Suzette Smith

@suzettesmith.bsky.social

3665 Followers 505 Following

Portland Mercury culture editor. she/her. Signal @suzettesmith.66 or email suzette@portlandmercury.com, suzettesmith@protonmail.com

Celebration of Life for Zane Sylvan Sparling Son Partner Friend Colleague Reporter IM 30 August 2, 2:00 pm • The Evergreen 618 SE Alder St., Portland, OR Come share your stories or songs and help Zane's bright light shine on. • Casual dress' • Light refreshments • Root beer floats? 'No shorts, because Zane wouldn't like that. Because Zane would like that. RSVPs encouraged at emily@posteventpros.com Donations may be made in Zane's memory to the EHE Foundation at fightehe.org
Arts Criticism (Jim Ridley Award) First Place: Film Criticism — Dom Sinacola - Dom Sinacola - Portland Mercury A decent critic can get you to read something about a film you're unlikely to watch. But one as talented as Dom might actually compel you to stream it. And so I am about to check out "Train Dreams" despite his rather brilliant warning that "I work like this, which is about the connectedness of all living things, does not belong on Netflix, where any sense of community goes to die.
A flyer that shows an extremely handsome man sitting at a desk in a modern office. He has turned away from the desk to face the photographer and wears a collared shirt and a brown sweater. He holds a coffee mug in his left hand and rests his right arm casually on the desk, as he smiles at the photographer. The flyer reads: Celebration of Life for Zane Sylvan Sparling Son Partner Friend Colleague Reporter August 2, 2:00 pm • The Evergreen 618 SE Alder St., Portland, OR Come share your stories or songs and help Zane's bright light shine on. • Casual dress' • Light refreshments • Root beer floats? There's a small note by "casual dress" that reads: 'No shorts, because Zane wouldn't like that. Another little note attached to root beer floats reads: Because Zane would like that. RSVPs encouraged at emily@posteventpros.com Donations may be made in Zane's memory to the EHE Foundation at fightehe.org
A young child wearing a Raggedy Ann shirt uses matches to light the cigarette of county musician Gary Stewart. Stewart has hunched down to the child's level. He's wearing a brown hat and matching coat. The photo appears to be archival.
Actor Yamato Kochi smiles widely as he stands in the center of a long tiled subway hall. He's wearing a white button up dress shirt and black slacks. He's carrying a briefcase. Above his head, a yellow mylar sign reading "[up arrow] Exit 8" glows and reflects in the white, reflective ceiling. The scene's horizon line is obscured as the walls lead back to the actor's shoulders. Despite the brightness of the composition, the actor's smile creates an unsettling impression.
FOR IMMEDIATE CONFUSION April 1, 2026 Pavements+ PAVEMENT LAUNCHES "PAVEMENTS+" A Streaming Service With Exactly One Band and Questionable Business Sense Stockton, CA (emotionally, if not legally) - In a bold move that analysts are already describing as "ill-advised but on-brand," Pavement today announced the launch of their very own streaming platform: Pavements+, the
An orange traffic cone wedged into the opening of a large metal gate.
A crush of people are trying to move back in a cramped space, pushed by police. Some are lifting speakers.
A crowd of activists being pushed back by police in riot gear.
A crowd of people in front of a boarded up building. They’re trickling from the front and migrating to a traffic median where a band is playing. In the crowd growing around the band a person in an orange inflated costume can be seen holding an “Abolish ICE” sign.
there’s just a slight line standing in front of the facility in bright afternoon sunshine, singing
A funpage maze called "AN AMAZE-ING JOURNEY!" shows a bag of money trying to make it's way to either a person in Shakespearean garb, holding a skull, or a balding man in a suit standing with a "Bank Book" with legs. Above the maze, text reads: "Help mommy and daddy's art tax money get into the hands of the artists that need it! BUT WATCH OUT... don't let it disappear forever into some mysterious city bank account!"
