One of the things I learned from John Ashbery was to be myself, especially when it came to movies, the subject we talked about most, with poetry a distant second. He showed me that I could be a fanboy because I was one. He made it clear that I did not need to be embarrassed about my enthusiasms, which ran the gamut, from the campy science fiction and badly made horror films of Ed Wood to the low-angled, stationary camera of Yasujiro Ozu and Hong Kong noir films starring Chow Yun-fat. Though John was a shy man, and kept a lot to himself, he was not afraid to be silly, serious, and emotional about an artificial world that was to him more real than the world we lived in. John and I talked about movies, directors, actors and actresses, cameramen, everything having to do with film. He once sent me a VHS of Wood’s Orgy of the Dead (1965), starring strippers in a graveyard at night, and guaranteed it was in “pristine condition.” Another time, knowing I was interested in “yellowface” and all the non-Asian actors and actresses who played Asians in films, he gave me a book on the subject that had been sent to him by an academic press. When I was doing research on the silent film actress Anna May Wong, I met a man at a movie-memorabilia fair who published a monthly newsletter about minor Hollywood stars from the silent era. The inexpensively produced stapled publication consisted of short articles summarizing the subject’s career, where they were at the present moment (often in an assisted living facility), and their filmography. John was very happy that I got him a two-year subscription, which he later renewed, and quipped: “Do you think he will ever run out of material?” John couldn’t get too much of films. He was endlessly fascinated by those who lived in what his friend, Frank O’Hara, in his poem, “Ave Maria,” called “that glamorous country.” This essay is about the adventures that John and I had while watching and talking about movies and TV shows, and the different rabbit holes that I discovered and I scurried down.

***

One night, John and I watched The Letter (1940), directed by William Wyler. Leslie Crosbie (played by Bette Davis) is married to Robert Crosbie (played by Herbert Marshall), a rubber-plantation owner whose extensive land holdings are just outside the city of Singapore.

October 24, 2025 – March 15, 2026

January 23 – March 7, 2026

Everyone I know is now on Jeopardy! As someone who writes about crossword puzzles, constructs puzzles, and teaches courses on writing and games, I have found that my connection to trivia champions is an occupational hazard, since puzzles and Jeopardy! share an enthusiastic audience (including the most recent Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions winner, Paolo Pasco, who also currently holds the trophy for the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament). It’s also in my genes: my brother was a Jeopardy! champion in 2017; my mom was on the show last summer.

But it’s not just my own Baader-Meinhof phenomenon of an ever-expanding Jeopaverse. Jeopardy! is one of the few legacy media franchises that isn’t in jeopardy. Over the past few years, there have been more iterations of Jeopardy! than ever before, well beyond the classic show. The growth is exponential, as though that trademarked exclamation point had taken on the mathematical property of a factorial, multiplying the game into so many more versions than seemed possible. It’s the Cambrian explosion of Jeopardy! that nobody asked for. Jeopardy! is too good at its brand. TikTok loves Jeopardy!

Still a last gasp of nightly cable programming, the show is now also streaming on two major platforms at once, Hulu and Peacock, which is basically unheard of, but Jeopardy! transcends the laws of television. This show isn’t a 7 P.M., five-days-a-week dose; it’s much more than that. But Jeopardy! being everywhere doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a better show.

Quiz shows were huge in early television, but in the late fifties, the FCC cracked down on programs like Twenty-One and Tic-Tac-Dough for feeding certain players the right responses. So the producer Merv Griffin had a brain wave that would leave the authorities with nothing to protest: a show that provided all the contestants with the answers, letting them provide the questions. Jeopardy! launched in 1964, and save for a few brief years—1975 to 1978, and 1979 to 1983—“America’s Favorite Quiz Show” has aired continually ever since.

Arsenal secured a commanding 3-0 win against Sunderland today, a result that has once again widened the gap between them and the chasing pack. The Gunners delivered a composed and authoritative performance, reinforcing their position at the top and strengthening the belief that this season could succeed.

Mikel Arteta is currently leading one of the strongest Arsenal sides seen in many years, with the team displaying consistency, confidence, and maturity. The squad continues to work hard with a clear objective in mind, and recent results suggest they are well-equipped to sustain their challenge until the end of the campaign.

Momentum Building at the Right Time

The last few weeks have been particularly important for Arsenal, as they have navigated a demanding schedule with assurance. Confidence within the group is clearly growing, and the players appear convinced they can get the job done. Their current run of form has seen them win each of their last three matches in all competitions, providing a timely boost at a critical stage of the season.

This sequence of victories has helped maintain momentum and sharpen focus, qualities that are essential when competing for the Premier League title. Arsenal look increasingly comfortable with the pressure that comes with leading the race, and their performances suggest a team that understands what is required to see things through.

Arteta Reflects on Progress

There is a growing sense that supporters are watching Arsenal’s journey towards lifting the Premier League trophy unfold. While challenges still lie ahead, the Gunners are doing everything possible to ensure that ambition becomes reality. Winning three matches within a single week has underlined their resilience and adaptability, something Arteta was pleased to acknowledge after the match.

Viktor Gyokeres scored twice from the bench to help Arsenal beat Sunderland, and the striker expressed satisfaction with both the result and the overall performance. The Gunners have worked tirelessly to ensure their squad remains in excellent condition, and they continue to prove themselves as one of the strongest sides across Europe’s top leagues.

