By C.C. Burnikel
©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
09/25/19
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
09/25/19
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
Release Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2019
ACROSS
1 “I’m so stupid!”
4 Lobbying orgs.
8 Dr. Oz’s faith
13 Craft beer initials
14 Material for tatami
mats
15 Disney princess
from Motunui
16 FedEx alternative
17 Former “CBS
Evening News”
anchor
19 “I’ll take it from
here”
21 Twistable cookie
22 Like a thick,
green lawn
23 “School’s Out”
rocker
26 Go out with
27 Papier-mâché
fiesta item
28 Magnified atlas
image
30 Give a little
31 Item in a folder
35 Garden tool
36 “You Are So
Beautiful” singer
39 Biblical hymn
42 Breakfast brand
in the freezer
aisle
43 Grounded jet
46 Hayride invitation
47 Allergic reaction
50 Capp and Gore
51 Sid Caesar’s
“Your Show of
Shows” partner
56 __ puppet
58 Cowhand’s chow
59 Objects of
adulation
60 Based on a
common feature
of their names,
what 17-, 23-, 36-
and 51-Across
are well-suited
to be?
63 Little kid
64 In the country
65 Cruise stopover
66 Find a place for
67 Dead tired
68 Half-moon tide
69 Each
DOWN
1 Hit the pool
2 “Hamlet”
character who
drowns
3 Hesitant
4 Org. concerned
with students
5 Threepio’s buddy
6 North African
capital
7 Win every game
8 Letters before a
viewpoint
9 Motown music
10 Tony who
managed three
World Series-
winning teams
11 Ouzo flavoring
12 Hacker’s tool
14 Sport with clay
targets
18 Iowa campus
20 __ Nashville:
country label
24 Barista’s
workplace
25 Go higher
29 “Planet Money”
network
32 Winter hazard
33 Piece of campfire
fuel
34 Lines at a hosp.
36 “World of Dance”
judge, to fans
37 Luxury hotel
chain
38 Zen paradox
39 “Star Trek”
stunners
40 Popular beer
pong choice
41 Test result for a
HS student
43 Grow
dramatically
44 “You almost
got it”
45 42-Across
cooker
48 Bank holdup
49 Looped in on an
email, briefly
52 Bus. bigwig
53 Former senator
Hatch
54 False front
55 Deadly virus
57 Olympic skating
medalist Michelle
61 Keyboard
shortcut key
62 Weight room unit
6A — Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
“Britney Runs a Marathon” has almost all it
needs to be a success. Sure, stories like this have
been told before and stories like this will be told
again. But the cast, led by Jillian Bell (“22 Jump
Street”) as Britney, breathes life into the cookie-
cutter characters, melodramatic dialogue and
stale, situational comedy set in New York. There’s
certainly laughs to be had as Britney decides to
change her life by running the New York Marathon.
“Britney Runs a Marathon” works best when Bell
and the cast embrace genre tropes like self-love and
the value of friendship and just have fun with it.
The problem with “Britney Runs a Marathon” isn’t
its familiarity — the problem is its ambition.
The film attempts to tackle issues like body
image, mental health, substance abuse and social
media culture all at the same time. It does so in a
serious way, without levity or satire. There is such
an influx of topics, though, that any sort of depth
is impossible; each is more like a plot device than
meaningful content. Even Britney’s body image
struggle, the driving force of the story, is half-
baked. Britney’s entire character arc depends on
her desire to change her BMI. They had to get it
right, yet the movie falls flat on its face.
The story begins with a doctor telling Britney
she should lose weight. Britney rejects this, saying
that all body types are beautiful. This a valid point,
but Britney discards it in the very next scene, when
she has an unprompted breakdown and suddenly
begins running.
The editing tries to salvage things, supplying
reasons for the epiphany. The film cuts to an
unhappy Britney, drowning in snacks and alcohol.
It appears Britney is both fighting being overweight
and substance abuse issues simultaneously by
going on a run. The plot backs this viewpoint up.
