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My timeline is full of “what is R&B?” debates so listen to my new favorite R&B album while you read this. 

Modern Musings

Takes on what’s happening both big and small

Let’s Make History
Consider This For Comfort just wrapped Season 4! For those of you who prefer to binge, there are 10 brand new episodes ready and waiting for you! You’ll also now get the honor of listening to an award-nominated podcast! You read that right. Your favorite podcast is nominated for a Women Podcasters Award in the News & Entertainment category. 

Hosting and producing this show is the definition of a labor of love. TV is one of the clearest windows into what our culture and society values, questions and strives for. And building this platform has meant so much to me. If you've ever listened, learned or felt seen through this show, I'd appreciate your vote! (That’s right, democracy might just still be alive and well). 

Voting closes THIS THURSDAY at 6pm EST so cast your vote & then forward this to someone you know who does what you ask without too many questions. 

(P.S. I’m also very excited to share that I was recently accepted into AIR’s 2026 New Voices Amplify Creators program. Learn more about it.)

Eteng Recommends

Film/TV 

• Beef. Oscar Issac is 2 for 2 for slightly traumatizing me through his characters’ marriages (I still think about his performance in Scenes from a Marriage). This season is the definition of “it be your own” with the main characters spending more time beefing with their romantic partners than their actual enemies. It becomes a full-blown action thriller toward the end which I both loved but it also pulled me out of the story a bit. I’m left thinking about how our relationships and marriages can be dynamic enough to house and foster our ever-evolving desires. If you decide you want a bigger life than you originally imagined, what does it look like to broach that with your partner? Completely unrelated: using You & Me over the end credits of episode 1 instantly transported me back to 2013 and my love of Disclosure.

• Running Point. Season 2 recently premiered and I watched the entire series in one day while writing this newsletter. I love how much it reminds me of what I enjoy about Ted Lasso: tackling contemporary situations and issues in a very funny, smart way; offering a deep dive into the business side of professional sports; and showcasing the range of challenges the front office has to deal with at any given time. And Kate Hudson and Jay Ellis are a beautiful combo!

• I Love LA. I do love L.A. (Even though the last time I was there it was freezing & the weather is the main selling point so that was kinda awkward). It is (or historically has been) the epicenter of TV and film so I’ll ride for this place regardless. I’m very late to this show, mostly because I haven’t really dipped a toe into the new crop of Gen-Z-led shows. Well, the water is warm and I now get why Rachel Sennott is everywhere. There’s a lot to unpack about how influencer culture is now entrenched in every facet of our lives, increasingly standing in for entertainment journalism, cultural criticism and more. The show is hilarious, has heart and makes fun of the ridiculousness of this “emerging” industry. There is only one Broad City but I Love LA is clearly a direct descendant.

• The People’s Princess aka Zohran Mamdani is unsurprisingly not a fan of the Paramount/ Warner Brothers merger and highlights the ways its passing would impact New Yorkers in the entertainment industry.

• You, Me & Tuscany. Long live the romcom! This took me back to the 2000s when we had an abundance of mid-tier romcoms made simply to entertain and fuel everyone’s inner hopeless romantic. It’s a deeply unserious movie with a clear forward-moving plot and definitely deserves a spot in the rotation of films that get endless reruns on Lifetime and Hallmark Channel. As someone who loves prestige films, this felt really refreshing. Different movies serve different purposes and there is more to life than trying to win an Oscar.

Lifestyle/Misc

• The Whitney Biennial. I love a good museum and this one has been on my NYC tourist list for some time. The Biennial is a reflection of the state of American art. (All art is a reflection of the times regardless but I will always appreciate exhibitions that are explicitly aiming to serve as a pulse check for where we’re at.) I was struck by the thoughtfulness of exploring “What is American?” by including artwork from artists particularly impacted by American Imperialism (i.e. Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Indigenous lands). It’s free entry on Fridays and check out some pics below.

• Leland Eating and Drinking House. After the Whitney Biennial, I grabbed dinner at this place. There’s nothing like “discovering” a restaurant that’s been in an area you like the whole time but somehow you never stumbled upon until now. Great food, ambiance, mezcal cocktails and tunes on vinyl are all keys to my heart.

• Celebs on Broadway. The best way to see your favorite celebs is NOT by trying to figure out where they hang out in Brooklyn. It's seeing them on Broadway. Megan Thee Stallion and JoJo are on my list. This is both a tale as old as time and (maybe another recession indicator).

Sincerely,

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