June 27, 2024

"I have always loved immersion journalism, the fish-out-of-water yarn. I tried tantric sex when interviewing a practitioner..."

"... both of us cross-legged in kimonos, impaled on one heel. I trained in pro wrestling for six months after interviewing wrestlers and taking a shine to flying through the air. I’ve been 'choked out' by a black belt in jujitsu and roundly thrashed by a BDSM dom.... I recently shadowed two [bodybuilders]... But as it transpired, neither woman I followed took steroids, which seemed like an oversight. So I thought I’d take some myself.... A blast of testosterone might jazz things up a bit.... ... I decided to write about the experience of visiting a Melbourne anti-ageing doctor – one who offers everything from hormone replacement therapy to peptides and human growth hormone, and who looks pleasingly like Flash Gordon’s nemesis Ming the Merciless. I wanted to see what might be prescribed to a forty-something woman with no real business taking steroids.... I accepted a prescription for a testosterone gel, but turned down his offer of the steroid hormone DHEA.... He pulled me to a halt just before we reached the reception desk. 'I like to see people at their superhuman best,' he said softly...."

Writes Jenny Valentish, in "Journalism on steroids" (in The Monthly).

I'm reading that as a consequence of googling "journalists use performance enhancing drugs" while reading the WaPo article, "Trump keeps baselessly claiming that Biden will be on drugs at debate/The presumptive Republican nominee lodged similar evidence-free allegations in 2016 against Clinton and 2020 against Biden." Excerpt:
There is no evidence that Biden has used or plans to use performance-enhancing drugs. But Trump and his supporters have spread the baseless claim widely, as some Republicans worry openly that the bar for Biden’s performance Thursday has been set too low. Trump senior adviser Danielle Alvarez said in a statement Tuesday that Biden “will be highly prepared and alert on debate night” because of a “perfectly calibrated dosage” and said that the focus should be on Biden’s policy record.

Democrats suggest Trump is trying to preempt a disconnect between the energetic Biden who will show up onstage and the “brain-dead zombie” that Trump’s campaign has portrayed at every turn.... 
“Whatever happened to all that cocaine that was missing a month ago from the White House?” [Trump said at a recent rally]. “Whatever happened?” Trump also repeated his crude comment from 2020, telling the crowd that Biden was resting and then “a little before debate time, he gets a shot in the a--.” ... 
“I just want to say, look. These are obviously very serious charges, that he’s jacked up. We don’t know that, we’re not doctors. We have no idea,” Fox host Maria Bartiromo said on her show in May, after Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) described Biden as “jacked up” at the State of the Union and said “the American people need to understand if they’re giving him some injection.”

The Trump people have done a good job of inserting this suspicion into our head. If anything about Biden seems unusual, we're likely to think, could it be the drugs? 

By the way, remember when Joe Rogan called Trump a "drugged-out man baby"? "He’s on Adderall. Do you think he’s on Adderall?" That's written up in The Daily Beast, back in July 2022:

[Rogan's guest Tom] Segura claimed he’d heard from multiple people who worked with Trump on his reality show The Apprentice and claimed he was “fucking gassed up for shoots” because otherwise he had trouble reading the teleprompter.

Here's a diversion — Ming the Merciless (Max Von Sydow):


"After the earthquakes and tidal waves, they won't be quite the human beings you remember. They'll be more tractable. Easier for you to rule"/"You mean slaves"/"Let's say they'll be satisfied with less...."

Bonus:


"Flash! Flash, I love you, but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth!"

