Today is Friday, January 21, 2022. An interesting story that I just heard, even though this broke out this past Tuesday, is that a Fox News host branded the deplorable Kentucky senator Rand Paul for being a “low brow” and condemned him for turning the Senate into a “Bazaar for Bozos.” The name of that Fox host is Geraldo Rivera, who’s known for his own extreme far-right views, but in this instance, he certainly hit the nail on the head for bashing Paul for his antics during a recent hearing featuring the much-maligned Dr. Anthony Fauci, for his ridiculous questioning of the eminent and persevering doctor, who finally hit back at the deplorable senator.

Rivera took aim at another despicable Republican senator, Roger Marshall (R-KS), for attacking Fauci as well. Marshall demanded to see Fauci’s financial disclosures without apparently realizing that they are public record. This moment was encapsulated when Fauci, aggravated to no end, was caught on a hot mic muttering, “what a moron!” Which is a deserving appellation for the ignorant Kansas repugnican. It’s surprising that Fauci didn’t call Marshall something other than a moron, which is saying it mildly.

In is condemnation of the two numbskull senators, Rivera accused them of degrading the august chamber with their juvenile behavior. Rivera wrote this on his Twitter feed, “The Senate used to be the world’s most deliberative body.” Rivera went on deploring the body and its senators with this statement, “Lately it’s been a Bazaar for Bozos.” Rivera bashed the low-brow rudeness displayed by senators like Paul and Marshall that has remade the Senate into a “Jerry Springer show.” Boy, did this once-liberal icon of broadcast journalism get it right this time.

The downright awfulness of the allies behind Dumpf was in full bloom tonight on the Ari Melber show The Beat on MSNBC in which former trade adviser election conspiracy theorist Peter Navarro was interviewed by the soon-to-be frustrated host for his views on the events of January 6. During the frustrating interview, where I commented to Elliot why would Melber even offer Navarro a forum for his now-debunked theories, Navarro peddled nonsense about the 2020 presidential election which has been the leitmotif of Dumpf and his ugly supporters since the election. I believe the real motive behind Melber inviting this kook onto the show was to publicly expose him for the lunatic he really is. The interview is covered in an online article for MediaITE by Michael Luciano in “Ari Melber Throws Down with Peter Navarro in Shoutfest: ‘Capitol Police Were Being Beaten. . . I Think You Know That.'”

Melber began the interview which would devolve into a shoutfest very soon by asking Navarro some yes/no questions before plunging into more shadowy territory. One of those questions was this: “Was it wrong for people to storm the Capitol on January 6.” Navarro’s answer was simply, “yes.” Melber then asked this question: “Was it wrong to try to overturn the election to keep Trump in office?” Navarro offered this crazy answer: “No, not legally. We – everything I did was clearly between the lines.” Melber then read from an indictment of Oath Keeper leader Stewart Rhodes for seditious conspiracy, noting that Rhodes was “opposing by force the lawful transfer of presidential power.” Melber then made comparisons between Rhodes and Navarro by saying that Navarro had the same intent as the indicted Oath Keepers leader but just used different methods to seize the election for the Orange Menace.

Navarro then went on the offensive, declaring that Melber “was doing your prosecutor thing. How about you give me a chance to talk now? That ok.”

Navarro now provided dubious claims about the election and suggested Joe Biden received illegal votes. Yeah, where from? Melber then interrupted Navarro’s loopy train of thought to pivot the conversation to the storming of the Capitol on January 6 and what role Dumpf played in it. The host then played a clip of Dumpf describing that day as “peaceful.” It was so peaceful that Dumpf preferred to sit out the “peaceful” protest and watch it from the comfort of the White House.

Here is where Navarro became ludicrous when he asserted he “saw nothing but peaceful people walking along up to that Capitol. I did not personally observe storming the gates there -.”

Melber now interrupted his disingenuous interviewee saying, “But you see it on tape. You know what happened. You know Donald Trump lied about it.”