Gyokeres has spent some time on the bench in recent weeks after a difficult spell in front of goal, but he has responded by making a decisive impact as a substitute. His recent contributions underline his importance to the team, even when he is not starting matches.

Gyokeres’ Role in Arsenal’s Success

If his current scoring run continues, Gyokeres could still finish the season as Arsenal’s leading scorer. However, the striker has made it clear that team success matters more to him than individual accolades. His focus remains on contributing whenever he is called upon, a task he has carried out effectively over the last few weeks.

Sunderland once again proved they are a difficult side to break down. They demonstrated their quality earlier in the season when they hosted Arsenal, but this time the Gunners ensured there would be no repeat of that outcome. Arsenal maintained control, defended with discipline, and took their chances when they mattered most.

Reaction After the Win

The victory represents another important step towards winning the league title, and Gyokeres reflected positively on the challenge Sunderland posed and how Arsenal handled it. Speaking via Sky Sports, he said, “I think they are a very good side. They are very strong and good in the air so it was always going to be a battle. They created some okay chances but overall we defended really well and when we scored the three goals, it was a good result.

Rob Green believes Arsenal got their substitutions spot on against Sunderland, a decision that played a key role in the Gunners securing victory over the Black Cats. It proved to be a more challenging encounter than the scoreline ultimately suggested, with Arsenal needing patience and discipline before finding a way through.

The match was finely balanced for much of the first half, and it took Arsenal until just before the interval to take the lead. Sunderland remained competitive and organised, giving themselves hope of rescuing a draw as the game progressed. For a long period, the contest required Arsenal to work hard and avoid frustration against determined opposition.

Impact of Arsenal’s Changes

As the second half developed, Sunderland believed they still had a chance to come away with a result. However, Arsenal’s changes from the bench altered the flow of the match. The fresh energy and quality introduced allowed the Gunners to raise their level at a crucial moment. They went on to score twice more, putting the outcome beyond doubt and ensuring they collected all three points.

This victory represents another significant step towards clinching the league title. Arsenal have now done their job and can turn their attention to events elsewhere, with Liverpool set to face Manchester City at Anfield. It is a fixture that Arsenal supporters will be watching closely, as dropped points for City would further strengthen the Gunners’ position at the top.

Green’s Analysis

Green analysed the match and highlighted the importance of the substitutions in shaping the final result. Speaking on BBC Live, he praised Arsenal’s approach and how they grew into the contest as the game wore on.

Arsenal beat Sunderland 3-0 at the Emirates this afternoon to continue their march towards the Premier League title. The Gunners approached the fixture aware that Sunderland had proven throughout the season they were not a side to be underestimated, particularly after a competitive showing against Arsenal in the reverse fixture.

From the opening exchanges, Arsenal played with confidence and authority, clearly believing they could and should win the match. Sunderland are known for their ability to absorb pressure before punishing opponents on the counterattack, and Arsenal were mindful of that threat as they looked to control proceedings.

Arsenal Patience Pays Off

Arsenal’s recent win against Leeds United had demonstrated their strength, but Sunderland arrived at the Emirates well prepared and determined to avoid embarrassment. The Black Cats defended resolutely for much of the first half, frustrating the hosts as Arsenal worked tirelessly to break them down.

Their persistence was finally rewarded just before half-time, when Martin Zubimendi, who has been in impressive form, found the breakthrough. The goal ensured Arsenal went into the interval with a deserved lead, although the narrow scoreline meant there was still work to do.

Clinical Second Half Display

Knowing that a 1-0 advantage offered little margin for error, Arsenal began the second half with the clear intention of extending their lead. Sunderland were without Granit Xhaka, but they still possessed enough quality to pose problems, forcing the Gunners to remain fully focused.

President Donald Trump’s legal team submitted false information to the Supreme Court in his ongoing legal battle against author E. Jean Carroll—who he was found liable for sexually assaulting in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in 1996—according to documents reviewed by Mother Jones. 

Justin D. Smith, Trump’s lawyer in the case, misrepresented the plot of an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in a November 2025 petition to the court. Trump, along with some of his supporters, has for years claimed that Carroll’s account of him raping and sexually assaulting her was copied from the 2012 SVU episode. 

Friends of Carroll confirm she told them about Trump’s assault years before the episode was filmed. 

Trump is asking the Supreme Court to overturn a $5 million judgment from 2023, when a federal jury held that he sexually abused Carroll and then defamed her. (A separate $83.3 million defamation judgement against him from 2024 is not directly at issue, but could be in the future if the Court sides with Trump.) The justices are scheduled to review Trump’s petition on February 20. 

Vice President JD Vance, standing alongside Second Lady Usha Vance, was met with a chorus of boos at Friday’s Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan. As team USA entered San Siro Stadium, the crowd cheered—but that was cut short when the Vances came on the big screen. 

As the New York Times reported, “Their appearance on the screens lasted for only a few seconds,” but the boos “were audible despite the loud music playing for the parade.”

Hours before the ceremony, hundreds of protestors took part in a student-led demonstration against the presence of US immigration agents at the winter games. Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations team are in Milan to “vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organizations,” according to the Department of Homeland Security. Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi has said that the ICE personnel in the country “are not operational agents.” Protestors called for the removal of ICE, along with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also attending, from the games. 

When asked about Vance’s icy welcome on Air Force One, President Donald Trump said it was “surprising.”