Kidman quickly shut it down when a journalist from The Guardian asked if some of her comments about Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz (played in the film by Javier Bardem) were also about Kidman's former marriage to Tom Cruise.
"Oh, my God, no, no. Absolutely not," Kidman said. "No. I mean, that's, honestly, so long ago that that isn't in this equation. So, no."
"And I would ask not to be pigeonholed that way, either," Kidman added.
"It feels to me almost sexist, because I'm not sure anyone would say that to a man," she said." And at some point, you go, 'Give me my life. In its own right.'"
"Being the Ricardos" centers around the lives and marriage of Ball and Arnaz and takes place during a week of filming their iconic TV show "I Love Lucy."
Kidman and Cruise married in 1990 and like Ball and Arnaz were costars.
The former couple, who split in 2001, starred together in "Days of Thunder" in 1990, "Far and Away" in 1992 and "Eyes Wide Shut" in 1999.
My job at Vox is to talk to interesting people. And in 2021, I got to talk to a lot of really interesting people.
Nine conversations in particular stick out to me. They were the ones that challenged me the most, got me thinking in a new way about a difficult problem, or just explained what the hell was happening in yet another disorienting year.
There’s no unifying thread tying all these conversations together, but each of them, in its own way, left a strong impression on me. One of my favorites was with Elizabeth Bruenig, who talked about why it’s so damn hard to forgive and why so many us struggle to do it even though we know we should.
My interview with Andreas Malm about the existential stakes of the climate fight and the limits of peaceful resistance forced a collision with some very difficult questions that, even today, I can’t really answer. I also enjoyed my interview with Spencer Ackerman about how the war on terror eroded the institutional armor of American democracy and left the country defenseless against its own pathologies.
Conversations like the one with Heather McGhee offered a productive way to think about the politics of race and class and how we might overcome the barriers to a truly multi-ethnic liberal democracy.
Whether you’re interested in the environment or politics or the incredibly weird history of moral panics in the US, there’s something in these exchanges for you. So without further ado, here are the nine most interesting conversations I had this year.
“I do think that the past experiences of social struggles suggests that if you’re fighting a very powerful enemy, you need to engage in tactics that can impose costs on that enemy. This usually includes forms of property destruction and confrontation with the ruling order that goes beyond absolutely peaceful civil disobedience. I don’t know of any relevant analogy or a parallel struggle in the past that has succeeded without an element of more militant methods.” —Andreas Malm
“We were founded partly by people who thought that Satan and demons were part of everyday life and were constantly trying to tempt them. And that character has just been with us since the Puritans came. So it seems as if Satan is maybe part of our national DNA in a way that, as we entered into the latter half of the 20th century, the time of science, the time of the Space Race, this was also the time when evangelicals came into the White House, when Reagan let them in through the back door. And this was the time when we started to see real power, real money, and evangelical voting blocs. And that coming as a response to this era of science and progress and technological innovation seems relevant.” —Sarah Marshall
“The Afghanistan war didn’t rebuild Afghanistan. The Afghanistan war rebuilt Northern Virginia. The Afghanistan war, like the war on terror beyond it, enriched a very small and exceedingly politically powerful private interest, which is the defense industry. The defense industry functions as what I think you could say is the American variant of state capitalism. This is an enterprise that operates as a tremendous force, not just for inertia in the American empire, but its growth. Obviously, we paid for the war on credit. ... What would you rather have spent that on?” —Spencer Ackerman
“We’re also in this resurgence of organizing and we have to double down. Ordinary people have experienced a rebirth of civic life. Whether they’re doing it for their own survival, or because they’re making minimum wage, or because their moral sense of self has been violated by America’s inequalities, people have decided that a part of being an American and a human being right now is to organize. And that is the space that has always changed lives and changed history. And we are in that space right now. And that’s what’s exciting and hopeful to me. It’s why I say in the book that there are solidarity dividends to be had, but only through cross-racial organizing.” —Heather McGhee
“Democracy forces us to allow anyone to seek power. So it allows into the space of politics people who seek only personal power. And then freedom of speech allows them to do whatever they want. Plato warns us that democracy will lead immediately to tyranny. Someone who should never be in politics in the first place will come in with an appetite for power, spread fear of foreigners or internal enemies, represent himself as the only protector, and then seize power and never give it up. I think of fascism as the modern version of the demagogue Plato warned us about so long ago.” —Jason Stanley
