Latest news with #TheBrink
The Age
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Invisible no longer, Holden Sheppard releases blistering new book
FICTION King of Dirt Holden Sheppard Pantera Press, $34.99 Brash, bolshy and bold, Western Australia's Holden Sheppard has created a layered and pitch-perfect anti-hero in his latest work, a seasoned and confident novel that traces one of humanity's deepest yearnings: the desire to belong. Sheppard was born in the rural town of Geraldton on the state's Mid West coast, and now lives in Perth. His debut young adult novel Invisible Boys was adapted for a Stan original series this year after winning the WA Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer and being shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards. His second book, The Brink (2022) won two Indie Book Awards. King of Dirt is his first novel aimed at adults, and follows Giacomo Brolo, aka Jack, whose life is a mess. He's a closeted gay alcoholic, who has been estranged from his family since his teens, and is working piecemeal construction gigs in remote WA. Jack's consumed with shame and self-loathing, but is functioning, more or less – until he gets a wedding invitation from his home town of Geraldton. Against his better judgment, Jack returns and ignites an emotional firestorm. Back home, he finds a lost love who would prefer he left the closet, and a traditional Italian family that wants him to stay firmly in. Then a fresh bombshell drops, hitting 10x on the complications scale and forcing Jack to face an impossible choice. This is a story about the hard-won recognition that to gain love and connection, other things must sometimes be lost – and that to choose such sacrifices takes both bravery and support. Like Sheppard's earlier novels, it depicts friendships and explores the concept of the found family, and is unafraid in evoking the darkness that awaits human beings continually denied love and self-expression. A raw undercurrent of longing runs through the novel: for the past, for youth and simplicity, for companionship and acceptance, both from society and the self. The scenes of Jack yearning for his teenage friendships, and for a long-gone sense of comradeship with his father, are among King of Dirt 's most powerfully realised. Sheppard continues his tradition of capitalising on the dramatic potential of ritualised milestone occasions such as hens' and bucks' nights, weddings, family dinners, Italian pasta-making rituals and Leavers/Schoolies week in The Brink.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Invisible no longer, Holden Sheppard releases blistering new book
FICTION King of Dirt Holden Sheppard Pantera Press, $34.99 Brash, bolshy and bold, Western Australia's Holden Sheppard has created a layered and pitch-perfect anti-hero in his latest work, a seasoned and confident novel that traces one of humanity's deepest yearnings: the desire to belong. Sheppard was born in the rural town of Geraldton on the state's Mid West coast, and now lives in Perth. His debut young adult novel Invisible Boys was adapted for a Stan original series this year after winning the WA Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer and being shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards. His second book, The Brink (2022) won two Indie Book Awards. King of Dirt is his first novel aimed at adults, and follows Giacomo Brolo, aka Jack, whose life is a mess. He's a closeted gay alcoholic, who has been estranged from his family since his teens, and is working piecemeal construction gigs in remote WA. Jack's consumed with shame and self-loathing, but is functioning, more or less – until he gets a wedding invitation from his home town of Geraldton. Against his better judgment, Jack returns and ignites an emotional firestorm. Back home, he finds a lost love who would prefer he left the closet, and a traditional Italian family that wants him to stay firmly in. Then a fresh bombshell drops, hitting 10x on the complications scale and forcing Jack to face an impossible choice. This is a story about the hard-won recognition that to gain love and connection, other things must sometimes be lost – and that to choose such sacrifices takes both bravery and support. Like Sheppard's earlier novels, it depicts friendships and explores the concept of the found family, and is unafraid in evoking the darkness that awaits human beings continually denied love and self-expression. A raw undercurrent of longing runs through the novel: for the past, for youth and simplicity, for companionship and acceptance, both from society and the self. The scenes of Jack yearning for his teenage friendships, and for a long-gone sense of comradeship with his father, are among King of Dirt 's most powerfully realised. Sheppard continues his tradition of capitalising on the dramatic potential of ritualised milestone occasions such as hens' and bucks' nights, weddings, family dinners, Italian pasta-making rituals and Leavers/Schoolies week in The Brink.
