A day in my life (on deadline)

Good morning, Scumblettes! It’s hot as hell in Washington, D.C. My plan for July 4th is to stay indoors and try to ignore what’s happening downtown. I’ve got a screener for Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex (in theaters July 31) that I’m looking forward to watching, mostly because I want to check out Olivia Wilde’s performance.

I’m currently stock up — way up — on Wilde. On Monday, I had a chance to see The Invite, which she directed and stars in alongside Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton. Set during an evening of neighborly drinks and charcuterie, it mashes together sex, nerves, and marital unhappiness with theatrical flair. And it’s very funny. The Invite is a wonderful showcase for Rogen, Cruz, and Norton, but I was particularly impressed by Wilde, who has a gift for physical comedy and plays the evening’s hostess with a try-hard mania that could be annoying, but somehow isn’t. (There’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment where she attempts to discreetly dump a burnt soufflé in the trash that made me laugh out loud.) If you’re looking to cool down at the movie theater this weekend, I recommend it.

Another nice thing from this week: I won an L.A. Press Club award for a Bloomberg story I reported last year, about Hollywood professionals struggling to find work in their industry. It’s a huge honor, and I’m forever appreciative to my dear friend and longtime editor, Julia Rubin, for the assignment!

Now. I have a toon for you. It’s a completely accurate depiction of a day in my life on deadline. Follow me beyond the paywall to learn what happens in the Writing Hole.