A young child in a pink tutu ballet outfit stands in first position. Her hair is curly and she has flowers in her hair. Below her feet, yellow text reads: SPRING ARTS PREVIEW! All the gossip, news, reviews, and parties you need to know about to enjoy Portland's arts and culture scene! Around the youth, cover text reads: "Lloyd Mall Save or Raze? P.9 Queer Joy in the House of Danger P.27 Big Walk Made Me Dizzy, and I'd Go Again! P.17 The Only Horoscopes Column in the Universe! P.33" Above the youth the pub's logo reads "Portland Mercury." A starburst to the right of the logo reads Don't Miss the Geniuses of Comedy! P.28"
A variation on subtitled dialogue from an episode of The Simpsons where Troy McClure is saying "don't kid yourself Jimmy if a cow ever got the chance he'd eat you and everyone you care about" but this image replaces "cow" it with "celebrity." In the image a cartoon child in a button up shirt, bowtie, and shorts looks up at a cartoon man wearing cow skin pattern chaps and other traditional cowboy wear: 10 gallon hat, red kerchief, vest, cowboy boots, spurs. Hard to tell where they are because there are caution stripes behind them but they are probably in a factory that kills and processes cattle.
The sun from the show Teletubbies, which infamously (horrifyingly) had the face of a moving, laughing baby overlaid onto it. But also this was probably the best metaphor we ever had for beings above our own perception and existence.
Screen grab of a YouTube video for Ladytron “destroy everything you touch.” This particular still from the video shows a face covered in snow /white powder. A large eye on the face is open,has long lashes ,and appears to be looking at the camera.
A person in an orange vest hugs a dog at an Olympic snow event. The dog (appears to be Husky breed) has her head turned up, attempting to lick face. Someone else in a knee-length padded parka bends down to pet the dog. Behind them we see a fence to keep competition area clear of crowds with various people behind it.
A view of Portland's skyline from the Burnside Bridge, facing west. Big Pink stretches above. It appears to be sunset. One cyclist is stopped at a red light on the bridge. Another is coasting to a stop. The barriers are down. In the car lanes, two Trimet buses are stopped by the closed gates.
A screengrab of new Portland City Council President Jamie Dunphy at a city council meeting, responding to the idea of electing him president by saying "This is not something that I have been seeking and not something I'm excited about."
Actor Jon Hamm dancing in a dreamlike state of ecstasy under blue flashing lights in a crowded night club on the TV show "Your Friends and Neighbors."
A large novelty skeleton stands taller than the garage of a home. Above the garage is a patio with outdoor furniture. On the patio a human size skeleton sits in a chair, facing the large skeleton as if they were having a neighborly chat. The large skeleton is leaning against the railing of the patio. The home is a soft blue. The sky behind the skeleton is a bright blue.
A screenshot of an NBC web article: PORTLAND, Ore. — Life has been a series of adjustments for protesters in Portland as they clash nightly with federal agents. “We came out here dressed in T-shirts and twirling Hula-Hoops and stuff, and they started gassing us, so we came back with respirators, and they started shooting us, so we came back with vests, and they started aiming for the head, so we started wearing helmets, and now they call us terrorists,” Mac Smiff, a local Black organizer in Portland, said. “Who’s escalating this? It’s not us.”
The video begins with a medium close-up static image of President Biden against a blue background. Then it fades into a promo image of Sheldon Cooper from TV show The Big Bang Theory. The it fades into a promo image of Sheldon Cooper from the spin off show Young Sheldon. Lastly it fades into a bright light emitting rays into what appears to be space.
An airport terminal corner store named The Market, taken in September 2025, surrounded by blue and green carpet, beneath slats of recessed lighting. There are coolers filled with drinks and snacks on display.
This is the two buttons meme where a superhero is trying to decide between pushing one of two red buttons. His expression is pained and he wipes sweat from his forehead. The buttons here have been swapped out with a photo of accused CEO killer Luigi Mangione and a drawing of flat earth resting on the backs of several elephants who in turn all stand on a giant turtle.
This is a screen grab of a duo, singing, a cover of Beyoncé‘s “Single Ladies.” The video is jumping between what appears to be in-studio demo or recording sessions.
From a press release: Dream Deli Opening November 28 in Portland's Richmond Neighborhood The debut restaurant from Chef John Bissell embraces Pacific Northwest ingredients and takes cues from Jewish and Italian delis
Satirical mock up of an opinion column, the title reads “NYTimes opinion: men and women are different Even if we all share 99.89% the same DNA with Evangelions.”
At the South Portland ICE facility, after letting some vehicles leave, agents gassed the street for approximately 10 minutes solid. S Bancroft was opaque with gas; agents also threw flash grenades and shot pepper bullets.
Protesters at ICE pretty excited about the arrival of Mr. Peanut
It’s raining at the ICE facility in South Portland and agents on the roof put up a tent. It didn’t seem like they could still lose the crowd’s respect but it appears they did.
