Daily distraction: Drawing lessons, karaoke parties, comedy
Drawings of man and woman kissing. Image by JHU Sheridan Libraries/Gado/Getty Images
By PJ Grisar March 23, 2020
Welcome to your daily distraction, our recommendations for ways to stay engaged and entertained while we socially distance ourselves to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak. You can find our past recommendations here; many of the opportunities we’ve highlighted are ongoing.
Hope you had a restful weekend. The week is kicking off anew, and even though we’re staying inside, there’s much to look forward to.
1) Give art a try — with some professional guidance
Learn how to draw a hyper-realistic rhino or get a grasp on the basics on color theory and mixing with artist Matt Fussell’s select free drawing lessons, which range from one-hour to 10-hour courses. If you want to be the next Stan Lee, comic book pro Paul Allor, scribe of “GI Joe” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” is offering “Free [Comic] Script Critiques During Social Distancing.”. And if you have little ones hyped for Pesach, why not check out these easy Seder plate crafts and matzo covers?
2) Watch a comedy special
One thing Netflix doesn’t get enough credit for is reviving the Borscht Belt — virtually. Specials by funny Jews Marc Maron, Iliza Shlesinger, Todd Glass, Amy Schumer, Ari Shaffir and Joe Mande are all on the platform. Maron’s recently-released latest special highlights the Jewish propensity for prophecy and comic book-creativity under threat of pogrom. Schumer talks about pregnancy while pregnant (we know, Ali Wong did it first) and Joe Mande recalls a time he nearly ruined Hanukkah. These picks are all fairly R-rated, but if you’re into the clean stuff, there’s always Jerry Seinfeld.
3) Have a dance or karaoke party on Zoom
Just because you’re cooped up doesn’t mean you should miss a chance to sing, dance and make a fool of yourself in front of friends. Over Zoom, you can connect with pals and get down with a group-curated Spotify playlist. If you’re more in the mood for singing, you can always host a karaoke party through the use of YouTube’s many instrumental tracks. (Credit to Vulture’s Madison Malone Kircher, who helpfully outlined the logistics of her own friend group’s karaoke bash here.) Just make sure you don’t overuse “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
PJ Grisar is the Forward’s culture fellow. He can be reached at [email protected].
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
