TBRR is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports and lifestyle items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - certain accounts printed here should not be taken literally.

Politifact: some animals are more equal….

That bastion of journalistic integrity, Politifact, recently blew off the claim by Tara Reade that Joe Biden was less than a gentleman when she worked for him in his Senate office. We guess we might tend to concur if Ms. Reade were the only woman making those accusations against the former vice-president. And we might give it more credence if Politifact had not all but hung Judge Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings two years ago. Perhaps Politifact should have watched Biden’s two-step even when faced with questions from a left-leaning interviewer before they all but absolved him. As always with Politifact, it comes down to which letter (D or R) follows your name. Or, in the words of George Orwell, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” How true.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. Number of the week: 72% - percentage of U.S. citizens who believe the information in the nation’s major news media to be false or deliberately misleading. They too must read politifact.

2. Quote of the week: “I am the public face of this city.” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defending her violation of her own order shutting down beauty salons. Again, some animals are more equal than others. By the way, some interesting numbers – Illinois has a population of 13 million; Florida 21.5 million, yet the Sunshine State has half the number of coronavirus cases as Illinois and half the deaths from the pandemic.

3. A little over a month ago, we offered up a mantra for this unusual time from wellness expert Dr. Don Ardell – “Cave and Roam Alone” (TBRR 3/29/20). Now from our long-suffering bride comes “Secure and Shaggy.” Sure enough.

4. This week marks the 100^th anniversary of the birth of the revered Pope John Paul II.

5.From a recent 5:05 Newsletter: Do you realize that 100 years ago, in 1920, the U.S. outlawed alcohol and now liquor stores have been ruled an essential service. We've come a long way!

Sports, media and other stuff:

6. If we had any respect for Rays’ pitcher Blake Snell, it went out with the garbage after hearing him whine about getting about half his salary (approximately $3.5 million) – while people in Florida are hoping they finally get an unemployment check.

7. Our daughter whose baseball (and personal) IQ is about three times her Dad’s, fears the 10-team alignments being proposed might provide the slippery slope for the dreaded DH to be forced on NL teams. The nuclear clock is nearing midnight for pure baseball.

8. Years ago, I thought I was on an intelligence level with my daughter until I learned her 4 plus GPA had been accomplished in one year as opposed to the cumulative three years it took me to get to four plus at CHS.

9. Another shake-up in the MNF booth. The show will never have the cachet as in the days of Frank, Dandy Don, Howard and Hank. That was must see television.

10. Idle sports thought – Arnie, Jack and Tiger – the three best golfers in the history of the game. You pick the order, but no one else comes close.

Two stalwarts in the entertainment biz

Good Golly Miss Molly, Long Tall Sally, Jenny, Jenny and Great Gosh A’Mighty were just four of the hard driving songs from the large library of Little Richard. He was truly one of the pioneers of rock and roll along with Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis. Only Jerry Lee is still with us. Little Richard was 87 at his passing last week. And when you say Jerry Stiller, you think of his irrational fatherly roles in The King of Queens and Seinfeld. We often forget the brilliance of his comedy routines over the years with his wife, Ann Meara to whom he was married for over 60 years. She preceded him in death in 2015 and he is survived by their son, acclaimed actor/comedian Ben Stiller. Jerry Stiller was 92.

UP NEXT: Neiman Marcus; Nancy Drew; The Blame Game

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