West Australian
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Holden Sheppard brings national book tour home to Geraldton with raw new novel about masculinity and survival
After a whirlwind four months of book tours, TV premieres and awards nights, Geraldton's star author is ready to bare his soul and keep himself busy, with the release of his third novel. Unlike his first two novels — debut book-turned-Stan original series Invisible Boys and The Brink — which both focused on young queer characters and written for young adult audiences, Sheppard says King of Dirt is more mature, and addresses darker themes in a way he previously wasn't able to. 'King of Dirt tackles themes of masculinity, sexuality and mental illness and trauma in men and what that looks like,' he said. 'It also dives deep into issues of family dysfunction, family estrangement and fatherhood, as well as love and loss and finding hope after losing everything. 'King of Dirt explores what a traumatised, addicted, mentally-unwell Aussie bloke in his 30s looks like, through the main character of Giacomo 'Jack' Brolo.' The novel follows Brolo — a bisexual Italian-Australian tradie — who smokes, gambles and loves footy, but also struggles with depression, loneliness and anger management issues. Jack finds himself back in Geraldton for the first time in 16 years for a family wedding, and has to confront his troubled past and his family. 'I wanted Jack to show the raw and honest realities of how working-class Aussie men feel and think in the 2020s,' Sheppard said. 'Jack struggles with his mental health, with addiction, with coming to terms with his sexuality and with suicidal ideation. 'Unlike Invisible Boys, King of Dirt is more about surviving that suicidal ideation, and realising you want to live, and trying to find a way to recover and heal from trauma and build a life you are proud of.' Sheppard said Jack was a 'sliding doors' version of himself, and his story was born when the author returned to Geraldton to visit the Stan film-set of Invisible Boys. 'While I was home, I drove back to my childhood homes in Spalding and Strathalbyn, and I was hit with this massive, overwhelming sense of homesickness and nostalgia,' he said. 'It was like experiencing grief for the life I could have had if I'd stayed in Gero. I felt it all hit me in that moment: I missed my hometown, I missed my family, I missed my mates, I missed the guy I was once and the guy I could've been.' Sheppard hinted that eagled-eyed readers of his previous novels will spot 'easter eggs' throughout King of Dirt — references to Invisible Boys and the Brink — and that there may even be cameos from two of the Invisible Boys themselves. King of Dirt is set to release on June 3 and will be stocked in Geraldton's Read A Lot Books. Sheppard is returning to the city on August 7 for an in-conversation with fellow Mid West author Michael Trant, followed by a meet-and-greet book signing. 'I do get homesick and miss living in the country a lot, so it always feels really special to do a hometown gig,' he said. 'I'm honoured that the Gero community has shown up like this, so I'm keen to share this next story with locals, too.' Lifeline: 13 11 14.
Bloomberg
13-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Rite Aid's $355 Million Bankruptcy Bill Ends in Repeat Chapter 11
By Welcome to The Brink. I'm Jonathan Randles, a reporter in New York, where I've been looking at pharmacy chain Rite Aid's return to bankruptcy. We also have news on Greek GDP warrants and Saks Global. Follow this link to subscribe. Send us feedback and tips at debtnews@ Pharmacy chain Rite Aid racked up $355 million in fees to sort out its finances after it emerged from bankruptcy last September. Nine months later it has fallen back into Chapter 11.
Business Insider
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
10 of the worst HBO shows of all time
"The Idol" "The Idol," a series about a former teen idol trying to reclaim her stardom only to fall prey to a cultish producer, was doomed from the start. The 2023 series started receiving negative headlines when it was first reported by outlets like Deadline that the show's original director, Amy Seimetz, had departed amid an "overhaul." What Seimetz's version of "The Idol" would've been, we'll never know, but the version we did end up seeing, led by "Euphoria" showrunner Sam Levinson and The Weeknd, ended up closer to a "sordid male fantasy" (Variety), a "Pornhub-homepage odyssey" (The New York Times' Kyle Buchanan), or "torture porn" (sources on set, per Rolling Stone). Whether you think that's an exaggeration or not, there's no denying that the show just wasn't very good. The relationship between Lily-Rose Depp's Jocelyn and The Weeknd's Tedros made no sense, and Jocelyn's heel-turn at the end of the season was borderline offensive. Plus, the show wasted the rest of the talented cast, including Rachel Sennott, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Hank Azaria. "The Brink" "The Brink," which aired in 2015, was originally renewed for a second season before the network reversed the renewal and canceled it, per Deadline. The series starred Jack Black as a Foreign Service Officer assigned to work at the USA's embassy in Islamabad. His costars were Tim Robbins, who played the secretary of state, and Pablo Schreiber, who played a Navy pilot/drug dealer. The darkly comic series could never quite nail down its tone. As Emily St. James wrote for Vox, "There are funny moments scattered throughout, but by and large, 'The Brink' aims to filter the satire of 'Strangelove' through the tone of 'Family Guy,' where there's no joke so obvious that it can't be made even more obvious." "Arliss" "Arliss" was such a mediocre show that it was used as a punchline for TV critics and sports journalists — Bill