16. License to News (or Letter to Kill)
Dear readers, let me be very clear about the title(s). You’d be forgiven for assuming that they allude to current events. But they totally don’t. They’re NOT political. Because this newsletter isn’t about politics. It’s about me. To explain…
I was recently interviewed by Cinematographer Alan McIntyre Smith as the inaugural guest on the Film Workers series for his Substack, WTF-Stop. We mostly talked about the practicalities of working in the film industry, he also mentioned this very newsletter and praised… yeah… the titles.
When I set up these newsletters at www.davidxbush.com I developed a titling protocol and enshrined it in a document called The Bill of Bonds (OR The James of Rights? I dunno), and it’s pretty self-evident that such a list is sacrosanct and can never be wantonly trod upon, especially not when they had just been publicly complimented.
So, I HAD to name this 16th quarterly edition after the 16th 007 film… License to Kill.
If your mind draws some tenuous connection between that title and some sort of hypothetical real world abuses of power, that’s on you, because it no way is intended to call to mind any alleged government statements seemingly sanctioning the use of excessive force, nor any theoretical threats to mainstream journalism, nor any supposed tit for tat purchases of political coups, cabinet positions, or presidential pardons. Not at all.
These newsletters are not about politics. They’re about me, and the last thing I want to do shift focus away from myself. To be very clear, the motive there is egocentrism, not self-preservation, because even implying that the latter would be a concern might be construed as political and like I said, I’m not doing that.
That said, given the incendiary political environment, I felt it would be irresponsible to release this document without thoroughly examining it to ensure that no one would be unintentionally radicalized. This was my obligation as a respected American institution, and to be fair, by that standard, I’m actually WAY ahead of schedule. OK here goes…
The 16th List of (apolitical) Recommendations!
1. Cicada – We’ll be reading this psychological horror script (written by yours truly, produced by and starring Fallon Goodson & Sky Lopez) at the Actor’s Apothecary as part of their ‘Cold Read’ series on March 29th. Come watch, hang out, and even read a part! It’s about a struggling artist trying to use her voice without being destroyed by, or worse, becoming part of a systemic cycle of exploitation and violence. But like, not in a political way – We movie people know to stay in our lane and not go creating any…
2. Dangerous Visions – Unlike the hallucinations in Cicada and today’s (alleged) news the stories in this anthology are Science Fiction. Controversial loudmouthed egotist Harlan Ellison used his charisma and status to do good (as all such people always do) by challenging a diverse array of top notch SF writers to submit stories that no one else would let them publish. The boundary-pushing (not to be confused with border-crossing) results are bizarre, thought-provoking, edgy, and hilarious, and they come with wonderful intros and afterwords that give hilarious context and insight into the authors’…
3. Oblique Strategies – Neither a workout technique nor part of some subversive agenda, this collection of creative prompts was designed to help you break through barriers (of thought only) by considering varied and challenging perspectives (but like, not in a woke way). The original box of cards (as featured in Richard Linklater’s wonderful debut, Slacker) is out of print and grossly overpriced, but virtual versions or the full list are available for free. Fun fact: they were co-created by ambient musician, Brian Eno, and if you like his music, try…
4. Emancipator – Don’t worry, this isn’t some sort of leftist anti-slavery thing, but rather a trippy atmospheric musician I’ve loved for years. His recent album Stories of a Melting Sun (NOT about climate change) has been go-to background for my writing the past few months, though at the moment, I’m listening to…
5. Steve Reich – This contemporary classical composer’s minimalist Music for 18 Musicians, features the ideal blend of predictability and surprise to make for energetic but unobtrusive deep work music. Despite a name that evokes a hybrid of Steve Jobs and Adolf Hitler, Reich’s music keeps you attentive, but doesn’t demand that attention for itself, unlike the combatants in…
6. Epic Rap Battles of History – Jobs and Hitler both appeared in episodes of this clever youtube series, which pits all manner of combatants (from historical figures like Gandhi and MLK Jr played by Key & Peele respectively, to fictional icons like Voldemort and Darth Vader, to ambiguously existent personalities like Adam, Eve, and Hannibal Lecter) against each other in hilarious and brutal Kendrick level feuds. THEY do sometimes get political, but even in their election showdowns (Romney vs Obama, or *REDACTED* vs Hilary *REDACTED*) they invest tremendous wit into both sides rather than unfairly equipping just one with a…
7. Song Exploder – Sorry, this keeps happening, but no, Song isn’t the name of a Venezuelan definitely-drug boat, so no this isn’t a nickname for *REDACTED*. This podcast features popular songs from eclectic genres and invites the artists and their collaborators to deep dive the technical and creative process of making the music. I’d recommend not cherry picking only songs you already like (this isn’t politics). It’s incredible how often learning the backstory and inspiration can give you appreciation for creations you’d previously dismissed. Which is also a risk of…
