Friday, December 19, 2025

I Didn't Say It ...

Billy & Janice Crystal, Albert & Kimberly Brooks, Martin Short, Alan & Robin Zweibel, Larry David & Ashley Underwood, Marc Shaiman & Lou Mirabal, Barry & Diana Levinson, James Costos & Michael Smith, on the loss of Rob and Michele Reiner:

“Going to the movies in a dark theater filled with strangers having a common experience, laughing, crying, screaming in fear, or watching an intense drama unfold is still an unforgettable thrill. Tell us a story audiences demand of us. Absorbing all he had learned from his father Carl and his mentor Norman Lear, Rob Reiner not only was a great comic actor, he became a master storyteller. There is no other director who has his range. From comedy to drama to ‘mockumentary’ to documentary he was always at the top of his game. He charmed audiences. They trusted him. They lined up to see his films. His comedic touch was beyond compare, his love of getting the music of the dialogue just right, and his sharpening of the edge of a drama was simply elegant. For the actors, he loved them. For the writers he made them better. His greatest gift was freedom. If you had an idea, he listened, he brought you into the process. They always felt they were working as a team. To be in his hands as a film maker was a privilege but that is only part of his legacy. Rob was also a passionate, brave citizen, who not only cared for this country he loved, he did everything he could to make it better and with his loving wife Michele, he had the perfect partner. Strong and determined, Michele and Rob Reiner devoted a great deal of their lives for the betterment of our fellow citizens... They were a special force together—dynamic, unselfish and inspiring. We were their friends, and we will miss them forever. There is a line from one of Rob’s favorite films, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ ‘Each man’s life touches so many other lives, and when he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?’ You have no idea.”

I don’t know why these deaths hit me so hard; I know neither one of these people. But I think they fought a good fight for all of us, stood up to the worst of us, to try to make the world better for us.

And perhaps we should all be doing more of that.

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Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York Cityin response to the shooting at Brown University:

“Two people were killed this evening at Brown University by a gunman who remains at large. Eight others are injured, fighting for their lives in a nearby hospital. This senseless violence—once considered unfathomable—has become nauseatingly normal to all of us across our nation. Tonight, on the eve of the anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting, we find ourselves in mourning once again. The epidemic of gun violence stretches across America. We reckon with it when we step into our houses of worship and out onto our streets, when we drop our children off at kindergarten and when we fear if those children, now grown, will be safe on campus. But unlike so many other epidemics, we possess the cure. We have the power to eradicate this suffering from our lives if we so choose. I send my deepest condolences to the families of the victims, and to the Brown and Providence communities, who are wrestling with a grief that will feel familiar to far too many others. May we never allow ourselves to grow numb to this pain, and let us rededicate ourselves to the enduring work of ending the scourge of gun violence in our nation.”

Perhaps we should be like Australia, where their mass shooting was not done with assault weapons for if it had been many more would be dead or injured.

Let’s end the United States of Guns and start with assault weapons and vote out any politician who utters that bull shit line, “Now is not the time.”

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Jack Smith, attorney who has served in the United States Department of Justice, in his opening statement before the House Judiciary Committee, during a private deposition:

“Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that [Cankles] engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power. I made my decisions in the investigation without regard to [Cankles] political association, activities, beliefs or candidacy in the 2024 presidential election. We took actions based on that the facts and the law required—the very lesson I learned early in my career as a prosecutor.”

Okay, so then let’s vote out the GOP and let the Democrats get back to the business of punishing a traitorous criminal for what he tried to do, and is doing now, to this country.

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Jimmy Kimmel, talk show host and friend of Rob & Michele Reiner:

“I know from my personal interactions with Rob Reiner that he would want us to keep pointing out the loathsome atrocities that continue to ooze out of this sick and irresponsible man’s mouth. So we’re going to do that over and over again until the rest of us wake up.”

Be like Rob and Michele and stand up for America before there is no America left to stand for.

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Jon Stewart, comedian, writer, producer, director, actor, political commentator and host of The Daily Show, on Cankles’ real constituents:

“For those of you who were wondering, during this delightful first year of his presidency, who the ‘you’ was that he was going to work so tirelessly for it turns out he is for you, if you are a personal friend, if you donated a lot of money, or if you enriched his meme coin businesses, or you enriched his son’s crypto coin businesses, or of you beat up police officers on his behalf, or if you bought him a plane, or if you probably promised not to reveal anything incriminating about him. Those are the yous it turns out he was for. And if you’re one of those yous, life’s pretty sweet. But for the rest of us, we’re on the outside. And I can only guess what the view is that we’re going to enjoy.”

