‘The Reason to Have Hope’ — Part 2 of the Hunter Biden and Moby Interview

Part 2 of Moby’s interview with Hunter Biden celebrates how becoming an artist was part of his salvation

***Thank you for supporting my work with a paid membership.***

‘Hope Is the Thing With Feathers’

Part 2 of music artist Moby’s interview with his friend Hunter Biden is a celebration of his art. He paints hummingbirds — the things he sees in his garden. He, like me, is a birder in recovery. For me, the birds came first and helped guide me out of broadcast news and into a meaningful life.

For Biden, the birds that he paints are his salvation. I know a bit about hummingbirds, the tenacious fighters of our natural world. The males will literally push themselves to the brink of death in the battle for domination. I always think of them as the James Cagney of the bird-verse.

One quote that is very meaningful to Biden comes from Ernest Hemingway:

“The world breaks everyone and afterward, many are strong at the broken places.”—Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

And one quote that is very meaningful to me, is this one below from Biden:

“You would think that someone who has gone through the darkness that I describe in my book, that when I decided to reveal myself through my art, that that’s what my work would reflect… but I’ve seen the darkness, I’ve visited that place, I never want to go back. It’s not a place that I want the world to experience. What I have experienced in recovery, and the expression of my art is a reflection of the light, the beautiful things, the reason to have hope. Everything that I paint is some kind of abstract version of something beautiful... Birds are the greatest harbingers of hope.”

—Hunter Biden on Moby Pod, Part 1

I often think of a quote from the writer Kurt Vonnegut, when he wrote about what he thought was the greatest contribution to civilization from America.

“What has been America's most nurturing contribution to the culture of this planet so far? Many would say jazz. I, who love jazz, will say this instead: Alcoholics Anonymous.”—Kurt Vonnegut

I hope Hunter Biden keeps coming back.

Here is a link to his interview with Moby:

For Part 1, please go here:

****

Bette Dangerous is a reader-funded magazine. Thank you to all monthly, annual, and founding members. Thank you as well to all those who support my work with your generous coffee tips and who buy my ebooks. Some of you prefer making subsidizing donations via venmo, and it’s always greatly appreciated.

Thank you to all who are contributing to the raffle to try to win a copy of my rarest book, Sublime’s Brad Nowell Crazy Fool — Portrait of a Punk. The winner will receive a signed copy.

Details on how to win here:

Crazy Fool — Raffling My Rarest Book

Members access all content and receive invites to our weekly Happy Hour, and our Speakeasy guest events. Our next Speakeasy featured Jack Bryan and John Mattes from Lawyers, Guns, and Money podcast on 12.17.

Here are reports from recent Speakeasys:

‘Russia Needs to Collapse as an Empire State’ — That’s How to End the War in Ukraine

A BEAUTIFUL TRUTH — Sgt. Aquilino Gonell Speaks His Truth About J6 at Bette’s Speakeasy

Members who support me at the premium level will be invited to our monthly Founder’s Day events — please upgrade to Founding Member if you would like to join us for these special intimate occasions to meet global experts. Among our recent Founder’s Day events was a conversation with Paul Conroy:

‘Hold Your Nerve’ — A Q & A with War Photojournalist Paul Conroy

Also, a private link to an annual membership discount for older adults, those on fixed incomes or drawing disability, as well as activists and members of the media is available upon request at bettedangerous/gmail. 🥹

More info about Bette Dangerous - This magazine is written by Heidi Siegmund Cuda, an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter, author, and veteran music and nightlife columnist. She is the cohost of RADICALIZED Truth Survives, an investigative show about disinformation and is part of the Byline Media team. Thank you for your support of independent investigative journalism.

“We just have to see that the battle for democracy is broader. It's deeper.“—David Pepper

“I need people to see they're on the frontline. Wherever you live, if you’re doing this work, you are the frontline.”—David Pepper

“The message should be a fair deal… fairness everywhere.”—Martin Sheil

💘

“I say a silent prayer of thanksgiving as I walk upon the earth.”-Audrey Peterman.

“May the viral hope for truth and humanity wash away the chaos of these years.”-S.C., Bette community member

“Something Sacred never dies in almost all of us, who can hear the invitation of Truth…”-words from a Bette Dangerous community member

“Nothing but blue skies from now on…”-Irving Berlin

💘

(Photo: Moby social media)