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When Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden took the lead in Pennsylvania, several memes featuring Gritty, the official mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers, were widely shared on social mediawith Bill Russo, the deputy communications director for Biden's campaign, getting in on the act.

Gritty's image has often been used by socialist, democratic socialist and antifa groups as a meme in the U.S., and is seen by many as the left's answer to the alt-right's Pepe the Frog.

Biden's latest lead was helped by more than 31,000 newly counted votes in Philadelphia, the state's most populous city.

At the time of writing, the former vice president was reported to have 49.4 percent (3,301,245) of the vote in Pennsylvania, while Trump was just behind with 49.3 percent (3,292,378) of the vote, based on 95 percent of expected votes counted.

Biden was reported to have 253 electoral votes, while Trump lagged behind with 214, as of Friday, according to data from the National Election Pool/Edison Research. The candidate who secures 270 electoral votes wins the election.

Biden's election would be secured if he wins Pennsylvania, which has 20 electoral votes, bringing his total electoral vote count past 270.

Russo tweeted Friday: "I'm just letting everyone know that there are going to be a LOT of @GrittyNHL gifs on this account today and you are just going to have to deal with it.

"My decision to install a @GrittyNHL shrine in our office during this campaign has been vindicated," he wrote in another tweet.

Dave Temkin, the vice president of network and systems in New York City at Netflix, noted: "Bring jt [it] home, @GrittyNHL"

Parker Molloy, editor-at-large at Media Matters for America, wrote: "The new cabinet," along with an image of several Gritty mascots sitting around a conference table.

Oliver Willis, a senior writer for the American Independent, tweeted: "Bring gritty to the white house @JoeBiden."

Around 89 to 95 percent of votes in three other key battleground statesNevada, Arizona and North Carolinahave been counted. Biden was reported to be leading in Nevada and Arizona, while Trump is leading in North Carolina, as of Friday, according to Reuters.

At the time of writing, there were reported to be over 100,000 votes that have yet to be counted across a handful of key battleground states. They include over nearly 77,000 in North Carolina and nearly 44,000 votes in Arizona, according to data compiled by Edison Research for The New York Times.

The graphic below, provided by Statista, illustrates how close presidential races have been historically.

This graphic, also provided by Statista, illustrates the key issues Americans voted on in the 2020 election.

Read more from the original source:
Gritty Memes Explode After Philadelphia Appears to Hand Joe Biden the Election - Newsweek

Erie Times-News

If you plan to attend any in-person events, please wear a mask and stay 6 feet away from others.

Take in the peak foliage: Anytime in daylight, Erie Bluffs State Park,11100 West Lake Road, Lake City. The Bluffs park features 5miles of trails that lead to lookouts of incredbile views of the lake from a 90-foot cliff. Other trails lead to the water. Free.

Erie Free Store Open, plus a Halloween contest: 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., 2816 Elmwood Ave. Until Oct. 23, send photos of your homemade Halloween costumes, letting them know what items you found at Erie Free Store.Send photos to ErieFreeStore@gmail.com or inmessenger on the Erie Free Store Facebook page. If you don't celebrate Halloween, show off your fall gear found at Erie Free Store. Each photo must incorporate at least one item from Erie Free Store. Between Oct. 24 and 30, photos will be posted for votes. Category prizes will be awarded to: favorite costume ages 0-3, 3-10, 10-17;favorite fall gear ages 0-3, 3-10, 10-17, adult.The Erie Free Store is open for shopping Mondays from 4:30 to 7 p.m.Everything is really free.

Independent Lens "Feels Good Man": 10 p.m. WQLN-TV."Feels Good Man" is the story of how artist Matt Furie, creator of a trippy, once-benign comic character named Pepe the Frog, fought an uphill battle to reclaim his iconic creation from those who turned it into a symbol of hate. An exploration of the power of online imagery and the fascinating spin cycle of memes in a culture where ownership and meaning can be wrested away from creators, "Feels Good Man" is a thought-provoking, wild ride through an internet that transformed an unlucky cartoon frog, and then the rest of the world.Other air dates: Wednesday,3:30 a.m.and Saturday at 3 a.m.

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3 things to do around Erie, Oct. 19, 2020: Fall colors; thrifty Halloween; cartoon crisis - GoErie.com

During the coronavirus crisis, the Los Angeles Times is making some temporary changes to our print sections. The prime-time TV grid is on hiatus in print but an expanded version is available in your daily Times eNewspaper. You can find a printable PDF online at: latimes.com/whats-on-tv.

