The glamor but also the nasty underbelly of Hollywood have always loomed large in the imagination. You’d think the great destabilization that’s hit the TV and film industry would have led to all kinds of showbiz satires excavating the anxieties and disruptions brought on by streaming and, more recently, artificial intelligence. And yet the latest entry in this genre, HBO’s “The Franchise” — about the absurdity of superhero moviemaking — has nothing to say about any of it. Worse, it’s not even funny.

Perhaps it’s fitting that in such an uninspired era of commercial entertainment, not even a satire of this moment can muster up an original idea.

That got me thinking about better, more thoughtful attempts in the past, which prompted me to revisit “The Comeback.” I haven’t watched the show since it originally aired (on HBO, ironically enough) nearly 20 years ago.

Created by Michael Patrick King (“Sex and the City”) and Lisa Kudrow (who also stars), the series is equal parts comedy and tragedy, following the travails of a middling sitcom actress named Valerie Cherish. After being out of work for a few years, she’s asked to audition for a new series, but it comes with an awkward stipulation: If she’s cast, a reality TV crew will follow her around during the process to capture her “comeback.”

She’s often accompanied by her doting hairdresser (a hilarious Robert Michael Morris). “I pray you get this sitcom, because I’m two years from retiring and I need those health benefits,” he tells her. “They found two more questionable melanomas — don’t cry for me, Argentina!”

“Well, here we are,” she interrupts as they arrive at the network. “I’m sorry, darlin’, just put a pin in that.” Just put a pin in that revelation you have skin cancer, no big deal!

Kudrow was coming off her 10-year run on “Friends” when the first season of “The Comeback” premiered in 2005. It wasn’t meant to be a commentary on the show that made her famous. Even so, it’s a savage behind-the-scenes depiction of sitcom life. A second season aired in 2014, which was a meta turn of events — a comeback for “The Comeback,” a decade later. (Both seasons are available to stream on Max.)

The series portrays an era when pilot season and the network sitcom still were dominant. Watching it now, I expected “The Comeback” to feel dated. And yet the show’s observations are still so on point about Hollywood itself. King and Kudrow capture a searing but also empathetic look at the way show business can make a person deranged. Through it all, Valerie keeps a smile on her face because she has an old-school approach to stardom: Never let them see you sweat (or cry or fall apart).

We’re witnessing the raw footage of Valerie’s reality show as it’s being shot and she’s a wonderful amalgam of ridiculous but also professional.  Her standard greeting upon walking into any room: “Hello, hello, hello!” When she thinks a moment is unflattering and shouldn’t be filmed, she makes a time-out motion while her director (Lauren Silverman) consistently ignores her pleas. This makes Valerie frantic and vulnerable, forever trying to maintain her composure in the face of humiliation. She also has plenty of self-sabotaging tendencies. She’s terrible at reading the room or knowing when to let things go. The more she feels minimized, the worse she gets. She has no chill, and yet you feel deep wells of sympathy for her.

That sympathy only goes so far. “Oh, there’s that girl writer,” she says of the lone woman who’s been added to the sitcom’s writing staff. Valerie can’t be bothered to learn her name because she’s only interested in people who have power.

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Veteran sitcom director James Burrows plays himself, and he is a very funny and grounding presence as he tries (in vain) to give Valerie a reality check. Her mere presence has become an annoyance to her sitcom bosses and Burrows takes her aside. “Why are you so worried about this show?” he asks and then points to the reality crew filming: “That’s your show.” He’s the voice of reason, but it’s a harsh truth that she is not prepared to accept, and the genius of “The Comeback” is that Valerie is usually some combination of wrong and right at any given moment.

Her nemesis is one of the sitcom’s creators, a hateful and obnoxious person known as Paulie G (a terrifying Lance Barber, who more recently played the dad for seven seasons on “Young Sheldon”). In “The Comeback’s” long-belated second season, we learn that Paulie G was a heroin addict when he and Valerie first worked together. Now he’s clean and making a prestige series about his time working on that sitcom. Valerie is cast to play herself, and she takes the role because her consuming hunger for fame means she’ll put up with all manner of insults. You can practically see the rage shooting out like laser beams from Paulie G’s eyes. He is Valerie’s worst nightmare — and she his.

More than a stock villain, Paulie G is a miserable, complicated man. Several years ago, when I interviewed Kudrow, she said the show’s various writers had encountered a similar personality type at some point in their careers.

“When we were interviewing people to write for the show, they all thought they knew who Paulie G was based on, and everyone had a different person in mind.  So there are a lot of those guys out there, that’s what that said to me.”

