Watching Film T----er rise like a phoenix from the ashes. Yard sign art courtesy of @amyturnsharp.bsky.social
I had a great lil chat with @ninawest.bsky.social for @matternews.bsky.social about QUEENS OF THE DEAD & monsters that lurk in power ahead of the @shudder.com film’s OH premiere Sunday. Check it out & support local journalism!
Nina West battles a zombie apocalypse in ‘Queens of the Dead’ – Matter News
The Columbus drag icon brings her new movie to Nightmares Film Festival on Sunday, Oct. 19
matternews.org
October 17, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
“Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents. They’ve had their necks kneeled on. They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear. At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them.“
More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.
The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And near...
www.propublica.org
October 16, 2025 at 9:49 PM
I’m beyond excited to share that A Historic Cinematic Night at the Movies is coming to Columbus, featuring the world premiere of a new short doc about Jeffrey Epstein. Two shows Thurs night at 7:30 & 10, with live music, a sneak peek at the new WitchLab space & free popcorn!
The Onion Presents: A Historic Cinematic Night of Film at the Movies
Central Ohio, are you ready for a look at the criminally sordid tale of Jeffrey Epstein through the hilariously skewed filter of The Onion?
www.eventbrite.com
September 29, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
September 14, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Reposted by Mel Starker
must be incredibly frustrating and disheartening to have federal funding that was promised to you for important work suddenly and arbitrarily ripped away
“In light of the President's statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately”
June 5, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
“We are just protecting you is the way they justified it,” said Embi, who will now host the teach-in portion of her project at the Dublin CML branch on Thursday, May 15. “But if they were really protecting me, they would let me talk about these issues as one of the few trans girls at my school.”
Dublin Jerome High School student barred from presenting trans-centered activism project – Matter News
‘These school administrators and teachers, I don’t think they’re transphobic. I think the system is transphobic.’
matternews.org
May 13, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
val kilmer’s turn in TOP SECRET is one of the single best comedy performances ever committed to film, both in terms of comic precision and mechanical virtuosity. just watch this whole clip in its entirety; it’s stunning
April 2, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Reposted by Mel Starker
Being a historian, people ask me if I think the US is living through Germany 1933.

I answer no, analogies are always imperfect but to me it feels more like Russia 1999: a blatant theft of state assets and liberals in a fugue state, refusing to believe the arc of progress is bending against them.
March 7, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Reposted by Mel Starker
Congratulations to Basel, Hamdan, Rachel, and Yuval on winning the Oscar for Best Documentary!! We are so proud of you and the massive success of your film.

We hope a distributor will bring this important story about Palestinian resilience to ethnic cleansing to a larger audience.
March 3, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Reposted by Mel Starker
Just saw a thread about a guy calling into cspan saying his diabetic supplies increased from 5 dollars to 80 dollars and somebody in the comments, probably multiple people but I stopped reading, replied “FAFO” and I can’t stress enough how much you need to stop doing that shit
February 23, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
I apologize that I don’t have time to add the alt text for this right now, but Hanif Abdurraqib with an important call out to everyone
February 19, 2025 at 3:42 AM
Reposted by Mel Starker
You are not powerless, and he is not unstoppable. Look at, and learn from, the funding freeze and how quickly he was forced to surrender.
February 10, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
BlueSkiers from Ohio here’s your information for Wednesdays protest 👇
February 3, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
There's some artists doing amaizing work in Ohio to help raise awareness about the United States criminal legal system and the people impacted by it. I wrote about their work and current exhibitions for @colsunderground.bsky.social Check it out. columbusunderground.com/art-activism...
Art, Activism, and Prison Abolition Take Center Stage at the McConnell Arts Center - Columbus Underground
Now is not the time to turn away. Now is the time to look, to learn, to reflect, and to act. Visit McConnell Arts Center by March 20 for why.
columbusunderground.com
February 4, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Reposted by Mel Starker
Practical advice from Local Politics columnist Rachel Wenning on the small things community members can do to push back against the policies being rolled out by the incoming Trump administration.

matternews.org/voices/local...
Local Politics: To bring about national change, start by thinking locally – Matter News
Practical advice on the small things community members can do to push back against the policies being rolled out by the incoming Trump administration.
matternews.org
January 23, 2025 at 8:13 PM
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A gentle reminder that your attention is a form of currency. Spend it wisely.
January 20, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
What does arts and culture have to do with identity? Pretty much everything.

This is the first in a series of four columns from @scottwoods.bsky.social focused on the local arts scene and running every other week through February.

matternews.org/voices/the-o...
The Other Columbus: The arts are not optional – Matter News
What does arts and culture have to do with identity? Pretty much everything.
matternews.org
January 14, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
Congratulations to all our Columbus Film Critics Association award winners!
January 3, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Reposted by Mel Starker
Our next Community Conversation takes place at
@twodollarradiohq.bsky.social at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16.

Facebook event link: www.facebook.com/events/12456...
January 2, 2025 at 3:53 PM
The nominees are in & winners list coming Thursday!
December 30, 2024 at 3:12 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
Support your local art galleries! Here’s 10 great places to start: columbusunderground.com/the-top-10-c...
The Top 10 Columbus Art Galleries of 2024 - Columbus Underground
Columbus has many art galleries for your exhibition viewing pleasure, located all over the city.
columbusunderground.com
December 11, 2024 at 5:09 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
More and more local Columbus users on bsky every day! Here’s 5 to follow if you don’t already!

@wcbe905columbus.bsky.social @maddwolfcolumbus.bsky.social @dougb399.bsky.social @elizarecords.bsky.social @melstarker.bsky.social

Who else should we be following? 😎👍
December 6, 2024 at 3:07 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
President-elect Trump won on Nov. 5 after a campaign that demonized immigrants and promised mass deportations, and that has stoked fears among many in the immigrant community. If you want to help them, there’s quite a bit you can do, advocates said.

https://buff.ly/4gbFuaM
December 10, 2024 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
“I think [comedy] became a survival technique, maybe. And now, my work is very fulfilling. I have a great relationship with my fiancé. I think other parts of my life are leveling out, and I don’t need what I got from comedy anymore.”

matternews.org/culture/its-...
‘It’s a good time to say goodbye’: Wonder Doug prepares to step away from comedy – Matter News
Douglas Cuckler has pursued standup off and on for nearly 13 years, but he intends to walk away following a final show at the Funny Bone on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
matternews.org
December 10, 2024 at 7:35 PM
Reposted by Mel Starker
Putting up fake candidates is a tactic recommended by Russian political theorists to trick people into voting away their democracy.
Rep. Susan Valdés, everyone.
This shouldn't be allowed. Nobody voted for her to switch parties. What kind of nonsense...
December 10, 2024 at 3:37 PM