“We won the White House against a world-historical buffoon. And we came within 42,000 votes of losing. We lost congressional seats. We didn’t pick up state legislatures. So let’s not have an argument about whether or not we’re off-key in our messaging. We are. And we’re off because there’s too much jargon and there’s too much esoterica and it turns people off.” —James Carville
“I guess what I’m saying is that certain folks never had the luxury of being comfortable. So now we’re at a place where we’re trying to figure out how to be more intentional in acknowledging our history and its consequences, and that means that discomfort is going to have to be shared in a way it hasn’t been up to this point. And if we’re going to talk about how to unify the country, the onus can’t just be on the people who are the descendants of enslaved Black people and displaced Native communities, whose forced labor and stolen land were the primary factors of production in building this country. This is something we all have to encounter, and it’s going to be discomforting for everyone.” —Jarvis R. Givens
“Most people go into policing out of public spirit and idealistic reasons. A lot of them get that beaten out of them. But the people within policing who care about changing it do tend to have a much clearer sense of what will work, what will not work, why things are the way they are, and if you want to change something you have to understand it. ... The more we just vilify cops, we are driving away some of the very people who could and should be some of the most effective advocates for change. The project of transforming policing should involve building bridges to the many, many people within policing who also feel like the system is broken and needs change. We need more of these conversations and we need them as soon as possible.” —Rosa Brooks
“I think there are things a person can do to another person that make the likelihood that they will ever be forgiven zero percent. But in my view, a person cannot actually eliminate the value of their own life, no matter what they do. It’ll always be the right thing to do to allow that person to live. I understand, though, the feeling of not being able to forgive. There are some things that just exceed the moral capacities of even the most morally heroic person. But I think we should always keep in mind that those are very, very rare instances.” —Elizabeth Bruenig
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DETROIT – Michigan reported 25,858 new cases of COVID-19 and 338 virus-related deaths Wednesday -- an average of 12,929 cases over a two-day period, a new state record for daily cases, in the final data update of 2021.
The previous record of 9,779 new cases in one day was set in Nov. 2020. Of the 338 deaths announced Wednesday, 232 were identified during a review of records.
Wednesday’s update brings the total number of confirmed COVID cases in Michigan to 1,507,338, including 26,988 deaths. These numbers are up from 1,481,480 cases and 26,650 deaths, as of Monday.
Note: Due to the holiday, the next update from the state won’t come until Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.
Testing has increased to around 50,000 to 60,000 diagnostic tests reported per day on average, with the 7-day positive rate jumping up to 22.93% as of Wednesday. Hospitalizations have declined slightly over the last two weeks but are still near record-high levels.
Michigan has reported more than 10.9 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered as of Wednesday, with 68.4% of 16+ residents having received at least one dose, while 62.7% of 16+ residents are considered fully vaccinated.
Across Michigan’s entire population, 63.4% have received at last one COVID vaccine dose.
According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 54 million cases have been reported in the U.S., with more than 824,000 deaths reported from the virus. Globally, more than 9 billion vaccine doses have been administered, including more than 505 million doses in the U.S. alone.
Worldwide, more than 286 million people have been confirmed infected and more than 5.4 million have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are certainly much higher, because of limited testing, different ways nations count the dead and deliberate under-reporting by some governments.
Michigan’s health agency says it’s updating guidance for COVID-19 quarantine to match new CDC recommendations.
On Dec. 29, MDHHSsaid it would keep its previous guidelines in place while it reviewed the new CDC guidelines, which shortens isolation periods for most, even with a positive COVID test. On Dec. 31, officials said the state will be following the new CDC guidance.
The CDC is recommending a shortening of the quarantine and isolation duration for those who aren’t vaccinated or haven’t received their booster to five days followed by an additional five days of wearing a well-fitting mask around others. The updated guidance is specific to the general public.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer held a COVID briefing Tuesday for the first time since June, answering questions about whether this surge warrants new mandates and delivering specific messages for both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents.
