The Rubesletter - Attack your enemies, not your allies
This is the Rubesletter from Matt Ruby. I’m a comedian, writer, and the creator of Vooza. Every Tuesday, I send essays, jokes, and videos to your inbox. You’re on the free plan, for the full experience, sign up for a paid subscription. Attack your enemies, not your alliesThrowing soup cans at art, heckling at comedy shows, and blocking the Pride parade ain't a winning strategy.Speaking of Father’s Day… That’s my dad (left) with his father. About my father: He was a Ronald Reagan loving Republican, a criminal prosecutor, and a proud Israeli who served as a tank commander in the IDF. Basically, he was everything social media loves to hate. The thing is, in person, he was a teddy bear with a deep love for animals who married a leftist, bohemian poet/sculptor. He loved model trains, the Marx Brothers, James Bond, True cigarettes, Johnny Cash, and Leonard Cohen. His favorite thing to do at the end of his life was sing “Amazing Grace” with his song circle. His bellowing laugh whenever he watched Steven Wright is probably why I was fascinated with comedy from a young age. People are complicated, y’know? If you’re curious, I wrote more about him here and here and here. And I talked about him and my mom on ep 6 of my Kind of a Lot podcast. FYI, my father was born in Tel Aviv. That photo up top is him in his IDF uniform in the 1950’s. His father was also born there – as was his father. That history is one reason I’m confounded by people who say Jews in Israel should “go back to where they came from.” Um, okay. I need to “pick a side,” eh? OK. I am against religious lunatics, whether they be in Gaza, Israel, or America. Speaking of confusing… They’re going after the people in charge of the Brooklyn Museum!? Crazy. It's a white guilt epicenter and literally the most woke museum I've ever visited. (I live nearby and have been a bunch of times.) Exhibit after exhibit there strives painfully hard to be diverse, intersectional, feminist, etc. In fact, last time I went there was a zine fair with tons of kiosks offering up progressive propaganda (see below). Yet they got Jews on the board so the anti-Israel radicals decided to break out the red paint and go faux-Kristallnacht on ‘em. Sigh. You can definitely be anti-Zionist without being anti-semitic. However, for many, it seems to be a surprisingly difficult needle to thread. Something these protesters need to clock: The best path is to attack enemies, not allies. Heckling at comedy shows, vandalizing Brooklyn Museum higher-ups, and blocking the Pride parade ain’t moving the needle when their real foes are Halliburton, AIPAC, Exxon, Itamar Ben-Gvir, etc. All these clowns are doing is making those who might agree with them think they’re a**holes. If you want to support this newsletter, please take out a paid subscription (only $6/month). You’ll get bonus stuff too.Same same but different is the climate change activists who keep throwing soup cans at Rembrandts. 1) No one comes around to someone’s way of thinking because they defaced a masterpiece. 2) People who understand the difference between impressionism and abstract expressionism aren’t the ones defending coal mining. If you wanna get your activism on effectively, go throw some mulligatawny on a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. mural or do a sit-in at the parking lot of a Kid Rock show. All this is why you should never invite me to a drag queen performance. It’s not that I have beef with drag queens, it’s that every time I’ve gone, they’re always extremely mean to me or some other normie dude. Invariably, they single out the one shy, straight guy who got dragged there by his girlfriend and pick on him mercilessly: “Come to the stage, little heteroboy!” And then they mock him, dump a bucket of ice on his head, and/or throw fake vomit on him. (Yes, I’m still pissed about the dry cleaning bill from last time.) I get it, queens – you’re mad at the patriarchy and this is your shot at revenge. However, straight dudes at drag shows in Manhattan are not the problem. Go do all that at a school board meeting in Tulsa. Those are the people you actually have a problem with. And while I’m venting, that whole “The Alitos and Roberts discuss politically sensitive topics in secret recordings by liberal activist” story was creepy AF. My political views include being against SECRETLY TAPING PEOPLE AT PARTIES. Because I will literally say anything to get weird people to stop talking to me at a party. "Sure, yeah, place of godliness, that’s what America needs. [Looks around desperately.] Oh, look. There's the guy with the pigs in blankets. Gotta jet, byeeeee." I know, I keep going after lefties here. Blame my dad if ya want. But honestly, it’s because these MAGA kooks are on their way to running the country and I’m sick of watching Team Blue acting the fool in a way that’s just cementing our descent into fascism. For the love of democracy: Get it together, people. Brat PackThis is the only mention of Andrew McCarthy in that Brat Pack article:
It took him 30+ years to get over that? Dude, your acting style was compared to Sean Penn. It could be worse. Brat Pack was a clever nickname and cleverness sticks so really the entire issue is with people’s weird affection for phrases that rhyme. (See: God/Eve/Steve.) Btw, ya want a million dollar idea? Turn "The Breakfast Club" into a play. It's already set in a single location. And ya can make it multiracial so it's "modernized." Guarantee ya 18 Tony noms and packed houses. Comedy🃏 Get jokes, info, and clips of my standup via social media: Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and YouTube. 🃏 My other newsletter is Funny How: Letters to a Young Comedian. It’s about doing standup. 🃏 Listen to my podcast: Kind of a Lot with Matt Ruby. New ep just dropped! 🃏 Road dates coming up: Arlington (VA), Boston, and Victoria (BC). Ticket info. Quickies🎯 I have never in my life successfully turned a hotel shower faucet to hot on the first try. 🎯 Tall guys are just short guys who've been told "yes" their entire lives. 🎯 I'm so dyslexic that I had sex with a woman, found her c-spot, and then she had a baby via g-section. 🎯 We all hate kids who never had to endure anything tough yet we all try to raise kids who never have to endure anything tough. 🎯 Astrology? Of course when you were born matters...because that’s the weather your parents had to deal with when they took you home. For example: BORN IN DECEMBER = your parents were freezing for the first three months of your life so you are a stubborn, cold person. It adds up! #capricorn 🎯 Get ready for a ton of Ozempic Olympics puns. 🎯 After listening to multiple interviews with Jerry Seinfeld, I’m starting to think he bought stock in Marcus Aurelius and is now trying to pump up the price. 🎯 Everyone in Boulder dresses like a 5K might break out at any moment. Chill out. It’s very rare that you have to go on an emergency hike. Still, it sure is pretty there: Tech fouls💾 Crazy thing about the tech world Is the negative consequences are always unintended yet somehow the positive profits are always completely deserved. Neat trick that. 💾 TikTok said, "Your network is unstable." And now I'm convinced China really is spying on us 'cuz that's totally the best word to describe my friend group. 💾 Three simple changes to tech that would improve society immensely:
💾 Before you engage with a stranger on social media, remember they are most likely a child, mentally ill, or an imbecile. 💾 Not everything needs to be a video. Also: There should be more pop up podcasts. 5-10 eps, get in and get out. Not everything has to last forever. 💾 I just want my phone to be in low power mode all the time. It’s weird how much Apple does not want me to have this. Apple, don’t sweat it: You can steal my data slowly. No need to rush. 💾 A.I. is a crappy artist that takes requests. It's basically the digital version of a wedding DJ. Sports bombs💣 Need another show biz gem? Here you go: Someone get me a pitch meeting. 💣 Related: I don't want to know about a team "zeroing in," "circling," or "targeting" a coach/player. This is a sports team, not a shark. Just tell me when the contract is signed. Up 'til then, I'm good. 💣 It’s just another sign we’ve entered the age of fractional news. “Is it news?” “Not yet, but it might be!” 💣 Also: When the hell is someone gonna write the think piece that compares Taylor Swift to Caitlin Clark? Do I have to do EVERYTHING around here!? Drugz💮 7th grade. Teacher told us LSD could give you flashbacks: “20 years later it might hit you. Out of nowhere, you could drive off the side of the road.” My mom picked me up from school that day. I asked if she had ever taken LSD. “Yes.” “More than once?” “Yes.” Then, I very carefully buckled my seat belt and we rode off. 💮 It’s legal to use psychedelics for religious purposes which is great because taking psychedelics is my religion. 💮 Jesus turned water into wine. Jews leave wine outside for the Prophet Elijah. Catholics drink wine with wafers. Lesson: To see the light, ya gotta be lit. 💮 All drugs are not the same. We need a separate category for drugs that you can’t overdose on. Otherwise it’s like lumping together cyanide and baking soda. 💮 Whoever coined the phrase “hugs not drugs” clearly never took Molly. 5-spotted🗯️ Beloved buildings aren’t always immediately embraced.
