This outlet is an attempt at resurrecting an alt weekly in everything but form in the unremarkable yet baffling city of Worcester, Massachusetts. A mid-sized enigma. Four shitty post-industrial towns in a trench coat. A downtown that is well preserved Museum of Bad Ideas.
I (Bill Shaner) founded it in 2020 on the same day I left my job at Worcester Magazine, a one-time alt weekly destroyed by a hedge fund called Gannett Media within a few months of the acquisition.
We now have four distinct columns: my original Worcester Sucks work, Bad Advice, by local comedian Shaun Connolly, WPS in Brief, a public schools newsletter by a public schools mother, and Worcester Speaks, an interview column. We also put out as much contributor work as we can. And a podcast called Outdoor Cats that’s a lot of fun.
Oh yeah and we do a Twitch stream called Worcestery Council Theatre 3000—watching the city council meetings live and making fun of the councilors in real time. 6:15 p.m. every single Tuesday for the rest of our lives. Getting pretty close to the alt weekly goal by now but still a ways away. Having more than one full timer I think is when we claim victory. Abouuuut halfway there.
It would mean a lot if you could subscribe for a few bucks a month to help us get there. The cost of a coffee and a half unless you’re getting Good Coffee. Then it’s just one coffee or, frankly, 80 percent of one coffee.
Think of it another way: if you’re a subscriber, you get to be my weird little boss!
In the meantime, tell your friends! Follow the Instagram. Check out the Worcester Sucks merch store. Lots of fun Worcester swag!!
