Illuminati: “Even We Had No Idea These Two Candidates Would Be So Incredibly, Destructively Polarizing”

Recent Illuminati MeetingA person close to the Illuminati admitted yesterday that even they had no idea how well both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump would destroy the United States from within when both candidates were agreed upon by the secretive group to be chosen to represent the two major American political parties in the upcoming election. As much as the Illuminati have a tight grip and “near total control” and influence over every major world leader, the source said, they still could not foresee just how bad things will soon get for the US with one of these folks in charge of the nation.

“Oh, no, they’re screwed,” he said, referring to the populace of the United States. “Totally, utterly f—–. No question.”

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, because the clandestine organization has not publicly made any comment about the “dire, dire state the citizens of America find themselves in,” and also because if the Illuminati knew he were commenting about the existence of the society, they “would go medieval not only on me but on my whole family, like worse than Keyser Soze,” the source said the Illuminati hasn’t had to manipulate anything said or done on either side of the election since late in 2015.

“They’re doing it themselves, completely by themselves,” the source said. “It’s incredible how they both just keep doing things to feed the rift and the huge divide amongst the American public. It’s truly a thing of beauty to watch, if you are a fan of seeing the fabric of the American society and way of life implode on itself like a dying star.”

Between missing or lost or destroyed e-mails, or old tapes of misogynisitic rhetoric, or just the amount of lies spewed by both sides, “it’s like something out of our wildest dreams. They’ve done in just over 18 months what it has taken our small group more than 200 years to do: undermine any semblance of common ground, unity and hope for a functioning democracy. We truly can’t wait to see how this plays out. If a full-out civil war hasn’t broken out before Christmas, we’ll be shocked. New Year’s at the latest. Book it.”

“The EP Takes You On A Journey, Has Highs And Lows, And Something For Everybody:” A TDQ Q&A With The Group I, Us And We

I, Us, & We

Ladies, and gentleman…I, Us, & We! The biggest band in the world (circa Fall 2021)! [photo: Ashley Bee]

This week’s TDQ Q&A is with California synth-pop ensemble group I, Us and We. The boys spoke to us about their latest EP, “Ceremonies,” the life-altering music of Nirvana and Weird Al and the difference between live performances and working in the studio. Here is this week’s TDQ Q&A with I, Us and We: 

The Daily Quarterly: What made you want to be in show business?

I, Us and We: Well, we all grew up playing sports, so music wasn’t really “our thing”, until a bit later in life. But really I think we all just bonded over writing songs, and making the art together.

TDQ: Who was your favorite group(s) growing up?

IUW: Growing up we listened to a lot of Nirvana, Weird Al, and Metallica (everything before the Black Album)

TDQ: Who are your influences?

IUW: We get influence from lots of different things, not just necessarily music, but life in general. But really mostly Nirvana, Weird Al, and Metallica (everything before the Black Album)

TDQ: What is the best advice you have ever gotten?

IUW: A long time ago my dad told nobody owes you anything. At the time I didn’t understand, but now I do.

TDQ: What is the worst advice you have ever gotten?

IUW: That nobody owes me anything. Dad still owes me money.

TDQ: How did I, Us and We form?

IUW: We are all brothers, and things kind of organically came together because we all enjoy music.

TDQ: Tell us about your latest EP, “Ceremonies”

IUW: “Ceremonies” is something that came to us really fast. We wrote and recorded the whole EP in about two weeks. It was a really exciting time, and really stretched us. The EP takes you on a journey, has highs and lows, and something for everybody.

TDQ: What’s the biggest difference between recording in studio and performing live on stage?

IUW: Recording can be really thought out. You can do lots of takes in search of that “one” synth or kick drum sound. It can be tedious, and it’s a thorough process. Performing live is totally different, you do all this work, practicing, writing, etc… and it all culminates in a short set.

TDQ: What project are you working on next?

IUW: We are doing picture sets and videos for every song we release off the EP. We are also always writing and recording, and have lots of material that’s finished beyond this, too. It will be slowly worked into the live set over time.

TDQ: Where do you see the band in five years?

IUW: The biggest band in the world.

Check out their page, and follow I, Us and We on .

Erich Mrak Releases A New EP, “Float”

mrak-747bdc2c-eb1e-439c-b178-b9322ded8be9Toronto—Coming off his strong EP release, “Retrospect” in August, our good pal Erich Mrak continues to remain consistent with the release of his new single Tuesday, “Float.” With upbeat production by Bento, the song details an unstable, sparse relationship that took place over the course of a year.

“Float” marks Erich’s first release since his 4 track EP, “Retrospect,” as Erich continues to work on his next EP, “Healed.”

As usual, dear readers, you are now informed. Go and do likewise.

“I Wanted To Be Aileen Quinn More Than Anything!” A TDQ Q&A With Actress Hillary Hickam

Hillary Hickam

It’s Hillary Hickam, everybody!

This week’s TDQ Q&A is with actress Hillary Hickam. Hillary spoke to us about the allure of Glenn Close, her latest movie, “TiF” and how she believes she sun will always come out tomorrow. Here is this week’s TDQ Q&A with actress Hillary Hickam:

The Daily Quarterly: What made you want to be in show business?