8. The End of an Era –I’m not a ‘Swiftie’ per se, but I’ve long looked up to her productivity and work ethic but I didn’t go to her record-breaking eras tour (not for political reasons (she sings in English)). After watching this behind-the-scenes docuseries on Disney+, I deeply regret missing it. Even if you’re not a fan of Swift or her music, the documentary showcases not only the monumental achievement of executing such an audacious musical feat, but also the importance and positive impact, in a genuinely non-political way, of fostering diversity and maintaining humanity throughout the process. Of course this is also showcased in…
9. Academy Awards 2026 – How could this possibly get political? Since I speak English and I’m neither a woman nor a person of color, I’ll refrain from praising this year’s record-breaking representation. Instead, I’ll only shout out a group to which I clearly belong, the Louisiana Film Community. I’m thrilled that I get to regularly work with local folks like Monique Champagne (art), Donnie Dean (FX) and Chris Welcker (sound), who are all nominated this year for their first Oscars! Congratulations to all of you and your teams. Unfortunately, there’s another former co-worker who I’ll be unhappy to see on Oscar night…
10. Rob Reiner – In memoriam. It SHOULD be easy to talk about Rob without getting into politics. After all, he wasn’t a politician. He was a storyteller. In the 80s and 90s he made arguably the greatest run of five consecutive films by any director, ever. When Harry Met Sally, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, Misery, and A Few Good Men span wildly different genres, but all address the importance of compassion and understanding, especially in the face of uncomfortable moral dilemmas. Rob clearly had tremendous empathy, compassion and drive, so it should come as no surprise that he was also an activist. The murders of Rob and Michele (his wife and producing partner) had no link to their activism, the immediate response by the President (though I won’t say which one) sent the clear message that if the Reiners hadn’t opposed him, they’d likely still be alive. Yes, unfortunately a politician capitalized on the death of a movie person as an opportunity to warn the rest of us not to…
11. Get Political! – Yeah, sorry. There are good reasons not too. Whether it’s justified or not, you might be scared. And if you’re not scared, you’re almost certainly exhausted. Not necessarily from going toe-to-toe with ICE agents (or fending of your neighbor gangs of imported dog-eating rapists. The perpetual internal conflict about how best to weigh the love you feel for some of your closest friends and family against the contempt you feel for the atrocities they are enabling is emotionally exhausting. Repeatedly explaining things to people who have fortified themselves against you by believing that you are a monster would be mentally exhausting even if you didn’t have to constantly remind yourself that they’re not actually a monster either. But being apolitical can be tiring too (trust me). It take some serious mental gymnastics to tolerate flagrantly immoral (and illogical) behavior. The easiest might be just to bury your head in the sand, in which case, I recommend…
12. This Facedown Cot – All joking aside, this thing is awesome. It was designed for tanning or massage purposes, but as someone who considers discomfort one of the greatest obstacles to focus, I don’t know why we as a species can’t set our differences aside and collaborate on important issues like designing more face down furniture. Seriously, if I can find a way to modify this thing so I can use a laptop while lying on it, why then there will be NO excuse when the next newsletter is still somehow behind schedule. As a bonus it’s great for hiding the shame you feel for not doing the right thing. Or for reading a good book, though given the weather at the moment, it would be an awfully Cold Read, which cycles us back to… Cicada.
That’s it! The whole (utterly inoffensive) list (except for the parts that couldn’t be shared).
Parenthetical facetiousness aside, if you find my stances politically offensive, please feel free to reach out. It doesn’t have to be public, but I’d love to hear your side. Genuinely. It’s not about ‘winning’, it’s not about masochism.
I believe that the power of language allowed us to evolve from solitary violent animals into moderately less violent tribes. It’s unsurprising that some xenophobic tendencies, both aggressive and defensive linger, but I firmly believe that we are smart to evolve past that. The connections between the words ‘community’ and ‘communication’ are no accident. Words are how we come to together. Which is convenient for me because I clearly love using them. IF you want to hear a few more, and maybe even speak some of them…
Please DO come check out Cicada! March 29th. Political (though non-partisan) warning: A recurring theme of the script is that a person might not be responsible for creating their circumstances, but they are responsible for how they react to them, and though directly addressing them can be painful and costly, it’s a better choice than denial. I really do believe that, so…
Send me your words!
I’d love to hear what you’re up to. I’d love to hear what movies, books, music, etc. you’ve been enjoying. Or creating. Or if you just want to tell me that I’m a brain-washed traitor, I really do welcome that too, but please please please, use some extra words, and tell me why. Maybe you’ll even convert me.
That’s it folks. Thank you so much for humoring me, and I hope to hear from you soon!
David X* Bush
*It defies X-planation