Big Brother (N) 8 p.m. CBS

The Voice Gwen Stefani joins returning coaches Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Blake Shelton for a new season of the singing competition. 8 p.m. NBC

Whose Line Is It Anyway? Charles Esten. (N) 8 p.m. CW

Dancing With the Stars (N) 8 p.m. ABC

L.A.'s Finest Syd and Nancy (Gabrielle Union, Jessica Alba) must get fentanyl into police custody without leaving a clue as to their involvement in this new episode of the police drama. 8 p.m. Fox

One Day at a Time After Alex (Marcel Ruiz) catches his mother (Justina Machado) in a compromising position, she decides its time for a talk about healthy human sexuality in the first of two back-to-back episodes of this rebooted comedy. Rita Moreno also stars. 9 and 9:30 p.m. CBS

Penn & Teller: Fool Us Featured magicians include Anna Ferris Simpson, Pierre Ulric, Garrett Thomas and Francis Menotti. 9 p.m. CW

Filthy Rich Rose (Aubrey Dollar) offers the home as a sanctuary for Ginger and Tina (Melia Kreiling, guest star Rachel York) in the aftermath of the stalker incident. Also, Margaret (Kim Cattrall) is forced to recruit some unlikely allies following threats from Rev. Paul (Aaron Lazar), who is conspiring with Eric (Corey Cott) and some Sunshine Network investors. (N) 9 p.m. Fox

Tell Me More With Kelly Corrigan Jennifer Garner. (N) 9 p.m. KOCE

Halloween Baking Championship Carla Hall invites the five remaining bakers to a party in the haunted ballroom, where they must create impressive costume cakes to win a spot in the finale. 9 p.m. Food Network

The Third Day (series finale) (N) 9 p.m. HBO

Manhunt: Deadly Games After the FBI identifies Eric Rudolph (Jack Huston) as the serial bomber, he flees into the forest. Gethin Anthony, Arliss Howard and Kelly Jenrette also star. 10 p.m. CBS

Weakest Link (N) 10 p.m. NBC

Emergency Call Emergency call takers in Austin, Texas; Wasilla, Alaska; and Ogden, Utah, receive a series of bone-chilling or sometimes just bizarre calls, including a terrified mother who hears an intruder trying to break into her home; passersby threatened by a gun-wielding, erratic driver who creates a six-hour wave of confusion and destruction; and residents of a neighborhood bewildered by the sight of an injured man licking a stop sign. Luke Wilson is the host. 10 p.m. ABC

Independent Lens Filmmaker Arthur Jones award-winning documentary Feels Good Man recounts the story of how San Francisco artist Matt Furie saw his lighthearted cartoon character Pepe the Frog hijacked by racist alt-right groups that rebranded the image as a symbol of hate during the 2016 U.S. presidential election season. 10 p.m. KOCE

Soulmates (N) 10 p.m. AMC

Enslaved The series finale documents the politics that brought to an end the enslavement of Africans in the West. 10 p.m. Epix

The Big Bake In this new episode three baking teams have five hours to create the most sensational monster cakes the judges have ever seen. 10 p.m. Food Network

We Are Who We Are Sarah (Chlo Sevigny) is thrilled to learn of Frasers (Jack Dylan Grazer) new friendship with Jonathan (Tom Mercier) and encourages the two to spend more time together, to Maggies (Alice Braga) puzzlement. Scott Mescudi and Jordan Kristin Seamn also star. 10:02 p.m. HBO

American Humane Hero Dog Awards: 10th Anniversary Celebration Carson Kressley returns to host this special honoring working dogs from across the United States. Naomi Judd, Vivica A. Fox, Cameron Mathison, Marcus Scribner, Alison Sweeney, Ariel Winter and Debbie Matenopoulos join Robin Ganzert of American Humane. Lisa Loeb performs and Richard Marx offers a special video message. 8 p.m. Hallmark

NFL Football The Kansas City Chiefs visit the Buffalo Bills, 2 p.m. Fox and NFL; the Arizona Cardinals visit the Dallas Cowboys, 5:15 p.m. ESPN