“We’re in for another tough 4-6 weeks, is what all the experts are projecting, with the omicron variant spreading rapidly across the country,” Whitmer said.
With Omicron now the dominant COVID-19 variant, doctors are revealing symptoms they're commonly seeing. Many say the symptoms are close to those of a cold or flu, but according to one well-known New York City emergency physician the severity of Omicron depends on your vaccination status. Read below to see what experts are saying about the variant and how to protect yourself. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss theseSure Signs You've Already Had COVID.
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Dr. Katherine Poehling, an infectious disease specialist and vaccinologist at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in North Carolina,told NBC Newslast week that a "cough, congestion, runny nose and fatigue appear to be prominent symptoms with the omicron variant. But unlike delta, many patients are not losing their taste or smell."
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Omicron symptoms can vary by how many doses of a vaccine you've had, according toDr. Craig SpencerMD MPH NYC ER doctor | Ebola Survivor | Director of Global Health in Emergency Medicine. "Every patient I've seen with Covid that's had a 3rd 'booster' dose has had mild symptoms. By mild I mean mostly sore throat. Lots of sore throat. Also some fatigue, maybe some muscle pain. No difficulty breathing. No shortness of breath. All a little uncomfortable, but fine," Dr. Spencerwrote.
Dr. SpencerTweeted,"Most patients I've seen that had 2 doses of Pfizer/Moderna still had 'mild' symptoms, but more than those who had received a third dose. More fatigued. More fever. More coughing. A little more miserable overall. But no shortness of breath. No difficulty breathing. Mostly fine."
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Dr. Spencerwrote, "Most patients I've seen that had one dose of J&J and had Covid were worse overall. Felt horrible. Fever for a few days (or more). Weak, tired. Some shortness of breath and cough. But not one needing hospitalization. Not one needing oxygen. Not great. But not life-threatening."
Dr. Spencer revealed onTwitter, "And almost every single patient that I've taken care of that needed to be admitted for Covid has been unvaccinated. Every one with profound shortness of breath. Every one whose oxygen dropped when they walked. Every one needing oxygen to breath regularly."
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Dr. Spencer was very clear in his findings based on his experience with COVID patients and what he's personally seen. Hewrote,"The point is you're gonna hear about a LOT of people getting Covid in the coming days and weeks. Those that have been vaccinated and got a booster dose will mostly fare well with minimal symptoms. Those getting two doses might have a few more symptoms, but should still do well. Those who got a single J&J similarly may have more symptoms, but have more protection than the unvaccinated (if you got a single dose of J&J, please get another vaccine dose—preferably Pfizer or Moderna—ASAP!) But as I've witnessed in the ER, the greatest burden still falls on…The unvaccinated. Those who haven't gotten a single dose of vaccine. They're the most likely to need oxygen. They're the most likely to have complications. They're the most likely to get admitted. And the most likely to stay in the hospital for days or longer with severe Covid. These are all just observations from my recent shifts in the ER. But the same has been borne out by local and national data showing that the unvaccinated make up a very disproportionate share of those with severe disease, needing hospitalization, and dying from Covid. So no matter your political affiliation, or thoughts on masks, or where you live in this country, as an ER doctor you'd trust with your life if you rolled into my emergency room at 3am, I promise you that you'd rather face the oncoming Omicron wave vaccinated. Please be safe."
Dr. Tatiana Prowell, MD, an Oncologist with John Hopkins MedicineTweeted,"You, as the person exposed to the one with symptoms, have to assume that you both do & don't have #Omicron too. Wait, what? I mean: assume you could infect others now & take care to avoid exposing them, BUT don't assume it's too late for you to avoid getting it." Sheadded, "Especially in households with #vaccinated (& #boosted) family members, I have seen people manage to limit #Omicron to the first person who was infected. This #CovidVariant is incredibly contagious, but It CAN be done. Don't give up on the idea!"
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Dr. Prowell says, to upgrade your masks to N95 immediately. Shewrote, "If you have N95/KN95/KF94 masks, get in them immediately. If you have only 1, put the sick person in it for source control. If you have >1 but not enough for all put the sick one & the highest risk (older, #immunocompromised) people in them. Then get outside, & leave the door open."
