September 11, 2023

Title: NO LAUGHING MATTER

Constructor: Kenneth Cortes

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Freestyle: This is a themeless puzzle. NO LAUGHING MATTER is a nod to IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY (38A: "...and I am being so serious").

And now a word from our constructor:

Kenny: I'm so happy with this puzzle, IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY! Shoutout to the young WOMEN IN STEM in my AP Physics classes (:

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• BRA (10A: Carmen Liu undergarment) Carmen Liu is a lingerie brand with the tagline, "moving beyond binaries." In this interview, Carmen Liu talks about why she started her company.
• PHASE (14A: "It's not a ___, Mom!") "It's not a PHASE, Mom!" is an internet meme that has been making the rounds since about 2010. This clue / answer definitely made me laugh! I have one piece of parenting "advice" that I have said to myself and others many times, and that is, "Everything's a PHASE." The good things, the challenging things - they're all PHASEs. (Some challenging PHASEs seems to last an incredibly long time...) The only constant in parenting (and life, really) is change. 
• WAN (33A: Obi-___ Kenobi) Obi-WAN Kenobi is a Jedi Master in the original Star Wars trilogy, portrayed by Alec Guinness. In the prequel Star Wars trilogy,  a younger Obi-WAN Kenobi is portrayed by Ewan McGregor. This is the third day in a row the puzzle has featured a Star Wars reference (which I know is making some people very happy...)! We saw REY in Saturday's puzzle, Kylo REN yesterday, and now Obi-WAN Kenobi. Which Star Wars character do you think we'll see next? 
• TALLER (34A: Easier to see in a crowd, maybe) This is a great clue for TALLER! My son is tall (6'4", which is 10 inches TALLER than me!), and it's definitely a benefit when we're together in crowds. 
• PITA (41A: Shawarma bread) Shawarma is a dish in Middle Eastern cuisine consisting of thinly sliced meat stacked in a cone-like shape and roasted on a spit. It is often served in a PITA, sandwich-style.
• ENEMY (44A: The Penguin, to Batman) A classic and long-standing ENEMY of Batman, the Penguin, aka Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, is a crime boss whose nightclub, the Iceberg Lounge, serves as a front for his criminal activities. The Penguin fancies himself a "Gentleman of Crime," and often wears formal dress, top hat, and a monocle, and carries an umbrella.
• NORSE (47A: Like Loki and Thor) Loki and Thor are characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that are based on figures in NORSE mythology.
• ELIE (2D: Political commentator Mystal) ELIE Mystal is an attorney and writer. He is a justice correspondent for the biweekly magazine, The Nation. ELIE Mystal hosts a podcast that launched in June of this year, which discusses how to reform the Supreme Court. It's called Contempt of Court. 
• WOMEN IN STEM (3D: Organization addressing gender disparity in modern education) WOMEN IN STEM is an organization that works with high schools around the world. Their approach aims to address limited opportunities for STEM activities at the high school level, as well as attempt to change long-standing attitudes about WOMEN IN STEM. This is a great answer.
• ANGELOU (15D: "On the Pulse of Morning" poet Maya) Maya ANGELOU read her poem, "On the Pulse of Morning," at the first inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993. 
• LATINO (27D: Like many actor on Telemundo) Telemundo is a Spanish-language TV network with headquarters in Miami, Florida. Telemundo broadcasts shows worldwide.
• ALVIN (29D: Dancer/choreographer Ailey) I have previously written about ALVIN Ailey.

Geography review:

• ARAB (15A: Part of UAE) The United ARAB Emirates (UAE) is located on the Arabian Peninsula. The capital of the UAE is Abu Dhabi.
• ARUBA (61A: The "A" of the ABC Islands) ARUBA is the first, alphabetically, of a trio of Caribbean islands known as the ABC islands: ARUBA, Bonaire, and Curaçao. When I filled in this answer, I began singing "Kokomo," the 1988 song from the Beach Boys. "ARUBA, Jamaica, ooh, I wanna take ya..." In my head, this song is always sung by the Muppets.
• BENIN (9D: African country home to Pendjari National Park) BENIN is located in West Africa. BENIN is a relatively small country, with coastline along the Bay of BENIN (part of the Gulf of Guinea). Its neighbors are Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria. Pendjari National Park is located in northern BENIN. The  park has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is particularly known for its wildlife. Pendjari National Park, along with the adjacent Arli National Park in Burkina Faso, and the nearby W National Park located in BENIN, Burkina Faso, and Niger, is home to 90% of the critically endangered West African lion population.
• NAMIBIA (39D: Southern African country named after a desert) The Namib is a coastal desert stretching along the Atlantic Ocean coasts of Angola, NAMIBIA, and South Africa. Some calculations estimate that the Namib has endured arid conditions for approximately 55-80 million years, which would make it the oldest desert in the world.

It may be NO LAUGHING MATTER, but this puzzle is a delightful solve. Regardless of the title, I did chuckle a few times, like when I filled in BUTTS IN SEATS (52A: People who are present). Thank you, Kenny, for this puzzle that was a great way to start my Monday.