How an Ex-Cop Rigged McDonald’s Monopoly Game and Stole Millions

And here you were buying super-sized cartons of french fries in the hopes of getting a Park Place, like a dope.

Author: Jeff Maysh
Source: The Daily Beast
Published: Jul 28, 2018
Length: 34 minutes (8,619 words)

Purple Pain

In the aftermath of an assault, Matthew Miles Goodrich considers the effects of opioids on himself, the culture, and his musical hero, Prince.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jul 27, 2018
Length: 11 minutes (2,837 words)

This Is What It’s Like to Be Kidnapped by Pirates

Trapped on a stolen tuna boat for thirty-two days with the corpse of the murdered captain, tropical heat, rumors of pending hangings, rumors of ransom negotiations, a broken anchor, a raging sea, and the lingering question: should you jump overboard and try to swim to shore? That’s just the beginning.

Source: GQ
Published: Jul 24, 2018
Length: 14 minutes (3,609 words)

Is America Ready for the Mind of Terence Nance?

New York Times pop culture reporter Reggie Ugwu profiles filmmaker Terence Nance upon the premier of his upcoming HBO series, ““Random Acts of Flyness.”

Published: Jul 26, 2018
Length: 8 minutes (2,118 words)

The Queer Art of Failing Better

Laurie Penny on Queer Eye: “It’s not about queerness at all. It’s actually about the disaster of heterosexuality—and what, if anything, can be salvaged from its ruins.”

Source: The Baffler
Published: Jul 24, 2018
Length: 20 minutes (5,054 words)

Portrait of an Artist as an Old Man: Mel Brooks in His 90s

Oy vey, seventy-five years of show business? Where did the time go? It hasn’t slowed down Brooks one bit.

Source: The Atlantic
Published: Jul 22, 2018
Length: 14 minutes (3,682 words)

How Goop’s Haters Made Gwyneth Paltrow’s Company Worth $250 Million

“Inside the growth of Goop — the most controversial brand in the wellness industry.”

Published: Jul 25, 2018
Length: 32 minutes (8,212 words)

The Rub of Rough Sex

A personal essay in which Chelsea G. Summers considers the ways in which outwardly “progressive” men like former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman use kink as a cover for abuse.

Source: Longreads
Published: Jul 25, 2018
Length: 15 minutes (3,801 words)

How Donald Trump’s War on Immigrants Is Playing Out in His Hometown

A massive, polyphonic account of the plight of undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers in New York City, where ICE’s increased presence has sent entire communities reeling.

Author: Staff
Published: Jul 23, 2018
Length: 33 minutes (8,443 words)

A Flower in the Debris: The Legacy of Benihana, Rocky Aoki’s All-American Empire

By diluting its Japanese character and turning food into theater, this millionaire chef introduced Japanese cuisine to American diners neither familiar with or open to it. He was both a culinary pioneer and a brilliant opportunist.

Author: Mayukh Sen
Source: The Ringer
Published: Jul 24, 2018
Length: 15 minutes (3,967 words)