Mug Shot Monday

 

Michigan, redeemed itself on Election Day, has more than its share of militia members. But for every one of those, there are several "Michigan hot" men like this, who are pro Black Lives Matter!

Mug Shot Monday

 

One of the men who plotted to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer because (t)he(y) felt her Covid-19 policies were too harsh wants out of jail ... because he fears Covid-19.

Michiganese 101

 

Where was Adriel Thornton when I lived in Detroit? And the most ridiculous part is that they take the "s" off words that actually have it. "I went to Applebee and drank a Stroh."

Armed and Dangerously Stupid

Oh, Michigan. Do you ever stop embarrassing yourself? Meanwhile, if a black person so much as looks at a BB gun THAT'S FOR SALE in a Walmart they get shot.

It's the Misogyny, Stupid

BREAKING: Four Michigan sheriffs refuse to enforce Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order. 

Oh, Michigan. Just when I was starting to not be embarrassed to be from there again.

A family friend wrote to tell me that people are protesting all over the state -- with no masks and without keeping their distance. The friend says they are calling Gov. Gretchen Whitmer "Hitmer" -- complete with her photo with Hitler mustache drawn on -- and chanting "Lock her up" while holding up pro-Trump signs.

If a Republican were ordering this, much less a Republican man, you would NEVER hear of such a thing. And people wonder how HRC "lost" the election. Truly disgusting. Although I believe the good people outweigh the bad there, 2016 showed us that with the right (aka wrong) confluence of factors, the dark side can win.

 P.S. Spelling *is* essential, honey.

A friend of mine there says they have a name for these people: Covidiots.

Dirty little secret about Michigan: Because of the auto industry, it's filled with waaaay too many people from "Down South" who moved for work.

UPDATE: A reader points out that these Tea Party-esque protests were organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition and the Michigan Freedom Fund, a Betsy "Amway/Dept. of Education" DeVos family-linked conservative group.

Hunks of 'House Hunters'

When I first saw this episode of "House Hunters" was set in Holly, Mich., I almost told Damian to delete it as I only like to watch the ones filmed in the Detroit area. Turns out Holly is actually in the same county where I was born and raised -- oops -- but is just a small town with lots of houses on huge lots of land (as opposed to the tract housing I grew up in). 

But even if it hadn't turned out to be in Oakland County, my interest was piqued the second I laid eyes on Mike, a big (tattooed) daddy with his own heating and cooling business. (The heating part certainly sounds plausible.) 

Like most Michigan men, he's obsessed with his boat and being near "the lake," wherever that is.

He and his (second? third?) wife, Nicole -- whom he met at a "cheeseburger festival" and does the books for his business -- were looking for a big house to accommodate their newly blended family, which features two pre-existing daughters on each side of the aisle.

Because Mike lives in Michigan, his wardrobe is more Walmart than XS v-neck T-shirts from American Apparel ...

But that didn't stop Damian from taking dozens of photos, the rest of which you can enjoy HERE.

Song of the Day: 'Never Going Back Again' by Fleetwood Mac

Although I have many memories prior to 1977, I tend to think of it as the point where I started to remember everything in its entirety. (Call me Marilu Henner adjacent.) That was when my brother Bill's best friend, Paul, was over at our house on 13 Mile Road talking about his parents getting him "Rumours" for Christmas -- "It's like they just walked into the record store and said, 'What's popular?' and got me something I don't even want" he complained -- as if they had gotten him Rick Dees' "Disco Duck Part 1 & 2." "Rumours," of course, is arguably the most perfect album of all time -- and 40 years later I'd be curious to learn if Paul has come around to realizing what a great gift his parents bestowed upon him.

Imagine an album so good that "Silver Springs" had to be cut from it?

The Detroit News

Just got back from Detroit safe and sound. It was a wonderful trip -- just what the doctor (and my heart) ordered. Bill has a big day Thursday when they take tests to see if his cancer treatment is helping. If how he is feeling is any indication, it is indeed. The only way this trip could have been more perfect is if our brother Terence and sister Jenn could have come along. Here are some of my favorite memories from some of our old haunts. xo

Visiting the house where I was born in Madison Heights

At the Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills ...

No Madonna sightings ...

Billy and Mom kept their date for doughnuts and cider ...

We celebrated Gary's birthday in his hometown of Warren ...

And got together with Ted and Shirley and friend Liane for pizza at Buddy's. (Detroit-style, natch. Just like Emily Squared is copying in Brooklyn.)

Ted and Shirley were my mom and dad's upstairs neighbors in their first house in Ferndale, where they relocated after leaving D.C. when my brother Kevin died and Pottsville (Pa.) after my dad lost yet another job. Dad and Ted became friends when they worked together at General Motors, but when Dad had his brain injury, my stepfather and Ted became good friends too. We used to go to their big house on the lake in Utica to swim or toboggan when we were kids. Ted keeps promising home movies, which I would kill to see! 