Hillary Hickam: I think I was born performing.  I sang along with the radio when I was 2 years old and learned every song my Daddy played on his stereo. I began playing the piano at around 4 or 5 years old and loved the performance and competitive aspects of that. I loved singing in Sunday school and church, and then I did my first play in kindergarten and fell in love with acting!

TDQ: Who was your favorite actor/actress growing up?

HH: Pierce Brosnan and Bruce Willis. Yes, I had crushes on both of them but I also appreciated their acting styles and absolute freedom in front of the camera. I also adored Tim Curry, who I got to see on stage a few times as a kid. My favorite actress was Glenn Close; I saw her in “Dangerous Liaisons” and I don’t think I’ve ever been the same since.

Hillary Hickam

Hillary Hickam worked for a time as a spy for the CIA wearing wires to collect evidence. No. I am being told those are microphones for film making.

TDQ: What was your favorite movie growing up?

HH: “ANNIE.” My sweet grandmother took me to see it in the theatre 13 times one summer! I loved it so much. I think I had the entire thing memorized by the second viewing and sang along and spoke all the words from then on. (Luckily I was in a small town in Oklahoma so I don’t think there were very many other people in the movie theatre!) I wanted to be Aileen Quinn more than anything!

TDQ: What is the best advice you have ever gotten?

HH: Pray, and pray specifically, all the time.

TDQ: What is the worst advice you have ever gotten?

HH: “Play it safe.” Nobody who played it safe ever achieved anything worthwhile! I’m a risk- taker and sometimes that means I fall flat on my face, but I get back up and risk failing again!

Hillary Hickam

Here’s Hillary Hickam with close personal friend Elton John.

TDQ: Who are your influences?

HH: I would like to think I am influenced a bit by Glenn Close, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Montgomery, Stephanie Zimbalist, Melissa Gilbert, and Audrey Hepburn.  They are all certainly my models and kept me mesmerized growing up. Today, I look up to actresses such as Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Julie Bowen, Melissa George, and the entire cast of “Desperate Housewives,” (not because I thought it was the greatest show, but because the ensemble work in the cast was exceptional and each of those actresses was just amazing.) Television influences me a great deal these days because it is drawing some of the finest actors we have to it and there is so much to learn from them. Shows like “House of Cards,” “Homeland,” “Downtown Abbey,” and “Modern Family” to name a few, have these fantastic ensemble casts including huge Broadway legends like Mandy Patinkin! I mean, that is inspiring.

TDQ: Tell us about your upcoming horror film, “TiF”

HH: It’s a thriller that centers on my character who has built an entire empire based on solving other people’s phobias. She has a wildly successful television show and is somewhat of a celebrity. The movie seems to be following “a day in her life” as she helps someone with his phobia and then it kind of has a dark, M. Night Shyamalan twist to it. I was so blessed to work with a really great cast and an incredibly talented, hard-working crew. I miss them!

Hillary Hickam

Hillary Hickam is just the girl next door. (If the girl next door beams with inner and outer beauty and talent and is super cool and fun. Not the girl next door when I was a kid. She was, like 65, weather beaten, heavy smoker, mean…)

TDQ: You lived previously for some time in Jacksonville, Florida. Aside from possible earthquakes, what’s been the biggest adjustment moving to Hollywood? What do you miss most about Jacksonville?

HH: I think I am a big city girl,having grown up in Texas, so the real adjustment was living in Jacksonville and adjusting to the slow pace and ease of no traffic! Loved it! The thing I miss most about Jacksonville is the ocean. Our home is right on the beach in Atlantic Beach, and I miss my morning walk by the ocean every single day. I fly home as often as possible to look at my ocean.

TDQ: If you are allowed to say, what is the next project you’ll be working on?

HH: I don’t have the permission to say just yet, but it will be exciting!

TDQ: Where do you see yourself in five years?

HH: I hope I have the luxury to live in Jacksonville again and just “commute” to work in LA or NY or wherever the next acting job takes me.  At the very least, I am looking forward to being in the same city as my dogs and their daddy at the same time. It’s tough on a family to be bi-coastal!

Check out Hillary on and follow her on .

Incredibly Talented Writer And Mentor Agnes Nixon Dies At 93; We’re Pretty Sure This Is Not A Ratings Stunt

Agnes Nixon

Agnes Nixon celebrates the 10,000th episode of All My Children with the cast, crew, close friends, and RECOiL writer/director Brian DiMaio.

Haverford, PA—Agnes Dixon, the prolific soap opera creator and writer, died way too soon last Wednesday. She was 93. She had been fighting Parkinson’s disease and pneumonia at the time.

Known as the Queen of the modern American soap opera, Nixon got her start writing for the soaps “As the World Turns” and “Woman in White” before creating “One Life to Live” in 1968, and then “All My Children” in 1970. She would go on to create another ABC soap, “Loving” in 1983, and then developed its spin-off after “Loving” was cancelled in 1995, “The City.”

She was also the head writer for “Another World,” “All My Children,” “RECOiL” and “Search for Tomorrow.”

She appeared onscreen as well as writing for her soaps, too. She played Agnes Eckhart on “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” and her hand appeared opening the book in the title sequence to “All My Children.”

She was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1992. She was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award nine times, and won four.

She is survived by four children, Robert, Mary, Emily and Catherine Chicos.