Everyone who knows me in real life understands the irony of the featured image. Its German title translates as snow-covered mountain with skiers. I don’t do winter sports or winter itself. I cowered inside during the freak New Orleans blizzard of 2025, after all. I do, however, dig the Expressionist artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner whose work was usually grittier than this painting.

The cold weather continues in New Orleans. There’s an additional chill in the air because of the presence of Border Patrol and ICE agents on the streets of the metro area. My days of in your face activism are over but I applaud everyone who is still at it. We’ve learned some lessons from the MAGA incursions in Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and Charlotte. I commend to your attention a Substack post by Hamilton Nolan.

The MAGA minions have focused more on Jefferson Parish where authorities are to the right of New Orleans city government. But there are those who have resisted even in Kenner:

Make that Kenna, brah. I had to do that for my New Orleans readers or lose local cred.

This week’s theme song was written by Mick Jones and Lou Gramm for Foreigner’s eponymous 1977 debut album.

Let’s get as Cold As Ice:

John Hiatt joins in on today’s ice fest:

Still feeling chilled? So are Mick and Keith with this swell song from a crap album:

We begin our second act with a TPM twosome, duo, or some such shit. I’m just glad that I didn’t conflate TPM with TCM. I tend to do that. It’s OK, they’re two of my favorite things.

The Undocumented Underground is a series by Hunter Walker about people who are sticking their necks out to help folks targeted by ICE and the Border Patrol. The first installment landed on 12/9. There will be more to come.

The Golden Dukes Awards are TPM’s annual look at “grifters, ring-kissers, and supporting hatchet men.” This award that nobody wants to win is named for crooked former Congressman Duke Cunningham who was pardoned in 2021 by the Kaiser Of Chaos.

I’ve already voted but there’s still time. Click here to wallow in the MAGA mire.

Down Cemetery Road is an Apple+ crime fiction show based on a novel by Mick Harron of Slow Horses fame. It features Emma Thompson as a snarky shamus out to revenge her husband’s murder. Ruth Wilson co-stars in a show that could be titled: How To Make A Beautiful Actress Look Dowdy.

The producers succeed in making Ruth, who played a ginger femme fatale in Luther, look frumpy while spinning this ripping yarn. You say spin. I say rip. Let’s call the whole thing off.

Here’s the trailer:

Grading Time: I give Down Cemetery Road 3 1/2 stars and an Adrastos Grade of B+. Dr A and I called it The Emma & Ruth Show during its 8-episode run. The season just concluded so you can binge the whole damn series.

The last word of our second act goes to Tom Waits:

We begin our third act with our favorite stolen feature.

Separated at Birth Casting Edition: Remember when Bobby Bacala was forced to play Santa on The Sopranos?

I’m not sure if that qualifies for this category but it’s the holidays so why the hell not? If Tony had serenaded Steve Schirripa with this song, the episode would have been even better:

Your Basic Basie: A positive message from Count Basie and Joe Williams.

Have I told you lately how much I love Count Basie?

Classic Movie Trailer: What’s wintrier than a film set in postwar Vienna? I give you the trailer for one of the best thrillers ever made, The Third Man.

What’s not to love about a movie written by Graham Greene, directed by Carol Reed that stars Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, and Trevor Howard? Not a damn thing.

Grading Time: I give The Third Man 4 stars and an Adrastos grade of A. It’s a stone cold classic.

Saturday GIF Horse: In lieu of catblogging, a GIF from The Third Man.

Here’s The Band with a zither-free version of The Third Man theme song:

Toon Time: Picayune political cartoonist Walt Handelsman is retiring. Let’s throw a log on the fire for his farewell party.

Meme Street: This picture from the Epstein estate was released by House Democrats. It’s not exactly a meme but I didn’t know what else to call it other than degenerate and deranged.

In a word: Gross.

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

Saturday Closer: Cyndi Lauper. Say no more.

That’s all for this week. The last word goes to Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson at the beach, not the cemetery.