Plus, Indiana Jones, Barbie's house, and Clarence Thomas

View this email online by Linda Holmes Welcome! It was the week when Barbie's house could be yours. It was the week when movies in theaters waited for audiences. And it was the week when Ryan Seacrest got yet another job. Let's get to it. Mascot birthdays and brand identities in questionable taste(buds) This has been a heavy week in some ways. You know this already. So let's take a minute and talk about mascots. There come times when companies have assets lying around that they're not sure what to do with. Materials, outdated products, promotional swag for things that flopped. It appears that McDonald's looked around and decided they had a big purple ... thing that they weren't using, and thus began Operation Get Everybody to Talk About Grimace. Grimace is the vaguely gumdrop-shaped purple lump that defies simple classification, which makes him unusual among McDonald's most familiar characters. Ronald McDonald is a clown, the Hamburglar is a thief who looks like he works at Foot Locker, Mayor McCheese is a corrupt politician with a burger for a head, and so on. But what is Grimace? Why is Grimace? Wendy's has a girl with braids, Burger King has a freaky-looking royal ... but what is Grimace for? Ronald McDonald and Grimace appear in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in November 2020 in New York City.  Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy's, Inc. Doesn't matter! It turns out you don't need a purpose if you have a birthday. And Grimace supposedly has one. So now we have a special meal accompanied by a purple shake in "honor" of what some claim is actually an enormous, presumably inflamed taste bud. And, not to complicate something that should be beautifully simple, but: Can a taste bud have a birthday? Because taste buds regenerate themselves constantly, something like once every couple of weeks, according to the very smart people at ... NPR. So theoretically, a taste bud's birthday is like two weeks ago! If Grimace is a taste bud introduced in 1971, he's been dead for 50 years! That is unless, of course, we assume that taste buds follow a sort of Ship of Theseus protocol and regenerate a little at a time, while remaining the same fundamental entity throughout. Honestly, Grimace being a taste bud would introduce a number of problems into the celebration of his birthday. Thus: I consider him a mascot that isn't anything. Don't get me wrong; I like a mascot that isn't anything. I grew up watching the Phillie Phanatic, who is proudly not anything (yes, yes, Wikipedia claims he's a "flightless bird," but this is merely a way to try to fit him into some kind of normal taxonomy of mascots, and we will not be doing that to the PP today). No, the Phanatic doesn't have a baseball head. No, he's not an obnoxious chicken. He is just a green thing that they made up with a snout and a lot of green fur. You could say the same of Gritty, actually, in terms of a certain loosely defined creature who you have to imagine spends a lot of time in bars. Philadelphia apparently just likes mascots who look a little bit like on weekends, they go nuts and get in fights with other mascots. If you contrast that with the Washington Nationals mascots that, while wonderful, represent one bald eagle and several people who died long ago, I think the Phanatic wins. But a sports mascot seems a little different from a commercial mascot. Commercial mascots are just ... ways to root for brands, in this case for food. That's a little bit less pure-hearted than, say, Artie the Artichoke, who is technically food but also cheers on Scottsdale Community College. If you're going to be a commercial mascot, you really need at least a few fun mascot facts, the best of which is the now-well-known truth that Chuck E. Cheese's real name is Charles Entertainment Cheese. If Grimace's real name were Grimacio Ludwig von Frenchfry, you might be getting somewhere. "May be a tastebud" is not a fun fact, it is grim speculation that may or may not answer an explosion of internet lore. Is the omnipresence of commercial mascots the most important thing going on in the world? Perhaps not. But in a world gone mad, I am prepared to opine that Grimace's birthday probably does not require celebration, he should not be deemed a taste bud, and no shake should be that color. Newsletter continues after sponsor message We Recommend Hijack on Apple TV+ is so stressful that I found it hard to watch. But the series, which stars Idris Elba as a man trying to help himself and the rest of the passengers survive (unsurprisingly) a hijacking, is certainly capable at what it sets out to do. Now and then, the death of a working actor just inspires me to investigate their career and how long, varied and interesting it is. This week, it was Nicolas Coster, who did soaps, All the President's Men, lots and lots of prime-time TV, and theater, where he was an understudy for Laurence Olivier. I have long been a fan of Slate's Slow Burn podcast, and I am excited to sit down with its perfectly-timed new season, which is about Clarence Thomas. What We Did This Week Andrew Barth Feldman and Jennifer Lawrence star in No Hard Feelings / Sony Pictures Entertainment A couple of weeks ago, I accidentally raised a false alarm that our former producer Candice Lim, now the co-host of ICYMI at Slate, had returned as a panelist for one of our episodes. That was a mix-up, but now it's true! Candice came back to chat with Stephen about the Jennifer Lawrence comedy No Hard Feelings. Glen talked to LaTesha Harris and Inkoo Kang about Boots Riley's big, ambitious show I'm A Virgo. I talked to Leah Donnella about some great mysteries and thrillers you can read when you need to be unsettled in the good way. And Glen, Chris Klimek and Kristen Meinzer had a great time talking about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. What's Making Us Happy Every week on the show, we talk about some other things out in the world that have been giving us joy lately. Here they are: Kristen Meinzer: Lady Audaci-Tea Chris Klimek: A vibrant summer movie season Glen Weldon: Matteo Lane: Hair Plugs & Heartache Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour+. Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free episodes. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: pchh@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Books, Daily News and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Pop Culture Happy Hour emails. 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It’s never too late to become a strong swimmer 🏊

