Why The Rubberband Man as the theme song? I identify with him: I’ve probably been stuck more times by needles in 2024 than in the rest of my life. But I keep snapping back, like the guy in the song.

I wrote a breezy post about our Vegas sojourn. It was harder on me than I let on. I’m still beat from the trip, but my morale is on the rise because my latest round of blood tests showed improvement. My iron levels are now low normal. My doctor agreed that I need one more iron infusion to get back to where I once belonged. Does that make me Jo Jo? Beats the hell outta me. Maybe I should consult with Macca.

This week’s theme song was written in 1976 by Linda Creed and crack producer Thom Bell. It was written for The Spinners and they stuck the landing.

We have three versions of The Rubberband Man for your listening pleasure: two by The Spinners followed by The Rumour without Graham Parker.

How about another rubber song?

How about a song from Rubber Soul?

Our second act features a segment on a four part docuseries about the 1986 murder of a great man.

The Man Who Played With Fire was the Swedish journalist and crime fiction writer Stieg Larsson. Larsson was obsessed with the murder of the aforementioned great man: Olof Palme the courageous and crusading Social Democratic Prime Minister of Sweden from 1969-1976 and 1982-1986. An assassin shot Palme in the back outside a Stockholm movie theatre. It was a shocking crime in a country with little gun violence.

The Man Who Played With Fire began life as a 99 minute feature film. It’s been expanded and adapted for American television.

Stieg Larsson died in 2004 but left behind the files of his investigation into Olof Palme’s murder. Another Swedish writer Jan Stocklassa carried on Larsson’s investigation, which led to his book about what he calls “the Palme fever” and this docuseries.

The Man Who Played With Fire is a hybrid of true crime and history that works very well indeed. I knew that Palme was a leader in the anti-Apartheid movement but didn’t know that the Sweden covertly provided much of the money for the ANC’s struggle. That’s why Olof Palme is a hero to Black South Africans and an enemy to Apartheid dead enders.

Jan Stocklassa reached a convincing conclusion and turned his evidence over to the police. But the authorities ruled the Palme case closed and unsolved. Those are all the details I’m willing to provide because I urge everyone who is interested in the subject to watch the series. Shorter Adrastos: No spoilers.

In case you’re wondering, the series is mostly in English with the odd subtitle: Jan Stocklassa speaks fluent English.

Grading Time: I give The Man Who Played With Fire 4 stars and an Adrastos Grade of A-. It’s streaming on MAX.

The last word of our second act goes to The Jayhawks. It’s dedicated to the late, great Olof Palme.

We begin our third act with our favorite stolen feature.

Separated At Birth Twitter Edition: It’s all in the posture, Ted Cruz and Martin Short as Ed Grimley.

'I must say', it's not 'totally indecent' to wonder: Separated at birth? pic.twitter.com/WtuXfa8zk7

— Don Lewis (@DonLew87) June 5, 2022

Holy ugly brown check shirts, Batman.

Your Weekly Oscar: This week’s entry comes from a 1980 album on which OP played some then contemporary material. In this case, the monster 1968 hit by Blood, Sweat & Tears.

Have I told you lately how much I love Oscar Peterson?

Next, the original version of the song, which has a domestic object in the title. Do people still have spinning wheels? Discuss amongst yourselves.

The Best Of Penn & Teller: The obsession continues. Jimmy Fallon also attended.

Saturday GIF Horse: Penn Jillete’s hero is Erich Weiss DBA Harry Houdini. Teller remains mum but most magicians dig Houdini.

There’s only one person who can help Houdini escape from handcuff bondage:

That’s right, it’s Gilbert O’Sullivan of all people. Wanna make something of it? Kate Bush does:

Tweet Of The Week: John Dean was the only Nixonite to emerge from Watergate with a shred of decency. In this tweet, he shreds the Insult Comedian. Well played, John.

Nice summary… pic.twitter.com/8ANzpSlsXQ

— John W. Dean (@JohnWDean) August 9, 2024

Let’s close down this virtual honky tonk with some more music.

Saturday Closer: You may have noticed that I’m revisiting the music of Three Dog Night lately. They were best known as a hit machine, but they were also an excellent live band.

That’s all for this week. The last word goes to two of my favorite politicians, Hubert Humphrey and Olof Palme in a weirdly staged photograph. Surely, they didn’t go fishing in their dress clothes. Most fishermen I know remove their ties before angling.