Latest news with #Barracuda
USA Today
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
This Max Homa interview on celebrities, his bachelor party, Chipotle and so much more will remind you why you love him
Let's face it, these are trying times for Max Homa. The six-time PGA Tour winner reached as high as No. 5 in the world, but has now slipped out of the Official World Golf Ranking top 100. After playing in 21 consecutive majors, he's now missing his second straight, as he failed to qualify for the Open at Royal Portrush. He has a new caddie after splitting with childhood friend Joe Greiner, and he recently opened up about the cesspool that social media can become, which is in contrast to the early portion of his career, where he made a name for himself by roasting the swings of others. And after a rough opening round at the 2025 Barracuda Championship, Homa stormed back Friday to make the cut at Tahoe Mountain Club's Old Greenwood course with eight birdies, including five in his last seven holes. Rico Hoey led the event after two days of play with plus 26 while Homa entered the weekend at plus 14. But despite his struggles, Homa has remained one of the game's most insightful players, a genuine interviewee who thoughtfully answers every question lobbed his way in the media center. And while we don't typically publish interviews in their entirety, this exchange between Homa and reporters in advance of the Barracuda, this one seemed too precious to carve up. Thanks to PGA Tour communications for the entire transcript: Q. You played your college golf at Berkeley, Cal Berkeley, not too far from here, couple hours away. Did you have any experiences coming up to Lake Tahoe when you were in college? Any memories coming up in this area in that time period? MAX HOMA: No, never in college. I did come here for my bachelor party. Q. Oh, nice. Heck yeah. MAX HOMA: So memories are hazy, but... Q. We need to follow up on that. MAX HOMA: We got pictures. But yeah, we never golfed here. I did do a work outing last offseason at Edgewood, which was cool. That was my first time getting to play-play up here. No, it's very pretty. I guess last time I played this event it was at Montreux, so bit different location, but similar kind of vibe. It's a very special place in the country that I don't feel like a lot of people get to go to, but when you got here you think to yourself, why don't I come here more often? It's very peaceful. It's a very enjoyable place. Very thankful we get to come up here. Q. The Bachelor party, winter trip, summer? When did you guys come out? MAX HOMA: September. It was like a Labor Day. Q. You get on the boat? MAX HOMA: It was very nice. We had a plan to get on the boat, but everybody woke up and thought better of it. Yeah, no. But, no, it was fun. We stayed mostly at the house. We went down to South Lake Tahoe every night. It was a blast. We had like 15 of us. It was a lot of fun. Q. Shoutout to Shannon Kelly's fiance John actually had his party during the ACC last week. MAX HOMA: That's wild. Q. Shannon's dad was there. I can tell you by Sunday they looked like they were pretty bad by Sunday. Speaking of Edgewood though, tough back-to-back weeks of assignments for us. We were posted up at the American Sentry Championship last week. I know you had your eyes on it because I believe Charles Barkley name dropped you. I think you reached out to him after he shot an 81 often Friday. What's that relationship like and did you -- do you pay attention to that celebrity tournament every year? More: Max Homa calls social media a 'safe haven for a**holes,' says logging off was the right move MAX HOMA: Yeah, I'm lucky. I got quite a few friends who played in it. Chuck I think is the greatest dude in the world. He texts me after most every tournament so I was trying to reciprocate. He's playing so much better, so that was fun to watch. Baker plays. I text him. Chuck and Rob McElhenney played together, and so I'm friends with both of them. I keep my eye the most on Aaron Rogers. We talk a lot. We talk a lot golf. He's a golf junkie. He didn't get to play much at all leading up, but he said I think the Monday before he went up he went and played and played really well, so it was good that he showed up and kind of kept what trend going. I think he went 15, 15, 14. It was fun to watch them, man. People like Steph and just the athletes that we admire going to play a game that drives you insane. Getting to watch the Kelce Brothers suck is always funny. I mean, they're just the most likable people ever and they get on the golf course and they continue to be relatable. I don't know. You just get to see both their personality and competitive nature at the same time. I think that's just