"Fresh air is a friend & shared air is an enemy," Dr. Prowell Tweeted. "The more you can ventilate your House building, now & until this is over, the better. You want the concentration of #omicron in air as low as possible. This Downwards arrow odds of infection & may make you less sick if you do get infected."
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Follow the public health fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you live—get vaccinated or boosted ASAP; if you live in an area with low vaccination rates, wear an N95face mask, don't travel, social distance, avoid large crowds, don't go indoors with people you're not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don't visit any of these35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As the River City prepares to ring in 2022 with fireworks, others may think about shooting off something else. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has been warning people against shooting guns during New Year’s Eve celebrations for years.
News4JAX crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson says this is a conversation we shouldn’t need to have, but here we are.
“It does frustrate me that people still feel that they have to fire their weapons on New Year’s Eve to celebrate the new year coming in,” Jefferson said. “Simply because of the danger factor.”
Jefferson served as a patrol officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and said he responded to more reports of celebratory gunfire than he can count. Jefferson said it’s important for people to use common sense and remember that what goes up must eventually come down.
“You can shoot it straight up thinking that it’s going to come straight down in your yard or whatever,” Jefferson said. “Once it gets up there in the atmosphere and the wind takes over, you don’t know where it’s coming or going.”
Scott Deel was spending the holiday at Busch Gardens about 10 p.m. July 4, 2018, when pain seared through his left shoulder. He headed for the amusement park’s first aid center after his wife noticed blood soaking his shirt. His injury came from a falling bullet. Though it might sound like a fluke, Deel’s story is far from unique.
In January 2013, an 8-year-old boy was ringing in the New Year with family on the Southbank near the Main Street Bridge when he mentioned that his foot hurt. On closer inspection, his father found a bullet in his son’s shoe, police said. The child was taken to UF Health Jacksonville with a minor injury.
The same night, a local pilot and his passenger were flying near the Mathews Bridge downtown when they heard a loud pop and noticed a bullet hole in the window. The next thing the pilot knew, blood was streaming down his neck. He landed safely despite being grazed in the head.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bullets returning to the ground can reach speeds faster than 200 feet per second. That same report shows the most common injuries with this are to the head, shoulders and chest.
Jefferson said shooting in the air isn’t the only thing that’s dangerous.
“Then you have those that will shoot in the ground,” Jefferson said. “If it’s not directly in the ground in the earth, it could ricochet.”
As JSO said last year: “Rain Joy, not bullets. End celebratory gunfire.” If that doesn’t get the point across, the charges you face should.
Jefferson said you can be charged with discharging a firearm in public or on residential property. If you hit and kill someone, you could be charged with manslaughter.
This weeks episode was in many ways a reminder of what drew so many fans to the franchise in the first place.
Season 1, Episode 5
For a show with such a sultry title, the love scenes in the original “Sex and the City” were usually more comedic than hot. At various points, Carrie sleeps with a guy who performs like a “jack rabbit,” Charlotte dates a man who blacks out and screams obscenities in bed, Miranda deals with an “overeater,” and Samantha takes a literal roll in the hay with a farmer, just to name a few of the many silly sexual encounters.
But the sex scene in this week’s episode of “And Just Like That …” — the one we’ve been building to between Miranda and Che — might have broken this mold … if it weren’t cut with scenes of Carrie peeing into a diet peach Snapple bottle and then spilling it all over her bedsheets. Carrie is laid up after hip surgery with limited mobility, a twist that, believe it or not, seems meant partly to prove that she is not old. It also winds up being a handy plot device for bringing several of the series’s themes and story lines to a head.
Early in the episode, we see that Carrie, who has never once exhibited the slightest wince of pain while sashaying down the streets of Manhattan in four-inch heels, suddenly can’t get up stairs without using an umbrella as a faux cane. She assumes she has arthritis, slapping on a Salonpas pain-relief patch and continuing to hobble.
But Carrie’s newest friend, Seema, bullies her into an impromptu trip to the doctor where she learns her pain is coming from a congenital birth defect, not from “old lady disease.” So under the knife Carrie goes, then on to recovery with the help of a physical therapist so hot she is willing to pay out of pocket for him. (Her sole motivator, she tells him, is to get back into heels.) Meanwhile, Charlotte and Miranda take turns tending to her, just as they did after Big died.