🗯️ Why high school kids use their phones so much: self-soothing.
🗯️ Playwright Annie Baker is “still grappling with the philosophy of film editing.”
🗯️ We're living in a state of disconnection with the natural world, according to professor Michelle Shofet.
🗯️ Sometimes the tide is just out. How Jewel overcame her depression.
Thanks for reading. Share it if ya dig it. -Matt You’re on the free list for The Rubesletter by Matt Ruby. For bonus content, become a paying subscriber. Check out Matt’s other newsletter: Funny How: Letters to a Young Comedian. Follow Matt elsewhere: Instagram • YouTube • Threads • Twitter • TikTok • Facebook |
Older messages
Here's how to test if this “Anxious Generation” stuff is true
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Also: My rocker past, Bill Burr's take on the WNBA, the words of campus protests, how tech obliterated media, and Bourdain on travel. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Seinfeld haters have lost their minds
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
The worst aspect of dunk culture: the whole “Actually, I never never thought he was [funny, interesting, talented]” thing. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Back to black at the Rothko Chapel
Monday, June 3, 2024
On paying attention and what I've learned from a lifetime of looking at Mark Rothko's art. | Also: Airbnb, civil war, NBA, dating apps, men's rights activists, velcro, Bo Burnham,
Who's really to blame for conspiracy theories...
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Also, ten new-to-me terms, including shame closets, missing stairs, and the dating app paradox. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Who is the Gen Z version of Steve Albini?
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Also: My European standup tour wraps up, AI dating concierges, loving the Knicks, Seinfeld's commencement speech, and more. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
You Might Also Like
World Series Game 4 Delivers 8-Year Audience High As Yankees Upset Dodgers To Force Another Matchup
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
View on web New reader? Subscribe October 30, 2024 World Series Game 4 Delivers 8-Year Audience High As Yankees Upset Dodgers To Force Another Matchup By Katie Campione This email was sent to
Cyndi Lauper Still Wants to Have Fun
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
View on web New reader? Subscribe October 30, 2024 Cyndi Lauper Still Wants to Have Fun The pop icon on her farewell tour, the musical heroes who inspired her, and why she'll never give up By Rob
Why you can't bring a roast to a rally
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
On comedy, politics, and context. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Trump's Plot Against America
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
View on web New reader? Subscribe October 30, 2024 Trump's Plot Against America A leading historian looks back at Philip Roth's novel and how it perfectly predicts the rise of Trump and his
UK Budget: BBC World Service Gets Its Funding Boost As Film and TV Tax Reliefs Remain Untouched
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
View on web New reader? Subscribe October 30, 2024 UK Budget: BBC World Service Gets Its Funding Boost As Film & TV Tax Reliefs Remain Untouched By Max Goldbart This email was sent to
TikTok Expands ‘Add to Music App’ Feature with Album Pre-saves; AI Version of a Hit Christmas Song Marks New Era i…
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
2037 | Your Daily Dose of Music Streaming News ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Australian Chef Matt Moran To Explore Personal Lives Of Richard Roxburgh, Pia Miranda and More In Food And History Series 'Memory Bites' From Big Owl Pictures and Private Investment Firm Globe Wealth
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
View on web New reader? Subscribe October 30, 2024 Australian Chef Matt Moran To Explore Personal Lives Of Richard Roxburgh, Pia Miranda & More In Food And History Series 'Memory Bites'
'House Of The Dragon' Star Eve Best and 'The Penguin's Carmen Ejogo Leading Nicôle Lecky's BBC Thriller
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
View on web New reader? Subscribe October 30, 2024 'House Of The Dragon' Star Eve Best & 'The Penguin's Carmen Ejogo Leading Nicôle Lecky's BBC Thriller By Max Goldbart This
Britain's Foreign Format Furore: Why The Growing Embrace Of Imported Hits Is Causing Alarm
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
View on web New reader? Subscribe October 30, 2024 Britain's Foreign Format Furore: Why The Growing Embrace Of Imported Hits Is Causing Alarm By Jake Kanter This email was sent to newsletterest1@
amelia courthouse
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Good morning. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