awesome. Q. What did you say with Chuck, you had the video of him, there were some expletives... MAX HOMA: Oh, yeah. Q. ... and you were like, one of us, man. You got to be careful with a hot mic around Barkley. MAX HOMA: He doesn't care about a hot mic, I promise you that. Q. Who is the best celebrity golfer you've ever played a round with? MAX HOMA: I mean, Aaron is a really good. I've never played with Steph. He's impressive. On the spot I'm blanking. I know there is more. But somebody who is really good, Alfonso Ribeiro is a phenomenal golfer. Q. He takes it very seriously. MAX HOMA: Yeah, he loves him some golf. I'm sure I'm missing a bunch. Q. You're good. MAX HOMA: I'd be curious -- Austin Reaves has a special place in my heart as a Laker. I've heard himself tout himself as the best golfing basketball player, so I would like to see his game. His swing is beautiful, so... Corey Kispert is a good player. Q. Shout out Gonzaga. MAX HOMA: Yeah, so there are some good ones. I need to see it all up close. Steph obviously gets the most accolades because he won the ACC and all that. Oh, Mardy Fish. He's a really good golfer. Q. We saw Mardy; the final round he had a cocktail on the turn. That told me, all right... MAX HOMA: Because Mardy takes it serious-serious, so if he's drinking that means he's packed it in. Q. Back to serious golf though. In your last few months and of course, and it's well documented, different caddies and you were carrying your bag at a Monday qualifier. Take us inside your head right now and what you're going through. MAX HOMA: Yeah, feels good. Game feels a lot better the last -- since about the Truist I saw some better signs. Didn't really put up any good results, but the game started to feel a lot better. It's hard because I'm not at The Open. Didn't get to play the U.S. Open either. So it's hard to kind of compartmentalize improvement without being I guess upset I'm not there. But at the same time, if I just put it in a vacuum I'm really happy where my game is right now. I played great at the John Deere. I've been playing well at home. So I'm finally seeing some sustained good golf. Driving it a lot better. The rest of my game has felt pretty decent all year. Just been the driver and the 3-wood. So it's been awesome the last two and a half weeks. So, yeah, it's just good to kind of keep bouncing around. We travel so much. So bounce city to city and keep playing and keep having the same swing. For the beginning it was quite tough, so I see the light, which is good. Q. Dial it in. MAX HOMA: Yeah. Q. Got you. When you look at this tournament, you're hovering near 100 in the standings. Do you look at this as a opportunity, okay, this is somewhere maybe I can get big points or more just focused on I just want to go out and play good golf? What is your goal, expectation for coming out here to Truckee this week? MAX HOMA: Yeah, I mean, I'm in that spot. I don't need to finish in the top 100 this year because I have exemptions. I'm focused on the 70 and 50 number. I added this event because -- well, you know, I thought I would be playing this week anyway. I didn't play last week in Scotland. So I just wanted to get another rep in and get some points. Just try to keep chipping away towards that 70 number to make the playoffs. Hopefully -- I would love -- my wife is very, very pregnant right now so really like to win one of the next two so I could skip an event coming up just so I could keep the stress level low in our household. But, yeah, just wanted to -- playing well. I wanted to just get some points in and work my way towards Memphis. Q. Get a W and then maybe, all right, now we can... MAX HOMA: Yeah, I got two missed calls from her yesterday and I was freaking out. I can't handle the stress right now. Q. I can relate because my wife is also very pregnant. MAX HOMA: Okay. Q. When are you guys due? MAX HOMA: We would be like the first week of August. Q. So we're first week of October so you're really close. MAX HOMA: Oh, no, I'm close, yeah. She's the one telling me to keep playing, so I'm still stressed out. Dude, I'm freaking out. I'm ready to have the baby and then get settled. I know it'll be chaos, but I want to make sure I'm there. Q. Speaking of chaos, I just watched last night an eight-minute Truth Or Putt interview you did with Druski sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts. That looked like a ton of fun. And also, recently released episode of Stick on Apple. You were in that episode. What's it like getting to taste that Hollywood side of things? MAX HOMA: Yeah, it's not exactly my bread and butter, but Druski is cool. It's always scary to meet people like him because that's how I felt about the Pardon My Take guys, Big Cat and PFT. They're