Happy Wednesday!

Today’s Brew kicks off with some holiday spirit and a big win for the older folks.

79-Year-Old Brenda Lee Tops Billboard Hot 100 With “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”?!

Score another one for the grey hairs! A full 65 years after its release and a week before her 79th birthday, Brenda Lee and her classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” top the Billboard Hot 100. This makes Brenda Lee the oldest person to ever hit #1. Adding to the “wow” factor, Lee was only 13 years old when she recorded the song. Lee also shatters the record for longest span between number one songs: 63 years and 4 months. Her iconic “I’m Sorry” topped the chart in July of 1960.

Renewed interest in the song was sparked by a new video Lee has done with Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood in honor of the anniversary.

“I like that God has given me that favor that I can stand aside and look and know that it wasn’t just me; that it’s a conglomerate of a lot of people that made the song what it is,” Lee told Billboard upon hearing the news she has the number one song in the land.

“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” is the third Christmas song to ever top the Hot 100, after “The Chipmunk Song” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You.” It’s also one of four Christmas songs in the Top 10 this week, joining Burl Ives’ “Holly Jolly Christmas,” Wham!’s “Last Christmas” and Andy Williams’ “It’s a Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” (I know what many of you are saying. “’Last Christmas’?! Bleh!”)

Lee’s the latest in an amazing run of chart success for senior citizens. The 77-year-old Dolly Parton is scoring big with her new Rockstar album, 77-year-old Cher’s Christmas album is dominating the season and both the Rolling Stones and the Beatles have charted Top 40 singles in the past month.

Take that, Taylor Swift.

Will Joe Be Singing “I’m Sorry”? House Vote to Authorize Impeachment Inquiry Coming Next Week

The House will formally vote next week to authorize an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden. Or at least that’s “the plan,” Speaker Mike Johnson told the Washington Enquirer on Tuesday. He says Republicans have “no choice.”

“We’ve come to this inflection point. The White House is stonewalling,” Johnson said at his weekly press conference. “The House has no choice if it’s going to follow its constitutional responsibility to formally adopt an impeachment inquiry on the floor so that when the subpoenas are challenged in court, we will be at the apex of our constitutional authority.”

Update: Court Blocks Prison Sentence for Man Convicted for Election Memes

Douglas Mackey was convicted earlier this year for memes trolling Hillary Clinton voters in 2016. Yes. Sentenced to seven months in the slammer for humorous memes. Or more accurately, seven months in the Big House for humorous memes targeting a Democrat. Thankfully, a federal court on Monday halted the prison sentence, granting bond pending appeal.

BREAKING NEWS: Second Circuit Court of Appeals grants bond pending appeal in the Douglass Mackey meme case

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals just overruled the District Court in granting our motion for bond pending appeal. This ruling is huge because it means that the appeals…

— Douglass Mackey (@DougMackeyCase) December 4, 2023

Update: Family of Little Chiefs Fan Accused of Being a Racist Rev Up Legal Action Against Deadspin

The parents of 9-year-old Kansas City Chiefs fan Holden Armeta have hired a high-powered law firm and are threatening to sue media outlet Deadspin and writer Carron J. Phillips for defamation. Phillips wrote an article, posted on social media, accusing the boy of racism for painting his face black and wearing a Native American headdress. Turns out the boy was not in blackface … he was sporting black and red for the Chiefs … and is, himself, Native American.

In a letter to Deadspin, Clare Locke LLC declares:

These Articles, posts on X, and photos about Holden and his parents must be retracted immediately. It is not enough to quietly remove a tweet from X or disable the article from Deadspin’s website. You must publish your retractions and issue an apology to my clients with the same prominence and fanfare with which you defamed them.

They should take the “or else” seriously. Clare Locke is the firm that helped Dominion win a $787.5 million settlement against Fox News.

Standing Up: Riley Gaines Smacks Down Congresswoman Who Tries Labeling Her as Transphobic

Swimmer-turned women’s advocate Riley Gaines was testifying yesterday on Capitol Hill about the travesty of men competing in women’s sports. After Rep. Summer Lee ranted about how Gaines practiced “transphobic bigotry,” Gaines laid her out. “If my testimony makes me transphobic, then I believe your opening monologue makes you a misogynist.”

.@Riley_Gaines_ just owned @RepSummerLee 🤣 pic.twitter.com/zri5vc2PbG

— Sara Rose 🇺🇸🌹 (@saras76) December 5, 2023

The response knocked Rep. Lee so silly, she didn’t say anything until long after the next witness started to speak. Then Lee cut in, demanding Gaines’ comment be stricken from the record. After an off-mic discussion, Lee dropped her request.

Gaines took another bold stand in the wake of two males taking 1st and 2nd place in the Illinois State Cyclocross Championship.

“Any woman who concedes and doesn’t compete I will personally pay them the prize money they’re missing out on. Stop participating in the farce.”

Two men take 1st & 2nd at the Illinois State Cyclocross Championships yesterday. @usacycling has 2 categories for men and none for women

Any woman who concedes and doesn't compete, I will personally pay them the prize money they're missing out on. Stop participating in the farce pic.twitter.com/MbFc2av95y

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) December 4, 2023

“Any sport,” she said in another tweet.

Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon thought so much of Riley’s idea he’s offering to match it.

I've discussed this with Riley and think this is an excellent way to embolden women to fight back. You don't have to give up your prize money when you stand up to men taking over your sports — in fact, you'll make even more because I'll match Riley's contribution, doubling it. https://t.co/bn19iUCOKN

— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) December 5, 2023

Along The Stream

John Zmirak goes deep with, “Sorry, Steve Deace. ‘Identity Politics’ is Not an Idol, But a Bedrock We Must Build On.”

Our Aliya Kuykendall caught up to Time to Revive founder Kyle Lance Martin at the recent Wake UP! Conference. That video is now up.

 

Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream, co-author, with John Zmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and co-author of the counter-terrorism memoir Hostile Intent: Protecting Yourself Against Terrorism.