Now that Apple CEO Tim Cook knows who the co-creator of Comedy Central's "Daily Show" is, Lizz Winstead shouldn't have any problems with her next app.
In 2016, the satirist plans to introduce Mandora, another political app.
"It's like when you listen to music on Pandora, you type in 'Rolling Stones Channel.' You'll hear a couple of Rolling Stones songs, but then you'll hear musicians who are similar to the Rolling Stones. That's kind of our concept. Let's say you click on the Ted Cruz channel. You'll hear some sound bites from Ted Cruz, but you'll be introduced to some other people very similar to Ted Cruz, who have equally crazy thoughts," Winstead told me Wednesday. "Our feeling is, everybody's running away from Donald Trump, as if he's the only one saying these things, but with 10 seconds of Google research, you can see that all of them have said similar things, just not as overtly."
Last year, when Apple didn't know who she is, it promptly rejected the Hinder app launched by Winstead's Lady Parts Justice. Hinder is Winstead's satirical take on Tinder, the dating hookups website. Except the Hinder app exposes politicians who are trying to limit access to sex ed, birth control and abortion.
Lady Parts Justice is a charity that defends women's reproductive rights. LadyPartsJustice.com is currently showcasing "The 2016 State Of The Uterus," which has its moments, if you think Winstead is funny.
"Apple rejected [Hinder]," HuffPost's Laura Bassett wrote in September, "telling Winstead's team the app's content violates Rule 14 of its app review guidelines, which bans 'any App that is defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited, or likely to place the targeted individual or group in harm's way.' But the same rule Apple cited in rejecting the app also states that 'professional political satirists and humorists are exempt from the ban on offensive or mean-spirited commentary.' "
Oops. And Hinder was in with ease.
"I think Tim Cook finally knows I do comedy, as I think 30,000 people told him," said Winstead. "Whoever works for Tim Cook who does app approvals did not spend 5 seconds googling me or Lady Parts Justice. Literally, when you google my name, Lady Parts Justice comes up with comedians and blah-blah as the founders and there's a Sarah Silverman video."
Winstead's Lady Parts Justice work was honored with the Loreen Arbus Changemaker Award last year by a prestigious NYC nonprofit.
"Yeah, I got this big award from New York Women in Film & Television," said Winstead, who didn't immediately have an appreciation for how huge a deal this was.
"Oh, I never get huge recognitions," said Winstead, who was honored along with Patricia Clarkson, Gabourey Sidibe and Victoria Alonso, the head of Marvel Studios. "Then somebody called me and said, What are you wearing? How are you doing your hair?" and I said, 'For what?' and they said, For this huge thing you're getting. I had to get my hair done because my roots were bad and I had to get an outfit. I do not plan for these things. First of all, you're a jerk if you're planning for an award."
Another Ike's is opening
In other Winstead family news, Lizz's brother and Bloomington Mayor Gene Winstead is opening another Ike's where Blue Point was in Bloomington.
He owns Ike's restaurants in Minneapolis and at the airport.
After Lizz and I finished our annual meal at Bloomington's Tandoor, the mayor gave us a tour of the extensive remodeling taking place at Ike's in Bloomington.
Mayor Winstead wants to build a kitchen where his chef Andy Schrader can win some awards.
Tony Fly's TV show grounded
"On the Fly" is off the air at My29.
I realized I had not run into Tony Fly around the station the other day when I heard a spot on the Vibe 105 announcing his return to radio.
Ratings for "On the Fly," started out strong, but lately there reportedly had been a decline.
C.J. can be reached at cj@startribune.com and seen on Fox 9's "Jason Show." E-mailers, please state a subject; "Hello" does not count. Attachments are not opened.
C.J.: Jerry O'Connell gets support from Wendy Williams for talk show
