News of the Week: New Books, Steamboat Willie, and Nights with the Sock-Wearing Psychopaths

In the news of the week ending January 5, 2024, are class-action candy, a free Mickey, and some more good books to add to your pile.

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Read This!

In addition to the books highlighted in the current issue of the Post, here are six more you might want to read as 2024 gets underway.

Holmes Marple & Poe by James Patterson and Brian Sitts. Three mysterious private eyes with famous last names team up to solve crimes.

A Hitch in Time by Christopher Hitchens. A collection of reviews, essays, and diary entries by the late political/cultural writer.

1000 Words: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round by Jami Attenberg. An inspirational how-to from the author of such novels as The Middlesteins and All This Could Be Yours.

Rethinking Diabetes: What Science Reveals About Diet, Insulin, and Successful Treatments by Gary Taubes. Taubes always dives deep into medical and health issues (sometimes with controversy) and this one looks like it will be the same.

Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture by Kyle Chayka. A deep look at how computers and the digital world control what we see, think, and do and how we can bring humanity back into the equation.

The Last Phone Booth in Manhattan by Beth Merlin and Danielle Modafferi. Sometimes a title is all you need to be interested in a book. This is about an engaged woman who finds out her fiancé isn’t the man she thought he was. She then finds herself stranded outside a federal prison on Christmas Day without money or her phone, until a mysterious voice from a phone booth leads her somewhere.

Visit our store at bookshop.org/shop/satevepost. If you purchase from bookshop.org using the links above, The Saturday Evening Post may receive an affiliate commission.

Hey, You Got Your Peanut Butter in My Lawsuit! You Got Your Lawsuit in My Peanut Butter!

Should candy inside of a package resemble the picture of the candy on the outside of the package? That’s pretty much the basis of a federal class action lawsuit filed in Florida.

The plaintiff says that Reese’s pumpkin-shaped Halloween peanut butter cups look nothing like they do in the picture. She’s suing on behalf of herself and “all other similarly situated individuals who purchased a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup product based on false and deceptive advertising.”

And it’s not just the pumpkins! The lawsuit also mentions peanut butter cups that are supposed to be shaped like ghosts, footballs, and a snowman.

The pictures on the package also show bites taken out of the peanut butter cups. I hope she also wasn’t expecting them to look like that inside.

Mickey Mouse is Now in the Public Domain

Steamboat Willie (Wikimedia Commons)

Well, the earliest versions of the character, including “Steamboat Willie.” If you try to use the later or current versions of the rodent, Disney will come a-knocking.

But now you can make that Mickey slasher film you’ve always wanted to make. Oh, wait, someone already is.

Also entering the public domain: the stage version of Peter Pan, Tigger, Charlie Chaplin’s The Circus, and more Here’s a full list.

Do You Wear Socks to Bed?

I do! And apparently that makes me a psychopath.

That’s what some people say anyway, according to this Wall Street Journal article.

I had no idea that wearing socks to bed was so controversial. Sure, if you don’t want to, then don’t! (This is the difference between the two sides – while the sockless judge the sock-wearers, the sock-wearers don’t judge or care about what the sockless do). But I live in New England and sometimes at night it’s still a little cold in my apartment so I wear socks. I also wear sweatpants (in the winter) or shorts (in the summer), and a T-shirt. Or am I supposed to go topless and bottomless as well when I’m in bed?

I think the people who think that socks shouldn’t be worn in bed assume a lot of things. They assume that people don’t get cold, they assume everyone wears slippers, or they assume everyone has a nice, carpeted bedroom where they can go sockless.

People are crazy. They act as if wearing socks to bed is the equivalent of wearing mittens to bed or a hat to bed. Though I’ve always wanted to wear one of those night caps that people used to wear to bed. I could come down the stairs like Ebenezer Scrooge, with my night cap on, carrying a candle.

One Last Thing From 2023 …

Turner Classic Movies takes look back at the celebrities and other famous people who have died during the year. It’s good (though I could have done without all the aerial dancing – they should stick with clips of the deceased and the music).