such a massive part my life without knowing it. It's kind of the definition of never meet your heros. I think when people meet athletes that they don't end up liking they get upset. I get that, but it's a different mindset. Those people are entertainers and you want them to be cool and normal and Druski... Q. (Talking over one another.) I hope they like me. MAX HOMA: That's what I mean. Hope they're funny, and Druski lived up to that. He was awesome to be around. Yeah, getting to be around Owen Wilson was cool. We were talking. I'm 34. If you're a 34-year-old dude he's your adolescence. Q. You're looking peak period of movies. MAX HOMA: Him and Vince Vaughan, man. We still quote everything they've done, so that was awesome. That was a pinch-me, texting all my friends, you'll never believe what I'm doing today. That was cool. Yeah, I haven't watched my scene. I will not watch my scene. I do not have the heart to watch myself act. Q. At least Wyndham was there with you. MAX HOMA: Yeah, thank you goodness. Hopefully he looked worse than me. That's all I can ask for. Q. How did you become that guy that is friends with all these big names, massive following. How did that all happen? Just naturally? MAX HOMA: I don't really know. I don't know. I've tried since college just to be myself and then you attract people that like that. If you don't, then it's all good. So fortunately I've always had such an admiration for other athletes, what they go through, what they put their bodies through, what mentally they go through. I've been lucky to get to have a lot of deep talks with these people, especially Aaron, about like how you prepares mentally, I mean. So, I don't know. I just have always been a big admirer of all theirs, so I've been really lucky we've got to have a relationship and chat about life, but also sports and how to get better. All athletes are sickos. We love what we do and we all love other sports, so it's cool to get to talk to those types of people. Q. We had or Nikki Pico (phonetic) walk up with you and she spotted our your bag big Chipotle presences on the golf bag got to ask you. They're a sponsor of yours. You said it's like your absolute favorite thing. First of all, what's the go-to Max Homa Chipotle order? What's the move? MAX HOMA: Yeah, they're my favorite thing like ever. I looked it up. There is not one anywhere near my hotel which is a bummer. My go-to, I get basically the same thing every time. I get a bowl, white rice, black beans, that Chipotle honey chicken is fire. I hope that never goes away. I've been begging them to keep it. Just keep it forever. Q. Don't lose it. MAX HOMA: Then pico corn, and if I had a good week I'll get guac. If not, I don't. Q. That's pretty simple. MAX HOMA: It's very simple. Q. Pretty simple order. Mike, what's on your Chipotle move. Depends if I'm going burrito, usually bowl though. I'm the guy that goes half and half with everything. MAX HOMA: Yeah, yeah, that is a good idea. Q. I feel like you get a little more that way. MAX HOMA: Okay, yeah, you're fleecing the system. Q. If I'm feeling good I'll go with the queso, but always guac on the side. MAX HOMA: Always, okay. Q. Got to get the guac. Even the veggies I think are a must. MAX HOMA: That's the only thing I'll mix in that's not part of my standard. I have it a lot at home so at some point I mix it up a little. That's pretty much the only thing... Q. Hey, we actually have one in Reno. Maybe we'll drive one up for you. MAX HOMA: Yeah, I checked. 23 miles from my hotel. I'm still thinking about going. I might drive out. I don't have my family here this week so I might hike it over to the Chipotle. Q. Curious, big Dodgers fan, right? MAX HOMA: Yeah. Q. Did you catch the All-Star Game last night? Kershaw mic'd up as he was pitching. MAX HOMA: Yeah. Q. Do you think LA runs it back this year? MAX HOMA: I hope they do. That was really cool. Kershaw is Dodgers' baseball to me. He's right in kind of my sweet spot, my favorite Dodger of all-time. So to get to see that -- he wasn't really honing it down. I think he hit 89 his first pitch. Had a strike out and have Dave (phonetic) come out, you know, that was just so cool. So it's nice when -- we been so lucky to get to see such great pitching in our era. To get to see them take their steps towards the end and get to appreciate it is cool. I hope they win it all. They're good. Pitching is going to get healthy soon. I think that's one the one bugaboo for the season. Bats have been cold, but I don't really worry about that lineup. I think they'll worry that one out. Q. I'm a long-suffering Mariners fan, so Cal Raleigh winning the Home Run Derby, I'm going to ride that. MAX HOMA: Cal Raleigh, baby. That's awesome. That was awesome.
