Salon.com: Is Michael Cohen ready for the John Dean role: A hero who saves America from Donald Trump?

[Michael Cohen: Ready for his close-up]( Is Michael Cohen ready for the John Dean role: A hero who saves America from Donald Trump? Heather Digby Parton [Trump’s “purple” values: Mainly sexism]( So much for Donald Trump’s “purple” values: His red-state support stems from flagrant sexism Amanda Marcotte --------------------------------------------------------------- [Melania: Only “positive coverage” please]( Only “positive coverage” allowed: Melania Trump is making money off of her press photos Shira Tarlo --------------------------------------------------------------- [IRS debt collection is losing money]( Trump’s plan to collect unpaid taxes costs the government more money than it brings in Bob Hennelly --------------------------------------------------------------- [New study says dogs can read emotions]( Dogs understand your facial expressions and know what you’re feeling, study says Nicole Karlis --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- [Whitney Houston’s family opens up in new film]( Her legacy as one of the most successful recording artists of all time remains untouched, but from her meteoric rise in the ‘80s through her untimely death in 2012, Whitney Houston has remained an enigma. Now, the new documentary, “Whitney,” cracks open the the legend and the myths to reveal the girl from Newark whose demons ultimately defeated her outsized talents. "I wanted to make a portrait of the human being Whitney, to try and understand her," director Kevin Macdonald ("Touching the Void," ["The Last King of Scotland"]( ) told Mary Elizabeth Williams during a recent "Salon Talks." A bullied little girl who became a pop charts-shattering crossover star, Houston was an artist born too soon. At the height of her fame, she was dogged by innuendo about her sexual orientation and criticism for her massive success with white audiences. Lonely and adrift, she was — according to family members — a sexual abuse survivor tormented by shame, and a substance abuser ridiculed for her struggles. In a different era, all those elements of her history might have become badges of strength and inspiration. "You see how much cruelty there is in the media," Macdonald said. "For a vulnerable, insecure person, seeing that you have become a punchline must have been devastating." Watch the video above to see Macdonald discuss Houston’s "complicated" sexuality and why history should go easier on Bobby Brown. Tune in for SalonTV's live shows, ["Salon Talks"]( and ["Salon Stage"]( , daily at noon ET / 9 a.m. PT and 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, streaming live on [YouTube]( , [Facebook]( and [Periscope]( . [America is not the king of fireworks]( In this exclusive clip from the POV documentary, “Brimstone & Glory,” fireworks take on a whole new meaning beyond Independence Day celebrations. The documentary spotlights the National Pyrotechnic Festival in the small Mexican town of Tultepec. Director Viktor Jakovleski captures the impressive scale of the festivities through a range of cinematic techniques, culminating in an explosive, frenzied and caution-free 10-day event unlike any other in the world. “Brimstone & Glory” will make its national broadcast debut on the PBS documentary series “POV” on Monday, July 2, 2018, at 10 p.m. ET (check local listings). “POV” is American television’s longest-running independent documentary series now in its 31st season. “Brimstone & Glory” is distributed in North America by Oscilloscope Laboratories. The film was funded by Cinereach and is a Court 13 and Department of Motion Pictures production. --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- [The human costs of the Olympics]( The human costs of the Olympics: Inside the community displaced by the 2016 Rio games Tom Roston --------------------------------------------------------------- [On Hannah Gadsby’s stunning “Nanette”]( Hannah Gadsby’s “Nanette”: The stunning Netflix special that made Louis C.K.’s comedy irrelevant Mary Elizabeth Williams --------------------------------------------------------------- [Save on an oil diffuser from the future]( This smart diffuser works with Amazon’s Alexa Salon Marketplace --------------------------------------------------------------- [A new immigration controversy for Trump]( There’s been a surge in citizenship application backlogs since Trump took office: report Matthew Rozsa --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- [Street style legend DJ Bobbito Garcia]( NYC legend and king of sneaker culture, DJ Bobbito Garcia, looks back on his mark on fashion, music and sports with Salon’s D. Watkins. Garcia was the first writer to ever focus on sneakers, his 1990s radio show “Stretch and Bobbito” introduced the world to an unsigned Nas, Biggie, Wu-Tang, Jay-Z and Eminem, and he made streetball culture mainstream. “For me it’s great when you watch a film on your laptop or you read a book for three hours or five hours or whatever it is...” Bobbito told SalonTV’s D Watkins, “But when you see a film and how people are being impacted in an audience with 300 other people, 3000 whatever it is, we did Central Park Stage summer premiere two days ago, and it’s 1500 to 2000 people and everybody is clapping at the same time, and people are crying and being moved, and coming to hug me, it’s just paramount for me to be out there.” Garcia is the critically acclaimed author of “Where’d You Get Those? NYC’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987.” As an award-winning filmmaker, Garcia has directed “Doin' It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC,” “Stretch And Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives,” and now, the street hoops icon is releasing his autobiographical documentary "Rock Rubber 45s,” out worldwide July 24 OnDemand. Watch the interview above to hear more about how basketball has had a major influence on Garcia’s career. Tune in for SalonTV's live shows, ["Salon Talks"]( and ["Salon Stage"]( , daily at noon ET / 9 a.m. PT and 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, streaming live on [YouTube]( , [Facebook]( and [Periscope]( . [Ben Foster]( Actor Ben Foster of “Hell or High Water” and “The Messenger” opens up on “Salon Talks” about playing a veteran in Debra Granik’s "Leave No Trace," out June 29. Foster’s character and his daughter in the film, played by Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, live undetected for years in the vast woods of Oregon until their world is upended and they must abruptly adapt. “I finished the script and just burst into tears,” Foster told Salon’s Andrew O’Hehir. Foster connected with the parenting choices his character struggles with, and in particularly, the story's connection to his own role as a new father. The central question of "Leave No Trace" comes down to a simple humanistic question, which Foster explained. “What do we actually need in life to live a life that’s fulfilling? These are questions that I am asking as a parent, as a man every day.” Playing veterans onscreen is not only a coincidence for Foster, but a conscious choice and interest area for him outside of acting. Watch the video above to hear why tortured, deep roles in independent film have defined his acting career and why Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans’ stories are part of his generation’s responsibility to tell. Plus, Foster reveals how he got into character for the role, which included survivalist training and spending time teaching Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie survival skills in the woods. “I love prep. I love the collaborative process.” Foster said. The actual finished film, Foster says, is like “the receipt of a great meal.” Tune in for SalonTV's live shows, ["Salon Talks"]( and ["Salon Stage"]( , daily at noon ET / 9 a.m. PT and 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, streaming live on [YouTube]( , [ ( and [Periscope]( . --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- [Ron Paul shares racist political cartoon]( Ron Paul faces swift backlash on Twitter after sharing “insanely racist” cartoon Noor Al-Sibai --------------------------------------------------------------- [Defendants in diapers?]( Defendants in diapers? Immigrant toddlers ordered to appear in court alone Christina Jewett Shefali Luthra --------------------------------------------------------------- [Suspended Bossie pushes for Comstock]( Suspended Fox pundit David Bossie has used the network to support Rep. Barbara Comstock Eric Hananoki --------------------------------------------------------------- [Why Labor and Ed Dept merger will fail]( Why Trump’s proposal to merge the departments of Labor and Education should fail Nicholas Tampio --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- [Get it on Google Play]( [Help]( | [Advertising Information]( Copyright ©2018 Salon Media Group, Inc. Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited. SALON© is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark of Salon Media Group Inc. This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Salon Media Group, Inc. · Market Street · San Francisco, CALIFORNIA 94102 · USA