Let Me Watch The Prince Documentary

I Deserve It

In unsurprising but nonetheless disappointing news, Ezra Edelman’s nine-hour Prince documentary will no longer be released on Netflix. This is the outcome I expected (and feared) after reading the New York Times Magazine piece about the film, where his estate’s objections were first reported: “Last spring, they saw a cut and, claiming that it misrepresented Prince, entered into a protracted battle with Netflix, which owns the rights to the film, to prevent its release. As of today, there is no indication that the film will ever come out. It has been like watching a monument being swallowed by the sea.” That piece’s author, Sasha Weiss, is one of a small handful of people who’ve actually viewed the embattled documentary. Noted Prince superfan Questlove has also seen it, and it inspired him to call his therapist afterwards at 3 AM and cry “so hard he couldn’t see.” The nuanced exploration of Prince’s life, career and artistic legacy contains interviews with previous partners who allege emotional and physical abuse (I believe them, duh). It also delves into the events surrounding his relationship with Mayte Garcia* (they first met when she was 16) and its dissolution after losing their 7 day-old son to Pfeiffer Syndrome in 1996. The estate doesn’t want Prince’s brand tarnished or their bottom line devalued. But I want to marathon this magnum opus really, really badly. I do think the right deranged fan could get them to reconsider through a combination of emotional appeals and credible threats. Unfortunately, I don’t have the bandwidth for that right now. Alas.

Relatedly, Rich Juzwiak covered Goodbye Horses: The Q Lazzarus Story for the Times — another documentary spotlighting Black musical genius. If you’re unfamiliar (as I was), Q Lazzarus (born Diane Luckey) was an 80s singer whose work is best known for being featured in Jonathan Demme’s films, most memorably soundtracking Buffalo Bill’s disturbing little Silence of the Lambs dance (see above). As The Guardian explains, Q was driving a taxi and gigging in New York City when she gave Demme a ride and impressed him with a demo of her music. Despite Demme’s recognition — and despite briefly appearing in Philadelphia as a singer — a record contract never materialized. By the mid-90s, she’d disappeared from the public eye. Behind the scenes, she spiraled downward, got clean, and started over as a civilian. But one fateful day in 2019, filmmaker Eva Aridjis Fuentes clocked her chauffeur as the Q Lazzarus and eventually kickstarted Q’s efforts to reclaim her artistic legacy: “With her son’s help, she began the slow process of chasing performance royalties for Goodbye Horses. She gave Aridjis Fuentes a sack of demo tapes, spanning her work with Garvey, material she wrote with Agren and rock tracks cut with her London band, for the documentary soundtrack. It’s about to be released as an album, the first time any of her music other than Goodbye Horses has seen official release. ‘She always wanted to put out a record of her music,’ says Aridjis Fuentes, ‘one she would finally get royalties from.’” Before that could happen, Q passed in 2022 from sepsis — a fascinating life cut tragically short. There’s a special screening on March 14th at the Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles benefitting GoFundMe's 2025 Wildfire Relief Fund. Personally, I’m trying to catch it at Village East or Roxy Cinema come mid-March.

*I became briefly obsessed with Mayte after Prince died in 2016, which is how I ended up watching two seasons of Hollywood Exes. She’s rabidly passionate about animal rights and at one point sets fire to Nicole Murphy’s fur headband (not while it was on her head, sadly). Real Housewives this is not! Her book The Most Beautiful: My Life With Prince was optioned for a feature in 2023.

2025 Oscars Debrief

Well, my boys did it — but the night’s real winners were Conan O’Brien, Timothée Chalamet’s public image and whoever produced Anora. As a longtime Adrienator, Mr. Brody’s gum throwing and rambling speech embarrassed me. Just another day in the life of a Fan™! The biggest upset was Mikey Madison taking Best Actress over Demi Moore for The Substance (which I could not stomach beyond the 10-minute mark). Anyway, Here’s how Challengers can still win Best Picture in 2026…

Here’s Something Interesting

Per Garbage Day, Wikipedia’s editors have “pivoted toward a ‘deletionist mode’”, making it harder for new pages to get approved. There simply aren’t enough editors to handle the volume of pages at this juncture. At the same time, many longstanding pages belonging to organizations and brands have become outdated. Are you ready to answer the call and become a Wikipedian? Then start here.

Shameless Self-Promotion

March 11th, I make my annual return to Just Come!, the bar show I co-founded in 2018. Take the L or G to The Graham, grab a drink and head to the backroom by 9 PM. Let’s hang! I’ll be doing bits and trying to remember how stand up comedy works. Hell yeah.

Please Submit Blind Items. No, I’m Not Joking

I have an inordinate interest in other people’s business and a strong grasp of libel law. Submit me blind items regarding gossip in the entertainment, media, culture, arts and literary/publishing spheres. I also appreciate academic infighting and messy business dealings/outright fraud, e.g., Theranos, WeWork, Fyre Fest, etc. E-mail rossiferous@gmail.com or respond directly to this dispatch. Be brave and send me something in the vein of 2010s Gawker! No tea’s too niche or frivolous.

Until next time, friends—