AllAfrica
a day ago
- Business
- AllAfrica
US banking on cheap missiles to narrow China war gap
The US is betting on a new wave of cheap cruise missiles to win a high-tech war of attrition against China. This month, US defense contractor L3Harris Technologies revealed the 'Red Wolf' and 'Green Wolf' missiles, offering affordable, long-range strike capabilities for the US military amid rising tensions with China in the Pacific, Reuters reported. The systems support the US Department of Defense's (DoD) 'affordable mass' strategy, shaped by recent conflicts in Ukraine and Israel that underscored the need for large stockpiles of deployable munitions. Both multi-role missiles exceed a 200-nautical-mile range and can engage moving naval targets. Red Wolf focuses on precision strikes, whereas Green Wolf is designed for electronic warfare and intelligence collection. Production is underway in Ashburn, Virginia, with initial low-rate manufacturing progressing toward full-scale output. L3Harris anticipates pricing around US$300,000 per unit and aims to produce roughly 1,000 annually. Having completed over 40 successful test flights, the systems mark a strategic pivot as Lockheed Martin and RTX currently dominate the long-range missile market. The Red and Green Wolf systems join a growing list of weapons marketed under the affordable mass concept, including Anduril's Barracuda and Lockheed Martin's Common Multi-Mission Truck (CMMT), which embody competing visions of low-cost, mass-producible cruise missiles designed to saturate peer adversaries. Anduril's Barracuda—available in three scalable configurations—emphasizes rapid production using commercial components, modular payloads and autonomous teaming enabled by its Lattice software. Designed for flexibility across air, sea and land launches, it has entered a US Air Force/Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) prototype effort. In contrast, Lockheed's CMMT, or 'Comet,' is a modular, non-stealthy missile priced at $150,000 and optimized for global assembly and palletized mass launch from cargo aircraft. Barracuda emphasizes software-defined autonomy and flexible mission roles, while CMMT focuses on industrial-scale modularity and global assembly for cost-effective mass deployment. As the US military turns to low-cost cruise missiles like Barracuda, CMMT and the Red and Green Wolf to achieve affordable mass, a critical question looms: can these cheaper weapons deliver sufficient firepower, scale and survivability to offset industrial shortfalls and support sustained combat in a high-intensity war with China? According to the US DoD's 2024 China Military Power Report (CMPR), China possesses the world's largest navy by battle force, exceeding 370 ships and submarines, including over 140 major surface combatants. Mark Gunzinger argues in a November 2021 article for Air & Space Forces Magazine that the US suffers from a shortage of precision-guided munitions (PGMs), rooted in outdated assumptions favoring short wars, which he argues limits its ability to sustain combat against China. Seth Jones writes in a January 2023 report for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) that the US defense industrial base remains optimized for peacetime and lacks resilient supply chains. Jones warns that this situation leaves the US unprepared for a protracted conflict, such as a Taiwan contingency against China, where early depletion of high-end munitions could prove disastrous. He stresses that in a potential US-China war over Taiwan, the US could expend up to 5,000 high-end, multi-million-dollar long-range missiles—including the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), Harpoon anti-ship missile and Tomahawk cruise missile—within the first three weeks of conflict. While ramping up production of lower-end PGMs could, to some extent, alleviate shortages, Evan Montgomery and others argue in a June 2024 article for War on the Rocks that cheap, mass-produced PGMs often lack the performance—stealth, speed, range and penetrating power—needed to generate lasting strategic effects. Drawing on recent case studies, they point out that Israel's neutralization of Iran's April 2024 drone swarm using $20,000-$50,000 Shahed loitering munitions contrasts sharply with Ukraine's selective use of advanced, multi-million-dollar munitions such as Storm Shadow and the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). They note the latter precision strikes forced costly Russian Black Sea Fleet redeployments and disrupted operations. Montgomery and others conclude that low-cost swarms may struggle to inflict meaningful attrition, particularly if autonomy and swarming technologies remain immature or economically unscalable. Given the capability gap between high-end PGMs like the $3.2 million per unit LRASM and more affordable systems such as the Red Wolf, Stacey Pettyjohn and others argue in a January 2025 article for the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) that the US must urgently implement a high-low PGM mix to deter China. They argue that China's People's Liberation Army's (PLA) rapid expansion and increasingly coercive maneuvers have outpaced the US's Indo-Pacific posture, exposing a strategic mismatch in both capability and scale. They point out that while high-end weapons are critical for penetrating advanced defenses and executing high-value missions, they are constrained by cost, availability and replenishment lag. Conversely, they state low-cost autonomous systems can be produced more rapidly and in greater numbers to bolster mass and sustain combat effectiveness over time, though they lack the capability of high-end systems. However, Pettyjohn and others caution that the US DoD's risk-averse acquisition culture and absence of a clear operational concept integrating both tiers exacerbate these challenges. Explaining the roots of this problem, Shands Pickett and Zach Beecher write in a June 2025 article for War on the Rocks that a widening rift between traditional prime contractors and non-traditional tech entrants is fracturing the US defense-industrial base. Pickett and Beecher note that primes, known for delivering large-scale, complex systems, are criticized for being slow, risk-averse and too focused on legacy programs. In contrast, they state that non-traditionalists bring agility and innovation, rapidly developing capabilities using commercial best practices. Yet Pickett and Beecher note that these firms often struggle with integration into mission systems and scaling for full-rate production. They liken this incompatibility to clashing software languages, resulting in technical debt, mission gaps and an industrial ecosystem fragmented and ill-suited to modern threats. While low-cost missiles can help close the gap in munitions volume, their strategic value hinges on effective integration, operational clarity and industrial readiness. Without structural reforms to US acquisition practices and production infrastructure, affordable mass may fall short of delivering meaningful deterrence in a high-end conflict with China.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
YouTube golf star Grant Horvat is backing out of his PGA Tour debut. How come?