My NYC friends Craig and Frank are now three years into living back in the Detroit area. We stayed one night at their beautiful home in Pleasant Ridge, then got together in Ferndale for dinner at Public House ...

Frank took us to Slows BBQ in Corktown on our first night, as well as Treat Dreams (Ferndale), Pronto (Royal Oak) and Menjos (Detroit). 

Walking Woodward ...

When Craig got back into town, we hit the DIY Ferndale Festival, The Whistle Stop (Pleasant Ridge). Soho (Ferndale) and Pronto again over the course of the weekend. (My childhood friend JR also joined us at Soho and Pronto on Saturday night, although Nina couldn't make it in from Chicago as planned because her car crapped out.)

Family time at the hotel ...

Detroit is down, but its "Spirit" is still kicking ... 

My mom's third place in Ferndale -- and the first house Bill remembers -- where my brother Terence came home from Martin Place Hospital in Madison Heights back in 1965 ...

We stopped by my brother Jacqueline's wife's childhood home in Grosse Pointe Park (she lived there for three years in elementary school) then headed over for dessert at the nearby Sanders. (You haven't lived until you've tried their Bumpy Cake!)

Drama Queens: Re-enacting the time my brother Terence was stung by a bee on his ear when he was a little boy when my parents took us to the exciting and glamorous new International House of Pancakes in Berkley!

This is the inside of what used to be Village Racquet Club, where I spent a huge amount of my Michigan youth playing tennis. 

Willow Hill: The townhouse on 13 Mile Road in Madison Heights my mom and Gary bought around the time my sister Jennifer was born ...

Hiller Bums: This was our second elementary school, having gone to Roosevelt when we lived off Lincoln between Dequindre and John R. Bill quickly moved to John Page Junior High, but that didn't stop him from writing the infamous "Shape Up, Hiller!" op-ed that got The Hiller News shut down by my principal! 

Bill and his wife, Jacqueline. Our entire family is so grateful she is by Bill's side during this difficult time. Even if she weren't his wife, there's truly no one I can think of who I'd rather have as his advocate -- she's knows her stuff.

Belle Isle is looking gorgeous again -- the fountain got a major face-lift -- and you can't beat its spectacular view of downtown, the Ambassador Bridge and Windsor ...

8 Mile High Club

Damian thinks there's a "Michigan hot" type of guy. He's right, although this one at Detroit Metro airport is more universally hot.

Cheap Thrills

Um. Isn't this illegal? 

Gordie Howe, ‘Mr. Hockey’ for the Red Wings, Dies at 88

Read his New York Times obituary HERE.

My brother on the passing of one of our hometown heroes, rightwinger Gordie Howe:

From HERE.

Bill even named one of his cats after him, although I see no resemblance whatsoever ...

Kevin Cotter's Obsessed With Butt-F**king -- UPDATED

Instead of Helping Flint, Michigan Republicans Just Passed a Bill That Makes Anal Sex Illegal

The lady doth protest too much. (I'll bet this handsome 38-year-old lawmaker takes it like a champ.)

As expected, the withdrawal method was used.

Mich. You Much

This is going around on a Michigan Facebook page -- and you can bet your house Up North that they're each pronounced with an apostrophe s on them.

About That Michigan 'S'

Tickled to see a story headlined THE STORY BEHIND THE MICHIGAN "S" -- which blames Ford Motor Co. for people adding the apostrophe "s" to everything because it was short for "Ford's Factory" -- or "Ford's." Wish it would have also explained why these same people who call Kmart "Kmart's," Meijer "Meijer's and Walmart "Walmart's" will then turn around and order a "Stroh" beer ... and insist on speaking with those accents!

Little House of Representatives

Even Mary could see that Melissa Gilbert challenging raging teabagger Mike Bishop for Michigan’s 8th congressional seat is a great idea! (It's in a place not far from where I grew up that I've never heard of.) Read HERE.

UPDATE:

I'm a sucker for a Sandy Duncan joke!

Police Called Over Ice Cream Cone's Paltry Sprinkle Count

Michigan is obviously feeling a little jealous of all the attention Florida and Arizona are getting. First Waffleirongate, and now this.

New York magazine reports:

After receiving an ice-cream cone with not enough sprinkles over the weekend, a woman in Michigan decided to take matters into her own hands — literally — by screaming at a store clerk and attempting to punch the friend trying to calm her down. The unnamed woman entered a local gas station on Saturday and ordered an ice-cream cone. When the clerk put too few sprinkles on it, she began to throw a tantrum. "The clerk called police because the customer was upset because she didn't have enough sprinkles," the Mason County Sheriff told M Life. Her male companion attempted to calm her down, but she began trying to hit him. The two eventually left the store, but the clerk called the police with their license-plate number. They'd already left the area before the cops arrived, though, so no charges were pressed.