CBS This Morning Author Alicia Garza; musician Peter Frampton. (N) 7 a.m. KCBS

Today (N) 7 a.m. KNBC

KTLA Morning News (N) 7 a.m. KTLA

Good Morning America (N) 7 a.m. KABC

Good Day L.A. (N) 7 a.m. KTTV

Live With Kelly and Ryan Sara Gilbert (The Conners). (N) 9 a.m. KABC

The View (N) 10 a.m. KABC

Rachael Ray Dr. Oz. (N) 10 a.m. KTTV

Home & Family (N) 10 a.m. Hallmark

The Wendy Williams Show (N) 11 a.m. KTTV

The Talk Luke Wilson; Rumer Willis guest cohosts. (N) 1 p.m. KCBS

Tamron Hall (N) 1 p.m. KABC

The Drew Barrymore Show (N) 2 p.m. KCBS

The Kelly Clarkson Show Blake Shelton; Cynthia Nixon. (N) 2 p.m. KNBC

The Doctors Amy Robach; ketogenic recipes. (N) 2 p.m. KCOP

Dr. Phil A woman disapproves of her 49-year-old father having a relationship with a 23-year-old woman. (N) 3 p.m. KCBS

The Ellen DeGeneres Show Marlon Wayans (On the Rocks); guest host Tiffany Haddish. (N) 3 p.m. KNBC

The Real Author Chelsea Clinton (She Persisted in Sports: American Olympians Who Changed the Game); Jo Koy (In His Element); artist Nikkolas Smith. (N) 3 p.m. KCOP

To the Contrary With Bonnie Erb 6 p.m. KVCR

Amanpour and Company (N) 11 p.m. KCET; midnight KVCR; 1 a.m. KLCS

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah Trevor highlights the life and legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 11 p.m. Comedy Central

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Gwen Stefani; Swizz Beatz and Timbaland; Bebe Rexha and Doja Cat perform. (N) 11:34 p.m. KNBC

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Joy Reid; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. (N) 11:35 p.m. KCBS

Jimmy Kimmel Live! 11:35 p.m. KABC

Late Night With Seth Meyers Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.); Ego Nwodim; Todd Sucherman. (N) 12:36 a.m. KNBC

The Late Late Show With James Corden 12:37 a.m. KCBS

Nightline (N) 12:37 a.m. KABC

Road to Perdition (2002) 8 a.m. IFC

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) 8:04 a.m. Starz

Ray (2004) 8:10 a.m. HBO

Mogambo (1953) 8:30 a.m. TCM

The Terminator (1984) 8:50 a.m. Epix

Inglourious Basterds (2009) 10:30 a.m. IFC

North by Northwest (1959) 10:45 a.m. TCM

Taken (2008) 10:49 a.m. and 7:26 p.m. Encore

Insidious (2010) 11 a.m. AMC

Matilda (1996) 11 a.m. Freeform

What We Do in the Shadows (2014) Noon FXX

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) Noon TMC

Mud (2013) 12:30 p.m. Epix

Hustlers (2019) 12:30 p.m. Showtime

Gremlins (1984) 1 p.m. Freeform

In a Lonely Place (1950) 1:15 p.m. TCM

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) 2 p.m. IFC

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) 2:12 p.m. Starz

Paranormal Activity (2007) 2:30 p.m. Showtime

Love & Mercy (2014) 2:45 p.m. Epix

Casper (1995) 3:30 p.m. Freeform

Scarface (1983) 4 p.m. Sundance

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood (2019) 4:04 p.m. Starz

Crimson Peak (2015) 4:05 p.m. Cinemax

Raging Bull (1980) 4:55 p.m. Epix

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) 5 p.m. TCM

Deadpool 2 (2018) 5:30 p.m. FX

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) 5:30 p.m. Showtime

Catch Me If You Can (2002) 5:30 p.m. TMC

9 to 5 (1980) 5:33 p.m. Encore

Horror of Dracula (1958) 6:30 p.m. TCM

Just Mercy (2019) 6:40 p.m. HBO

The Help (2011) 7 and 10:15 p.m. Paramount

Crazy Rich Asians (2018) 7:30 p.m. TNT

Top Gun (1986) 8 p.m. TMC

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) 8:50 p.m. Cinemax

About Last Night (2014) 9 p.m. VH1

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) 9:30 p.m. Freeform

Blazing Saddles (1974) 10 p.m. Sundance

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) 10 p.m. TCM

Risky Business (1983) 10 p.m. TMC

Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) 10:40 p.m. Cinemax

Private Parts (1997) 11:02 p.m. Encore

Coming to America (1988) 11:30 p.m. VH1

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What's on TV Monday: 'The Voice'; 'Dancing With the Stars' - Los Angeles Times

If you were to just glance at the TV listings this week, you might not be all that impressed with what's out there because of a lack of big-name releases, aside from the comfort food of network television welcome back, The Goldbergs (Wednesday, 8/7c, ABC) that returns this week. But dig a little deeper and expand your typical preferences, and you'll find some good shows and movies you otherwise might not have noticed. Actually, we did the digging for you, as seen below, so all you really need to do is turn the TV on at the right time. See how easy that was?