YouTube golf star Grant Horvat will no longer make his PGA Tour debut at the Barracuda Championship after a dispute over his ability to film the competition. Horvat received a sponsor's invitation in April to compete in the California tournament, which will run opposite the Open Championship in Northern Ireland this weekend. He released a statement to social media on July 15 stating that he declined the invitation because he could not film the round and publish it to his YouTube account, which has 1.38 million subscribers and regularly draws more than a million views per video. "Unfortunately I will not be playing in a PGA Tour event. The rules and regulations around PGA Tour tournament play will not allow us to film," Horvat said. "The only reason I was in the position to receive an invitation like this is because of YouTube and you all watching the videos, so if I'm going to play, we want film it. "I am hopeful that this won't always be the case. I would be honored to play in a PGA Tour event and bring you all along in the future. Huge thank you to the Barracuda for the invite and belief in YouTube golf. More: How Grant Horvat fared in pro tournament at Jupiter's Abacoa Golf Club Horvat's decision to reject the sponsor's invitation has proven controversial, particularly since it goes against advice given to him by Scottie Scheffler, the world's No. 1 golfer. The pair played a round together for a video that was published on May 6 via Horvat's channel. Scheffler encouraged the YouTuber, who was wrestling with the decision, to play because he'd earned the chance and would ultimately help the Barracuda Championship. "It's an opposite-field event that needs the exposure," Scheffler said in the video. "There's a reason they're giving you the spot. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to take it if I were you." The initial decision to invite Horvat to play the Barracuda Championship also drew scrutiny as it came within days of the PGA Tour's banning of longtime pro Wesley Bryan over his involvement in a YouTube video with LIV Golf. Where did Grant Horvat go to college, high school? Horvat, 26, moved from Michigan to Florida shortly before his 15th birthday and joined the South Fork High golf team ahead of his sophomore year. He was a first-team All-Area selection in 2015 and 2016. The son of a PGA professional, Horvat played collegiate golf at Palm Beach Atlantic from 2017-21 before moving into content creation as a full-time endeavor. He has since recorded golf videos with top professionals like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, John Daly and many more. Horvat, an amateur, won the PGA Tour's Creator Classic at TPC Sawgrass in March in the days prior to The 2025 Players Championship. He has also played in minor professional events in South Florida on the Minor League Golf Tour. Horvat shot 72 and tied for 25th in an event at Jupiter's Abacoa Golf Club on March 18, taking home $140 for the finish. In January 2025, Horvat signed a deal with Finnish brand Takomo Golf to become a company shareholder. Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
News on Grant Horvat and PGA Tour's Disagreement Emerges This Week
News on Grant Horvat and PGA Tour's Disagreement Emerges This Week originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Grant Horvat has made a name for himself in the golf community by producing engaging content around the sport. He often invites celebrities to join him in golf challenges, and fans love his videos—so much so that he earned a sponsor invite to play in this week's Barracuda Championship. Advertisement But on Tuesday, news emerged that Horvat declined to participate in the event due to a disagreement with the PGA Tour. As an influencer, he wanted to bring a crew to record content during the tournament, but they wouldn't allow it. "I will not be playing in a PGA TOUR event is due to the rules and regulations around media rights and filming during tournament play of a PGA TOUR event. And basically that means I was not going to be allowed to film my round during tournament play." Horvat said in a video. Grant Horvat, a YouTube influencer and former member of the Palm Beach Atlantic University golf team.