Uploaded to YouTube by Turner Classic Movies

RIP Tom Wilkinson, Shecky Greene, Les McCann, Richard Romanus, Bobby Rivers, Maurice Hines, Sandra Reaves-Phillips, Maureen Flavin Sweeney, and Cale Yarborough

Tom Wilkinson appeared in such films as The Full MontyMichael ClaytonShakespeare in LoveBatman Begins, In the Bedroom, and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, along with TV miniseries like John Adams (he played Ben Franklin), The Kennedys, and David Copperfield. He died Saturday at the age of 75.

Shecky Greene was a veteran standup comedian. He died Sunday at the age of 97.

Les McCann was a jazz pianist and singer who released 60 albums in his career and is probably best known for his version of the protest song “Compared to What.” He died last week at the age of 88.

Richard Romanus appeared in such films as Mean StreetsHeavy MetalThe Couch TripCops and Robbersons, and Point of No Return, as well as many TV shows. He died last month at the age of 80.

Bobby Rivers hosted many TV shows on VH1, Food Network, and Lifetime. He died last week at the age of 70.

Maurice Hines was a talented tap dancer and brother of the late dancer/actor Gregory Hines. He died last week at the age of 80.

Maureen Flavin Sweeney was a postal employee/weather data collector in Ireland whose weather information helped change the course of World War II. She died last month at the age of 100.

Sandra Reaves-Phillips was a singer and actress who portrayed several famous singers in the acclaimed stage show The Late, Great Ladies of Blues & Jazz. She also appeared in the movies ‘Round Midnight and Lean on Me and several TV shows. She died last week at the age of 79.

Cale Yarborough was a three-time NASCAR champion. He died Sunday at the age of 84.

This Week in History

Let’s Make a Deal Premieres (December 30, 1963)

60 years ago this week, people started dressing up like bananas and pirates to win cars.

President Lincoln Issues Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863)

You can read the original documents at the National Archives site.

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Campbell’s Soup (January 4, 1947)

It’s one of life’s big comforts that the can hasn’t really changed that much in all these years.

January Is National Soup Month

Soup is comforting winter food – you might even call it “M’m! M’m! Good!” – but this hasn’t been the winter for soup. The weather has been terrible. And by “terrible” I mean too-warm temps, all rain, no snow. But the bitter cold temps and shoveling will be here soon enough (meteorological rumors say a storm might be coming this weekend), so you might want to make one or more of these.

Curtis Stone has a hearty winter soup called, well, Hearty Winter Soup. Taste of Home has a Satisfying Tomato Soup and a Classic French Onion Soup. The Pioneer Woman has a Split Pea Soup with Ham and a Pumpkin Soup, while EatingWell has a One-Pot Turkey Vegetable Soup and a Stuffed Pepper Soup.

I haven’t had French onion soup in years and suddenly I’m craving it.

Next Week’s Holidays and Events

Feast of the Epiphany (January 7)

You may think the Christmas season has been over for a while but not quite yet.

Golden Globe Awards (January 7)

The 81st annual ceremony airs on CBS starting at 8 p.m. ET.

Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Subscribe now

Comments

  1. ‘Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture’ and ‘The Last Phone Booth in Manhattan’ are on my new books to read list for sure; very intriguing both. Good luck to the lady in Florida suing Reese’s for the fact the peanut butter cups inside the package look nothing like the characters depicted on the outside picture; be it pumpkins, footballs, or a snowman.

    Where do I start here with MOST products looking FAR better on the outside of the box, than the actual product inside for Christ’s sake; probably going back 100 years or more? Can I retro-sue the Revell for their picture of a happy boy on the box of a model car kit with HIS beautiful, completed car when mine was a disaster with the airplane glue and the paint; in tears and a temper tantrum? Of course not. Truth in advertising sadly is too much to expect.

    If I were the judge, I would quickly end this nonsense by telling her (in no uncertain terms) her lawsuit is ridiculous and frivolous, a waste of taxpayer’s money, and MY time as a judge. Looking for an easy payday? Not in my courtroom! Case dismissed!

    Wearing socks to bed is a personal choice. I like them too, Bob. Warmer feet bring deeper sleep throughout the night. I have some similar to the above photo, actually. Wear the pajama top and briefs to nod off. The bottoms unfortunately bunch up, so no. Is breathing itself going to become controversial? Don’t hold your breath it won’t.

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