Our full list of editors' picks for the week are below, but if this isn't enough and you're looking for even more hand-picked recommendations, sign up for our free spam-free Watch This Now newsletter that delivers the best TV show picks straight to your inbox, or check out the best shows and movies in October on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.

Series finale Sunday at 10/9c on HBOHBO's terrifying look at the NXIVM cult wraps things up in Sunday's series finale, following up on the penultimate episode that looked at cult leader Keith Raniere's rampant misogyny with a satisfying end chapter that shows his comeuppance. It's a timely episode as Raniere's due to be sentenced soon, but it isn't all about Raniere's downfall. His victims and stars of the documentary, Mark and Bonnie, begin their healing in an emotional return to where it all started.

Volume 2 premieres Monday on NetflixThe popular Netflix continuation of the true crime series returns with more of those grisly details of murder and mystery that you just can't get enough of. This time around, episodes cover the unsolved mystery of former white house aide Jack Wheeler, who was found dead in a landfill; the yet-to-be-solved case of an unidentified woman who died of a gunshot in a luxury hotel; the unanswered question of a killer who ditched authorities while on furlough; and the not-quite-figured-out conundrum of ghostly spirits from Japan's 2011 tsunami.

Monday at 10/9c on PBSThe unofficial internet mascot for right-wing and white supremacist groups, Pepe the Frog, wasn't supposed to be anything but a dumb amphibian from a fun web comic. This documentary tracks the transformation of web comic artist Matt Furie's creation from silly character to internet meme to symbol for hate groups, as well as tracing Furie's attempts to reclaim the character after it was stolen from him by goons. Can Pepe be redeemed?

Friday on NetflixIf you haven't had a chance to see what all the fuss is about Anya Taylor-Joy cinema's upcoming Furiosa in the Mad Max: Fury Road prequel and no doubt a future Oscar winner this miniseries is as good a showcase for the young actress as you'll find. Taylor-Joy plays an orphaned chess genius working her way up to chess grandmaster in an adaptation of the 1983 novel by Walter Tevis. Beyond the chess (and chess metaphors, natch!), The Queen's Gambit-- created by Godless' Scott Frank also dives deep into mental illness, the instability of genius, feminist issues, and substance abuse with deftness. It's great and has a real shot at popping up during awards season.

Series premiere Friday at 11/10c on HBO and HBO MaxNews that Nathan Fielder, of Comedy Central's genius Nathan For You, was executive producing this alt-comedy docuseries instantly catapulted it up my watchlist, but even with such high expectations I was unprepared for the flurry of emotions I would feel from watching the premiere episode. Videographer John Wilson walks through New York City with a camera and an infinite amount of patience as he examines the human condition through simple and profound voiceover in much of the same ways Nathan For You did in its most vulnerable moments. Like Fielder, Wilson is also a wizard of loneliness exposing the commonalities of all human beings, and the resulting emotions aren't specific to anyone, but shared among our whole species. This is enjoyably weird and incredibly insightful.

Friday on Amazon Prime VideoIt's a wonder that Sacha Baron Cohen could ever bring back his Borat character into the public for a few minutes let alone long enough to make a new film, but apparently not all of America go the memo about this guerilla journalist who exposes the horrors of Americana through prank and parody. This time, the Kazhakstan doofus has even more to work with, given the divide in American politics, the upcoming election, and COVID-19. It should be a hilarious look at a depressing situation.

Stop searching, start watching! TV Guide's Watch This Now! page has even more TV recommendations.

See the original post:
The Best Shows and Movies to Watch This Week: The Vow Finale, Borat Returns - TV Guide

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Back in high school, my friends would lean over someones smartphone and laugh as they swiped through a gallery of photographs, each one a variation of some strange, anthropomorphic frog. The cartoon character, whose name I eventually learned was Pepe, came to consume a sizeable amount of my social media feed, where people used his image to express sadness, grief and stress.

At a very basic level, this phenomenon illustrates precisely how a meme works to permeate social dialogue, influencing how we express ourselves and communicate with one another. The image contains the power to redefine and perpetuate specific contexts, too.