As Britney sheds the pounds, her alcoholism simply
disappears. No need for counseling or rehab. It’s
just that easy.
Problematic implications aside, editing cannot
be the only source of character motivation. Too
much is left up to the viewer. It’s impossible to
connect the dots as to why exactly Britney starts
training for the marathon.
Britney’s victories feel hollow because the
stakes are unclear. Is she doing this to look
better, feel better, or something else? Near the
end, a character tells Britney “it was never about
your body.” She seems to agree, but that idea was
neither built up to or returned to over the course
of the story. The film began with the doctor telling
Britney to change her BMI, and she apparently
listened: It’s clearly been about her body, from the
start. Also, throughout the second act, Britney
is almost entirely focused on a romance subplot,
which clouds things even more.
Britney’s characterization fractures further in
the third act. To give the narrative some tension,
Britney acts like a monster to friends, family, and
strangers. The worst of it is her body shaming
another woman at a dinner party, hurling lowbrow
insults that wouldn’t be out of place in a middle
school cafeteria. This almost destroys the film,
alienating Britney for the most important stretch
of the story and throwing any notion of nuanced
social commentary out the window. When Britney
suddenly turns back to normal, the change in
personality is incorporated into her arc in a way
that’s empty and detrimental to what the movie is
trying to accomplish.
In the end, Britney learns to be a healthier, more
independent person, but not one who isn’t too
‘cold’ to make friends. None of this is supported
by the lopsided character development and lack
of motivation. It all feels phony. The cluttered
epiphany is never tied together, and is mostly
ignored in the denouement in favor of the romance
subplot.
It’s a shame, because even as the plot unravels,
there are some genuinely funny scenes and moments
where the performances ring with authenticity. But
it’s not enough to save the script. “Britney Runs a
Marathon” could be enjoyed in passing, but most
likely will not be remembered.
‘Britney Runs a Marathon,’ but I couldn’t tell you why
ANDREW WARRICK
For the Daily
FILM REVIEW
AMAZON STUDIOS
‘Britney Runs a Marathon’
State Theatre, GQT Quality 16, Ann Arbor 20+ IMAX
Amazon Studios
“The Masked Singer,” a reality show from South Korea
(the country that seems to have perfected the form in
recent years), is back on Wednesday for its second season.
The premise is simple: Groups of celebrities perform
anonymously in elaborate costumes while the judges
and viewers try to guess their identity. Each week, two
“face off” in a competition, and the loser is eliminated and
de-anonymized, providing most of the show’s memorable
moments. Beyond that, I really knew nothing else before
watching the season two sneak peek, which recapped
the first season and introduced new contestants, and
I realized that I don’t really know how to judge reality
TV at all. So, here are a couple questions I simply want
answers to by the end of this season.
My first question is: Who is blackmailing Nick
Cannon? To be honest, for the C-list celebrities, notable
and formerly beloved Steelers wide receivers and Terry
Bradshaws who make up most of the contestants,
the entire deal seems like a good amount of fun. This
includes Ken Jeong, who plays a supercharged clueless
version of what I imagine my own dad would be like as
a judge. But Nick Cannon looks like he’s struggling out
there. It’s not that he’s not enthusiastic or charming like
on “America’s Got Talent” or similar shows, but there’s
a look of desperation and existential questioning that’s
distracting.
My next question, a rather short one that I think
I already have the answer to is: Is Robin Thicke, one
of the regular judges, really a human being? I’m 99
percent sure the answer is no, and this “sneak peek”
hasn’t changed my mind one bit. While Nick Cannon’s
dead eyes are a cry for help, Robin Thicke’s even
deader eyes, flatter monotone, and general lack of any
sort of genuinely appearing emotion are because he is
an automaton. In any case, I’m looking forward to more
evidence.
Perhaps the most important question is: Where the hell
have I been? Apparently, this show was a really big deal?
