Pop Culture Mondays/1.29.24
The “Haute Couture” Edition
Happy Monday, my darling pop culture junkies. Welcome to GRAMMY week, which is apparently a thing here in LA, and I am not sure I am up for the challenge. Ever since moving from NYC to LA, I find my entire body clock has shifted many many MANY hours back, and what was normal for me, like going to 3 dinners in one night and crawling to bed at 3 AM only to rinse and repeat night after night is more like NOW, I eat one dinner — maybe not even a whole dinner but a GIRL dinner — and am done by 8:30 LATEST and in bed before I would even be getting an appetizer in NY. SO a week of parties gives me the anxiety. Wish me well!
So many things have happened this week I don't even know where to start. I am skipping some things because A. there is only so much time and B. I don't want all the stories to be depressing. I am skipping Walmart Baby, because it is too upsetting, tbh. And I am just going to give you a taste of this Gen Z creator who decided it was her job to tell everyone she was raised by a stay-at-home mom and couples who both work are making a CHOICE and well…this is her video through the lens of a creator commenter which I love.
DEEP BREATHS.
Another thing you might have learned about AGES ago here on PCM was the GODDAMNED STANLEY CUP. Hopefully, you guys now know your kids are NOT talking about ice hockey. But the Stanley Cup mania has gotten so bananas that it made its way, finally, to SNL this past weekend, hosted by Dakota Johnson, who pulls off the STANLEY CUP INFLUENCER GIRL thing too well.
We are SO dumb.
And this was sent to me by many people and I thank you. This guy SEES ME.
You are welcome.
OK, let’s GET TO IT. I spent a lot of time talking about The OSCAR SNUB of Margo Robbie and Greta Gerwig on last week’s podcast, so if you missed it, here she is. And more on THAT topic below…
Grab your headphones and candy of choice, and remember we are not talking about all the Trump madness this past week because…BECAUSE PCM was built TRUMP-FREE and shall remain so till my last breath.
THE NIGHT THAT CHANGED FASHION:
Maison Margiela Show
I mean, have you seen some of these videos? I suspect many of you have, but I also suspect many of you have no idea what I am talking about, so let me give you a quick summary. I cannot remember a time a fashion show has gone THIS viral. For the clothes. The make-up. The music. Every aspect of it.
Last week was Fashion Week in Paris. And the show that closed a very buzzy Fashion Week was Maison Margiela, a Parisian fashion house. And the creative director is????
John Galliano. The one and only.
You may know him from his own fashion line, John Galliano. Or you may have known him as the creative director for both Givenchy and Dior. Still, doesn’t ring a bell? Ok. WELL, then, maybe you know him from his drunken, racist, and anti-semitic rant he went on back in 2010 for which he was found guilty (saying anti-semitic things is illegal in France, as it should be), and the tirade was filmed, and it seemed to be the end of him. He was canceled before being canceled was a thing. SUCH a trendsetter.
He disappeared for a while but came back a few years later with apologies and an admission he was an alcoholic and an addict and asked for forgiveness from the communities he hurt. And to be honest, I don’t follow the fashion world, so I am not sure how he was received, but Jewish leaders urged forgiveness.
Yet, he remained out of the spotlight personally from a mainstream perspective.
UNTIL last week. When he put on a show of historic proportions.
I am not a fashion girly, yet I watched the entire fashion show on YouTube and clapped and cried and cried…and cried some more. And it is now my ROMAN EMPIRE.
Let me set it up.
It was as if you were watching something out of American Horror Story meets Twin Peaks (thanks, Rob Goldman, for that reference!) It was set in a different time, but all make-believe. Where porcelain dolls come to life but the misfits, the outsiders, the circus freaks. They have all come together in this underground club if you will, that they get to from this rainy alleyway. It opens with a one-armed singer singing to the crowd in the bar. Then we see a film that turns into real people walking, and the show begins.
We have men and women and so many corsets. We have women of all shapes, which GOD DAMMIT I LOVED. We have one song playing through the entire show…an oldie by Adele, but a perfect one for the setting. “Hometown Glory.” It is Galliano letting us know he is back. He is home. Paris is the home to fashion. This is where it all began. The comic. The absurd. The horror. The fun. The beauty. The disgust.
GUYS. IT was SENSATIONAL.
ONLY to close…to CLOSE with Brienne of Tarth HERSELF from Game of Thrones, the actress Gwendoline Christie, who is 6'3" when not in heels.
And they all had this insane make-up on that made them look like they were made out of porcelain or glass, I cannot explain it so you MUST watch the videos. The genius make-up artist Pat McGrath is a DAME and, according to reports, is considered the most influential make-up artist in the world. And for good reason.