He isn’t for you, at all. And neither is the GOP.

Vote them all out.

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21 comments:

  1. Zohran Mamdani is spot on as usual. Unfortunately, apparently, many in this consumerist country don't care, enough. It's just another thing. And move on...not to mention people keep voting for politicians who are not holding up their end of the bargain. If I don't get results after a first term, I always vote for a new candidate. After all, in life, if you don't do a job right, your fired quickly.

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    1. If they aren't working for us why do we keep electing them? Educate yourselves and vote out those who aren't listening.

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  2. There are so many good people, we all need to drag our friends along and VOTE, VOTE, VOTE.

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    1. Vote them all out! I'd love to see some GOPers get their asses handed to them!

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  3. I cannot understand why America's politicians are so wary of allowing any bod to have a gun or twenty. I appreciate that it is mainly Repugnants who are averse to taking guns away from the mentally ill or anyone with a grievance large or small. But Repugnants can die just as easily as Democrats or independents.

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    1. The GOP probably thinks taking guns away from the violent and the mentally ill is just a step to take them away from everyone, which is not now, nor has it ever been, the goal.

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  4. Mamdani looks more and more like a candidate to follow.
    And Jon is correct. Cankles only works with 'you' if you're a millionaire who can give HIM something.
    The rest is fucked.

    XOXO

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  5. Anonymous11:36 AM

    the dog's mother
    xoxo :-)

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  6. Cleora Borealis11:51 AM

    👏 Good for Mamdani on guns. Good for you, Bob, on guns. Renewing an assault weapons ban would be great. I would love for us to change and/or repeal some laws that are sweetheart deals we have enacted for the gun industry...deals we give to no other industry.
    Product liability laws are important checks on companies that manufacture consumer goods, but we let gunmakers slide. These manufacturers use the old argument that killing people with guns is a MISUSE of the product. They also use car companies as an analogy. People get killed by cars but you don't blame Ford or GM unless the car had a preventable defect.
    That's true but Ford makes cars to get you somewhere and they usually try to make their product safer. And, I have never seen an ad for a car, even a giant SUV, that is proudly stating how many more people can be run over in a shorter time.
    Gunmakers are skirting that line all the time with gun size, magazine capacity, and fear for your very life if you don't have them.! 😱🙀🙉
    I recommend the Giffords (as in Gabby) organization for more information on guns and gun laws.
    Gun Industry Accountability | GIFFORDS https://share.google/pFUiGMw9JpCkiEd5s

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    1. We must get the NRA out of politics and then perhaps cooler smarter heads will prevail to help us save some lives.

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  7. After the shootings in Australia and at Brown University, I felt absolutely heartbroken when I learned of the deaths of the Reiners. Then the felons had to rub everyone's noses in his stupidity and misery. All I want for Christmas is for him to go away.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Prison sounds nice; he and Stephen Miller can share a cell.
      xoxo

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  8. I've always been confused by the fascination for guns in the U.S. I understand that certain professions need access: law enforcement and military. I'll even agree that those who rely on wild game to feed their families have a purpose or those who live in remote areas where the wildlife may pose a risk.
    But the mom in Walmart doesn't need one, and the fat f*cker displaying his fire power in a fast food joint should be smacked upside his head.
    Gun laws are much more strict in Canada but we still have gun violence. Generally, it is due to illegal activities (most illegal guns enter the country through the U.S.) and domestic violence where one partner takes a gun meant for hunting to blow away their spouse or other family members. It is rare There have been 28 incidents since 2000...I won't even try to compare that to the U.S.
    Sorry for the rant, but the solution seem so simple to me. The 2nd amendment has been exploited beyond it's original purpose.

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    1. Sadly, the NRA has poured millions and millions into the GOP and until we ruin the NRA I don't see much great change.

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  9. Excellenr post as always, Bob.

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  10. Yes, yes, yes and yes!

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  11. Superb! Nice to see the good people here!

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Say anything, but keep it civil .......