Navarro could not offer any opinions about the would-be dictator’s deceiving of the American people with his lies, so he deflected the argument by asking, “Where were the Capitol police?” Here Melber delivered the coup de grace by saying, without a hint of sarcasm, “The Capitol police were being beaten and attacked by Trump fans.” Then Melber ended the woeful interview with this, “I think you know that.”

Another Dumpf enabler, Boris Epshteyn, a former White House aide, was interviewed by the pertinacious MSNBC host in the same segment, in which he admitted that he helped organize a campaign to submit fake electoral candidates from several states that falsely claimed former president Il Trumpino won the 2020 election. Epshteyn was subpoenaed by the House Elect Committee investigating the Capitol insurrection, while Navarro was not. He informed Melber, “Yes, I was part of the process to make sure there were alternate electors for when, as we hoped, the challenges to the seated electors would be heard and be successful.”

The brazen aide went on to claim that “everything that was done was done legally, by the Trump legal team, according to the rules, and under the leadership of (Trump lawyer) Rudy Giuliani.”

It was first reported by CNN that Giuliani “oversaw efforts in December 2020 to put forward illegitimate electors from seven states that Il Trumpino lost, according to three sources with direct “knowledge of the scheme.”

At least two state attorneys general have referred investigations into the fake electoral certificates to the Department of Justice. Possibly this nut speaking on Melber’s show has just exposed himself to criminal scrutiny for what he just admitted on television. Epshteyn just damned Rudy Giuliani as well on the show. This stupid guy’s comments are being raked on the coals of Twitter right now, as Twitter users are firing up apt rejoinders to the aide’s claims made on national television. One user just wrote, “He pled guilty on national tv and gave up Rudy on a platter.” Another user wrote, “This is a confession to major crime.” Well, nobody has claimed that the far right is a smart bunch of people. Just examine this interview with little Boris tonight.

Today the world mourns the passing of two shining stars, comedian Louie Anderson and rock star and actor Meat Loaf, formerly known as Michael Lee Aday, who died on Thursday. Anderson, 68, was known for his deprecating humor and his last role on the FX comedy show Baskets, playing the title character’s mother. Anderson has contended that his portrayal of “Christine,” the matriarch of the Baskets clan, on the show was modeled after his own mother. Meat Loaf, who died today, at the age of 74, was well known for his brilliant 1977 album, “Bat Out of Hell,” which included such diverse songs as the title song, “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” “You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night),” and “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.” Meat Loaf also acted in such films as The Rocky Horror Show, Spice World, Fight Club, and Focus (which he called his best work). During his lifetime, he sold over 100 million albums worldwide and starred in 65 movies. His “Bat Out of Hell” remains one of the top 10-selling albums of all time. As a shaggy teen, I remember playing this album of Meat Loaf’s over and over on my record player in my Co-Op City apartment which gave me endless hours of pleasure. I loved that album so much.

We are all saddened by these stars’ premature deaths. Rest in peace!

Today was not very exciting since the temperatures outside were in the wee teens. So I had breakfast at home, which is a rarity for me. I went out only once to go to the gym and to do some shopping for Elliot. I did have lunch at La Boulangerie where I had beef lentil soup, scrambled eggs with a baguette, and coffee.

I forgot to mention that I did enter that cookie shop right here on Austin Street earlier this week when there was no line outside. I ordered two cookies then: a chocolate cookie and an Oreo cookie. The cookies are very crunchy and hefty. I did like the chocolate cookie very much. So today since there was no line outside, I just rushed right in and ordered three cookies this time: two chocolate chip cookies and one chocolate cookie. I have only nibbled on one of the chocolate chip cookies this afternoon. If the cookies had been gooey, I would have not been a repeat customer by any means.

I’m going to try to end earlier this evening since tonight marks the return of Bill Maher to HBO. I would like to watch him at 10. I can imagine what his opening monologue will be, as he’s been off for about three weeks.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

Stay safe and be well.