Despite the many shifts that have reshaped Hollywood in recent years, I suspect this aspect hasn’t changed much at all.

“The Comeback” makes fun of, but also has so much compassion for, an actor’s self-involved absorption and desperation. Valerie is just trying to retain some dignity in a business that’s doing everything to demolish it. Aren’t we all.

Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.

Gretchen McKay | (TNS) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PITTSBURGH — Most every restaurant worth its salt (and sugar) has a killer dessert on the menu that assures diners will leave the table on a sweet and happy note.

If it’s prepared on site, that often entails employing a professional pastry chef, which can prove expensive for places that are new and trying to keep costs down while getting established.

That was Cory Hughes’ quandary when he opened Fig & Ash on East Ohio Street in Pittsburgh’s North Side Deutschtown neighborhood with his brother-in-law, Alex Feltovich, in 2020.

Hughes — a former Marine who was an executive chef at Google’s Pittsburgh campus and has also cooked in several restaurants around town including Six Penn Kitchen, Eleven Contemporary Kitchen and Spoon — knew he wanted an approachable dessert that would be easy to plate and, perhaps, lend itself to sharing.

But with limited staff, he also knew he couldn’t go super fancy, at least not right out of the gate.

What he and his culinary staff ended up deciding on after considerable deliberation was a confection that most people have loved since they were kids: an upscale version of a thick and gooey chocolate brownie.

Or as he frames it, “We wanted to do something nostalgic.”

Originally, Hughes thought they might be able to create the dessert using the restaurant’s wood-fired oven. When that proved unsuccessful for various reasons, they opted for the next best thing — making it “camping-style” by cooking it in individual cast-iron skillets.

While the first couple of batches were tasty enough, Hughes says the dessert didn’t prove great until he tweaked the batter with a better chocolate — he uses Callebaut dark chocolate pistoles crafted in Belgium — and added a little Kahlua, a liqueur made with rum, sugar and arabica coffee beans.

“It gave it the flavor I was looking for,” he says. “What goes better after dinner than coffee?”

The result is a gooey brownie with a cakey exterior that reminds Hughes of the chocolate batter he used to lick off a spoon when he was a kid.

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Today, the dessert is a Fig & Ash mainstay, a dessert so beloved that on the rare occasion Hughes takes it off the menu, “people complain.”

To keep it fresh, the restaurant occasionally changes up the flavor of local ice cream that goes on top. Currently, it’s being served with Millie’s Homemade Coffee Break, which is made in the company’s Homestead production facility using freshly brewed, sustainably sourced coffee and Pennsylvania sweet cream.

The dessert is further elevated by a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt flakes, which adds a crackle of salty flavor.

“It’s just a really feel-good dessert,” says Hughes of the lovely salty-sweet combo.

Fig & Ash Cast-Iron Kahlua Brownies

PG tested

This recipe is a (very) scaled-down version of the dessert that’s been made at Fig & Ash since its opening in 2020. It requires individual-sized (10-ounce) cast-iron skillets.

Pistoles look like slightly larger, slightly flatter chocolate chips. They melt more quickly and don’t need to be chopped.

1 pound butter, diced

18 ounces chocolate pistoles

8 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 tablespoon salt

2 cups white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Kahlua coffee liqueur

Vanilla or coffee ice cream, for topping

Flaky salt for garnish, such as Maldon

Melt butter in saucepan. Once melted, stir in the chocolate pistoles. Let sit until you have a melty pool of chocolate.

In large bowl, whisk eggs completely. Fold in vanilla, salt, sugar, brown sugar and melted chocolate, and whisk until incorporated.

Add in flour and stir until fully incorporated.

Spray 8 individual-sized (10-ounce) cast iron skillets with shortening to prevent sticking.

Divide batter among skillets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes. Remove from oven and top with a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream and a sprinkle of flaky salt, such as Maldon.

Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

— Cory Hughes, Fig & Ash

©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Amanda Barroso, NerdWallet

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving — this year, Nov. 29 — and it has typically been the kickstart to the holiday shopping season. Hundreds of retailers launch special in-store and online sales that are meant to encourage shoppers to check items off their list.

Black Friday is a time when businesses are able to move from “the red” (operating at a loss) to “the black” (making a profit). While Black Friday has a rich history, this narrative began in the 1980s and has stuck with the holiday ever since.

Predicting Black Friday trends

You can count on Black Friday sales to deliver intense competition and widespread discounts that stand out from other times of the year. Here’s what else to expect this shopping season.