One afternoon while Carrie naps, Miranda is at Carrie’s apartment (her old apartment, to be specific — that’s where she’s now staying) when Che stops by with a bottle of tequila. Like two horny teens sneaking alcohol while mom and dad are asleep, Miranda and Che take shots in the kitchen. The drinking leads to smoking pot, which leads to shotgunning the smoke, which leads to a steamy, raw love scene between the two characters. (It also leads to Carrie’s being woken up and unable to make it to the bathroom on her own. Hence the pee.)
The ‘Sex and the City’ Universe
The sprawling franchise revolutionized how women were portrayed on the screen. And the show isn’t over yet.
More important, it turns into a moment when “And Just Like That …” is at its best, at least so far.
It’s no secret that a certain swath of the Twitterverse has been dumping haterade all over this series, and I’m not going to act as if I have no idea why. Yes, it’s relying too heavily on “old people” clichés. Yes, some of the dialogue is contrived. And yes, I see flaws in how the show has handled diversifying the cast.
But Episode 5 reminded me why so many of us were drawn to the franchise in the first place: its willingness to tell bold stories about a demographic that isn’t frequently centered with much depth. In the late ’90s and early 2000s, that was independent single (white, straight) women in their 30s, and today it is (thankfully, not only white, not only straight) women in their 50s. This show knows that when women hit a certain life stage — in the ’90s it was simply being unmarried and in your 30s, today it is being deep into middle age, married or not — they are perceived as past their “best by” date. But it doesn’t care. That is exactly why this show remains important.
Groundbreaking as the original series was in its time, it still wrapped up each of its leads in some version of happily ever after. They paired off, some got married and maybe had a kid, and they did the settled-down thing.
But in our collective older age, many of us are wise enough to know that’s not the end of every woman’s story. Maybe things continue to change, and maybe everything she thought she had figured out ends up being nothing like she expected. Maybe that’s uncomfortable. And maybe that’s good.
In that vein, Miranda’s sexual fluidity is an audacious story to tell. That’s not only because a sexual awakening in midlife is a big thing but also because we rarely see a story line in which a mature woman has to face the fact that she’s gotten everything she ever asked for, and she doesn’t want any of it.
Cynthia Nixon is uniquely positioned to tell this story. Like her character, she was once married to a man with whom she had kids, but she later came out as queer. Sara Ramirez, who plays Che, was also in a heterosexual marriage and came out as bisexual, and later, as nonbinary, identifying as neither exclusively female or male. Ramirez, who uses nonbinary pronouns, split from their husband earlier this year.
Perhaps it’s Nixon’s and Ramirez’s ability to identify so closely with their characters’ experiences that makes for such a convincing love scene between them. It’s exciting and erotic, especially considering this is the first time in this series that we’re seeing any of these characters have any actual sex. It feels essential to include that in a show that promises to portray well-rounded accounts of older women. As a viewer, I got caught up in the thrill of where it all could be going until Carrie brings Miranda back down to earth, reminding her that she is married.
At that point, we find out that Miranda is struggling with more than just an attraction to Che. “I’m unhappy,” she says through chokes. She hates her marriage, hates her life and feels trapped.
This is a story made all the more compelling because of the character’s age. By this point, Miranda has been married for going on two decades, and the toll that comes from having suppressed so much of herself for so long — in particular, lately, through the boozing — is palpable Miranda finally sees the drinking as the Band-Aid that it is and dumps her stash down the drain.
But there is an antidote to all this belated grief, which we see through the lens of Rose. Charlotte and Harry’s daughter, at age 12, isn’t wasting years. She doesn’t identify as a girl (or at least solely as a girl), and in this episode, she begins going by the name Rock and using they/them pronouns.
Harry and Charlotte are thrown, certainly by their child’s potential transition, but almost more so by the fact that Rock told everyone in their life except their parents about this new identity. It’s unclear whether Rock is on the precipice of a permanent change, or if Rose is simply trying on a new idea. Carrie reminds Charlotte that even though the path is unclear, her kid is amazing, and “a Rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
For the first time since Big died, we see Carrie in the role of supporter instead of supported. It’s a surefire sign that she is bouncing back and moving on. So is the fact that we see her dressed for a big night out — in heels — by the end of the half-hour.
