Nancy and Sarah tackle the curious case of Frank Langella, the celebrated actor fired from Netflix’s Fall of the House of Usher after a young actress complains about an on-set interaction, while Fred Savage gets disappeared from The Wonder Years reboot for “abusive behavior,” though we’re not sure what kind. On the Depp-Heard beat, Nancy and Sarah consider body language in the courtroom, “mutual abuse,” the problem with psychiatric diagnoses, and why women are the most complicated characters. Sexy selfies are discussed, but not enough (future episode!). Meanwhile, the fire over Roe v. Wade keeps raging, but Sarah finds hope and wisdom in another podcast, and Nancy has a message for anyone who thinks motherhood is the end of freedom.
Also, Sarah rewatches Citizen Kane, prompting the memory of Orson Welles commercials for Ernest & Julio Gallo wine, though it turns out to be Paul Masson, but we’re not sure Welles remembered that either:
Episode notes:
Conor Friedersdorf’s The Best of Journalism
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Orson Welles on Woody Allen, Elia Kazan, Jean-Luc Godard, etc. (twitter thread)
Dorothy Comingore, exiled actress from Citizen Kane (Wikipedia)
Wanderer by Sterling Hayden
“Fired by Netflix, Frank Langella Refutes Alleged Allegations of ‘Unacceptable Behavior.’” (Deadline)
“Netflix’s Big Wake-Up Call: The Power Clash Behind the Crash” (Hollywood Reporter)
“It's Official: Linguistic Intent No Longer Matters at The New York Times” (Matt Welch, Reason)
“The disturbing story behind the rape scene in Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris, explained” (Vox)
“CBS Studios’ ‘Last Tango in Paris’ Series to Focus on Maria Schneider’s Perspective on Controversial Production” (Hollywood Reporter)
Nick Wallis on Depp v. Heard (YouTube)
“Johnny Depp, Amber Heard and the harmful logical fallacy of ‘mutual abuse’” (Lux Alptraum, Think)
“Legally, Dirty, Blonde” podcast
Fleishman Is in Trouble: A Novel by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
The Unspeakable Podcast, with Meghan Daum: “The future of abortion: Frances Kissling on Moving Forward in a Post-Roe World”
“How Dare They!” Andrew Sullivan, Weekly Dish
Christopher Hitchens’ “The Poison Chalice” (YouTube)
Corrections: Did Justice Alito perform abortions? Not according to Wikipedia
Cheryl Tiegs, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition
Outro song: “Starry Eyes” by The Records
9: Hollywood's New McCarthy Era