We are one week away from the pope’s visit, and we even have the porta-potties on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to prove it, not to mention Mayor Michael Nutter taking his excitement into overdrive. Also, hipsters love the Divine Lorraine even more than we thought. Billy Penn recaps these news stories and more and pairs them with music as part of the weekly #BillyPennPlaylist.
“Hotel,” Cassidy feat. R. Kelly
Developers broke ground on the Divine Lorraine Wednesday. It was somehow the moment thousands upon thousands had apparently been waiting for. They waited in line for up to three hours just to (legally) get a peek of the old hotel’s inside.
“Jesus Christ Superstar,” Jesus Christ Superstar cast
This song comes as an anonymous request from a reader and is there a better time for it to make the list? The pope’s visit is a week away. Are we ready? Our own Jesus Christ superstar, Philly Jesus, certainly needs to step up his game.
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“Cheerleader,” Omi
Michael Nutter is no longer the mayor. Wednesday, he christened himself the city’s “cheerleader-in-chief” in hopes that people would get more excited about Pope Francis for next week.
Mayor Nutter says he’s the “cheerleader-in-chief” for Pope Francis’ visit. http://t.co/aixtYvjIcc pic.twitter.com/sMxN2s3p0B
— Dan McQuade (@dhm) September 16, 2015
“I’ll Stand By You,” The Pretenders
Speaking of being a cheerleader, Nutter on Thursday vowed to stand by embattled L&I leader Carlton Williams. ICYMI, L&I had basically been using interns to do building inspections and tried to resist an investigation from the city controller’s office as best as it could.
“So Sick,” Neyo
Well, City Hall has bed bugs. A week after SEPTA reported having some on its buses, the 311 Department — the people who are supposed to help us in tricky situations — left work early on Thursday because of the pests. It’s just really sick.
“Good Vibrations,” Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
Mark Wahlberg will host the Festival of Families during the Saturday night of Pope Francis’ visit. This could be entertaining.
Mark Wahlberg will say hello to the Holy Father for you http://t.co/yNBGBRZZli
‘Hey pope, how’s it goin?’ pic.twitter.com/LUfWvtWCjy— Billy Penn (@billy_penn) September 14, 2015
“Hips Don’t Lie,” Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean
Philadelphia makes a pope want to speak Spanish. Yes, it was announced that Francis’ Parkway mass will be made in his native language of espanol.
“Are You That Somebody?” Aaliyah
The School District of Philadelphia paid $34 million to a firm to fill substitute teacher positions, and that firm has found almost no one to, you know, be a substitute teacher. At the start of classes last week, about 11 percent of the positions had been filled. The School District said Thursday the partnership was in jeopardy. Meanwhile, they still need substitute teachers. Are you that somebody?
