Woody Harrelson is being patient. It's already early afternoon and the longtime pot smoker and legal-weed advocate is not high—or, perhaps from his perspective, not high yet. Instead, he's at a studio in Manhattan with fellow actor Justin Theroux for an Esquire photo shoot and there are still hours to go in a very long day of press obligations. A clear mind wouldn't be the worst thing. But he is keeping a joint nearby. Harrelson and Theroux, wearing the same black suit and even the same robe just a few feet away, are promoting HBO's excellent new Watergate comedy, White House Plumbers, out May 1. Created by director David Mandel, who spent years as a producer and showrunner of Veep, the new limited series retells the story of the infamous break-in from an entirely new vantage point: that of the burglars. It's a brisk, spring day in New York City, and they will plunge, clothes on, into the nearby hot tub. One problem: The water's not hot. Not even close. But as Theroux accepts a barbecue lighter and his costar submerges, asking, finally, for his joint, the two have everything they need. Theroux, 51, laughs. "Do not inhale!" he shouts comically, out of duty to the duo's long afternoon still ahead, then sparks the lighter. "Really, do not inhale!" he says again, setting fire to Woody's joint. Harrelson thanks him by exhaling smoke in Theroux's face. They both bust out laughing. A few days prior, Esquire spoke with Harrelson and Theroux about America's love of a good second act, sleeping naked on airplanes, a certain viral Saturday Night Live! monologue, why you won't be catching Theroux toking up anytime soon. |
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According to recent research, these shoes slap. |
| My high school garage band was legendarily awful. But in the despairing days of the 1980s, I knew I'd rather suck at something than be dead. |
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The screaming never stops. Straight from a 2022 that featured some of the best horror fiction in recent memory, we've hurtled into another banner year. 2023 has already served up a fresh platter of bloody morsels and sweet, sickly delights to suit every morbid appetite. (There, that's the obligatorily gruesome metaphor checked off.) Horror truly is enjoying a renaissance. Maybe it's because of the pandemic, as authors have had more time than ever to sit and mull over their darkest fantasies. Or maybe a whole generation raised on Stephen King has finally come of age and taken the reins. Whatever the reason, the genre is now more expansive, more inclusive, and more innovative than at any point in its history. That upward trajectory looks to reach new heights throughout the year, with horror creeping in to dominate the literary landscape from several directions at once. There are major titles from huge names, nasty little gems from literary darlings, and, as ever, the small presses continue to push the genre in new, outrageous directions. |
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Time—and money—well spent. |
| Some taste just like the real thing. Others are even tastier and more fun than traditional mixed drinks. |
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The only network that could get their viewers to jump from Game of Thrones to The Last of Us to Succession and retain peak viewership is HBO—a media giant that has somehow figured out how to make TV good no matter what's on screen. The old slogan used to be that "It's not TV, it's HBO," which basically just meant that it's damn good TV. In 2023, HBO is still delivering the goods. That's all thanks to primetime dramas that hold our collective attention, even when the we're following mushroom zombies, giant dragons, or media conglomerate takeovers. The monoculture of TV's past may have come and gone, but HBO certainly produces shows that get people talking. A little ol' show about a depressed mob don went on to become one of the greatest TV shows ever made, and now an over-the-top teen drama about drug use and identity is terrifying parents everywhere. So, before you tear us apart in the comments, know that your favorite fictional vice presidents, New York socialites, and demented boy kings all made our ranking of top 50 best HBO shows. |
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