***
How are you preparing for the debate?

ADDED: "Adderall, Botox and a B12 shot in the butt: Why Trump’s claim that Biden will be ‘pumped up’ on drugs for debate isn’t so far-fetched" (NY Post):
[P]rivate doctors to the rich and famous tell The Post that VIPs often use drug cocktails and other treatments to give themselves an edge before they take the spotlight for a big event. These can include everything from a peptides infusion for a boost in brain function and Botox to avoid a sweaty brow to Adderall for enhanced focus — and yes, sometimes even a shot in the butt.... 
Peptides for clarity Corabi said VIP clients who need to be at their sharpest mentally often seek treatments like peptide infusions. Peptides are small amino acid chains that occur naturally inside the body — with each type playing different roles in various biological functions like muscle growth, digestion, hormone production and tissue repair. There are also peptides that support cognitive function.... 
NAD therapy for anxiety ... 
Botox for sweat ... 
Vitamin B12 shots for energy ... 
Adderall for attention ... “What does it do? Improve listening skills, helps someone pay attention and seem more alert, attentive and less sleepy,”....
Provigil to fight sleepiness ... 

43 comments:

RideSpaceMountain said...

"So I thought I’d take some myself.... A blast of testosterone might jazz things up a bit"

WTF is with elitist toady's obsession with injecting hormones into people!?!

imTay said...

Well, in one of those leaked emails, Hillary did, in fact, discuss the benefits of Nuvigil, I think? A drug that reputedly was concocted to keep fighter pilots alert and at peak performance on long missions. So "without evidence" is another media lie.

Michael said...



I'm preparing for the debate by going up to the state park in the surrounding mountains, lay in the sun, swim in the lake, perhaps stroll over to the concession stand for an ice cream.

Once the sun goes down and it becomes to chilly, I will drive home and completely avoid tv, internet and any other forum where copious amounts of BS will be spewed about this kayfabe "democracy"

Wince said...

"(in The Monthly)"

In the words of Edith Bunker, "It's both a blessing and a curse."

Dave Begley said...

No evidence my ass. That's because Joe hasn't been drug tested, Camp David hasn't been raided and no insider has ratted out Joe's drug use.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Baselessly?

It's pretty clear Biden was jacked up on something for many of his public speeches.

ah - but here we go again with the loyalist leftist media... lying on behalf of their authoritarian masters.

Kate said...

George Plimpton. (I couldn't remember his name and searched on "paper tiger". Oops. Paper Lion.)

Leland said...

I looked up Jenny Valentish. She looked great as a brunette, but I think that was before she did all the other things. Now she has tattoo sleeves, bleached hair that sometimes is blonde or blue or pink or something else. She's done things to get attention like most younger women these days. We are not supposed to notice or comment on it.

But Trump, we must talk about the ways he gets attention and how inappropriate it is!

Ice Nine said...

>There is no evidence that Biden has used or plans to use performance-enhancing drugs.<

Because, you know, if Biden actually has used or plans to use performance-enhancing drugs tonight, that would have been announced by the White House by now...

The rule of Lemnity said...

"Trump keeps basely claiming", stuff that later turns out to be true.

Driving rule of thumb.

If one driver is tailgating you, that tailgater is the problem.

If a long line of cars is tailgating you, you are the problem.

Darkisland said...

I hope this is not off topic here.

I saw a rumor yesterday that PEDJT is planning to release the name of his VP pick today. It would be a marvelous way to wrong-foot Brandon.

On the other hand, perhaps fanning the flame of the rumor, perhaps even announcing "Sources say it is (fulano de tal)" and let the rumor of the formal announcement persist right up to the moment he steps out on stage would be even better.

Then if Brandon mentions it, PEDJT can say "There you go again. I've said I'm not mentioninng it until the convention"

John Henry

rehajm said...

The without evidence claim has become a parody of itself. A Streisand Effect red flag pointing to exactly what they are doing and denying...

It's hard to pin drug use on Trump when he's never used alcohol...

Joe Rogan the drug user suspectes everyone else is using drugs. He sounds like the gay guys suspecting, hoping, wishing every man was gay...

rehajm said...

George Plimpton. (I couldn't remember his name and searched on "paper tiger". Oops. Paper Lion.)

I immediately thought of George Plimpton. I don't recall if drug use was ever part of his immersion. Maybe Ben-Gay after the hockey stint...

RCOCEAN II said...

MSM Since august 2015:

Trump said X, where is the proof? Its false. He hasn't provided evidence.