© DAMON HIGGINS/THE PALM BEACH DAILY NEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK "And for me personally, doing YouTube for a living and wanting to document everything I do, and this is the reason we got the invite in the first place, was because of YouTube and because of the amazing experiences I get to share with you guys," he continued. Advertisement "But I am hopeful that sometime in the future we will be able to play in a PGA TOUR event. I don't know which one it will be, maybe the Barracuda next year, and document and film," he added. Fans have supported his stance on the matter. Several eminent individuals declared their support, including even Phil Mickelson. "The thing is something like this doesn't really benefit Grant as much as the tour benefits. So why not have some sort of clause or something in rules where the tour can allow a non-member to create content around an event? It only elevates the tour and the tournament." Bryan Bros Golf wrote on X. Advertisement Mickelson responded to that joking, "🙋♂️I'd like to take a crack at this 😂😂". Related: PGA Tour Makes Scottie Scheffler Announcement Before Open Championship This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Poker Face' Season 2 review: Another winning hand from Natasha Lyonne and Rian Johnson
Even with an extra two episodes than Season 1, Poker Face still leaves us wanting more. After the three- episode premiere where Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne) with her lie detector at full throttle and solving crimes, dodges hits ordered by Beatrix Hasp (Rhea Perlman), the mob boss she crossed last season, Poker Face settles to its episode/murder a week format. At the end of episode 3, 'Whack-A-Mole', Hasp agrees to go into witness protection and call off the hit on Charlie. As she drives through the country, Charlie has a fellow radio user, a trucker with the call sign, Good Buddy, (Steve Buscemi) for company. FBI agent Luca (Simon Helberg) also looks out for Charlie. Poker Face Season 2 (English) Creator: Rian Johnson Cast: Natasha Lyonne, Simon Helberg, Rhea Perlman, Steve Buscemi, Patti Harrison, Cynthia Erivo, Giancarlo Esposito, Katie Holmes, Kumail Nanjiani, Awkwafina, Justin Theroux, Haley Joel Osment Episodes: 12 Runtime: 41 – 55 minutes Storyline: From an alligator named Daisy and a murderous funeral director to an ambitious eight-year-old, Charlie meets them all as she drives through the US in her powder blue Barracuda Poker Face works for many reasons from the cast to the writing. Starting with the criminal's point of view and then introducing Charlie's connection and figuring out the crime from her perspective is ingenious and engaging. The ensemble cast features a dream line-up. There is Cynthia Erivo playing four siblings, who were child actors, abused and exploited by their evil mother. Giancarlo Esposito plays a funeral director who sees an opportunity to get rid of his wife (Katie Holmes) when his house is used to shoot a thriller. Kumail Nanjiani plays a Florida police officer with a pet alligator called Daisy and Awkwafina plays a bike messenger who wants to save her grandmother from her sketchy new girlfriend. Justin Theroux might or might not be the world's top assassin as he infiltrates a wedding to kill Hasp's son, Kirby, played by Haley Joel Osment. The people Charlie meets on her pilgrim's progress include the owner of a floundering gym who would do anything to keep it afloat, a baseball player who loses his fastball and gets it back in a horrific manner, an eight year old who does not think murder is too high a price to pay for success, a bunch of smooth con artists and an employee at a big box electronic store who decides to turn his reel inspiration real. By Episode 9, Charlie ends up in New York and meets Alex (Patti Harrison), who seems to be the one person who does not lie to her. The two-episode finale sees Charlie and Alex supplying oysters at a posh society wedding. When Alex is accused of murder, Charlie needs to find the real killer. That Thelma & Louise style finale is pure gold. Poker Face's writing is thoughtful and detailed (Daisy the alligator has little daisies on her collar). The movie references are beyond fun, including a character saying Anatomy of a Fall has a great dog performance and the close ups from Heat on the television as the electronic stores is being shot up. The fact that the crimes are intimate, human ones and not the result of some impossible master criminal, is another plus point. Lyonne is the beating heart of the show as she turns in another brilliant performance as the 'compulsive do-gooder.' Rian Johnson, whose third edition of Knives Out will be dropping later this year, has delivered a cracker of a show. Hopefully the song at the end of episode 12, Bob Dylan's 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue', is not true and we will get to spend many more hours with the warm-hearted redhead with a voice like a rusty saxophone. Poker Face is currently streaming on Jio Hotstar
