Daily Dirt: We’re getting close to the return of Rip Wheeler and ‘Yellowstone’ Nation

Yeah, I’m getting kind of excited. We’re a week away from “Yellowstone” again being a part of our lives.

My sister-in-law, Julie Fisher, emails me regularly about how many days we are away from the return of Rip Wheeler and friends. If you’re not familiar with “Yellowstone,” check out the first of today’s three thoughts in Vol. 113 of the Daily Dirt.

1. For those who have waited for what seems like a broadcasting eternity for the return of “Yellowstone,” the megahit from the Paramount Network, that wait is almost over.

“Yellowstone,” the highest-rated cable TV show (and deservedly so, with a viewing audience of 10 million), returns at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7 with a two-hour season premier. Finally. Not since the early years of “The Walking Dead” has a TV program taken the nation by storm the way “Yellowstone” has.

The program, beginning its fourth season, chronicles the Dutton family, led by John Dutton (Kevin Costner) who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. The real story, however, revolves around shifting alliances, unsolved murders, a changing landscape and constant conflict.

The real hero of “Yellowstone” is arguably Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), if there is such a thing as a hero on this show. It would be fair to say everyone has skeletons in their closet on this program.The most appealing lure of this show is it’s difficult to totally buy into any of the leading characters in a positive sense, but it’s equally difficult to dislike any of those principal performers — and their obvious faults — for the same reason.

2. Have you been watching any of the early-season NBA games? Well, I have.

I happen to enjoy the NBA and I’m not sure whether to be alarmed or just mildly concerned over the amount of empty seats I see at most, if not all arenas.  There are either A LOT of people disguised as empty seats, or there are a lot of fans missing.

I would guess this is an offshoot of the pandemic and something we’ll gradually see change as the season unfolds, but if those empty seats are still there after the first of the year this could be a development the league was not expecting. MLB, the NFL and college football reopened their stadiums and the fans returned, at least much more so than we’re seeing in the NBA.

3. Yes, it’s time for another episode of “Found on Facebook,” which always make me ask myself, “What are some people thinking about?”

“At the rate we’re going, they’re going to cancel shampoo so bald people don’t get offended.”

“I don’t call it getting old. I call it outliving the warranty.”

“If your electric car runs out of power on the interstate, do you walk to a charging station to get a bucket of electricity?”

“I don’t understand how a cemetery can raise its funeral prices and blame it on the cost of living.”

“People always tell introverts to be more talkative and leave their comfort zones, yet no one tells extroverts to shut up to make the zone more comfortable.”

Steve Fact O’ The Day
Steve’s nickname during his formative years was “Big Stein.”