The other face of Portland ICE protests is inflated costume dance parties. And someone handing out balloon swords, saying “ya gotta stay strapped in these streets.”
Just arrived on the scene at Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on South Portland. Here less than ten minutes when agents charged out of the facility and used a pale yellow gas that caused tears and coughing in crowd members.
ERO/ICE agents crossed the street into the crowd to grab this protester. Agents on the roof shot pepper balls at the crowd.
ICE agents in South Portland cleared the facility driveway for seemingly no reason. Agents on the roof shot pepper balls at protesters.
A few people speak before the protest commences. The crowd is so large, it’s difficult to hear everything. This one is clear: When Portland is under attack, what do we do? Stand up; fight back!
Emergency World Naked Bike Ride in Portland, OR—getting ready to go.
Right wing influencer David Medina was picked by DHS to cover Secretary Noem’s Portland visit. He shows his audience “like maybe five or ten protesters,” seemingly supporting what Oregon leaders have been saying about the ICE protests: unremarkable unless ICE officers use riot control agents.
There’s now an awning on the ICE facility roof.
Portland Police cars block the street in front of the South Portland facility on a bright sunny day.
Blurry proof that Secretary Noem was on the Portland ICE facility roof.
ICE facility can be seen at a distance. Little people appear as dots on the first floor roof.
A nude man is putting what appears to be a bejeweled or textured silver head covering in a mirrored room. The cover opens like a clam shell and fits over his entire head, closing around the neck. The outside of the helmet is like a faberge egg/disco ball mash-up, twinkling lines running vertically along the entire surface.
At the ICE facility in South Portland around 50 activists shout at Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) argent s and homeland security forces. The retreating agents fire pepper balls at the crowd, as do agents stationed on the roof of the facility.
A still from Twelve Monkeys (1995) shows approximately 15 screens of varying sizes, mounted onto a stand, monitoring the viewer. The screens show different parts of people‘s faces. Some are super close—just the eyeball—others show a whole face.
Listen to others Follow the steps Follow the rules Ignore distractions Ask for help Take turns when you talk Get along with others Stay calm with others Be responsible for your behavior Do nice things for others Set personal goals Identify and change self-defeating behaviors Be assertive about his or her needs Have feelings for others Handle anger constructively Resolve conflicts peacefully
A promotional poster or book cover of Samuel Beckett's play 'Waiting for Godot' with two squatting national guard members cut and paste onto it. They're squatting in a barren desert landscape, under a withered tree, beneath a large moon nearly as wide as the image and as white as the ground, which is the setting of the play.
An idyllic and bustling a farmers market in the morning. There’s a hum of conversation. A band plays plinkity folk music. Older people sit in plastic chairs to listen. Children dance. Parents mind the babies in their strollers.
A flyer that reads "Hollow Press Presents How to Bake a Breadling Reading Book Release Party/Signing with Brad Hock (Bardo Bread) Friday October 3, 5-7 pm Floating World Comics 1223 Lloyd Center, Portland"
It's the Bernie Sanders meme where he is wearing a brown anorak, standing on a snowy neighborhood street "once again asking for your support" but the text is "I am once again on City Cast PDX this morning. Today we discussed the Fall Arts Issue and my endless desire for tote bags."
An urban doorway that has been painted over a number of times. It may have initially been tan or beige. Squares of blue and clay-colored paint have been used to cover graffiti. A fresh, casual, loopy spray-painted phrase reads “shrimps is bugs”
Screenshot of a poll question: Q29 In fact, according to an independent report from the FBI, Portland has a crime rate nearly double the national average ranking it second in the country. Additionally, Portland ranks third to last in the country for the number of police officers per capita. Knowing this would you favor or oppose the city of Portland hiring an additional 400 officers over the next 10 years to match the staffing levels of other large cities?
A screengrab of an isolated definition result for "traversal" that identifies it as "taking a zig zag path on skis." The definition is too specific to be correct.
screen grab of a headline that reads MSNBC to rebrand as MSNOW
Six people holding tree branches perform a synchronized dance to Enya's "Only Time." They're in a city park, and an apartment building with blue siding is partially visible behind a large bush. In the foreground, a few people from the audience can be seen sitting on the grass with bikes or in camper chairs.
This summer, Kachka’s expanding to Northeast Portland, with the addition of Kachka Fabrika (“factory”): a 2,500 sq. foot space encompassing a distillery, bar, and dumpling workshop.
BEARD ZOOM OF IDK SOME HAIR ON A FACE