Trump did bad thing X - sources say, its true unless someone proves its false.

RCOCEAN II said...

If you look at Biden's erractic performances on TV, its obvious he's being pumped up with something. And its not "Life".

tommyesq said...

There is no evidence that Biden has used or plans to use performance-enhancing drugs

There is, of course, the evidence of Biden appearing wildly out of character (highly alert bordering on maniacal) on several important occasions - debates, state-of-the-union speeches, his Nuremburg rally in Philly, to name a few - that would lead an independent press corps to do further investigations. To my knowledge, no one has ever even posed the question to Biden or his reps, much less delved further.

Narr said...

I can't stand watching either guy for more than a few minutes, so I don't really have to prepare myself.

I may take a nice long walk while they jibber-jabber, if the weather allows.

Jupiter said...

WaPo had better be careful. I know they buy "baselessly" in the super-economy-sized bottles, but they are still likely to run out if they keep using it in every single lie they print.

Bob Boyd said...

Believing Biden is drugged up for the debate is lazy and unimaginative.
I believe Trump will be debating an unknown man in a Mission Impossible mask.

Iman said...

P0TATUS Biden will be juiced “to teh tits” tonight and there will be no hiding it. Full Democrat Operative Moderation fuckery will be afoot.

mikeski said...

George Plimpton. (I couldn't remember his name and searched on "paper tiger". Oops. Paper Lion.)

My recollection is that Paper Lion was turned into a middling TV movie, starring Alan Alda in the lead role.

In a training camp scene, rookies are required to stand and sing their alma mater. Alda/"Plimpton" sings "Fair Harvard" and receives quizzical looks.

rehajm said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gem Quincyite said...

Fani Willis:
"My Testimony is Evidence"

mccullough said...

Biden’s refusal to take a drug test is evidence that he’s taking some drugs he doesn’t want the public to know about.

Biden’s over-the-top State of the Union speech, combined with his frequent public lethargy and age, is evidence he took a stimulant.

Without Evidence is a mantra of morons

narciso said...

i remember him from the intellivision commercials,

I think journalism involves observing not participating in the activity,

Tom Wolfe didn't strap himself to a rocket for the right stuff, its arguable what Hunter Thomopson

Marcus Bressler said...

My political fantasy is this:
Tonight, after Jake Tapper asked Trump the first question, something like, "Do you still believe, without evidence, that he 2020 election was rigged or stolen?"
Trump, in response: Jake, in December 2023, you said, on the air,“If you were to open up a copy of Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf,’ you would find the Nazi leader describing the mixing of non-Germans with Germans as poisoning. The Jew, Hitler wrote, ‘poisons the blood of others’ … Donald Trump’s language mirrors this directly,” So I ask you right here and and now, are you still accusing me of putting Hitler's words into my mouth?"
Tapper: Mr. Trump, we ask the questions here, the candid--
Trump: No, Jake, It is important before we begin to set the record straight. Do you still think that what I said about illegal immigrants is comparable to the words of Adolf Hitler? Answer the question, Jake.

Arashi said...

I intend to go to the firing range and put some holes in a few paper targets. During the 'debate', or public hanging of Donald Trump, I will follow along with the Vodkapundit as he drunk blogs the event. His comments and the comments of the folks following along are generally more insightful than anything the 'media' has to offer.

Anthony said...

Yeah, Plimpton. He did something with the NFL (television) -- either Oakland or LA Rams, I think -- trained with them, was on the sidelines, etc., and actually played QB for a couple of snaps in a real game (that they were either winning or losing big).

That's the Left's 'tell' now. If they say "without evidence" or "falsely claimed" you know you're right. It's like an admission of defeat.

Freeman Hunt said...

They're running for president. I assume both would take anything thought to be beneficial.

Lilly, a dog said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bob Boyd said...

The black iron manacles hanging from the wall in the WH basement are looking very empty today. The 2 delightful Ukrainian orphans who have occupied those manacle for the last several weeks were taken away during the night.

PM said...

Freeman Hunt: Yahtzee!