Look, take 30 minutes to watch this thing. It is SURREAL. Here is the video, and I really mean it…watch what you can. If you must skip ahead, make sure to see the beginning and the end…
And for those of you who need a quick fix….here you go:
I cannot explain to you how huge Gwendoline is as a person. I don’t just mean in size — which is incredible — but just her entire aura. She has a huge energy force around her on top of her super-tall frame. I was at a party with her once in London, where she swung Mick Jagger around like a jump rope. And Will Ferrell. I am not kidding…swinging them around a living room dancing to Gaga, I THINK, but that part is fuzzy. I had a LOT of rosé. I digress…BUT, those boys were delighted, let me tell you.
Here are some more models. I mean the clothes. The tights. The shoes. The hair. The MAKE-UP. Guys…LOOK at how they walk.
My fave take on the walk…
And perhaps one of the most famous male models, German model Leon Dame, transfixed us with…well…with everything. He opened the show.
This was a SHOW. The models transformed themselves into these characters and transported those there into a different world. And they were engaged with the audience. Something you usually do not see.
Now let’s talk about the make-up. Because the socials went NUTS trying to figure out how to achieve that look…what did Pat do to make it look like that? But this creator seemingly figured it out…
It's a lot of work. Will we start seeing this in everyday life? I actually think SOME variation of this will become popular…that glassy look. Buckle up!
So there you have it. Galliano has just dropped the mic.
And yet, at least from the video of the show…he does not actually appear. Normally, the creative director comes out after the show to applause. But Galliano has remained behind the curtain, so to speak. What a way to come back…I know some won’t see it as a return as he was never really gone BUT, this was a statement. To find out more about the meaning and inspo of the show, I found this really interesting. The ’90s are back, baby!
And PS: this FIVE-year-old aspiring supermodel will one day be the next Galliano runway star. I am SURE:
And ONE more iconic thing to have happened at Paris Fashion Week? These two greats finally met. Magic:
LITERALLY, THE PLOT OF THE MOVIE:
Where to even begin? At this point, it is funny. Also, do these award shows matter? The reason I tune in now is for the fashion and to see if anything shocking happens.
But DO they matter? I mean, maybe for ticket sales, but I am not sure, tbh, and I am not a Hollywood reporter, so what do I know? It’s not like Barbie needed the financial boost since it made a GAJILLION dollars. And to be fair, it got a bunch of nominations, which doesn’t usually happen with huge blockbuster, commercially successful movies. I mean, sure, it happens, but not often. The MOVIE itself was nominated as Best Film. America Ferrera was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Ryan “the perfect man” Gosling, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and THIS was nominated for Best Song:
The Billie Eilish song was ALSO nominated, which definitely is a more SONGY song, but it makes me so sad!
This video has over 102 MILLION views on YouTube, so yeah.
But the shock of Greta Gerwig and Margo Robbie being snubbed was felt far and wide. Now, look, I don’t know if I would vote for Margo Robbie to win, but I absolutely think she should have been nominated. Some think the category was too competitive, but I am not buying it. The good news is that Margo still got a nomination as she was the film's producer.
As for Greta…I do not understand how movies can be nominated for best film, but the director gets snubbed. Like, HOW does the movie get made then, huh? Like magic little elves make it? It is so absurd. They expanded the best film category to include more films, so they should expand the best director, too. None of it makes sense.
But the response was delightful.
First of all, the entire film’s premise is around patriarchy and how impossible it is to avoid it. And VOILA.
And we LOVE Ryan Gosling for his response:
“I am extremely honored to be nominated by my colleagues alongside such remarkable artists in a year of so many great films. And I never thought I’d being saying this, but I’m also incredibly honored and proud that it’s for portraying a plastic doll named Ken.
But there is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally-celebrated film.
No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit and genius.
To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement.
Against all odds with nothing but a couple of soulless, scantily clad, and thankfully crotchless dolls, they made us laugh, they broke our hearts, they pushed the culture and they made history. Their work should be recognized along with the other very deserving nominees.
Having said that, I am so happy for America Ferrera and the other incredible artists who contributed their talents to making this such a groundbreaking film.”
Now that’s hot.
We assume Ryan will be performing “I’m Just Ken” at the Oscars, which is almost too hilarious to imagine. But usually, the singer is the performer. So in my fantasy, he does this and brings out Margo and Greta and maybe a lot of the cast, and they get this crazy standing ovation, and it’s a big FUCK YOU to the Academy. Another amazing idea came to me from someone who commented on my Insta: everyone should wear pink to the Oscars. They won’t, but how cool would that be? Anyway, here are some more responses:
And HILLARY CLINTON!!
Though the reactions to Hill’s tweet were BRUTAL:
I mean…funny.
And the two biggest takes I saw were:
It’s all so silly, ultimately. But yet, here we are!