Record-high holiday spending

The National Retail Federation estimates that winter holiday spending during November and December could reach $989 billion, a record high and up from $955.6 billion in 2023.

Shoppers will spend an average of $902 on “core holiday spending,” with $641 going toward gifts and $261 for seasonal items, the federation said on an Oct. 30 media call.

But that doesn’t mean shoppers are necessarily buying more, says Mark Bergen, professor of marketing at the University of Minnesota.

Because of inflation, “you could be spending more even though you’re buying less,” Bergen says.

Becoming a “better shopper” this holiday season “doesn’t necessarily mean I spend less,” Bergen says. “It means I spend more wisely or spend differently.”

Some shoppers will probably account for rising costs in their budget by spending money on different items — maybe a store brand rather than a name brand or shopping at a discount store instead of a major retailer, says Bergen.

Early Black Friday sales

Speaking of major retailers, many of them are starting their sales earlier in the month.

Costco, Best Buy, Sam’s Club, Target and Walmart all have sales or deals that have either already started, or will start by Nov. 21. Deals this year are also more likely to extend past Black Friday weekend, some into December.

Special access for members

“A big shift this holiday season will be that many of the really big promotions are going to be member driven,” Bergen says. Store memberships — which range from the free Target Circle program to paid programs such as Walmart+, warehouse memberships and Amazon Prime — can unlock special deals, early access and other benefits this holiday season.

Why this special privilege for members when Black Friday deals used to be for everyone?

“Because of inflation, companies have become more sophisticated in their ability to raise prices,” Bergen says. “Part of that has been their realization that they can raise the average prices but give more targeted discounts to their members.”

The bottom line: Taking account of your memberships might make a difference for your budget this holiday season.

A rise in social media-inspired shopping

While retail heavy-hitters will be a go-to for many shoppers, social media platforms will also be popular places to shop, especially for younger generations.

“Facebook Marketplace and TikTok Shop are leading in intentional purchases, while Facebook and Instagram remain popular for more casual browsing,” Janelle Sallenave, Chime’s chief spending officer, said in an email interview. Her observations come from data from Chime’s 2024 “Spendfluence report.”

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“Each platform appeals differently to its users: Facebook Marketplace attracts those searching for specific items, like furniture, while TikTok Shop engages trend-seekers,” Sallenave said.

But not all purchases are planned.

“One of the biggest takeaways from our Spendluence report is that ‘just browsing’ leads to a purchase for 99% of Americans with consumers spending an average of $168 on social media shopping in the past six months alone,” Sallenave said.

“This is a good reminder for holiday shoppers to be cautious and intentional with their spending, as platforms and brands will likely ramp up their ads and promotions.”

Store policies that benefit shoppers

Retailers really cater to shoppers during the holiday season. Here’s what you can expect this year:

Expanded store hours: Opening early and closing late gives people the flexibility to stop into stores and make purchases around their busy schedules. For example, Best Buy will be closed on Thanksgiving, but the retailer is extending its store hours during the rest of the season. Check your local retailer to find out specific details for their policies that typically run through Dec. 24.

Smooth and extended return policies: Retailers know that shoppers will probably be making returns after the holidays and want to make it easier. For example, at Best Buy, most items purchased from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 can be returned through Jan. 14, 2025. However most policies have some caveats — such as requiring receipts for returns or excluding items bought from third party sellers — that shoppers should be aware of.
Robust price matching: For example, Target will price match its competitors on items bought within a 14-day window and match its own prices if they drop during the designated window (Nov. 7 through Dec. 24). There are a few notable outliers: Neither Amazon nor Walmart have special holiday price matching policies. Walmart’s current policy doesn’t even match special event prices from its own website, Walmart.com, or match prices from third party sellers.

Tips for shopping during anxious times

Some shoppers might feel uneasy heading into Black Friday this year. The holiday shopping season comes on the heels of a highly contested presidential election, a series of natural disasters and rising costs that have stretched budgets.

These outside forces are stressful and exhausting, which are emotions that affect your spending habits. You may be more likely to make mistakes and be more vulnerable to impulsive decisions when you’re feeling this way.

“Try to shop earlier in the day, when you’re less tired,” Bergen says.

He also recommends waiting a night, if possible, before making a big purchase. Even as retailers rely on one-day deals and lightning sales to draw you in, being rested can clarify your shopping and spending goals and help you stay on track.

Amanda Barroso writes for NerdWallet. Email: abarroso@nerdwallet.com.

The article When is Black Friday? Here’s What You Need to Know Before You Shop originally appeared on NerdWallet.