Some things I can’t stop thinking about:
Even though Samantha left Carrie hanging on “I miss you,” it tugs at the heartstrings to see them texting again, especially as they enjoy some lighthearted banter about old times. Considering that Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker had an actual fallout, seeing that their two characters can still connect feels like a warm nod to their back story.
Not only does Miranda pump the brakes on drinking in this episode, she also realizes it was she who drunk-ordered “Quit Like a Woman,” which is a guide to quitting alcohol. She spends most of the episode blaming Charlotte for sending it to her anonymously. Maybe Miranda can sense that Charlotte is picking up on her problem, which is putting her on the defense. At least Charlotte cares enough to notice it, though, unlike Carrie, who up until this episode couldn’t really be bothered. What’s worse, when Carrie suddenly decides the drinking does need to be addressed, she uses Miranda’s alcohol dependency to kick her when she’s down, throwing it at her callously while she is spiraling about Che and her miserable life. Maybe Charlotte could have done more to intervene, but any points Carrie scored for directness are deducted for her complete lack of compassion.
Can you imagine having to explain your first queer experience to your friend before you even had a second to process it? Or with a spilled bottle of pee involved?
LINCOLN PARK — Harrison Bean, 5, is happy the Grinch delivers packages on his street.
The Grinch — or, rather, UPS driver Jermaine Marks — delighted neighbors last week when he showed up to deliver packages to homes in Chicago, green fur, pug-like nose and all. He decorated his delivery truck like a reindeer, with a big, red nose on the front.
On Thursday, after delivering a box to Harrison’s home, Marks paused and saw the 5-year-old in the window. He gestured to the child with his fluffy fingers, in character.
“That was so nice,” Harrison told his dad, Alex Bean. The child’s watched “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” a dozen times this year. “I think his heart must have grown three sizes.”
Alex Bean took a photo of Marks’ display and posted it on Twitter, where it’s racked up more than 100,000 “likes.”
Lincoln Park residents said Marks is a local celebrity.
“He’s a legend of this neighborhood,” said property manager Barbara Garcia.
“He always has his music on in his truck, always dancing and delivering,” said Gloria Abuhasma, owner of Hair Tech Salon. “He’s just a happy soul.”
“Every year, everybody is waiting for his costume,” said resident Sefka Spahija. “He’s something else.”
Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club ChicagoJermaine Marks drives along his UPS route in Lincoln Park and Lakeview on Dec. 29, 2021. Marks went viral in a tweet of him dressed as the Grinch while he delivered packages before Christmas.
Marks bought the Grinch-y green prosthetics himself, and his bosses at the delivery company were “totally cool” with him wearing it on his route, he said.
Marks also owns a UPS jacket that’s custom-made to look like a brown Santa suit, staying true to his employer’s color scheme. And around Halloween he’s known to move boxes looking like a werewolf, scarecrow or zombie.
Credit: Provided/Jermaine MarksJermaine Marks dressed as UPS Santa.
In Marks’ decade-plus along his route on Diversey Parkway, he has also livened up the neighborhood with smooth R&B, Motown classics and — when it’s the season — Christmas hits, all played out of his truck.
It’s this time of year when Marks feels the calling to turn his truck into a reindeer, don his famous jacket and become “UPS Santa.” The Grinch is his latest brainchild, now in its second year.
“Everybody gets a kick out of it. And then they want to take pictures — pictures, pictures, pictures,” Marks said. “I try to stay in character with it as much as I possibly can. Until somebody starts talking to me all serious about their package, then I have to break character.”
Marks likes to laugh at himself. The holiday getup started as a joke: About 10 years ago, Marks told his sister-in-law he was the “Reality Santa.”
“Because all you have to do is order it, and I will bring it,” Marks said. “In my job, you’re gonna see Santa all year round. I’m Santa even when I’m out of costume.”
So, Marks’ sister-in-law sent him a UPS package — with his brown Santa suit and a matching hat to top off it. Over the years, Marks has made it his own, adding fluffy furs, a yarn beard, plushy white eyebrows, a fake belly, boots and a corncob pipe.
