Note: If you missed the 10th to 5th place finishers, make sure to check out those now and don’t forget to check back for the Top 3 Biggest Assholes in American history! Ronald Reagan…You may have noticed that the list hasn’t included a single U.S. President in either the Runner-Ups section or the 10 through 5th…
Movie Reviews: “War Machine” and “The Wizard of Lies”
Sadly, people are debating about whether to release any movie smaller than “Transformers”-size in a theater at all. Some argue that small and mid-size movies will be seen by a wider audience if they just stream on various platforms or Video-On Demand, but to me that would basically symbolize the death of independent cinema and…
How “The Americans” Became My Unexpected “Hate Watch”
I usually think of the term “hate watching” as applying to a show you hate yourself for watching usually involving the words “Housewives,” “Naked,” or “featuring [blank] Kardashian.” I’ve never really thought of the term applying to a series that is supposedly great quality and has a reputation for being underrated, yet you can’t help but hate what it’s become. Which…
The 5th Biggest Asshole in American History is…Robert A. Taft!
Note: We’re getting down to the nitty-gritty, and before you find out who holds the not-so-coveted position of “American History’s Biggest Asshole,” remember to check out 6th through 10th place, and of course 11th through 20th in the Runner-Ups section. Robert A. Taft…More than just about anyone else on the list, I strugged with where exactly to put…
Sixth Biggest Assholes in American History Are…Nelson W. Aldrich AND Allan Pinkerton!
Note: As always, if you missed 10 through 7 or the Runner-Up list, check back now before we get to “Final 5.” Specific Note: Yes, it’s true that Allan Pinkerton is the only immigrant in the top 10, technically being born in Scotland before coming to America as a relatively young man. That’s part of the reason…
Seventh Biggest Asshole in American History is…John Hickson (Sugar Research Foundation)!
Note: Check back at the Runner-Ups list and 10th through 8th Biggest Assholes if you haven’t already seen them. And later today for the “6th Biggest Asshole in American History” along with the…drum roll please…Top 5 Biggest Assholes in only the next few days. John Hickson (of the Sugar Association or Sugar Research Foundation)…This is by far…
America’s 8th Biggest Assholes Are…Joseph Smith and Cotton Mather (Tie)
Note: If you missed the Runner-Up list or Official Assholes 10 and 9, go back and check those out first. And remember to keep checking back this week for the rest of the worst. There’s just simply no way I could do a countdown like this and avoid the topic of religion, which is a cornerstone…
The Ninth Biggest Asshole in American History is…Joseph McCarthy!
Note: In case you missed the 10th Biggest Asshole in American History or the Runner-Up list, go back and check it out first. Joseph McCarthy is probably not a huge shock to most people, and may be one of the few names in this countdown that doesn’t need much of an explanation…Who Is He? The senate’s biggest witch hunt leader,…
The Tenth Biggest Asshole in American History is…Prescott Bush!
Note: For more on how I chose “American History’s Ten Biggest Assholes” and the almost-as-deplorable Runner-Up list, check out that article as well. Numbers 20 through 11 are populated with rogues you may not have heard of… Prescott Bush…Who Is He?…He’s the father of George H. W. Bush and grandfather of George W. Bush—and, uhhh, yeah Jeb and…
How I Chose “America’s Biggest Assholes” and the Runner-Ups
Choosing “America’s Biggest Assholes” is a daunting task. First, America is not as old as most other countries and there’s not–despite what you may have read about this or that President over the years–really “an American Hitler” or “an American Genghis Khan.” American ruthlessness is usually a more subtle and corporate-infused variety so that it’s sometimes…
Movie Review: Why “Alien: Covenant” is a Step Backward for the Franchise
Even before “Alien: Covenant” opened to softer-than-expected box office, I was dubious it would really offer the creative goods. That’s why I placed it in the “I’m not so sure about” section of my summer movie preview, and watching the film didn’t really change anything. I still wish they had made a more direct sequel…
Movie Review: King Arthur
“King Arthur” holds the dubious distinction of being “Summer 2017’s First Big Flop.” Uhhh…congratulations? To celebrate, what do you get the movie who has nothing, including dismal reviews, bad box office, and its franchise hopes dashed? How about a mild Alabama Liberal review that points out what the movie does right? I’m just kidding, this…
TV Review: A “Twin Peaks” Newbie Tries to Make Sense of the First Four Episodes
As a millennial TV critic, I was about four years old when “Twin Peaks” first exploded onto the scene during its original ABC run, and needless to say I wasn’t much following it at the time, instead engrossed in a different bizarre world called “Sesame Street.” Still, I’ve heard more times than I can count…