Noted anti-vaxxer Jenny McCarthy mentions that she
has been told that broken family units have been brought
together because of this show? Apparently, it was one of
the highest rated shows on TV during the first season? As
someone who considers himself mildly culturally aware,
is such a perception complete nonsense? Is this entire
thing just a fever dream? Is Nicole Scherzinger actually
complimenting LaToya Jackson dressed up as an alien on
her stage presence while Ken Jeong ponders whether she
is Kate Moss or Paula Abdul? Or am I watching some sort
of interdimensional cable?
For all the answers to these questions and more, looks
like Wednesdays at 8 p.m. will be your stop.
Who blackmailed Nick Cannon? (And other concerns)
SAYAN GHOSH
Daily Arts Writer
TV NOTEBOOK
The University of Michigan’s historic Symphony Band’s first
performance of the year is set to take place on Sept. 27 in Hill
Auditorium. The theme of the evening is “Almost Baroque.”
Jordan Smith is a first year special in flute performance, having
previously completed a Masters degree at the University. After a
ninth month hiatus from Symphony Band, Smith is thrilled to be
stepping back on the Hill Auditorium stage.
“My favorite part of being in Symphony Band is being immersed
in music making at the highest level,” Smith said. “My colleagues
are truly inspirations to me. Every instrumentalist in this ensemble
is a professional.”
The band makeup ranges from grad students and specialists,
like Smith, to a few talented underclassmen. Jason Frazier, a
sophomore pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in saxophone
performance, is one of these underclassmen. This is his first term
in Symphony Band, and he is thrilled at the opportunity to be a part
of such a historic ensemble.
“I think our history sets us apart from other instrumental
groups, and part of our history is being pioneers in the American
band movement,” Frazier said. “Dr. Revelli, the original director
of the symphony band, was very adamant about each instrument
having its own professor dedicated to that instrument. That
insistence made U-M the first university in the United States to
have a professor that only taught saxophone and to offer a degree
program in saxophone performance.”
As a young saxophone player, Frazier recognizes those who
came before him who pushed for his instrument to be included in
the band.
“I think the most challenging thing for me so far has been
having to fill in the really big shoes that this ensemble has. This
is such a historic ensemble, and it was key in the establishment of
the saxophone as a legitimate concert instrument,” Frazier said. “It
really is an honor to be part of that history.”
Professor Michael Haithcock directors the University Symphony
Band. As one of the top bands on campus, the group works hard to
maintain a level of excellence.
“The Symphony Band differs from most ensembles on campus
because of trust. Professor Haithcock trusts us and expects us to
be ready for each rehearsal coming in with questions or ‘hitting
the save button’ on things we rehearsed one day and not having to
repeat those same things,” Smith said. “This ensemble has a very
long legacy of being one of the greatest ensembles at the collegiate
level.”
“(Professor Haithcock) picked Igor Stravinsky’s Concerto for
Piano as the ‘anchor piece’ for the concert, and then he built the
theme around that. Since the Stravinsky is heavily influenced by
J.S. Bach and Baroque forms, he thought to have the rest of the
program be influenced by Baroque music to some extent,” Frazier
said. The evening will consist of a wide variety of classical music,
featuring pieces such as Ralph Vaughan Williams’s “Toccata
Marziale,” Anne Clyne’s “Masquerad,” and David Maslanka’s
“Traveler.”
The concert will also feature a pre-concert talk at 7:15 p.m. in
the lower lobby of Hill Auditorium with Dr. Liz Ames, the piano
soloist for the Stravinsky Concerto, Professor Haithcock and
Michael Daugherty, the composer of the last piece on the concert.
The talk-back and concert are both free, ensuring no one has to go
“baroque” to see it. With a dedicated group of students, a fantastic
line-up and a legacy of excellence to back them up, every Symphony
Band concert is history in the making.
It’s all happening: ‘Almost Baroque’
DANA PIERANGELI
Daily Arts Writer
COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW
FOX
‘The Masked Singer’
FOX
Wednesdays @ 8 p.m.
Season 2 Sneak Peek
“Almost Baroque”
University of Michigan Symphony Band
Sept. 27 @ 8 p.m.
Hill Auditorium
Free