A Report from Inside the Circus of Donald Trump’s ‘ChopperTalks’

In a world without press briefings, reporters are forced to ask the world's most powerful man questions over the roar of a helicopter. If you have trouble reading this message, view it in a browser.       ChopperTalk: Where the White House Press Corps Goes to Get Ritually Abused by Donald Trump   "We've got a fresh Diet Coke," the cameraman announced, peering through the lens at President Trump, who was locked in conversation inside the Oval Office. "Beverages were just served." The White House press corps erupted in groans. It was getting towards an hour since we'd been marched out to the edge of the South Lawn to wait for the president. The cameraman, zooming in on the window, informed us that the other guy was Attorney General William Barr. Outside, the crisp fall dusk was punctured by the metallic roar of a helicopter engine. The soft drinks were a grave portent: they signaled the meeting would stretch on, which it did, as the sun dropped in the cold November sky. We would have to wait a bit longer for the chance to ask the President of the United States a question over the almighty din of the helicopter stationed 50 yards away. We would have to wait for ChopperTalk. Read More           The 58 Best Sneakers of 2019 (So Far)   We've still got a little while to go, but in not too long, we're all going to have to get used to the idea that we're living in the '20s. Before that happens, though, let's take a look at how the last year of the decade shaped up for sneakers. Strap in, because 2019 delivered a lot on the footwear front, from modernist (even futuristic) shoes to the inevitable reworks (and re-reworks) of classic styles. Nike, Adidas, Jordan—they all came to play. But so did New Balance, and Salomon, and Asics, not to mention Converse, Greats, and more. There's still time for a few more entries to make the list, but for now, these are the best sneakers of 2019 so far. Read More           5 Ways To Improve Your Mixology Skills   Created by Esquire for LG   Pro tip: Cool ice goes a long way. Read More           The Enduring, Intergalactic Cool of Billy Dee Williams   Billy Dee Williams's guide to being cool involves one simple step: "Be yourself." He tells me this while sipping a Tito's vodka neat with a little bit of Emergen-C sprinkled into it (a perhaps healthier choice than the Colt 45 with which he will be eternally associated after a string of ads for the drink in the '80s). "I never tried to be anything except myself. I think of myself as a relatively colorful character who doesn't take himself or herself too seriously." Read More           The 2010s Fired the Gatekeepers of Culture and Gave You the Job   We stand at the dawn of a new decade, and I can think of no better example of our cultural evolution than this: 2010's top-grossing comedy was Grown Ups, a film about Adam Sandler taking his boys on vacation and making a movie studio pick up the bill. Nearly ten years later, we were all talking about Todd Phillips's Joker, a movie about a party clown who kills because he doesn't get the laughs he feels he deserves. The culture at the end of the teens does not exclusively serve the bros in the same way it did at the beginning, and some of them are taking the news better than others. Read More           J.J. Abrams Opens Up About Finishing The Rise of Skywalker and What He Really Thinks of Baby Yoda   J.J Abrams had only officially been done with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker for a matter of hours when I talked with him by phone, 25 days out from the release of the ninth film in four decades of development of the most beloved sci-fri franchise of all time. We chatted about the culture of toxic fandom surrounding Star Wars, the return of the Knights of Ren in the latest trailer, and what he thinks of the current fan obsession with Baby Yoda. Read More         Read More on Esquire.com       Follow Us     Unsubscribe  Privacy Notice   esquire.com ©2019 Hearst Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hearst Email Privacy, 300 W 57th St., Fl. 19 (sta 1-1), New York, NY 10019