Plus, grilling is easier than you think

View this email online Kaz Fantone/NPR With heat waves hitting Texas and other Southern states, public pools and lakes are good places to cool down.  But being a confident swimmer is crucial to enjoying yourself even in a backyard kiddie pool. According to the CDC, an average of 11 people die from drowning per day in the U.S.  There are lots of reasons people don't learn how to swim. A big one is fear. Even if you have a life jacket or some other floatation device, knowing how to swim will keep you safer than any device, says Cullen Jones, an Olympic gold medalist swimmer and swim safety advocate. "There is no substitute. Zero." If you don’t feel confident in the water, it’s not too late to learn how to swim. And if you do know how to swim, consider sharing your skills with a loved one, says Jones. (Or forward them this newsletter as a starting point).  If you’re looking for lessons as an adult, you can go to the U.S. Masters Swimming website and search for instructors near you who specifically teach adults.  MORE ON SWIMMING Want to become a stronger swimmer? Already know how to swim? Either way, make sure you know these 5 skills Becoming a strong swimmer isn’t just about holding your breath underwater or splashing around in the pool. According to the American Red Cross, swimming well enough to save your life includes five basic skills. 🌊 First, make sure you can jump into water, submerge yourself completely and bring yourself to the surface. 🥽 Once you've returned to the surface, float or tread water for one minute. When treading water, stay relaxed so you don't overexert yourself. 🩱 From there, you'll want to be able to turn around in a full circle and find an exit. Jones says knowing how to get out of the water is "just as important as getting into the water." 🏊 Next, swim 25 yards to an exit without stopping. You can use whichever stroke you're comfortable with. Jones adds that most pools in the U.S. are 25 yards. 💧 Finally, make sure you can exit the pool or body of water without a ladder. Jones uses the phrase "elbow, elbow, tummy, knee, knee" to teach his three-year-old son this skill. "You're putting both elbows up on the surface, [and] lifting yourself up to your stomach so you're halfway out." From there, you bring one knee up and then the other knee up, says Jones. "Then you should be able to stand up." Even if you generally avoid the water, you might find yourself in a situation where you wish you were a more confident swimmer. And unlike other sports, Jones says swimming isn’t just a great workout, “It’s a life skill.”  —Clare Marie Schneider, Life Kit editor and producer   OK, I’M READY TO SWIM Newsletter continues after sponsor message Access Sponsor-Free Episodes Want to support our show? Try a subscription to Life Kit+ and get all the tips and tricks you love sponsor-free! Learn more at plus.npr.org/lifekit.  Learn More ☀️ Other stories for summer ☀️ 🥵 Here are 5 tips to help you stay safe and cool in extreme heat. Heat waves today are not the same as 60 years ago. The warming climate is making them more intense and they’re lasting longer. Here are five ways you can beat the heat and stay cool.  ✈️ 6 tips to help you overcome your fear of flying. Whether you’re a nervous flyer, do almost anything to avoid flying, or have an actual flying phobia, these tips can help. 🥓 Grilling is easier than you think. Here's how to start. Grilling isn't just a summer rite of passage for suburban dads — it's for anyone who loves being outside and enjoys that smoky, crispy sear on their meats, vegetables and fruits. But cooking over a flame can intimidate even the most experienced home chefs. Here’s how to get started.  📸 How to take better (and more distinctive) photos on vacation. When your smartphone can hold thousands of photos, it's tempting to snap away. But that approach may not actually help you capture the best moments. These tips on creating stunning images will help you more meaningfully document your trips. 🧳 Tips for planning the perfect long weekend trip. If you're planning a getaway for the long weekend, consider cost, distance and what activities you want to do. If you're staying local, you can still plan a special weekend with fun at home.   Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy

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