A LITTLE THIS, A LITTLE THAT:
A LOT of things happened this week. I am on my 3rd cup of coffee, and we are only scratching the surface. Let’s begin here….OY:
Legging Legs:
If you have kept yourself up at night wondering the age-old question, “What are legging legs?” well, you are not alone. I joke. I hope this is not on your brain or that you don’t even know what I am talking about. But let me bring you up to speed on the latest moment on TikTok. “Legging Legs” started trending on TikTok where some creators felt that the ideal legs for leggings were that of women who were tall and skinny and had thigh gaps. What’s a thigh gap you ask?
Yep. Literally, a gap between your thighs, which I would say most women DO not have.
I will say good on TikTok as they realized they had an issue with this trend, so now when you search “legging legs” on the app, this is what pops up:
The creators are not having it with this trend either:
So yeah…it’s a NO for this trend.
This is Stephen Sanchez:
Look, he’s 21. THANK GOD. I have watched many MANY of his TikToks on repeat, and it still feels wrong that he is 21 — but he is LEGAL. LOLS. For the love of god.
If you have a Gen Z kid, you may already be aware of him. If you listen to pop music on Spotify, then you have heard his music, and it might have stuck out as he is more of a crooner than he is a pop star. Like this song:
Unexpected pop star, right?
Well, just watch this and understand why people are losing their minds.
EXCUSE ME SIR. EXCUSE. ME.
Also, the pinky…yes, I am sorry, but COME ON.
The comments KILL me.
And this one hit me hard:
So there you go. Ladies and Gents, Stephen Sanchez. Latest obsession. AND legal.
THOSE WERE THE DAYS:
We were so innocent back then. Oh how things have changed. And here we are in 2024 and both Justin and Britney are back in the headlines. And it’s a doozy.
Back in 2011, Brit released a singled called, “Selfish” along with this music video:
And then, last week…INEXPLICABLY, JT drops his first single from his new album with his song…..can you guess? Called “Selfish”. I mean, come on, guys…
I am unsure if his advisors “not be advising” or if JT ignored advice but this was ALL avoidable. Call the song something fucking else, guys. I mean, really. Because have you heard of Britney fans? I mean, they were the ones who got her conservatorship overthrown, basically. A Britney fan walked so TSwift fans could RUN. They are the OGS of HELL HATH NO FURY, and boy, did they deliver. The fans united to ensure Brit’s 13-year-old song of the same name overtook JT’s new single. And…voila:
The level of petty here..I have to say…RESPECT.
HELL hath no fury…
Where is Mt. Everest?
Parents are coming to terms with the fact that their kids might not be learning things like geography in school. This is a funny trend on TikTok:
The UK Kids Have Responded:
SOOOOO….this went over well. The big-time military general in the UK has encouraged citizens to get prepared for a citizen's army as the country is in desperate need of more people in the military. This led people to wonder if there indeed would be a draft to fight Russia should it come to this. Gen Z responded as one would expect:
But you know who MIGHT make this generation change their mind??
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…That was, IN FACT, me making a joke. I mean, can you even imagine? Oh Boris. No.
TAYLOR IS GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL:
Ok, I mean, TECHNICALLY, her boyfriend is as his team, the Kansas City Chiefs, beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. They will be up against the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas on February 11th. And Usher is technically the superstar halftime show this year, but GODSPEED to you, Usher, because ALL eyes will be on our TAY TAY. You know this; we know this. It's best we get it all out of the way now.
Now the fans have lost their minds because Taylor is playing a gig in TOKYO the night before the SB, and everyone is trying to calculate what it will take to get from Tokyo to Vegas, but rest assured…private planes make that a reality for our girl.
This response, though:
Like, I wouldn't put it past them. THIS was the NFL TikTok yesterday…
They are obsessed.
And my fave Taylor-obsessed creator:
Pookie & Jett:
The latest viral couple. Pookie, aka Campbell Hunt Puckett, and her husband, Jett Hunt Puckett. Jett calls his wife non-ironically POOKIE. It is hard for me to explain, so here you go:
I mean, I know this guy. I don't actually know Jett, but I went to Rollins College, and look…a LOT of the guys were THIS guy. You know he is a bad drunk. But he is not unique. They breed this kind of guy in the South.
It’s consuming the minds of many, though. So much so that music star Zack Bryan recreated one of their videos:
SO good.
THAT IS IT, my darlings…
WOW, that one was a MONSTER. Now I publish and get on with my actual work day and really all i want to do is now go back to bed til Tuesday! I hate waking up at the crack of dawn for anything but a holiday, then I am a BRIGHT SHINY HAPPY baby like this:
Before I let you go…have you guys seen Anatomy of a Fall yet?? I mean, you must. And I was told ahead of time to keep my eyes on the star who has a great future in film…but I did NOT know they were talking about THIS GUY:
I mean…I CAN’T. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH:
I highly recommend this film.
If I missed something, please let me know! Or if there is something you want me to explore more next week. AND…If you aren’t already a subscriber and you want this in your inbox, please send an email to:
subscribe@popculturemondays.com
Have an amazing week.
Xx,
Brooke