Oligonicella said...

Since it's tonight, I'll point out again that CNN has threatened YouTube channels that plan to live stream the debate while providing commentary.

Joe Smith said...

"... both of us cross-legged in kimonos..."

Hate to be 'that guy,' but 'Kimono' is just 'Kimono' in Japanese. If there are more than one, then that is called out or it is inferred.

It should be "... both of us cross-legged in kimono..." The 'both of us' would infer that there were two kimono.

/that guy lesson.

Kai Akker said...

Tantric sex. I was just thinking about that yesterday. But another topic is more interesting.

Drugs to help Biden debate. Seems likely. But another topic is more interesting.

What are the odds that Biden's campaign will be effectively over by the end of the debate tonight?

loudogblog said...

"There is no evidence that..."

It drives me nuts when people say this. In most situations, there is evidence. The question is whether it is good evidence or bad evidence. Biden's behavior during the State of the Union is evidence.

Also, the more that they keep denying it, the more that people will think it's true.

Lucien said...

Ibogaine: don’t be afraid to say it! Joe’s gonna be mainlining the shit until five minutes before show time — then it’s a couple of poppers. He was in the Senate for 50 years and studied at the feet of Muskie.

Old and slow said...

Competitors at the top levels of all sports are nearly all taking PEDS. I have to assume that presidential candidates are doing the same when it benefits them. Especially considering the fact that they are not subject to any testing. Maybe USADA should be brought in to do random testing. Non election years would be like out of season testing.

Assuming both Trump and Biden are using PEDS, I'd say Trump is able to titrate his doses more accurately, probably because he needs much less to perform well. Biden clearly gets pumped up and then suffers a hard crash. Trump for the win!

Kai Akker said...

Didn't Putin just declare war on the U.S.? Not in those words, but -- after the latest bombings, including Ukraine's targeting Russian civilians on holiday on a Crimean beach -- by saying that he considers the U.S. a full participant with Ukraine in the war against Russia. I believe that means he is letting the world know Russia and the U.S. are officially at war with each other.

How Putin will turn that into military reality I wouldn't know, but the possibility is clearly laid out there for all to see. Could be another empty threat. But at some point the cornered rat bites.

So both the President and the Pretender will be in the same room tonight. Yes, it would be suicidal, but it has to have crossed Putin's mind. Better for him to crash our electric grid, I suppose. While China disrupts the cyber world. And the Iranian mullahs get to try out the bomb the Great Satan Obambi gave them.

But what am I saying? Absurd, totally absurd. Why would anyone think there could ever be consequences for how readily we stoop to bullying, meddling, and appropriating others' assets whenever we choose?

Rocco said...

mikeski said…
“My recollection is that Paper Lion was turned into a middling TV movie, starring Alan Alda in the lead role.

In a training camp scene, rookies are required to stand and sing their alma mater. Alda/"Plimpton" sings "Fair Harvard" and receives quizzical looks.”

In their 57 year history, the Bengals have only had two starters who were from Harvard. I thought they had a few more, but the others were from other Ivy League schools.

Ryan Fitzpatrick holds the record for playing with the most NFL teams with 9 over his 17 seasons, including the Bengals.

Pat McInally was a punter and wide receiver from the mid 70s thru the mid 80s. He is the only football player in history to get a perfect score on the Wonderlic test.

Iman said...

You’re taking me back, Rocco. I’m thinking “McInally… why do I remember that name?”. Then I looked him up and see that he starred over at Villa Park High, a few miles away from our high school, lol.

Craig Mc said...

Joe was on drugs when he was debating Paul Ryan back in 2012. Why wouldn't he be on them now?

boatbuilder said...

I don't watch Trump rallies and I have never heard that Trump or his spokespeople claim that Biden is "jacked up." (Although I have heard that Trump has suggested that Biden should be tested for drugs). It is quite apparent to me that Biden gets some sort of pharmaceutical assistance for his major speeches/appearances, because the rest of the time he is clearly compromised.

How do the Biden people explain it?