Arthur Jones documentary Feels Good Man works to unpack the relationship between creating personal art and the troubles of watching the general public commodify it. Like Frankenstein and his monster, Pepes creator, Matt Furie, reached a point where he no longer held any authority, both artistic and legal, over his own creation. While Pepe the Frog operates as the documentarys central focus, Jones appears interested in the broad implications of coopting an image as well.

Though Pepe first rose to internet stardom by way of Furies Boys Club comic series, the frogs cultural identity gradually shifted into something less than desirable after the character fell victim to media platforms like 4chan.

When looking at the bulbous eyes and fat-lipped smirk, its hard to imagine the character would eventually spread to the reaches of numerous hate group websites. In 2017, white nationalist Richard Spencer even donned a Pepe the Frog pin before getting punched to the ground.

I remember when Furie published a comic to announce the characters death. When he released the series back in 2005, the cartoonist likely did not expect his dorky, amphibious character, Pepe the Frog, to mutate into a hate symbol. This funeral was an attempt on Furies end to curtail a prejudiced internet movement led by Pepe-inspired imagery.

Furie grew up enamored of frogs, building them out of LEGO pieces and designing various mockups in his sketchbook. In blurry photographs, the artist is seen with a toothy smile and thick glasses; this tenderness does not escape the Furie depicted throughout the documentary, where his soft-spoken persona and thin frame undercuts any possibility of seeing the middle-aged artist appear angry or upset.

One of the first scenes follows Furie as he ambles around the edge of a swamp; bleating frogs accompany his journey around the landscape.

Its just been a slow drip of frogs throughout my entire life Just one little frog after another; Furie says this as one inches along his forearm. From the outset of the documentary, its difficult to visualize this same person originating a character that would ultimately make its way to the Anti-Defamation League.

Jones uses his directorial authority to differentiate between the originated character, Pepe, and the onslaught of appropriated, often offensive versions that communicate an alt-right agenda. At times, the narrative feels unbelievably farcical and senseless, but, on the whole, this approach aptly mirrors the lawless playing field seen on the internet.

Feels Good Man guides the audience through the frogs rise, fall and subsequent vindication; intersections with the 2016 election or the more recent Hong Kong protests are not digressions, but rather the backbone of a winding tale.

Before Pepe could explode into cultural relevancy, users on 4chan had to labor and work to place him on the radar. For those unfamiliar with the platform, 4chan is an imageboard website where users can post on a variety of topics, be it film, politics or cartoons. This veil of anonymity primed the perfect stage for generating loudly offensive content.

Though the context is quite convoluted, Ill put it in simple terms: 4chan users were drawn to Pepe for his inherent sorrow, leading numerous users to adopt the iconography as a means of exhibiting their own insecurities and discontent in the real world. Those unafflicted by experiences similar to their own were branded as normies, a phrase charged with spite.

Jones managed to nab an interview with one of these 4chan users, referenced in Feels Good Man as Mills, who breathes further life into the concept. He describes 4chan like group therapy on the internet, so, when general basic media users started to gravitate toward Pepe, 4chan users seethed and, according to Mills, The Pepe defense was building.

Writer and artist Dale Beran notes how Whenever [4chan users] thought outsiders were stealing their memes, they would try and make them as offensive as possible. The visual subject, with all his benign roots, then confuses the intention of any given post. For example, an anti-Semitic drawing of Pepe is, without a doubt, malicious and oppressive, yet manifesting these values in a cartoon frog undermines the subtext.

This grisly modification of Pepe manifested most prominently during the 2016 election, where 4chan users rallied in favor of Trumps oppressive and intimidating platform. His own bullying antics actualized their inclinations to differentiate between the winners and losers of the social hierarchy.

Joel Finkelstein, director of the Contagion Network Research Institute, went on to explain how Pepe appealed to so many political sensationalists through the characters visual imagery, specifically in how it combines this impossible mixture of innocence and evil.

Back in 2019, Furie even took Infowars to court over a print that featured his original character standing alongside Roger Stone, Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway and other notable personalities of the Republican Party. By no means would this settle the greater discourse around Pepes damning legacy but, within the political arena, Furie still tried to negate such connotations through legally challenging them.

Feels Good Man clarifies that the internet might be forever, but a cultural identity is capable of growth. Furie himself attests to this potential when he notes, The positive notion of Pepe is the possibility that you can change again.

See more here:
'Feels Good Man' Explores the Strange History of an Iconic Meme - Study Breaks