Simmons, when he was still at ESPN, frequently bemoaned its quality. In one 2001 article, he called it "perennially unwatchable" and a "running joke in the industry for the past few years." For those who may not even remember what "Arliss" was: It was a sports dramedy created by and starring Robert Wuhl as Arliss Michaels, an agent for an extensive roster of professional athletes. It ran for seven seasons from 1996 to 2002, confounding many. As Entertainment Weekly put it, "TV critics [were] fond of using the series for batting practice." "The Mind of the Married Man" Much like "Arliss," "The Mind of the Married Man," which aired from 2001 to 2002 and similarly starred its creator (this time, comedian Mike Binder), was used as a punchline for TV critics. In the same 2001 article in which he insulted "Arliss," Bill Simmons called this sitcom a "stinkbomb" and its creator/star "wildly untalented." The show starred Binder as a fictionalized version of himself delving into the male perspective of being married. That's it. Not exactly groundbreaking stuff. As Kevin Alexander wrote for Thrillist, "The best part of this show is the dated Wikipedia summaries of each episode." "Here and Now" If you watched "Here and Now" in 2025, seven years after it debuted on HBO, you might find it well-meaning, if a bit clunky. Led by Tim Robbins and Holly Hunter, it's the sprawling story of a multiracial family living in Portland — think "Parenthood," but make it HBO. The reviews for the show's lone season were negative. Time's Judy Berman called it "a self-righteous wallow in upper-middle-class Trump-era despair that tokenized its diverse cast, undermined its own progressive credentials, and wasted two excellent leads," while Joel Keller of Decider wrote, "'Here and Now' is so overwrought that it makes 'The Handmaid's Tale' look like a lighthearted romp by comparison." "1st & Ten" "1st & Ten" was one of HBO's earliest sitcoms upon its premiere in 1984. It lasted for six seasons, ending in 1991. Unfortunately for the show, it's now best known for starring OJ Simpson, who played a running back turned coach — while the presence of a pre-murder trial Simpson might make this a morbid fascination for the true-crime obsessed, it's still not worth the watch. It's just not funny! Another problem? The premise — that a woman won the ownership of a professional sports team in a nasty divorce — would go on to be executed better in future shows, such as "Major League" and " Ted Lasso." "Vinyl" In retrospect, "Vinyl" was not that bad, but we had such high expectations that, almost 10 years later, we still can't believe this wasn't the greatest show of all time. Co-created by Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger, Rolling Stone editor and author Rich Cohen, and "Boardwalk Empire" creator Terence Winter, a show about a 1970s record executive in New York City played by Bobby Cannavale sounds like a slam dunk. But it just wasn't. As Barbara Ellen wrote for The Guardian, "The makers of 'Vinyl' need to realise that a decent soundtrack is not a panacea for dud scenes and bad dialogue." After originally getting renewed for a second season, HBO reversed its decision and canceled the show two months after the first season concluded. "Camping" The 2018 American remake of the British series "Camping" was the first project that creators Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner worked on together after the end of their smash hit "Girls" in 2017. Needless to say, expectations were high. The cast had a deep bench, including David Tennant, Jennifer Garner, Ione Skye, Juliette Lewis, Chris Sullivan, Arturo Del Puerto, Bridget Everett, Busy Philipps, Nicole Richie, Hari Nef, and more. However, this show (about a group of middle-aged friends taking an annual camping trip) was just deeply unpleasant to watch. Every character was unlikable, and not in a charming way, like the characters of "Girls." It was almost painful. "Avenue 5" Hugh Laurie, one of the most acerbic actors in Hollywood, teaming up with Armando Iannucci, the creator of "Veep" (one of the most hilarious, biting satires in HBO's history), should've produced the best show of all time. Instead, we got "Avenue 5," a story about a space cruise that gets diverted from returning to Earth for three years … with only eight weeks worth of supplies on board. Laurie played the captain of the ship, Ryan Clark. The show premiered in 2020 and only returned for its second season in 2022, which probably caused it to lose some momentum, and the show was canceled. "What we're left with is a not terribly funny workplace comedy, with the saving grace of some accomplished and likable performers," wrote The New York Times' Mike Hale. "John from Cincinnati" Think back to June 10, 2007. The highly anticipated series finale of "The Sopranos" has just concluded with one of the most iconic and divisive unresolved endings of all time. People were calling HBO because they were convinced their signals had cut out prematurely. Instead, the credits rolled and viewers were treated to "John from Cincinnati," a … surfer crime show? Starring former "90210" and "Saved By the Bell" heartthrobs Luke Perry and Mark-Paul Gosselaar, along with Bruce Greenwood, Rebecca De Mornay, Ed O'Neill, Luis Guzmán, and Jennifer Grey? Oh, and the titular John? He's a psychically gifted man who possibly has mental disabilities — it's never made clear — and who can only speak using words people have said to him, and can make things appear in his pockets. Sure? It was never going to work out for this show. Everyone was too emotional about "The Sopranos," and it was the wrong place, wrong time for this crew of Californian misfits. Tim Goodman called the show "utterly flat and unbelievable in its supposed wackiness" in his review for the San Francisco Chronicle.
