What is this even?

“What even is this” is an informal, emphatic way to ask “What is this?” (or “What is that?”) to express surprise, confusion, or strong curiosity, adding emphasis with “even” to show something is particularly odd or unexpected, rather than a grammatical error. It’s a common modern colloquialism, especially in online speech, conveying bewilderment about something baffling or out of place, much stronger than just asking “What is it?”.

• Meaning: It highlights the unusual nature of something.

• Usage: Informal, often used in text, social media, or casual conversation.

• Example: Seeing a bizarre new gadget: “What even is this thing?!”.

If that is what you are asking about the blog, such as it is, I have the same question. And no answer. Maybe you can tell me what this blog is, exactly. And while you’re at it, tell me what American politics is right now.

A reality TV spectacle par excellence — no doubt.

But whose line is it anyway? And whose reality?

The Kardashians are not keeping up, or so it seems: Kim K. failed the California bar exam. Three times. Should have texted me back. Now, I’m busy; sorry boo. You could have been AG!

Pam Bondi’s job is safe…for now…but only the paranoid survive, Pam, only. the. paranoid. survive. Enema the dog who ate the Epstein files. Or subpoena his puppy ass. Or at least learn how to redact.

Marco Rubio has won the Apprentice at least three times.

Biggest loser: Mike Pompeo. A source close to Pompeo tells me it was easy once he stopped eating food and started eating his words.

Survivor: Trump. Has to be, right?

America’s next top model is certifiably Gavin Newsom.

But then, a real curveball. Katie Miller starts the podcast edition of the Real Housewives of Mar-a-lago, Househusbands in tow, some of whom even husband the U.S. House.

It is named, memorably and quite brilliantly, THE KATIE MILLER PODCAST. Which reminds me of a restaurant near Capitol Hill I used to love called ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT. It tells you nothing and yet absolutely everything you need to know about what’s inside: great food — for anything but thought. I am ashamed to say I watch it every week. Yet not ashamed enough, alas, to ever stop watching.

Second to last, but not least, is our very own American Idol, Erika Kirk, who inspires us all with a quintessentially biblical lesson: we all mourn differently, OK?? Gosh. And some of us simply cannot grieve properly without pyrotechnics, glitter, vino, and Vance dance. Paraphrasing of course.

And in a novel twist on an old classic, The Second Lady of the United States notches perhaps the most cinematic victory on this season of NBC’S new hit show: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN VANCE bitch !!??

Yes, men get sexually harassed at work, too. Especially when we’re winning.

And of the myriad ways to reject an unwanted sexual advance, it is difficult to fathom one more brutal than immediately announcing a 4th child with your wife of 12 years, who even just before, just after, or in the midst of labor and high on anesthesia, in between contractions, would not fail the California bar exam.

Come for the queen you best not miss bish babe ❤️

All that is to say, there is hope. And laughter. And joy — so much joy, don’t forget the joy. Hope may not be a strategy, but joy will work for Democrats about as well as it did in 2024. And if not, thank God we have fear and loathing.

Media is not politics.

Politics is not government.

Government is what really matters. And thanks to our constitution, 250 years into this beautiful experiment, America endures.

It will not die anytime soon.

(Probably.)

But if it does, my fellow Americans, it will be fun. So much fun. We will perish, I am now quite certain, in anticipation. Laughing, crying, meme-ing, screaming for more. And waiting. Just waiting. With bated breath, amusing ourselves to death.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions." In 1984, Orwell added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure.”¹²