May 20, 2022

Title: LET'S START A GROUP

Constructor: Enrique Henestroza Anguiano

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

FOCUS YOUR MIND (25A: "Concentrate!")

FRIEND OF DOROTHY (40A: Gay man, in gay slang)

SUPPORT A CAUSE (52A: Donate to a fund you care about)

Theme synopsis: At the START of each theme answer, we find a type of GROUP. Today LET'S START A FOCUS GROUP, FRIEND GROUP, and SUPPORT GROUP.

Things I learned:

• MARCO (22A: "The Royale" playwright Ramirez) MARCO Ramirez's play, The Royale, tackles the subject of systemic racism as it relays the story of a Black boxer wishing to challenge a white champion. The play is inspired by the life of boxer Jack Johnson, who, in 1908, was the first Black boxer to become the heavyweight world champion. (In 1910, following Jack Johnson's defeat of James J. Jeffries - whose nickname was "Great White Hope" - in a match dubbed the "Fight of the Century," race riots broke out across the country.) The Royale opened at Lincoln Center Theater in 2016.
• MAMAS (60A: "Two Funny ___" (Sherri Shepherd and Kym Whitley podcast)) On their podcast, Two Funny MAMAS, comedians Sherri Shepherd and Kym Whitley talk about "life, love, motherhood, singleness, relationships, dating, pop culture, sex (or the lack thereof!), and everything in between. Earlier this year, Two Funny MAMAS won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lifestyle/Self-Help Podcast.
• DRUM SOLO (6D: Antonio Sanchez improvisation) Four-time Grammy Award winner, Antonio Sánchez, has been playing DRUMs since he was five years old. The musical score of the 2014 movie, Birdman, featured original DRUM SOLOs written by Antonio Sánchez. 

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• FRIEND OF DOROTHY (40A: Gay man, in gay slang) The term FRIEND OF DOROTHY dates back to the time when homosexuality was illegal. Its use was a way for gay men to subtly identify each other. (As an aside, Wikipedia calls the term a "furtive shibboleth." I was not familiar with the term "shibboleth," but now know it is a word or phrase traditionally used to secretly identify a group of people.) There are two possible origins of the phrase, FRIEND OF DOROTHY, one relating to DOROTHY Parker, and the other to the Wizard of Oz.
• RENT (67A: Musical with the lyric "We're not gonna pay") These lyrics are from the song, "RENT," the musical's title number.
• MOVIE (68A: "Tangerine" or "The Watermelon Woman") Tangerine is a 2015 movie about a transgender sex worker (played by Kitana Kiki Rodriquez) who discovers her boyfriend, who is also her pimp, has been cheating on her. The Watermelon Woman is a 1996 movie starring Cheryl Dunye as a young Black lesbian working in a video store while trying to make a movie. The Watermelon Woman, which Cheryl Dunye, also directed, was the first feature film directed by a Black Lesbian. As I've mentioned before, I'm a fan of clues that give two examples, therefore giving solvers a chance even if they're only familiar with one of the examples. 
• ORE (72A: Catan mountain resource) It's been a couple of months since we've seen a clue referencing a resource from the Settlers of Catan board game. I'm still waiting to collect a full set of Catan-clued resources. 
• ARYA (2D: One of the Starks in "Game of Thrones") There are many Starks in the Game of Thrones. I was thankful that ARYA is one I've heard of!
• GYASI (10D: "Transcendent Kingdom" author Yaa) Transcendent Kingdom is Yaa GYASI's second novel, released in 2020. The book tells the story of Gifty, a 28-year-old PhD candidate in neuroscience as she balances research and caring for her Ghanaian-American mother, who is suffering from depression. In writing Transcendent Kingdom, Yaa GYASI drew on her own experience as the daughter of immigrants from Ghana. I learned about Yaa GYASI and her first book, Homegoing, from the June 15, 2021 puzzle. I enjoyed this NPR interview of Yaa GYASI. 
• EATIN (11D: Garden of ___ (punny snack brand)) Garden of EATIN' has been making its punny snacks since 1971.
• TYRA (39D: "Boyz n the Hood" actress Ferrell) TYRA Ferrell played the role of Brenda Baker in the 1991 movie Boyz n the Hood. 
• OLLA (43D: Cafe de ___ (spiced coffee)) Café de OLLA is a coffee beverage originating from Mexico. Café de OLLA is prepared in a clay pot, spiced with cinnamon, and sweetened with unrefined cane sugar. It may also include orange peel, anise, and/or cloves.

Geography review:

• ELM (34A: North Dakota's state tree is one) The state tree of North Dakota is the American ELM. The American ELM is a hardy tree that can withstand winter temperatures up to -44℉. That's useful for a tree growing in North Dakota.
• PERU (29D: Machu Picchu's country) Machu Picchu is a 15th-century citadel in PERU. It was constructed around 1450, most likely as an estate of Pachacuti, an Incan emperor.
• CHAD (38D: Nation south of Libya) CHAD is a landlocked country in north central Africa. In addition to Libya, its neighbors are Sudan, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Niger. The capital of CHAD is N'Djamena.

It's Friday, so why not, LET'S START A GROUP! Great theme answers here leading the solver to DISCOVER a fine GROUP of new phrases. I did chuckle at FOCUS YOUR MIND, because I needed that encouragement today. ATONEMENT, WENT FOR IT, and NOT OFTEN were nice long fill answers. Turns out this puzzle was, in fact, my CUP of tea. Thanks, Enrique, for a puzzle that was a delightful way to begin my Friday.