The jolly delivery driver doesn’t see himself working anywhere else. He started at UPS 19 years ago at 19 years old. Before he was UPS Santa, he was “Money Marks” — a young man from the West Side pursuing a career as a professional boxer.
Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club ChicagoJermaine Marks poses with his decorated UPS truck along his route in Lincoln Park and Lakeview on Dec. 29, 2021. Marks went viral in a tweet of him dressed as the Grinch while he delivered packages before Christmas.
A part-time factory job at UPS — with shifts starting at 2 a.m. — supported Marks as he moonlighted as a junior welterweight, fighting bouts at televised events around the country. He took Olympian Terrance “Heat” Cauthen to 12 rounds at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. He got invited to spar at training camps with notable boxers like Angel Manfredy.
The boxer’s lifestyle was physically taxing, and the money wasn’t great. Marks gave himself a two-year window to make it big. Two years passed, and tragic news came: His 5-year-old daughter, Jamarielle, had leukemia.
Marks hung up his gloves and started working at UPS full-time to support his daughter’s recovery. A father of three, Marks was in Jamarielle’s corner as she faced cancer twice: Radiation therapy knocked out leukemia, but then she had thyroid cancer. Everybody told Jamarielle, “You’re a fighter, just like your dad,” he said.
Now 23, Jamarielle Ransom-Marks is a two-time cancer survivor. The experience taught her dad the power of remaining present.
“It humbles you, and it puts you in the perspective of what really matters,” Marks said. “That’s why I always smile. I always have a smile. I try to smile as much as I can, around people, and try to make them happy. That’s my goal.”
Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club ChicagoJermaine Marks stops in to see his “work wife” Sefka Spahija along his UPS route in Lincoln Park and Lakeview on Dec. 29, 2021. Marks went viral in a tweet of him dressed as the Grinch while he delivered packages before Christmas.
Whether in costume or not, Marks never passes up the chance to connect with people on the route he’s made his own: Abuhasma and her hairdressers at Hair Tech Salon, friendly dentist Jeffrey Feffer, his buddies at the AT&T store and the day care workers who can’t get enough of his music.
Marks said he’s seen little kids grow tall, and he remembers one boy who fondly called his musical wheels “The La La Truck.” An employee at 7-Eleven thanked Marks for providing a listening ear after his father died.
“Within five minutes of dropping off a package, you can change someone’s whole day,” Marks said. “I didn’t know I could have that type of effect on people.”
Making people happy, and bringing them presents, feels like a gig with a greater purpose.
Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club ChicagoJermaine Marks delivers packages along his UPS route in Lincoln Park and Lakeview on Dec. 29, 2021. Marks went viral in a tweet of him dressed as the Grinch while he delivered packages before Christmas.
“It’s hard work. Especially during a pandemic,” Marks said. “The businesses and the families have all been suffering, and they’re in need of some holiday cheer.”
Marks is already thinking ahead to Christmas next year. He plans to unveil another holiday costume.
“But that’s gotta be confidential for now,” Marks said, laughing at himself again. “I just got to keep everyone on their toes.”
Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club ChicagoAlex Bean and Jermaine Marks pose for a photo next to his truck in Lincoln Park on Dec. 29, 2021. Marks went viral in Bean’s tweet of him dressed as the Grinch while he delivered packages before Christmas.Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club ChicagoJermaine Marks has made so many friendships along his UPS route over the years – he’s even seen Ezekil Caraballo (left) grow from a child to a young adult, pictured on Dec. 29, 2021. Marks went viral in a tweet of him dressed as the Grinch while he delivered packages before Christmas.Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club ChicagoJermaine Marks poses with longtime friends – Tony Regelbrugge and Ron Montalbano – from his UPS route on Dec. 29, 2021. Marks went viral in a tweet of him dressed as the Grinch while he delivered packages before Christmas.Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club ChicagoJermaine Marks poses for a photo with long-time friend Adel Madi, a local salon owner, along his UPS route in Lincoln Park and Lakeview on Dec. 29, 2021. Marks went viral in a tweet of him dressed as the Grinch while he delivered packages before Christmas.
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