Certain Sips: The Weekend Brew

Five Hot Minutes ☕ March 9, 2025

A weekly cultural and political brief—Certain Sips: the Weekend Brew

This fool (Gavin Newsom) will never be President

If trends continue, a whole range of Democratic aspirants could likely succeed Donald Trump as President in 2028. The current administration has inflicted more damage in two months than the Bush Administration did in two whole terms, at the time tanking opinions of Republicans so much that by 2008 Barack Obama’s triumph over John McCain was all but pre-determined.

Trump’s numbers are sinking, hatred for Elon Musk is palpable, and Vice President Vance and much of Trump’s cabinet have emerged as a joke. Whether they nominate a charismatic progressive like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or a milquetoast liberal like 2024 DNC runner-up Dean Phillips—assuming we still have a semblance of free and fair elections in 2028—I expect Democrats to retake the White House with ease.

But this week revealed one leading Democrat who will absolutely, positively, never become President of the United States: California Governor Gavin Newsom. By now you may have heard about, or even listened to, Thursday’s inaugural episode of the presidential hopeful’s podcast featuring none other than MAGA propagandist Charlie Kirk.

Very Bad Listening

The conversation centered on trans rights, something you might have missed listening to Newsom: he can’t bring himself to say the word trans or in any way defend the rights or humanity of transgender people. In fact, Newsom accedes to the entirety of Kirk’s anti-trans, indeed anti-American messaging.

Now that we are years into the political project of systematically dehumanizing trans people, there is no excuse for a seasoned operator like Gavin Newsom to demonstrate a complete failure to understand the stakes: if not for civil rights, at least for his own personal brand. Even more remarkable than his abandonment of trans citizens, Newsom’s chosen approach makes him look empty and weak. The leader of the largest US state, the fifth-largest economy in the world, launched his podcast (and unofficially, his presidential campaign) by appearing to be a pathetic loser.

Even those who disagree with a public figure’s position will extend a degree of respect to that person if they perceive them to fight earnestly for their beliefs. Now more than ever, Americans want someone willing to fight for them—and Newsom’s failure to recognize this is plainly disqualifying. Obama earned the right to run in a cakewalk general election by flexing formidable political skills against a heavyweight primary opponent in Hillary Clinton. Newsom, by contrast, will never seriously compete for his party’s nomination if in 2025 he doesn’t sense a hunger for someone willing to fight back.

He should stick to governing. In October Newsom proposed raising the annual state cap for production-related tax relief from $330 Million to $750 MIllion, a response to competing incentives that have steadily drawn film and TV production out of California to Georgia, New York, Canada, and overseas. Working class and middle class entertainment incomes cascade across the state’s economy, well beyond Los Angeles, so upping the California tax credit could go a long way towards keeping those jobs at home.

The day before Newsom’s podcast launch, union-aligned Democrats in both chambers of the state legislature introduced bills building on the governor’s call to dramatically expand entertainment production incentives. I hope these bills become law, and I want to see state leadership keep their feet on the entertainment industry gas pedal.

I moved to California, in part, to be closer to the forefront of culture. Until I began publishing

Certain Thoughts

, I never really saw myself as any kind of artist. But I’ve always loved being proximate to artists, those edgy, emotional, often brilliant and talented dreamers of dreams. Those engaged in the creative process have always been some of the coolest and most interesting people in my life. But it’s a little tricky when a friend who is an artist produces work that doesn’t interest me, or straight up sucks. How do you tell your friend that their baby is, in fact, ugly?

Good Viewing

Friendship with artists is much more fun when they’re actually excellent in their field, and few operate at the same exquisite level as actor, internet personality, comedian, sage, and soon to be filmmaker Joy Ofodu. As (extremely) talented as she is, Joy’s success surely also has something to do with her passionate work ethic and huge heart. Joy is curious, compassionate, and generous—the rare talent who improves everyone around her thanks to a special combination of kindness and genius.

This week the Bay Area-based Ofodu dropped the kickstarter for her directorial debut Heart of Sunshine, a comedic narrative short-film about a “daddy's daughter's love of love,” co-created with Donnita Shaw. The crowdfunding campaign has a goal of $18,000 and at time of publication has already raised more than $4,500. I’m sure they will take advantage of every available tax incentive, but our job is to ensure they can move forward and are fully funded even without one.

Join me in supporting Heart of Sunshine and get in on the ground floor. One day in the not too distant future Joy Ofodu films will run with production budgets of $18 Million to $180 Million, as she is destined for profound success. But everyone has to start somewhere. I don’t usually promote fundraisers here, but I am so genuinely excited to invest in Heart of Sunshine that I wanted to share the opportunity with you as well.

As with all crowdfunded campaigns, every investment matters and no amount is too small. Join this effort and in return you will forever hold the priceless bragging rights of saying you helped produce Joy Ofodu’s first film. Let’s make it happen, old sport.

I hope you’ve had a marvelous weekend. See you next time.

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